|
Venue: MCG | ||||||||||||||||||
| Date: Sat 5 April 2008, 7:10pm | Result: Loss by 16 points | ||||||||||||||||||
| Umpires: Kamolins, K. Nicholls, Ryan. | Crowd: 64,388 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Goalkickers: Fevola 8, Kreuzer 2, Judd 2, Stevens 2, Hadley, Carrazzo, Fisher, Murphy, Betts, Gibbs, Bannister | |||||||||||||||||||
| Reports: Nil | Injuries: Nil | ||||||||||||||||||
Game Review
A free kick and resultant goal to Damien Peverill before the opening bounce was the worst start possible for the Blues. Matthew Kreuzer, playing in his first match, managed to kick a goal with his first kick in AFL football from a set shot about 40 metres out on a slight angle. Just prior to this goal, he had gotten the hit out at the centre bounce to Chris Judd, who passed to Eddie Betts. Kreuzer then sprinted from the centre circle into the forward 50 to take an uncontested mark. In a match that was always destined to be a high-scoring shoot-out, the Bombers had the early advantage at quarter time.The second quarter was more of the same. There were plenty of goals and the game was played in an incredibly attacking and quick manner. The Bombers went into the main break with a slight lead.
The Blues came out firing in the third quarter. Brendan Fevola was unstoppable, kicking a mammoth 5 goals and Chris Judd picked up 12 disposals to go with his first two goals in the Navy Blue. The Blues managed to close the deficit and were at one stage two goals in front. But, in what is all too familiar now for Carlton fans, Essendon managed to snag two very late goals in the quarter and at three-quarter time the Blues were up by only one point.
Much like the previous two weeks, the Blues faded out once again and were overrun by a more match-fit Essendon outfit who were eventual 16 point winners.
This match equalled Carlton's worst ever losing streak of 14 games. The only other time this had happened was in the 1901/1902 seasons.
Brendan Fevola was best afield for the Blues with an equal career-best 8 goals (the fifth time he had achieved the feat). Chris Judd played his best game for the Blues so far; picking up 32 disposals, 2 goals, 15 contested possessions and a massive 9 clearances. Matthew Kreuzer played the best debut game seen at Carlton since Andrew Walker in 2004; picking up 16 disposals, 2 goals and 12 hit outs despite only playing 67% of the match. His 2nd and 3rd efforts, one-percenters and footy smarts had Blues fans salivating at the prospect of him playing for Carlton for the next 15 years. Eddie Betts also played his best game yet for Carlton; picking up a career-high 27 disposals and kicking yet another spectacular goal. Nick Stevens responded to criticism during the week that he was overweight by picking up 26 disposals, 5 clearances and two long goals. Despite having lost the game, there were plenty of positives the Blues could take out from this game.
Team
| B: | 29 Heath Scotland | 40 Michael Jamison | 32 Bret Thornton |
| HB: | 6 Kade Simpson | 30 Jarrad Waite | 18 Paul Bower |
| C: | 4 Bryce Gibbs | 5 Chris Judd (c) | 31 Jordan Bannister |
| HF: | 3 Marc Murphy | 14 Brad Fisher | 2 Jordan Russell |
| F: | 19 Eddie Betts | 25 Brendan Fevola | 8 Matthew Kreuzer |
| Ruck: | 28 Cameron Cloke | 10 Richard Hadley | 24 Nick Stevens |
| Interchange: | 22 Shaun Hampson | 33 Ryan Houlihan | 36 Darren Pfeiffer |
| 44 Andrew Carrazzo | |||
| Coach: | Brett Ratten | ||
| Emg: | 7 Adam Bentick, Dennis Armfield, 38 Ryan Jackson | ||
| In: | Matthew Kreuzer, Michael Jamison | ||
| Out: | Setanta Ó hAilpín, Jake Edwards | ||
Milestones
Debut: Matthew KreuzerGoal with first kick: Matthew Kreuzer
Score Records: This loss was Carlton's 14th consecutive loss, equalling our record losing streak
Brownlow Votes
3. Mark McVeigh, Essendon2. Chris Judd, Carlton
1. Brendan Fevola, Carlton
Best and Fairest Votes
42 Eddie Betts, 41 Brendan Fevola, 38 Chris Judd, 33 Matthew Kreuzer, 30 Michael Jamison, 22 Nick Stevens, 19 Richard Hadley, 16 Marc Murphy, 4 Cameron ClokeThe Ghost
Another piece of the puzzle falls from the sky
There is a Biblical story about Moses in the desert, about a moment when all seemed lost, when the only end in sight appeared to be The End, and then, just at the bleakest moment, manna falls from heaven and the fleeing Israelites are saved.
