By Josh Barnstable
Carlton:
After such a promising season, it seems it could all go down the drain with the loss of Brendan Fevola. The two-time Coleman Medalist departed during trade week after the Blues were angered by his performance at the Brownlow Medal. Getting Lachie Henderson for Fevola was a dud deal, but a similar situation happened a couple of years ago: Chris Judd went to Carlton in exchange for Josh Kennedy. Kennedy has become a focal point up forward for the Eagles while Judd has not hit his peak form just yet. I doubt Henderson will replace Fevola at Full Forward, but he may be a key goalkicker. Eddie Betts had a career best season in 2009, he will battle consistency to follow it up in 2010. Jeff Garlett showed true promise, while Chris Yarran has yet to show any real potential. Those three will be a dangerous trio when the ball is not marked by Jarrad Waite, Matthew Kreuzer or Setanta O’hAilpin. Mitch Robinson and Brad Fisher can become key members of the forward line, but will need major consistency. The midfield is terrific. Judd, coming second in the Brownlow Medal in 2009 despite not having his best season shows how great a player he is. Marc Murphy was one of the favourites for the award, as was Bryce Gibbs. Kreuzer is showing real leadership in the Ruck, but may go forward at times while last year’s recruit Robbie Warnock battles in the Ruck. They have added the brute of Brock McLean, while Jordan Russell really showed potential in ’09. Kade Simpson and Murphy can kick goals, which makes them important in the line-up. Whether Aaron Joseph can live up to the high expectations he left in 2009 will be determined, and Andrew Carrazzo has a lot of poise to carry the Blues team forward. In defence, the Blues have the ever-reliable Bret Thornton, along with Heath Scotland and Simon Wiggins. Michael Jamison showed promise, as did Paul Bower and Shaun Grigg. Two additions to either midfield or defence are Dennis Armfield and draftee Kane Lucas. Both are highly skilled youngsters and look certain to etch out a long career with the Navy Blues. The line-up is strong, but you can’t help but feel that the Blues went backwards over the off-season.
My prediction:
Leading Goalkicker: Jarrad Waite
Best and Fairest: Chris Judd
Collingwood:
The Pies crept even closer towards that elusive premiership that they haven’t been able to get their filthy hands on since 1990, but a shock smashing by Geelong in the Preliminary Final put an end to any hopes that were held by many supporters. They seem to be getting closer and closer towards the best team in the competition though, but before too long it’ll be too late. They may have largely helped their cause during the draft and trade week however, picking up Darren Jolly and Luke Ball from Sydney and St Kilda respectively, while getting young gun Simon Buckley. If he is half as good as his namesake was, the Pies will be grinning like Cheshire cats with their easy pickup late in the draft. The forward line is strong but troubled. Travis Cloke is the barometer, Jack Anthony holds high hopes, while the magic pair of Leon Davis and Alan Didak were at their best in 2009. Brad Dick showed he has potential, while the Pies can cover the loss of Anthony Rocca with Sean Rusling or Chris Dawes. Rocca’s departure is something a lot of Collingwood faithful would have been looking forward to, the coaching staff and selection panel can now stop worrying about giving the champion a game and now work on giving the youth a shot in the forward line. Josh Fraser can now float through into the forward line on occasions now with the recruitment of Jolly, who will help the midfield immensely along with Ball. Seamus McNamara, the American beanpole recruit, will also guide Jolly and Fraser in the Ruck if he can win a spot ahead of Cameron Wood. Dane Swan and Scott Pendlebury had career-best seasons, Dale Thomas must be nearing his breakout year while the old firm in Tarkyn Lockyer and Shane O’Bree had great seasons. The young midfielders have plenty of talent. Steele Sidebottom is a country gem, Dayne Beams has class and skill about him while draftee Josh Thomas has earned the approval of Danielle Eid so he must be welcome down at the Lexus Centre. The defence is settled, Simon Prestigiacomo defied the odds and played a ripper year while skipper Nick Maxwell and Harry O’Brien had career-bests. Ben Johnson and Alan Toovey were solid as always, while Nathan Brown will be a handy addition when he overcomes poor form and injury. The addition of Leigh Brown over the summer last year was something many Collingwood folk had questioned, but he proved to be a valuable player, he has that bit of X-factor about him. If Collingwood can get up and rolling for the whole year, expect to see Mick Malthouse going out of his coaching career in fine style.
My prediction:
Leading goalkicker: Travis Cloke
Best and Fairest: Dane Swan
Tomorrow: Essendon and Fremantle
To see Josh Barnstable’s other 2010 previews, click on his name at the right of this screen.
Yay joshy and JOSHERS!!
:D
hmmmmm, not sure about you leading goal kicker in Travis though.
