He also alluded to the fact that Jamo could be thrown forward which doesn't seem like such a bad idea when you consider that he can outmark many players and his footskills are pretty decent which would translate into a high degree of accuracy in front of goal you would think.

Its not on Foxtel or Free to Air.

Adelaide has been royally screwed!!

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"He was found guilty in June 2008 of assault with intent to cause bodily harm, an offence which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years jail."
And people are making his return to footy somewhat of a fairytale?

Don't they put them on 'Main Event' for interstate viewers?

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"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"
- Aristotle

The ash cloud has done a curcuit of the world and is back. Perhaps the WCE had better hop on a bus now to get here in time.
Massive game this one. We have looked tired in the past couple of games and havent run the game out strongly. Their forward line and two rucks will test us. Wouldnt be surprised if we drop this one.

Worsfold could pull tactics here.
WCE fail to get to the game due to ash clouds.
WCE avoid a smashing and are awarded two points and a draw.

Don't think he won't attempt this to avoid the pasting his team will cop on Sunday!

Nope. WA and SA supporters have only been complaining about this for 5 years now.
Approaches to the AFL are met with the response that we should support our 'local' team.

Yes the WCE have improved and are a good team.
They remind me of our rise up the ladder in 2009 and 2010.
We were 7-4 at this time last year. Same as them.

We are far too good for them, and should beat them by 10 goals.
They are much better off not making it to Melbourne and take the 2 points imo.
Woosha says it's not about wins and finals, its more about the process and the experience against the top teams.

Just in case some Carlton folk have forgotten, we are 3rd on the ladder. Given that, I'd say we are one of the top teams.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Just watched the post match interview with Curnow, he mentioned that have had a heavy work load and the next 2 weeks was a lot lighter. This many explain why they have looked tired the past couple of games and not finished off as well as previously.

ok..glad to hear you sex life is great.
I think you'll have to resort to plan B...and given the ash cloud..
perhaps hitching, or bus, car train are the best options.

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That’s not a political statement — it’s a harsh reality, and we must act,” she said. “He is a clear and present danger to the things that keep us strong and free. I support impeachment.”

And we still smashed those Red and White Ducks from Sydney's Centennial park.

Therefore, what we saw in the 4th on Sunday was actually our 5th Qtr (with 2 men down).
We are building a very powerful machine.

Need a sticker on the jumper of every player and on the website: Made for Finals.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I think you need to review the highlighted paragraph. Not sure but i thought they subbed henda out against the dons for Walker.

We played with one tall too many in the first 3 rounds. Thornton was dropped because of it. Once we lost White, Thornton was re intoduced.
Only game it worked in was the GC one in game two when we dominated.

They tried Thornton Waite Walker and 2nd Ruck all in the forward line against the pies. That mix hasnt been tried again. We have been better since. Not necessarily the forward line in an old school sort of way but better in team defense. Better at applying pressure for longer. Better at protecting the backline with that pressure. Better at getting goals with repeat 50's brought about by applying more pressure.

Carrying an extra tall is costly. It messes with the rotations the same way as having a man down does. No rotations no pressure. No pressure no team defense. No team defense means goals to them and less to us.

I am not against trying henda in t birds position. Would want to train him up in the twos though and be careful not to ruin something that is not broken.

ok..glad to hear you sex life is great.
I think you'll have to resort to plan B...and given the ash cloud..
perhaps hitching, or bus, car train are the best options. [/quote]

You dont need to worry about my sex life Blue Girl its under control! haha

I would love to make it over for the game, but if im gonna come over for the finals, i need to save my money! Fingers crossed its a GF ill be coming over for

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"He was found guilty in June 2008 of assault with intent to cause bodily harm, an offence which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years jail."
And people are making his return to footy somewhat of a fairytale?

No drama club...it's just a discussion.
We are all being positive about our prospects and there's so many ways to look at things, viewing from the fence, and none of us will know what will happen. So we're all correct....Carlton are @#$%&! fantastic in 2011.

Collins was subbed and embarassed, and Walker took his spot on the HFF.
Collins was dropped along with Henderson the next round.
That doesn't matter.
The point is that something clicked after round 4 for Tex, and it didn't just happen.
I can find no evidence or reason to think Hendo would disrupt Walker's game. They are different players in different roles.
If anything the 1st and 2nd tall do get the most attention and that's a good thing for Tex.

I'm all for team balance, and know where you are coming from with team defense and balance.

As Healy said last night on OTC.
We've got a bonafide CHF in Henderson. He's said that 2 weeks in a row, and Sheehan and Roos agree. I do too.
He also stated we can play both Hendo and Waite in the forwardline.
With the luxury of Kreuzer now playing forward, Healy said we should have Waite play against the oppositions power forwards, and Carlton plug up their biggest weakness at CHB.

Healy did not suggest who to drop from the backline, but everyone is a fan of Duigan and Jamo.
Laidler is moreso a favourite amongst the Carlton fans. I like him, but I've put Duigan ahead of him since the preseason.
I have no reason to change my opinion on those 2. TBird is someone who is not discussed, and I think that's because he's seen as peripheral and depth, because he does have ability to play 3rd tall.

Henderson is taller, and faster than TBird and Laidler. That might be also worth considering too.
Closing speed is important too for team defense.

IMO, no need to put Hendo back in the Ants to find out whether he can play KPB.

Hendo has played at CHB for the Lions....even 2 years ago in the final. He was rated as a CHF and a CHB.
He's come to Carlton and has also played in the backline. He did it last week against the Power too.
He looked like he hasn't lost the knack to play that spot, and I believe his extra height and reach would be an advantage over Laidler and Thornton in the body to body stuff against Dawes and Cloke.

