Cripps midfield time

[shorty3264]

No one knows a club like their own fans. From a general footy lover it looks likely Cripps is in the best 22 for Carlton, very impressive NAB Challenge form too. If I am correct so far, tell me how much genuine "around the guts" time will he get. Loves and contested ball, tackle and clearance. Will the "Extractor" get to play his extracting role often with the likes of Gibbs, Murphy, Judd, Carrazzo? Very interested to hear as I love this kid!

[Mat0369]

I have posted this somewhere else but figured I would post it here as well

Cripps still ins't in the best 22.

My answer from the Cripps thread

Looking at Carlton's midfield I still seeing him playing reserves early. Bell is ahead of him and I think Graham and Cripps are fighting for one spot based on team structure.

I just see Carlton's center line looking something like this

Simpson Gibbs Bell
Ruck Murph Judd

Curnow and Carrots also rotating through there with guys like Boekhorst, Thomas, Docherty, Yarran, Whiley (injured), Everritt, Menzel and Buckley all pinch hitting if they get games.

and another thread when asked about Cripps

He will probably be fighting for Brock's spot but then again, Brock was fighting for a spot in the team. I think this could be another development year for him and he will predominantly play reserves footy. He doesn't have the pace that someone like Boekhorst will bring to the 22 and he hasn't got the ability to play forward yet. You also have the more experienced (in terms of development even though they are both young) ball magnet in Graham fighting for the same spot, Whiley comes in and adds another player with a similar skill set but better defensively.

The core midfield group to me looks like this

Murph, Gibbs, Judd, Simpson, Carrots (when healthy) and Curnow

You then have these guys rotating through in Docherty, Yarran, Thomas, Bell, Buckley, Menz, Everitt (pending on his role) and maybe even Walker (his role is the big unknown)

These are the guys then all pushing for spots

Cripps, Boekhorst, Graham, Whiley and maybe Tutt, Armfield and Holman as pinch hitters.

He can't play off HB, he can't play off HF, if he is selected it has to be as a pure mid and he isn't ahead of guys like Murph, Gibbs, Judd, Carrots, Curnow and Simmo when he gets his run through there. You also probably saw how good Everitt was yesterday (at least in the first quarter and a half I watched) and Bell has a few more tricks up his sleeve at this point. Just quickly looking at the best 22

Tuohy, Jamo, Jaksch
Yarran, Rowe, Docherty
Gibbs, Murph, Simmo
Thomas, Levi, Bell
Menzel, Hendo, White
Warnock, Judd, Curnow
Carrots, Everitt, Walker (when fit), Boekhorst (sub)

If they want the extra pace you also have Buckley, Tutt and Dennis. Ellard can also play a small forward role, Whiley, Graham and Cripps are the bigger bodied guys that will come in

I watched the Collingwood game earlier tonight, he still needs a lot of work, especially with his disposal. Simple handballs were way off target and when the heat of a real game is on he could be a liability. Jaksch was another that in the first quarter was all over the shop but he settled in the 2nd half. Both are still very raw and are going to make mistakes but I think Jaksch is the only one that gets a spot round 1. Cripps will get games but he may be a vest candidate

Also with no Walker they had White playing the high half forward almost wing role with Levi, Jones and Hendo as the 3 keys, if Walker isn't fit round 1 that could be a similar line up but with Jones in there instead of Walker. Sheehan and Buckley are two others that could come in and play off HB or in Buckley's case HF which will release either Docherty or Bell to play in the mid rotation on a more permanent basis which is bad for Cripps. Boekhorst also played mainly off HF and was quite good so that doesn't help Cripps either

[shorty3264]

Thanks for the info mate! Interesting points, much appreciated.