R1: Positives

camel · **Posted:** Sat Mar 26, 2005 5:29 pm

Kouta
32 possessions, who expected that! Well done Kouta, if only he had a few mates in there helping out. Hopefully he can remain fit and strong.

Carazzo
Looked our most accomplished defender at times and always seems to have time and does not appear to panic when under pressure in defence.

Betts
His "Hollywood game" is great, super goal from freakish angles, but he also chases and does the one perceneters. Early days yet for young Eddie, but if he can keep working hard on the basics he'll go a long way because, clearly, the stuff that can't be taught comes to Eddie with ease.

The loss
Okay, I don't mean the loss was a positive, but being so gutted at losing a game I expected us to win is a good sign in some ways. I did underestimate the Roos, but I also expected a lot more from us. This was a big reality check and hopefully next week Denis will have us bouncing back and playing the positive and disciplined football we know we can.

dannyboy · **Posted:** Sat Mar 26, 2005 5:40 pm

Prender - good game from him today.

camel · **Posted:** Sat Mar 26, 2005 5:41 pm

Yep, agree dannyboy, pleasing to see that Prenda seems to be continually developing his game. He took some good grabs today.

dannyboy · **Posted:** Sat Mar 26, 2005 5:43 pm

Waite Ist half - then he was buggered, but gee him coming off the square is exciting.

Cazzesman · **Posted:** Sat Mar 26, 2005 5:49 pm

Losing by 20 points when so many good players were down atleast shows that the lesser lights are working hard. We had the same number of scoring shots.

Stevo, Campo, Houls, Fev and Whits all struggled. Rocca and Thompson didn't get any shorter as the game went on and the likes of Wells, Grant, Simpson and Harvey ran harder than our boys after half time and that was were we struggled the most. The CFC midfielders were harrassed and the delivery to Fev and Co was very poor.

An early hiccup but lets see how things unfold. We all mentioned the improved depth we have and now those in the VFL will get their chance. Simpson, Karl and Wiggo will all get their chances and need to grab them with both hands.

Disappointing it was but not the end of the world.

Regards Cazzesman

Big Danny G · **Joined:** Wed Mar 09, 2005 10:13 pm **Posts:** 219

Yeah i agree dannyboy, Waite was awesome, he just has to improve that fitness. I love the way he puts his head down and charges like a raging bull.

If he hadn't already, he proved that he's gonna be a superstar today.

Another thing i liked was Lappins game. It was nothing out of the ordinary for him but you could see him just pushing for the Blues to get over the line and his marking, tackling and running was way more aggresive then usual.

Betts and Kouta were the other obvious positives for the Blues.

budzy · **Joined:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 11:17 am **Posts:** 8128

I thought Kouta was terrific today. Yes his disposal was a bit ordinary but his leadership and his obvious committment to really give it everything when he is still underdone I thought he was inspirational.

Carrazzo continues to improve. Good solid game.

Diggers was okay and Eddie Betts really showed some zip and freakish uncoachable skill. Could be anything young Betts.

Kaptain Kouta · **Joined:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 12:41 pm **Posts:** 63509

Kouta - I don't think I need to say anything else.

Lappin - played well for at least the first half, was a little quiet later.

Eddie Betts - great instinct for the game

Livo - played well until the injury.

To be that close effectively without Fev wasn't a bad sign.

Carrots - classy ballgetter.

Waite - A phenomena. Strength and ballhandling for a big guy like that is great.

Solid games from Lance, Prenda, Barney, Houla, McGrath.

On the other hand: Disposal was shocking. Decision making was poor at best. We got dragged down to lowest-common-denominator footy and were forced to play the way they wanted us to. We should have dictated the terms. Davies shots on goal were definitely gettable if not "gimmes". Scotland turned over the ball a little too much in the first half.

camel · **Posted:** Sat Mar 26, 2005 6:09 pm

Put Waite down in the tough nut category too btw. I get goosebumps thinking about he good he could be.

BackInTown · **Joined:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 6:14 pm **Posts:** 67

Kouta played the entire game. Whe was the last time he completed a full match without a spell ?

