"We'll have to be active. The way we go might be a bit different from what people think" Brett Ratten re Blues list management.

What does that mean?

Most people think we need some help down back, some help in and under and a marking forward....

What are we going to do?

CB

Recruit four more small forwards, so we can have the Magnificent Seven? That'd be a bit different from what people think.

People think we have a surplus of ruckman,
We are going to recruit more ruckman.

rather than go for the obvious ie a tall back man, i like the suggestion on radio wrap up yesterday.

"blues need some a couple of back men that are capable of running with the ball and then kick it long to position"

Russell and Armfield come close..........but not always good enough.

It is a decent observation. Good news is we have Lucas to come back. I'd also like to see us develop Chris Yarran as a straight ahead, long kicking HBF. Recruit another that can run and deliver off HB.

Quite possibly, Lucas and Yarran to the back line would free Gibbs and Russell onto the ball.

Sorry London Blue - can't agree with you there.
Yarran is a born forward and Russel has just started to come good on half back. A midfielder he is not.

Agree that a good running half back a la Harry O would be good.

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Number 17 - come on down!

O'Keeffe fits that bill perfectly, if he can only get past the injuries.

I think Yarran is a born outside midfielder, in the mould of the Burgoynes (hopefully better).

Good points in response, particularly re-yarran.

A Harry OBrien type would be ideal ie run and carry.

Jamison, Joseph, Gibbs, Bower (?) do not run and carry ie very little scoring pressure comes from our back half. PLus Armfield and Russell are not reliable kicks.

Therefore a Harry O type vs a traditional bigger backman would fit the bill.

He did say he wanted a backman.

I reckon he is talking about recruiting Tarrant.

I Thought Ratten was implying that we may not trade a ruckman which is the common belief.
He indicated again, that we'd go after a KPD but perhaps not at the expense of ruck.
In order of preference I'd go

Merrett
Hurn
Knights
Drummond
Tarrant

There is no hope of PA letting Tengove go.

In order i'd give up

Betts
Hampson
Walker
Bower
Sauce

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"I'll tell you what I didn't do;
I never injected anyone."
AD 3/3/14

I thought he meant we'll trade Hampson to a Melb based club rather than Jacobs to an Adelaide based one.

I think we should put it out there that we're not trading any ruckman.

So if they want one they'll have to make a big play for one.

In reality, we'd be made not to trade onr for something we need. Glad I'm not choosing which one goes....

Tarrant or similar would be handy....

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I support the Navy Blues whatever happens!

I'd be disappointed if we did that. Short sighted IMO, and would suggest a coach cogniscent of next year being the last in his contract to me.

We need to think long term. Am happy with trading up, but for potential 5+ year players. I do not see Taz as that. I'd also be sceptical that Pav can be that either.

Ratten is THE most innovative coaches in the AFL - I can't WAIT to see what he comes up with!!!!

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end of message

we'll win a final next year?

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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!

During the NAB Rising Star event, Yarran was interviewed on SEN (along with Garlett) and he indicated that his aim for this pre-season is to really develop a tank as he will be used more through the middle in 2011.

He was very sure about this and mentioned that this is what Ratts wants him to aim for.

Personally, I agree with this and he will be a useful addition to the midfield group as I believe we are probably 2 classy mids short of being potential premiership contenders

And along with Lucas coming back in and hopefully cementing a spot across the HB line, that will release Gibbs into the middle and there are the 2 additions we need.

Russell will continue to stay across the HB line too where he has found his feet.

Yarran has showed his ability to manoeuvre and dispose in congested situations. This is where his future should be in the navy blue

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C'mon Blueboys!

I'd be very disappointed if we traded anything of value for Tarrant.
He has played 1.5 reasonably good seasons and his track record leads me to think we would be recruiting somoene looking to take it easy on a fat salary.

I would be happy to recruit a 5-10yr solid backman but I also believe our backs are capable of developing more. THey will all get stronger and will improve. Plus we have White, Davies & maybe even Austin in the wings. (Maybe Austin's papers have been signed...).

I think everyone is expecting us to try to recruit a backman, at least. The only thing that might surprise is if we DON'T trade. But he said we are going to be very active in trade week. Maybe we will trade our first round draft pick? Perhaps that is considered 'different'? Maybe, we plan to keep ALL our key players and trade ALL our draft picks? Or maybe we will ONLY get new players through draft picks?

aHa! Maybe, he meant that our players will be very active on the training track during trade week??

Oh well, at least I am now sucked in to be interested until October!

I think he means we will go a tall back rather than a tall fwd, or maybe we will trade nearly all our picks and players and be incredibly active and not hold onto many picks in the draft, ie: go the trade not the draft.

We have a young list so if anyone is going to give up on a draft it might be us this year --- after all we do have some holes to fill and a 18 year old aint going to do the trick when you consider Judd is 27 next year so one would think the priority is to beef up the list sooner than later ??

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

Christ, Tarrant turns 30 this month. I thought/hoped the "retirement home" days at Carlton had finished with the departure of Pagan.

ahhh now I understand why SOS is leaving the Saints this year

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The glass is neither half full nor half empty. Rather the glass is twice as big than required.