He wasn't given the flick by Melbourne. They offered him a two year deal but he rejected it because he wants to come to Carlton. Ratten and Riley will know him well from their time at Melbourne. I think he is accountable when required but will provide the skill off HB that we're desperately in need of.

We have Waite and Armfield who turn it over a lot, Bower who can run into trouble, Scotland and Thornton who hit targets but they're sideways safe targets so we need someone who can distribute the ball off HB and actually hurt the opposition. IMO Johnson can do that.

Of those Hawthorn players Ladson, Guerra, Birchall and Young...they are extremely unaccountable. They know due the cluster up field they can run off their opponent and pay them little respect. With our improving midfield we can have someone like Johnson leaving their man and providing run off HB.

I hope we line up like this.....

FB: Johnson Bower Jamison
HB: Gibbs Walker Grigg
C: Waite Murphy Setanta
HF: Waite Cloke H.Hartlett
FF: Houlihan Kruezer Betts
R: Warnock Judd Carrazzo

I: Hadley Browne Simpson Anderson

Emerg: Austin Bannister Armfield

........ and run them off their feet!!

I agree with the rest of that.

Given all the conjecture I'll have to take a look at some more footage of Johnson later in the week.

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

Fev is fast and a very good pressure player in the forwardline. If he's fit and switched on (which has shown more of in the last 2 years), he would be scary. Especially if we had our tails up.

I reckon we're got the personnel (as you have shown) to really take the game on by playing to our strengths, and pace (and skills) being the name of the game nowdays.

I have no doubt in the world that Walker would make a better CHB than Waite. Bower at FB, with Jamison instead of (sidestep) Thornton would really work; especially so with our midfield dominating possession.

Waite and Setanta on the wings. My dream is always to have 2 extremely tall mobile wingmen with pace. That's what we've got with your line up.

There's another bloke you may not rate as much as I do and that's Hampson. He's super tall, with a huge leap and a huge reach, and he understands the requirements at AFL level. He has the pace to keep up and burn.

He's going to surprise everyone; I hope. In all hoesty, and it is my gut feeling that Hammer bonafide potential to be a heavyweight CHF when he hits about within the next 3 yrs).

In keeping with your theme of pace, I would pick Yarran to play a genuine forward role (nuisance factor). He has the understanding of the game, and has the pace to keep up now. He would be very dangerous in the forwardline, because he's not only fast; he's express.

On face value, it's a good shot at a Carlton team. I have to think more about whose missing that fits your criteria of pace.

Have I mentioned, how I think Armfield has much more pace than Browne?

Anderson....geez ...when you start to think...we've got pace if we want to pick a fast team.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Thanks BB

The big issue with Fev is his ability to play away from the goal square. For us to have multiple options and catch the opposition off guard Fev needs to play large parts of the game up around HF. Ratts tried to do it last season but everytime Fev ran out of puff. Needs to have a big pre season and get more run in his legs ala what Essendon* did with Lloyd and what Hawthorn do with Franklin.

I am a big fan of a more mobile defence and size around the wings. It is the modern game, will suit the 4 man boundary throw ins and be hard for opposition match ups.

Bower reminds me of a young SOS, Jamo can play tall or small and Walker can easily match up a Reiwoldt, Cloke or Pavlich where his endurance will be a huge asset.

I am a huge fan of Hampson and see him developing into a topline ruckman but he is still a year or two away. He will get game time next season but I am not sure he is in the best 22 yet?

Browne or Armfield is a toss up. I picked Browne as I believe he has more poise and better disposal at this stage.

Can't argue with that.

Hopefully Armfield settles and realises that he does get into space with his space and he does have time to settle before he kicks; it's only when he's going full tilt and kicks that it becomes inaccurate, and that goes with all players.

Yeah, i reckon Hammer is a season or 2 away, but will take big steps over the next 2 preseasons.

I've mucked around with a team of runners and it's hard to be too different to yours. Interesting about Thornton...he becomes a depth player. Mmmmmmmm.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Interesting about Thornton, I don't think much of him as a defender, handy but not great.

