Some good quarters against POrt allowed us to draw with them. Geelong beat them by a free that would have been paid against us the night we played port. Everyone is calling the cats a flag chance.
We cant be too bad.

Will be tough fronting up to the hawks after the two road trips and the 35 degree heat the week before. Without fev and stevens we could be in strife but I reckon we can scrap out a win.

People, we're just stating the obvious , we need this and we need that . We all know what we need , our problem has been that we haven't been in a position to get these players ( what we need ).

Come seasons end 2005 and 2006 i'm sure we will be better placed financially and Draft wise to get what we need.

We should consider ourselves quite fortunate that Pagan and co have in the short term been able to give us some respectability.

Leadership is a definate problem at the moment, but a bloke like Stevens definately has something on offer.

Lets re visit this thread come start of 2007 and if we are talking the same thing then i would be very very suprised, and extremely let down by our Football Club.

Stevens Captain, Waite Thornton Teague Walker all part of a leadership group, looks ok to me for the future.

With players like Davies, Wiggins,Blackwell providing some grunt and players like Simpson Betts Russell and Raso giving us some polish, not to mention a mature Houlihan, a mature Fev, an established ball Magnet in Carrazzo, an Up and coming Gun Hartlett, and an Irishman on a mission.

So really the only problem i see for the future is a Ruckman. The rest will fall into place. Can we get Will Minson to Carlton is my big question ??

We need to keep looking forward and not be as short sighted as some of us can be. Lets not kid ourselves 2005 was never really going to be our year, the Wizzer Cup may have given a few false hope for 2005, for me the Wizzer Cup was about the money.

Anyway thats what i think and be it right or wrong shoot me down if you like, we are at least heading in the right direction.

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I know a little secret. And i'm not sharing.

Completely agree tractor boy.

This year is still all about development for me. As long as we are progressing forward I'll be happy. As far as our current leaders are concerned let nature takes its course. Pagans not stupid, he's seen it all before and he'll be thinking of next year and the year after that RIGHT NOW. Thats why I think everyone on the list will get their time in the seniors this season to prove themselves.

I am curious as to what should happen to the forward line. I think that is our greatest weakness. The midfield and defenders work their ar*se off to get the ball there and who do we have - two key forwards out of form.

Fevola is not playing with any zing... i would drop him anyway. I rate him highly as a footballer, but he is just too inconsistent right now.

Whitnall. I would drop him too. The whole Wizard Cup situation has gone to his head.

The answer - put a real leader - like Lappin in the forward line. Give Betts and blokes that lead hard for the ball a chance.

Fevola's leading right now is hopeless

To a lesser degree i agree that we do have some forward line problems but to suggest we drop our big guns is not the answer IMO. Having said that if we accept that Fev will be rubbed out this would be an ideal opportunity for us to mix things up a little bit, and see how things pan out.

With Fev out, Lance moves to the square, Archie plays at CHF , Longmuir becomes our leading target, Betts and Davies become our crumbers , Waite and Lappin can be used as a Flankers/Wingers still keeping it open for Pagans paddock. The beauty of Lance in the square is that he can use his body in a one on one, even if he doesn't always take the mark. This would allow us to get crumbers in at the feet to pick up the pieces.

Also having Fev out of the side this week will also make us less predictable and that in itself is a good thing.

In saying all of this Fev is in our best 22 and to blame our forwards for our losses is harsh but they are there to kick goals, so when they don't they are always the ones many criticise first.

It will be an interesting week and a very interesting Friday Night. We will however win, this i'm very sure of.

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I know a little secret. And i'm not sharing.

Carlton won the 2005 Wizard Cup, defeating West Coast in the final

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Carlton's jumper is Navy Blue

Hey Synbad! You dropped something.

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Fair Dinkum....

Thanks for your input

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I know a little secret. And i'm not sharing.

Jarusa i have another one too... Its the King of spades. Theres a pic of Lance on that one.. digging what seems to be his grave.

[quote="Synbad"]Simpson has pace. Sporn doesnt have pace and it doesnt seem he can handle the collision stuff.
quote]

Synbad - perhaps you would like to categorically state out of the 50 odd games that sporn has missed - how many of those missed games havebeen due to collision based injuries? - I think your overreacting and you should try to do it less - its better for your health

If Fev is in the side and playing as he has in the past 5 weeks (poor leads and not enough defensive pressure) Joel Smith will kill us this week.
AAT...
I disagree with most of you ! We are only lacking one player....
an enforcer -
Player that is all muscle, intimidates others, flies the flag, isn't dirty and shows what courage is....even if he gets rubbed out for "charging"
This is the type of guy that gets pats on the back at training if he's rubbed out...not shied away from
Don't need this from a Captain...this is a different level of leadership....need this from an ENFORCER....and we just don't have one (haven't for a long time)

As much as I hate to say it, Hamill would have been perfect

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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