Discussion 2022 AFL: Practice Matches & AAMI Community Series Discussion
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Do we have any info regarding his preseason/ completely over injury issues that have plagued him the last few years?
I just recall watching him last year looking like a beaten up player struggling to cover the ground hence my concerns …
I am intrigued though, will watch the game properly over the weekend to get a better read on him.
I just recall watching him last year looking like a beaten up player struggling to cover the ground hence my concerns …
I am intrigued though, will watch the game properly over the weekend to get a better read on him.
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He has looked very good, but he also looked good last two preseason.
I wish I knew what has gone wrong the last two years. Was still the leading centre clearance player 2020 so not terrible.
Maybe Teagues game plan had something to do with it. Cripps was often over 50-60 HT and finished on 80-90 points. Was he stuffed, did his back tighten up just don’t know. Voss has said they will go to a more contested, pressure game which will suit Cripps.
I wish I knew what has gone wrong the last two years. Was still the leading centre clearance player 2020 so not terrible.
Maybe Teagues game plan had something to do with it. Cripps was often over 50-60 HT and finished on 80-90 points. Was he stuffed, did his back tighten up just don’t know. Voss has said they will go to a more contested, pressure game which will suit Cripps.
This is really it. His durability is terrible but his upside is immense. I mean those of us who got torched by him in 2020 picked him at 117 because we genuinely believed he could go higher.
Those of us who picked him at 91 last year knew he could get back and I must say we were idiots to ignore all the preseason information and make that pick but this year the preseason information paints the opposite picture.
I mean we'll all pick Dunkley priced at 100 with similarly terrible durability and a similar scoring history but we want to rule out Cripps. I understand the FWD factor does make a huge difference but if you can get a 115+ midfielder for 83 and you're not at least thinking about it, you're definitely letting your feelings drive the bus.
Injury, imo, is the only plausible story for his average to drop, so worst case you should at least hold value on the pick, not a good result by any means but also not a season ender. Round 12 bye is kind of a bummer though as your bailout options.
Also worth noting that in the event of injury, he tends to stubbornly play through it and move forward and this year he's actually got that DPP factor as a bailout also, especially given a much deeper midfield means probably more minutes starting forward anyway.
Finally I think one factor everyone wants to write off when looking at the Blues is that a considerably bigger pie can mean that no one actually has to lose for the new players coming in, last year their Pie was tiny and Walsh ate all of it but look at the teams like Brisbane and the Dogs with those deep midfields that win a lot of it and it's very possible for there to be 4 guys 100+ and the Blues midfield has the cattle now to at least think about that idea when you add Cerra and Hewett in on top of Kennedy, Walsh and Cripps, especially if Cripps gets back to 2018/19 form.
Those of us who picked him at 91 last year knew he could get back and I must say we were idiots to ignore all the preseason information and make that pick but this year the preseason information paints the opposite picture.
I mean we'll all pick Dunkley priced at 100 with similarly terrible durability and a similar scoring history but we want to rule out Cripps. I understand the FWD factor does make a huge difference but if you can get a 115+ midfielder for 83 and you're not at least thinking about it, you're definitely letting your feelings drive the bus.
Injury, imo, is the only plausible story for his average to drop, so worst case you should at least hold value on the pick, not a good result by any means but also not a season ender. Round 12 bye is kind of a bummer though as your bailout options.
Also worth noting that in the event of injury, he tends to stubbornly play through it and move forward and this year he's actually got that DPP factor as a bailout also, especially given a much deeper midfield means probably more minutes starting forward anyway.
Finally I think one factor everyone wants to write off when looking at the Blues is that a considerably bigger pie can mean that no one actually has to lose for the new players coming in, last year their Pie was tiny and Walsh ate all of it but look at the teams like Brisbane and the Dogs with those deep midfields that win a lot of it and it's very possible for there to be 4 guys 100+ and the Blues midfield has the cattle now to at least think about that idea when you add Cerra and Hewett in on top of Kennedy, Walsh and Cripps, especially if Cripps gets back to 2018/19 form.
