The 2011 Pre-Season featured more tinkering than usual for the AFL - which is really saying something. Commencing with a form of '20/20' Football, Round 1 of the NAB Cup comprised a mini lightning premiership between 3 teams on 6 occasions, fitting in the new Gold Coast Suns and GWS Giant outfits...
Our first round opponents were Richmond and Collingwood with a total crowd of 40,300* for the 3 games:
NAB Cup Round 1 - Game 1
Carlton
|
0.1.1
|
7
|
0.6.5
|
41
|
Richmond
|
0.3.4
|
22
|
0.3.5
|
23
|
|
Venue: |
Etihad, Docklands
|
Date: |
Saturday, 12 February
|
Result: |
Won by 18 points
|
Crowd: |
40,300*
|
Goalkickers: |
Robinson 2, Kerr 2, Simpson, Ellard
|
Reports: |
Nil
|
Umpires: |
C. Donlon, M. Leppard & T. Pannell |
Injuries: |
Nil
|
Game Review
After an Ashes thumping, attention turned to Football a little earlier than normal. And so on February 12, the Blues took on Collingwood and Richmond in a 3-way preliminary round to commence the silly football season.
A slow start by Carlton - punctuated by continual offending of the 'free kick for any out of bounds rule' - was overturned as the Blues turned on the gas in the second 'half' of this perennially modified pre-season competition. Best players for the Blues were Marc Murphy, David Ellard and Heath Scotland.
Team
Milestones
Senior 'Night' Debut: Jaryd Cachia,
Mitchell Carter,
Levi Casboult,
Nick Duigan,
Rohan Kerr,
Andrew McInnes,
Wayde Twomey and
Matthew Watson.
Senior Carlton 'Night' Debut: Jeremy Laidler
NAB Cup Round 1 - Game 2
Richmond 0.1.1 (7) defeated by Collingwood 0.7.8 (50)
NAB Cup Round 1 - Game 3
Carlton
|
0.1.4
|
10
|
0.3.8
|
26
|
Collingwood
|
0.3.2
|
20
|
0.5.3
|
33
|
|
Result: |
Lose by 7 points
|
Goalkickers: |
Walker 2, Betts
|
Reports: |
Nil
|
Umpires: |
J. Schmidt, M. Stevic & S. Gleeson |
Injuries: |
Nil
|
Game Review
As the team playing the first and third games in this 3-way contest, Carlton were afforded extra flexibility in the final match of the night with allowance of up to a squad of 40 Blues. As such, Waite, Warnock, Thornton and Murphy (among others) made way for Gibbs, Hampson and Jamison (among others) as the Blues split the squad for the 2 matches.
A brighter start than the earlier game was not converted into scoreboard pressure, and the Pies opened up a handy break by the end of the first half - mainly through good ball control and running out wide, plus the supreme footskills of Steele Sidebottom.
Alas the Blues were not done and put together a few goals in a row to start the second to keep the pressure on. A brilliant team goal provided real impetus after sensational work through the middle, and then Walker's ripping 40 metre left foot stab pierced the sticks to suggest the pre-season talk of Walker playing a different role may have some legs. It wasn't enough in the end, but the difference was neither here nor there - except as far as staying in the NAB competition goes. We were out and had to face the NAB Challenge...
Team
B: | 2 Jordan Russell | 40 Michael Jamison (c) | 10 Matthew Watson |
HB: | 13 Chris Yarran | 18 Paul Bower | 31 Marcus Davies |
C: | 6 Kade Simpson | 46 David Ellard | 9 Kane Lucas |
HF: | 12 Mitch Robinson | 1 Andrew Walker | 27 Dennis Armfield |
F: | 19 Eddie Betts | 41 Levi Casboult | 36 Rohan Kerr |
Ruck: | 22 Shaun Hampson | 4 Bryce Gibbs | 45 Aaron Joseph |
Interchange: | 35 Ed Curnow | 42 Zach Tuohy | 39 Wayde Twomey |
| 26 Andrew McInnes | 17 Setanta O'Hailpin | 34 Nick Duigan |
Substitutes: | 28 Jaryd Cachia | 47 Mitchell Carter |
Coach: | Brett Ratten |
Emg: | TBD |
Milestones
Senior 'Night' Debut: Ed Curnow and
Zach Tuohy.
