This time of the year the 5 day break is irelevant. Sides are still fresh. We had the biggest problem finishing in the humidity up there. Not a good time of the year to play in Brisbane. We needed a good break at 3/4 time but but we killed that as we kicked like dogs in the first half.

So, had we kicked better, we would have still lost
If we kicked better, we would have bloody slaughtered them. True we were in front at the last turn, but we should have been 10 goals up by that stage. We cost ourselves the game with our skills. 5day break Vs 7 days at round 2 doesnt have the same impact as from round 10 onward IMO.

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Time for talk is over. Time to show 'em what we're made of !

Absolutely gutted. We gave them this game.

They had the Best player on the ground, but we had the better team.

I expected to win this and we should have regardless of the Brown monster kicking 7 big ones from anywhere.
And from what I saw, I was right to expect to win against the Lions with or without Judd and Bower, and with us developing novices like Anderson, Robinson and Yarran.

Our disposal was shocking, and we were still in it at half time.
The 3rd quarter was a thrill, but we went back to bad disposal in the last.
I cannot believe we handed them 6 goals from turnovers.
Fev getting 2 of his 3 goals from mistakes, proves in the long run Hendo is a steal with 3 from his boot.

There's a lot of improvement left in this squad.

Imagine if Bettsy and Yarran kicked straight as you would expect. They missed 6 shots at goal.
Imagine if Setanta and Kreuzer kicked those 2 close set shots from directly in front.
Imagine if Jamo and Thornton didn't fumble to give Fev 2 goals on a platter.
Imagine if 10 of those forward entries which missed targets didn't turn out to be clangers.
All the above are easy to imagine because we expect a better effort because we know they are better than that.

We had this mob on a platter.
Yes Brown was the difference, but really we gave the game away in the end.
Voss and his smug look. Let me tell you, I see Satan when I see Voss. Something evil about him.
I can't wait to wipe the smile from his face next time around and maybe revenge in a final in 2010.

Well said to the poster who suggested we lost the battle but we didn't lose the war.
The midfield of ours is so good even without Judd. Tough, skillful and deep.
Wanock and Kreuzer are a great combo, but don't expect Warnock to hit his straps for another couple of years. He needs to build his upper body strength and hip strength, and that's something you can't change over night. Same applies to 21 yo Kreuzer...there's plenty of upside there too believe it or not.

We have a fantastic list, with plenty of elite talent and plenty of room in our salary cap moving forward.
I am convinced we will play finals in 2010 from what I've seen thus far. I expect a flag sooner than later from this list.
Don't doubt the Blues. We are better than what we were in 2009. I expect flags (plural) from this squad.

We gave it away, now lets get it back and aim for that top 4 spot in the next 20 games of footy because we have the talent to do so.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

We can debate your first point (I disagree by the way), but where did you get 3 extra days from?

I just finished watching the replay. We killed them in the middle and, got 7 goals out of Hendo/Setanta - if you'd told me that before the game I would've thought we'd win for sure. Unfortunately our smalls and mids didn't contribute enough on the scoreboard. And I would've liked to have seen Waite as a leading forward more often. It wasn't our night, there was a lot to like about the way we played but just weren't good enough at converting our chances and were too sloppy with our disposal at critical moments. Was certainly one that got away.

I have to say, if we had Fev in the side it would've made zero difference last night, and if we had Fev in the side we would not be a premiership contender. If we had Brown in our side, I'd say we'd be a premiership contender.

Looking forward to Juddy's return and really hope Bower's injury is just a minor one.

:

We are a good side getting better. We just need to be a bit more composed (and more confident) with hand and foot.

There was a lot to like about last night. Bring on the next 7-8 weeks. The doomsdayers - including the media - have got it very wrong. This side is on the improve.

GO BLUES

Then FF it is.

Kaput.

I'm guessing the previous string of 10 years or so of frustrating losses may have contributed something to that Earth shattering view also.

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“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn't become a king. The palace turns into a circus.”
Turkish Proverb

Geez I bet If Brown could nominate on player of the oppostion that he woulld like to play on every week bet you that person would be MR NON CONTACT himself T-Bird. seriously why didnt ratten make the move on Brown with either jamison or even Henderson

Good on you Bondi.
Man,some of you are harsh!
Setant is just beginning to be the star he will be...4 goals for Pete's sake!!
He's improving all the time..and I love love love his emotion.
I was so proud of the team..gosh It's so great to be relieved when Russell gets the ball now..so different from how I used to feel about him..he is a solid talented player we can depend on...and because of how long it took him,I won't make the same mistake in judging Ando...he is doing some good things..and I trust the MC to know how to develop players.(mostly... )
Look at that 3rd quarter.
It shows what we can do when we BELIEVE in ourselves.
I say we because I'm betting all of us were giving 100% at the game,or on the couch...riding every move...lending our energy to help the guys get home.
Ok we didn't...but we really could have.
Belief in front of the goals is the key..and not being afraid to have a go when the best option is obviously to not pass on..but to go for it.
What will happen on Sat. nite??
Believe it....if the team really know they can.....OMG..we can go right up there with the best of them.

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That’s not a political statement — it’s a harsh reality, and we must act,” she said. “He is a clear and present danger to the things that keep us strong and free. I support impeachment.”

