Unvelievable Year but Have we peaked to soon ?

Moccha · Post: # 800318Post **Moccha** » Sat 22 Aug 2009 12:12am

Doesn't matter who we play, but it would be nice to belt them all

chook23 · Post: # 800319Post **chook23** » Sat 22 Aug 2009 12:15am

Moccha wrote:Doesn't matter who we play, but it would be nice to belt them all

Would much rather play (inexperienced Carlton Finals wise) and OR Adelaide here.

perfectionist · Sat 22 Aug 2009 12:20am

The top four is now set as:

St Kilda
Geelong
Colllingwood
Footscray

Bernard Shakey · Sat 22 Aug 2009 12:20am

Doesn't matter if we've peaked, as long as nobody else gets near us.

ralphsmith · Sat 22 Aug 2009 12:22am

Bernard Shakey wrote:Doesn't matter if we've peaked, as long as nobody else gets near us.

And the loss + a series of close games and silly come from behind wins probably suggests we are right back with the pack.

HOPEFULLY NOT.

We should beat north melbourne be 10 goals if we're a chance at the flag.

samoht · Post: # 800326Post **samoht** » Sat 22 Aug 2009 12:22am

ralphsmith wrote:Yes we have peaked too early.

We simply can't improve, we've shown our best already.

I don't think we need to improve from our best.
Our best will be good enough.

What I meant by peaked before was in relation to our energy levels and fitness.

We are the best ,, we've proven that over the year.

We just need to recapture the same verve and energy in the finals as we had during the year.

We are a bit flat at the moment , our players are understandably tired and being managed - hopefully that will ensure we will be right for the finals.

Conversely and curiously Collingwood and the Dogs seems to somehow be getting fitter and fresher as they approach the finals and are now in their best form.

I just wish we were too !

plugger66 · Post: # 800329Post **plugger66** » Sat 22 Aug 2009 12:25am

perfectionist wrote:The top four is now set as:

St Kilda
Geelong
Colllingwood
Footscray

Not necessarily in that order though.

bigcarl · Post: # 800331Post **bigcarl** » Sat 22 Aug 2009 12:28am

chook23 wrote:
Moccha wrote:Doesn't matter who we play, but it would be nice to belt them all
Would much rather play (inexperienced Carlton Finals wise) and OR Adelaide here.

Agree, the dogs are a good side. Unfortunately you don't usually win flags without coming up against good sides.

Moccha · Post: # 800342Post **Moccha** » Sat 22 Aug 2009 12:45am

Hahahahahah at least Carltoon won't get a double chance

noob · Post: # 800362Post **noob** » Sat 22 Aug 2009 1:21am

if we've won 19 out of 20, we must be doing something right.

The OtherThommo · Sat 22 Aug 2009 4:19am

No, 'cos we ain't peaked yet. Watch and wait.

saint vince · Sat 22 Aug 2009 10:34am

samoht wrote:
ralphsmith wrote:Yes we have peaked too early.

We simply can't improve, we've shown our best already.
I don't think we need to improve from our best.
Our best will be good enough.

What I meant by peaked before was in relation to our energy levels and fitness.

We are the best ,, we've proven that over the year.

We just need to recapture the same verve and energy in the finals as we had during the year.

We are a bit flat at the moment , our players are understandably tired and being managed - hopefully that will ensure we will be right for the finals.

Conversely and curiously Collingwood and the Dogs seems to somehow be getting fitter and fresher as they approach the finals and are now in their best form.

I just wish we were too !

Not sure about the dogs. They are 2 and 2 over last four weeks including a loss to the eagles. I rekon we are going better than them.

samoht · Post: # 800437Post **samoht** » Sat 22 Aug 2009 12:18pm

Okay the Bulldogs had a shock loss against the Weagles - when they didn't kick straight (plus we won't use missing players as an excuse - but there were a few).

but since then - the last 2 games
the Bulldog's 18-point win over Brisbane at the Gabba was a great effort followed by the win over the Cats last night.

You'd expect the Cats at their best to be a 6 goal better team than the Bulldogs at their best - but the Bullies are peaking at the right time (by peaking i mean energy and fitness wise) whilst the Cats are looking tired.

Hopefully our top 8 or so players will be managed well and be full of energy going into the finals - our top 8 looked tired against Sydney and Essendon (the players that were rested against hawthorn that is).

we need to similarly be regaining our form and peak fitness in the final 2 rounds now.

ausfatcat · Post: # 800439Post **ausfatcat** » Sat 22 Aug 2009 12:20pm

samoht wrote:but the Bullies are peaking at the right time.

Are they? The finals aren't being played yet.

SainterK · Post: # 800441Post **SainterK** » Sat 22 Aug 2009 12:21pm

I guess the difference in our boys, is that after each game (including the loss) we can analyse it and come up with plenty of upside...

