For what it is worth my mail is that Waite, in consultation with the coaching group agreed that he was finding the pace of the 1's a bit much and would benefit from a run in the 2's to find some confidence and form. Not something all that surprising for a player coming back from a full reco as he was a player that took along time to find his feet and confidence initially.

As for Thornton - well he was not happy with his demotion. And nor should he be as a senior player but a run in the twos just may place him back on track. Lets hope...

Maybe Ratts is about to introduce the 2010 version of the "Mosquito Fleet"!

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

The best spot for walker is where his butchering of the football has minimal damage, interchange, the vfl or maybe half forward flank

what a happy young fellow

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

This has been my main gripe with Ratts...that he is reactive....more pace was probably the way we should have gone last week against the pacy bombers...

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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

What is it they say about opinion:

Everyone is entitiled to one, but you don't have to know anything to have one

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Go BLues

Maybe we can give him a butcher knife and at the family day he can cut up some meat for the sausage sizzle

He butchered his way out my supercoach team. Not a bad upgrade Walker > Judd

I agree....looks taller than 190. Lucas as well...has to be taller than 188cm.

Changes are fine, I trust the MC's reasons for them. Thornton was rubbish and Waite still looks underdone.

Obviously some others are lucky to keep their spots, but you can't drop everyone, and hopefully this sends a message.

I can't remember who posted it but I doubt Setanta will kick over 30 goals this season, let alone 45-70.

19 games to kick 21 goals and prove you wrong...

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

He's kicked 9 in three games. Only needs 22 in 19 or more games to reach 31. Basically a goal a game.

+1 x 100%

And a couple more observations;

Carrots should be one of the first picked each week. His disposal is far from the worst in the team, it's just that he gets the ball so often. He can't have 100% efficency.
Carlos and Hendo should be left in the FWD LINE INDEFINITELY to build up a rapport and some confidence. Not that they've been too bad. The delivery they had to put up with last week was appalling.
Can't wait to see the 3 brothers running around in the fwd line
Gibbs should be let loose in an attacking role....he could break games open if allowed to play fwd of centre.

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I see you watching me watching you.

Was a little surprised at the omissions. But good to see senior players being held accountable for their performances. It effectively puts everyone in the side on notice.

Agree Mark, great observations

T-Bird had to have been playing career worst football to have been dropped considering the lack of depth down back, and he indeed has been playing worse than I can remember. Would be hoping White shows us something and Thornton can try to win back his spot the Wiggins way - work his butt off.

Brothers in arms?

I still have not seen a single second of the Essendon* game. Not on the news. The web. Nothing.

So I'm objective

I'm going assume that Waite is just underdone.

But re Thornton, it's going to go one of two ways. The sulk will either come out, or he'll realise that he's got a responsibility to do more than hold the ball up at the 23min mark of the quarter, take two steps back, baulk no one, and kick it backwards.

the guy can play.

but clearly he's not following the instructions Ratten has given him. As has been dropped to think about it.

What the @#$%&! is wrong with that?

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Congratulations CK95

Unbelieveable changes.

We lose our in and under midfielder (McLean) and don't replace him (surely Hadley was the obvious replacement).

Dropping Waite is ridiculous !! Rather than easing him in by playing him at half back and getting him to run straight at the footy for a while he has been played in nearly every position on the ground. Last week he played forward, wing and defence......hardly ideal for a bloke who has been out for 12 months. Why is it that Malceski, Goddard, Hunt etc can come back from knee recos, into stronger sides than ours, and be given time to find their feet? They are not expected to instantly be a match winner again.

As for Thornton, well seriously if Walker deserves a game ahead of T-Bird I'll give it away. What people don't realise is that T-Bird plays with serious injuries more than most Carlton players. For those that think that Jamieson and Bower have surpassed him as defenders, you may want to think again. T-Bird may have struggled in his first couple of games (along with many far more credentialled players) but he has shown resilience and a work ethic second to none for most of his 8 year career. He is also the player that has manned the monster forwards more often than not. I didn't see Ratten move Jamieson onto Brown at the Gabba when Browny cut lose in round 2 and it was Bower that was unable to control Bradshaw in the last quarter of "that" final last year.
If Rats was going to look for scapegoats then he should start by assessing the work ethic of his midfielders. The defenders in today's footy are crucified if their midfield refuses to work back the other way when the opposition has the ball.

In this day and age you also need players off half back that are good kicks. A backline that contains Joseph, Armfield, Jamieson, Russell & Walker will struggle to hit the side of a barn. Thornton has had the best kicking efficiency for the side over the last 2 years.

I am happy to be proven wrong and will watch the game with much anticipation on Saturday.

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Life is made up of 3 things: Pre-Season, Post Season & Footy Season.

I am happy to see thornton out. We need more drive out of the backline and the dynamics are bound to change with thornton out. He is a fine player and in a different backline he would be well worth his place. At carlton in the current state he either needs to change his game up or enjoy the Bullants. I applaud his efforts so far in AFL.

Waite hasnt been giving much lately as he himself admits. A good stint in the twos wont kill him. He is coming off a knee reco so he shouldnt be too hard on himself. He should go back and play 3/4 of good fun footy.

For the 22 picked i just hope they come out and give it their all.

Go Blues !

I predict TC meltdown circa 5pm this Saturday.
Ratten teeters from one bad coaching decision to the next. He has never learned how to tackle the bummers and I doubt he learned anything about how to tackle the crows

they will maul us!

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C'mon Blueboys!