Absolutely nothing! It's pretty much the risk factor here and taking risks in the midfield is always gutsy.
The value proposition is huge though.
On a positive, at least he doesn't have a broken back going into the season. Even if he only makes it to round 10, if he's averaging 115+ then you've made close to 150k and sidestepped into an elite midfielder.
Definitely one for the risk chasers though but I look at my side and I'm paying the same money for Sicily, who has just as many questions, Butters whose durability the last two years isn't any better and hasn't proven he can average 90, let alone 120, Heeney who has worse durability and given his history a broken back is about the only part of the bingo card he hasn't checked off and Thomas, again hasn't even averaged 90 and isn't even a wonderkid of durability either!
When I look at those, obviously positional value clicks in, but are any of them any different to Cripps and his upside is 120 rather than chasing 105 and I'd argue he can hit 105 and still work as the M8 given Taranto didn't last year and did!
The value proposition is huge though.
On a positive, at least he doesn't have a broken back going into the season. Even if he only makes it to round 10, if he's averaging 115+ then you've made close to 150k and sidestepped into an elite midfielder.
Definitely one for the risk chasers though but I look at my side and I'm paying the same money for Sicily, who has just as many questions, Butters whose durability the last two years isn't any better and hasn't proven he can average 90, let alone 120, Heeney who has worse durability and given his history a broken back is about the only part of the bingo card he hasn't checked off and Thomas, again hasn't even averaged 90 and isn't even a wonderkid of durability either!
When I look at those, obviously positional value clicks in, but are any of them any different to Cripps and his upside is 120 rather than chasing 105 and I'd argue he can hit 105 and still work as the M8 given Taranto didn't last year and did!
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Didn't feel like a 10ker, but here we are 
Demons - They fought well after a pretty lacklustre first half where they were soundly beaten at the contest. There really wasn't anything they did that stood out to me tactically or structurally that won't be covered by player reviews. Thought they blew off some rust and didn't seem overly phased by the result.
Gawn - The good is definitely that he seems to be playing a more back half sweeper role this year, that's his bread and butter for huge scores, he kicked a goal when he was resting forward and he looks to be in ripping shape. The bad is that he's definitely falling into a genuine ruck share, especially at the CB and in the forward half, as long as he can intercept those quick rushed kicks out to make up for not getting the score involvements on F50 tapouts, he can hold it together but it definitely makes me think there's going to be a lot more variability in his scoring, games that he clunks 5 or 6 intercept marks will be big, games where he doesn't are going to be a lot lower than we're used to. Once again my feeling is I'd rather not start him but that he's probably not going to be a complete train wreck if I do, which, sadly, puts him in the lead still!
Petracca - TOG felt lower than it was, especially in Q4 where he seemed to be off for half the quarter, he looked good if not a bit rusty. This is probably similar to Hewett, if you were already on his wagon, he did enough to keep you holding on and if you weren't then there wasn't really anything to change it. As someone who had one hand waiting for him to demand I get on, I feel myself letting go.
Oliver - He was beastly as ever, surprised how low his score was and to be fair he probably should have had about 4 more FA on just incredibly bad calls by umpires but I just love that even in a preseason game he just doesn't have that chill switch.
Fritsch - Not fantasy relevant but has to have the nicest looking set shot since Lloyd/Brad Green were rocking it.
Sparrow - Role was solid again, similar to Kennedy basically where he's the clear 4th mid in the group right now. I do wonder if he stays in that spot when the real stuff starts or if he goes out of the side and the much more versatile ANB/Harmes pair slot in instead, felt like he was getting a chance to demand they hold him in and he just didn't do that but he was solid and if he does hold the spot (he was much better last week) then he's a viable pick. Probably another that's 50k more than you'd like but no real reason he can't average 85 in that role, he does everything you'd want for it. I think the JS/Role concerns are enough to make him an undesirable play but wouldn't shock me if he's in the best couple of guys around that price range. I think there's better plays but, again, wouldn't be surprised if he ended up the right one despite that.
