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There's so much I could say...

Hi Steve

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"You are being watched. The government has a secret system. A machine that spies on you every hour of every day. I know because I built it." - Finch

Quite possibly, but just as it is right to reflect and critique the club in all aspects, it's also right to acknowledge our performances from where we have come from are actually no too bad.

It's all about balancing the sugar coating with the critiques.

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The only part of this article I didn't enjoy was this line

While the call must finally be made on whether Waite is a backman or a forward, Ratten has already flagged a key defensive role for O'hAilpin, whose trade request was unsuccessful

I will be calling for his head if that eventuates

didn't find a KPF to replace - lets make Ohailpin one - fail
couldn't get the KPD in the trade period - lets make Ohailpin one- Doomed to fail again

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If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

O'hAilpin will be trialled throughout the summer in the backline, but so will Bret Thornton playing a Nick Maxwell type role...FWIW, I don't expect either to have significant impact next year, but I sure as hell would like to see them try.

This will might a bit daft, but anyway... Thornton has the skills to play a Maxwell-like role. But does he have the ability to learn the role and the forward vision to be effective? I hope so, because I don’t mind him as a player, but from what I’ve been reading he needs a fair attitude shift. Maybe the new assistants can breathe some new life into him.

Keeping with the Collingwood comparisons, O'hAilpin would probably be best suited to a Presti-type role. But I would have thought it was a bit late to be teaching a guy with natural attacking tendencies to play such a dour/defensive game.

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I initially thought that O'hAilpin would be a backman. There was a period where he looked quite good playing CHB, but then clubs starting dragging his man back to the goal square, and suddenly he was lost. The precision of trying to keep up with a man on the lead was too much for him, but out at CHB where he could rely more on his athleticism, he seemed to be ok.

I think he will remain on the list as a multi-purpose backup, most likely to be delisted at the end of 2011. I can't see him being a permanent member of the starting 18.

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Mens sana in corpore sano.

Bring back the laurel wreath logo!!!

i hope ohailpin doesnt get a game because watson will smash the pre-season and be a walk up star chb

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Better to die standing than to live on your knees...
CAR17ON

Who?

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Let slip the Blues of war (with apologies to William Shakespeare) (and Sir Francis Bacon, just in case)

Dont think Setanta is the answer for the key back post. The big bodies in Collingwoods back six where probaly Brown and Reid. Brown had an excellent GF game body on body with Reiwoldt and thats one area our defenders are getting beaten. Setanta gets lost in these contests because the game does not come natural to him!!! Have we got a defender to play this role? Austin maybe?.

The other issue in defence is the confidence and leadership, knowing when to drop of your opponent to help your team mate and when to attack the footy win it and use it cleanly.

Jamison, Waite, Austin, Bower, Russell, Armfield, Joesph, Walker etc have to improve in these areas. This area is just to light on for talent especially the 192cm plus players.