I think all clubs bomb it forward.

We are just not set up, nor do we work to set up forward entries to hit targets accept against the weak defences who allow us to work the ball up the ground because of their lack of pressure from having a weak team defence.

Forget what happened in the praccy game v Dees last week. Our team defence makes it hard for opposition to score as freely as some think they do against us. Look at the low scores against us when we are all in sync and applying pressure and contest on every line. We stangled all comers in the back half last year except in the last game of the year and that was only against one team, the Lions. Maybe we were beaten up, maybe we didnt adjust to their short game. I think they got us on the spread. They had more quicker players, who ran harder and longer in the 2nd quarter till midway the third.

I think its easier said than done. We want to move the ball quickly before the opposition set up, but in doing that blindly kicking it forward to what is obvious from our seats to a 2 v1 or 3 v2 situation.

Lets hope Vossy can find a way. Its all about speed and spread, and that requires a bit of express speed on hand, but in general, running harder and for longer than the opposition.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Doggies were developing him for that exact role, but he didn’t have the tank for their system at the time. He’s a different athlete & ours is a different system. But, if we’re getting torched in that 10-15m range at the stoppages again, I wouldn’t say he’s the extra that can come up to arrest the momentum.

At the end of the day, good kicking is good footy, so he probably has to play.

B: Saad Young Newman
HB: Kemp McGovern Williams
C: Acres Cripps Docherty
R: Pittonet Cerra Cuningham
HF: Cottrell McKay Boyd
F: Fogarty Curnow Fantasia
I: Kennedy De Koning O.Hollands Binns
S: Hewett

A bit light on for scoring, but that can’t be helped. Moir & Monahan both showed a bit of nous, but this game is shaping up as one for the runners.

Hewett or Kennedy the sub. Think a bit of relief at inside mid will be needed as the game goes on.

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"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter" - Winston Churchill.

Great post.

Hewett has been one of our best in the preseason. Too strong to leave out in the guts vs Lions. Wont happen.

Binns hasnt earned Hewett's spot, but could be handy in the game to keep possession . He finds space.

If anything, I'd drop Cunners for Binns. Ive gone off Cunners a bit. Was in my Best 23 for 2024, but he's no contested midfielder, and you need to be vs the Lions. Cunners avoids the contest imo. He's more of a HF- Mid....with Martin out he may get that role.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Not to disagree with Cunners playing Martin’s role however, Martin plays tough, tackles hard and applies heaps of pressure.


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And very mean in the garden too.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

Mmmm good info there re:doggies development Crusader, and 99 and BV, good to see he's not underrated here... In best 22 for mine too

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

Coming up to game time, \my thoughts:

Newman McGovern Young
Saad Kemp Williams
Acres Cripps O Hollands
Cottrell Curnow Docherty
McKay Kennedy Fantasia
De Koning Hewett Cerra
Boyd Cincotta Moir Owies
SUB Fogarty
EMERGS Binns S Durdin Wilson

I don't think S Durdin ousts Young (assuming he is given the purely defensive role) and I don't think he ousts Kemp but it does leave us ) undersized on the back line (2nd tall) as well as to some extent in the forward line (3rd tall) and running a solo ruck. Just not sure how to get him into the team unless for Cincotta maybe?

Newman Durdin Kemp
Saad McGovern Boyd
Acres Cripps O Hollands
Cottrell Curnow Cuningham
Owies McKay Fantasia
De Koning Hewett Cerra
Williams Kennedy Fogarty Docherty

I'm not as concerned about our forward entries as others. I thought our ball movement from defence was too slow and stilted allowing the opposition to get numbers back. Hopefully the addition of Williams will assist with that. I'm bringing Durdin in. Melbourne had about 20 marks inside 50. Too many uncontested within a pack situation. We need a mature head down there with the confidence to come off his man and assist the others. I hope he can do that. The loss of Weitering to our composure is telling to date.
Boyd has to play back IMHO. his ability to shift the ball off the line allows us more opportunity to bring the ball quicker to our forwards.
Docherty, Kennedy and Cuningham as midfield rotations. I've gone TDK and Harry as rucks as I thought Pitto looked underdone and Harry was much improved as the relieving ruck. Plus it gets him into the game.

Not much has changed. Our ability to win the contested ball will be our key. If we cant do that, we'll be in trouble. Hopefully Fantasia plays. I love his class and pace forward of centre. A tough start to the season with injuries and playing a Grand Finalist but we have expectations now. Let's hope the players can cope with it.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

Any mail on the team?
Esp are we going with two rucks or just TDK?
Are we going with Young or S Durdin and Kemp?
Are Charlie and Harry going to kick 8 or only 5 goals …each??


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Anyone know what time teams are announced so I don't have to keep checking every 5 mins?

Going to be interesting to see where everyone is in the pecking order

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I believe teams are posted 6.25pm?

Rumour is that Pitto hasn't flown up.

Fantasia is in.

A bit short to ruck isn’t he?


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Good x2

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CARLTON

B: B.Kemp 17 L.Young 33 A.Saad 42
HB: Z.Williams 6 M.McGovern 11 N.Newman 24
C: B.Acres 13 P.Cripps 9 M.Kennedy 7
HF: G.Hewett 29 C.Curnow 30 M.Owies 44
F: O.Fantasia 14 H.McKay 10 D.Cuningham 28
Foll: T.De Koning 12 A.Cerra 5 S.Docherty 15
I/C: J.Boyd 37 O.Hollands 4 M.Cottrell 46 J.Carroll 16 L.Fogarty 8

Emerg: J.Binns 25 A.Cincotta 39 M.Pittonet 27

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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

Carroll as Sub?

Going for a quicker team (i think that's a pattern for all teams this season)

Bring it on!

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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

Stretched pretty thin. With 7 players out we're already into our 30th best.

Is there anyone who would be genuinely in the conversation for best 22 who missed out besides injuries?

Cincotta is probably the only one. Maybe C Durdin but he probably comes under injury/lack of fitness too

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I get the bogan rucks would probably sprint away from pitt o knee but still midly surprising. Mckay and de kong to swap? You'd think they would not want lewis rucking if playing fullback

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We generally seem to play well when we are full of injuries. Seems to drive us.

Young held us together 2 years ago when our backline was decimated. Not quite as confident in him now but lets hope. Hopefully he just does the basics well.

Hey….

is there still a sub…or just five on the bench…?


kindest regards tommi

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that'siti'mnotchangingthistagain......!