I knew he had an interrupted pre season but didn't realise it was that bad. Awesome effort from Murph.

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"our electorate seeks less to be informed and more to be validated." Sad times.

Love Riley's analyses every year. Calls it as he sees it and not afraid to point out where guys need to improve.

Betts to the midfield will make many happy.

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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

some terrifc insight
interesting, particularly re-Betts and Austin.

I`m thinking about his comments re` the new interchange rules and Kruezer as a forward. Would be very crowded with Hendo, Waite and Kruze in there. Hopefully means we shift Waitey back to defence or possibly wing. Would we have gone for Warnock if we knew this rule was coming in?
Also interesting about Gibbs. I sensed some disagreement about his role amongst the coaching staff. Surely if he improved the midfield we needed to develop another half back.

Well done Bomber, seems pretty positive, but no bullsh1t..

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I hope Essendon* folds.

Warnock is pretty awesome around the ground I reckon, takes a big mark and is pretty quick for a dinosaur.

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#23: Lachlan Henderson

Interesting too about wanting to play Jeffy a little higher up on the wing...he showed us some scintillating runs along the boundary this year baulking and bouncing and burning off those that chased after him, really was a pleasure to watch and reminded me abit of Michael Long/Gavin Wanganeen back in the day.

As the 3 amigos get there fitness up I think it would be good to see all 3 of them regularly have short sharp stints in the middle.
I could see it doing wonders for the mid rotations allowing at least one of Jeffy, Yarran or Eddie to be going through there at all times.

The beauty of this trio is that they each bring something different to the table as midfielders:
Jeffy for his blistering pace and evasiveness.
Yarran for his decision making, creativity, poise and skill by foot.
Eddie for his extraction and pressure off the ball - this guy in particular I believe should be at more centre bounces as Riley alluded to. I can remember a game, I think against Saints in 09 where we almost won (Zac Dawson kicked the winner/sealer?) that Eddie seemed to play through the middle abit more than usual that night. From memory he had 17 touches and a staggering 15 or so were contested possessions, he seemed to do some ripping clearance work that night. I think his height has alot to do with it, is very good at trapping ground balls.

Such a rotation would cause nightmares for match ups for opposition coaches IMO.


These boys are certainly more than one trick ponies - the sooner we develop their versatility the better.

I hope we can keep these 3 together as 200+ game players for the mighty CFC...mark my words something special is brewing.

Jeez these boys alone are making me very very excited about 2011!

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Carlton. Yes, Carlton are into the grand final!!!
- Drew Morphett, after 1999 prelim final

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

From Riley's viewpoint I don't think he undervalues Houlihan's class.
If Houla can maintain intensity it seems there's always room for class.

Kreuzer in the midfield? I think we all like this and acknowledge K's ruck roving capabilities.

R: Warnock
C: Judd/ Gibbs (allowing both stints in the fwd line)
RR: Kreuzer (has the engine to be on ground for long periods rotate with Warnock and FF/ Waite/Hendo)
R: Murphy/ Betts etc
The main theme in Rileys assessment is that they are kids with plenty of room for improvement in levels of fitness, skill, intensity or consistency with every player.

I agree and have so all along: it's a very very young developing group.

I love the fact we will be in a position to become even less predictable in 2011 with the rotations in the midfield and forwardline.

I'm expecting a 10% improvement in 2011. ..... and a flag (if it makes me feel better)

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Another thing about Gibbs
He is a thoroughbred for sure
But ...
Can they get about another 10% mongrel in him. That on top of what is already there = ?

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It's the jumper

Looking forward to Kreuzer in the midfield. We may very well be onto something here. A Koutoufides type role perhaps?

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Premierships: 1869, 1871, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1887, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1995.

"GIBBS."

I wondered a few time at thduring the year why Eddie didn't go into the midfield when he was fitter than he'd ever been and we were lacking a spark around the ball. Particularly with Eddies end of season slump.

I hope they send the entire team to that boxing clinic this year, worked really well for the three who went last year.

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I hope Essendon* folds.

Gee I love Waite, you can play the guy anywhere.

Henderson is a handy defender as well, so our versatility with our big men is crucial. Hence why losing Jacob's is ok. Even Warnock is a decent forward.

So many options on game day and so many players who can play different roles. I can't see how this new rule doesn't advantage our playing list.

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Koperek.

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Never argue with idiots. They drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience!!!

After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says W T F .........
Visit http://fromthemoshpit.com/

I think only NRL players get "mongrel" in them. or something.

