I know it's not been a good year thus far
But there's arguably been more individual improvement than we've seen in previous years - Rowe, Yarran, White, Buckley, Warnock, Casboult, Menzell to name but a few
Plus Docherty and Everitt have been good additions
And Gibbs seems to have decided to stay which points to something being at the end of the rainbow
And we've played a lot of games this year without Judd, Waite, Carrazzo, Scotland, and Brock missed one or two
If, and these are big Ifs, we can win our next two- two winnable games - we will be on an even keel
I'm not for one minute suggesting we will be finals contenders nor worthy of such
But I just wonder if this is going to be one of those years where maybe the runs aren't on the ladder board but some critical development of the list transpires
What we wouldn't do for another handful of good kids on the list
The upcoming off season we will need to hit the jackpot with the draft and FA
A shame Cripps got injured

sneak into the 8 and the BAM .... Blueman!!!

All I have heard since the game on Monday is how brave the Saints were with such a young team.

We were on average only 6 months older on Monday night. We've also used as many players as them this year (34) which is an equal league high.

All Carlton players who received coaches votes were 25 & younger. All Saints players were 30 & over.

Our oldest player was Simmo - who still has years left in him. Will play into mid 30s.

We haven't even started the rebuild properly yet and already have Doc, Bucks, Menz, Cripps (other kids unproven as yet) to add to a group of players who are about to enter their prime or have just entered it in: Murph, Gibbs, Warnock, Lachie, Yazz, Kreuz, Walker, Thomas, Curnow. There's a good base there.

Obviously our glaring need is KPP. Ideally I'd love a KPF with our first pick and somehow trade in other (my dream is Tomlinson).

Once Gibbs & Yarran are signed, the other uncontracted players are up for sale for the right price.

For a team who to the public haven't started the rebuild yet that's a good foundation. However I'm of the belief mick has been quietly going about the rebuild without ever publicly admitting it. And I'm all for it.

buckey, menzel and doc. 3 of em will be guns , thats a dam good start and just hope they all see out the season injury free .

Changing of the guard? No doubt about it.
Rebuild? Don't think so i a formal sense. MM will cut deep again this year and we will have to be active at thr trade table and looking for FA, of which there don't seem to be a lot apart from Frawley who will probably end up at the Hawks.
IMO we should cut Judd loose to free up space in the cap. Waite maybe. Scotto for sure, although he isn't probably on a lot. Gibbs is out of the club's control until he actually signs. Kreuzer? Warnock? Both possibilities or should be and even Walker. If we were to get rid of all those (I would be happy for Gibbs to stay if he isn't on too much money) we would have plenty to work with in the TPP.
It all depends on how the kids can run ot the season. I would expect them to tire and that we have a poor last few weeks unless someone else can hold down a position.
Next year. There's always next year, isn't there? It's just such a pity we're already talking about it after seven rounds.

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

Jamo is another one.

On the other hand, there's a few that have been a bit down on last year for various reasons - Tuohy, Garlett, Brock, Tex & Hendo come to mind. We're not at the half way mark of the season yet, so there's time to turn it around for those players (whom I rate, by the way). I'm not being super critical, I'm just saying there's 5 good players who haven't hit their straps yet in 2014. Hopefully they can deliver what they are capable of in the 2nd half of the season.

And it'd be a bonus if we can get Curnow, Bell, Thomas, Carrazzo, Judd & Waite back somewhere near peak fitness. I'm not expecting much from Kreuzer in 2014. He might be available in the later rounds, but it's all about getting his body right for 2015 and beyond.

Anyway, if we can have a decent run of luck with injuries from here on, I'm cautiously optimistic that we'll be a better team in the 2nd half of the year.

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

..as soon as krooz can play, they will name him.. ..they've been counting down the weeks for a month already..

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..if you can't be good, be good at it..

