It's a GREAT thing.

Best 22 is a fun exercise but it's pretty pointless IMO because there'll never be a time when you're able to pick your best 22 anyway. Unless you're freakishly lucky, expect to have half a dozen good players unavailable at any time.

A good test is if we can pick our 'best' 22' and then add an extra player onto every single line: B, HB, C, HF, F... plus the rucks... who'd be good enough to be 'best 22'.

A couple of years ago, we couldn't even in all honesty pick a full back 6 in a 'best 22'... more like, best of a bad bunch.

We're getting there.

I think you're right: a good way to look at it is we've got the big 10-12 (or whatever) and then 20 others who can (hopefully) learn to play a role and play it so well, the players outside that core group of A graders are almost interchangeable.

Exactly.

Then there is there are other attributes that some players bring to the group in terms of balance.

Duigan is borderline first pick but he brings stability.
Garlett brings pace and firepower and is also border line.

A great coach will have field day with this list.

Can't wait to see how this group develops this season.

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They coud'nt.....could they?

I also would have Casboult as a certainty (and ahead of Rowe).

I reckon there's five spots left for round 1.

I think Ellard and Armfield are battling it out for one spot. I reckon Ellard is the smokey to be in our first round side.

Then you have Warnock vs. Hampson. Whilst Waite's out, I think Hampson takes it for now. If Hampson and to a lesser extent, White show a bit up forward, I see no reason to bring Waite back at all.

The other one, long term, is probably Robinson vs. Lucas. Think Lucas will get game time whilst Scotland is out, but should, all things considered, surpass Robbo this season. Whilst Robbo is incredibly courageous, and gives us a lot of things that our side lack, he's still ultimately, a very limited player, in terms of his decision making and kicking skills.

The other two are match up based. In the past few years where we'd have seen an extra runner under Ratten, we may see an extra tall get a gig. Watson/Rowe/Duigan/McCarthy. All things considered for round one, I'd probably take Duigan, but would take Watson more often than not over the course of the year. The second spot I'd like to see used predominately as a rotating rookie/scrub with something to prove spot. Where they suit it physically, let them be the sub. If something sticks, great.

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BLUES 2010: PAV AND JUDD = FLAGS. DOING IT FOR THE LOVE OF DICK PRATT.

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR TALKINGCARLTON SUPERCOACH 2009 YET?

other than waite thats about it i still think, maybe warnock for hampson. lucas for bell

Well said.

Malthouse likes giving an opportunity to a scrub who'll throw his body around to prove himself. Think Blair at Collingwood.

I'm hoping Malthouse/Wiley can iron out the rough spots on Robbo. If it doesn't work he'll end up seeing plenty of time with the Bullants.

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

Armfield so far ahead of David Ellard - he is faster, stronger and has more X factor. Armfield is easily in our best 22. Ellard might not be far away from a spot but he is fighting someone else for it, not Armfield.

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

Winston Churchill

Based on merely Nab Cup so far... and there's just options galore. I still think the weakness is no Waite at FF. Casboult looks handy at CHF. Not convinced with Rowe at FF. Actually liked what I saw from Simon White, and at present he deserves a spot in the side, maybe even up forward.

Round 1:

B: Laidlaw, Jamo, Tuohy
HB: Yarran, Henderson, Duigan
C: Simpson, Gibbs, Armfield
HF: Walker, Casboult, Robinson
F: Betts, White, Garlett
Foll: Kreuzer, Judd, Murphy
Bench: McLean, Carrazzo, Hampson/Warnock
Sub: Bell

PFS: Ellard, Joseph, Lucas, Rowe

Round One from:

B: Tuohy Jamison Laidler
HB: Yarran Henderson Armfield/Lucas

C: Simpson Carrazzo Gibbs
Foll: Warnock Judd Murphy

HF: Walker Casboult Garlett
F: Betts Kruezer White

Int: McLean Ellard Robinson Bell

I dont think Waite will be fit and White looked good as third tall option.
Garlett can hopefully maintain form showed on weekend
2 of 3 ruckman a toss up. If a wet night may go with one and Rowe?
Can't split Armfield or Lucas.
Duigan looks a yard too slow for me.

The other bonus is that we aren't having to throw our kids in at the deep end. Talents like Watson, McCarthy, Graham, Menzel, Bootsma, Buckley, Dale, Mitchell, Davies may sneak in for a few games here and there but will get a full year of senior VFL footy under Webster and will be better for it.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

Reckon this is close for Round 1, but I think both Army and Lucas will play (Ellard out) and Hammer will play rather than Warnock.

I'd suggest that whichever of Warnock or Hampson starts on Friday will be our ruck-man come round 1 and I feel it will be Warnock.
If Lucas has a fair game on Friday, then he's in also.
Bell will be the one to watch given he only had 10 minutes to show anything on Saturday night.

Ellard just has to do so much to be even given a look in. Can't see him making starting 22, but wouldn't be disappointed should he do so either.

Think we have about 20 starters right now, if we can come through with an injury free list on time.

I think Kreuzer rucks with Hammer FF/back up

Heard a little whisper that Bell might have had his ears pulled back by the coach over a minor issue which is why he came on very late in the game last Saturday Night.

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

Winston Churchill

Given MM's comments, I reckon he's a shoe in, at least until Scotland returns.

Would like to see Armfield in defence and Yarran further up the ground but it probably won't happen.

Hope that quarter time spray from Malthouse was directed at Walker.

As I hammered to death in the game thread, just flat out refuses to play in front. Yes, poor delivery is one thing, but you're just making it a foregone conclusion when your opponent knows you're going to try and win a car at every high ball inside 50.

Play to the benefit of the team, or don't at all.

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BLUES 2010: PAV AND JUDD = FLAGS. DOING IT FOR THE LOVE OF DICK PRATT.

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR TALKINGCARLTON SUPERCOACH 2009 YET?

If you watched the game on TV he had a few words to say to him around the last quarter or so near the bench.

Ok I've seen enough to finalise my Round 1 team:

B: Yarran, Jamo, Laidler
HB: Duigan, Henderson, Tuohy
C: Lucas, McLean, Simmo
HF: Garlett, Rowe, Gibbs
F: Kreuzer, Casboult, Betts

RCK: Warnock, Carrazzo, Murphy

INT: Robbo, Judd, Armfield

SUB: Walker

He is going to go through an entire career playing like he is in the school yard going for hangers

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