Murray MiddletonThe O'hAilpin Blues
April 3rd 2008 10:45
Every Thursday the axe falls. This week Setanta O’hAilpin is one of the two omissions from the Carlton team. After much hype over the summer – largely due to the recruitment of Chris Judd - the Blues have lost their first two matches of 2008. All up, their losing streak stands at thirteen, one short of equalling the club record. On current form it seems likely that the once mighty club is destined to spend another season down the bottom of the AFL ladder. It is an all too familiar story for the Blues, who have received the past three number one draft picks.
Owing to salary cap breaches that occurred before his appointment as coach, Dennis Pagan was forced to look far and wide to rebuild Carlton’s list. In his second year as coach (2004) he recruited a spate of recycled players: David Clarke, Daniel Harford, David Teague, Ricky Mott, Glenn Bowyer, Brett Johnson. Heath Scotland is the only quality recycled player who remains at the club five years after Pagan’s supposed coup. Clearly, he would have been better advised to opt for youth, regardless of the quality of the talent.
Pagan took a gamble on lanky forward Lawrence Angwin – a former first round draft choice with the Adelaide Crows who had a penchant for trouble. The move was a disaster. Angwin broke into teammate Karl Norman’s house and robbed him. Months later the pair – still somehow friends - turned up to training under the influence of ecstasy. Angwin was fired. Norman was delisted at the end of the next season. Both players had talent, yet neither had the resolve to put their football first.
Another left-field selection was Setanta O’hAilpin. The 199-centimetre giant was recruited from Ireland. The move was testament to Carlton’s desperation. Two years later the Blues recruited O’hAilpin’s younger brother Aisake, who remains on the club’s rookie list. The public took an interest in Setanta’s progress. He made his debut in a disastrous loss to Richmond at the MCG in 2005. It was his only game for the season. Over the past two seasons he has played another thirty-three matches. Some think the Irishman is making progress, others have their doubts.
O’hAilpin is now twenty-four years old. He has struggled to hold down a position in the Blues’ team during a period in which they have been consistently near the bottom of the ladder. O’hAilpin played in round one as a back-up ruckman to Cameron Cloke against Richmond. The move had limited success. Last week he was moved into defence to negate St. Kilda’s Fraser Gehrig. Gehrig kicked four goals and won on the night. So where is O’hAilpin’s best position?
Blues’ fans still cringe every time O’hAilpin prepares to kick the ball. He has an unorthodox kicking technique and cannot be counted on to deliver the ball to teammates. He has a good vertical leap, but is not an aerial threat to opposition teams because he is not a great mark. Playing up forward is simply not an option. Although he is a wonderful athlete – which is what enticed the Blues in the first place – he is not a natural footballer. Therefore the only position that holds any hope is in defence.
Other Irish recruits have thrived in recent times. In 2005 Tadgh Kennelly became a premiership player with Sydney. He has been an integral part of the Swans’ success with his dash from the half-back line. Unlike O’hAilpin, he can kick the ball. One of the stories of 2007 was Marty Clarke’s meteoric rise at Collingwood. Two and a half years ago Clarke had never kicked a football. He played an important role in Collingwood’s run to the preliminary final. He ran the lines, kept close to his opponent and kicked the ball fifty metres lace out to teammates. Even Brisbane’s Colm Begley showed promise in 2007.
The one constant with Kennelly, Begley and Clarke is that they play on the half-back line. They are all given a license to run. O’hAilpin is a tall. He cannot break the lines. Unfortunately, the code does not allow his natural athleticism to come to the fore. And, as mentioned, he lacks the kicking skills to be an integral part of any team’s structure. Irishman have had a great impact on the Australian game. Jim Stynes won a Brownlow medal for Melbourne playing as a mobile ruckman. But he had a better motor than O’hAilpin, plus he possessed football smarts, which is difficult to teach a player.
If the Blues are to benefit from their gamble on O’hAilpin it must be as a key defender. And it must be this year. Although his brother has shown promise with the Northern Bullants in the VFL, the senior side is not big enough for two project players. The Dennis Pagan era has ended. Last season the club replaced their captain, their coach and their president. Perhaps in two or three years, with a fit Chris Judd and a firing Murphy, Gibbs and Kruezer, the Blues might be able to mount a challenge? Unfortunately, Dennis Pagan’s time at the helm will be remembered as a disasterous period for the club. It wasn’t all his fault. The blow will be slightly lessened if Setanta O’hAilpin ever makes it.
