We should recognise how we are progressing as honestly as we recognise where we are deficient. And we should not be so quick to pull the trigger on players careers, especially so early in the season. Remember that even in our premiership teams, we had some ordinary players we would be calling for to be cut if they were playing in this team.
Points to note:

1) our midfield won well. And Adelaide has a good, tough midfield. This is the most important measure, in my view for our progression.

2) our small forwards dominated (again) and were well served by the key forwards bringing the ball to ground and competing at ground level themselves (several goals resulted from ground level desperation by Rowe and Hampson)

3) all our talls need to get better at contested marking. All of them.

4) back line is improving. Taylor walker ripped it up early so we were let off the hook when he went down but Jamo, Henderson, touhy, walker, Scotland have been doing well.

5) we cannot afford to put a line through people (eg kill 6 careers etc...) this early in the season. The teams that win premierships these days are those that raise the performance and consistency of players that would have been cut in yesteryear. There are plenty of players on Geelong, Coll, Sydney, hawthorn's first 22 hat many on this site would have cut way too early. All contributing strongly now in strong teams. BUT we need to learn who can raise their levels based on solid, clear instruction and who can't. If we want to be ruthless, then we need to get all players to their best so that even if we want to ditch them, we can trade for something better than we'd get now.

6) the season might be back on track but will not be so until we consolidate over the coming weeks. Last year, we dropped many games that we should have easily won. This is our next test.

Sat in level P on centre wing and had glorious viewing and perfect weather to match (minus those blasted seagulls).

We dominated the game in all facets. The last quarter was a blip on an otherwise perfect day for the Blues.

Didn't like seeing Walker go down with that horrible bend in his leg... great players you want to see play, and he's Adelaide's Fev.

McLean - Wow! Man of the match. That was a Greg Williams like performance. Silky disposal, was in everything, ran as hard as his slow legs could carry him. Took hits, gave hits, great vision and goal awareness. For a guy polarised a year ago, McLean MkII is every bit worth what we paid to get him.

Lucas - I liked most of Lucas game. The only downside was his strength against Thompson, who was able to shrug him off more than once.

Walker - My favorite player. Loved his endeavour and aggression. Really like him in defence.

Warnock - Fantastic game. Two in a row for the big fellow. Must hold his spot over Hampson.

Hampson - Awkward game from him. I think he's the one who goes for Waite. A Waite / Rowe combination until Kreuzer is fit will work better.

Garlett - A new level. The most important aspect of our forward line because of what he does when he doesn't have the ball, which makes what he does do with it the icing on the cake. Seems to be relishing under Malthouse (along with Yarran). Has now had 3 great games (Pies, WCE and now this). Break out season!

Murphy - Tackle machine yesterday. Sacrificed his high possession game to stop being hurt the other way. Real good captains game.

Armfield, Tuohy, Curnow - Did everything you need these guys to do. You can see their confidence levels rise in their determination at the 1:1 contest. Malthouse's mantra - win your contest.

If we can get a marking key position forward... watch out. Bring on the Dees.

touheys best game i would think, his handball while he was jumping in mid air was brilliant but his attack on the ball was fantastic all night

3 good games in a row for Touhy. Feel very confident with him in 1 on 1 contests

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#DonTheStash

We cannot rely on Waite as our main forward option, he is injury prone and as we all know there is a massive gap between his best and worst, I'd like to see Rowe persisted with for a little while longer or maybe Casboult brought back in for an extended run, wether we like it or not Waite is going to have to be the icing on the cake not the cake itself.

Simmo's best game for the year I don't think he is done and dusted yet, McClean has reinvented himself and is probably one of the first picked these days.

I loved White's hit on big sauce even though it hurt him, it showed commitment that he was prepared to make the hit and possibly come off second best.

The most pleasing aspect of the whole game was that we got down and dirty when we had to and weren't knocked around or intimidated by the big bodies of Adelaide.

We still have issues, and expect different issues to crop up every week, if we make the 8 this year I will be content and we are only one game out with some winnable games to come.

I think the next 4 weeks is an opportunity to give guys like Rowe a continued run to build some more confidence and hopefully Waite comes back in and doesn't get injured or suspended and can provide a extra option and take some of the pressure off the likes of Rowe.

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We are the maybe blues

Most sensible and accurate post in the entire collection. Well done Teckno.

Funny for those having a dig at Lucas. His conversion rate was 60% and Yarran's was 62% according to the AFL stats.

Regards Cazzesman

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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.”

The amount of space that McLean is able to find sometimes is embarrassing for other teams. Really good game and good fightback after looking like a massive trade blunder.

I'm a bit confused about some of the comments regarding Lucas. I agree that his performance to date is disappointing for a #12 draft pick and there are question marks over whether he has the smarts / hardness to become a quality player, but the improvement that he has shown under MM has been massive. While he's improving I think we need to just hold fire and see where he ends up.

4 games if you count his 2 B.O.G.s at VFL level.

Another good couple of games before Kreuzer gets back and he'll be hard to displace.

Needs to improve when one on one when the ball is in the air - then he will have it all.

I think that he can take a run through the midfield at some stage.

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

Winston Churchill

I agree about Lucas. Has been very good and will keep getting better. His gut running is very good.

Two key points:

His defensive skills need a lot of work. Especially his tackling pressure.

His decision making and ball use needs improvement. On a number of occasions he picked the wrong option or went to one on one situations when people were in better positions.

Improves those areas he will be very very good.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

Has midfielder written all over him. Can kick a goal as well.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

It was how he did it KK... Hampson has never imposed himself like that

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17 4 10

Sanderson on TFS right now.

Geez he's a good communicator.

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WADA medical director Dr Alan Vernec describes Essendon* FC drug case as biggest scandal in team sport the world of sport has seen. #WC2WB

#GUILTY

X 2

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17 4 10

I replayed for my young lad, who is playing his first season of footy, that passage of play in the first quarter where Tuohy paddled the ball in front of him for about 60 metres until it sat up for him to grab two hands. So many players these days would overrun or fumble it trying to pick it up but Tuohy plays it like a natural. That's the impressive thing about him - he plays & kicks like he was born with a footy in his hands and it's incredible to think he's not native to footy.

+1

Needs to become one because we haven't recruited enough of them recently.

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

Winston Churchill

Ill take Yarrans effectiveness 100% of the time over Lucas Mr Cazz.
Lucas has too much going against him.
Soft, cant kick, cant tackle and has terrible smarts.
He can run and has endurance... ts the only reason hes in ...
Cos if youre looking in the reserves... the Bullants midfield is Markon / Lambert/Cachia etc.With Ellard.. who actually idnt spend alot of time there.

What IS in our reserves is a bunch of half back flanker types... and we dont need them atm..

Laidler
Duigan
Dale played there last week.
Bootsma
McArthy
Watto
Joseph joins their bulging ranks this week.
McIness is out with a knee

Its why Lucas is in the side...!!!
Yarran is in the side because he is electric.. its why you shouldnt point to stats at every chance

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Well said Lucas has big future

True, although I have high hopes for Graham & Menzel. Hopefully Buckley can get to that level. Gibbs & Yarran should become gun mids as well.

End of the year list management will be very interesting.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015