I think we should. There will certainly be times when it won't work out, but it's one of our list strengths, and we should be seeking to exploit any list advantages we have over the rest of the competition. It'd be different if we had 2 champion power key forwards, but we don't. I thought the main problem last night was we were too predictable with the long bomb. Need to mix it up a bit by hitting leading targets, then it makes the long bomb much more effective anyway.

Agree about the long bombs, I thought they we doing in honour of our teams from the 70's and 80's when it is was in vogue to bomb the ball long

I think you have no given him the benefit of the doubt.

It looked to me he was preparing to sing it with gusto but every time he regained composure some flower would squirt powerade into his eyes. Then he'd try and start again with stinging eyes, only to cop another round.

You didn't see that Blue Revival? You wouldn't be posting what you did if you'd seen the goings on around him at the time.

Oh yeah, and Tex would put his hand on Curnows eyes (a couple of times), and there was Robbo just behind him being annoying. I know they both annoyed me at the time.

I think you missed a bit that was going on.

I felt sorry for him that a few players didn't give him a chance to sing his club song with gusto especially given it was his first AFL...most footy supporters know just about the whole club song....some are still confuded what the term "send us" means and they refer to the more modern send up because it's what they know...but that's another story.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

cheers Blue girl...just got to your post.

No doubt BR missed the shanagans.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

ok ok. i DID see all that going on, it just seemed to me that he wasn't really trying. But i'm prepared to acknowledge that maybe i was a bit harsh on him. loved his game tho, and i hope he gets the chance to sing the club song properly next week

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i don't wanna spend my life explaining myself. Either you get it, or you don't- Frank Zappa

i dont understand the negative comments about:

1) over reliance on Judd again. yeh, sure he was one of our better players for the night and kicked that goal at the start of the last. BUT, we should also acknowledge that a) Curnow had more possessions than the Juddster in the last qtr b) Judd was off the ground in the last for 6 minutes and we still won the game (those 6 minutes were in the middle of the qtr) c) when we effectively took control of the game initially in the second qtr it was Gibbs and Murphy that dominated with 23 possies between them vs Juddy's 5

2) Negativity about Hampson. Yes he is developing, however i would simply offer this: Carlton 9 contested marks for the night. Hammer took 3 of them. Not bad when you consider the mega star Jack R took 4 for the tigers.

Thanks for bringing some sanity to the Hammer discussion.

Hammer has really improved 1000% in his last 2 outings (albeit one was the last practise game)
He is really becoming a phenomena. I have never doubted his or his potential.

That last quarter is exactly what I expect from Hammer when he turns 24-25yo...and I expect him at that gae to also play as an attacking CHB if need be, because he'll be a more developed collossus in a few years time, with better skills, strength and understanding of the nuances of the game.

Hammer = Big Positive. I am spewing he missed that first shot...but it just shows you what he can do...a glimpse.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Pros;

Hammer Warnock tandem. Warnock dominant around the ground, Hammer presented well and was a legitimate threat up forward.

Midfield functioned quite well across the board. Got opened up a few times in the third, maybe fatigue played a role here?

Curnow = automatic inclusion into approximately 800k Supercoach teams over the next two weeks.

Got to mention Armfield here, I've been down on him previously, but by his 2009-2010 standards, he used the ball very well last night. Great run as always.

Really liked Robbo's game as well.

Duigan and Laidler acquitted themselves pretty well first up.

Walker was generally pretty good. Betts was superb.

It's just so good to not feel like you need to put Jordan in here for playing a good game.


Cons;

Walker still flies for marks when he should keep his feet on the ground.

Yarran needs to work harder. Teams will tag him hard until he proves he can play through it.

Kicking for goals.

19 free kicks in the first quarter was about 10 too many.

I hope the team looks back at our defence structure last night - plenty to learn.

Why did we continue to have 3 or 4 players tryting to spoil the ball in the air?

Why did we allow Morton and Reiwoldt free run at the ball, Mortons mark in the 2nd over Warnock and Riewoldts in the third on the siren was terrible

PROS:

- we won
- Curnow, Duguin & Laidler look like being good pick ups for us. Curnow in particular had a good debut
- Muphy's first half
- JUDD
- Robbo
- Warnock
- Hammer taking big marks in our forward 50
- Tex & Betts got the job done up forward
- for most of the night, our 'team defence' was very good. Press worked well, Tigers had a lot of trouble getting it out of our forward 50 (except for 3rd quarter). If our defensive pressure in the forward line and midfield is strong it protects our suspect last line of defence. When it dropped off, most noticeably in the 3rd term, the opposition scored against us quite easily.