Ignoring all the media hype about the hows/whys/and wherefores/ the truth is we have needed a ruckman or two for some time now, really since Matty Allan’s feet succumbed to the rigors this game can place upon the human body. Now we have two. Both have fallen from the heavens that we call the draft. One, a clever pick, the other the reason for all those hows/whys/and wherefores.
First came The Hammer through astute spotting by Hughes which gave us Hampson, who is tall, fast and another real prospect in the making. And now tumbling into our laps from the blue skies above comes The Kruise! Oh and what a piece of the puzzle to fall our way. If my Dad were alive he’d be dancing jigs after watching the young colossus stride the sacred turf. Dad, coming from the Robert Walls School of footballing philosophy, loved the ruckmen. He loved Perc, who often made him giggle, admired Fitzy who often seemed so undermanned and yet usually came out on top and he even came to love the striding giraffe that was Justin Madden. But of all the ruckmen dad saw, his favourite by the length of several streets, was, of course, Big Nick.
He’d often stare into our young faces, his green eyes bright with the Navy Blue dream, and tell us about Big Nick as a young ruckman. How, from the start, you could see what an absolute ripper the club had found: A jewel for the firmament. Now I understand Dad’s fervour. We have found another diamond for that special heaven reserved for the champions of all things Dark Navy. I know its early days, I know its one game, but oh, what a game! What a beginning. Here’s one I’ll be telling the grandkids about.
Where there was darkness, light shone, where we seemed small and timid, suddenly we exploded. Oh he was not alone, Fev went off like it was the fourth of July – he is our own Guy Fawkes, is our Fev, a rogue of sorts, and what fireworks he delivers, enough to rock any parliament. Then there was Murph, as always, and Gibbsey, particularly his work in the third. Stevo stuck the media circus up their own collected hot air bags and a certain famous new recruit showed that he is the one and only Judd. From paupers to millionaires in the flicker of a young ruckman’s brave hand - the Bluebaggers exploded!
Suddenly we looked mighty good and I began to dream of the final end to this painful stretch of Greg Chappell outs. We are better than we are showing. But we keep finding the nicks. This time it was just those ends of quarters, the red time. We nick one each time and gave them goals, gave them hope – never, remember this young ‘uns, never give an opponent (particularly one in black and red) a sniff of hope, a faint waft of sunshine, a flimsy thread of possibility – that thread will always lead to your dreams unravelling before your every eyes.
Oh and how we unravelled! Suddenly we’re several goals down and the weeks before became the weeks ahead! Is there no end in sight!
Well no. No there isn’t and yes, yes there is. We may lose some more games yet, we may even shatter this 100 point record for all times, but we are getting the pieces in place. Gibbs, Murph, Hampson and The Kruise, Bowerbird bobbing up in the backline, young, brave Jammo, who reminds me of an Anzac with his spirit, and others. They are all fitting together. We just have to be patient. I know, I’ve said that for so long now you’ve all lost patience with the thought. But hang in there.
Watch The Kruise, watch Murph and Gibbs, heck if it gets real bad, watch the Judd and believe. Hang tough.
It will not be as long as some think before our small explosions become a mighty roar across games, then seasons and even decades! The kids are young but the talent is there, now we must let them gather experience so we can light the Navy Blue flame and watch it burn perhaps brighter than ever before.
So this week we play the pre‘75’s (go on, work that reference out!) and the question is - can we explode again and can we hang on at the end of those quarters? Is the run of outs finally about to break or will losses continue to accumulate?
Funnily enough I think we can win this week, The Pies main claim to fame is that they all work for each other so that the whole is far better than the parts. Our task this week is to break them back down into parts. Make their parts take on our parts and we’ll win.
Fev to go off again – from him this week the big ha’penny banger – 10 goals!
The Kruise for Rising Star
And Judd BOG!
