Not a stuff up yet - He got a wake-up call as to the pace of modern footy and what he needs to do playing against the best. I reckon we'll know more after the next month. He'll be better for the run. A cold Friday night at the open MCG next week and he'l be like a pig in the proverbial.

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

Time for a hard call.

Do we have too many smalls in the forward line - Betts and Garlett.

I want them both, but if Kruezer comes in who goes out?

Pretty sure that was St Kilda.


Neither? Flick Setanta or Ellard.

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

Recorded the game and only watched the first half. Don't think I'll watch the rest.

Gettable shots missed in the first were disappointing, as was the inconsistency of the umpiring. 3m over the mark ignored one minute, then McLean takes two steps over and a 50 and goal results. Selwood ducks and shrugs his way to free kicks while Ellard has his head almost ripped off late in the 2nd 1/4 and is called to play on.

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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

They create a lot of pressure and Garlett does the lead up thing. Walker being able to chop out onball means we are not losing on rotations by playing two.

Kruez will have to come in for Carlos. We dont want to be too tall IMO. Need all the run we can get as that is our weapon.

Have had some time now to vent, reflect, analyse etc (having followed our great club since 1963, and started going to games since 5 yo):

- we're on the way: thought this even after (what was terrible at times) the Richmond game; can see a tougher mind-set within this group, that's been borne out in the Rich (could have lost that), Coll (couldn't sustain for more than 2 1/2 qtrs), Ess (could have lost that), Adelaide (could have lost that - they looked more polished than us for long periods that day, but we still found a way to win), Syd (have lost that in previous years so many times ), StK (their GF - Kosi plays his best game in 5 years etc, could've lost that but we still pulled it out of the fire).
- these guys are starting to get it
- more consistent tackling pressure Inside 50 and generally this year
- "We're never beaten until the siren" philosophy
- consistent team efforts, combined with improved indivs (JGarlett, Jamo, Waite, Robinson starting to play more disciplined;
- how good have Scotland, Murphy, and Simpson been, in addition to the Captain; Gibbs has done some great jobs on top-liners too)
- Curnow/Duigan/Laidler
- Warnock missing wasn't the problem (no matter how ******* frustrating!!!): (what were at times too easy) goals to Varcoe, "Chappie", and Pods (thrashed all night and scrapes one in at the death - oh, well, have seen Buzz and Johnno win games for us that way too) killed us.
- Yarran could be the next Michael Long and Gibbs the next Nathan Buckley if they can develop greater mental and physical toughness, and consistency.
- More upside than down: start kicking straighter (better tonight); Kreuzer, Bower, Henderson, Curnow to return may make things really interesting.

Cons:
- Need two KPP's (was originally one - key defender - but they had to trade JoshK. Henderson to do a Kennedy (we're maybe lacking a trad CHF to help AW, Waite, Jeff as the hit up fwds); definitely need a CHB (have been calling for this for five years - Austin, Hartlett, etc didn't work out; maybe Watson will be the one in time :smile)
- Now I see why Selwood gets the wraps: ducks and wriggles to get frees, and the umps fall for it - smart player: is how it's always been, and always will be - the fress are always based on how it looks to the white/red/green/yellow maggots, not often how it actually is.

GO BLUES !!!

AGREE

Also, I know everyone wants to kick the winning goal, but ffs, if you are not a good kicker as Warnock doesn't seem to be, he should have stayed on the ground injured and someone else could have taken it

oh well, great game, should of, could of, didn't.

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I will miss you Kouta - thanks for the memories. ps. Kouta > * for ∞

That weird one that rolled over just before Betts could get to it? Yeah I was sure that dribbled off the leg of the player on the ground. Would have been the weirdest goal of all time

Yes, I notice Geelong jump around like geese on the mark and alway crib a couple of big metres. @#$%&! maggots.

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I hope Essendon* folds.

Geelong, Collingwood and Essendon* players appear to have license to creep a metre or two over the mark. Carlton players don't.

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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

Watch it, there were some great passages of play. Geelong were very lucky.

We have exactly the right number of smalls up front. The balance is ok - we keep the ball in as a result.

Although Setanta has given value since coming back in, obviously he's the casualty for Kreuzer.

It gets more complicated when you factor in Henderson. OK - he could be a fine tall backman in Thornton's place but what if Bower comes back? Do we drop a small for a tall?

Kreuzer > Setanta
Henderson > expendable small (Army/Ellard/McLean/Robbo)
Bower > Thornton

I'd like to see O'Keeffe, Tuohy and Lucas get opportunities. There are definitely spots up for grabs - the 'bottom 6' aren't entrenched.

