Apparently our hardest pre-season ever . Its not an accident . Its for a reason . Its to hold us in good stead for the second half of the season . No fadeouts this year . Its all part of a cunning plan .................. i reckon we will go five and five and have the media in a frenzy baying for blood . And thats when we will start getting players back and starting to build momentum and finish in sixth position in the eight . Finishing sixth is a perfect position for a side that hasn't seen action for a few years . Not to high for unrealistic expectations , and not to low giving us a copout if we bomb .

10

6 wins, after what I saw in the practice game vs the swans

Thought Buckley said it well on SEN

Carlton have work to do

Buckley: “Carlton have work to do.”

“I was quoted as saying they might not make it (finals). It’s not run and won and it’s not something I’d expect to be a fait accompli.

“(Assistant coach) Ash Hansen had this to say about the Blues last practice match (against Sydney).”

Hanson: “We got beaten at the contested ball, we base our game around contest which I think most AFL teams do … it was a reality check tonight especially early around the ball with clearance numbers.”

Buckley: “They didn’t have Patrick Cripps, who is their contested ball leader, their heart and their soul and he’s dragged them over the line a couple of times.

“They didn’t have Sam Walsh, who eventually will come back into the side and he’s one of the best transition runners in the competition.

“But they cannot just roll into this season and assume improvement and assume they’ll go from ninth to into the finals.

“It’s the hardest position to make up, between ninth and eighth at the end of the year on the ladder.

“Their top end is elite, their clearance work into the forward area when they get that game going is nearly unbeatable. Their Plan A and the best of their best is as good as any team in the competition, but their transition efficiency needs work.

“When they don’t have their A-game going and you need to grind it out, I’m not sure how they hold up effectively and efficiently with momentum against them.

“I think the whack on top of this is the psychological challenge, and Vossy has spoken about this, they’re trying to stay in the moment and not get ahead of themselves.

“Saying that is the right attitude, doing it is harder than the words that you need to caution against it.”

5-5 with losses to Richmond, Geelong, Adelaide, Brisbane and Collingwood. Wins against GWS, NM, StK, WCE and WB. I have us finishing 6th at 15-8.

I think Buckley has summed it up very well here.

That’s what stood out for me too ABNS…..transition work needs continued work based on what we saw last Friday

5-5 with losses to Richmond, Geelong, Adelaide, Brisbane and Collingwood. Wins against GWS, NM, StK, WCE and WB. I have us finishing 6th at 15-8.