Pros:
*No intensity in the first qtr then lifting the effort for the rest of the game.
*The two big men Jacobs and Hampson...got there hands to the ball quite a lot at centre bounces.
*In marking contests Hammer positions himself well but doesn't have the strength/ability to grasp the ball...he could prove a handfull for defenders if his marking can improve
*Pressure applied by Armfield and Robinson. They sprayed a couple although Robbo more so than Armfield. It lifts the other players when they chase someone down and/or force a turnover.
*Hadley was impressive in the second half for his first run.
*Garlett's chasing in the forward line is very good...has to be promoted.
*Waite was good floating back when he doesn't have a man. Despite a few errors he reads the long ball in very well and contrary to a former captain has the athleticism to be able to play that role.
*Russell's ability to win 50/50 contests and turn the ball over.

Cons:
*Russell's inability after doing the hard work to find a target or release a player.
*Lack of intensity in the first qtr...it just shows that even against an inexerpienced team if you don't come to play then you'll find it very hard.
*Skill error in the first qtr...lack of hard running.
*Letting Hawthorn defenders from our defence run right up to the half forward and even though we've flooded it they were still able to find a target...we should be pushing numbers up into the middle of the ground and trying to turn the ball over there instead of allowing them to bring the ball inside 50 under little pressure.
*Even with numbers back Roughead was still able to find space...the same wasn't the case for Fevola.

_________________
"You are being watched. The government has a secret system. A machine that spies on you every hour of every day. I know because I built it." - Finch

Pro: we won and get to see the boys play on TV again

Con: it's the comedy cup

_________________
Chris Judd: 'I've since watched some Steven Seagal movies and realise pressure points are no laughing matter.'

Pros:

1. A Win: after so many years of losing the new guys need to learn that winning is what is expected.
2. Beat a good side no matter how many players out they have.
3. Gartlett: The real deal, skill, poise and uses the ball well. Something we need. Goalkicker
4. Effectively a 50 point turnaround from halfway through the 1st qtr
5. Still need to add Walker, Warnock, Scotland, Carrazzo, Yarran to the side.
6. Thornton, haven't been a fan but very good after qtr time.
7. Finally released Waite to wing and let him run loose helping out in defence and popping up in the forward line.
8. Having Hadley in middle. Makes a difference to Gibbs, Judd and Murphy having a strong body in the middle. Good user of the ball as well.
9. Armfield: really improved his skills. The man we need running from defence.
10. Starting to fill weaknesses in line up. Running defenders who use the ball well. Class midfield. Goalkicking options. Speed. Developing ruck options.


Cons:

1. It is the preseason
2. Slow start
3. Late goals against us
4. Big questions still remain on the ability of Russell, Fisher & Anderson to be in our best 22

Pros - Jacobs and Hammer did pretty well I thought, and still Kreuzer and Warnock to come back. Garlett and Eddie's pressure in the forward line was terrific. Robbo is the kind of guy who's hard to keep down, didn't start so well but works so hard he's never out of it.
Armfield good. Hadley also not bad for a first run. Judd's goal after somehow Fev wasn't given a free for the most blatant block you could imagine was good for the blood pressure.

Cons - Men in red just baffling at times. The junior clubs of Bateman and Kiel should be sending half their $1000 to the umpiring department. Can someone clarify the rookie situation - IF we're allowed to promote 2 and have promised a spot to Pfeiffer I'll put that down as a con, would have Jacobs, Garlett and Joseph ahead of him any day of the week.

I was about to post something similar -

Pro: We beat the reigning Premiers

Con: It was the Who Cares Cup.

_________________
And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Pros:
- Jacobs rucking well. It'd be nice to see how he'd go against a quality ruckman before the season proper.
- Fevola playing great footy and chasing hard.
- Finally beating the Hawks, even if it was only the Hawks B team during a NAB Cup match
- Murph finally nailing a set shot
- Was able to turn around our attitude and attack on the ball during the match itself rather than during the following week
- Judd being Judd
- Gartlett providing the defensive pressure we've so desperately needed in our forwardline for so long. Between Gartlett, Robbo and an improve Fev we'll be causing plenty of turnovers in the future.

Cons:
-Weak start to the game
-Still bombing it to Fev as our first option going forward

Pro: Didn't see Abbadon last week, and I doubt whether we will this week, too.

_________________
And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Pro: If the gap between Yarran and Garlett is as vast as pick 6 and rookie pick6 (?) then Yarran will be an absolute superstar. Very happy with Garletts early efforts.

_________________
Get comfortable being uncomfortable

Con: Its the presaon season cup and we were playing the Box hill Hawks

Con: The cheer squad singing the the song before the final siren.

Con: The cheer squad bowing to and chanting Eddie, Eddie, Eddie.

How are they cons, Captain bringdown?

_________________
And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Pros:
- Good fightback
- Didn't take a backward step when the sniping pricks tried to sneak one in
- The efforts of Robbo, Garlett, Dangles and Jacobs. Great to see Hadley back too.
- The usual suspects doing their stuff again. GIBBS showing his class again after a shocking 1st qtr.
- Fev always producing something, even when not kicking goals. His workrate has improved immensely.
- Still have Scotland, Walker, Carrots, Kreuz, Yarran and 206 to come back.

