Speculation is stilling milling in background about whether Bryce Gibbs will leave at the end of the year or not.
Let’s get one thing really straight here, he has two years left on his contract.
But does he want to move? Does Carlton’s surprising season change this at all?
Bryce Gibbs is in stellar form this season. He is ranked number 58 in the AFL’s overall rankings, number two for the club.
If you look at the AFL’s stats for players, you will see that since the start of the season he has been climbing up, with only a few dips. Against GWS he notched up 27 disposals.
Without a doubt Adelaide would want him to join their ranks as they tried to snatch him during the trade period with Kane Cornes stating that he will obviously be in that team this season.
What neither Adelaide nor Cornes understood was that Gibbs had no real impetus to leave Carlton other than media speculation, management query and the biased-one-sided diatribe of an ex-player who categorically does not like Carlton and can never say anything worthwhile about the club.
But will Gibbs go at the end of this season? I don’t think so. Adelaide will have to do something quite extraordinary in order to get him. He is still under contract and if he does decide he wants to leave, then it will have to be on Carlton’s terms and their terms only. Not what Cornes states that Carlton should just by tearing up the contract without receiving anything of significance.
(AAP Image/Joe Castro)
The significant terms would be for a first round draft pick and a high calibre player, anything less and Carlton will once more show Adelaide the door.
With each and every match, Carlton are developing and getting to a point where other coaches are starting to sit up and take notice. Leon Cameron said that coaches must now start taking notice of Carlton, after beating his Giants on the weekend.
Given that Gibbsy moving to Adelaide would enhance his chances of winning a Premiership is in my view fraught with pros and cons and more cons than pros. What if he doesn’t gel with the playing group?
What if he doesn’t jell with the coach? What if he just doesn’t become the player that those in Adelaide want him to be? Given that he is nearing the side of 30, he has to weigh up all of this.
Mattician6x6
Guest
Lucky for me I don't support the blues bdosi lol
It's s ok 6x6 - betts and Jacobs love being at a club where they can be their best. Gibbs has seen the light and would love to jump the nufty ship too but alas, he's a contracted only slightly above average midfielder who would prefer to be in Adelaide. That's ok - at sos price you can keep him Good luck!! Here's to another countless decades on the bottom!
Mattician6x6
Guest
Bdosi besides gws & GC suns name me the only non Vic club to make a grand final in the 2000s? Christ even port made 2!
Mattician6x6
Guest
Taylor swift is that you??
You are kidding right - Crows finished minor premiers in 05 - I hardly think that qualifies as "over estimating a list" They played a terrible game without their skipper in a qualifying final and lost by less than a goal - has happened to the best of them. You obviously are just a hater!
Mattician6x6
Guest
I guess your talking about the final were bulldogs tactics fell into crows laps? Wow more under handed behaviour I guess Adelaide has form.
Mattician6x6
Guest
Everyone knows Carlton demands were unrealistic but that was nothing more than reaction to the under handed and desperate tactics Adelaide used to engage the discussion.
Don Freo
Guest
I'd say Adelaide was half-hearted last year.. not aggressive at all. They have no weakness that Gibbs is able to fill. They already have strength in his area of strength.
sammy
Guest
not so desperate that they were prepared to cough up 2 first round picks for him, and that the team is on track to do better than last year shows the decision to be correct
Mattician6x6
Guest
The desperate tactics the crows tried to use last trade period to shake Gibbs loose, definitely a sign Adelaide list management and coaching staff view your midfield as being 1rotation short.
sammy
Guest
but now tell me how on earth you think gibbs would be a missing link when he is no better than what the crows currently have.
sammy
Guest
You can think what you want as it makes no difference to what the reality of today is. And I'll bet you were giving the bulldogs no chance last year either based on their past years performances in final
sammy
Guest
I just can't work you out why you would keep on with this in the face of all the key stats and where the team sits and who they have beaten this year. I think you overrate Gibbs as he is not better than either Sloane or the crouch brothers and I have writted many times above why the club also did not chase him further. But I am happy that my team sits top of the table as we speak and are the best in the league at contested possessions, second in the league for inside 50's and 3rd in the league for clearances - all KEY MIDFEILD STATS
Mattician6x6
Guest
If they can show that application in the finals I'm wrong, but history recent and past shows otherwise.
sammy
Guest
Adding to the above, the crows rank no 1 in the league for contested possessions, 3rd for clearances, 2nd for inside 50's..all stats that apply to the midfield. As I say, Gibbs is a good player but he is not better than what they have already in their primary midfield
Mattician6x6
Guest
Sammy we've seen supposed great crows midfield's top of table over the years yet your last grand final appearance was 1998, crows fans scream we are a success please, you over rate your abilities constantly. This midfield was pantsed in last Years semi final and even with Dangerfield was pantsed in the semi final in 2015.
sammy
Guest
When the crouch brothers produce a performance like gibbs did last night.. Matt Crouch is producing every week and Brad crouch is getting better after long term injury problems. Add to that that the crouch brothers are 5-6 years younger than Gibbs so have far more upside. You can argue till the cows come home but the reality is Gibbs does not present a better option that what the crows have in their primary midfield and that is why they did not get close to what Carlton wanted for him. You can argue that he presents added depth to the team, but is added depth worth sacrificing this years and next years first round draft pick for - no way. Oh and BTW, the same crows midfield currently that you think is not that good sees them top of the AFL ladder as we write and one that has been evolving during the last few years and that has experienced finals (including winning 2 elimination finals with the pressure that entails) . This year, that same midfield has been the engine in beating GWS by 10 goals, Richmond by 13 goals, Essendon by 11 goals, Port in an away showdown. Gold Coast away by 11 goals, Brisbane away by 20 goals Fremantle by 17 goals (whilst they were sitting 6th on the table) & St Kilda by 10 goals. Some poor midfield that
Mattician6x6
Guest
When the crouch brothers produce a performance as Gibbs did last night opposition fans may agree, to many times over 2016/17 was it shown that if Sloane is tagged out or not in line up Adelaide are exposed for lack of high quality midfield depth.
Kane
Guest
"sad and tragic" wasn't it? Silvagni's "ego" is doing us no good and Gibbs definitely "doesn't want to be with Carlton and would rather be somewhere else". Don't think we will hear from mattyb for a few days macca.
Kane
Guest
The Crouch brother's haven't done anything yet, they come to the club when it was half successful. Gibbs has been a very good and consistent player all the way through Carlton's lowest ever period and in the better years in this period. Matt Crouch finds alot of the ball but butcher's it while Brad is very inconsistent.