Battling Blues To Tackle Revved Up Roos


Blues v Roos

By Shane Thiele
April 26 2002

Sometimes it pays to be slack.   An over efficient writer would have begun a review last Tuesday analysing the much awaited contest between Allan and Porter.

The more realistic scribe would have started putting pen to paper on Friday trying to find news on the Trent Hotton tribunal case and sniffing out the possibility of the inclusion of Lindsay Smith. A slack bastard like myself gets up at 11.00, fires up a dogs breakfast, lies on the couch for six hours and waits until he can get the teams at 6.00pm. In: Fletcher, Smith, Christou and Prendergast. Out: Allan. My work is half done!!
 
There was so much uncertainty about this week's line-up and the final make-up of the twenty-two was (and still is) anyone's guess. Injury clouds over Sporn, Hickmott, Bradley, Hulme, Prendergast & Manton have affected the lead-up to this week's encounter and although all but the latter has been named, there must be still be a doubt over at least one on this list.
 
Of course like every week there is an opponent to worry about and this week it's a wounded Roo. A team of marsupials that looked like they had been mashed by a Kenworth after Darryn Cresswell slotted through that match-winner last Saturday. I had mixed feelings after that game as my immediate attention focused as to how they would recover against our mob. If it was any other side you would back them to fall apart the following week but Pagan is a master of turning such a loss into a positive. I cringe when I think of how the likes of Archer, Stevens & King will react when they catch their first glimpse of a man in white!
 
Last week the 'Roos' lined up with McCartney, Rocca and Archer forward and a similar tactic may be used to try and stretch our inexperienced backline. Drew Petrie has been included in the initial squad and may get a run as another forward/ruck option. Spider Burton controlled the ruck duels last week and was too tall for the inexperienced Ricky Mott. Don't discount this lumbering hat-rack when assessing the capabilities of the Kanga's ruck division.
 
Of the inclusions, Lindsay Smith has been named in the squad and although not yet ready, may still be included as another tall option. Prendergast & Livingston have been named in the starting eighteen so they are certainties and one would suspect that Michael Mansfield will finally make way. As for the other two named, the heart would love Christou to play and the Kangaroos would love Fletcher to do the same. Can't see either getting a game unless Brittain decides to send Wiggins back to the VFL to get four quarters of football or if the patience has run out with Houlihan.
 
The Coach made comment in his press conference that the final margin wasn't a true indication of last week's game. Although dismissing it at first, when you consider the lack of fresh legs on the bench it wasn't surprising that we were steam-rolled near the end. The kids held their own but they can only keep you in a game for so long. For the Blues to get close this week a lift must come from our bonafides. Only Simon Beaumont & Andrew McKay could honestly say that they are playing to anywhere near full capacity and the difference between being 'in the mix' or 'writing off the season and playing for priority draft picks' will be decided over the next fortnight.
 
I'd love to say the Blues will bounce back but as each week passes more and more doubts start to enter my mind. The usual optimism in me will point to slow starts in previous years but right from the very first Wizard Cup game nine weeks ago I've yet to see anything that's resembled Carlton at their best over the last 3 or 4 years. Unfortunately there are too many question marks over fitness, form and stability to see the Kangaroos letting this one slip.
 
Carlton's history against The Kangaroos
 
Played 133, Won 91, Lost 42
 
Longest wining sequence -  12 wins (1928-1935)
 
Highest Score for - 31.13 - 199 (1984)
 
Lowest Score for - 5.2 - 32 (1965)
 
Greatest winning margin - 137 points
 
Greatest losing margin - 111 points
 
Colonial Stadium Record - (Carlton) Won 2, Lost 2 (Kangaroos) Won 10, Lost 6
 
Last time they met
 
Round 8 - MCG - 2001, Attendence 43,624
 
Carlton 12.10 - 82 d Kangaroos 10.9 - 69
 
Key ball winners (All numbers possessions unless indicated)
 
Bradley - 26
Camporeale - 23
Freeborn - 23
 
Blakey - 31
Simpson - 23
King - 23

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