and Buckley reminds you of Whitehead cos of toes.

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For a moment I thought you were saying something positive Sinbad

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Bawditawaba

Deleted post. Mucked up the quotes somehow.

Basically I was trying to say that I think Davies is worth persevering with. He is a good build for a footballer, goes at it and really only lacks a bit of experience. He'll get that with games under his belt. I wouldn't ever say he doesn't try hard enough.
Tassie boy to boot.

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

He tries hard, just doesn't have the football smarts and his skills aren't the best.

For a moment i thought you were saying something realistic there don is good

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would like to see Gibbsy playing an outside midfield role - should have the physical conditioning now to run all day and night

Well ... yes ... forums are all about personal opinions ... and incidentally when it comes to Bower ... I am not the only one with that opinion ... a lot of people on this forum have been upset with that part of his game ... and on the radio I hear commentators saying exactly the same thing.

In my opinion ... Bower has proven to be an extremely poor decision maker. I wish he wasn't because he has other attributes that would be useful in our team.

With regards to my opinion on Henderson ... when he first started I was very critical and I did not believe he would make it. When he moved to the back line he became quite an acquisition ... and have since stated that I was absolutely wrong about him. People make mistakes ... I am sure you have. I hope Bower proves me wrong also ... can't see it happening unless he learns to make good decisions under pressure (and for that matter when he is not under pressure). At the moment he should be way back in the pecking order.

As usual ... I wish Paul Bower all the best in his attempts to become a regular member of the team.

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I am as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more!!!

Yep - If Bower had a clue about what he was doing before he starts running I would be really happy.

But it's quite clear he doesn't, and so I am not.

Anyway, he's likely in the team for Rd1, so he'll get another chance to prove the doubters wrong. I hope he does exactly that.

You remind me of a dud President of the US.

Bower's decision making can be eradicated some what by coaching and team pressure/support.
He's does take on the game which is a great asset but sometimes over does it.
When things don't go your way you can look like a fool.
Bowers problem is he nearly always tries too much.
Firstly needs to learn the flow of the running game, mostly first option.
He needs the support of his team mates around him when he runs into trouble and at times also to demand the ball off him, or he could also greatly improve by being pushed further up field to restrict open ground and limit his options.

hopefully his win/loss % will improve if he plays, god knows it needs to

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

He must be frustrating as hell to play with. When he does his random running routine.... sorry - takes the game on.... with no idea what's happening next - he inevitably drags other players into the mess by putting them under pressure with a rushed give off.

Yarran's a different story because he can nearly always run himself out of whatever mess he runs himself into. I don't think Bower realises he isn't Chris Yarran in that regard, among many (ie skill, vision).

Look on Bower.. he has played some serviceable games.
He has played and done a good job on pretty good forwards.
Just needs his confidence up again and his body to be fit

Personally i love it when he goes on a dash .. he makes things happen.
Cant remember who it was a couple of years ago when he went on one of those dashes kicked the ball forward we ran onto it and kicked a goal and won the game.

I cant handle players that create nothing... (Carrazzo in particular(wish he got less touches so the opposition gets less of the ball).. Davies who is steak and eggs and thats all...and one or two others..... maybe three or four

wish Buckley would hurry up we need a Whitehead in the side...

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Bower hasn't really played in a Carlton side that's been better than just average.

I'm looking forward to his contribution this year.

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I hope Essendon* folds.

Synners, I would love the dash.... if he knew what the hell he was doing when he sets off. Never mind me - his teammates.

That's where the frustration lies. Not with his performance as a defender etc etc. Everyone recognises the jobs he was doing a couple of yaers ago. But remember, a couple of years ago = pre press. It's a bit easier to do a headless chook routine when there aren't as many opponents pressuring in their own forward line.

When the ball is in his hands he's a liability - and, to my mind more of a liability than Carrots. Carrots might not hit the target, but at least his teammates would have an idea what he's going to try and do when he's got it. Bower's like a lotto draw - if you're a teammate you'll never know if your number just got drawn.

Juddy's first game back at Subi, rd 7 '08 from memory. We were about to blow a match winning half time lead with WCE having all the momentum in the second half. Until Bower broke the game open with a brilliant dash from the backline during the 4th qtr which ended up in a Simmo goal from memory. Changed the course of the game and we went on to have a good win.

Great, great night at the footy

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We are on our way back...

Look i know what you mean.
I think he has done the dash well and done it poorly sometimes.
However, i do believe with confidence and a set of plays its very important we have those kinds of players in the side.
For a long time our defence was stagnant..and reactionary.
Its a breath of fresh air to see some guys run and carry the ball (including Amrfield here ) cos even if they make mistakes the set structures of oppsition in the press cant stand it in the modern game.
Quick movement is required.. what Paul needs to do is just get his confidence level back up to what it has been and build on that.
Football is in a transition period.
Each year teams are taking up in small increments as in tactically.
What needs to be done is drill a series of plays where in the rough and tumble of the game... Bower and Armfield and everyone else actually know what is the next play .. its conditioning so as more of the split second decision making is taken away from their hands but their dash is not.
Difficult style to play and you certainly wouldnt be trying to cut it out of a players repertoir.
Even Yarran gets tangled at times.. but because he is more spectacular we dont focus upon it.

Fast movement coupled with more precision kills the press and opens the paddock
When you can catch teams out like that .. they use the press more sparingly in fear of being exposed.

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MPH78 is right - it was in that game that Bower did that - it was one of the rare times that Bower actually ran straight forward and used the corridor, unfortunately from what I can remember he usually goes on a right angle or doubles back.

If he has the confidence in his body and his acceleration to just go straight ahead then he will do some damage.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

There is a stark difference between when Yarren runs out with the ball to that of Armfield and Bower

The later two are two of the many ball butcherers we have in our team

Yarren on the other hand is pure class when he delivers 9 time out of 10

No sense breaking the line only to cough it up and that is both their problem

I have no issue with the way either of them attack the ball and take the game on but it is what they do with it when they get it that concerns me

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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

Not going to hang the Bower hat on that one play.. cos he has SHOWN he can play defensively on Buddy Reiwoldt and Cloke... but.. its the kind of tools you need.
The rest is all confidence and schooling for Bower... so there is a sense of predictability on where he goes with the ball in his hand.

I think were fortunate.. Hendo can do it.. JAmeson showed he can also.. and its important Bower just improves upon what hes doing as well.
Personally i think he can...

Its great if theyre moons orbiting each other instead of having a lot of moons and not much orbiting around their slow movement.

Just drilling...

The 3 or 4 HBFers that are on can do it too.....just not sure about the other 20 of them...

The other thing is if we get our HANDS on the ball FIRST... defensively the job is alot easierr for the defenders.

I know Kouta here thinks "medium height, athletically built, skilled disposers, good decision makers who can execute their talents through the defensive and middle part of the ground " x 20 is a magnificent idea... but thats assuming youre expecting to be playing the game in your back half.. and not middle and forward.

1) hands on ball
2) scoring shots

thats where the game is won and played

backward of centre???

game can be saved not won.

0-0 draw at best.. but still need 1 point to win the game...

Now ... if you can score 130 points youll win most games of footy...


so really youre attempting to play football in your forward line.. and hem in their backline....
A bit like what WC did to us here last year....

thats the PERFECT position to be playing the game ...thats perfection in strategy

Get that to near perfect as possible .. youre very hard to beat

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