Ah k. Was going off the top of my head there. Yeah that is poor, but he's not far wrong in that 15 - 20 minutes off the field is about the time you'd want to start looking at pulling the pin in the third quarter and adding run or another option.

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Good chat by everyone.

I think the most important thing for the Blues this year is being able to put together a strong and settled backline. Obviously we were undermanned down there last night but for me, the biggest positive out of the game was Laidler. He looked very much like a man schooled under the champion Geelong backline. Read the play well, loves a spoil and can deliver by foot too. Really clean with some tricky pickups a couple of times too. I thought he looked like he was leading us down there. He looks a little skinny but we shouldnt need him to play on monsters. If he can play a Milburn type role we are laughing.

And I really want to see how this Watson boy goes. It'd be great if he could play a part this year and put some pressure on Bower for his spot. And maybe we can pinch hit with Kreuze down there when he comes back?

I just reckon the forward line will be right once Henderson comes good in a few weeks time. Waite good for the time being and we have some seriously talented crumbers and also goal kicking potential in the mid-field (would love to see Gibbs kick 30 goals this year). Walker a good move i think, I'm not worried about up forward, I think it will happen, but we need to settle down a good back line. History will tell you that (and so will D Parkin I think).

Agreed Brad.

I know we were pretty crappy last night, but I cannot fathom why people are so joyous—it would seem—in celebrating the negatives. Aside from poor conversion we dominated pretty much every stat in the game. It didn't look like it in reality, of course, but we had every right to win and, in truth, it was Richmond's accurate kicking that kept them in it.

They were brilliant in the third quarter, too, but they cannot expect to win many games playing just one decent quarter of footy. And Riewoldt got most of his goals on a bloke with less than 10 games in a severely undermanned defence. Big deal!

We should have won by more, there's no doubt. But I thought this would be a danger game, and it was, and we came away with the four points. We've a lot to work on, but I'm rapted with the 4 points.

GO BLUES!!!

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Nice posts. Enjoyed the read. Thanks and that includes 3rd post up too by stroby

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

whoops - It was drunk, I was dark etc etc

In the past there have been comments about a lack of a game plan. The forward press in the first half looked fantastic - especially for a first hit out. It is so much fun (and relaxing!) watching a game that is being played mainly in our forward line. Looking forward to more of that.

Not sure why more of our forwards don't lead forward. Waite and Walker often trying to just push back into their man.
Loved the way Mitch burrows in and just gets the ball and am fine with Gibbs occasionally hanging off a pack to receive.
Thornton actually plays the loose man really well - not everyone can - but as far as his backline days are concerned - that is his only spot for me.

Walker has not played much forward recently, nor Yazz down back - happy to let the play some more games in their 'new spots' before passing judgement. I would like to see Walker stay down and use his pace.

Warnock was great, as were Curnow and, of course, Judd and Murph. Thought Scotland and Simpson were very good too. I like how Armfield appears to be adding some strength to his dash. The back line was obviously underdone and if we look at inside 50's rather than goals we did ok - although there were some shocking brain fades that let Jack R mark on his chest in a pack. Probably should have floated Thornton earlier.

Glad Hammer actually kicked a goal - huge sigh of relief from our house at that point!
Happy we won!
Looking forawrd to a full team - could we then put Kruze on a wing (a la Richo?)

We got the four points which is all that matters.
Judd won us the game.In the last quarter he rolled up his sleaves and did the heavy lifting.The match winner and imho BOG.
Warnock and Hammer did far better than given credit for.The swirly gusts and greasy ball made it hard going for all the big men.They got the game going early
and were the reason for our clearance domination.
Murphy was super as was Gibbs.Gibbs did exactly as the coach wanted so i am perplexed by his critics.Mitch Robinson can already pencil his name in for most improved.Loose cannon,but not entirely erratic.He actually is a far smarter footballer than most think.He does some very clever things.His footy brain is actually pretty good when he takes the first option.Reckon Mitch is one of those blokes that just gets better and better.Absolute monty to clock up the double ton.
Is Heath Scotland on the fountain of youth pills ? seems to be zippier and quicker and more alert.I thought Scotland played a ripper of a game.
Our three debutants aquitted themselves admirally with Curnow being exceptional.With that form he is going to be the Michael Barlow of 2011.Fantastic effort.The noticable thing about Curnow is he not only runs hard,but he runs hard both ways.Best debut i have seen for a long time.Beautiful game.
Whats the problem with Thornton and the rest of the backmen for that matter ? they kept the Tigers to a very feeble total.What more do you want ? just remember,Jack is already a superstar who is gonna carve up many a good player.No ,the problem was our forwardline.Sorry to be critical so early in the season but our forward line was a disjointed dogs breakfast.And it wasnt Hammer and Warnock.Why did our little guys fly against the big blokes.Three up and nobody down made it soooooooo easy for the Tigers.No cohesion whatsoever and for mine our forward line needs a heap of work.No understanding between them.
Bottom line we got the four points.And we have plenty of scope for improvement.

