who is not happy?

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Couldn't disagree more.

Kruezer isn't a midfielder! He is a Ruckman and a Ruckman only. He wouldn't rank in the top 100 in mids in the competition. No good at contested possessions, tackles, defensive pressure, efficiency, inside 50's, possessions and opposition mids would just run off him.

He does some nice things especially for a big player but seriously.

So we play Kruezer as a mid and drop who? Armfield, Robinson, Lucas?

The game now is dominated by the midfield and with a Cap of 80 interchange next year the second ruckman will become extinct. Kruezer needs to stand up and play 80% game time as a pure ruckman who at best can pinch hit forward. That's what he was recruited for and that is his strength.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

I think last night was a much better preparation for us than if we'd played someone like GWS (I know we already played them but the round robin games don't count IMO)

Players down last night
Yarran
Robinson
Walker
Jamo
Hendo
Tuohy
Simmo
Murph (quietish)
Warnock (good bye from me.....wasted pick up)
Garlett
Betts
Duigan

Players who shouldn't even be in our best 25
Joseph
Curnow

Getting so close to a full strength Crows side with all the above is a credit to the coaching staff.

Thought we missed Bell's and Ellard's grunt around packs

Hampson, Kruezer, Casboult and Waite (ideal ruck/fwd model)

As long as Lucas is doing what the coach asks him, I will forgive his occasional execution errors. The boy needs to believe that he belongs. Remember Carrot afew years ago and his turnovers. He's in my 22 ATM

Buckley? Bootsma?

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If I want your opinion, I'll give it to you!

Well, if you were using your powers of judgement, you wouldn't be feeding the type of spite shown in
Pklz's post. It should be water under the bridge.

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

So who is unhappy that Brock is playing good footy?

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IMO he is a heavily underrated player and I wouldn't call him a fringe player, I think he is a walk up start in our best 22.

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We are the maybe blues

If we had a Taylor Walker type player in our forward line we'd win the premiership. It's the missing key. Everything else appears locked and loaded. This group looks like it's ready to explode and take some big scalps. He's simply awesome.

Not having a Taylor Walker type might be halts such a tilt.

Exciting times ahead.

Re: our backline....

I think our 'team defence' is looking OK, but our backline looks far from settled to me.

The situation with Duigan is interesting. MM has clearly taken a shine to him, but I wonder if he'll keep persisting with him in his current role? Of those that have played all 3 rounds of the NAB Cup, Duigan has probably been our worst performer. It's simply not working for him. That's OK, the NAB Cup is for trying things and giving players opportunities, but I wonder if Duigan is a 'project' that MM will push ahead with into the H&A season regardless? Is Duigan going to be Kevin Walsh to Malthouse's Kevin Sheedy...?

I thought Tuohy missed a chance last night to cement himself in the 22 for Round 1. He should still make the side, but I thought he struggled last night. Disappointing.

Yarran doesn't look 'there' yet this season either. It's only early March, but he's getting caught with the ball a lot at the moment and I think MM would be unhappy about some of his defensive efforts.

I hope Jamo is OK. He looked to be labouring a bit last night (after looking fitter than he has for years in the previous 2 games). Subbed off late 3rd term and was not sitting on the bench with the other subs in the last quarter. Hmmm.......

AJ has a go, but I can't see him playing too many senior games in 2013. Laidler & Hendo building nicely into Round 1.

As much as everyone talks about Gibbs as a midfielder, and I'd love the 'luxury' of getting him forward of the centre more often, I think the team might still need him to spend time in the backline....watching the game last night, I think we missed his clean hands, balance, medium size and good kicking out of defence.

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It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

Warnock was mentioned positively in the Age write up yet stayed off after half time. Those who watched the game, what are your thoughts? Not getting much of a mention in the best 22 at the moment.

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"our electorate seeks less to be informed and more to be validated." Sad times.

Warnock is a waste of space on our list in my opinion we should have traded him last year and filled a position that we really need, i.e a key forward

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"I can't wait to win a premiership with this club" - Fev

When he's up & going, Warnock is our best tap ruckman and gives our midfielders (and it will be our midfielders that get us into the finals if we make it) an arm chair ride. Lack of durability and an inability to make an impact forward are the concerns against him, and I suspect the latter is why he'll be starting the season in the VFL unfortunately...

Credit to Hammer, I think he made more of his opportunity last night.

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It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

Ummmm......Geelong are 12% and a game behind us....would take a decent win to overtake us. Either way...good luck to both teams playing in the 3.45pm heat!

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"I had to eat"

I take your comments on board Psych and know what you are saying and your point of running off him are valid. Interested on your thoughts of our ruck structure and forward set up.

I have a feeling we have just come through a real hard block of training and a few players felt it last night. The positive is that we ran the game out better with less rotations and a taller side in humid conditions.

I think we will now be freshened up over the next fortnight to be ready for a tough first month of footy.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

its highly likely we still have to play the NAB cup final next week

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*(grow - fun - gah)

Yeah but whatabout your whataboutism.

Norf win, we don't. Geelong win, we probably do, unless they win well.

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"I had to eat"

cant see norf beating geelong in geelong

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*(grow - fun - gah)

Yeah but whatabout your whataboutism.

In an ideal world you would have two top ruckman but the game now doesn't allow for it. Rotations are killing the second ruck role. Most sides will play one key ruck and a forward come back up. Look at the other sides and their preferred options.

Hawthorn: Roughead & Hale
Pies: Jolly/Lynch
Cats: McIntosh/Vardy
Roos: Goldstein/Petrie
Crows: Jacobs/Jenkins
Saints: McEvoy/Kossie
Freo: Sandilands/Bradley
Lions: Luey/Martin
Tigers: Maric/Vickery
GWS: Giles/Setanta
Swans: Mumford/Tippett
Melb: Jamar/Clark
Dogs: Minson/Cordy
Port: Renouf/Westoff

Unless you have the rare option of Cox/NicNat it won't work.

What it also allows is another mid and that makes a massive difference. Going to a Cap next year will make it more so.

I just think with our list and flexibility One ruckman plus support from Casboult and/or Rowe is our best option.

With guys like Walker/Waite/White/Henderson we also have a lot if flexibity which will make us tough to match up on.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

Norf have a good record at that ground, they'll be very competitive..