He's hardly a sacred cow around here.

And yes I can see him on the premiership dias accepting the premiership cup.

Ask yourself this, will you be willing to admit you're wrong when it happens?

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

Our game plan was to kick it around the boundary, then to kick it to a contest involving D Fletcher. When that didn't work, it was to let the Bummers run free through the middle of the ground.

How could anyone not see that?

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I see you watching me watching you.

The game plan tonight was to fumble at all times, provide very little run through the middle of the ground and when under little pressure kick out of bounds on the full.

How can you people blame Ratts for the crap the players served up tonight? Its the same kind of effort they gave in the second game last year and two very senior players were dropped after that. Hopefully we're considering the same again this year.

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

Yes I will but it won't happen.

Agree that the players need to share a large share of the responsibility for what happened tonight. They're not robots and you'll even hear Malthouse admit that they're largely out of the coaches control once they walk on the field.

I'm not a Ratts hater, I'll give him time. But he didn't have the best night tonight. I don't think he'd say this was his best game both in the planning/strategy in the lead up or from the coaching box. Let's face it ... we went up against a weaker team and instead of playing to our strength, we played like they were going to beat us, and they did. Several unfortunate knocks were received by key players early on but Ratts did little to try and work around it.

All round disappointing effort by the Blues in all departments.

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"It was like calling your ex girlfriend after a night on the booze, just a really bad decision".

in8 I never claimed to be our coaching solution I am the first to admit the coaches know way more than me but 6 guys with over 30 years of football watching couldnt see any real gameplan what does that say to u?? Also the commentators on the radio agreed
If we do have a game plan its clearly not being executed coorectly.

Was kicking out of bounds on the full nine times part of the game plan?

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Bawditawaba

Yes I would and I would do this strolling down Lygon st in the nud.....don't worry.....aint ever gonna happen

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"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

I'm no Caroline Wilson but:
The Bombers zoned up tight to stop our half backs to stop us switching quickly and thier pace seems to create pressure (even when it's not there) and doubt in our players minds to run with the footy through the zone and link up.
Our decision making, lack of run to help the player in possession, and general disposal by foot and hand, meant they could go russian roulette and just charge forward once the ball turned over (often they just expect our turnover and got one!).
Knights again made good use of ordinary players and a team effort. The luck went with them but we should be getting more honesty in the performance from some of our guys and still should have won.
Geez I miss having anyone who can take a contested mark inside 50 or any mid/HBF who can run through a zone and then actually hit a target.

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Green Shooter

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

Maybe for the Boronia Falcons. I have heard it all. Blind, slave like faith.

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

Exactly, we could've had the faniciest gameplan in the history of the VFL/AFL and it wouldn't have mattered a jot with several players putting it out on the full while under zero pressure, with several players missing very gettable shots on goal, with several players dropping kicks short or handballs at teammates' feet and with several players forgetting that when the opposition have the ball you need to stick to your opponent.

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"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

So who is responsible for our sloppy play - recruiters, coaches, ratten?

But what i really logged on to ask - all forwgoing comments presuppose we have a game plan - have seen no evidence of one for years. Pathetic really

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one you knock back is one you never have

Up to six need to go - we will never achieve an attacking game while the likes of thornton and scotland are allowed to fart around with the ball playing "rack-up-stats" kicking it to themselves. and sorry, but as i said elsewhere, walker, houlahan, warnock and armfield should go with them. get us some kids (like Essendon* did last week with six changes) who want to play with passion like robbo and ..... do and play like their bloody lives depended on it rather than the half rat-power efforts of the aforementioned whom the game has passed by.

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one you knock back is one you never have

I honestly think that the game has changed so much in such a short period that people can't identify game styles (plans) anymore. Where footy used to be very simple, and still is when it's one on one - it's now difficult to ascertain what role certain players are being asked to perform. Despite perceived lack of noticeable gameplan emulating from Visy Park - there is one - it's just not very pretty and has no chance of survival if the players don't execute basic skills properly. Ratts can implement training sessions with his coaches that mirror those at Geelong, drill after drill after drill over summer with players - but unless they perform the very basics of what they are paid to do - no gameplan works.

We Are Ranked 16th in the league for playing Wide and going round circles , instead of going direct and through the middle.


it then becomes no surprise that a team like Essendon* who are ranked number 1, will easily kill us on any given day and regardless of who is playing for them.



Ratts needs to get some Coaching himself. He is either naive and clueless or Simply the players are not playing according to his plans.

in8 said it well last night. Not his exact words, but just because you can't recognise a game plan it doesn't mean there isn't one in existence.

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

So Ratten's defence to the Board when we are 1-8 will be along the lines of 'my game plan is awesome, the players just can't execute basic skills'?

The board will probably accept that and the skills coach will get the chop

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We are on our way back...

I guess we'll find out if we end up 1-8... who else is a glass 3/4 empty guy?

The Age stats indicate the scum won this stat 139 to 126.

It indicates that no matter the talent on your list if you aren't prepared to go in harder than the opposition and commit you will struggle. This was against a WEAK team.

There was no excuse for the little desperation shown by the players.

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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