Great post

Really?
I thought he was a long way off and that with the injury he has he will have little impact this year

He's actually one I'd look to trade if the right offer was there

That said he wouldn't be on big coin and is a true club man so they're not the types teams should trade just from a culture perspective

Probably hang on to him and hope he gets a free run at it in next few years

He's still young for ruck/kpp

Well I think we have around 20 odd for future but we need about 30 so it's not like the cupboard is bare but we do need to add more young talent especially KPP and midfield

..he was a long way off, now currently two months.... ..doesn't stop them scratching off the weeks as they go by.. ....all noise to date has been the expectation to get him right for later in the year.. ..history shows that they rush him back into the side far more often than not.. ..if there is no setback, he will play this season.... ..they've never been smart with how they manage him..

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..if you can't be good, be good at it..

Shouldnt have lost to Melbourne
8 wins tops this year
Guard changing or not its pretty sad and pretty poor out of a so called coach who brings out the best in players

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If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

Agreed and makes it all the more palatable going to games seeing the young ones develop -Docherty menzel buckley all pluses - still think cripps will be good and would like him to get more game time

Need to be careful in how we do it in my view club haven't really helped bell for example in his development - brought back against Collingwood when he was still injured and then couldn't play against aints - dropped earlier in the year after the game he was sub -when he came on and played serviceably and seemed to be a scapegoat for the loss - not sure why you would drop the sub when those playing 90 mins were shocking

Carrazzo waite and judd all on their last legs - injury means all 3 cant really be relied on and should be bit players at the very least - Scotland should be seen in a similar vein

the upside of levi is better than krooooozer, levis kicking will improve no doubt and we will have a very good footballer who can consistently get to contests and take marks

Pretty sure my answer is probably in one of the following threads, given they're essentially the same one:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=33998
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=33985
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=33974
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=33977
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=33897
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=33491
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=33084
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=33055
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=33028
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=32989
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=31142
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=31622
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=30651
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=30593
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=30382
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=30228

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BLUES 2010: PAV AND JUDD = FLAGS. DOING IT FOR THE LOVE OF DICK PRATT.

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR TALKINGCARLTON SUPERCOACH 2009 YET?

..not sure I follow the logic.. ..they are both roughly the same age.. ..not sure why levi's kicking will improve, but krooz has no upside..?.. ..factor in they're not even the same roles.. ..one is a ruck, the other a key forward.. ..and yet, krooz has kicked more goals playing as a key forward, not a role he is a natural at, than Levi has..

..bottom line, Levi has to reach the upside he has, jus to get to where krooz is at now.. ..and krooz has plenty of upside left in him too, mind.. ..not too sure why some players can improve and others can not when we see plenty of players have much better second halves to their careers..

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..if you can't be good, be good at it..

I'd argue he has more individuals developing their game well than Ratten did

Is there a changing of the guard happening right now? Feel free to make a proper contribution to this website if that's at all possible for you ??? (Instead of merely being a smart arse who plays the man not the ball which is fast becoming your forte)

Fair retort there


I can't speak for Spring but maybe it's the perception that Levi had made some good strides of late whereas Kreuzers development has stalled

Of course injuries have played a part

But injuries are reality and there'd be some who worry Kreuz mightn't ever come good...

There is not a changing of the guard happening right now.


There will however be one in about 5 hours according to this website:
http://www.royal.gov.uk/royaleventsandc ... rview.aspx

That is the only legitimate contribution I have, as there is no question to answer. It's just you making a thread for the sake of it, when you could have easily put it in the post-game discussion thread, and then claiming victimization/playing the man when someone points out that you always do it to seek attention. Not to be Nostradamus or anything, but I predict that once we lose our next game by a substantial margin you'll put up another thread along the lines of "Do we have a top 8 standard bootstudder?"/"Should we delist Mitch Robinson?"/"Is our coach good?"/"Name our best 22 for 2047", followed by a thread stating the complete opposite stance once we have a good win. Oh and the obligatory reference to "my mate who is a serious football supporter...but follows Collingwood"

Moshe summed it up far better in his Bryce Gibbs thread, but how exactly else are we supposed to see something happening if it isn't in front of our eyes?

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BLUES 2010: PAV AND JUDD = FLAGS. DOING IT FOR THE LOVE OF DICK PRATT.

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR TALKINGCARLTON SUPERCOACH 2009 YET?