Our backs : The discipline of Setanta O’hAilpin and Bret Thornton has been a real positive for the group. The whole backline has been working well together.
Their forwards: Obviously Quinten Lynch and Ashley Hansen have combined well together. Steven Armstrong kicked three goals last week and has improved dramatically.
Midfield battle: Obviously they are the best midfield in the competition with Daniel Kerr, Chris Judd and Tyson Stenglein, who is quite under-rated. However, our midfielders are really improving and we’ve been particularly good around the stoppages. Of course, it’s still early days so it is going to be a great test for us.
The ruck duel: Dean Cox is a class act and is probably the premier ruckman in the competition. Also, Mark Seaby has really improved. We’ve got a couple of guys who are getting better week after week. Cain Ackland had a good game last week and Cameron Cloke has been consistent for most of the year, so it is going to be a great challenge for those guys to step up to the plate.
Our forwards: Brendan Fevola has worked well in tandem with different players like Josh Kennedy. There are a number of options up forward, like Eddie Betts who can chip in with a couple of goals, and Matty Lappin who kicked three goals last weekend, so we’d like to think we’ve got a lot of variety in our forward structure.
Their backs: Adam Hunter and Darren Glass are two very good players. We expect Glass to match up on Brendan. In saying that, Beau Waters and Adam Selwood have been their number one rebound players in the back 50.
Lessons from last week
You just can’t give sides too much of a start. That is an area we have to get better at. In saying that, we are a real resilient mob that know we can come back when we are down and that’s been a real positive.
What their coach says
John Worsfold: "They're a very exciting young side, Carlton. Their young players got quite a few games last year, they've all improved. I think they're a better side.”
A few stats
West Coast v Carlton, round 11, 2006, West Coast by 10 points at Subiaco.
Carlton Win Percentage, against West Coast, 50%; at Subiaco, 34.62%
Note to Self
We have lost the last three games against West Coast and the last nine games at Subiaco Oval. Our last home game against the Eagles was at MC Labour Park in 2004, where we defeated them by 49 points.