CONS:

- Kicking for goal. Our disposal generally by foot is not at the same level as the best teams in the comp.
- Waite. Shouldn't get suspended but probably will. You'd think he'd learned by now not to give them any reason to cite him.
- Backline looks vulnerable at the best of times, but with Jamo & Bower out it looked very suspect indeed. That's why we need to be a better kicking side. When we turn the ball over or don't hit the scoreboard as much as we should, it puts our undermanned backline under pressure. I know there's a lot of love on TC for White, but he's not a player I'd back in a 50/50 contest against a good player. Looks good with the ball in his hands though and he will play better when Jamo is back in the side (same could be said for Laidler). T-Bird was no worse than White, IMO. In fact, I thought T-Bird lifted in the last quarter after a fairly poor game.
- Yarran went into the game under an injury cloud and played like it. Hopefully he'll get over whatever problem he has soon. He (and the MC) will also need to develop ways to get him into the game at HB when he's being tagged.

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It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

He did?

Frank Dardew (reliable poster) said he went in sore.

Still once you're out there you're fair play. Disappointing game.

Agree with ABNS on White - he is inexperienced but his man on man work is disappointing albeit against bigger opponents. His best role is as a floating third tall where he can intercept and mark, but I'd prefer Laidler in that role given his ability to bomb it 60m and his more precise kicking.

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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

Positives

New guys curnow laidler and lesser extent duigan add to depth -strengthen bottom 6 players

Improvement in hampson warnock robbo evident

Most of game much more difficult for other team to get it out of backline

centre dominance

On ballers -rotations - more players able to rotate

New positions for Army Walker good

200 games for Scotland -not bad at pick 35

Won without spine


Negatives

kicking for goal

3rd quarter holiday

Only 60 K crowd

inability at all to get near riewoldt

Also, a couple of his missed marks in the third were due to the rain. I thought as a team we failed to switch to wet weather football which is why Richmond gained momentum. There was one mark Hammer dropped at CHB where I thought he was better off maybe pushing back and take a chest mark rather than get under the ball and take the slippery ball out in front. Not sure how it looked on TV but it was quite slippery out there in the 3rd term. I was quite happy with how he imposed himself significantly on some of the marking contests. Seems like he is getting confidence in his marking.. kicking for goal will come with confidence, training and experience.

Pros
- Won without our spine and with woeful licking for goal. Showed character to come back in the last qtr.
- Defensive pressure was very good in the first half, just need to keep it up for 4qtrs.
- Robbo and Hampson have improved significantly.
- Laidler and Curnow both look to be good pickups.

Cons
- Our poor defensive depth was exposed.
- Yazz being tagged out of the game, he will learn from it & get better however.
- Stupid of Waite to "horse kick" his opponent....doubt he will be reported but will he ever learn?

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There is no footy god

Positives:

We won, while playing some poor footy.
We won, without a big chunk of some of our best 'spine' players.

Negatives:

It doesn't take too long to become obvious that TC has more tools than Bunnings if we aren't playing sparkling footy every second of a match.

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

From Martin Blake's article in The Age
Ratten's team has a magnificent midfield group but is weak at both ends.

And this based on 1 game. With Kruez, Hendo, Pauly B, Jamo, Houla and Waity (<1/2 game) missing I think we might improve in those areas down the road.

It's not rocket science being a journalist is it.

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Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

The problem Cazz is that yes he is a star and yes he should do it regularly, but for once I'd like to see Gibbs or Russell or Walker or Waite take the game by the scruff of the neck. I've seen Murph and Simmo do it (although not enough for my liking). Its 2011. other seasoned campaigners need to impact significantly.

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

Cazzesman Tim Lane said the same thing on 3AW tonight. Unbelievable these blokes get paid to come up with tripe week in week out.

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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

Pros - Kevin Bartlett going on and on about the Tigers efforts this morning and yet when I read the paper we still won 3 of 4 quarters convincingly all over the ground. Enough said.

Sorry KB but you have plenty running around that you are hanging your hat on and they just ain't ever going to cut it. Blind freddy can see it from the great Southern Stand.

The rest has been said about the Blues by everyone and I think 99% nailed it good.

my votes
5. Warnock
4. Murphy
3. Robbo
2. Juddy
1. Gibbo

Mentions to Scotto. Brilliant milestone. Hammer is clunking them so look out. Ed C with Robbo make the opposition think twice because they know they will be diving in headfirst and with desperation on their mind.

Regards Cazzesman

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Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”