Watched the game on TV - Kouta's close in work was what won us the game - the number of clearances that he got out to Scotland, Stevens and the like - 22 quality possesions as opposed to Hodges cheap possessions in the backline.

Also Barney did a great job on Everitt in the bouncework - at least kept it even where as Everitt has been really dominating this year.

If Stevens finishing was better tonight we would have won by a lot more - The bloke has led from the front all season and I reckon he will enjoy the long break and freshen up a bit. Gave it 100% but some unchareristic skill errors going forward tonight (still in my best 5 though)

I like the idea of Waite as a floating CHF. When Fev comes back you can have him leading from the square and Waitey running with the flight of the ball.

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Ecclesiastes 1:4, "One generation passes away, and another generation comes: but The Blues abide forever."

KOUTA WAS/IS A GREAT LEADER.

Brilliant out of the packs, doing the hard stuff despite having a bung knee. An inspiration.

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|♥♥♥♥♥♥| http://www.blueseum.org |♥♥♥♥♥♥|

Kouta was ordinary I thought in the first half but really got going after halftime and was crucial in the win in the end..

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Formerly Blues-Back2003.

I don't agree that Kouta was oridnary as such in the first half.

My thoughts are: who goes in harder for the ball? Wiggins maybe equal...but generally to less effect.

Kouta was right in there, damn f---- hard from the very frist bounce, and he's 32yo.

I thought the same thing, his work in the second half was fantastic- although others are putting the turnaround to johnston in the clearances.

I don't have the stats but i am sure that they would show that Kouta and Johnson have dominated the second halves of a number of games when paired in the middle .

To me, they clearly are the differences between us winning and losing!.

Bloody oath.

We look a million times better in the middle when Johnson and Kouta are in there...

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Richard Pratt - A Carlton legend.

Agree 7Dom, DS.

Seemed to me a big change in the game happened when Johno came on, and he and Kouta started getting the ball out.

Also think we play better when Houla plays across the centre, rather than from the backline.

Well played by Barney again, by the way

The handball in the air was like something from 10 years ago.

Agree with that. He was great in the Port game when released in the midfield, really setting us up but can't do that from deep in defence. Really needed more of his skill and setting up last night when so many others could not hit targets. Seems a bit wasted in defence.

I'm sure there was one part I saw when it looked as though Sam "The Extractor" Mitchell was to get the clearance, only to have it taken straight out of his hands by KOUTA, the clearance king.

Awesome stuff. I agree about the Johnson/Kouta combo in the middle, however I dont think it would work so well if we have it for all 4 quarters.

Kouta and Johnno could get exposed for their pace in the first half of a game of footy, I reckon. When we manage to make a scrap of it (i.e. second half last night), it's perfect to bring them in.

Should also mention that whilst Kouta and Johnno had 5 clearances each, Stevo had EIGHT.

His first half, he looked tired. Off the ball he was walking hands on hips - looked stuffed.

Second half was simply awsome in the clinches. I am not suere of the stats, but his hard ball gets/clearances were fanstic and he was a real prime mover in the last quarter.

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"Two roads diverged in a wood,
and I,
I took the one less travelled by,
and that has made all the difference."

Robert Frost

I think everyone, bar Wiggo and Waite, looked pretty tired.

Something interesting to note...

Prez pointed out to a few of us last night that teams coming back from Perth usually take a half to hit their straps. A sluggish first half followed by a better second half.
Seemed to be the case last night.

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Writer for SuperCoach Paige www.scpaige.com.au
Twitter - @johnfeeney24

How many 32y/o 100kg midfielders are there in the AFL who play 100% of game time in every game?
Every game i watch Kouta from now till the end of his career will be a special moment. He just keeps going and without fuss fights on, often without much help. Champion AND Great Club man.

Without doubt he was the catalyst last night. His work in close with Johnno is very very good.

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Too Legit to quit.

well said !

kouta was excellent last night .. took some good contested grabs .. his clearance work is still the best

he also copped a big knock and landed very awkwardly in the 2nd .. and got up and powered on


great game skipper !!


.. go blues ..

for those that missed it .. there was a great interview with kouta in the heraldsun this week ..


http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/ ... 18,00.html


Do you ever think about 2000?

Every year.

But 2000 was a sensational individual year for you?

It was.

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there was also a bit titled "marathon men" which noted that there are only 11 players left this season who have played every minute of every game

kouta was on top of that list with the highest total of minutes .. (guess the blues games have gone the longest)

please dont take kouta for granted ..

.. go blues ..

I will stand up here and now and admit that I wrote koutta off a few years ago. But I misjudged the Man . The sheer determination to overcome his knee problems and reinvent himself is amazing.
In a way he is more valuable now than when he was the Kouta of old- at least he is performing a function now that is indispensable and cannot really be performed by anyone else on our list. In todays game clearances are so important, and to have our captain performing this vital function is fantastic- especially at such a high level.
His critics will say that he is being over paid- no doubt they are right, but a contact is a contract. And if we have to over pay someone then I would rather it be a player performing such a vital function.

Some dream of Kouta playing his running jumping marking game of old. No doubt they will be disappointed. I will not be one of them.

If last night's game didn't show how crucial Kouta is to Carlton in the midfield, I never know what will.

Never wrote him off - do I dream about the game of old? absolutely. But thats not all I dream about. If it werent for injury perhaps we would see a combination of the 2 games.

Perhaps we might still see some glimpse of it - friday night was the first time in a looooooooong while that I've seen kouta take a few one grab marks. One can but dream...

I reckon when Kouta strolls up to a stoppage the opposition would have to groan and think, "Here we go again".
He's not only one of the best in the league at getting first hands on the ball he's also one of the best at getting his arms above a tackle and getting the handball off. Waite has a very similar ability when tackled.