Jackson - Be interested to know his HOtA stats and SC score, the big takeaway watching and it's possible the stats don't support it, was that he was struggling to get his hands on the ball and influence things when going against Pittonet outside of the CB jump where his immense athletic ability stands out. He just seemed to get soundly beaten and I think he was lucky to not give away 3 or 4 FA in boundary/around the ground stoppages, this is always the threat for a young 2nd ruck moving into a genuine ruck share where they now start rucking against the opponents #1, and Pittonet is one of the weaker #1s, and their ruck scoring actually falls away. He's a special talent but I've felt it was too early all off season and neither of the games has done anything to change that for me. Credit to anyone who grabs him if it works but it's just not a pick I'm considering.
Brayshaw - Playing HB, not sure if because of the outs and they just wanted an extra leader or what, didn't seem to reignite that pig from so long ago now!
Bowey - Without their two primary rebounders he still couldn't find the main role, that's enough for me to stick the fork in him.
It's amazing how irrelevant that Melbourne group is after the super premium trio.
Demons - They fought well after a pretty lacklustre first half where they were soundly beaten at the contest. There really wasn't anything they did that stood out to me tactically or structurally that won't be covered by player reviews. Thought they blew off some rust and didn't seem overly phased by the result.
Gawn - The good is definitely that he seems to be playing a more back half sweeper role this year, that's his bread and butter for huge scores, he kicked a goal when he was resting forward and he looks to be in ripping shape. The bad is that he's definitely falling into a genuine ruck share, especially at the CB and in the forward half, as long as he can intercept those quick rushed kicks out to make up for not getting the score involvements on F50 tapouts, he can hold it together but it definitely makes me think there's going to be a lot more variability in his scoring, games that he clunks 5 or 6 intercept marks will be big, games where he doesn't are going to be a lot lower than we're used to. Once again my feeling is I'd rather not start him but that he's probably not going to be a complete train wreck if I do, which, sadly, puts him in the lead still!
Petracca - TOG felt lower than it was, especially in Q4 where he seemed to be off for half the quarter, he looked good if not a bit rusty. This is probably similar to Hewett, if you were already on his wagon, he did enough to keep you holding on and if you weren't then there wasn't really anything to change it. As someone who had one hand waiting for him to demand I get on, I feel myself letting go.
Oliver - He was beastly as ever, surprised how low his score was and to be fair he probably should have had about 4 more FA on just incredibly bad calls by umpires but I just love that even in a preseason game he just doesn't have that chill switch.
Fritsch - Not fantasy relevant but has to have the nicest looking set shot since Lloyd/Brad Green were rocking it.
Sparrow - Role was solid again, similar to Kennedy basically where he's the clear 4th mid in the group right now. I do wonder if he stays in that spot when the real stuff starts or if he goes out of the side and the much more versatile ANB/Harmes pair slot in instead, felt like he was getting a chance to demand they hold him in and he just didn't do that but he was solid and if he does hold the spot (he was much better last week) then he's a viable pick. Probably another that's 50k more than you'd like but no real reason he can't average 85 in that role, he does everything you'd want for it. I think the JS/Role concerns are enough to make him an undesirable play but wouldn't shock me if he's in the best couple of guys around that price range. I think there's better plays but, again, wouldn't be surprised if he ended up the right one despite that.
Jackson - Be interested to know his HOtA stats and SC score, the big takeaway watching and it's possible the stats don't support it, was that he was struggling to get his hands on the ball and influence things when going against Pittonet outside of the CB jump where his immense athletic ability stands out. He just seemed to get soundly beaten and I think he was lucky to not give away 3 or 4 FA in boundary/around the ground stoppages, this is always the threat for a young 2nd ruck moving into a genuine ruck share where they now start rucking against the opponents #1, and Pittonet is one of the weaker #1s, and their ruck scoring actually falls away. He's a special talent but I've felt it was too early all off season and neither of the games has done anything to change that for me. Credit to anyone who grabs him if it works but it's just not a pick I'm considering.
