The estimate for his absence has been increased to 5 weeks, and he won't return until after the split round break.

Apparently, he suffered 2 tears to the hamstring, not 1.

Pagan commented that he will be hard to replace, and I agree. He might not be kicking bags, but he's averaging better than a goal a game while applying the defensive pressure of 2 men in F50. Fev and he are the only ones who are capable of chase-downs, and Fev picks his moments to put in that sort of efforts. Betts does it repeatedly. Opposition defenders will feel they have a bit more time to consider their options now.

On a better note, Pagan said at training that Fev should be right to go on the weekend. But then again, he may well say that if the prognosis was pessimistic anyway.

Gibbs would be the perfect forward line replacement for Betts

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

Hey KK, given that we are leaking down back better than the Titanic, we need any and all defensive pressure in the middle to back half of ground.

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“It is a state of mind, a system of belief, a way of seeing the world, a deep faith that, because you are Carlton, you belong to something great.” - Mike Fitzpatrick articulating what Out of the Blue means.

true, but lets start by removing players that aren't defensive types - Houla can go forward or go wherever AFAIC, get Gibbs out of there, lets use him positively for a change.

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

kingkerna will you drop kouta, carrazzo and fevola because they are ethnic?

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SMFC 1959 : ONE LIFE, ONE LOVE, ONE CLUB

that was relevant, going to stalk me on all my posts now are you?

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

I agree. Gibbs is as-good-a replacement for Betts as we have. Good goal sense and a great tackler.

Matty Lappin.

Yes, I know we need to have the defense as full strength as possible - but Lappin - although lacking real pace, can crumb those goals and take the occasional forward 50 mark... and probably snap it through the middle.

From what I've heard and also seen in the ressies, Benji has some real pace... a possible smoky for selection? *lol, can't remember if he's off the rookie list or not*

Benji was taken in the national draft so he can come straight in, which is a great idea!

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Circumstance has no value. It is how one relates to a situation that has value. All true meaning resides in the personal relationship to a phenomenon, what it means to you.

Would I be right in suggest his pace is just about on par with Eddies?!

We must promote benjamin now. Playing very well in the ants. Like him.

Off the top of my head i would say yes. Benji is know for having explosive pace. It was one of the reasons we drafted him.

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Circumstance has no value. It is how one relates to a situation that has value. All true meaning resides in the personal relationship to a phenomenon, what it means to you.

Maybe, if they are not going to drop him, this is the chance to get Hoops out of defence where lack of hardness & accountability directly results in goals against us.

I would not expect him to do anything like the chasing Eddie does but he does know (or at least used to know) how to kick goals.

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Carlton - Nothing's changed
I still love you, oh, I still love you
Only slightly, only slightly less
Than I used to, my love

Thought I read somewhere that Benji runs 100m in well under 11 seconds. Eddie doesnt look as quick as that to me.

You might be right, that rings a bell. Bring in Benji!

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Circumstance has no value. It is how one relates to a situation that has value. All true meaning resides in the personal relationship to a phenomenon, what it means to you.

Agree with all sentiments ( ) actually, playing Adelaide and going one on one, we'll have an opportunity for a 9 man forward line

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“Every single element of the Club has to be the best in the league, meticulously and methodically, and only by doing this will we be elite and challenge for number 17.”
Greg Lee

I don't believe ink Betts tested well at DC for sprints, but we all know he has explosive game pace. Benji would be one of the fastest at the club, but I think Eddie's injury will more likely see Ross Young given a more prolonged shot at cementing fwd pocket position.

I'M DREAMING....but:

Benji Bad Santa Bower

T-bird Waite Braveheart

Walker Blackwell Simmo

Fish Lance Hoops

JK Fev Skinny

1R: Sake Murphy Gibbs

Int: Ando, Carrots, Hartlett, Kouta

No: Saddo, no Ackalnd, no Young, drop Bentick for a while.

Give Sake a run as Ruck...why not?
Plays Carrots off the bench until you find his match up.
Play JK as a deep pocket AKA second option.
Let Hoops slut goals and be unaccountable.
Give Gibbs a run where he belongs.
Have Kouta as a back up Centreman for the last 8 minutes of every quarter.
Let Bad Santa get used to being a SOS type FB.
Give Benji a run...cant hurt...then interchange him with Ando in rotation with Bower.
Give Walker a licence to kill...run...run...run...same with Simmo.
Tell Skinny to hide behind the goal posts and snaffle a couple.
Tell Fish to tale out life insurance.

Oh and Drop Pagan...worst recruit we have evr had!

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They coud'nt.....could they?

- You ARE DREAMING.

I've been thinking about trying to get the balance right in our team in terms of player types and for the best development of our younger players (which includes posting a few wins). It's impossible given that we lack a couple of smaller type players. But here is the line up i came up with (raw kids in Capitals):


FB: Waite O'HAILPIN FLINT

HB: Scotland Thornton Walker

C: RUSSELL Bentick Simpson

HF: Lappin Lance Fisher

FF: Houlihan Fev GIBBS

FOLL: KENNEDY MURPH Carrots

i/c: BLACKWELL, Kouta, BENJAMIN, Ackland (AISAKE later on perhaps)

Emerg: Young, Wiggins, Anderson


= 8 raw players, 6 very experienced (26yrs+ I think), 8 quite experienced (22-25 i think).

- This team still includes 9 190cm+ players, which may still be too many. Waite would probably be the next 190cm+ player to go (ackland would need to be replaced by another ruckman, Waite could be replaced by a small)
- Rotations to occur through middle with Gibbs, Walker and interchange players
- If waite can't perform more consistently soon, drop him for Anderson(if anderson can kick better)
- Alternatively, if waite fails: Walker to BP, Russell to HB, Waite to CHB, Thornton to wing. Would really like to see thornton in the middle able to run forward and back (adam goodes style).
- Kennedy to push forward sometimes. Not to crowd the forward line tho.
- Question marks hang over Waite, Bentick, Kouta. At this stage Bentick a certainty but in future not sure
- Another way to get T-Bird into the middle of the ground:Hartlett to CHB, Carrots to BP, Russell to middle, Thornton to wing. or Waite goes CHB and Harts stays in ants
- When betts recovers, automatically into forward pocket. - The reason Walker stays at HB is becasue his delivery from wing is not good enough. Half forward would be ok but couldn't fit him in. Would still hope he can tear the game apart from back flank, running hard, making opposition worry about him.


Adios