Warby · **Posted:** Sat Mar 26, 2005 6:26 pm

....I thought we really missed the linking up and finishing of Callum Chambers....not that we would have won with him;but we missed him....

tap in 79 · **Joined:** Fri Mar 04, 2005 10:58 am **Posts:** 2129

Dannyboy, I don't know about you but I was guttered after this defeat and yet again it was North Melbourne that inflicted the pain. I know you don't rate North as they aren't a "traditional rival", but surely this game must change your opinion. (on top of all the other victories they have had over the years)

They play a boring game of football (except for Wells) and yet they are always there with their annoying supporters making plenty of noise AND upsetting Carlton's agenda.

Positives... that is what this post is about. oh yeah - that we get to play North again later in the year. In that match I hope the Blues can get some revenge. Hopefully the forward line will work harder in that match.

Positives in this match - other than the form of Kouta, Betts, Scotland and Prendergast etc - was the period in the second quarter when Carlton played the type of football we want to play - ie high pressure on the opposition, tackling and causing turnovers. Two of the best in applying this type of pressure was Waite and Davies - well done.

Mav · **Joined:** Thu Mar 03, 2005 10:56 am **Posts:** 175

Agree that Betts is a massive positive. Not just a WizCup wonder. He is the real deal.

And Houla put the "blouse" tag away, hopefully for good. Late in the game, in junk time, the ball came bouncing over the centre circle towards Houla, His opponent was shoulder-to-shoulder with him and 2 other Roos were converging on him. He threw himself at the ball, knocked it to our advantage, but took a hammering to his left side which left him winded. The fact that it was in junk time made his effort all the better. When it was "go time" he went. That's all you can ask.

Taff · **Posted:** Sat Mar 26, 2005 7:27 pm

"On the other hand: Disposal was shocking. Decision making was poor at best. We got dragged down to lowest-common-denominator footy and were forced to play the way they wanted us to. We should have dictated the terms. Davies shots on goal were definitely gettable if not "gimmes". Scotland turned over the ball a little too much in the first half.[/quote]

Just watched the replay - couldn't agree more, especially Davies. So many times we had clear possession but we didn't use the ball well at all, too often the delivery into the forward line was poor.
The boys toughed it out, we will be ok.
On another note - from what I could see on tv, Fev did some excellent chasing in the last quarter, tough tackling but just a little careless. At least the effort was there. A big improvement on previous years.
Bullants game tomorrow is critical for replacements next week,
Go Blues!

Wangers · **Joined:** Mon Feb 28, 2005 9:26 pm **Posts:** 1763

dannyboy wrote:

Waite Ist half - then he was buggered, but gee him coming off the square is exciting.

Very panther-like was Waite today, wasn't he?

He'll have his partner in crime next week join him, the other member of the panther division at Carlton, in Karl Norman.

Thought Betts was really good. This kid is a freak, and is going to excite this year and in future years.

Thought Teague tried hard, as did Digby and Lappin.

Kouta was good, except for his 4 turnovers that cost us 4 goals, but he'll be much better for the run.

The Tyrant · **Posted:** Sat Mar 26, 2005 8:54 pm

Lance's Mum - Mary Whitnall, of Thomastown, picking up the $100 telstra prize for being the 500th person into the Dome.

CK95 · **Posted:** Sat Mar 26, 2005 8:57 pm

Going out on Thurs night with Fullmont & picking up 2 British nurses

CK95 · **Posted:** Sat Mar 26, 2005 8:59 pm

Oh & apart from the obvious - Kouta, Carraz, Betts - I thought Barney did some good work.

The Tyrant · **Posted:** Sat Mar 26, 2005 9:00 pm

CK95 wrote:

Going out on Thurs night with Fullmont & picking up 2 British nurses

damnit... knew I shoulda stuck around

Navy One · **Posted:** Sat Mar 26, 2005 9:00 pm

Positives ...... in a strange sort of way the headline "Kangas burst Blues bubble"

It's been 4 long bubbleless years but ..... perhaps we're starting to make some suds :wink:

R1: Positives

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