IKON park holds 22,000
Expected membership of Carlton plus Essendon is over 100,000 but it is televised. even so, with all the hype surrounding us, you might need to book a ticket. As a member a seat is $10 via Ticketek or about $20 otherwise.
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Not if it was my 22.
But Iām basing this guesstimate on chatter round the club, some other teams, and some training reports.
Essentially, with the new rule tweaks regarding ruckmen and centre bounces;
Do you gain more advantage overall by playing two specialist rucks as against one ruck and a part timer ( usually a tall forward)?
Smack is a better forward than Zlarke
Zlarke is a better ruck than Smack
Reports from the club and our Blitz trainspotters have indicated Zlarke is a much better forward than previously thought.
Iāve heard even Richmond is toying with this option, 2 rucks, as well as playing Lynch, so weāre not the only club in this boat
Note, no way would I play Smack, Zlarke & Belly in the same side. It depends on Joeyās mobility as a key target to avoid being too static and top heavy.
In short I donāt know.
But weāre rarely right about the actual selections until the season starts.
Thereās nearly always a surprise or two, and thatās a good thing as a supporter.
Just thought Iād shake the Best 22 discussion up a bit, for myself as well as others. Too many Bests are virtually identical, even my earlier guesses, particularly structurally, and thatās a worry.
Weāre probably all wrong.
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AFL members get in free, not sure about club members
This whole Zlarke and Dlarke thing is off. Jerrett and Zerrett works, but this is just painful.
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LAV
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If I could shift discussion to jlt 1 for moment. Is it a 26 man squad?
Assuming the following will not be available: Gleeson, Merrett, Redman, hooker, JD, Begley, hepp, Mutch,
The following might be held back: Fanta, hurls, tbell, probably most of the rookies.
We could see a squad of:
Saad Ambrose Francis
Conor Zerk long
Zaha Langford parish
Draper Shiel McGrath
Smith Brown bags
Tippa smack stringer
Hartley, ham, Myers, Clarke, mynot, lav, zclarke, Stewart
Does that sound about right?
Because you askedā¦
Iād be a bit surprised if Joks doesnāt get a run.
I think itās interesting that you havenāt found a starting spot for Stewart, Laverde or Myers even with so many of the boys sidelined.
Ambrose at fullback seems short
Parish on a wing frustrates me a bit because I think he should be inside.
Smith in the forward line I also find annoying. He was our b and f in the midfield last year. I think he should stay there.
I wonder if they will rest Tippa, and Shiel and McGrath as well as Hurley since they had a run last night.
I wonder if old man Zaharakis will get an easier run. Not that he would be happy about that.
And finally, I think if Bags gets the forward line spot he should play close to goal and release Tippa up the ground to deliver into the forward line.
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.
Forgot about jok. Would be happy to see him get a run.
Parish named on wing but will get plenty of inside time obviously. I always name Smith on the fwd flank knowing full well heāll play as a midfielder.
I think brown is ahead of Stewart as a forward but obviously the key tall forwards will all share the time in the jlt.
Lav will rotate through with stringer and Langford as a forward/mid iyd imagine.
I know what Myers offers, iām keen to get a look at some new combinations with McGrath and Shiel.
Ambrose named at fullback but in reality key defenders will be picked to match ups. Curnow seems a good match up for Ambrose. Zerk on McKay should be worth a look. Francis or Hartley on McGovern.
Of the small forwards bags is the most forward. By that I mean the rest of the smalls, including tippa, will see midfield minutes but I canāt see bags running through there. heās named in the flank but that doesnāt necessarily reflect the role heāll play.
The way sides have been traditionally named is kinda of irrelevant these days. Naming sides like this might make more sense.
Tall defenders: hooker Hurley
Medium defender: Francis
Small/rebound defender: Saad McKenna
Inside mid: hepp
Inside/outside: McGrath, Shiel, zerret
Outside: Zaha
Ruck: tbell
Tall forwards: JD, smack
Medium forward: stringer
Small forward/mid: Smith, tippa, Fanta
Interchangeā¦
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I think 35 and 49 might be squeezed in for JLT 1.
- Darren Bewick.
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Iām keen to see how Zerk goes, hope he gets a game in the JLT.
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Yes indeed, knew I was forgetting someone.
I wouldnāt mind seeing Francis on Curnow. He matches up well, and heāll have to be at his best. It would give him a good indication of what is needed from him. I fear Ambo will get killed in the air.
Curnow is a running machine. I think heād be a really bad matchup for Francis
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Curnow would give Francis a total bath I predict.
Possibly
Francis needs to get that kind of tank.
This is just JLT, remember.
Thatās a fair point. Good time for Francis to find out how far off his running capacity is.
But donāt play him on Curnow in a real game
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(unless he surprises everyone and towels him up)
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Francis and Curnowā¦ same draft. Fwd, backman. Similar sizes. Both athletic and agile. Both very good in the air. Francis will need to learn that this is the kind of player he needs to defend.
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I think teams will be locking down on Francis. Not the other way around.