Brayshaw - Playing HB, not sure if because of the outs and they just wanted an extra leader or what, didn't seem to reignite that pig from so long ago now!
Bowey - Without their two primary rebounders he still couldn't find the main role, that's enough for me to stick the fork in him.
It's amazing how irrelevant that Melbourne group is after the super premium trio.
Such a great asset here. 👍.
As General Melchett put it to Blackadder “If nothing else works, a total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through.”
If you’re determined to see someone as a bad pick, you’ll always find a rationale. But using a 31 touch, 109 pt game as a way to denigrate a $399k defender still feels pretty out there.
If you’re determined to see someone as a bad pick, you’ll always find a rationale. But using a 31 touch, 109 pt game as a way to denigrate a $399k defender still feels pretty out there.
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Lot of debate around Cripps. It’s a really interesting decision. Watched the game last night and he definitely moved freely, tackled and kicked goals. Appears to offer value given his price. Question: are you picking him as a potential keeper? In my opinion, I tend to go Guns n Rookies and pick MIDs that I believe will be keepers (top 8 in MIDs). That means scoring 115+ for midfielders. Looking at the bye rounds, Carlton have round 12 bye with Bombers, GWS, Port, Tigers and Saints. My other consideration: How many round 12 premium/keeper players in the same line can/should we have in our team (given they have the 1st bye)? My preference is to pick up players from teams when they have completed the 1st bye round. I already have Steele since he has scored 120+ in the past 2 years and is the main man in the Saints midfield. The thing I love about SC is you get to back your own gut and it’s a great feeling when it pays off !
Here's my review courtesy of sen1116 😁
Round 1 can’t come soon enough for Blues fans after their five-point win over Melbourne on Thursday night.
Under Michael Voss, Carlton looked strong and dynamic at the contest and had a genuine gameplan, holding off the reigning premiers despite playing just 17 men in the second half.
Melbourne charged home, and many would have expected the Blues to fold as has often been the case. However, they hung on, and maybe, just maybe, this is the new Carlton.
However, both clubs were understrength, notably Melbourne in defence, and it’s difficult to make too many judgments going forward.
Here’s everything we learnt from Thursday night’s clash.
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This video will resume in 2 seconds
x close
Carlton’s midfield could be the up there with the best in 2022
Four midfielders led the way for the Blues against the Demons, and all four were up there with the best players on the ground. New recruits Adam Cerra and George Hewett fitted in seamlessly and combined for some monster numbers.
The duo put up 62 disposals, 16 score involvements, 11 clearances and 10 inside 50s and were stunning both inside and outside of the contest.
As good as they were, those two were overshadowed by two other men in Blue, Matthew Kennedy and Patrick Cripps.
Kennedy has no doubt been inconsistent throughout his career, but the 24-year-old began to show what he can do when he had a clear run at it late last year. He had 37 disposals and nine marks to be a clear second-best on the ground against Melbourne.
However, all the talk post-game will be about Cripps, who posted a remarkable return to form with 30 disposals, 10 clearances and four goals. The skipper played most of 2021 sore and was well below his best, but Cripps addressed queries he wouldn’t get back to All Australian form with tough, hard footy, proving his role has a future in the game.
Of course, we can’t get ahead of ourselves. But if those four can put in performances like that consistently as a unit, and Sam Walsh returns early in the season, there’s every chance their on-ball unit ends up as one of the best.
A forgotten defender might have reinvigorated himself
Mitch McGovern no doubt had a tough season in 2021, but a positional shift may be about to show us what he can do.
