I woke up with a seriously bad feeling about this game this morning. Tigers had packed their fwd line and just bombed it long. They took lots of I50 marks and kicked straight.

I think our backline looks short so I hope the above doesn't eventuate. We have to win the midfield clearances or this lack of height will be exposed. And a message to Warnock. Getting the hitout os one thing. Putting it to our advantage is another. Please try to do both.

I think this is a danger game. They will see it as season defining. We will see it as 4th vs 11th. Just like a lot of posters here do.

If we don't take it seriously we will not win this game.

Pies to beat Hawks opens a door for us to 3rd possie. We have to go through it.

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Let slip the Blues of war (with apologies to William Shakespeare) (and Sir Francis Bacon, just in case)

oh peleeease. even Davies managed to string a few decent games together back then, but I certinly aint clutching at that straw!
For the same argument even Joseph was a pretty good player for us early last year, so where's his love?
I eagerly await the day my opinion of Aussie is turned completely on its head.
At this stage (not taking the injured blokes into account) I reckon Austin would be about 3 or 4 spots off our best 22.
Last week was actually one of his better games, and he was probably only about our 10th best, what does that say about him?

im with SugarCane on this one - My Lord ALRIGHT!!!!!!!!! The overrating of some blokes on this site absolutely stuns me, as does the underrating of Carazzo, Robinson, and LittleBigShorts. Sure you've all jumped on board now, but you blokes calling for those 3 to be dropped every 2 or 3 weeks was just so, so, so DUMB. Especially Carrots, FFSAKE some of you baffle me sometimes....!?!??!?!??!?!??!?!
This week it seems ellard the one who shouldve been dropped according to quite a few of you - DUMB again. bloody okeefe lovers wtf

ps. im just bored mainly so thought id stir something up.

Fear not!

The boys will be out to revenge a poor performance last week. If Richmond beat us it will have to be an Epic effort IMO as we will be switched on.

As for Height, we have plenty of flexibility this time with White, Laidler, T-Bird, Henderson.

Gibbs and Robbo add to the midfield this week, class and grunt

That's actually called trolling.

have a quick look at the Rules to posting on TC

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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

I have. He looked really good.
That game against StKilda where he was repelling from the backline and running in a wave from the backline with the mids was supposed to be a sign od things to come.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Fair enough. He is capable of those dinky short kicks along with many others. Maybe there has been a few more than I have noticed. I have noticed the main culprits though, and generally he is not one of them.

IIRC he started in the forwadline last week and was a victum of those 'cute' short and underground passes from those further up the ground which ironically were directed to him and other forwards. Perhaps like a lot of bad habits they are contagious.

Singling out one player (such as Hendo which I think is incorrect) is not the way to go imo when the problem is much broader. It happens on every line and happens every week. Passes just don't make their mark enough for my liking. I'm envious of the skills Hawks have put on show in recent times.

It was just recent when this was asked of a player on CCTV and it was acknowledged by the player it is better for the ball to be kicked out in front of the receiving player to run onto with our attcaking style than to have it kicked too high and easy to spoil or go over the head.

Maybe, just maybe, Hendo's kicking is good, but he like many other err on the side of caution and kick shorter rather than towards the chest of the recipient.

A few years back we had a team of shit house short kicks: forward and back. I think Houla, Fev, Lappin and Stevo were just about the only good kicks in the team.

The kids we have in the team are very good in most facets of the game. Hendo for eg was selected at pick 6 in the draft, not only because he was 197cm and very fast and mobile, but also because he had weapons on both sides of his body by hand and foot.

Kids don't get selected in the first round because they are just tall, or just fast, or good body on body, or just a good kick.

Hendo was selected for the whole package. I remember because I was envious when the Lions got him, and that's why I wanted him in the Fev trade not the other old goons, and I said that before we got him.

We are so lucky to have him. Now he's ours...but the Fev lovers and a few haters like to lay the boots in.
Hendo has commented on the booing he hears from Carlton supporters, and he understands, but I think that's just [REDACTED].

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Precisely. He's capable of it; that's what gets me. People who look at current performance and don't consider what players are capable of, potential so to speak. If he had no history of being able to do it then it'd be different.

Another reason why I'd back Kane Lucas as well, because he's capable. I haven't seen anything from Davies that has convinced me of similar.