Some of our potential challengers, have thrown everything at us....and if you were to do the same analysis, there is no further scope for improvement...

So no....

spert · Post: # 800442Post **spert** » Sat 22 Aug 2009 12:23pm

I suppose RL and SOS and L.Tudor don't know much about preparing finals teams.

samoht · Post: # 800457Post **samoht** » Sat 22 Aug 2009 12:43pm

A silly hypothetical ..

- if our top line St kilda side of say round 1-8 played the top line St Kilda side of round 20 (with the 8 tired stars) which side would win and by how much ?

What about if the Collingwood side of round 1-8 played the Collingwood side of round 20 ?

Collingwood's top players are starting to reach peak fitness now and they have a good chance of maintaining and bringing that into the finals.

the finals will be about player fitness and maintaining energy levels .

If we recapture our early season fitness and energy levels going into the finals we'll be the team to beat again.

Legendary · Post: # 800461Post **Legendary** » Sat 22 Aug 2009 12:47pm

Lyon was at Carlton in 2000-03 and they still were playing finals for some of those years ... he saw how Parkin prepared teams for September.

He was also at Sydney for 4 years where they played finals, including 2 grand finals ... he saw how they prepared teams for September.

Finally, he had experience with this playing group preparing for September last year.

SOS obviously had a lot of experience as a player preparing for September, including 1995 when Carlton knew they had top spot sewn up.

And Leigh Tudor was involved at the Cats in the same situation in 2007 and 2008.

samoht · Post: # 800465Post **samoht** » Sat 22 Aug 2009 12:57pm

legendary

sounds good.

hopefully we'll recapture our fitness and hit the finals full of running.

saintsRrising · Sat 22 Aug 2009 1:01pm

Have we peaked too early?

No I think not.

YES we burst out of the blocks and had an AWESOME first half of the H&A often playing brutal football.

But with our coaches and the players the focus has always been on Sept football.

Most of our coaches have been involved in Finals and Grand Finals.

A number of our players have been in GF's too....Gardi, King, Hayes, Schneider, Dempster.......and Max too

And most of our players have finals experience.

And while we fell over in the finals last year IMO we area lot more focused and TEAM aware this year.

I think that we will be in our prime..... However the Pies and Dogs will be too. The Cats will be thereabouts, but yes have a few cracks emerging.It will remain to be seen if our best is better than theirs.

The dropping this week of Ball and Max also means that all players will be on their toes as they know that only their best will keep them in the 22. There are no places for anyone just cruising.

samoht · Post: # 800470Post **samoht** » Sat 22 Aug 2009 1:13pm

good post saints rising

Our players have been magnificent and so have the coaches and trainers etc.. to get us to 19-1.

We just need to be cherry ripe for the finals now and I'm sure they (players, coaches, trainers/training services ) all realise there's some work to be done.

RedBlack & No White · Sat 22 Aug 2009 1:34pm

You guys are not full throttle at the moment. You don't want to be with 2 - 3 weeks to go and a clear lead at the top of the table. Resting guys in R18 was a sensible thing. Cruise along until September, with just patches of intense footy is all that's required at this stage. It's called managing your list for the business end of the season.

You will know whether or not your club will have what it takes soon enough. Qualifying Final is the day you will see your team send a message to the rest of the finals contenders. It will be a domination and the others will stand back and watch in awe.

Prior to last week, you have absolutely strangled every opposition in defensive pressure. You may have dropped off in this area to conserve energy going into the finals. I reckon you'll find your team will be firing on all cylinders when it matters most.

bigcarl · Post: # 800480Post **bigcarl** » Sat 22 Aug 2009 1:43pm

RedBlack & No White wrote:Resting guys in R18 was a sensible thing. Cruise along until September, with just patches of intense footy is all that's required at this stage. It's called managing your list for the business end of the season.

geelong took the long view, resting players when they needn't have and have found it hard to regain that winning feeling.

i agree that resting up our stars in round 18 was sensible, but i'm apprehensive as to whether you can turn winning and losing on and off like a tap.

we need to make a statement this week.

samoht · Post: # 800485Post **samoht** » Sat 22 Aug 2009 1:56pm

red black and no white ..

Crusing along to September could well be part of the strategy to achieve peak fitness for the finals - who knows ?

i hope that's the case as the 8 stars (that missed the Hawks game) were well down on their usual stats against Sydney and Essendon.

Maybe the 8 are just crusing in the games but training harder during the week ?

asiu · Post: # 800493Post **asiu** » Sat 22 Aug 2009 2:24pm

AWESOME first half of the H&A often playing brutal football.

might have been brutal tactically , team and tackle wise

but skill levels were low ....we've improved frustratingly slowly but continually

but still , imo , we have not executed skilled footy usage anywhere near what we are capable of ....in 09
and nothing like we will deliver in 10 and 11