We were bad yesterday but not as bad as against the Dogs last week.

For what it is worth I am not disappointed in the selections but in the structure and adherence to what I thought would be team rules. Our problem is that at this stage of the season it may be too late to drill certain disciplines into the team and our forward structure has been an issue for a few years. Down back we needed another key defender and happy to see the coach and MC decide Henderson is it and persist with him. He will get towelled up and have days when it doesn't all go well for him but these are the chances to accelerate his learningso that come finals we have Jamieson and Henderson occupying the two key defensive spots and Laidler Duigan Russell Yarran/Scotland donw back.

Forwards must play in front and provide a contest. When kicking into the forward 50 from a free or mark the team should know where it will be kicked. Patterns and blocking should be practised. One pass within the forward 50 and then a shot on goal. The more times you try to switch it around inside the 50 the more chances to spoil and lose possession and for teams to flood back. If the opposition drags Yarran back to the back pocket to stop his run swap him with Scotland and move Yarran to the wing. If the second best player in the team doesn't honour a lead coming out of defence then drag him. If the opposition drop a player behind the ball into the corridor then one of the forwards should pick him up. Beter to have a two on one contest than to let them mark unattended. Hopeful that yesterday's game is dissected by the MC and used to address these issues.

The Pies are well drilled everyone knows their role and plays to the team rules or they are out of the side.

I sort of agree but not fully. I reckon we were diabolic for the first quarter and for half the second, but we lifted from about 15minutes into the second quarter. Up til then, Collingwood were miles better than us and should have led by 5-6 goals, not just 2. Once we lifted, Collingwood became less effective, were scrappy with their kicks and panicked a little bit at times, and generally in the second half I think we matched them. In fact, in that third quarter I think we were a bit unlucky, they were kicking flukey goals and we were hitting the post. Somehow they won that third quarter by a goal, I have no idea how because in general play it felt like a quarter we won by 2-3 goals.

lets hang watson out to dry you goose!!!!!
three games and two of those are against the pies.
how many games have you played dom7???????
if he gets dropped this week what message does that send.
why not play him against, melbourne, tigers, suns, port etc.
we lost by 3 goals without, waite, jamison, carrazzo, hampson and russell fair effort i think.
twomey's first
watson's 3rd
duigan's first year
laidler's first year
settle down people

Absolutely! Anyone know where he's at? He seems like the sort of guy who might not need weeks in the Bullants to come into the seniors and make an impact. Having Waite, Jamo AND Setanta out is really costing us, people don't usually mention Setanta with Waite and Jamo but he would have been really useful yesterday, just the sort of game he thrives on and could've kicked us two or three, and certainly prevented Collingwood marking our aimless punts into the forward line.

Not enough from our "B" graders cost us.


Warnock needed to step up and didnt.
Joesph goes down with a hammy.
Curnow was underdone and shouldnt have played.
Ellard was disappointing.
Robinson had a shocker.
Garlett kicked 1.4

we get more out of these blokes and we would have won this game.

_________________
You heard it here first!

I haven't seen anyone really bagging Watson, just the MC's decision to throw him out there when he clearly needs more time.

_________________
WADA medical director Dr Alan Vernec describes Essendon* FC drug case as biggest scandal in team sport the world of sport has seen. #WC2WB

#GUILTY

Warnock was really very very good. Didn't hold a lot of marks but to be fair when our guys go for contested marks there were 3 fists trying to smash the ball. Pies didn't have this problem.

_________________
I hope Essendon* folds.

Warnock was good and if he could kick he could have nailed 3 goals yesterday

Cany understand how a bloke 206 cm tall cant kick the ball 50 metres - He had a set shot from 30 missed , did brilliant in a ruck contest to gather and snap and missed then had the ball at 45 and sat it up at the top of the square instead of going all the way

Crikey with those log legs you would think he could kick 50 meters

_________________
If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

To play Curnow was a joke. To play Watson was a bigger joke. These were DISGRACEFUL selections that demand an apology to Carlton supporters.

All who saw Curnow play in the VFL last week he was at least 2 weeks away, and Watto has done SFA since he was towelled up in the last Filth game. So why were they picked ??

Touhy should have played. Simple as that. If we play Watto against the Bummers next week I'll spew.

We have a bit of work to do to develop our press like the Filth. They have it to an art form and that is why we seemd to always be kicking it straight to them.

Judd a champ but too many times he'd win the ball in a nest of Filth players with just no-one to kick it give it to at all. Need to work harder. We had our outs but so did they don't forget.

Eagles losing gives us a small sniff of staying in the 4, but this weeks game is do or die.

He definitely can kick 50m, well past 50m, but just doesn't back himself in enough. His shot on half time went well over 50m, unfortunately it wasn't accurate. His goalkicking has been poor this year, it looked great last year though - esp against the Swans in that final.

Setanta has not played for over a month now, he'll need a couple of Ants games at least before he is ready for the seniors, but then the MC might just put him straight into the seniors going on recent selections...

Really? I missed that, what did he say?

