The other option is Davies. Yeahnah....

gee brave effort by Eddie to keep playing - we'll miss him bigtime

I agree, Yarran and Garlett full game up forward makes sense.

Your issue is reshuffling the backline. Take Yarran out, Scotland already gone, Gibbs playing midfield more often (and no certainty to play this week either), your run and carry off half back is decimated.

What do you do to rectify it?

1) Move Gibbs back after one game (you mentioned Malthouse "selling his soul" re: game plan...)
2) Play Laidler there in a role he's not accustomed to?
3) Give Buckley a full game up forward and keep Yarran down back
4) Forfeit
5) .....play Davies

They should watch yesterday's game and take a leaf out of Geelong's book. A club that for all purposes should be on the decline but 5 goals down they stick it right up the Hawks. They made a lot of mistakes, but they also backed each other and were prepared to tackle and get defend and sacrifice for the guy in a better position.

Guys like Stokes, Christensen, Hunt, Duncan and Smedts were excellent.

The way that Carlton are adopting a boundary line gameplan is all wrong in my view. Bombs to unproven or inadequate tall man setups along the wing. We just don't have the cattle to make the most of that.

Getting smashed in clearances doesn't help either.

I agree, Yarran and Garlett full game up forward makes sense.

Your issue is reshuffling the backline. Take Yarran out, Scotland already gone, Gibbs playing midfield more often (and no certainty to play this week either), your run and carry off half back is decimated.

What do you do to rectify it?

1) Move Gibbs back after one game (you mentioned Malthouse "selling his soul" re: game plan...)
2) Play Laidler there in a role he's not accustomed to?
3) Give Buckley a full game up forward and keep Yarran down back
4) Forfeit
5) .....see 4

would not surprise me if Dylan Buckley came in this week

I have no idea if the rumours are true that Hammer, Betts & Gibbs will miss this week - but I'll assume the worst case scenerio for the purposes of this (and I'll also assume that we play it safe with Robbo's concussion)....

Walker Jamo Duigan
Bootsma Hendo Tuohy
Lucas Judd Armfield
Simmo Rowe Murphy
Yarran Casboult Garlett

Kreuzer Carrazzo Bell

Inter: AJ, Brock, White
Sub: Buckley

In: Bell, Buckley, Rowe, White
Out: Betts (inj), Gibbs (inj), Hammer (ill), Robbo (inj)

Very hard to see us beating the Pies this week, but particularly without Betts, Gibbs & Robbo.

I don't see Buckley playing a role in the seniors in 2013 other than the occasional cameo as sub, and he may get that chance in Round 2 if Betts is out. Bucks is very small and I am concerned for his welfare (he throws himself in recklessly at times) - he already has a dodgy shoulder - but perhaps playing him early in the year isn't a bad thing. Throwing him in against the Filth at the 'G in front of 90,000 isn't something I feel entirely comfortable with, but with our 'outs' we might need his pace. Sometimes playing a debutant can give the side (and the supporters) a little bit of a lift too. The only other debutant I'd consider this week is Temay - he looks a likely type to me. I wouldn't play both Buckley and Temay at this stage. I'd go with Buckley just because he's got that extra 12 months in the system under his belt.

Curnow or Davies could potentially come in for AJ, depending on match ups. Neither set the world on fire in the VFL last week, so all things being equal I reckon AJ might get another go. If Ellard is fit, perhaps he might even come straight in (although you'd expect him to be too underdone)?

Laidler didn't look right to me on Saturday at Cramer St. I reckon MM will give Duigan one more chance (at least).

I thought long and hard about bringing in Warnock but I decided to go with Rowe & White - both can play at either end (+ Rowe can share the 2nd ruck duties with Casboult and White can play on mediums and talls in defence). I really get the impression that MM doesn't like one position players, so I reckon Warnock is going to be made to really work for a spot in the seniors early in the season. Particularly while our KP spots are so unsettled. Not that I necessarily agree with it.

Is Laidler good enough offensively to take over Yarran's role down back?