Cons:
- Razor. Yet somehow we finished the game with more frees
- Shocking start to the game. Soft and unwilling to put the body on the line.
- We had to fight tooth and nail to overcome a hawks team missing many of their best (and a couple injured)
- Very poor games from Eddie (although he showed some spark late in the game), JR, Joey and Fish.
- Letting the hawks midfield run riot on the counter-attack too many times.
- Coughing up goals in time-on

_________________
WADA medical director Dr Alan Vernec describes Essendon* FC drug case as biggest scandal in team sport the world of sport has seen. #WC2WB

#GUILTY

PROS

We have what it takes to stay in the game and win it.

Armfield, Garlett, Hadley, Robbo...great to see them all step up and arrive for 2009.

It was obvious when Hadley stepped across the line that he belonged to the first 22.

Stalwarts Stevens and Thornton very good and stepped up when most needed.

Jacobs and Hammer stood up to the reigning premiers...forget about Renouf; we've got him covered.

Defense was good in the last 3 quarters as the midfield increased their work rate

Midfield, very good after Q time.

An even contribution across every line.

Fevola is a superstar. I wish we'd learn to give him space...not be one dimensional, but learn to open it up for him whilst creating options...we will.

Warnock, Walker, Scotland, Carrazzo, Setanta, Kreuzer and Yarran to come in. Kreuzer, Setanta and Walker will help us match it with a full strength Hawk team.

Depth!!!!

Even more pressure for positions will come from Bannister, Browne, Hartlett and Betick ....and Wiggo, Austin and Pfieffer on them too. Love it.

CONS

We will be short in defense against monsters like Roguehead and Buddy....unless Setanta and Waite are on them (imo)

Fisher ran hard, but geez, I think there's something critical missing from his game...strength.

A few have to make way for the abovementioned.

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Which adds weight to the theory of the maggots squaring up after half time.

The umpires really are a blight on the game.

_________________
And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Yeah you're right more like pathetic category than cons. Hope i haven't offended you the leader of the pact!

If before the game were handing out tool of the week no doubt the Carlton cheer squad would be leading the race. Its embarrassing man

He was hoping they'd sing 'Good old Collingwood forever' instead, and that it was actually McGuire they were chanting for.

_________________
WADA medical director Dr Alan Vernec describes Essendon* FC drug case as biggest scandal in team sport the world of sport has seen. #WC2WB

#GUILTY

I don't remember agreeing to any pact.

I don't quite get why a little exuberance by the cheer squad is such a con.

I mean, if we were sitting 15th and being thrashed every other match, but the head of the cheer squad pulled out a gold lamé jacket and pranced about in it on the rare occasion of a win, before the siren, I'd put that in the pathetic category.

_________________
And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

No sure I would blame our first quarter on a slow start - to give them their due, Hawthorn smashed us in the first quarter. They were maulling us with good, tough footy. We had to re-group and come back in the 2nd a lot harder and a lot smarter.

Which we did.

After years fo being pushed around, it was great to see us serve it back and regain that missing confidence and swagger. Our defensive game in the front half improved enormously during the game. Our back line hung together with smart footy when they were under siege early.

To knock off the premiers who have bashed us repeatedly in recent seasons by 10 goals a game is one big effort. Plus we gave them a four goal head start...

Who Cares Cup or not - the boys will be pumped tonight.

_________________
"...that's the thing about opinion - you don't have to know anything to have one..." Andre Agassi commenting on Pat Cash 2004
"...the less you know - the more you believe..." - Bono 2006

PROS-
* We won;
* No injuries to speak of;
* Hard running after 1/4 time;
* Fev;
* T-Bird's 2nd half;
* Johnson looks like a handy pick-up;
* Garlett gave us a real spark in the 2nd half. He and Jacobs are leading the Rookie race IMO;
* Hammer continues to make slow but steady improvement;
* Promising return from injury for Hadley & Fisher, particularly Hadley;
* Armfield's improvement since he grew the Jon McCormick-style hair cut ;

CONS-
* For the 2nd week in a row, we gave away too many free kicks IMO. I know some of them were dodgy decisions, but we seem to be giving away a lot of too high & in the backs. Often it's sloppy tackling, or players not getting their body in low enough at the contest;
* I was very frustrated in the 1st half at how often our players lost their feet;
* Multiple occasions where our players handpassed to a stationary teammate who was under pressure;
* It's obvious we are going to struggle if/when Fev is shut down;
* Gibbs looked less than 100% to me;
* Jamo was soundly beaten by Roughead;
* Grigg's disposals have a touch of Simon Beaumont about them at times...

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

Thats a good point but

It stinks of total desperation by fabricating this old Carlton arrogance. I couldn't help but laugh along with others sitting around me (hawks and blues) supporters at them

I bet the majority of those in the cheers squad singing the song before the siren would be the first to call talkback radio stations and call for Rattens head if we were to lose our round 1 game.

No sure I would blame our first quarter on a slow start - to give them their due, Hawthorn smashed us in the first quarter. They were maulling us with good, tough footy. We had to re-group and come back in the 2nd a lot harder and a lot smarter.

Which we did.

After years fo being pushed around, it was great to see us serve it back and regain that missing confidence and swagger. Our defensive game in the front half improved enormously during the game. Our back line hung together with smart footy when they were under siege early.

To knock off the premiers who have bashed us repeatedly in recent seasons by 10 goals a game is one big effort. Plus we gave them a four goal head start...

Who Cares Cup or not - the boys will be pumped tonight.

_________________
"...that's the thing about opinion - you don't have to know anything to have one..." Andre Agassi commenting on Pat Cash 2004
"...the less you know - the more you believe..." - Bono 2006