Fair enough. A quarter and a half of football's a long time to lay dormant, particularly against a premiership side. That's not accounting for the fact that we've pissed a top four chance up the wall, an opportunity to stamp our authority on the league and the players individually went our in front of 85,000 people which I would have thought was incentive enough.

On a positive note, I thought Bryce Gibbs was outstanding along with courageous.

_________________
--------------------------------------------------------"The only one that could ever love me..."

I'm normally not only a glass half full type, but a glass overflowing type when it comes to supporting the club on its decisions relating to list management, selection, matchday, etc, but I firmly believe that the way the club is going about handling Matthew Watson's development needs to be looked at.

It's almost insane to contemplate, but I tend to wonder whether his development would have actually been better handled had he come along five years earlier under Pagan, in the sense that Pagan wouldn't have given him games he didn't deserve, and made him work for what he was given.

Having said this since the Geelong pre-season game, I firmly believe that as it stands, Matt has all the tools physically to be an elite defender. These same tools suggest to me that he has what it takes to have a fast-tracked development rather than a slowly slowly entrance to AFL that you would see with Ben Reid, Jack Watts, Jackson Trengove, etc. At the moment, these assets are being overridden by what I believe is simply not working hard enough off the field.

The usual metamorphosis that you see in young players from being drafted to halfway through their first season in the system just isn't appearing with Matt, by comparison you're starting to see some difference in Paddy McCarthy and even Luke Mitchell all things considered.

At the moment, there'd be a fair argument to say he's been lucky to keep his place in the Bullants ones, but has been persevered with. To be given a game ahead of Austin wasn't right, nor fair to Mark. Matty could easily become a cornerstone of our backline next year. What needs to happen between now and then is to develop the necessary intensity that AFL level requires, which currently is way off. He can be prone to ball watching, the second efforts are lackadaisical, third efforts non-existant. This can be rectified with time and hard work.

In short, I think he needs a rocket put up him. Something that isn't consistent with Ratts and Darren Harris' respective coaching styles, who certainly seem big on the softly, softly approach and full of encouragement, deserved or otherwise. This approach certainly has its positives for a bloke like Noof, who early on, needed to have it constantly instilled in him that he is capable of being an elite AFL player and capable of taking the game on. I don't think Watto needs to be told of his obvious natural talent. Reading Shane Crawford's article in today's Sun about his memories of Allan Jeans had similar sentiments. I'd like to see a Fraser Brown or a Dominator come down and tell him in no uncertain terms that he is currently in danger of becoming a wasted talent. First year player or otherwise. SOS may not be a list manager or an assistant coach's rear end, but what he does know is how to mentor young defenders to play the game. I wish we had that resource still available.

Ideally I'd like to see him not considered for senior selection for the rest of the year, barring a dire situation, and given games in the Ants seniors on merit only. Justin Cordy, John Donehue and Tim Smith are elite assets, perhaps the envy of 16 other clubs. But they can only do so much if you're not willing to put in the extra yards. To say Watto isn't doing that at the moment, is an understatement.

_________________
BLUES 2010: PAV AND JUDD = FLAGS. DOING IT FOR THE LOVE OF DICK PRATT.

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR TALKINGCARLTON SUPERCOACH 2009 YET?

I just look at the way Pagan handled Kennedy in answering that question...

_________________
Congratulations CK95

I'm not a big wrap at all for Pagan's man-management and handling of young talent whatsoever. I agree with you on how he handled Kennedy. Having said that, I think Pagan's failure to use Kennedy correctly was a lot to do with his use of him in the ruck, minimal TOG, and a game plan that didn't feature the boys kicking to anyone but Fev.

Perhaps Rodney Eade would be a better analogy, but I reckon some kids will certainly respond better to a bit of a reality check than others who may need to be told how great they can be.

_________________
BLUES 2010: PAV AND JUDD = FLAGS. DOING IT FOR THE LOVE OF DICK PRATT.

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR TALKINGCARLTON SUPERCOACH 2009 YET?

Great effort Rob Warnock.More than broke even with Jolly.And his second,third,and fourth efforts when the ball hit the deck were great.After Judd,was our next best player for mine.They seemed to have more numbers at the drop of the ball and seemed to run and carry through the guts better than us.Hopefully Lucas will get a gig nexxt week.He is a classic run and carry player who would take a great load off Simmo who will drop with exhaustion iff he doesnt get a bit of a chip out................cant understand the talk of Hendo going forward as he has proved hopeless up there.He is finding his feet in the backline and gaining confidence.Why move him forward and undoe all that good work.I cant see anyone on our list at the moment to fill CHF so i would be persisting with Thornton.Just provide a contest and let the littlies swoop...........

Very interesting comments RE Watson by Rhino.If true then Austin should get the gig.Amazing info on Watson.Its hard to believe a young guy given an oppurtunity of a lifetime is not putting in...........CAZZ,please tell me its not true.

_________________
All my dangerous friends

How do you know he is not working hard enough off the field? He is a first year KPP FFS. Get a grip on reality and ket the kid develop.

_________________
You heard it here first!

Good post

_________________
1945 - End of round 3 Carlton was last.

Last round Carlton made the final four for the first time.

Eventual premiers.

That's what I'm talking about!