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All my dangerous friends

Had the Tigers beaten in all parts of the game from what i was watching, so a 20 point win isn't the best result. Sure enough missing so many shots will never help on the score board. Glad we didn't drop this game because it would have been a nightmare if it was a loss. Good to see us with some strength with more experience in future games. Take the 4 points and move on.

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Bring the season on already. The wait is killing me.

A good win in the end. If you drop the early winnable games, everything gets so much harder.

I'm not sure if anyone's said it, so I will. Is Scotland a liability now? I know he got a bit of it, but he's lost about 5 yards of pace and it really shows now.

That's an excellent point you make.

if it was a close grandfinal whats to stop you getting the guy about to get interchanged with the sub to run about and snot a few blokes?

he'd go down in folk law

Only made it past the 1st 3 comments.....:

Josh of Watsonia North Posted at 10:55 AM Today
Geoff of Bendigo, All Carlton supporters are saying is that it "should" have been a 10 goal win, it "should" have been a 100 point "if" we kicked straight. But "you" didnt. Richmon did. That's why the game was hotly contested at the very end of the game.

Say How It Is Posted at 10:52 AM Today
Very lucky blue scum! Looks like its gonna be another very average middle of the road year for you. Dont be too proud you bet Richmond.

Rob of Sandhurst Posted at 10:51 AM Today
wow going to be a long season for Carlton. I wouldnt be too impressed with that win..Eddie Betts carrying on when he kicks goals.....dont think he realises that soon he will have to play against real opposition. Carlton wont make the 8.

.........As well as the Herald Sun translator, these comments must get run through a Herald Sun spellcheck.

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He really stood up in the last quarter, but he was shocking in the first 3. If we're going to be any good, he'll be pushed out of the side.

to give you an idea of who CH 7 see's carlton's prospects- a panel of matthews,maxwell, harley and commitiee

the first thing dennis says is along the lines of "how long can carlton play with Key forwards as ruckmen", and matthews responds especially when waite goes down.

yeah we really planned for waite to go down, hendo and houla to be underdone and kreuzer to be injuired.

then in criticisim of the tiges they were saying how they cant always kick to jack and dennis pipped up to say that he always attracks a crowd and there were two or three drawn too him last night, which was bullshit beacuse almost all of his efforts were one on one when they finnaly broke our press and banged it in quick - except when he outmarked warnock and laider in the square - neither of which were his direct opponent from what i can tell.

bloody sheep like analysis of the game.

we are going to surprise and lot of empty heads this year

Idiots, no mention how we were missing our whole spine.

Jammo - full back
Bower - Centre half back
Hendo - centre half forward
Waite - Full forward ( more than half a game)

Every team would struggle with that.....

Richmond full strength- Thats All!!

Spot on Mick.
Working hard when we don't have possession has been a real issue of the past so it's easy to see why Ed was promoted.

Also agree with your comments on our mids. All showed leadership and maturity in the last quarter.

Its funny how everyone gets so hysterical when analysing mass media, STFU you are giving them the response they are looking for!

Nearly cost Geelong last night when Selwood went down

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Geelong weren't left a man down as a result of the rule though, he was taken to hospital wasn't he?

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"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

after last nights dogs breakfast of a game between 2 top 4 sides,we dont look quite so bad, eh?

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Thinking the same thing BR. I watched the first half of last nights game and fell asleep for the second half (that is how crap it was).