Then he has some answering to do. Why even play Kruezer if we don't use him as a target and battering ram? See how much better we looked when late in game we kicked to 206, didn't mark it but made a contest then we score.But for most of the night we kicked to midgets. That game plan won't stack up against top teams, in finals.

...also time to get that spooky tooth looked at BG. It's lost it's bite.

Oh, and Jiffy was terrible.

Sorry, had to be said.

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I hope Essendon* folds.

Th truth hurts.
but...it will set you free.

Still Jiffy had his chances eh?....missed a few...coulda been a hero..
and....we coulda won...against the odds..who'd have thought we'd be so bad first half!

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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.”

Anyone have a stat on how many out of the fulls there were last night? Felt like a helluva lot from both sides.

they are the worst cheating thugs in the game - but what would you expect from a team coached by "king-hit-from-behind" clarkson

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one you knock back is one you never have

The first half our disposal was shocking. But they actually kicked reasonably well for goal. Had we done the same we may have been only 4 or 5 down instead of 7 and half early in the 4th quarter.

Yeah there was some stuff in the first halkf that needs addressing. But there were a lot of positives as well. I thought Lachie did a great job on Franklin and Joseph nullified Rioli. But Hodge and Mitchell got on top of Judd and Murphy.

Even last year but definitely 2009 that would have been a 12 or so goal mauling at half time. We always seem to look at the negatives rather then focus on positives and there were more positives then negatives last night.

Yep the fact remains we will be 0-5 against the top 4 sides in 2010. But other then the Bulldogs blimp we have beaten everyone else. So where we are on the ladder is probably where we are in the overall scheme of things which is a darn site better then where we were a few years back.

Jamo back and Waite and Hampson not far away means we head to the finals with a pretty much full list barring injuries in the Saints game. A game against either Sydney or Essendon*. One we have beaten twice comfortably and the other whom played one of there better games when we played poorly and did not beat us and one we recently flogged. So it ain't all doom and gloom.

If we win that first game it lifts the monkey and then in reality we will be underdogs for the rest of the finals. So anything after that may be a bonus. I ain't that disappointed in last night. In hindsight with our first half yeah disappointing but overall we showed something.

Agree with that Agro, it was obvious in the first half. But the 2nd half was a big turning point in the cycle of these games, we would have built alot of self belief for next time. Can't wait to play them on the G, whenever that is.

MC listen up - get Army out there at the start. Wants to mix it and his defensive pressure was sadly missed.

Matched for inside 50s yet kick to Betts and Garlett with Murphy and Gibson on them with a spare such as Birchall around as well...their chances of marking in those situations???

Jamison took 3 contested marks. It was a shame that we started with such an undersized forward setup in the first place....we've seen Betts can't compete against O'Brien...we can't rely on these smalls to do it in the big games...against shite opposition yes but against the filth/Hawks. Disappointing too that Garlett continues to have shots on goal from 55m so it gives the talls that are in the square no chance as it gets spoilt through. You are either close enough to make the distance or you kick it to 15m so you give someone a chance.

People talk about the flooding tactics against our forward line...good teams can come against any tactic and win. We shouldn't need to play at the G either. Cop outs.

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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

I agree with your points but Jamison replaced Thornton in the forward line so we did have the same mix early as we did when Jamo wnt there. It was just that Thornton played poorly.

Flooding blokes back and then hitting us on the counter is definately our kryptonite and you are correct in saying that good teams can come back against any tactics. That is where we are failing to be a good team. Having said that we did come back but kicked 3.6 in the last and cost a really good chance at a win.

No key forward was again the difference last night. Hawthorn had Franklin in the 1st half to kick to and they had the structure that was so clearly lacking at the other end of ground. Long bombs to Walker and Betts didnt work last night and will not work in finals.

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You heard it here first!

Thornton doesn't have the contested marking ability/size to do it against the good teams...we won't go far if we're relying on that to take marks inside 50.

Agree we ran over the top of them in the end which was impressive. Played on more when we took a mark which is more our style. It's when teams slow us down we just give the ball back through poor contested marking or kicking it to the spare man in defence.

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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

Thornton wouldnt be my first choice in that forward role but he has done well over the last 3 weeks and deserved first crack it last night.
He had a shocker though and once they swapped him out for Jamo we looked better.