Ouch. That game really hurt.
But...how good are we eh??

EH?


EH??????

We just have to move on.
Take comfort in knowing we are right up there now.

Go Blues.
Well done.
Let's use the pain to get stronger.

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That’s not a political statement — it’s a harsh reality, and we must act,” she said. “He is a clear and present danger to the things that keep us strong and free. I support impeachment.”

Big picture - I don't think the loss will be bad for us as long as we respond playing the same committed intense football. I win could of seen us being FIGJAM's against Melbourne next week, now that can't happen.

We have far more upside than they do, and I think if we play them in the finals we will get them then.

Disappointed we didn't win in the end, but this game truly shows how much we have improved over the course of the year. Even just looking from Round 1 through to today's match we have improved drastically in important areas.

Here are my observations:

1. Geelong players would very often use a 360 spin to avoid being tackled and more often than not, this resulted in a miss tackle from the Carlton players.

2. Kade Simpson is very good at knowing when to move into free space and create kicking options. There was one time when the ball was marked maybe 10m outside our forward 50 towards the left wing and everyone was crowding around the goal square. Simpson was towards the right wing totally by himself but evidently wasn't noticed by the kicking player. The ball was kicked toward the goal square and no goal eventuated.

3. Our players have improved in the contest. 1v1, 2v2, in our earlier games this year, it was quite noticeable that our players would fall to the ground very easily. Tonight it was very evident that we have worked on that, and managed to keep our feet in the contest resulting in winning a lot of the hard ball gets.

4. Geelong and other teams we have played for that matter, scored extremely easily against us when on the rebound though the centre square. There was one instance where there was a line of 4 Geelong players running together which ended up in a goal. When we are caught out in attack and our players do not run back to defend, the opposition has so many loose players and they run it so easily down the corridor it's not funny.

5. There were none or maybe only one or two instances where the ball was bombed aimlessly towards our forward line and marked by an opposition defender. This is a great improvement from previous games this year.

Overall, we have greatly improved all facets of our game; including the 1%ers which are very important. I look forward to watching Carlton develop even more during the rest of this season.

Woulda loved to see an in form Hoops (not theirs...ours) in the forward line tonite..(or last nite now I guess)specially to take our Robbie's goal.

but we have that to look forward to.
will be glad when we thrash Melbourne..or just win convincingly..because this game will hurt for awhile, and we need to be sure, as some have mentioned..that we continue to play at that level..no matter what team.

still...a nice easy win where we can actually relax would be welcome.
(friggin' exhausting!!!)

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That’s not a political statement — it’s a harsh reality, and we must act,” she said. “He is a clear and present danger to the things that keep us strong and free. I support impeachment.”

Warnock....start earning you fkn dollars mate!!!!!!!

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Premierships: 1869, 1871, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1887, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1995.

"GIBBS."

Really.....blaming Warnock is a simplistic way of looking at the game.



Its definitely worth watching the whole game.

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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

Agree 100% bring in Hampson next week, Warnock should be made to pay for missing a set shot like that when the game was on the line!

No passengers!

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You heard it here first!

This sums it up for me. We have gone up a notch this year going on last nights game. Fantastic game of footy. We beat them in just about every area but the scoreboard. Players who have improved heaps have helped the team.
Our skills are better we are stronger and tackle better. Its coming together.

We definitely need another tall down forward and playing deep. Kreuzer maybe the man. I would keep Ohailpin or Hammer in the side. We would get it just outside 50 and have nobody tall to kick to other than Betts or Gartlett

Interesting that Varcoe didnt have an opponent for the opening of the third quarter. again i questioned Ratten's mettle to coach even though we are improving. Varcoe seriously did not have an opponent from the start of the third quarter till when he went off with 8 minutes left. Unlike the umpires costing us the game this example of poor coaching had far greater consequences and puts into question the theory that coaches on the sidelines have a greater advantage to ones in the box.



Point 1 This should be a separate thread
point 2 Varcoe did not have an opponent for 12 minutes
He was alone 5 metres from the point of the square with nobody near him and he was allowed do what he like for 12minutes
Ratten would have had a better view of that from the coaches box and how the coaching staff chose to ignore it or turn a blind eye to it is unbelievable
Ratten is simply not up to being a senior coach. He is tactically weak and doesnt react quickly enough to oppositon moves but last night was one out of the box.
It stood out like dogs balls.
varcoe is a known soft player but when given freedom can kill sides with his finishing skills.
Watch a replay from the start of the third quarter to when Varcoe goes off. he had nobody on him with the exception of the last goal and thats because the ball went over his head when he was alone 30 m straight in front.