Owing to salary cap breaches that occurred before his appointment as coach, Dennis Pagan was forced to look far and wide to rebuild Carlton’s list. In his second year as coach (2004) he recruited a spate of recycled players: David Clarke, Daniel Harford, David Teague, Ricky Mott, Glenn Bowyer, Brett Johnson. Heath Scotland is the only quality recycled player who remains at the club five years after Pagan’s supposed coup. Clearly, he would have been better advised to opt for youth, regardless of the quality of the talent.
Pagan took a gamble on lanky forward Lawrence Angwin – a former first round draft choice with the Adelaide Crows who had a penchant for trouble. The move was a disaster. Angwin broke into teammate Karl Norman’s house and robbed him. Months later the pair – still somehow friends - turned up to training under the influence of ecstasy. Angwin was fired. Norman was delisted at the end of the next season. Both players had talent, yet neither had the resolve to put their football first.
Another left-field selection was Setanta O’hAilpin. The 199-centimetre giant was recruited from Ireland. The move was testament to Carlton’s desperation. Two years later the Blues recruited O’hAilpin’s younger brother Aisake, who remains on the club’s rookie list. The public took an interest in Setanta’s progress. He made his debut in a disastrous loss to Richmond at the MCG in 2005. It was his only game for the season. Over the past two seasons he has played another thirty-three matches. Some think the Irishman is making progress, others have their doubts.
O’hAilpin is now twenty-four years old. He has struggled to hold down a position in the Blues’ team during a period in which they have been consistently near the bottom of the ladder. O’hAilpin played in round one as a back-up ruckman to Cameron Cloke against Richmond. The move had limited success. Last week he was moved into defence to negate St. Kilda’s Fraser Gehrig. Gehrig kicked four goals and won on the night. So where is O’hAilpin’s best position?
Blues’ fans still cringe every time O’hAilpin prepares to kick the ball. He has an unorthodox kicking technique and cannot be counted on to deliver the ball to teammates. He has a good vertical leap, but is not an aerial threat to opposition teams because he is not a great mark. Playing up forward is simply not an option. Although he is a wonderful athlete – which is what enticed the Blues in the first place – he is not a natural footballer. Therefore the only position that holds any hope is in defence.
Other Irish recruits have thrived in recent times. In 2005 Tadgh Kennelly became a premiership player with Sydney. He has been an integral part of the Swans’ success with his dash from the half-back line. Unlike O’hAilpin, he can kick the ball. One of the stories of 2007 was Marty Clarke’s meteoric rise at Collingwood. Two and a half years ago Clarke had never kicked a football. He played an important role in Collingwood’s run to the preliminary final. He ran the lines, kept close to his opponent and kicked the ball fifty metres lace out to teammates. Even Brisbane’s Colm Begley showed promise in 2007.
The one constant with Kennelly, Begley and Clarke is that they play on the half-back line. They are all given a license to run. O’hAilpin is a tall. He cannot break the lines. Unfortunately, the code does not allow his natural athleticism to come to the fore. And, as mentioned, he lacks the kicking skills to be an integral part of any team’s structure. Irishman have had a great impact on the Australian game. Jim Stynes won a Brownlow medal for Melbourne playing as a mobile ruckman. But he had a better motor than O’hAilpin, plus he possessed football smarts, which is difficult to teach a player.
If the Blues are to benefit from their gamble on O’hAilpin it must be as a key defender. And it must be this year. Although his brother has shown promise with the Northern Bullants in the VFL, the senior side is not big enough for two project players. The Dennis Pagan era has ended. Last season the club replaced their captain, their coach and their president. Perhaps in two or three years, with a fit Chris Judd and a firing Murphy, Gibbs and Kruezer, the Blues might be able to mount a challenge? Unfortunately, Dennis Pagan’s time at the helm will be remembered as a disasterous period for the club. It wasn’t all his fault. The blow will be slightly lessened if Setanta O’hAilpin ever makes it.
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