Very disappointed. I didn't expect us to win before the game, but as it turned out, it is a game we could, and should, have won. Missed opportunity for sure.

Brown is a superstar, no more to say. He'd make any side a 4-5 goal better team.

I thought what really hurt us was obviously our inaccuracy in the first half, and our inability to capitalise on our dominance of the first 7-8 minutes of the last quarter. We were waltzing the ball out of the middle, Brisbane couldn't get their hands on it. But our inability to put it on the scoreboard, kept them within a kick. Then Brown kicked a couple, and you could see Brisbane's belief grow. It was all over from there.

If we had had someone who could have kicked 2 or 3 in the first part of the last quarter when we had all the play, we would have busted the game open.

I fear it's not the first time this will happen this year, as we work to get our forward structure right. But it's nothing more than we knew would happen when we (rightly, IMHO) made the decision to offload Fevola.

In hindsight, might have been better to play Waite as the third tall on the back half, to float in front of Brown. I suggested pre-match to play him on a wing to allow him to do this. But I have no qualms with Ratten backing the team and taking the game on, better than that, than trying from the outset to save the game. Tricky thing trying to find the right balance.

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Mens sana in corpore sano.

Bring back the laurel wreath logo!!!

Tbird did his best which is all you can ask but unfortunately it was nowhere near good enough. Quite obviously he's just a third tall defender who can read the incoming play and get to a contest to be the 3rd man up. I hope Ratts learns from that.
Why didn't he replace Bower with White? Isn't that why we recruited White?

i'm happy that you're happy juzzy

what he said......

Don't like losing but there were many positives.
Big K is the best guy we have drafted and our next captain. He is the next guy apart from Judd who can really drag us back into a game. Murphy and Gibbs turned things around in the 2nd half. Simmo showed great leadership in the 2nd half. Scotland was terrific in the middle and Mclean is showing he can do waht we recruited him for. We really dropped off when K rested. Warnock is honest and shows some good signs, but just being 206 isn't enough, you have to jump off the ground, and he never looks in any danger of taking an overhead mark. He is an interesting one. It will take time after a year out, but we have traded heavily for him despite having Jacobs and Hammo on the list. At the moment I think Jacobs deserves a run, and in the long run, I reckon at 200cm with his leap Hammo should be earnarked as K's long term assistant.

TBird was awful, the worst game he has played. Borwn is awesome but TBird played him like a point guard. Standing off him with his hands up.

We really lack a power defender and a running backman who can really kick. Our idsposal is ordinary. Gibbs is the only player we have who is a genuinely elite kick and he isn't a particularly long kick. Look at the other good sides and they have run and carry halfbacks and guys who can really kick long and accurately. What we need is a yound Ang Christou.

Setanta won the ball well and got 4, should have been 5 or 6 ag Merrett who is a good player. Setanta can get shots on goal, but he was a bit overhyped today and made a few disposal errors playing on too quickly. What we need is a big strong CHF to be a go to man when we are under pressure. They don't grow on trees.

Never seen Betts kick so badly. Hendo is developing nicely. Maybe we need to try him in defence at times.

We really missed Bower. He might have kept Brown to 4 and TBird is much more effective as third man.

Still we are very competitive. We have to beat the Dons next week. Absolutely no excuses. We are better than them and we have to win. I am sick of losing to inferior Essendon* sides.

Juddy would have made a massive difference. His ability to break games apart and the pressure he takes of other players...also he could go forward and create a mismatch.

Spot on !

Setanta kicks 6.1 instead of 4.3... Brown misses a couple of a## shots and get 5.3 and the the papers would be full of how we dominated the game and the irishman can't be stopped.

As it turned out we had some shocking misses and Brown kicked a few that could've done anything (in fact one looked like it went plainly over the post...but??)
..That's all the difference was

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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

I hate Jonathan Brown.

Cocky SOB who shits me no end.

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“It is a state of mind, a system of belief, a way of seeing the world, a deep faith that, because you are Carlton, you belong to something great.” - Mike Fitzpatrick articulating what Out of the Blue means.

I hate Black and Voss. Kicking blokes in pubs while they are down. Thats the type of blokes they are are.

19 points isn't too bad given how many we missed. Hope we clobber Essendon*.

You guys criticising Setanta. Give him a go. His kicked 7 goals in 2 weeks. If he keeps going like this he will kick 45-50 goals.
He is never going to kick 6.1. His kicking for goal is not there but Reiwoldt wasn't that flash after 60 games.

Moving Setanta onto Brown would have been robbing peter to pay paul. In any case Brown was kicking 55m bombs & Waite isn't fit enough to play on him.

IF you are telling me Ratten should have picked Simon White for his first game in Brisbane ----- you are clutching at straws.
I don't think Ratten did much wrong last night. The problems are more to do with

- recruiting too many young players whose disposal is not up to AFL standard
- Brittle Backline who desperately need some technical work on spoiling (Oh to have Silvagni as a backline coach)

We lost bec...

- Betts/Yarran should have kicked at least 3 gls
- Waite was wasted on Brennan
- TBird and Anderson gifted 2 or 3 gls through terrible errors/turnovers, unforgivable stuff really

All that said, it was a worry we let Lions storm home just like in the final last year. Have we learnt anything??

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It's a small world, but I wouldn't want to paint it