We have now played half our regular season games this year.

We have won 7 - lost 4 (2009 - 6 wins - 5 loses) with a percentage of 116.32% (116.97% in 2009)

depending on other results we will be 5th or 6th at the end of the round. (2009 we were 4th)

We have won 28 quarters for the year. 2nd best in the league.

We have scored 1105 points for the season so far (1151 in 2009), at an average of 100 pts a game, with a season high of 129 (2009 - 150 pts) and season low of 60 (2009 - 60 pts).

We have conceded 950 points for the season so far (984 in 2009), at an average of 86 pts a game.

We have beaten both of last year's grand final teams.

Our average winning margain is 42.4 points, average losing margin is 35.50

Our depth has been tested already this year with about 31 players playing 1sts.


Looking at the stats alone, we are about in the same spot as this time last year.


Have we improved? Will we improve in the next half of the season? What spot on the ladder should we be realisticly be looking at?

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when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth

Feelgood Hit of the Winter - GHRP-2, GHRP-6, CJC-1295, AOD-9604, Humanofort and Hexarelin

I always thought before the season started that we'd finish about the same as last year - around 7th, 8th or 9th.

We have definetely improved just looking at the individual improvement of some players and i think our best now is better than our best in 2009. We are now starting to beat the teams we should (WCE and Melb in last 2 weeks), still a bit iffy with teams around our level (in particular Essendon*, Brisbane and Hawthorn) but we have shown that we can match it with the best (Saints and Geelong).

From this position and considering that the Bulldogs and Saints are struggling i recon top 4 is a real possibility and should be the aim as atm the only given is Geelong and probably Collingwood but id settle for a spot in the top 8.

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Carlton Premiers '10

top 4 a big chance now...

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My Blue Heaven

The big difference is that last year we weren't seen as a real threat to teams above us. This year they are much more wary of us.
We are a genuine threat to the top 4

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Ecclesiastes 1:4, "One generation passes away, and another generation comes: but The Blues abide forever."

verbs regular season half over in depth review:

good

Better than expected. Especially like going into games confident we will beat sides we are supposed to beat. Only real disappointment this year, thus far, was losing to Essendon*. Brisbane and Filth were both super hot the nights they beat us and you take those losses, grudgingly. Second half of the year when under 50 game bodies get a bit more tired will be the challenge. I still reckon we will be 5-8.

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The only way for some people to understand is for them to be on the receiving end

Left wing moralists
In self serving denial
They shit me no end

I'm calling it now. We'll finish the home and away season 2nd.

There, I said it.

I think it's a bit of an indictment on the competition that we can have a better record this season than last and yet not be as well placed on the ladder. A significant drop off between the top 6 and the rest this year I think.

Otherwise I'm damn happy to be 7-4 after 11. We keep that ratio up we'll be fighting for a top 4 spot, which will lead well into the finals.

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Cer 'ch 'n alluog Blues

Very up and down - settling against weaker opposition. Which is what we probably needed as the first few games were tough.

Games against Essendon*, Hawthorn and Collingwood were unforgivable...they are our rivals too.. need to pull our socks up in this area as we will meet a rival in the finals,

Brilliant against StKilda & Geelong.

We will struggle against the physical teams. Come finals Geelong will leave us black and bruised. We showed against Hawthorn we couldn't handle physical pressure and I also believe against Port we didn't handle it very well. We might have won but that is because Port are not a quality side.

Probably a year or two away from getting our young bodies bigger and being able to match it with the big guys.

Our ball movement and use of it kept improving - the Brisbane game was a waste and the worst.

If we can switch on mentally I think we can finish between spots 4-7. If we continue the brain fadeouts then we are looking between 6-10. It is a close competition which suits us fine.

I am seeing the improvement and if it continues we have a good second half of the year coming up. Now we have depth which we haven't had for a very long time.

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Delulio is a member of TISM

Given our draw and Judd being out for the 1st three games sitting at 7 and 4 was beyond my expectations.

True we lost games to the Hawks and Essendon* which probably nullified points we picked up from Geelong and the Saints but no way did I expect us to be sitting in such a dominant position at this time of the year. I honestly thought we would take at least 12 months to get over the departure of Fevola - but thankfully we have found goals through other avenues. Henderson hasn't been the replacement for Fev, well not yet - and he might not ever be - but he has a future at the Blues in my opinion. Others have shared the load and we still manage to kick winning scores. I thought this year we would grind out our share of wins scoring 70 -80 points and restricting the opposition, but we play a fast entertaining brand of footy that I love watching even if I didn't have blue running through my veins.

