After watching the NAB Cup grand final on the weekend and witnessing arguably the least probing performance from Chris Judd in the last five years, I found myself asking if age was finally catching up with the champ and what can he possibly do about it?
Unfortunately, I found no answer as to how he can forestall that tap on the shoulder that every sports player dreads.
Now before this article continues I would just like to say that Chris Judd has been an excellent footballer and is one of the best players of this millenium.
He has been one of the most dominant midfielders in the competition since he began but age seems to finally be catching up with him and it is showing. As he becomes more tape than man he is struggling to influence football games regularly.
This lack of penetration was clearly visible on Friday night. He was quiet all evening to the point that Malthouse felt the need to sub him off during the final quarter when the game was still there for the taking.
I know it is only pre-season but Mick Malthouse does not just give away games and would have wanted his best side on the park with the trophy still there for the taking.
Judd has conceded the captaincy this year to free himself up to focus purely on football but the signs were not good on Friday.
Has taking the burden of leading by example off his already heavily strapped shoulders caused Judd to become lax? You would hope not but reports of Judd’s pre-season have been very silent out of Visy Park and if Friday is anything to go by, that silence is deafening.
Some may argue that it was Judd’s first game of the season and so he can be excused for being rusty but this is folly, and surely he should be able to win and effectively use ball against a young Brisbane midfield, especially with Kreuzer winning so many taps throughout the evening.
This was not the case though and does not bode well for the upcoming season, a season where Carlton need to play finals football after the debacle of last year.
If Judd has lost his inability to influence the contest, how can Carlton still pick him? With experienced midfield options including Murphy, Gibbs, McLean, Robinson, Simpson and Carrazzo, and with Kane Lucas and Nick Graham pressing for a spot in the middle of the ground, how can you pick Judd there if he is not going to provide the juice at the contest that Carlton need?
And if you cannot pick him in the centre, where else can you pick him? The unfortunate answer appears to be nowhere. Aging players like Goodes and Bartel will play in the forward line for years to come.
Ablett is being moved that way as we speak, with McKenna saying today that Ablett will spend a lot more time being fed the ball this season than feeding it. These blokes have the ability to play dual position football.
Judd, however, lacks the extra strings on his footballing bow to extend his playing days. He is too slow to get stuck out on the wing or be a crumbing forward, he does not slot in down back and he averages less than a goal a game across his whole career — not exactly the makings for a forward.
Carlton have nowhere to hide Judd and soon they may have to have an awkward conversation with their club champion.
Juddy Still #1
Guest
Rule #1......NEVER EVER write of a champion. Look forward to you writing an apology letter to your readers for writing such rubbish about one of the all time great champions of the game.
UK Steve
Guest
Where does Judd sit as far as being an all-time great? If you look at the AFL Team of the Century, would you say that Judd was a better player than Bourke, Greig and a few others?
Macca
Guest
I was a bit surprised to Lump but as I said he kicked a lot more goals at the Eagles and the game was played a bit different. He possibly got more possessions on the outside or bursting free so they looked better/ more noticable/more damaging. The other thing is that at West Coast he had Cousins and Kerr also getting high possessions and dominating games, I would be happy to see Judd get closer to go back under 25 possessions a game kick a bit over a goal a game and have Murphy, Gibbs, Carrazzo, Robinson, Simpson & Bell do the same. Teh blues haven't used him much up forward and haven't had the structure around him when the do. If Casboult and Mitchell (or Waite) manage to hold down teh key positions in Judd "twilight" and Bett's and Garlett play well as the small forwards having Walker 19cm/ Menzel 187cm & Judd 189cm as the mid size forwards will cause headaches, especially if Gibbs & Murphy are good enough to draw the hard tag that has often followed Judd forward as well.
lump
Guest
Thanks Macca, Must have rose coloured glasses on thinking of his days out west, thought his stats may have been a bit higher. Agree he needs the other boys to take some of the heat off. If the young fellas step up it'll extend his career considerably. But I do wonder where he'd spend his twilight years if not in the midfield. When he plays forward he seems a lot less effective.
Melbourne is the New Adelaide
Guest
In support Matt, a Carlton supporter yesterday suggested in a Karmichael Hunt story that "maybe we could swap Judd for Hunt". Not sure if he was being facetious though.
Macca
Guest
lump On average disposals at carlton it has been - 2008 -24.2, 2009- 26.5, 2010 - 27, 2011 - 26.4, 2012 -25.1. At West Coast it was 2003 -18.2, 2004 21.8. 2005- 22.3, 2006 -25.9, 2007 - 23 He kciked more goals at West Coast but lays more tackles at the blues. Some of the differences would be down to changes in the way the game is played and 2007 he was injure a bit from memory. People also forget how well he played in the early part of last year when he had Carrazzo & Murphy around him. This year if Gibbs has a break out season and Carrazzo & Murphy continue their form he will find himself with a bit more room to move as he might not be getting the tag each week.
Macca
Guest
Ian - Yeah I don't know why they bother, they clearly aren't adding anything and often they cause the title to be misleading from the intent of the article.
lump
Guest
Does anyone know his stats difference between his days as an eagle vs a blue?
Redb
Roar Guru
In this case I think the title in the URL might be the author's original.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Really, really bad subediting is a chronic problem on this site. They need to fire their subeditor and hire a new one. Alternatively, they could simply stop making up new titles, and just run with the ones the author supplies.
Macca
Guest
I know Matt, I actually thought it was a clever title I don't know why they changed it to something so unwieldly. The other week my story on the blues new found depth I originally titled "The Blues Depth Perception Problems" which I thought was clever but it was changed to "The myth about Carlton's lack of Depth" which is a bit boring.
Matt Watson
Roar Rookie
Title upgrades are Roar editor's work, unfortunately they have changed it
Macca
Guest
I see the title has got an upgrade - who knows by the end of the day it could be "Chris Judd Older Star"
Macca
Guest
Judd is at the back end of his career but his won't be 30 until Septmeber this year, I would think he has at least 2 more season after that.
Macca
Guest
I would suggest a bit longer than that.
Redb
Roar Guru
I'm no Judd fan, but a dud he is not. "juddy' will get the Carlton fans all excited for awhile yet.
TomC
Roar Guru
Ridiculous. Brisbane obviously disagreed with you. They sent their number one tagger Andrew Raines to him. At the very least, Judd will create space for his teammates.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Judd will be fine this year - the article is 12 months early.
Reccymech
Roar Rookie
I am not a fan of Carlton, but, I do recognise a champion. Understandably Chris Judd is at the back-end of his career. He knows this, and more importantly Mick knows this. Both aren't fools. I see it as he will still be playing a 'percentages' game, adding his influence to the more junior players, whilst mentoring Marc Murphy. A good succession plan.
Macca
Guest
I know you are trying to be a bit sensationalist to get a reaction but it was clear Judd was being eased into the season, he didn't get a lot of game time and looked more like he was playing off a forward flank than in the middle (although foxtels need to fit their score graphic on the screen at centre bounces made it hard to distinguish the teams for such a distance let alone idnetify players). Also it would be interesteing to see the blues trainng loads leading up to the game, they all looked sluggish and I wouldn't be surpirised if the had some heavy sessions before tapering leading into the season proper. And at 189cm (just short of Walker's 190cm) if Judds powers did start to wane I am sure he could play as a forward pocket, it worked well for Williams & the blues in 1995.