There is a cosmic link between Nick Stevens and myself. It appears the more he dedicates himself to football and the less to partying the more celebrating I will get to do at the games. Certainly on Sunday I got to celebrate as he carried us along in another great bluebagger win. It seems everyone in this side is maturing – just look at Kouta with his new look, he now appears as the grand old man of this side.
So it was great to watch this side take its first steps on Sunday evening. A win against old rivals warms the cockles of all our old bluebagger hearts and I confess to hating Richmond as much as any old foe – I remember that whack on Southby (only thugs hit from behind) and the tremors in my heart the day Big Nick was felled like a giant eucalypt in a Tasmanian forest.
How great then to see the blueboys show their growing belief in their own skills by coming back from 27 points down! Sunday’s third quarter revival echoes with those great Carlton teams of the past when we’d sit in the glorious rickety old Social club at Princes Park and wait for the barrage of Carlton goals in the premiership quarter. These boys, it seems, are remembering our glorious footballing heritage.
The highlight of the game for me was Tex’s mark at pace between two Richmond players (his eyes never leaving the ball) and then the roadrunner flash and a goal. Apologies to young Gibbs, that handball was worthy of a Bruce McAvaney ‘special’ but the mark and goal of Tex took my breath away.
Someone else who delivered on Sunday was young Clokey, so much so that he should claim an obstetrician’s fees off Stevo & Co. (and hasn’t that a nice ring to it) for the way he gently handed across the leather baby to their eager chests. It was good to see the blueboys have two ruckmen who could win hit outs and get the ball around the ground. Mind you with Aisake, Hampson and Jacobs all waiting in the wings I think we can finally breathe a bit easier about our rucking stocks.
The other stocks that have risen are our defensive socks – sorry stocks. Young Carlos reminds me of Stephen Silvagni – now, now before you start chocking on your coffee (drunk from a Carlton mug purchased at the new look merchandise shop I hope) hear me out. I am not saying Carlos has the ability of Stephen (I still remember a mark S.O.S. took running back with the flight of the ball, watching the opponents eyes and then marking the ball moments before it fell into the forward’s hands, and yes, he did touch that ball in the ’93 final) but he has got that vital ingredient every great backman must have. S.O.S had it, Southby too and Wes Lofts, Bruce Doull rarely showed he had it but had it more than most.
So what the hell am I talking about? Go on guess………Okay you’ve had three goes. For me the most vital ingredient a backman must have is that he must expect to win each and every contest. Now wussie forwards (sorry Fev - and Jezza was never wuss but for the sake of the argument I’ll continue) only need to aim for about a 50/50 record against their opponent. But a backman, no way. 50/50 would be a disaster. Imagine Fev with 8 to 10 shots on goal (exclude Sunday evening for the sake of this argument please). It’d be a disaster. So the backman must have this ridiculous and unshakeable belief that he will win every contest. So if you have any old tapes lying around (like that ’99 prelim final, ahhhh) watch S.O.S’s reaction when he loses a contest – he looks shocked, angry that the cosmos has worked against him and ropeable that the umpire could not see the evil tricks the forward pulled to win the ball. Now watch Carlos. See the resemblance now? Uncanny huh? And yes T-Bird has this belief also. That quality of Carlos is why I have no doubt he’ll be one of the premier backman once he learns just a tad more about the game (that’s called understatement).
And so after a first round win we meet Geelong at The Dome this Saturday evening (oh how I long for those genteel Saturday arvo days) - another feline to skin alive. I have no doubt the Cats will come out waving their handbags harder than the blue rinse Collingwood supporters after another Magpie loss (just ask my brother Pat, he was on the receiving end of one of those as a kid and has never forgiven the black and white rabble).
The Cats have a strong midfield and some very tough bodies. I am sure they will chase our kids with murderous intent for all of three quarters before their efforts to collide only meet with disdain from the steel-veined blueboys. In Scarlet they have a defender who seems to get the better of Fev but they have no Kingsley to play his single great game a year. In fact their forward line is where we’ll win it I reckon. They have Gary Ablett but young Tex can take him and the rest will find it tough against our growing back six. In fact I wouldn’t be at all surprised if they toss in Jumping Jack to try and give their forwards a bit of a spark.
In the end though I think our class and run will prevail. Fish to bag 4, Eddie to nab 3 and Fev to find enough ball to also nab 4. If Lance can get some touch back in his hands and hold a few we’ll win by about 26 points and it’ll be two in a row - a sure sign this young baby blues side is growing up fast!
Go Blues.
