Hi all, I thought you might appreciate some info on your new player from someone that's seen a lot of him. I'll try to keep it neutral and as comprehensive as I can.

HISTORY
When Cain first came to us he was reported to be injury prone, have a real bad work ethic/attitude and several port fans suggested that he may have even had some kind of mental illness.
Suffice to say that we viewed his recruitment as an opportunity for him to ressurect his career and with our ruck stocks being worse then what they are now (which is really saying something) the opportunity was there for him to claim the top ruck spot instead of playing 3-4th fiddle behind Primus, Lade, Brogan and French for much of his career (3-6ish games in about 3-4 years I think)

The early reports of him was that he was extremely enthusiatic and a lovely kick of the ball.

Into his first year, he started off very well. Though he clearly wasn't as good as the big boys (in the ruck) he wasn't ever really disgraced. Competed very well in the air. His around the ground work ethic and ocassional big mark and goal earned him the nickname "Lion Heart".

Somewhere in the middle of the season (the game escapes me) he injured his knee, missed a couple of weeks and came back as a shadow of himself. Beaten easily in the rucks, work ethic dropped, played more as a resting forward, kicked some goals.

Naturally we thought he limped out the season and would return bigger and better.

His pre-season this year while interrupted was bigger then what is being reported. He at least ran out the 2nd half of it full gusto.

His early seaon form was very ordinary and I mean ORDINARY. Slaughtered in the ruck (timing was AWFUL), not presenting for contests, unnaccountable, fumbling etc you name it.
I remember one particular contest I think V WCE where he absolutely flattened Baker from behind while Steve was going for just a regulation chest mark.
I remembered thinking at this point that when things don't go his way he seems to play more for himself then for the team.

The Ackalnd Blake combination ( ) was working a shambles and b4 too long Cain was in the ressies. He stayed for about 2-3weeks and we were all really surprised he got the call back coz IMO and general observers too both Brooks and Rix showed a bit more.

He came back and continued to play very ordinary football until about the time Rix came into the team (R11'ish) and took the pressure off him as starting ruck. This worked really well and it was felt that Cain was much more suited to the rotation ruckman/forward role.

I don't recall why but I think Rix was dropped and then CA continued to play poorly until round 20ish where his form rose from awful to not too bad. It was noticeable that Barry Brooks presented himself as a much better forward that night V Bris in rd22.
He was dropped for the final that we played.

DEPARTURE
The rumours included a fall out with Ross Lyon, anger over GT's sacking and just plain selling out. Very harsh the latter. Me thinks that at the end of the day you guys just gave him an offer he couldn't say no to.

With Gardiner arriving, Kosi about to start his first full pre-season, Brooks emerging late and Rix continuing to develop (is a better ruckman not as good around the ground + he plays back and with Maguire's injury), it seems as though he dropped down the pecking order a bit.

The contract he got IMO is a fair bit bit better than he deserves but if he reaches his absolute best he may be able to justify it. All up, I'm sad to see him go but am not overly worried.

STRENGTHS
*At his best, is a competitive ruckman in the center
*Lovely kick
*Big grab
*Gets a chance of a full pre-season.
*Fresh starts seem to work well for him
*I don't think he likes competition for his spot.

WEAKNESSES
*Drops his bundle way too easily
*Seems very unfit
*Been a long time since I've seen him string a few good games together, over a seaon
*I don't think he's a smart player but that being said he's not a dummy.
*This year has been anything but Lion-hearted. Has been observed sit back and watch as players get felled, not chase his opponents, not shephard all in all very passionless.
*A few big hits a year but is otherwise quite soft

I guess next year we'll find out how injured he really was.

Thanks for the info. Now bugger off bedwetter

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Ich bein ein Carltonian

Thanks for the info; skeptic....really well done..........

Gee Blue I think that's being a bit harsh. The post pretty much confirms my view of Ackland as well. I think as I've posted elsewhere that this is a mistake on our part. Ackland is not worth any more than a 1 year deal and a late pick.

Thanks Skeptic anyway.

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The great are great to us only because we are on our knees. Let us arise.
--Robert Collier

And people keep putting forward the theory we won't draft Leuenberger because we have Ackland on our list.

If he doesn't like competition then he might have landed at the wrong club.

He might have Leuenberger and Kreuzer competing with him for a spot in two years time.

i doubt highly whether either of them will be at carlton. well maybe if Kreuzur falls through a few picks...

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dane's trolling again

No worries on that score.

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I just want my old club back ... (edit) maybe I have!

Thanks for an honest opinion on Cain skeptic. Heres hoping he can live up to his contract.

I'm not holding my breath though.

I hope both end up at Carlton just to read the responses on here from the average supporters.

And having potentially the best ruck division in the league would be a nice problem to have.

Out of interest Juzz...who do you think we WILL take with pick 1? Not who you thing they SHOULD take, who do you think WH actually will end up picking?

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Mens sana in corpore sano.

Bring back the laurel wreath logo!!!

Cheers for the info skeptic. Can you tell me what that incident was about when Cain Ackland pushed one of his team mate (I think it was Blake from memory?) Maybe there was a player rift and he left for that reason or was it more like trying to motivate and pump up his team mate? When I saw this incident I thought it was negative for St Kilda I do not want this sort of sh!t coming to Carlton.
By the way did it happen this year or last year?

Ta!
A

He talks about that in his "History".....(his post)

Why are you asking me

Even Mojo can't answer that question.

You can have an opinion, it's not to say you are 100% sure. My feeling is that WH will pick Gibbs, just a feeling, could be wrong of course.

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Mens sana in corpore sano.

Bring back the laurel wreath logo!!!

To me.....Gibbs is the Marc Murphy of this draft.....to me; it's obvious.

If ANYONE would know about Gibbs...it'd be Harry Kernahan the Glenelg legend; so....if he's as good as they say....he'll be ours.

I must be blind coz I cannot see any reference to it?
Im talking about the incident where I think it was Cain Ackland pushed Blake in the chest when they were in qtr time huddle? Sorry maybe I didn't explain properley which incident it was?!?!

ACHILLES....I've just copied from his post...

I remember one particular contest I think V WCE where he absolutely flattened Baker from behind while Steve was going for just a regulation chest mark.
I remembered thinking at this point that when things don't go his way he seems to play more for himself then for the team.

He's asking about Blake.

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"We used to sit around and talk about how bad the game plan was." Anthony Koutoufides

No i'm not referring to this..Don't worry I must have been dreaming that incident when he pushed a team mate in the Qtr time huddle.(It was a vicious push) but I swear I saw it!

Cant remember the game, but Blake went up to Cain and tried to give him a gee up. Ackland gave him a fairly decent shove to the chest. DOnt Worry you aint dreamin it