The progress of O'hAilpin, Betts and Garlett has given me a lot more faith in our MC and Recruitment team then previously. I think we should also acknowledge that the selection last year of Yarran over others available may end up being a master stroke - what he has can't taught. I also think with Lucas we have another gem.

The disappointments in my opinion;
- the loss to Essendon*
- the opportunity we let slip against Hawthorn late in the 3rd qrt
- Warnock and McLean, but happy to give them time.

The highlights;
- wins against Geelong, Saints and two Adelaide sides in Adelaide
- the returns from injury of Waite and Walker
- the progress of Yarran, O'hAilpin, Garlett and Robinson

The future;
- Judd has shown us that quality is forever, couldn't wish for a better leader
- Gibbs, Murphy, Russell, Jamison, Kreuzer = Consistent A Graders
- Ratten as a coach looks a genuine long term prospect

What a great summary CJ3.
I don't necessarily agree with your predicition regarding us not being at 7-4 because at worst this is exactly where I expected us to be. I can see now that the team is finally starting to believe and understand what is expected weekly, therefore we have turned the corner and expectations have now rised to top4 finishes. I'm excited and have that feeling in 2010!!!
They won't see us coming.

we haven't had the best of luck with injuries this year either.

Just think............ we have Yarran and Bower (and even Lucas) to come back into the side in the next few weeks.



Exciting times indeed.

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"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"
- Aristotle

I really like this post CJudd great summation
The only quibble I would have is about the Hawks game. The last quarter fadeout was probably inevitable due to having only one fit player left on the bench, two of them gone for most of the game, coupled with playing with one down for most of the game the week before we just had nothing left IMO. The damage had already been done due to not being switched on for so long earlier in the game in my view.

No doubt Hawthorn exposed a weakness here and Melbourne tried to pick up on it yesterday by being physical at the start.

If a young team who are our equal in terms of experience and body size are going to have a go at us then expect more teams to do the same in the second half of the season.

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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

I havent seen as many games because i always seem to be doing something else when we play
plus have been away on holidays
But to me there are 3 positives
1 We have definitely moved on from Fev
2 Some of our youngsters like Robinson and Jacobs have improved so we can now win games that dont involve our marquee players having big games plus our depth has been tested and we tick boxes there now.
3 Ratten has improved as a coach


and 4
I have to some degree got my predictions wrong
Give me some grace for being honest

Still much more work to be done
but i top 4 spot at years end is a real possibility

Yep that will probably confirm to me that we have arrived as a top team when we can win a tough close physical contest against a flag contender, preferably in a final. I already know we can play pretty football, but to win a flag you generally have to win at least one defensive slog during the final series, probably more IMO.

Very pleased

Fwdline is non-reliant on one, demanding key fwd

Backline developing and is young and has lots of run - all great sides have a great defense

Have 4 rucks potentially

Three small fwds is a great assett in the modern game where fwd 50 defensive pressure is crucial

Robbo and Lucas look the goods so 2 midfield finds there

Henderson's development is important though, and I prefer White as a 3rd fwd given his excellent kicking skills and as a defender he has been exposed most games

Prefer Gibbs onball when Bower comes back

Walks been a revelation as a mobile tall down back

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

I was also one of those people who thought we'd struggle to make the 8 this year, but I actually think we're in better shape this year compared to last year...
a) Defence looks in better shape (despite not having one of our best defenders in Bower for all bar 2 games)
b) Less predictable up forward without Fev (the emergence of Setanta and his 'Little Helpers' and the improement of Hoops)
c) The improvement of the so called lesser lights such as Jordan Russel, Setanta, Dennis Armfield and Sam Jacobs
d) The form of Andrew Walker - enough said
e) The improvement in the overall speed of our team

The list can go on.....

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James Hird and Essendon* FC - #FOREVERDRUGCHEATS

Whilst McLean is a miss unless he is injured and Warnock hasnt fully got his confidence back
there have been many suprise wins for us

Lucas will be a gun. He has good skills but more importantly a great footy brain. He is a sensational pickup
jacobs has developed into a good ruckman. When i first saw him at the Ants a few years ago I liked what i saw.Another player who knows where to pu his body and unlike many ruckman seems to tap his hitouts somewhere with purpose.
As his body has grown into an AFL footballer I always hoped he would be promoted and persisted with.

Robinson has become a gun. He is mad. Nothing wrong with that. What he did to Betts is warranted. Show the brotherhood friendship after the game Eddie. Your not wearing a Demons jumper.

I had my doubts about Walker and Russell but after years of trying them in various positions they have found their niche in defense.
I would go as far to say that Walker is just as important as Judd to this team

Carrazzo's role as a tagger I have questioned but with such midfield depth now his poor disposal isnt such a factor and he still gets the ball 20 odd times anyway.

Things are looking up.