The Preview | Carlton v Fremantle | AFL Round 17, 2023
Click here to watch Terry’s preview on the BlueAbroad YouTube Channel
There’s something about Freo away…
The Blues take on the dockers in the west as Carlton look to make it 3 in a row against an exciting Fremantle outfit.
You already knew, it’s the round 17 preview.
Heave-Ho
A peculiar season at best, for flagmantle.
With a record of 7-8, the dockers seem to deepen the knife they’ve stabbed in their supporters backs; with wild inconsistency on field this season.
With wins against current top 8 teams in Geelong, Melbourne and Essendon, as well as losses to North Melbourne and GWS, Freo’s recent form couldn’t come at a better time for Blues fans.
Inspired by efforts around the ground this season, the engine room seems to be doing the hard yards this year.
With the likes of Andrew Brayshaw and Caleb Serong running ramped in recent weeks, backed by young gun James Aish, the rotations have been limited even with backup veteran Jagear O’Meara; but effective nonetheless.
It also comes in handy to get first use, with the ruck duo in Darcy and Jackson leading the league in hit outs and hitouts to advantage percentage (47, 33).
While frantic, the defence seems to be a workhorse in itself.
Although there isn’t much transition from the back half, Luke Ryan is a shining light for the dockers, with Brennan Cox a force of nature in the dying embers of some close ones this year.
Like a broken record, however, the freo forwards can’t seem to get it done this season….as a collective.
In the last 7 rounds, rising star Jye Amiss has kicked 16 goals…the most goals of any key forward in that period. A true battler in one of those seasons for the dockers.
And that’s what awaits the Blues this week, a team of battlers. With their season on the line, you can just about put it at Winx odds that these boys in purple are going to hold fort at Optus Stadium for all 4 quarters.
Blues in White.
What a strange turn of events.
With two convincing performances, albeit against out of form sides, the Blues go undermanned and find a way two weeks in a row.
Moreover, and uncannily, we’re starting to lose passengers.
The performances of fringe players in Forgarty and Cunningham are a sight for sore eyes. Not only a rejuvenation for our forward line with a combined 3 goals and 40 touches, but a perfect problem for the selection team come the following weeks.
It’s a mentality that’s been lost in recent weeks, and months, “next man up.”
And it shows, it’s infectious.
Last week, the Blues hadn’t had more goal assists in a game since 2017 (11), including the west coast performance this year.
The ruck dilemma follows on from last week’s preview, but the dynamic between Young and Silvagni could not be understated, especially this week against arguably the best ruck duo in the league.
But there it is again, mismatched, next man up.
Not first to the hall, next man up.
Dropping standards, next man up.
If there’s anything to salvage from this season and out form in these recent rounds, it’s this simple message and focus on the ground.
Against a team not willing to give teams the full satisfaction, we have to play it our own way if a win is on the horizons this week.
Predictions.
Elims in July, holy,
Theatrics aside, Fremantle whether we like it or not seem to be a monkey on our backs in the worst way.
It wasn’t that many years ago when the ripped our hearts out with a 7-77 first half on our own home deck, and these recent encounters don’t kill any tension.
Here’s hoping it’s another one for the ages….with a much needed fire to spark some real belief in this playing group.
Blues by 5
Was Jack Newnes really 3 years ago?
