Was disappointed with Menz's misses in the last.
Really wanted him to kick a bag and really announce himself as a true AFL Young Gun/.

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James Hird and Essendon* FC - #FOREVERDRUGCHEATS

Except for 1 quarter ... a pretty ordinary game. Happy we won.

Great work by Gibbs, Simmo, McLean and Yarran.
Casboult is showing some good signs ... except for his kicking.
Docherty was a real positive.

If only we would not resort back to that Tricky Micky, Dr Strangelove, Darth Vader tactic of slowing down the ball as we bring it up the wings ... Its fair dinkum CRAP. We ultimately lose the ball and suddenly we are under pressure again.

Come on Salty Malty ... show us that 1 premiership in 18 years wasn't a fluke.

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

He's young ... fatigue got him

What a terrible game full of turnovers...missed targets...out of form players...crappy game plans.
So glad we won. I'm tahnkful for that.

Second half of the 2nd Qtr was great against a pathetic Saints outfit. 8 straight. That's a first.

Our players went to sleep in the 3rd and its obvious that the Saints wanted it more than our soft cocks.
That 3rd Q showed the character of the players. Weak, half hearted, content and undisciplined.
We needed to have an 81 point win to make up for the Bumbers 81 point loss. We didnt make the effort.

Glad to see the lesser likes of Menzel, Casboult, Buckley, Docherty and Rowe show a bit.
Casboult can get better with his kicking. I could see his improvement on Monday.

Gibbs was a man possessed....fantastic 4 Qtr effort.
Simpson is our play maker.
Yarran showed what he could do when he's on song.
Robbo's disposal effective and tough as nails. Me like his comitment for the hard ball.

I thought the backline was good too.

WTF has happened to Hendo? So out of form. He did not attack the ball at all. He was else where.

We won. Yippee.
1 game out of the final 8. Yippee.
Percentage improved. Yippee.
Hope with the kids showing something. Yippee.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Pleased to read many happy with Brock.

I did see him do good things but expected more.
Maybe I better watch the game again.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

gibbs man possessed what a joke if he can get 38 possies against either haw or cats then i will only be satisfied.But i still trade him at the end of year (depending where we finish).

Robbo has accepted his one week suspension.

not sure if srs

Weak opposition, but a solid win given a number of our key players are out at the moment. Particularly encouraging to see the continued development of the likes of Menzel & Buckley, maybe we aren't completely incompetent when it comes to recruitment & development?

There is some hope in that.

I believe that we are in this current position because of the Ratten/Hughes years.

The effect of MM & Rogers is now starting to come through with some of our kids and it's vital, but the cupboard is still bare and I'm yet to be convinced about our current recruiting. Let's be honest, it couldn't get any worse.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

Considering only two players have managed 38 or more against Hawthorn or Geelong this season you're not asking for much.

BTW, one of those was Montagna in a side that got smashed by 20 goals

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"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

I think one thing I've noticed is in Mick's 2nd year we are seeing fairly significant player development brewing.

Murphy has had his best month of footy I can remember. Rowe and Casboult are contributing, improving and showing plenty of willingness. Yarran looks ready to break out.

And with Bucks, Menzel, Docherty, Bell and a few others coming through the ranks, our position is not quite as dire as I thought after the bombers game. We cut some more deadwood off the list like Lucas, Watson etc this offseason and upgrade it with some more savvy recruiting like menzel, and we can have a pretty quick turnaround and start competing sooner, not later.

Fair points Braithy but we are still a long long way from Top 4.

I believe what MM is doing is right and we will know by years end whether the likes of Casboult, Rowe etc are really worth keeping. He is good at getting the best out of players. Buckley is a case in point as maybe is Yarran.

As I said a long way from the top but there is some small hope and a base to build on.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

No mate, nowhere near top 4. I was thinking a rock solid 6-7 or 8th.

We'd need to cut some deadwood, develop current talent and would need 3 or 4 more really capable kids to go onto top 4. I reckon the earliest we could do that would 2017 as Murph and gibbs get to simmo and judd's age now.

When its on its fantastic football. Fast and furious. Who couldn't get excited when Yarran puts on the afterburners? Buckley too raises the levels when he gets near it. And Warnock is playing the best I've ever seen him. Murphy has been really solid for us, with Simpson being dependable as ever - does that guy ever miss any games? Menzel getting a sniff and looking dangerous, though this will be short lived once the opposition start taking his talent seriously and some quality pressure is applied. Will be looking forward to the opposition having to take Menzel seriously, as he adds that bit of class and freakishness that we lost when Betts moved on.

I'm loving the look of our game when its firing. We are bringing it in small increments, 10 - 20 minute patches where we kick a flurry of goals in a hurry. A full quarter of this would be brutal and put us at an advantage to hold on to a win, until we can start delivering this type of football for entire half's and eventually entire games. Could we? I guess that's the plan long term, and a bit of form around the place maybe we could work up to delivering blistering football for an entire quarter or even a half? Oh how it is to dream ...

It's a long way from the top if your'e in a bloody hole.

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

The same Marc Murphy who was voted best player by the AFL coaches in 2011?
Let's face it, when he has continuity in his game and is fit, he's a star. Amazingly, he even was before Mick arrived.
The shit that gets written about him here doesnt change that.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

No offence, but imo you're wrong here BV. Murphy in 2014 is much better. In 2011, Murphy had a primetime Judd deflecting the heat. Murphy was the ultimate wingman in 2011, nothing more.

This year Murphy is going it alone, leading and has finally learned how to play under a hard tag. The teamwork from the middle unit that sets murphy free is something a Carlton mid group hasn't had in the last decade of me watching them. There are subtle structures out there especially around stoppages, but also in open and broken play after we receive the ball that I'm seeing every week which make me a MM believer. More blocking, more shepherding and more working harder to release teammates -- where Murphy in particular is benefitting.

I also reckon MM is not an immediate impact coach like say Hinkley is proving to be. MM takes and needs time to get to know and trust his players/ build relationships.

The longterm under mick, imo is already looking better. There's a number of players improving in year two under MM, and I dare say the culture of the playing group is slowly evolving as more players buy into what's required and forget the hardwired bad habits they learned under Ratten. ie bruise free passengers, and not working hard will not be tolerated.


And if you go back to my first 500 odd posts here at TC, I was a passionate Ratten apologists and defender. I was wrong.

I agree with this for the most part. Reckon MM is finally starting to earn the trust of the players, and maybe it took some serious shaming externally and internally to finally turn the tide. Persistence beats resistance and all that. One good thing I've noticed over the last month is Murph's voice. Very vocal to the group at 3 qtr time etc - laying it down to the team, not getting Simmo etc to chop out for him. Starting to grow into the captaincy in baby steps. Hey, some people take longer to catch on than others...

Murphy is going it alone this year but is getting assistance from team mates that hasnt been given in the last decade, or 2011?

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My money is on Whitey not playing this game. Whatever happens I think he'll at least get an internal suspension. Lucky Andy Mac is in good form in the 2s.