Ideally the forward line we should go with IMO:-

f Betts Kreuzer Walker
HF Garlett Waite/Setanta Robo/Judd/Gibbs/Simpson/Murphy

Just rewatching the game now. We really choked them after the 15min mark of the second. As embarrassing as they made us look in the first 45 mins we made them look equally as bad for the next 45 where they only score 1 goal.
Unfortunately in the last we didnt get our dominance on the board and they got a goal when Thornton slipped and then they very good goal from Smith. Gibbs choked at the other end and Jamo lost his mind.

At the start of the season i asked the question.............who id going to kick the goals ? yes,i know,Eddie,Jeff,and Walks have done well.But you need a CHF .Until we get one we will come a gutzer in the big games..............every time we come to the high hurdle we baulk,and that is a fail as far as im concerned..We are becoming the new North,brave fight,but pull up short..............our bottom six try hard but expose us in high pressure matches.We just have to juggle them around till we get the right combo..................get that combo right and we will still give a yelp in the finals.

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All my dangerous friends

And the most smug supporters.
They are under this guise of being some white bread family club but have the worst type of aggressive fan.

!!! with bells on!!
and
S M U G YUK.

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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.”

Some people are desperate to stick the boots in at any given opportunity.

I thought we did alright, Hawthorn are a good side, but we showed we aren't quite there yet.

I think our tactical setup was too reactive at the beginning, more trying to counter them than doing our own thing, and scared of using the corridor in the first half, even with men on their own.

Setanta should of played, lack of a forward target in the first half was a massive issue. He offers more than Thornton as a forward.

If we play them in the finals I am confident we would get them, as it would be at the G.

So don't slit your wrists people. Juddy had his most quiet game of the year and we only lost by 2 goals to the 3rd side.

For those doubting if we have improved, last year we would of lost by 60-70 points after that first half last year, now we keep our heads down, keep working, knowing things will turn around if we keep putting in.

Hopefully we get the Swans in the first final, and we should fix them up. If we don't Ratts future will quite rightly be questioned, and he may not survive.

people seem to be upset we haven't beaten a top four - truth is we are not good enough - yet. We have no FF or CHF - until we do we will struggle.

I thought Tex showed a lot last night

and whoever said Simmo had a shocking first half needs to watch the replay again - He was (almost) the only one we had in that first half.

Waite at FF and someone at CHf and this side is very different. Jammo at FB and Hendo at CHB we are getting there.

Laidler Jammo Yarran
Duigan Hendo JR
Simmo Judd Scotland
Garlett Waite Gibbs
Betts Setanta Walker

Kruise Murph Robbo


Carrots Curnow Ellard sub: AJ/Army

might be a side we should try and get for finals, though Waite may not be available.

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

Well, stuff you David Hale. Missed out on a YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST!!!!!

I find our primary issue last night is our predictability from centre clearances. Too many times our ordinary users of the ball in Robbo and Carrots got first use of the pill, and predictably bombed it long and high to no-one in particular. It was almost as if at times, Hawthorn were prepared to sacrifice first use of the pill, provided Judd or Murphy didn't get it, as their better users of the ball off half back were lining up to take uncontested marks.

Watch the big four clubs and how they set up at the centre clearances, Judd aside, we have no-one naturally inclined to run with the ball, which generally stems from our ongoing problem of failure to support the ball carrier, or spread quickly enough. Issues that haven't been rectified in four years, but generally get hidden by how good the individuals are in our midfield. For all the justifiable cracks at our forward set up, it's magnified when our midfield make poor decisions and aren't prepared to back each other in.

Disappointed in Garlett again. Not a lot of alternatives (Ellard full time in the pocket, and bring back Curnow/McLean? or Kerr?) and too late in the year to do anything. It needs to be said that he can't just continue to get by on the cheap things, and off the back of others' hard work.

If Juddy ever decides to give up the captaincy, it should be Simmo's every day of the week. The most underrated on-field leader in the league by a long way.

For all the flack Warnock gets for his set shots, I don't think there's one I feel less confident in than Gibbs. He misses shots that are his contemporaries' bread and butter.

Hendo should be the Harry Taylor to Jamison's Scarlett. Didn't drop his bundle after Franklin got a few Matthew Lloyd specials early on. Full credit to him.

For mine, too many questions over our best 22 at the wrong time of year, and too many of the wrong questions, i.e. whether they deserve to be in the 22, rather than a 50/50 call on a similiar player. Haven't used the selection table with enough of a long term view to ensure we've done our due dilligence. Bringing in Setanta, Lucas or Kerr in at this point would be silly.

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

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR TALKINGCARLTON SUPERCOACH 2009 YET?

Why?