A switch to defence was flagged over the pre-season for the former forward, and many would have held concerns over the chances for it to work. However, McGovern impressed last week in the first practice match in the role, and Thursday’s performance signalled the 27-year-old could play there all year.
He finished with 19 disposals, six marks and four tackles, but it was his 11 intercept posessions that will impress Voss the most.
We might have just witnessed the revival of an incredibly talented player that was almost lost to the game.
Clubs will need to be careful on the umpire interpretation rules
Melbourne gave away a whopping eight 50 metre penalties last night, six of them leading to goals to Carlton, which was ultimately the game in itself.
It was the most ever in any game of AFL, after the league has cracked down on umpire abuse and initiated a zero-tolerance policy, and the differences were stark on Thursday night. Any show of frustration, not just abuse, resulted in a 50 metre penalty, the umpires very hot on the whistle.
How the fans react will be interesting, but the AFL has set the tone early in suggesting anything that could remotely make the umpires feel uncomfortable will be punished, and like Melbourne, could result in a game-changing swing.
Round 1 can’t come soon enough for Blues fans after their five-point win over Melbourne on Thursday night.
Under Michael Voss, Carlton looked strong and dynamic at the contest and had a genuine gameplan, holding off the reigning premiers despite playing just 17 men in the second half.
Melbourne charged home, and many would have expected the Blues to fold as has often been the case. However, they hung on, and maybe, just maybe, this is the new Carlton.
However, both clubs were understrength, notably Melbourne in defence, and it’s difficult to make too many judgments going forward.
Here’s everything we learnt from Thursday night’s clash.
0 seconds of 15 seconds
This video will resume in 2 seconds
x close
Carlton’s midfield could be the up there with the best in 2022
Four midfielders led the way for the Blues against the Demons, and all four were up there with the best players on the ground. New recruits Adam Cerra and George Hewett fitted in seamlessly and combined for some monster numbers.
The duo put up 62 disposals, 16 score involvements, 11 clearances and 10 inside 50s and were stunning both inside and outside of the contest.
As good as they were, those two were overshadowed by two other men in Blue, Matthew Kennedy and Patrick Cripps.
Kennedy has no doubt been inconsistent throughout his career, but the 24-year-old began to show what he can do when he had a clear run at it late last year. He had 37 disposals and nine marks to be a clear second-best on the ground against Melbourne.
However, all the talk post-game will be about Cripps, who posted a remarkable return to form with 30 disposals, 10 clearances and four goals. The skipper played most of 2021 sore and was well below his best, but Cripps addressed queries he wouldn’t get back to All Australian form with tough, hard footy, proving his role has a future in the game.
Of course, we can’t get ahead of ourselves. But if those four can put in performances like that consistently as a unit, and Sam Walsh returns early in the season, there’s every chance their on-ball unit ends up as one of the best.
A forgotten defender might have reinvigorated himself
Mitch McGovern no doubt had a tough season in 2021, but a positional shift may be about to show us what he can do.
A switch to defence was flagged over the pre-season for the former forward, and many would have held concerns over the chances for it to work. However, McGovern impressed last week in the first practice match in the role, and Thursday’s performance signalled the 27-year-old could play there all year.
He finished with 19 disposals, six marks and four tackles, but it was his 11 intercept posessions that will impress Voss the most.
We might have just witnessed the revival of an incredibly talented player that was almost lost to the game.
Clubs will need to be careful on the umpire interpretation rules
Melbourne gave away a whopping eight 50 metre penalties last night, six of them leading to goals to Carlton, which was ultimately the game in itself.
It was the most ever in any game of AFL, after the league has cracked down on umpire abuse and initiated a zero-tolerance policy, and the differences were stark on Thursday night. Any show of frustration, not just abuse, resulted in a 50 metre penalty, the umpires very hot on the whistle.
How the fans react will be interesting, but the AFL has set the tone early in suggesting anything that could remotely make the umpires feel uncomfortable will be punished, and like Melbourne, could result in a game-changing swing.