Not sure what game others were watching but Andrew Carrazzo is possibly the worst kick in our team. Gets the ball which is great but his field kicking killed us. Not his fault we lost but gee it rips the heart out when we turn it over and they score.

Word is Judd shouldnt be playing for at least another 5 -6 months, I dont know if we should have him in to be honest.

Can't believe how many Blues fans are accepting and positive as we enter our 7th year of dismalness with a dismal performance.

I know we are learning a new game plan and we have several stars underdone, but we were playing Richmond. Next week against the Saints will be really ugly.

Cons - Desperation, endeavour, intensity. Thrashed in all aspects by the Tiges. two examples - Waites lackadaisical effort when running towards the ball being outmarked by Hughes running with the flight because he was more desperate. The contrast between Tambling running full bore with the flight to mark with Richo and Jamison barrelling towards him and Gibbs dropping an easy uncontested chest mark on half back because he took his eyes off it. Result Richmond goal! I hate it when other supporters highlight examples of him pulling out but he is super talented and needs to keep his eyes on the ball. He is young and very talented, an excellent tackler and a smart kid, but compare him to players of similar experience, is he as intense and as desperate as Joel Selwood?

Tackling - Are we training for international rules or Australian rules? How is it that the guy with the best tackling technique - Gibbs - has been at the club for the least time!

Waite is not, has never been and never will be a CHB. He ineffectively double teamed Richo, made his requisite number of mistakes and was barely within ten metres of his opponent all night. I like Waite, and he is super talented but he is a natural forward. Move him up forward because we need someone to kick it to other than Fev

We are so predictable, kick it to Fev no matter how many are on him. If he has 4 opponente how come we don't have 3 free players?

Jamo is more suited to smaller opponents - would have been ideal match up for Pettifer

Play Setanta down back, give him a position and leave him there. He is potentially a very good half back.

Pace - we need more, the Tiges ran all over us

Badly need another small forward

Pros
Judd and Stevo got thru the game
TBird was terrific can't believe fans are criticising him
Murphy very good
Edwards promising debut
Grigg looked lost at times but did enough to suggest he has real talent. Needs a right foot
Bower - looks like an athlete who took up footy at the same time as Setanta but promising in a Gary Cowton type of way. Needs confidence, but has the skills to be a good half back
Cloke - if half our team put in like him we would have won. Fantastic endeavour, hope he stays injury free

Looking forward to next week when we can hopefully add Aisakie, Hamspon AND Kruezer.

For a team that lacked run last night i think the above will make us far too top heavy.

My player rankings/observations:

Jamison...tried hard, great future, needs to bulk up. 6/10 (3/10 - was well beaten but don't reaaly blame him to much - very difficult match up)

Thornton...one off the best for 3 qts, bit loose. 6.5/10 (8/10) Apart from his usual few bad disposals per game I thought he was our best 4 qtr player)

Scotland...courageous, seems a bit one paced, serviceable. 6/10 (4/10 - seems to be off the ground through rotations a lot but was generally good when on)

Waite...showed flashes of brilliance...still inconsistent. 5/10 (Agree)

Grigg...read play well, kicking seems to lack depth, will improve. 4/10 (3.5 agree)

Houlihan...thought he was good tonight, his skill/ decision making stood out. 7/10 (Agree)

Gibbs...showed poise/class, consistency will come, reminds me of (dare i say it ) James Hird. Give him time 5.5/10 (3/10 - Showed a lack of intensity and hardness when required - very disapointed with this aspect of his game)

Simpson...started brilliantly...never gives up, a leader of the club. 7/10 (6/10 - agree)

Murphy... as for Simmo, but fades out of game,lacking fitness?, obvious class. 6/10 (Agree)

Stevens... good all night, will be better for run, lacking match fitness, class evident. 6.5/10 (Agree)

Judd...this bloke will be worth every cent. Class above everyone else, obviously lacking match fitness. 7.5/10 (6/10 - agree)

Hadley... got into it as game went on, will be a good addition to the team, his talent is evident. 5/10 (Agree)

Carrazzo...love this bloke, mister consistent, kicking seems to have improved. 7/10 (6/10 - Agree although his kicking lets him down at times)

Cloke...imo was our best. Battled against the odds all night, great effort, adds some hardness. 7.5/10 (7/10 - Agree - thought he tried really hard all night)

Harlett...struggled, presented but couldn't get into it.Looks like a long holiday coming up, stupid play. 3/10 (agree - penetrating kick though)

Edwards... has talent but got in Fevs way and kicking was inconsistent. Shows how good the Fish really is. Give him another chance. 3/10 (Agree)

Betts...EDDIE,EDDIE,EDDIE....needs to do more than kick the occasional crumbing goal. My kids love him, but he needs to offer more. 3.5/10 (Good 2nd quarter but so inconsitent around the ball)

Setanta...love his passion, lacking fitness due to illness, will improve, we must perservere. 4/10 (3/10 - agree)

Fev...started well, tried hard all night but our fwd structure seems non-existent. Seems to love having Hoops nearby, we can't rely on him to win all our games. 5.5/10 (Agree)

Bannister...gives 100% but is he really up to this level.When i think of good stoppers i see, Ling, K.Cornes etc they hurt you both ways. Bannister is purely negative, no attacking flair. 3/10 (Agree)

Jackson...like him, but disposal lets him down. Lacking penetration. 4/10 (3/10 - Don't think he adds anything to the team)

Bower...hard at it, decision making lets him down. Juries out. 3.5/10 (Thought he has had better games but think he will definately make it)

Thought our tackling was absolutely atrocious tonight and were forced wide to often particularly our forwards.


Summing up....i watched the game on tv which gives a different perspective.

We seemed to lack match fitness, only Cloke, Simmo, Murphy, Carrots, Judd, Stevo, Jamo, Thornton, Fev, Scotland, Gibbs and Houlihan received pass marks in my book, with Waite and Hadley borderline. 12 out off 22 , we need a more even contribution.

PS...WTF is up with Wallsy..his negative comments are starting to grate. We all know Fev has flowered up, but he seems to have a personal vendetta against him. He also said that Stevo was lazy for not chasing...well Wallsy, he had a broken neck, he's lacking match fitness, he runs more in a quarter than you ran in your whole career, build a bridge

club29 wrote




For a team that lacked run last night i think the above will make us far too top heavy.

Pro's - we will improve

Con - despite all the reasons aired we still lost to the 2008 wooden spooners

ps when will Bryce Gibbs begin to stand up to the rigours of AFL football? Doesn't necessarily have to dominate games but how about showing a belonging at this level.

you're talking about THE bryce gibbs right ?

the 19 year old kid ??


19 !!! JUST TURNED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


EASE UP PEOPLE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GFung and so what? just turned 19 you say. ok. in your wisdom at what age should i expect him to show something? many 18/19 year olds have shown they belong.

Gibbs has already shown plenty towards the end of last year and this pre-season. What do you expect from a 19 year old? 30 possesions a game? 3 goals? Brownlow votes? he had 15 posesions, a few clearances, was clean when he had it and looked far more comfortable than last season, not to mention he was on and off the bench.