NAB Challenge Cup - Carlton v GWS
Carlton
|
5.3
|
33
|
16.6
|
102
|
26.7
|
163
|
29.9
|
183
|
GWS Giants
|
1.0
|
6
|
3.1
|
19
|
4.1
|
25
|
4.2
|
26
|
|
Venue: |
Manuka Oval, Canberra
|
Date: |
TBD
|
Result: |
Won by 157 points
|
Crowd: |
5,991
|
Goalkickers: |
Betts 6, Thornton 5, Warnock 4, Yarran 2, Judd 2, Kerr 2, Scotland, Murphy, Casboult, Carter, Laidler, Gibbs, Duigan, Armfield
|
Reports: |
N/A
|
Umpires: |
TBD
|
Injuries: |
N/A
|
Game Review
The Blues travelled to Canberra to take on a team that wouldn't even enter the competition until
2012. As such, it was a game of men v boys and Carlton destroyed the young Giants.
Team
B: | 37 Joe Dare | 32 Bret Thornton | 34 Nick Duigan |
HB: | 13 Chris Yarran | 18 Paul Bower | 21 Mark Austin |
C: | 5 Chris Judd | 4 Bryce Gibbs | 42 Zach Tuohy |
HF: | 39 Wayde Twomey | 26 Andrew McInnes | 29 Heath Scotland |
F: | 19 Eddie Betts | 11 Robert Warnock | 27 Dennis Armfield |
Ruck: | 41 Levi Casboult | 35 Ed Curnow | 3 Marc Murphy |
Interchange: | 38 Jeffrey Garlett | 22 Shaun Hampson | 28 Jaryd Cachia |
| 15 Jeremy Laidler | 36 Rohan Kerr | 47 Mitchell Carter |
Coach: | Brett Ratten |
Emg: | TBD |
NAB Challenge Cup
|
Venue: |
Princes Park
|
Date: |
March 4, 2011
|
Result: |
Won by 24 points
|
Crowd: |
TBD
|
Goalkickers: |
|
Reports: |
|
Umpires: |
TBD
|
Injuries: |
Nil
|
Game Review
Team
B: | 13 Chris Yarran | 40 Michael Jamison | 43 Simon White |
HB: | 34 Nick Duigan | 18 Paul Bower | 15 Jeremy Laidler |
C: | 6 Kade Simpson | 4 Bryce Gibbs | 29 Heath Scotland |
HF: | 16 Andrew Collins | 30 Jarrad Waite | 32 Bret Thornton |
F: | 12 Mitch Robinson | 1 Andrew Walker | 27 Dennis Armfield |
Ruck: | 11 Rob Warnock | 5 Chris Judd | 3 Marc Murphy |
Interchange: | 9 Kane Lucas | 46 David Ellard | 38 Jeffery Garlett |
| 22 Shaun Hampson | 19 Eddie Betts | |
Got a run in the second: | 45 Aaron Joseph | 31 Marcus Davies | 35 Ed Curnow |
Coach: | Brett Ratten |
NAB Challenge Cup - Last Match!
|
Venue: |
Princes Park
|
Date: |
March 12, 2011
|
Result: |
Lost in a close one
|
Crowd: |
TBD
|
Goalkickers: |
|
Reports: |
|
Umpires: |
TBD
|
Injuries: |
Nil
|
Game Review
Team
B: | 13 Chris Yarran | 40 Michael Jamison (c) | 43 Simon White |
HB: | 2 Jordan Russell | 18 Paul Bower | 34 Nick Duigan |
C: | 9 Kane Lucas | 4 Bryce Gibbs | 29 Heath Scotland |
HF: | 16 Andrew Collins | 30 Jarrad Waite | 27 Dennis Armfield |
F: | 38 Jeffery Garlett | 23 Lachlan Henderson | 1 Andrew Walker |
Ruck: | 22 Shaun Hampson | 12 Mitch Robinson | 6 Kade Simpson |
Interchange: | 44 Andrew Carrazzo | 35 Ed Curnow | 15 Jeremy Laidler |
| 5 Chris Judd | 10 Matthew Watson | 41 Levi Casboult |
Got a run in the second: | 39 Wayde Twomey | | |
Coach: | Brett Ratten |
Links
Season 2011 |
Pre-Season or Night Series Games |
Nine Point Goals