Came closer to winning a final without Kreuzer, Thornton, Stevens and Fevola: Check

You will take the post-Fevola and post-Thornton Carlton and like it.

Blue ice/Kouta stalking TheGame after the match: Check

_________________
"We used to sit around and talk about how bad the game plan was." Anthony Koutoufides

Russell has improved.
Jacobs has improved.
Armfield has improved.
Garlett has improved.
Yarran has improved.
Hampson has improved.
Betts has kicked more goals.
Davies, Lucas, Warnock and White have debuted.
Made finals without Kreuzer and Mclean.
Gibbs and Murphy are still guns.
Grigg can play.
Walker was one of our best before a broken collarbone.
Bower has struggled with injuries.
Joseph was back to his desperate self today.

It's all over.

Believe it.

I'm only asking whether this playing list has the capability to learn from today and fix the problems that IMO played a large part in our defeat today and capitulation last year, to make sure it doesn't happen again. Read into it what you like.

_________________
WADA medical director Dr Alan Vernec describes Essendon* FC drug case as biggest scandal in team sport the world of sport has seen. #WC2WB

#GUILTY

I love your optimism.

Yes we do
Yes we will
No it won't

_________________
I see you watching me watching you.

and Carlton will win the next 5 flags

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

It certainly is!!!!!!

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

Yes, we all got the point the first 1000 times you said it.

_________________
Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

Battled groin soreness in the second half of the season. Can play the Hodge role if we get our structures right. I like his role with just a touch more time in the middle.

Little pre-season to speak of with OP...really got going in the business end of the year and again was outstanding today...gone forward.

Two bad quad strains...over his time at club has bulked up, then streamlined weight...struggles against bigger bodies.

Up and down with form. Pretty good today I thought.

Not likely...but we can't really criticize Leon Davis when we have our small forward go missing in big games as well.

19 year old. I would have played him today. Unbelievable talent - will do pre-season with the midfield group with the aim of playing spurts in the guts in 2011 and onwards. Knows what to expect of a full summer now and will make the most of it.

Jacobs has gone passed him. Now number 4. Contracted for 2011...patience won't be extended after that.

Correct pick at the time. Would shop around, but unlikely to leave.

Probably should have played 3 or 4 more games this year. Doesn't quite 'get it' yet.

Another full year of development into a tagger/back pocket. That can only be a good thing.


Every club's major concern I would have thought. There is a need to recruit skillful, smart footballers who can be coached and love footy. We have a few blokes who are missing a couple of these vital ingredients.

Thoughtful response Doctor

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

If I've told you once I've told you a million times, don't exaggerate

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

well said Barrel.

I reckon that moment will be the making of Armfield. (amongst other things)

_________________
This might sound extreme in the context of alleged sexual assault, drunken violence and a drug trafficking charge...

West Coast lost 3 Elimination Finals in a row before playing in 2 GFs.

I'm hanging my hat on that tonight

I truly believe we lost this game at the selection table. In the first half our backline was under intense pressure, and the likes of Jamieson, Bower, Joseph, and Davies just didn't stand up. I find it incomprehensible that they retained an inexperienced 4 gamer in Davies in the backline, when we had two experienced defenders in Thornton & Johnson, who were both showing good form in the Bullants over the last 3 or 4 weeks. Davies had about 8 touches for the match, did not contribute much at all, and looked overawed & lost much of the time. I know he is a young player, and needs game time to improve, but in an Elimination final?

Roos matchups all worked to perfection, shutting down all our playmakers, especially Simmo & Murph in the early stages of the match. As soon as the Swans got 4 goals up, it was then "catch up football". The Swans showed more intensity, and cohesion in their play, and deserved to have a good lead at 1/2 time. Were they playing for their coach,? Why couldn't our players put their bodies on the line like the Swans did in that first half? Not playing to the coache's instructions, or just not playing for the coach? The jury is still out for me with Ratten.

I'm also extremely disappointed at the following players who hardly contributed anything to our winning prospects in this match,...
Joseph ... Has lost his pace & touch, maybe needs another position to play next year.
Armfield .... up until 1/2 time only had 1 single touch, did better in the 2nd half, but gave away a crucial goal when he handballed when tackled.
Betts .. What's happened to Eddie? Is/was he playing injured the last few weeks. Couldn't get near it.
Scotland.. Down on form and his running/sweeping out of defence was sorely missed. Is it the end?
Robbo, ...With natural improvement, this year I thought this guy was going to be a worldbeater, but the last few weeks he has let me down, with his fumbling and inability to do any damage with his disposals. This is his 2nd year on the list, he is a little inexperienced I know, and I am hoping for improvement next year.
Bower... Is he playing injured, or has his quad problem interfered with his jumping (and running) ability? I know he is taking the CHB position, and playing as the main tall, but I thought Thornton could have come in and released him to a lesser defence position.
Jamo ... Not playing well, being outmarked and lost his pace. Continually plays from behind, and doesn't have the pace or body strength to beat his opponent.

Congrats to Judd, Carrazzo, Russell, Murph, and Sam Jacobs (who had 44 hitouts). Without their input, we would not have got close. It is just not feasible that they would consider letting him go in a trade with the form he has shown for the 2nd half of the year.

So, there you are, I have had my say, that's why they call me ....
Mr Grump

spot on.

i have said it many times, and may sound like a broken player, but we are now paying the price for our salary cap breaches. people will laugh, but the stark reality is, the gap we have between the likes of murphy/gibbs etc.. and judd is testiment to that.

we simply have very few players older than 24 years of age. Of the players that played today i can think of Judd, Waite, Scotland, Simpson, Carazzo?

please correct me if im wrong, but they are the only players beyond 24?

That is why we lost today. We need to have our core of players between 23-26 (around 2-3 years away) with a sprinke of older and younger players (dare i say it, like collingwood at the moment) not the other way around. Until we have a core of 23-26 we will continue to struggle, in tough, hard games like this one, but there is a hell of alot to take out of it, for the club and the players.

We are in desperate need of a CHB, and should do everything in our power to get one to the club, whilst some of the potenitals develop, but until the core of our group is that age, we will struggle in games like this. I think our forward line of Waite, Henderson, two of the three amigos and even Walker (after todays display) combine with what will be an elite ruck division, as well as an elite midfield division, is well on the way to winning that next flag, but that wont happen until, you guessed it, 23-26 year old players form the bulk of our squad!!

_________________
Got to love the stare Down by Setanta on Llyod

Spot on !

Bitterely disappointed with the loss but this is said beautifully.

onya aramari....something to be said about history.

We have no girls in our team so it is all about HIStory

_________________
Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

thats yourstory

_________________
This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!