Ackland and Cloke Versus Gardiner and Zantuck
If any publicity is good publicity then Carlton are in a good position. Among many stories out of Princes Park is the one of who the club chose in the preseason draft and who the coach wanted.
Go back a few months and the story was Pagan wanted Michael Gardiner, he didn't get him. Now we are told that Pagan wanted Ty Zantuck, and again he didn't get him.
The combo of Gardiner and Zantuck would have been older and stronger, and most likely more controversial, than what Carlton did get in the preseason draft. Ackland is several years younger than Gardiner, he brings a lot less "baggage" to the Blues although he is also a little but shorter too. Cameron Cloke and Ty Zantuck might have been their options for an enforcer role in the Carlton backline. Each player has their bad points, but maybe Cloke has fewer of them.
The reasons why Coach Pagan went public about the preseason draft disagreement at Carlton are unknown, but there must be a change in the board, the match committee or the coach coming soon as they can't continue the way they are.
If Carlton did have Gardiner and Zantuck it might not have changed anything on the AFL ladder next season. Next September Carlton fans are unlikely to be saying, "If only we had Gardiner and Zantuck, we'd be a contender".
Cain Ackland - Ruckman: 196cm, 96kg. 16 March 1982.
Michael Gardiner - Ruckman: 199cm, 99kg. 5 July 1979.
Cameron Cloke - Tall Defender: 195cm, 98 kg. 20 December 1984.
Ty Zantuck - Tall/Medium Defender: 188cm, 93kg. 15 February 1982.
Go back a few months and the story was Pagan wanted Michael Gardiner, he didn't get him. Now we are told that Pagan wanted Ty Zantuck, and again he didn't get him.
The combo of Gardiner and Zantuck would have been older and stronger, and most likely more controversial, than what Carlton did get in the preseason draft. Ackland is several years younger than Gardiner, he brings a lot less "baggage" to the Blues although he is also a little but shorter too. Cameron Cloke and Ty Zantuck might have been their options for an enforcer role in the Carlton backline. Each player has their bad points, but maybe Cloke has fewer of them.
The reasons why Coach Pagan went public about the preseason draft disagreement at Carlton are unknown, but there must be a change in the board, the match committee or the coach coming soon as they can't continue the way they are.
If Carlton did have Gardiner and Zantuck it might not have changed anything on the AFL ladder next season. Next September Carlton fans are unlikely to be saying, "If only we had Gardiner and Zantuck, we'd be a contender".
Cain Ackland - Ruckman: 196cm, 96kg. 16 March 1982.
Michael Gardiner - Ruckman: 199cm, 99kg. 5 July 1979.
Cameron Cloke - Tall Defender: 195cm, 98 kg. 20 December 1984.
Ty Zantuck - Tall/Medium Defender: 188cm, 93kg. 15 February 1982.
