Pros:
Competitive...Geelong had the better team on the park but it didn't mean we got thumped
Few lesser types in the midfield doing very well
Another game for Jamo/Bower/Thornton together
Hampson's freakish athletic ability...took a ripper mark leading up the ground that makes you think when he learns the game a bit more he'll very hard to match up on.
Browne's chasing leading to two shots on goal.
Russell played very well tonight...was unlucky when Hadley gave a hospital handball to him. Otherwise won the ball and hit targets.
Yarran looked ok after a quiet start.

Cons:
When the opposition kickout we let them stroll up to kick inside 50, applying very little pressure.
When we kicked out there was often no one to kick to and then we were forced to bomb it a lot of the time.
Still bombing the ball inside 50 or down the line from half back and turning it over. If you have the ball from a mark and see loose players in our forward line you don't bomb the ball in! Surely you'd rather keep possession then bomb it to some of the best readers of the long ball in.

_________________
"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

Pros

1. Pace - The toe shown by Joseph, Hammer and Garlett was exciting.

2. JR - given more responsibility and thrived

3. Rookies putting their hands up for upgrading - tough choice to be made between Jacobs, Joseph and Garlett. Bentley knows where to go to get the pill but butchers it too often to be considered and besides when the rest come back he and Hadley play a similar role.

4. Yarran - took a while to pick up the pace but got better the longer the game went.

5. Ticker - the boys had a red hot go and never gave up. Really came to play against all odds and were very gutsy.

6. Johnson - I like and uses it better than Scotland or Carazzo coming from the back half. A good pick up.


Cons

1. Umpires - I can't be bothered saying more.

2. Bentley - shocking disposal

3. Cloke - use of body non existent tonight and was badly out of position and reading of ball flight was poor.

4. Finishing - we had a few chances in front that should of been drilled.

5. O'Keeffe - will need a year in the Ants to develop. Nice kick though!

Pros:
- Grigg starting to play like a real leader. Kicking still needs a little work however.
- Hadley makes a significant difference to the side IMO. Still a bit rusty in some areas but he will improve and a quality 23 possesion game tonight.
- Our defence is much stronger than it used to be. In the past we would have been 8 goals down at half time.
- Russell was good tonight.
- Yarran showed glimpses and looks a very "natural" player.......reminds me of Michael Holding bowling for the Windies.
- All the kids showed positive signs at some stage.
- No apparent injuries.

Cons:
- Not sure whether Bentley or Jacobs have the tricks to be AFL players.
- lack of "hurt factor" with Fisher in the forward line. Wiggins was off line tonight but I still like his grunt.

_________________
There is no footy god

PROS

Congratulations Justin Cordy
Intensity for the man with the ball excellent
Improvement as the game wore on was brilliant
Defence stood strong. Proved Thornton, Bower and Jamison release Waite
Glad that Ottens or Blake didn't go to the goal suare
Anderson on Johnson a good match (I'll remember that)
Joseph on Ablett was as good as anyone (I'll remember that)
Hampson as a forward (how about that jimmae)
Hammer knows the game very well (ie Ratts' plans) just needs to hold the ball more: then stardom (do not trade to GC, we've got our Judd)
3 ruckmen (2 mobile) gives us alot of flexibility and creates mismatches (wait till Warnock replaces Jacobs giving us 3 mobile ruckmen)
How about Kreuzer playing ruck rover; now that's faith in something that's obviously special
Hadley has time and space by creating it; class
Armfield and Grigg put their mark on a spot in the 22
Garlett, Anderson, Austin and Russell put their hand up for consideration
Hill move bloody well; very surprised. Quick thinker and mover.
Nearly won without Judd, Fevola, Waite, Simpson, Murphy, Gibbs, Walker, Houlihan, Carrazzo, O'hAlpin, Robinson (in my first 22) and Scotland; 13 players missing. 7/10 of CFC '08 B&F's.
Nearly all will be back in round 1 (minus Stevens, O'hAlpin, Warnock, Scotland, Carrazzo imo)
Great hands shown by Cloke and Hammer (at times)
Ellard's tackle
Hadley, Stevens, Thornton, Grigg and Russell showed great leadership
Yarran and Garlett will break into the team in 2009.
Commentators believing the Baby Blues could get up at 3/4 time.
Commentators saying the the Blues were playing better than the Cats late in the 2nd half, 3rd Q and in parts of the 4th Q.
Waite and Walker on wings in round 1
We're a chance in 2009
@#$%&! I enjoyed that game.

CONS
Robbo missing; he would've had a ball tonight
I don't get umpiring decisions (there's something really wrong with the contemporary game)
Wiggins' 2 misses (very uncharacteristic)
Cloke's, Yarran's, Garlett's and Stevens' (9 pt attempt) were give aways; could've won the game with those goals!!
Cloke and Fisher are not the answer against teams like the Cats and the Hawks; too slow.
13 players missing
Walker having to wear an Ants jumper in a practise game
Should've won


POI
Johnson being more dangerous thgan Scotalnd/ Carrazzo is an interest point of consideration
Jacobs should continue to play in the H & A, whilst Warnock is out
Who is going to break into the team come round 1

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Lots of positives, I thought. Even more than last week.

Joseph did a terrific job defensively. It's been a while since we've had someone able to match the really slippery types.
Russell, Johnson, Hadley and Grigg were all good, even without the better players around them.
Thornton was excellent.
Cloke continues to shoe he can keep a couple of goals each week. He might struggle against the defensive rebound, but he's our best 2nd tall option at the moment up forward.
Betts, Yarran and Garlett, all provided some excitement, as well as reasonable defensive pressure.
Our young rucks continue to show promising signs.

