Blues Counting Crows For Season Fightback


Blues v Crows

By Shane Thiele
May 25 2002

As a Carlton supporter living is SA, the lead up to any game against Adelaide is always an amusing week. The mood of the opposition and confidence of supporters is always dependent on their form the previous round.

In the lead-up to the Kangaroos game the cart was put well and truly before the horse. "When we win the next two we'll be 7-2", "What chance of an all Interstate Grand Final?". Meanwhile in the opposite camp, Pagan had his troops charged and put his senior core on notice. The result was two contrasting attitudes and a final margin that wasn't a true indication of the dominance that the Kangaroos had on the game. Obviously the complacency and cockiness was stemming from the supporters and not the inner-sanctum but the Crows performance reflected the mood of the state.
 
This week we have been subjected to the very opposite. Ayres is steely eyed, players such as Burton, Stevens & Ricciuto have been under the pump and training by all reports has lifted in intensity. You get the feeling that Adelaide were ripe for the picking but the Blues may just be seven days late. When the pressure is on, Adelaide have a habit of rising to the occasion.
 
When these teams last met in the Elimination Final of 2001 we saw Anthony Koutoufides (in fact the rest of the Carlton outfit) in full-flight for the last time. Since that day, including trial and Wizard Cup games, the Blues have managed a paltry two wins from fourteen matches. Up until last week it was also the last time we saw Carlton string together a succession of goals in a short period of time and capatilise on the amount of ball that they seem to win around the forward '50.
 
With the game in the balance early in the second quarter Lappin, Bradley, Koutoufides and co. rattled on four quick ones to blow the Crows out of the finals race. Within minutes the margin exploded from sixteen to forty points and the game was effectively over. So often in modern-day football a game can be won in a fifteen minute burst of football, similar to what Whitnall & Houlihan put on in the second quarter last week. Unfortunately for the Blues we were five goals down when the onslaught began and it simply wasn't enough to get us over the line. Port did it to us in Round 4 and they did it to Collingwood early last night, we've done it to no-one all year.
 
In all except the Sydney debacle, the Blues have had their chances but in the end fallen one or two class players short of taking the money. What works in our favour is we go into this weeks game with the most settled line-up of the season. Franchina makes way for Plunkett and although there are still a list of players missing, it is close enough to the same 22 that played last week. You can see the boys trying to run the ball and generate some sort of system however injuries haven't allowed us at any stage to enter a game with a settled line-up.
 
The two minor round games against Adelaide last season still haunt those who live in the City of 'unsolved crimes'. Adelaide's first win at Optus Oval was reminiscent of Carlton's only win this season - diabolical conditions and a united show of support towards their leader. The return leg at Football Park was easily our worst performance of the year. The Blues were obliterated in every facet of Australian Rules Football and how Adelaide 'only' managed sixteen goals against such an inferior opponent that night is still a mystery.
 
Adelaide's forward line has been the talking point all season with the likes of Jarman & Vardy making way for Schell and the man who needs a full body reconstruction Ryan Fitzgerald. Their most dangerous focal point has been Scott Welsh who with his pace and ability over-head is a difficult match-up. He makes the most of every opportunity and Andrew McKay could be the most likely match-up. The Blues look more than capable of holding the rest of the forward line but it's in the middle where the problems will be caused.
 
Matthew Clarke is one of the best palmers of the ball in the league and the trio of Ricciuto, Mcleod & Goodwin should have a feeding frenzy. McKernan was better last week and could very well be the key to this game. On the flip-side whether Camporeale plays or not he surely wont be 100%. This combined with the losses of Koutoufides, Ratten & Hulme spells danger for Brittain & the Match Committee. Last week, the Blues kicked 11 goals through Whitnall, Lappin, Houlihan & McKernan but just 1 from anywhere else. That '1' was a leg-break from Justin Davies - straight from the backside of course - that would have given Mike Gatting nightmares. Shutting down their mid-field is half the job, hurting them the other way will complete it.
 
Once again we played a weekly round of 'What the?' when Michael Mansfield and Simon Fletcher in particular escaped the selectors axe. Can't find a role for Fletcher that will do a lot of damage but if Mansfield is given the job on Ricciuto he can either make or break a career that in most people's opinion is long past it's used by date. One positive to come out of the team is that we can all breathe a sigh of relief that youngsters Justin Davies, Adam Pickering and Sam Cranage were all rewarded for their performance last week.
 
A final note of interest will be to see how the much anticipated doubles clash between Eccles/Gallagher vs. Massie/Nelson pans out. Enough has been said about these trades since pen was put to paper last November without me needing to add anything. Good luck to all four players as unlike when a player leaves for money I hold no animosity towards the former Blues. (Watch my tune change after the game, if either player carves us up...!!)
 
Can the Blues win?? I really don't know anymore. I know there is a lot of confidence going into this weeks game but I actually felt better last week. I wrote going into the Sydney game that the familiar surroundings of Optus Oval will lift the Blues so don't expect me to mention anything this week about Adelaide's poor record there for fear of another jinx. 
 
Like last week all I ask for is a competitive performance, a lift from some key players and something to get the fists pumping again. When Houlihan slotted his third in the 2nd quarter last week the emotions were flowing, the language was disgraceful, the wife was calling for calm and the dogs were frightened. For a brief moment it didn't matter where we were on the ladder I remembered why I love the game and this club so much. 
 
Whether the next win is this week or whenever - remember the pain you've felt this season, remember the ridicule you received and take in every jibe you've read about the club personally as if it was meant solely for you. In a way it is because there is a bit of the Carlton Football Club in all of us. Never take the good times for granted and savor the next win like there is no tomorrow.
 
Carlton's history against Adelaide
 
Played 18, Won 13, Lost 5
 
Longest wining sequence -  4 wins (1994-1997) (1998 - 2000)
 
Highest Score for - 24.12 - 156 (1993)
 
Lowest Score for - 6.12 - 48 (1991)
 
Greatest winning margin - 79 points
 
Greatest losing margin - 66 points
 
Last time they met
 
Elimination Final - MCG - 2001, Attendance: 53,982
 
Carlton 17.16 - 118 d Adelaide 6.14 - 50
 
Key ball winners (All numbers possessions unless indicated)
 
Koutoufides - 36
Plunkett - 34
Bradley - 31
 
Ricciuto - 28
Johnson - 23
Mcleod - 20

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