Article from: Herald Sun
March 28, 2008 12:00am
CARLTON coach Brett Ratten wants his rookie defence to turn the challenge of holding St Kilda's big three forwards into a strength in tomorrow night's clash at Telstra Dome.
Ratten backed young fullback Michael Jamison to play against one of Fraser Gehrig, Nick Riewoldt or Justin Koschitzke, despite struggling against Richmond star Matthew Richardson in the opening round.
But he said Carlton needed to turn defence into attack against the Saints.
"Do you play (Jamison) on Nick Riewoldt or do you play him a bit closer to goal on Fraser or even Kosi?'' Ratten said.
"And can you run off these bigger type players? That's the other thing.
"You get three big forwards that stay pretty much at home, can you hurt them the other way? That's the debate.''
Ratten said while Richardson kicked a match-winning five-goal haul last week, it was not completely Jamison's fault, as other defenders should have helped him more.
He said defensive pressure from the midfield was also crucial.
"It's more sometimes the supply and how the ball gets down there that might help our backs,'' he said.
Ratten welcomed the added depth up forward provided by the return of Brad Fisher from a thumb injury and was hopeful that was an area the Blues might hurt the Saints.
He said young ruckman Shaun Hampson's return from injury, to provide back-up for Cameron Cloke in the ruck, would also be important. "
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does he know that little about the leagues premium players........does he really regard roo as a stay at home forward....or fraser......or kossi.......does he know sfa about st kilda.....or the game itself.......if it was roos, he would be saying he was misquoted and it was all archie's fault...............
