AFL Round 8 – Carlton v Port Adelaide: Sleepless nights

Thursday AM -Three more sleeps

A Blues loss against the Power could be season destroying.

Last Monday night against the Sainters was catastrophic. Not just a defeat but our Eddie of the daggy shorts is gone for three weeks after a high hit on a young Saint. Also a longish term absentee will be Chris Yarran who went down early with a hammy. We still have speedster Jeff Garlett but we’ve lost much of the run so vital to victory.

So Mick needs a restructured plan “going forward”.

One obvious solution is in the second-coming of enigmatic Jarrad Waite. Out last week suspended for head-butting a Dee Jarrad the Unfit and Unwise has been absent through injury and that suspension for all but the Melbourne game this season.

Mick declined to give him a bake publicly over his misdemeanour. Jarrad has apologised to his fellow leaders in the playing group for his indiscretion-“it will never happen again!”

So through Jarrad the Forgiven there may be a means of scoring goals…but can we keep the other mob from scoring.

Our Number One defender, “Jammo”, is in doubt.

For most of the game against the Sainters Michael Jamieson was in strife with a shoulder injury.

If he’s missing -we need another restructure plan. Mick needs a plan B  “going defensive”.

Hopefully Jammo is a starter otherwise the alternative resource will almost certainly have to be found from the remnants of last week’s playing group… Lachie Henderson did well up forward in the second half. He could return to defence with Jarrad slotted in as the leading forward…Even if Jammo plays that would be the way to go. That’s my plan Mick!

But what of the opposition… the Power?

They’ve improved since last season!

They’ve caused us unheralded problems in the past…last season no less!

Young Hamish Hartlett played a blinder!

Describing that diabolical fifty-four point defeat Almanac contributor Damian Watson, a Blues supporter declared we lost “…in such an insipid manner.”

I’m worried. 

Sunday AM – Four hours to go

Reports are that Jarrad the Not Entirely Forgiven has been fined by the club over his suspension. But he will play.

Jammo is selected.

We may not need Defensive plan B.

Congratulations aplenty going in…Scotty notches up 250 games (fifty-three with the Pies), Marc Murphy and Andrew Walker are both chalking up their 150th… that’s not all!

Huge congratulations to 18 year old Troy Menzel selected for his first game.

Milestones and lots to play for so…Off to Etihad for the 1.10 pm start.

Sunday PM late. Game over. Season lives.

It was a scrappy, scrum-filled, stacks-on- the-mill, inaccuracy in-front-of-goal early Sunday arvo affair under the roof with only the odd gem to savour. This time of the week in the 60’s I would have been home eating Mum’s Sunday roast and watching World of Sport. Full of gems.

The first stanza revealed Mick’s forward plan. He has star midfielder and captain Marc Murphy playing an Eddie Betts small forward role.

It is a master-stroke!

With the game barely ten minutes old Murphy took possession deep in a pocket, steadied, then coolly dribbled through an end-on-end off-breaking Daicos-like major. Magic!

Moments later he marked an errant kick-out, deftly passed to Josh Bootsma who marked and goaled.  For good measure Marc kicked another six-pointer in time-on before Schulz drop-punted the Power’s third goal. The Blues were up by 15 points at the first break.

The second quarter started scrappily til Jeff Garlett majored with one of his typical swoop, swerve, sprint and slot- it gems. Marc Murphy added his third goal and Jarrad Waite put one through after earlier misses. Betwixt and between the Power was hanging in putting through four for the quarter.

Half-time and Jameson, Henderson (Remember the plan?) and Walker are doing well for us in the back half. Judd and McLean are more than handy as are Armfield and Curnow in stopper roles. Marc Murphy is the stand-out.

Heath Scotland celebrated his 250th game with two beautiful long goals in the third quarter as the Blues set up a 33 point break by the final change. Port’s frustrated young star Hamish Hartlett lost his cool completely with an assault on Marc Murphy.  Seems he will be watching for a while rather than playing.

Come three quarter time Jarrad Waite is subbed off. Although inaccurate he had done well.  Please let it be for a rest and not another injury!

The sub is first-gamer Troy Menzel. Someone has seen his luckless older brother Geelong’s Daniel in the crowd. On crutches after a fourth knee reconstruction.

The final quarter starts well for Port via a Wingard goal. He has had a good game. Redden takes a strong contested mark against Lachie Henderson who had an excellent day himself… Redden goals. Are the Blues fading?

Not so. Troy Menzel’s first statistical involvement is a brilliant tackle resulting in a free kick which is marked by Mitch Robinson. He runs off and kicks a beauty. The sealer!

The game plays out with five more goals.  Bell and Garlett for the Blues, with Ebert, Monfries and Moore contributors for the Power who kicked three of the last four.

Worries over! It’s a win Baggers! Good planning Mick!

CARLTON                5.4      8.10      13.12       16.13 (109)

PORTADELAIDE   3.1      7.2          9.3          14.7 (91)

 

GOALS

Carlton: Garlett 4, Murphy 3, Scotland 2, Robinson 2, Bell 2, Bootsma, Waite, Armfield.

Port Adelaide: Moore 3, Schulz 2, Gray 2, Carlile, Boak, Westhoff, Wingard, Redden, Ebert, Monfries.

BEST

Carlton: Murphy, Judd, Robinson, Curnow, Garlett, Henderson McLean

Port Adelaide: Moore, Cornes, Wingard, Gray, Wines, Jonas

 

Umpires: Farmer, Schmitt, Findlay

Official crowd: 29,936 at Etihad Stadium.

 

My Votes 3 Murphy 2 Henderson 1 McLean

 

Comments

  1. Stephen Cooke says

    Neil, that Hartlett can certainly play. I remember Mark Williams (still coaching Port) saying he was always their second pick in the draft, after Natanui. They chose him at 4, after Watts, Natanui and Stephen Hill (Freo). He’s come on this year – the same year Hinkley, Richardson and President Koch are at the club. Kids need good coaching. I have no doubt that’s the reason Watts has stagnated at Melbourne.

  2. Neil Kimpton says

    Yes Cookie he looks the goods does that Hartnett. I was pleased to see he was cleared by the MRP and that Mick was resting Jarrad Waite in subbing him at three quarter time.
    By the way…
    A correction to the article is called for since Jeff Garlett simply marked and goaled early in the 2nd quarter ,
    In my haste I somehow deleted “but not” between”majored” and”with”.However Jeffy’s last quarter goal aptly fitted the original description

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