Carlton H&A Discussion

[Mat0369]

This is from the AFL wrap up on the Crows.

Surprise packet: Eddie Betts
The former Carlton star's class was well known before he joined the Crows, but few could have predicted he would have made the impact he did in his first season. Betts led Adelaide's goal kicking with 51 majors and led the AFL for goal assists (29). His contribution was recognised by Sanderson, with Betts taking out the coaches' award.

I think this shows how much the Betts loss hurt over the course of the season. The man was responsible for 80 goals in Adelaide this year. What hurts is we got 0 compensation for him since they signed Thomas meaning it cancelled out. He was also important in keeping Jeff/Robbo/Yaz in line. He was really close with all of them and a leader at the club.

[Vinny]

JJK, Jacobs, Betts. :'(

Probably will happen if we let Waite, Robbo or Jeffy go.

[Mat0369]

We have lost some top end talent the last 5 years. We need to make sure this offseason we don't go after any washed up players aka Higgins and just focus on youth. It goes back a long way, we traded a pick back at the end of 1999 for Michael Mansfield who was pretty much cooked. It was pick 31 in the draft which ended up being Paul Chapman. Then after the draft picks being taken away at the end of 2002 Pagan went a bunch of scrubs and Heath Scotland. We can't go back to those bad habits which have not worked in the past.

When Judd trade happened, we lost Kennedy, Masten (pick 3) and Tony Notte (pick 20)  and gained Judd and Armfield. That trade shaped our recruiting targets over the next 4 years and while it did make us a finals contender when Judd got healthy and Murph/Gibbs had matured, we did lose one of the now best forwards in the game. The Warnock trade was horrible the next year but we wanted insurance for Kreuz so we could let him mature as a forward. We got Warnock and Hadley and lost the pick they drafted Suban with. At that stage you could play 2 rucks since the sub rule had not been introduced. Now with the sub rule/rotation caps teams can't afford to be so top heavy.

We looked good at the end of 2009, then we were forced to trade Fev. While that has been a great trade long term it hurt us in terms of finals. Hendo wasn't ready to play and nor should he have been expected to play at the level of Fev. Hendo will be entering his prime now, which is unfortunately at the end of the Judd/Carrots/Simmo prime which they were in around 2010/2011. We also had Bower play pretty well in 2009 which meant we didn't go key position at either end. We expected Hendo to develop as our FF, Waite to play CHF and Kreuz to be the ruck/forward with Warnock taking the load in the ruck. We decide to go mid instead and pass on Daniel Talia

The year after Bower gets injured and never recaptures any sort of form and we think maybe we need a KPD. Sauce walks since we have Kreuz/Warnock and Hammer all under contract, we draft 3 KPP in the draft, Head, McCarthy and Mitchell, only Head remains on the list.

Last year Betts, this year possibly Waite, Robbo and Jeffy (who had a good relationship with Eddie), looking at bringing in guys like Higgins which means losing on compo for Waite if he does walk. This is not going well.

[Mat0369]

I am watching a bit of the Port vs Footscray prelim on TV. There are a few ex-Blues playing in this game. Mark Austin, Jordan Russell, Marcus Davies and Sam Pleming.

Sam O'Sullivan also plays for Port, he was a gun under 18

[Mat0369]

Williamstown is playing Box Hill on ABC at the moment. Williamstown got into some ish for poaching 4 Northern Blues players at the start of the year

Marcon is one of those guys and just kicked a ripping goal from the pocket.

So Marcon, Lambert who is a gun, Meese who was pretty meh but was the reserve ruck and some other guy I can't remember. Anton Woods is also playing for them, he won the Morrish Medal and didn't get drafted because he is a midget. He played a few games at the Northern Blues a few years ago and I remember going to one of the Carlton Blues practice matches and thinking who the hell is that midget. I wouldn't mind rookie listing both Marcon and Lambert. Lambert will give us a good medium sized forward/mid option. He should be on an AFL list and Marcon is a hard in and under mid who racks up the pill.

[Mat0369]

Brock after contemplating retirement is set to sign a 1 year deal

[Master Q]

Congrats Gibbs! 2014 B&F winner  :)

[Vinny]

Well done Gibbsy, awesome year! 8)

[Mat0369]

He deserved it. Was clearly our best player and probably had it wrapped up by mid year

[Mat0369]

I don't like the idea of giving up pick 6 for Mitchell if that is what it takes to get him. I love Mitchell, but let's look at it in terms of everything.

Mitchell will be 22 next year and is contracted at a reported 400k+ a year. He is a good age, but the price bracket might be a bit much to have tied up in so few players if we do also offer big money to Higgins (barf)

He is a slow inside mid which Carlton already have an abundance of similar players. While most of those guys would be retiring in the next couple of seasons and he would be a ready made replacement, most of our good young guys are already similar players (Bell, Curnow, Cripps).

Carlton lack talls, this magnifies if Waite walks and it is a year where there are a number of top KPP prospects. By trading pick 6, we lose out on one of these guys who could be an important piece to building our future.

Mitchell has struggled with injuries throughout his career. From the moment he was drafted he has always been injured. Last year when he finally broke into the Swans team was off another layoff and he ended up injuring himself in the finals against us last year. This year he injured himself in the NEAFL after he was dropped for team balance and missed a chance to break into the side earlier. Do we really want to give up a shot at a top line key position prospect for a guy, while obviously talented, that struggles to stay on the park?

I have a pretty big man crush on Mitchell, but even I can see that he isn't worth pick 6. I don't know if Sydney will take a 2nd round pick and a solid player, but it might not be worth our time chasing him while he is in contract.

[kilbluff1985]

i still think he is better then anyone you will draft with pick 6 and is a perfect replacement for Judd

[Mailman the 2nd]

Heaps of early draft picks suffer from injuries for the first couple of years before they come good.

Getting key prospects in the draft is pretty much a guaranteed 2-3 year wait at least before they offer something to the starting 22

[shaker]

They have to go for it if available he is a ball magnet and like others have said Judd is just about cooked and a serious injury would finish him off and with Robbo looking gone just a know brainer

[Vinny]

It is a fair point man but we might not have a choice, what else could we give for him?

[shaker]

It is a fair point man but we might not have a choice, what else could we give for him?

Think it will take pick 6 can't see the Swans being interested in Robbo , if Waite is leaving maybe him but don't know if they would be interested in him