Remember when Simmo started with 3 donuts in his first 3 games? But those who knew better and had seen him in the VFL knew that he was capable of a lot more and hasn't he been great value as a pick 45 in the infamous 2002 Goddard/draft penalty/Elliott draft?

Thank goodness some people hear aren't development officers or recruitment scouts. I haven't seen White capable of similar, Joseph of similar.

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"A good composer does not initiate. He steals."

- Igor Stravinsky

I'm taking my mum to the game. Carlton by 127 points.

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#DonTheStash

Don't think I can take a close one.

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T E A M

Just as an aside, on this day in 1988 SOS took mark of the year.

http://spiritofcarlton.com/blog/2011/07 ... -2nd-july/

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The Spirit of Carlton compels you!

Seriously hotcox - that Bower Jamo nonsense was the worst I've seen from you, which is saying plenty. When Bower is getting recognised as the form backman in the comp, get back to me. At this rate he's be lucky to be on a list after his contract expires with Carlton.

Still a long way away from home, sadly. It will be the game thread today for me!

I'm concerned about White coming in. He was unfit against Richmond in Rd 1 and was terrible. I hope he's further along this time than last. He's not the most athletic type, so if he doesn't have a tank then I'm not sure what the point of him being there is really. This could just be my perception, but he seems to confuse the hell out of the other backmen when he's out there. Lots of three men up, or the other extreme where noone is calling anyone else in to a pack. I guess it's fair to say he's a long way off convincing me he's got a meaningful role to play down the track.

I would gladly take any kind of win this week, not fussed about style points. Big two weeks coming up after this one. There was such a huge internal message at the Swans game about not repeating last year's slump that I have to believe we will take home four points tonight.

GO BLUES.

The Bower-Jamison comparison isn't nonsense at all.

Just like Jamo struggled a bit while injured last season, Bower is still struggling with injury.

When he's fit we've seen he can play on the gun CHF's and still offer run and carry. I'm not saying he'll be a better player than Jamo, but its a fair comparison and I would love to see them both up and firing. Jamo at FB, Bower at CHB.

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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

Our forward line for this week! Well I've been waiting for it!
Betts Kruezer Henderson
Walker Waite Gartlett
Sunny day at the "G" .... get the ball in there baggers and finish them!
I'm excited and watch for our captain to turn it on today.

I completely, utterly disagree.

We know where Jamo's potential is - the best rebounding, one on on defender in the game today.

If anyone here thinks Bower's potential is anywhere approaching that point then I guess we've watched a different player.

Or looking at it another way - if you rated Jamo as the best defender in the league half way through this year (and you wouldn't have been alone if you did) then essentially what you are saying now is that Bower has the potential to be the best defender in the game. Which is ludicrous on what he shown even when fit.

so its not a problem when kicking into the forward 50 he kicks 15m along the ground straight to an eagles player??? tell me what do you understand????

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"Then joked and said he (Jack himself) probably wouldn't even need to play until round 2 against Collingwood."

carrots will never be dropped

yes, this worries me as well. i guess we will find out today, like him as a player but his kicking needs work

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"Then joked and said he (Jack himself) probably wouldn't even need to play until round 2 against Collingwood."

I think Jamo has been the best defender in the first half of this year, Im not sure he's the best rebounding defender though. Thats the potential Bower has and Im on record as saying I think he can be an AA CHB.

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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

Whilst it's a stretch to say that Bower's best has been as good as Jamo's best, it actually isn't as far off as you seem to be suggesting. Bower has not had continuity in being injury free and playing continuous games for two years now. Round 13 2009 was when his horror run started. But I checked the TC MVP for that stage in 2009, and he was coming third behind Juddy and Murph.
He was playing on, and matching or beating, the likes of Buddy and Riewoldt, and notching up 20 - 25 touches a week (something Jamo has never managed, for all of his excellence). He was really becoming a gun at that stage.

His best is very, very good. He still is young enough to get back to that form, and if, somehow, he has a good run with injury, I really think he can become a gun defender in the competition.

I meant rebounding in the sense of beating your man in the contest then working off him immediately. Obviously there are HBF types who work off their man, receive and then rebound more and more effectively than Jamo.

If Bower reaches AA CHB levels, I will concede he's in the discussion with Jamo. But I honestly can't see a point where I would consider him to be a better defender than Jamo, I really can't.

I would very happily be proven wrong though... because we'd be winning flags if he got to Jamo's level, no doubt.