Why Patrick Cripps is worth at least $1 million a year
Wayne Carey
Two-time AFL premiership captain
May 13, 2021 — 1.05pm
It's time to lay off Patrick Cripps.
How quickly it's forgotten the way he's carried his club in recent years. He mightn't be at the absolute top of his game this season, but as reported by Michael Gleeson in the The Age on Thursday, we now know he's been having weekly injections to deal with a fracture in his
Patrick Cripps has carried the Blues in recent years. Credit:Getty Images
I've said a thousand times that clubs can take the heat off players by being more open about what's troubling them. Even now, the Blues haven't detailed the full extent of Cripps' concerns.
While Cripps would never use injury as an excuse, it certainly provides important context to some of his recent performances – particularly the second half against the Dogs last week. Regardless, the criticism of him has been unwarranted. All of this in a year he's coming out of contract.
The Blues have put themselves between a rock and a hard place ahead of the negotiations with Cripps, and even spearhead Harry McKay.
I've always been happy for players to get what they can. This is not a knock on them. Having said that, the Blues have spent big money on Mitch McGovern – $800,000 a year, according to Mark Ricciuto – before getting Zac Williams on a similarly sizeable deal during last year's trade period. Any notion that Cripps, even out of form, is worth less than those guys is utter nonsense. If Williams is worth $900,000 a season, then Cripps is every bit a $1 million man.
Without Cripps, the Blues' midfield is wafer-thin. Without him, would Sam Walsh be able to produce at the same level given the likely attention he'd receive?
Carlton's situation also begs the question: could those high-priced recruits cause a little disharmony? Players talk. They're sometimes only hushed conversations in cafes, but they do happen. It can also become more of a problem if those on big money are failing to deliver week in, week out. And that is a problem the Blues are currently facing.
That type of money should only be spent on the absolute best key position players or midfielders, not half-back flankers, or players yet to truly establish themselves as marquee men.
McGovern has been hampered by injury and has struggled for consistency. If – and it's a big if – the
Blues can get Charlie Curnow up and going, McGovern must go back. It's much simpler watching the game unfold in front of you. He could be the missing link in defence that allows Liam Jones and Jacob Weitering to intercept more often.
Jones cops a bit of flak as he can get caught in no-man's land at times, but that seems to happen when the Blues have been exposed further up the ground and he's trying to cover for teammates. Overall he's been really solid.
Weitering has become one of Carlton's most important players. His ability to read the play and shut down his opponent this year has been exceptional. Like McGovern's brother Jeremy at West Coast, Weitering is the type of defender teams now need to plan for. He, along with McKay, Cripps and Walsh are the players the Blues should have most of their investment in.
Williams was meant to provide support for Cripps and Walsh in the midfield, but so far it hasn't
played out that way. Right now, he just doesn't look to have "it". That ability to find the footy in real traffic and then the poise to hit targets coming out if it. It might be harsh after just a few games this season, but he, too, needs to be shifted into defence.
We've seen at GWS that he can be very damaging off half-back. At what point does David Teague bite the bullet and make that call?
Elsewhere, what is going on with Paddy Dow? And Sam Petrevski-Seton? I thought Petrevski-Seton did enough when he came on as a sub against Essendon to earn his place in the starting 22 last week. Teague has been loyal to others, and sometimes to his detriment.
Much has also been made of Teague's game plan. He has made no secret of his desire to be attacking and play with flair, but, naturally, that means the Blues can be hurt going the other way. Personally, I don't think system is the issue. Not everyone can play like Richmond.
I've always believed your game plan should be dictated by the players you have at your disposal. At their best, the Blues are good to watch, and they've proved as recently as last week they can match it with the best teams. But at 3-5 after eight rounds, September is probably out of the question and Carlton fans are understandably impatient.
Against Melbourne on Sunday, they get another chance to claim a scalp and prove they're on the right track. Right now, the Blues' problems are above the shoulders.
This is a once-mighty club and after a seemingly endless rebuild it's time those problems were rectified.
Real Footy
Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up here to our Real Footy newsletter delivered to your inbox on Mondays and Fridays.
Wayne Carey is a two-time AFL premiership captain and columnist for The Age.