Everyone wants the ultimate prize.
We were down for so long it takes time to rebuild most aspects of our game.
Now we are in a good position of maturity and depth in most positions.
We all like to think that every attack starts and ends in the middle, in reality the majority of the attack is started in its defences and its ability to force a turnover and release.
Like Geelong, Collingwood and as far back as I can remender the team with the best or one of best defences has gone on and won the flag.

You need to give up while you're behind

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Go BLues

Imagine if we hadn't recruited any players over the last 6 or 7 seasons, we'd be struggling then.

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Let's just see what happens when we have Waite, Kreuzer and Jamo playing a few games together fit.

In watching that Eagles final again the other night, what struck me was the universal commitment amongst the group to relish the hard stuff stuff and put in. Talent and body types are one thing, but they're useless without commitment to the cause across the board, and there's no doubt in my mind that we tick that box.

We've got a couple of barometers in that regard (Robbo, Ellard). And Synbad, unless I am mistaken we have been very close to the top of the tree in terms of stoppage wins over the last couple of years, which to me is the criteria for effective inside mids. With a fit Kreuzer effectively adding another midfielder to the mix when he's rucking, it's logical to suggest that we can only improve further in that area.

I don't beleive we are the #1 list or team in the league. We're probably with Geelong and the Eagles in trailing Hawthorn and Collingwood. Wherever we do rank though I believe we are in a position where luck becomes a big part of things, eg we're good enough to take advantage of other contenders bad luck. We're good enough to contest a prelim, and once you're at that level anything can and does happen.

And whatever happens I am going to enjoy the ride. We've waited a bloody long time to truly contend. I can't wait.

Synbad view on Carlton is similar to John Howard's view on Bob Dylan.

He likes the Blues' music, but not the words.

Apart from Juddy and Robbo we've not been very physical in our approach - that's something I expect will be different this year with more fitness and maturity.

Rexy, I can see the point, but again - in rewatching the semi final I saw a team who didn't shirk one contest all game. To be honest, with the way the rules are going I'm not sure if we want it go any further than the Eagles game. Duty of care etc etc.

I am not concerned about 'toughness' in this team.

We have very few maulers around midfield.
When we lose games its because we lose the midfield.
Dogs
WC 2 times one time in 1 quarter.
Hawks
Collingwood

Its about the midfield ... not the hbfs .

Having a few guys on our list that can never play cos they will never get a game cos there are too many ahead of them is wasteful.

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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.

HBFers are midfielders these days.
Russ said in his interview that he will rotate through hb and midfield and the coaches want them to be versatile. Scotland and Gibbs have been doing it for a couple of years. Lucas looks like he can do both.

I really think you are stressing out over nothing Synbad.

We are as close as anyone currently. We just need 1 more piece of the puzzle to fall in place and key players up and running at the right time.

What if we had 23 gun onballers..........someone would miss out

Yep................

A) List Depth is over-rated when trying to win a flag.
B) Having players fighting for their spot in the team because others are pushing them is over-rated
C) Having some on the list you might be able to bundle up and trade for another you may want is also a waste of time.
D) Having a fit and committed core of 30-34 AFL ready players over 22 rounds is over-rated
E) Giving new Recruits 2 or 3 full years in the VFL until they develop an AFL body and tank is over-rated. Better to get them in Rd1 of season 1 because we have no-one else due to lack of depth. Oh wait, that is what GWS is doing.

I would have thought that simple mathematics would dictate 44 don't go into 22 and that the back half of the 44 are in various stages of development, decline, injured or on the cusp of call up.



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.”

I agree 100%. We are a tough mob, and we were throughout the year...except we did take the foot off the pedal against WB's and the first half against the Hawks...but we showed the Hawks our true toughness and ability to nearly snatch victory after falling behind by 7 goals...we wore them out rather that the other way around.

That last quarter against the WCE showed we have no fear across the board, including the little fellas.
We should have won....doesn't matter now.

I know the WCE players said after the game it was their toughest hit out ever...and didn't the physical damage we imposed on them show the week after.

We're a tough mob, and with competition across every line, not just HBF, every player will go even harder in 2012 to win and hold a position in the final 22.

Everyone knows we are a contender in 2012 for the greatest prize of all.
Luck will play a part if we win or lose the opportunity.

We are back from the death sentence!!

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Exactly but are ours?

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Just because I'm offended, doesn't mean I'm wrong.

I reckon the development of Kruezer might have a significant bearing on how we go
over the next few years - i.e. just hovering around the top four vs making GFs.