Really enjoyed seeing the team play without Fev. Good to see a little bit of non-Fev forward system. If Fev did go down with a significant injury, we'd find it far harder to win, but it would be terrific for the team longer term.

Cons:
Would love to see umpires occasionally penalising players for some of the blatant throwing that goes on.
Felt a little bit tonight like the umpires were adjudicating based on players reputation, rather than what was actually happening.

PRO: DEPTH

Don't give a shit about the cons........

_________________
cruise (Kreuze) missile:
a very accurate flying bomb.
SOURCE: http://library.thinkquest.org/3785/glossary.html

Pro

Competitive, landed in the margin range I was looking for (24 points) and didn't stay in the game through sheer luck.

Con

BENTLEY

_________________
29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

Effes thats the way good teams can beat the zone defence. The skills have to be spot on and the ball carriers have to run hard to link up on the way past, both through the middle and around the side the ball has gone.

While the team without the ball is spread across the ground it leaves room for unattended opposition players to run into the gaps. If the delivery is spot on then the offensive team can move down the ground like a game of Chinese checkers. Players who have confidence to deliver the ball through the eye of a needle and trust their team-mates can destroy zone defenses.

What was encouraging last night was the desire of the young Blues to harass for the full 4 quarters and not let their opponent run on into free space unattended i.e. AJ on Ablett Jnr.

Gut running and perfect skills are the main way to beat the zone. We are now fitter than ever and our skills are improving. Fingers crossed.

Regards Cazzesman

_________________
Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

Happens every match.

_________________
And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

I'm going to to give the nod to Bentley considering the congestion he is usually winning the ball in. Sure he pops the occasional ball high off the boot but I thought generally he was one of the players last night who hounded and persisted and got us within sniffing range.

Russell showed so much more composure as a legitimate 'senior' player out there. Maybe he gets overawed with the responsibility of playing with the Judd's and Gibb's and Murphy's but last night I hope was an example of the real player he is.

Hadley is going to be some cameo bonus if he strings a run of games together. He has that lovely second's grace that natural footballers possess.

Thumbs up to Joseph. Not only a game that will instill confidence in him but also his team mates. I was thinking 'Franchina' at one point though and tried to put it to the back of my mind...

Garlett is a rocket and provides double excitement with Eddie up forward.

Good to see Yarran ease himself in. Once he has the measure of senior football he is going to be a nightmare for opposition. Early days but some tantilising signs.

Anyone want to continue heaping shit on Thornton? @#$%&! legend. Good to see Bower have a better running game this week also. Was sweetly suprised at how much Austin has come along aswell. Seems to have developed a nice aggressive edge.

I LOVE STEVEN BROWNE. Now everybody knows and I don't care.

I enjoyed that game, particularly the second half, more than the other two practice matches.

Advance to Round 1...destroy Tiger bitches.

I agree, I think people are being a bit harsh on him. He worked particularly hard and did a lot of grunt work. Not a star but may be handy.

Ditto; he's just a kid who is taking small steps.

Sure he has to prove he's knocking on the door.

The NAB has given him an opportunity to know what his strengths and weaknesses are. He has plenty of time to get his act together. Not a definite to break into a strong team, but shows good poise for a rookie.

His long bombs seemd to be an instruction to do that; like others did.

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Just ask Fev.
Yes, he doesn't always do himself any favours, but they're @#$%&! pathetic bunch these umpires. Pathetic!

_________________

I agree too. He's a workhorse. Can kick off either side but is not elegant. Reminds me of Curley Austin in a way.

_________________
I need some new conspiracy theories; all my others have come true.

There's a lot to like about these kids & the way they approach the game. They chase, harass & hunt in packs. There's a definite "Ratten-ness" about the way we play - in terms of character anyway.

I know he missed a few sitters but I just love Wiggins. Wiggo's motto: if it doesn't involve the risk of life & limb it's just not worth doing

What tint of glasses are you all wearing? I'd like to try it out.

Bentley cannot hit anything other than a stationary target, lacks the ability to chase, is able to harass only inside a shoebox and is cutting away his body strength in a futile attempt to gain some speed. If that's not enough he's the Michael Slater of our midfield and goes for goal whenever he's within cooee of the sticks. Could have been 10 points less adrift of Geelong in the last quarter if he'd actually passed off to clear options in the 50 instead of his weak bombs at goal.

Rubbish from start to finish, rubbish.

_________________
29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

Actually, I wear photosensitive transition lenses and they give me clear and untiring vision. And through them I saw Bentley doing a lot of heavy inside work, feeding the ball to the outsiders. He's not an elegant kick and he's probably not in the first 22 but he is a hardworking onballer.

_________________
I need some new conspiracy theories; all my others have come true.

Richard Hadley's in and under stuff is the best in the club.
He should be in our best 22 everyweek.

Pros - Hampson showed good signs. I would have liked to have seen him in at the centre bounce a bit more tho. Showed that he can be handy up front, but it will be as a resting ruckman. Would've liked to see him actually ruck a bit more.
Russell played his best game for the club. Stepped up in the absence of our big guns. Showed leadership. Hopefully it gives him the confidence to do it when the others return. Sewed up a place for round 1 i think.
Cloke looks like he can be a handy option in the forward line.
Hadley also looks to have got himself a spot for round 1. Looked very good and led the midfield very well.
Thornton showed great leadership and was one of our best players.
Great depth!!!

Cons - Set shot accuracy, but otherwise all good.

_________________
@cecil_anderson

Pros - Was a pretty gutsy effort from a very undermanned side, with some great signs from our mid-tier players.
Cons - We can't keep giving teams a head start and expect to come back and win.

Was a good game of footy in the end, great stuff. We've had some first class practice matches that's for sure and had a great opportunity to test ourselves against the best. Sure, it might all be a bit Mickey Mouse, but so far so good for 2009.

_________________
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