Who then?
im not picking favourites but based on his freakish accuracy and the fact that he was awarded leading goalkicker for 2009 i would have to say, Jack Anthony.
Well, im tipping the Pies to be pretty good next year, and Cloke is the barometer, so yeah Cloke should be in for a good year.
You know Josh, im sick of Rusling going to waste! if having him up forward messes up his shoulder they should tyr him out in defence! he is certainly big and tall enough!! the poor guy!
:(
Well, that could work. You’ll find it next month!
Yeah, I agree with Danni, I can’t see Cloke leading the Pies in goals. It’ll definitely be Anthony in my opinion, or maybe a suprise one like Medhurst, Davis or Lockyer.
It’s really hard to pick Carlton’s leading goal kicker, but I think if Waite wins he’ll do so with only 20 goals or there abouts, but then again im not sure if Waite will play the whole year up forward
Waite is the only option i see kicking over 5 goals a game for the Blues next year, apart from Betts but he is a crumber.
Hey Steve guess what?
It’s a shame that we lost Fevola because not only could he pluck the footy out of the sky, he is a very accurate kick and had the ability to do the mercurial.
Waite could definitely be used as a tall target despite the fact he played the majority of 2009 in defence. Our concern is that Waite, Kreuzer, Fisher and O’hAilpin are very innacurate kicks for goal and I can’t see any of them reaching the 40+ goal mark.
If Collingwood fail to win a Premiership by the end of the Malthouse era it will be extremely disappointing. They have their fair share of experience, players like Swan, Dale Thomas and Pendlebury have matured and they have a fresh batch of youngsters plus an insightful coach- every ingredient for a champion side.
And i dont think the Blues missed Waite in the backline. I mean, sure they did, but not as much as they anticipated. It was a lot easier than they thought without Waite, so its sorta worked out that they have adjusted to him not being in the backline.
the letter came?
News: Betts, Houlihan and Walker have been suspended for a month, they aren’t avaliable for selection in the nab cup
And they been fined $10 000, fair punishment.
Na it didnt
I thought it was $5000
What then Josh?
Nothing, that’s what. Oh and i need your street address again, i sorta forgot it
74 Dent st, Ashburton 3147
Ok..
I watched Dodgeball yesterday, made me reminisce of the Launch coz i watched it twice before i left for Melbourne.
Ok..
i love comment Superman, one again proves why Damo is my fav!
status- getting ready to go visiting,,AGAIN!!
hahaha Dodgeball is a hilarious movie, remember the 5 D’s.
Yeah that punishment is a fair enough, which code has more players that get into trouble AFL or NRL?
Why are you giving each other street adresses?
Oh i sent Steve and Michael a christmas card while you were away.
I would say AFL, purely because i dont take notice of any of the NRL happenings.
There seem to be heaps of NRL players getting in trouble these days.
I just made 110 not out in backyard cricket before bad light was declared. I stayed in for over an hour I think.
Lol haha. Good old backyard cricket. Should be made an offical sport.
yeah, my brothers were getting really frustrated cos they couldnt get me out no matter how hard they tried, and I took my time
I was playing backyard cricket at my friends house and we used a cricket ball and an old trampoline as an auto keeper. While I was batting he bowled a bouncer and it rebounded off the tramp and rammed into the back of my head next thing I knew I was seeing stars lol.
I can’t see the Aussies grabbing a victory this time around.
Yeah neither, the Paki’s trifecter of Mohammad’s are too strong.
I use a wall as an auto keeper, my backyard is so bad for cricket, we’ve got a 5 metre pitch and plants growing everywhere and all these obstacles
I was playing backyard footy with my new ball earlier before sore muscles were declared. I love my new footy, its got a really good bounce compared to the last one, but it doesnt have much grip. Some spray will fix that easy though
Playing backyard cricket in my backyard would be paradise to you Steve lol
what sort is it, just a plain sherrin?
yeah, it would. Hopefully at my holiday house there’ll be a big backyard
Nah its the same as the one we used at the Launch, just a different brand and its slightly longer.
its not a sherrin?
Noo……Ross Faulkner i think
if its not a sherrin, its not a footy
Your not a footy
Steve has point.
Do you know how much Sherrin’s cost?
read comment 35 again lol
read comment 36 again
What about Burley? they’re pretty popular.
Never heard of that brand, i know Burley is the brand of tissue/wipe that Marge uses in that episode of the Simpsons
hahaha good point Josh.
Burley is what they use in the EJ whitten legends game
Really, apparently they use it in the WAFL and the SANFL.
And yeah I’ve seen that episode when they pull the prank on Marge
Barney’s Part 3 is up, people. Sorry it was so late. Gigs