I still can't make up my mind about that lad. I think he's going to turn out to be either
a Josh Fraser or an Adam Goodes. If he turns out more like the latter then he becomes
a player that's almost impossible to match up on.

That'd be nice.

It would be but he's a lot bigger in the legs and less athletic than Goodes so may never be as mobile. He might have to turn out like Matt Kreuzer instead.

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

*Youre always confused Mr C
We need more midfield players than we need hbfers
If the recruiters think we need more hbfers than midfielders they should be doing something else.

*And no hbfers are not midfielders.


*having 20 guys fighting for 3 spots isnt efficient... no matter what u think.
Will McIness ever play more than 5 games for this cllub before being delisted???
Ludicrous and simplistic .

22 elite footballers??
Youre not going to get 22 elite footballers... out of the hbfers youre choosing.

Youre looking for not all elite(inpossible... ...laughably) but players who can do a good in a well rounded structure.(youre talking about drafting 22 elite players but cant draft a midfielder we need)... (cos according to you lot.. noone is good enough to be a midfielder and be drafted when its our turn) yet year after year we find this argument exploded .

You might have alot of competition for hbfer spots and less for midfield spots....
Thats ridiculous!!!

I am not sure why we dont draft midfielders Mr C ... but instead try to turn hnfers into midfieldrs.(cowardly drafting maybe?)
Its a sticking point that i hope doesnt get us unstuck.

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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.

I agree to a point, I think the lower you get these mid-sized players in the draft, the harder it is for them to be anything other than flankers, if that. The best flankers are left over midfielders and KPPs, not the other way around.

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Just because I'm offended, doesn't mean I'm wrong.

I think we have the players now to compete with the best

what we need to do is win 5 or 6 games in a row


when we have done that we are a legit chance until then we are fluffing around the edges

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If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

Could be the other way around too. Depends on how you look at it. Perhaps they were left over onballers because they were always meant to be HBFers.

Righto Guys, it is time to bring some sense to this thread! I have dissected our list of 48. I have only included those who are likely to play a Senior Game in 2012. Of course there may be the odd one who will slip under the radar due to injuries, but I reckon it is a safe bet that the following list will not see any senior action in the firsts:

Unlikely: Buckley, O’Keefe, McInnes, Bell, Heyne, Kerr, Dale, Lodge, Carter, Bray.

Balance of Squad: Judd, Murphy, Gibbs, Walker, Simpson, Kreuzer, Yarran, Jamison, Waite, Henderson, Warnock, Robinson, Laidler, Betts, Garlett, Scotland, Thornton, Hampson, Carrazzo, Touhy, Russell, Lucas, Bower, Curnow, Joseph, Ellard, Armfield, Duigan, Davies, Watson, McLean, Collins, Rowe, White, Mitchell, Bootsma, McCarthy, Casboult.


Reduced the Rucks, KPP & definite Flankers: (Those who would never be Mids).

Warnock, Jamison, Waite, Henderson, Hampson, Laidler, Thornton, Rowe, Duigan, Davies, White, Watson, Bower, Mitchell, Collins, McCarthy & Casboult.

This leaves the others who will play in the engine room, flanks, pockets and bench:

I have attempted to break these into 3 groups:

1: First Choice Midfielders.
2: Flankers who will run through the Midfield.
3: Flankers who can take a turn at the stoppages.


1: Judd, Murphy, Gibbs, Simpson, Carrazzo, Robinson, Kreuzer, Curnow, Ellard, McLean.

2: Walker, Scotland, Yarran, Lucas, Betts, Russell.

3: Touhy, Joseph, Garlett, Armfield, Bootsma.


So how is our balance of Pure Mids to Pure Flankers?

I reckon that we have plenty of both, but importantly we have a quality Midfield rotation.

If I was the sole selector, I would start a game with these positions covered by our #1’s & #2’s from the above list (9 players): Wing, Centre, Wing, Ruck Rover, Rover, HBF, HBF, HFF, HFF. I would have 3 more for rotations on the bench. So I would have to pick 12 players in total from the above 1, 2 & 3 groups.

Centre Line: Simpson, Gibbs, Robinson
Ruck Rover & Rover: Judd & Murphy
HBF’s: Scotland & Yarran
HFF’s: Walker & Robinson
Bench: Kreuzer, Carrazzo & Betts

Apologies to those I couldn’t fit in my side, based on the above criteria, but some may even squeeze out those picked in the Reduced list.

Interested in your thoughts Kiddies!

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2002:> "In their Masters Chambers
They Gathered for their Feast
They Stabbed us with their Steely Knives
But They Just Can't Kill The Beast!" <2016

THE BLUEBAGGER BEAST IS BAACKK!!