If the Blues are to make the grand final, or even win the premiership, Jacob Weitering will almost certainly play a huge role, writes Cody Atkinson and Sean Lawson.
Well, not completely alone. There were 22 of his closest allies nearby, and 23 of his fiercest rivals not much further away. That's ignoring the 92,026 in the stands and the million or so watching at home.But there's no player by his side or even in close surroundings. For a defender in the days of yore that would be the biggest sin imaginable, a dereliction of duty that would signal a spray from the coach or worse.
In a season closer than almost ever before, Carlton's defence — and their ringleader — might hold the key for their September hopes.Working out what makes a good defender is extremely difficult. Often their best work and impact happens far off screen and out of focus. The first role is the most recognisable — that of lockdown defender. He sometimes is trusted to take the best opposition forward for stints.Against the Swans, Weitering was involved in seven one-on-one battles, losing just one.
Weitering's instincts in chasing the high ball were potentially aided by former coach Brendan Bolton's decision to move him to the forward line. Like most modern AFL defences, Carlton runs a structure based defence, focused on defending not only opposition players but also space where opposition sides can attack.
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