When Waite returns against Richmond, I hope we see the start of the Ratten strategy to create flexibility by swapping Hendo and Waite between CHF and CHB. That'll have the opposition working over time.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Henda got subbed off with a couple of mins left in the third and thornton didnt play in round 4. Collins was embarrassed and didnt want to go on at the end but did. It was a discussion point at the time. Perhaps that is what you have mixed up.

I saw the team Healy put up and he had henda waite and walker all named in the forward line but he didnt have second ruck in there or named anywhere for that matter.
Maybe train henda up as second ruck and the issue is sorted ?

I reckon walker will suffer being asked to play another role. He hasnt put a foot wrong with his current role. We also have to move someone out of the forward line to fit henda, second ruck and Waite in. Garlett? Betts? defensive forward? or judd when he is taking a breath. Rotation gone. Tired players in the last. Less pressure.

Cant see it working.

Put henda on a crash course of how to play backline in the blues system. If thornton fails and he is a better option than bower i am all for giving him a go there. I have nothing against Henda.
Reckon he will be a star.

I did get all that mixed up, that's for sure.

Round 4 TBird was dropped for Henda.

Wasn't that Sheehan's team that was shown? I'm pretty sure it was. Really sure.
I don't think Healy had a team up and just discussed his opinion.
The 2nd ruck, Warnock, was on the IC (which was weird). He had Kreuzer as the 1st ruck.

I really don't think Walker has to change anything, and as I said earlier, I think with Walker it just clicked when he was subbed on in the last Q against Essendon*...nothing has changed in terms of structure and Walker's position within that structure since rnd 1. What was the difference between say Walker in Rnd 1-3 (Rnd 4 only played the last Q) and round 5 onwards? Other than form?

We'll see what happens. I just hope they're all healthy to be available for selection.
If Hender is squeezed out of the 22 due to form, he'll have a big say in 2012 onwards.

I wouldn't have a problem putting money on Hendo being selected in the team come finals in 2011.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I think we saw a fair bit of what Walker will be doing in the future on Sunday. Leading up hard and running back hard and fast with the ball or running into holes created by forwards comming out.

Hendo having two people on him during the game is allieviated with Waites inclusion. Hendo possibly leading out from the square.

It's all very exciting and most importantly all very FAST. Walker, Waite, Hendo, Jeffy, Eddie. That's a very scary proposition if the opposition clubs have to go man on man.

I really don't think the MC want to be in a position where either Walker, Waite or Henderson have to go down back for long periods because it means something isn't working.

I firmly believe they want either White, Austin, Bower etc to take on the second tall.

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I hope Essendon* folds.

Correct about Hendo - it was him that was subbed off, not Collins. I don't think he's versatile enough or smart enough at this stage to play ruck. Setanta's your man for a forward/back/ruck. And at 199cm and very agile he's hard to match up on or predict where he'll line up.

Hendo needs time to mature and earn a spot. The beauty of this side right now is that we have some good players not in our 22. He'll get there - maybe not this year, but he's got plenty of time.

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end of message

Walker can play both tall and small.
Waite and Hendo are both running players.

One of the issues early in the year was that Warnock and more particularly Hampson weren't in great form, especially in the forwardline.
And we were severely lacking an extra tall when Hampson was subbed off on Sunday.

The way that all three of Walker, Waite and Hendo lead up the ground, plus the way we rotate players, there is absolutely room for those three. Kreuzer and one of Warnock/Hampson in the starting 21.

Great point you raise here Stamos.
Rotations are not strictly the domain of midfielders.
Our talls are mobile, and they do run hard, present, create space and opportunity, double back and they blow their opponents right up, similar way Brown and Cloke do.

Warnock imo doesn't cover the ground like Hammer, (and I've been saying this since day dot), nor is he as strong, but he does have height and reach for a ruckman. So Warnock will need a spell each qtr and that's when Kreuzer goes into the ruck, and you have Walker and Waite running their guts out, who will you rotate them with to give them a spell? Ellard? Curnow? Carrazzo? Houla? (I'm thinking IC bench)

I don't agree that Hendo doesn't have footy smarts. IMO, he is a complete footballer. In the words of Roos and Sheehan, "a perfect CHF".

I am a Setanta fan, but when Hendo hit the park against the Lions, I saw a very advanced footballer playing the CHF role, and the way he presented, the way he marked and the way he ran to the right spots, there's no way I could put Setanta ahead of Hendo in footy smarts. Hendo was an improvement on Setanta.

I have Setanta ahead of Warnock atm for his stamina and versatlity. But lets remember that doesn't mean I'm right and you're wrong.

But there's no way Hendo cannot keep improving this year to the point where he earns respect from the Carlton doubtful and the knockers,(and they will) just as they are learning to accept the CFC is much better than they thought a few weeks back and a genuine Flag contender this year.

I'm not keeping a lid on anything Carlton. All the boys have plenty of room for improvement and they have Cordy getting their bodies right for September finals and October GF.

Also, for those who may think Hendo didn't give his all on Sunday, have a listen to the post match Curnow interview. He makes the point that the boys have just come off a huge work load over the last few weeks, and that's why the last qtr fade out against Sydney. Now, considering Lachie didn't have a preseason and going through that, maybe you are not judging the real Lachie. He did allright against the Lions....dontcha think? He did allright in the 2nd half too.

All I'm saying is write him off at your own peril.
Boo him and you are booing a future premiership player.
Depth.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I agree that is a good forward line but that means Hendo is second ruck. THe line up you suggest + second ruck puts our team out of balance and compromises the press working for as long as possible. We lose a rotation. That is killer.