We’ll break them apart in the middle and then watch the splinters move out to ruin their precious ‘team’. Watch the Horror and Frights drop their bundles collectively until we can all but hear them screaming, ‘each man for himself!’
Blues by 3 goals – which after so long will seem like a lot!
Go Blues!
Ignoring all the media hype about the hows/whys/and wherefores/ the truth is we have needed a ruckman or two for some time now, really since Matty Allan’s feet succumbed to the rigors this game can place upon the human body. Now we have two. Both have fallen from the heavens that we call the draft. One, a clever pick, the other the reason for all those hows/whys/and wherefores.
First came The Hammer through astute spotting by Hughes which gave us Hampson, who is tall, fast and another real prospect in the making. And now tumbling into our laps from the blue skies above comes The Kruise! Oh and what a piece of the puzzle to fall our way. If my Dad were alive he’d be dancing jigs after watching the young colossus stride the sacred turf. Dad, coming from the Robert Walls School of footballing philosophy, loved the ruckmen. He loved Perc, who often made him giggle, admired Fitzy who often seemed so undermanned and yet usually came out on top and he even came to love the striding giraffe that was Justin Madden. But of all the ruckmen dad saw, his favourite by the length of several streets, was, of course, Big Nick.
He’d often stare into our young faces, his green eyes bright with the Navy Blue dream, and tell us about Big Nick as a young ruckman. How, from the start, you could see what an absolute ripper the club had found: A jewel for the firmament. Now I understand Dad’s fervour. We have found another diamond for that special heaven reserved for the champions of all things Dark Navy. I know its early days, I know its one game, but oh, what a game! What a beginning. Here’s one I’ll be telling the grandkids about.
Where there was darkness, light shone, where we seemed small and timid, suddenly we exploded. Oh he was not alone, Fev went off like it was the fourth of July – he is our own Guy Fawkes, is our Fev, a rogue of sorts, and what fireworks he delivers, enough to rock any parliament. Then there was Murph, as always, and Gibbsey, particularly his work in the third. Stevo stuck the media circus up their own collected hot air bags and a certain famous new recruit showed that he is the one and only Judd. From paupers to millionaires in the flicker of a young ruckman’s brave hand - the Bluebaggers exploded!
Suddenly we looked mighty good and I began to dream of the final end to this painful stretch of Greg Chappell outs. We are better than we are showing. But we keep finding the nicks. This time it was just those ends of quarters, the red time. We nick one each time and gave them goals, gave them hope – never, remember this young ‘uns, never give an opponent (particularly one in black and red) a sniff of hope, a faint waft of sunshine, a flimsy thread of possibility – that thread will always lead to your dreams unravelling before your every eyes.
Oh and how we unravelled! Suddenly we’re several goals down and the weeks before became the weeks ahead! Is there no end in sight!
Well no. No there isn’t and yes, yes there is. We may lose some more games yet, we may even shatter this 100 point record for all times, but we are getting the pieces in place. Gibbs, Murph, Hampson and The Kruise, Bowerbird bobbing up in the backline, young, brave Jammo, who reminds me of an Anzac with his spirit, and others. They are all fitting together. We just have to be patient. I know, I’ve said that for so long now you’ve all lost patience with the thought. But hang in there.
Watch The Kruise, watch Murph and Gibbs, heck if it gets real bad, watch the Judd and believe. Hang tough.
It will not be as long as some think before our small explosions become a mighty roar across games, then seasons and even decades! The kids are young but the talent is there, now we must let them gather experience so we can light the Navy Blue flame and watch it burn perhaps brighter than ever before.
So this week we play the pre‘75’s (go on, work that reference out!) and the question is - can we explode again and can we hang on at the end of those quarters? Is the run of outs finally about to break or will losses continue to accumulate?
Funnily enough I think we can win this week, The Pies main claim to fame is that they all work for each other so that the whole is far better than the parts. Our task this week is to break them back down into parts. Make their parts take on our parts and we’ll win.
Fev to go off again – from him this week the big ha’penny banger – 10 goals!
The Kruise for Rising Star
And Judd BOG!
We’ll break them apart in the middle and then watch the splinters move out to ruin their precious ‘team’. Watch the Horror and Frights drop their bundles collectively until we can all but hear them screaming, ‘each man for himself!’
Blues by 3 goals – which after so long will seem like a lot!
Go Blues!
