Blues Chance To Grab A Tiger By The Tail


Blues v Tigers

By Shane Thiele
July 4 2002

You could say it's been a week of anticipation around the office. "You'll be right this week mate", I smile politely and head back to my desk....."Who you got?? Richmond?!, they are woeful, if you can run Brisbane close, you'll towel that rabble"....

I roll the eyes, take a deep breath and reply with some token cliche about "Footy being a funny game".....Footy tips time...for some reason 32 people decide to tell me they are going to pick Carlton this week, it tips me over the edge...."FOR %^&% SAKE, CAN'T YOU SEE SUCH A RESULT IS TOO BLOODY OBVIOUS?! DO YOU PEOPLE ACTUALLY WATCH THIS GREAT GAME OF OURS. IT'S NOT A CORNY AMERICAN SIT-COM - IT'S A GAME OF FOOTBALL AND NEVER DOES IT FOLLOW SUCH A PREDICTABLE SCRIPT....my workmates back away slowly leaving me in a fit of rage. The pressure is mounting.
 
Seriously, how can anyone expect me to exude the same confidence when I've watched my side (including Wizard Cup and trial games) get over the line in just 2 of the last 19 contests. It's been a horror run, a run which began last September against Friday night's opponent. I watched what I could of Richmond's feeble effort against Port Adelaide and thanked the football Gods that we weren't facing them the week after. For one of the few times in his coaching career Frawley failed to label the loss as 'the best ever', 'Premiership form' or claim that his men were Football Park specialists. He was hurt, embarassed and I assumed such a proud club would come out snarling against Geelong. How sadly I was mistaken.
 
For those that didn't see their performance, shut your eyes and think of our games against Sydney & Adelaide and you'll be somewhere around the mark. Reality set in for the Tigers and the Port game was by far an aparition. The club had to face the fact they were really struggling.
 
Amazingly in the lead up to this contest the pressure and focus has not been on a team coming off a ten game losing streak and only a poor month away from setting an all-time club record.
 
Frawley has stated the finals are out of reach, youth is the future and the shackles have been released. It's that kind of talk that has me worried. Sure, anyone can talk up a good game but the Richmond side of 2001 bluffed everyone including themselves into a Preliminary final. The less the media rated them the more it played into their hands. I suspect a similar approach has been used this week. 'Spud' seems to me the kind of coach whose 'Plan A' would be to pin negative newspaper articles to player's lockers.
 
Call me pessimistic but I just get the feeling this is not a good week to draw them.
 
The Blues are coming off as good a month as they've had all year despite a 0-4 record. Just as Richmond will be keen, you know that the boys will see this week as a genuine oportunity to finally belt out a few bars of "that song that now only seems to get played before the game". We are all still hurting from last years losses to the Tigers and the painful memories still linger. Tears were shed for 'Number's 1 & 43' as they left the MCG in differing but still painful circumstances and nothing would give us greater pleasure than breaking the drought against one of our most traditional and hated rivals.
 
Despite all the publicity during the off-season regarding how we'll struggle to cover the likes of Richardson & Ottens in 2002 it was in the middle and up forward where both games were lost last season. A combined total of 15 goals 27 was a poor return for 8 quarters of football. Silvagni is of course gone but neither 'Richo' or 'Otto' are in anything near career best form. Stafford's missing and the midfield is struggling. In the final last year Brendan Gale was a nemesis but he too will be watching from the stands. Ottens will need to spend more time in the middle leaving 'Richo' the entire forward fifty to bitch, moan and complain in.
 
You can't see Brittain pulling too many surprises but Frawley may take the 'nothing to lose' philosophy into the box and try and pull a few tricks. Then again it's more than likely that Richmonds aggression and pressure in the first five minutes will probably give us a good indicator as to what sort of mood they are in. Match-up's will play second fiddle to attitude.
 
Franchina did the job for three quarters on Bowden in the Wizard Cup so expect him to line up near him again.Last season Camporeale's effectiveness against the 'Yellow and Black' was curbed with two opposing styles. In Round 10 they used Tivendale to try and hurt him offensively and it worked a treat with the Richmond left-footer finishing with 3 goals. The Qualifying final saw Sziller push the limits of the law in what was a much talked about battle. My only advice is Adrian Hickmott, Michael Mansfield......come on down.
 
When Corey McKernan was recruited to the Carlton Football Club the question was posed as to what role he would play in 2002. Forward? Of course.
Ruck? We hoped for not as long as we'd seen in 2002 but most had no problems with the odd run
Defence?........and I quote "Well, who knows if we come up against say a Richmond with their tall forward line perhaps there might be a role down back for me"......yada yada yada...story goes on to say how he'd success against Ottens in the past.....we shall wait and see.
 
Enough crystal ball gazing...Despite the loss last week the Brisbane game was easily our best for the year. IF the performance is repeated, Carlton WILL win regardless of how much huffing and puffing is done in the hallways of Punt Road. No need to rely on luck, Darren Goldspink, or touched kicks after the siren. We hold the cards to our own destiny and need only look within if we are looking for someone to blame on Saturday morning.
 
And what if the nightmare is to continue? Well don't expect the next day to wake up to our usual player threads on the messageboards. I'll be too busy analysing the height, weight, poise, skills, favourite foods, pet hates and parentage of such names as Goddard, Johnson and Schulz to care!!
 
Carlton's history against Richmond
 
Played 191, Won 109, Lost 80, Drawn 2
 
Longest wining sequence -  24 wins (1908-1917)
 
Highest Score for - 28.9 - 177 (1972)
 
Lowest Score for - 3.10 - 28 (1924)
 
Greatest winning margin - 115 points
 
Greatest losing margin - 77 points
 
Last time they met
 
Qualifying Final - MCG - 2001, Attendence 83,323
 
Richmond 10.7 - 67 d Carlton 7.14 - 56
 
Key ball winners (All numbers possessions unless indicated)
 
McKay - 21
Hickmott - 21
Bradley - 20
 
Campbell - 30
Cameron - 26
Bowden - 25

«
PREVIEW

CARLTON
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Richmond

Round 14

5 July 2002

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SEASON 2002

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