I saw him a lot as a junior and he played CHF and was pretty good. He is a good mark, reads the ball coming in well and a very good kick for goal.
It is an area we struggle with and he could fill the spot on occassions. I alos think it may freshen him up. He has had to cop heaps over the past few years in a poor team and moving him might benefit both the club and himself.

another go,

browne jamison bower
austin walker scotland
waite gibbs o'hailpin
stevens kreuzer simpson
betts fevola cloke

warnock judd murphy

grigg hadley russell hampson

think it was cj69 who had waite and o'hailpin on the wings and i do like it. budsyblues, my last team was to young but there is something about austin that i like but i dont think he will be in our starting 22. there is also houla, armfield, hartlett, maybe johnson and our nd picks also. its looking good for us in the coming years and iam very excited.

Much better Blueboy, but O'Hailpin on a wing?
Doesn't matter anyway, throw Thornton in for Austin and we seem to be on the same planet except that I've got Hoops in for Hampson.
Hampson seems to be another year away to me, Warnock and Kreuzer/Cloke can handle the ruck in the meanwhile and I don't think Austin's much good.
Hoops is a better player than most Carlton people give him credit for, 150+ games and 26 or so, in his prime.
We should see some very good football from him in the next few years.

Wow when did we get 2 Waite's?

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Or is that Waite when did we get two WOWs.

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

Winston Churchill

B: Anderson Jamison Bower
HB: Armfield Waite Grigg
C: Simpson Gibbs Browne
HF: Walker Hartlett Fisher
F: Betts Fevola Kreuzer

R: Warnock Judd Murphy

I/C: Hadley Stevens Scotland Bannister

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There's so much I could say...

B: Browne Jamison Bower
HB: Johnson Waite Grigg
C: Simpson Gibbs Houlihan
HF: Walker Kreuzer Russell
F: Betts Fevola Edwards

R: Warnock Judd Murphy

I/C: Hadley Stevens Scotland Hampson

EDIT: I forgot Thornton.

It's a really refresshing team budzy.

Hartlett, Anderson, Armfield, Browne, Grigg and Bannister make the team. Bad luck for Austin, but I don't think he's ready either (at this very moment).

Geez who misses out? Who are the emergencies?

I suspect you'd have Houlihan, Setanta and Carrazzo?
Poor Hammer and Cloke...don't even make it at emergencies.

Warnock changes with Kreuzer in a FP?

It's incredible how creative one can be with depth and experience improving.

If Hartlett makes the first 22 come round 1 it implies he's really stood out over the preseason; moreso than Cloke and Hammer. I hope Hartlett and Fisher find some newfound pace to keep the presure up in the forwardline.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

You really like Johnson BI, and we haven't picked him yet. Given that, I wonder if pick 6 in 2008 will be better than Johnson; both yet to be selected.

So, lets see who is missing....I knew Setanta would be....maybe he's on your emergency list

So who do you drop if Thornton is to make your team?

I'm realled glad to see Warnock, Kreuzer and Hammer in the same team and Russell as a forward. If only we could free up Waite...perhaps pick 6 may help that.

Againg, good team; we seem to have built some depth whilst we don't have the week to week injuries sidelined.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I was just trying something different by picking a team with athleticism, speed and skill.

I had to pick Chris Johnson in that team.

I nearly picked Aaron Joseph to play as a quick small forward and midfielder.

Anderson and Armfield were stiff.

Grigg will keep Bannister out of the team.

I wouldn't mind Grigg being developed into a taller accountable onballer like Tyson Stenglein or Cameron Ling...

Grigg definitely has "some shit on the liver" with the way he plays.

Swap Johnson for Thornton if you wish.

Thornton had a good year and is unfairly maligned as a player.

The most exciting thing is that we will have added picks 6, 40, 69 and 88 to our squad in eighteen days.

I'm excited.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Off the top of my head so Im probably missing someone important

FB Armfield Jamison TBird

HB Walker Bower Scotland

C Simspon Gibbs Waite

HF Wiggins Cloke Houlihan

FF Betts Fevola Kreuzer

R Warnock Judd Murphy

I Stevens Grigg Carrots Hampson

E Setanta Ando Hadley Russel ......

No Fish, was that intentional or he isn't worthy

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The climbing has alread began