Rowe will be interesting to follow. He might be the kind of guy that divides opinions, as I can recall a common theme amongst those that have watched him is that what he does, he does very well, but just doesn't do it often enough. What he can do was well was evident in his highlights reel, but of course you forget that some of those efforts might be an hours - or even games - apart.

Of course will need to judge more when he has a better fitness base, as well as playing in a more traditional forward structure. No Garlett, Walker and from memory Betts in a lot of that last quarter.

Same might be said for Cobolt (or is it Casboult?), guys that size who can take contested marks dont grow on trees so part of you wants to defend him, but then you think of the missed marks, goals, poor handball, and lack of defensive pressure and then wonder if he will ever make it.

Too early on both of course.

Result is irrelevant, but a little disappointed that not to many of the 20-35 guys have performed to a level yet that screams they get picked in Rnd 1.

Russell, Ellard, Joseph, Bower, Collins, Lucas, Armfield, Davies (did some OK things, but how many fumbles?), Joseph and perhaps Touhy for one reason or another are the ones that have come to mind so far. All have two games to go, and perhaps will all benefit from having better players around them in the next couple of weeks.

Squads of 29, and so many guys getting subbed on and off makes it difficult to get any continuity in your play, so look forward to the last round of NAB especially which from memory is back to normal for some of these guys to step up.

Mclean, Hampson, Curnow for mine are the three who have increased their stocks in the first two weeks. Of course the increase in tempo will be key factor in Mclean's game during the season proper.

Oh, and as for the commentary, cant let Dwayne's "both teams will consider themselves contenders for season 2012" comment slip through. No offence to Sedat, but WB are a classic case of a team that thrashed all they could out of a list and with a new coach are at the start of a rebuilding phase.

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"They're [REDACTED]'

Casboult is not ahead of Rowe for the forward post.
He looks o.k. when running into a ball for a mark, but that's about where the effectiveness stops.

Rowe was happy to throw his body around and had have we played a game befitting for a tall forward, it would have been quite different.
I felt for the guy, watching the ball come forward to a 2 or even 3 on one situation.
Ratten would have been happy for the intensity for the game that Rowe showed.

I hate that statement. It's crap. He'll be an important part. You know how many "duds" have premierships medals.

From what I saw our body on body work was deplorable, our hands were not clean (fumbling at crucial times – apart from Eddie), our overhead marking was non-existent, our spoiling was weak, our system into the forward 50 was haphazard and if it wasn’t for Eddie we would have had no focal point up forward, and Sam Rowe as a 2nd round draft choice will be a classic example that a First Year Economics Lecturer can use to demonstrate the principle of "Opportunity Cost" to his eager First Year Students – other than that we somehow managed to get within 4 points.

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

Winston Churchill

Problem with Carrazzo is you dont want him to be a ball magnet.. its like a ball magnet for the other side..

Just butchers the ball to often.. and the more the pressure the more he turns it over...

Watch the WC finals game again

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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.

Hard to make too much out of a side with so many key players out. However, what I've been wanting to see this year is more system going forward. Last year it was mostly bomb it forward, hope someone takes a mark, and if they don't, hope the crumbers pounce. It worked a treat against most sides, because Betts and Garlett are so dangerous, but against the top 4 especially, we got found out by strong, well disciplined backlines. Hence our struggle to kick decent scores against the top teams.

Bearing in mind that Waite and Walker didn't play, I haven't seen much so far to indicate that has changed, which is disappointing. A couple of passes to Hampson on the lead was about it. Time will tell of course, but if we are to seriously challenge, we need to get leading forward options happening.

Re Carazzo...when he's in our bottom 6 of our starting 22, we'll win a flag (he is definitely good enough to be in our best 22).

Dale will bea player. You can tell already, he has something.

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Mens sana in corpore sano.

Bring back the laurel wreath logo!!!

Hard to see a system in place with half the team out and those that were in the team, most will unlikely play too many games this year.

Re Carrots, the only time his kicking is bad is when it's bad - generally he is a good player, who disposes of the ball well.

I agree with this. Last year we had a number of players show marked improvement. This year I haven't really seen it yet. Could be harder to climb above 4-6 than I anticipated.

Sorry Juanita - but a system is a system is a system.

If our coaches are working on system and structures then our players should be playing to it regardless.

We are a "Top 4" side now - no excuses.

Good teams play to their systems and structures and younger/new players should be playing to them.

This is what separates average/mediocre teams from good teams - young players come in and play their role to the team system/structure.

We are a "Top 4" side now - no excuses.

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

Winston Churchill

Put it this way, I sang 'in the air tonight' many times through the game. The number of times they just kicked the ball in the air in hope. Very disappointing..

Gotta say Scotto is a champion, always gives 100% no matter what game. His team mates could learn a thing or two from him..

Most others maintain self preservation a bit too much for my liking. Looking at you Gibbs, Russell

With the exception of Rowe (who I'm happy to give a bit more time to), I'm inclined to agree with all points.