Mike and Dan
Jordan Bannister: Mike and Dan's Play of the Week
Despite a disappointing loss to Essendon this week, the game had no shortage of individual highlights for the Blues. The one that stood out for us this week was Jordan Bannister’s exciting banana kick goal from 45 metres out in the second quarter. We got the opportunity to talk to Jordan on the eve of his 50th game for the Carlton Football Club.
Your Player of the Week award is for your fantastic banana goal, have you practiced that type of kick at training?
I have practiced it a little bit at training, mainly with Fev and Betts, not one of my strengths but lucky enough to see it go through.
As a veteran of 63 games now it must be exciting to see new players come into the team, what were your impressions of Matthew Kruezer’s first game for the Blues?
The young boys coming though are great, just seeing their enthusiasm. Kruezer was fantastic with his one percenters, shephards and smothering. It inspires the other members of the team.
This is now your third interview with M&D. Do you know consider us to be the best footy journalists in the land?
Oh mate nothing compares to M&D! Such good reading on the website. I encourage everyone to have a look at it.
Last season you did not manage a game until Round 10, this year you have been in the side from round one. What was your pre-season like this year compared to seasons past?
My pre season was pretty similar actually; it is usually one of my strengths with plenty of running. I guess just in the practice matches Ratts gave me the opportunity. I did not get as much of a go in practice games in 2007. Up in Alice Springs I got a good opportunity and that has helped with getting senior games at the start of this season.
This game will be your 50th game for Carlton, what does this mean to you?
Mate it means everything to me, the club is awesome. All the boys around the club the trainers, the head trainer, Ray Spiteri and everyone who helps out at the club make it a great place to be around. I would love to get my name on the locker and play 100 games but we are just concentrating on the game this week at this stage.
In 2007 you won the best clubman award, in the old days this award usually went to the biggest party boys in the club. Things are different these days. What do you have to do to get the best clubman award in modern footy?
I don’t drink alcohol so it was not given for that reason! I guess it was more to do with talking to the young guys and being positive around the club and vocal at training. Not coming into the club in a bad mood.
Is there an instant hatred of Collingwood as soon as you join Carlton or does it take time to develop, especially after growing up as a Collingwood supporter?
No, when you play in the big games that is when you start to get a ‘hatred’. When you play in front of big crowds you do anything you can to get your mates over the line for a win.
We are fading towards the end of quarters and the game. How is that so in Rd 3?
Might be just from having the youngest side in the competition. Also, with Judd and Stevo being not quite 100% just yet. They both should be 100% match fit in the next week or two. Most likely a maturity thing, it might take a little time to get a four quarter performance. I’m positive we will get there and we are doing everything we can as a group to get there as quickly as possible.
What change has he experienced with Ratten’s coaching style compared to Pagan’s?
Possesssion is the big difference, Ratts is keen on possessing the ball, the longer we have it the longer the other team don’t. The more you have the ball the more you run; it is a positive game style. We have kept the hard aspects of the game that Denis had emphasised, Ratts had that in his game as well and it is what we are trying to follow.
The Bullants had a good come from behind win on the weekend. Did you see the match or have you heard of any good performances that may see a promotion this week?
I went out to have a look, about 10 or 15 guys from the senior game the night before were out there giving them support. Good to see Ackland out there, he seemed to get every tapout, hopefully he will be right in the next couple of weeks. Aaron Joseph had a good game and I expect Adam Bentick to not be too far away from senior selection either.
Deledio, Dal Santo, & Stanton are big jobs. Are you told principally to shut down or are the coaching staff instructing you to get possessions as well?
Little bit of both, mainly shutting down, but also concentrating on getting off my opponent where I can. But sometimes you have to sacrifice your own game for the team. It is a balance especially on such dangerous opponents.
This is your opportunity to dig some dirt on a team-mate, any bad habits we should know about?
We usually do our skills in the morning and weights in the afternoon. Andrew Carrazzo does not change his clothes all day! Houla and I have commented to him that he needs to improve his hygiene and change out of his stinky clothes!
It makes you smile as a Carlton supporter knowing the club is being represented by top notch young guys such as Jordan Bannister. We hope he gets the opportunity to play at least another 50 games for the Blues, to get his name on the locker and more plays of the week. Some Carlton supporters might be wondering why we have overlooked the great debut game of Matthew Kruezer for play of the week. We here in the Mike and Dan offices did not want to burden a first game player with the pressure of receiving such a prestigious honour so early in his career.