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This might sound extreme in the context of alleged sexual assault, drunken violence and a drug trafficking charge...

I got half of one just looking at your avatar.

_________________
Never argue with idiots. They drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience!!!

After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says W T F .........
Visit http://fromthemoshpit.com/

Interesting suggestions of using Kreuzer in the midfield and as a third man up at ruck contests. This is a role he has been used in a little, and a role that Hammer could also play given his mobility. So could we in fact run all 3 big men? A really interesting prospect this. It runs completely counter to the "one ruck and a KPP to give him a few minutes break" mentality that seems to be the overwhelming response (understandably) to the substitutes rule. I simply do not like that approach for one reason above all else - if the sole ruckman gets injured you are effectively going to get slaughtered in the ruck for the rest of the day. I believe in having at least a back-up ruckman you are prepared to go with for almost the whole day (even if only capable of making a contest) in the event of your number one ruck going down or having a shocker and at least a back-up "give him a break KPP" as well. Against Freo when Kreuzer went down we were treated to the near-biblical spectacle of "Tbird & Goliath". Given the rules do not permit use of slingshots this was one battle Tbird wasn't going to win and the double-decker docker dominated whilst Jacobs was rested.

So could we go the other way and run all 3? All of the 3 ruckmen offer something up forward, although none in my view would earn their keep as a pure forward. Warnock's height is hard to counter, he has surprising mobility and an accurate kick. Kreuzer is very mobile, accurate kick and although not a great mark would be a real worry to most backs just because of size and Hampson is incredibly quick and developing his skill set although not a quickly as I'd like. All 3 would get plenty of ball to ground for the 3 amigos. Could you run the 3 as a ruck/ruckrover/ forward pocket merry-go-round? Obviously you would have Warnock rucking or forward but the other 2 could do the 3 roles. It is a tall team to be true, and with most ruckmen you would be found out when the ball hits the ground, but Kreuzer and Hampson especially have mobility good enough to match midsize mids and defenders. And they would certainly add a big body into the midfield rotation to help with the physical stuff. And, heaven forbid, if one goes down during the game you still have 2 genuine ruckmen to share the rucking duties without having to call upon a "give him a break KPP" - not that you'd pick the 3 simply against that eventuality. An intersting prospect and one worth comtemplating and perhaps trialling in the NAB cup. Even if Kreuzer wasn't ready for those games you could run Hammer as a ruckrover/ 3rd man up to see how it went.

I am of the opinion that running one ruck is a huge risk. Collingwood managed it last year and so everybody will want to do it all the time but they were lucky all year with their lack of serious injuries to big men and Jolly played all games IIR. He certainly didn't get injured during the game and have to leave the field. Had that happened, we would not have seen the success that they had doing it. I can't imagine Brown rucking for three quarters against Warnock or Sandilands if Jolly does his ankle in the first term.

Once upon a time, there was a competition where there were NO interchanges, only two subs. Each team had two rucks, one of whom rested in either the forward or back pocket. They also had things called 'rovers' who 'rested' in the forward and back pockets which created rotations through the midfield and enabled them to 'rest'. Of course they were not as good as the midfielders of today. People like Skilton, Goggins, Ashman, Cable and co could never get a game in today's frenetic spectacle.

Like hell they couldn't.

So what's the big deal? The ability to rest a ruckmen up forward still exists. Last year we did it in two games and IIR, when we did, we had two last quarters of 9 and 10 goals. The concept of resting the ruckman on the pine is amazing to me. Warnock leaning against the goal post while Hampson rucks and vice versa gives me a hard on. (Well as close to a hard on as I can muster at my age but the point is made.) I can't imagine a team having the balls to flood all their backs to the midfield with 200+cm of resting ruckman in the 10yard square. It would require two backmen to stay there with him or risk a one on one marking contest. Meanwhile, the entire midfield rotation continues off the bench and through the forward or half back lines. The biggest problem is the poor bastard who has to watch it all with his vest on and hope that one of his mates gets injured. That will be the hardest position to fill IMO. Walker or O'hAilpin might be the perfect sub for us because they are both fast and play tall or short. As for the rest of the bench, fill it with running midfielders and keep two rucks on the ground.

Kreuzer can play the Sergio Silvagni/Ron Barassi/James Hird role of just chasing the footy around the park where he is needed at any given moment.

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Let slip the Blues of war (with apologies to William Shakespeare) (and Sir Francis Bacon, just in case)