Being an optimist I think we're in with a chance, mostly because:

I don't think the midfield palyed with any intensity at all during pre-season, and that made the backline look worse than it is.
I think we were focussed on this week, and didn't give a hoot if we won two nothing matches (in extreme conditions).

I am a bit concerned that we have a few seemingly underdone players, and as a result I wouldn't be taking anyone to Brisbane who is yet to play, has barely played, or is under cloud (S. Durdin, Walsh, Marchbank, Motlop, etc.)

Kemp - Young - Newman
Boyd - McGovern - Saad
Acres - Cripps - Docherty
Cottrell - Curnow - Cunningham
Fantasia - McKay - Fogarty
DeKoning - Cerra - Hewitt

O. Hollands - Cincotta - Binns - J. Carroll
sub: Kennedy

Are there VFL games for Williams and others to get match fit before Rounds 1 or 2?
If not, I’d be tempted to play Williams - he is not going to get match fit on the track and may as well jump in when everyone else will also be working into it…


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I recall Williams coming in after a very long layoff in the disastrous last game of 2022 - and he was one of our best and looked sharp.

If he's fit, he's in.

Why is it a "free hit"?

It might be Round 0 /opening Round or whatever but AFAIK its still worth 4 points to the winner?

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Cripps is the man

Riley Beveridge
@RileyBev
Another blow for Carlton on the eve of Opening Round. Jesse Motlop's jarred toe hasn't settled in time to face Brisbane. Set to miss 1-2 weeks. Blues still hopeful other small forwards Corey Durdin (hamstring) and Matt Owies (calf) will be available. More on @AFLcomau

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"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

Riley Beveridge
@RileyBev
Carlton has also ruled out midfield star Sam Walsh until at least its Round 2 bye. Blues say he is increasing his training loads on a modified program. @AFLcomau

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"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

So that’s no

Weitering
Walsh
Marchbank
Motlop
Silvagni
Martin

Maybe owies and Durdin

Not a great start


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Yikes.

Lions currently paying $1.30 - good value if you ask me.

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In the Truth there is no news, and in the News there is no truth.

Definitely playing...
I'd love to see Boyd as a high half forward

Go Blues

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“Every single element of the Club has to be the best in the league, meticulously and methodically, and only by doing this will we be elite and challenge for number 17.”
Greg Lee

He's the one defender who has the skill and confidence to take the ball off the line and hit the aggressive targets. It's a massive deficiency for us at the moment. So he's crucial behind the ball IMHO. But in saying that, he showed in the practice games that he now has the confidence to sneak forward and deliver well inside our 50. His value is very underrated IMHO and if fit, he's easily best 22.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm

looking a tad concerning but.................here goes

Kemp - Young - Newman
Boyd - McGovern - Saad
Acres - Cripps - Hollands
Cottrell - Curnow - Cunningham
Fantasia - McKay - Fogarty
DeKoning - Cerra - Kennedy

Zac Williams - Cowan - Docherty - Hewitt
sub: Cincotta

If they think Sam Durdin is fit and ready, then he replaces Young.
Cowan or Binns was a toss up. I think Cowan with his height, dash, long kicking and aggression but I could be swayed. Binns just has a few more of his size and type infront at the moment.

If Harry goes into the Ruck and DeK off for a rest, then Kennedy will have to provide the big bodied Target to give Charlie a chopout. Or Crippa to FF and Charlie up the ground maybe.

Big ask in Round 0.


Regards Cazzesman

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Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

Didn’t Port Adelaide smash the Lions in Round 1 last year by about 10 goals?
I’m not at all worried by Hipwood. I am concerned about Daniher, their Charlie, Coleman, and Dunkley. And maybe Raynor.
Imagine if we win?? Lid: GONE!


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Zero chance of winning.
We needed Walsh to be there.

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I am as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more!!!

We just can’t have nice things….

It was at the Adelaide Oval, big difference.

HIT NAIL ON HEAD

Oh my kingdom for someone who can hit Charlie and Harry with a semblance of accuracy

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If I want your opinion, I'll give it to you!

Agree with all of this, like I said in the practice game threads, I'd really like to see Boyd on a wing, I reckon he could do the damage going forward we are missing and hit those long targets inside 50.
Having two wings that have next to no penetration into F50 is not working and won't work, especially when we have no mids (maybe except Walsh) that can kick like that either.

So how much of it is on the kicking into F50 and how much is on the leading patterns/coordination of the forwards?
Everyone can see we bomb it too much but why?


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I'd say it's a bit of both.
But even if the leading patterns were no good, the kicks are mostly bombed into the F50 from outside the arc anyway.
We don't even try to chip it around to find a leading forward in most cases.
Plus when we come out of the back line we tend to bomb it from arc to arc, mainly to a contest and then that gives away any opportunity to hit a long target from mid wing to just inside F50 negating any long lead from a forward from deep in the 50.
If we had reliable players in the midfield that when we run it out of defence they can hit those long targets, the leading patterns would open up a lot more IMO.
At the least it would make us more dynamic and unpredictable.