Your Player of the Week award is for your fantastic banana goal, have you practiced that type of kick at training?
I have practiced it a little bit at training, mainly with Fev and Betts, not one of my strengths but lucky enough to see it go through.
As a veteran of 63 games now it must be exciting to see new players come into the team, what were your impressions of Matthew Kruezer’s first game for the Blues?
The young boys coming though are great, just seeing their enthusiasm. Kruezer was fantastic with his one percenters, shephards and smothering. It inspires the other members of the team.
This is now your third interview with M&D. Do you know consider us to be the best footy journalists in the land?
Oh mate nothing compares to M&D! Such good reading on the website. I encourage everyone to have a look at it.
Last season you did not manage a game until Round 10, this year you have been in the side from round one. What was your pre-season like this year compared to seasons past?
My pre season was pretty similar actually; it is usually one of my strengths with plenty of running. I guess just in the practice matches Ratts gave me the opportunity. I did not get as much of a go in practice games in 2007. Up in Alice Springs I got a good opportunity and that has helped with getting senior games at the start of this season.
This game will be your 50th game for Carlton, what does this mean to you?
Mate it means everything to me, the club is awesome. All the boys around the club the trainers, the head trainer, Ray Spiteri and everyone who helps out at the club make it a great place to be around. I would love to get my name on the locker and play 100 games but we are just concentrating on the game this week at this stage.
In 2007 you won the best clubman award, in the old days this award usually went to the biggest party boys in the club. Things are different these days. What do you have to do to get the best clubman award in modern footy?
I don’t drink alcohol so it was not given for that reason! I guess it was more to do with talking to the young guys and being positive around the club and vocal at training. Not coming into the club in a bad mood.
Is there an instant hatred of Collingwood as soon as you join Carlton or does it take time to develop, especially after growing up as a Collingwood supporter?
No, when you play in the big games that is when you start to get a ‘hatred’. When you play in front of big crowds you do anything you can to get your mates over the line for a win.
We are fading towards the end of quarters and the game. How is that so in Rd 3?
Might be just from having the youngest side in the competition. Also, with Judd and Stevo being not quite 100% just yet. They both should be 100% match fit in the next week or two. Most likely a maturity thing, it might take a little time to get a four quarter performance. I’m positive we will get there and we are doing everything we can as a group to get there as quickly as possible.
What change has he experienced with Ratten’s coaching style compared to Pagan’s?
Possesssion is the big difference, Ratts is keen on possessing the ball, the longer we have it the longer the other team don’t. The more you have the ball the more you run; it is a positive game style. We have kept the hard aspects of the game that Denis had emphasised, Ratts had that in his game as well and it is what we are trying to follow.
The Bullants had a good come from behind win on the weekend. Did you see the match or have you heard of any good performances that may see a promotion this week?
I went out to have a look, about 10 or 15 guys from the senior game the night before were out there giving them support. Good to see Ackland out there, he seemed to get every tapout, hopefully he will be right in the next couple of weeks. Aaron Joseph had a good game and I expect Adam Bentick to not be too far away from senior selection either.
Deledio, Dal Santo, & Stanton are big jobs. Are you told principally to shut down or are the coaching staff instructing you to get possessions as well?
Little bit of both, mainly shutting down, but also concentrating on getting off my opponent where I can. But sometimes you have to sacrifice your own game for the team. It is a balance especially on such dangerous opponents.
This is your opportunity to dig some dirt on a team-mate, any bad habits we should know about?
We usually do our skills in the morning and weights in the afternoon. Andrew Carrazzo does not change his clothes all day! Houla and I have commented to him that he needs to improve his hygiene and change out of his stinky clothes!
It makes you smile as a Carlton supporter knowing the club is being represented by top notch young guys such as Jordan Bannister. We hope he gets the opportunity to play at least another 50 games for the Blues, to get his name on the locker and more plays of the week. Some Carlton supporters might be wondering why we have overlooked the great debut game of Matthew Kruezer for play of the week. We here in the Mike and Dan offices did not want to burden a first game player with the pressure of receiving such a prestigious honour so early in his career.
Round 2 | Round 4