Yes, we had guys out, and yes we still managed to almost pinch it, but we really had no right to win that game. Doggies were slicker with the ball, stronger at the contest, and most important of all supporterd each other at all times. Every contest seemed to be a 4-on-1, and if not for the individual efforts of a select few (and some poor finishing from them) we would've been hammered.

We STILL can't take a contested grab, we STILL leave the corridor wide open on the counter-attack, we STILL can't kick-in, we STILL bomb the ball on top of Eddie's head, we STILL shirk the contest too often, we STILL make dumb decisions by hand and foot. Yes, it's preseason, but I'm not happy/unfussed about this result at all, and if we don't start showing some testicles fast and pull our finger out of our arse, we could get a nasty shock when the season starts.

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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

habits are habits and we still have the same bad habits!
Dale looked good and not out of his depth but with Robinson and Judd out we were exposed again for our lack of ball winners!

some players were encouraging and some were not!

we would be flower without Scotland!
an injury to either Judd or Robinson during the season and we have no hope for the four!

Rowe looked out of puff very fast!

Waite and Walker might lift our potency but the game will always be decided in the guts!

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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.

...........................leading into?
No, that's correct of course.

Do remember this about yesterday's game, though:
We did not use Hampson in the ruck at all. Casboult is just not up to a ruck role and we lost plenty by not having someone feed our mids whilst Kreuzer was not there.
Curnow did pretty well in the first half I thought, and Mclean in the second. Ellard looks third in line for that role right now, but we do have a couple of weeks to sort things out just yet.

Outside Lucas having a poor game the only other concern for me is that we just can't steady down a back six.
Jamison looks unlikely to front until round 3 in the season proper, Laidler is now out and Duigan needs to get run in his legs.

This was a very curious move by our Coaching Panel.

If Warnock is not available for the first few rounds - and Casboult has to be elevevated to our Main List to be eligible to play Round 1, and Rowe is clearly short of a few gallops.

Then it strikes me as nearly fair dinkum unbelievable that Hampson would not be used in the Ruck at all, as clearly Hampson would be required to play this role for the first few rounds of the season.

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

Winston Churchill

It was, but that was already set in stone earlier in the week.
Expect Hampson to play ruck next week and Kreuzer possibly rested.
Rowe must be played out the whole match, whether he likes it or not.

More bizarre though, was Gibbs again being asked to shut down Griffen.

It was an okay effort. We only lost by 4 points and 4 less scoring shots. Bulldogs were far more committed. When Minson among your best you know it's February.

I thought Casboult showed a lot more than last week, and I think he'll settle in and go alright. It'll come. Some of his bashes and crashes, some of his tackles and some of his marks very promising.... Reminds me of a very raw Chris Dawes.

Thought Bower looked a lot better this week too... hopefully thats an upward trend. Thornton provides reliability in the absence of a Laidler.

When our intensity was up we made the Dogs look silly, but the intensity was only there in bursts. Lucas and Ellard were far less effective this week.

I have a feeling this game was to see how we went with high marking in the forward line. We have a fair way to go if that's the case... Although Walker and Waite to return fixes that.

Carlton are yet to win a game in 2012.

I thought Gibbs was near invisible yesterday - except for his weird haircut.

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

Winston Churchill

Thought we'd made a fair bit of progress with our kicking into the forward line during the first week.

We kicked to Hampson like he were a lead out forward, and given how quick he is off the mark, looked right at home. Probably no coincidence this occurred mostly when we had neither Betts or Garlett playing.

Since then we've reverted back to the long bomb. Wouldn't surprise me that we're trying to give the crumbers the best opportunity at roving, rather than seeing our goals coming from Hampson and Rowe?

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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?

Dont get me wrong I love to see Eddie, Jeffy and others crumbing goals - its exciting and team lifting, but this should be the icing on the cake, not the cake itself.

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

Winston Churchill

Worked late last night and just finished watching the game...

I really likes Levi lots to look forward to I hope, still needs time but alot like hampson got himself in the right spot at the right time just needs to finish. And his attack on the footy in the first half was great so not too sure what others saw.

Rowe, I don't think its a fitness issue I think he looked a bit casual at times. Not following up etc, maybe needs a bit more drive to gain a spot. But otherwise you'd be an idiot to expect much out of him this early...

Hammer! love it! I used the struggle to watch when a long bomb came in over his head, knowing he'd drop it. But he has come a long way!

Russell, doesn't look quite like the Russell of old... Confidence?!

Curnow!!! wow! the kid we all got pumped for early last season is back! and he will make a difference!

Laids, will be a big lose if we lose him for long... I really think he should have been up there in the B & F last year. And if god forbid we lose Laids and duigs we wont be as potent as last year I would think.

But for me the main thing (apart from footy being back!) is where the F*&^ is Walker? is the aim was to get most playing 3 out of 4 games it has me a little worried.