One of the finds of our season .... we've found someone else to play on the gorillas down back. Problem is we still need a power forward

But we might also find when and if he gets another crack at the other end of the ground, he'll have a new understanding of what is required and become that roving, hard working focal point we are desperately crying out for. And don't forget he's still a kid.

If, maybe, hopefully ... but imagine this side with Jamo, Waite and Hendo FIT and firing, Bower, T-Bird and Santy in the wings, and Watson, McCarthy and Co ready to play a hand at senior level.

The other weapon we desperately need to develop is a fit and confident Kruez and Hammer (with new-found sticky hands) floating through and resting in the fwd line. And if 206 ever develops some marking prowess we'd had a big man dept to rival West Coast's ...

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I just want my old club back ... (edit) maybe I have!

all i got out of last night was that St Kilda are very ordinary.

They had to win that game at all costs and we toyed with them in the first half + and then gave up. I can't remember some of the centre bounce setups but to say some were pure second class Blues would be an understatement. Some bounces we contested without any "a" graders in there at all.

Some really good signals going into finals - Yarran's run. Hendersons improvement as a back. Tuouy was very good. Simpson is a champion.

Garlett is down on confidence and Betts simply needs to work harder. I reckon our biggest concern is our forward fifty entries. Still seem to lack a plan.

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This might sound extreme in the context of alleged sexual assault, drunken violence and a drug trafficking charge...

that free kick against Hendo for holding the ball from the kick in (less than 15m apparently)
You dipshit umpires, i've seen more than 100 kicks shorter than that paid as marks ALL YEAR!!!! and the advantage rule?? Spare us please, you morons!!

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i don't wanna spend my life explaining myself. Either you get it, or you don't- Frank Zappa

Last night's game was indicative of our season, reflecting all the games we lost this season. Lack of scoreboard pressure when we are working hard extinguishes oxygen from us and gibes it to the opposition. 12 behinds and 2 out on the full is not a good return for effort. Sentanta and Jeffy G both panicked after taking marks (10-15 metres out) and missed, Davies ran into an open goal that missed (during a key moment in the third quarter). Once St Kilda took the moment, it was going to be difficult to get it back and that's how it turned out.

Positives:

Henderson played really well on Reiwoltd and will have to do the same on Hurley next week if we are to beat the Bombers.

Murphy and Simpson's gut running to make positions for guys to kick to. If Gibbs ould match that effort, we will be 1/3rd better off.

Sentanta's strength in the contest. Unfortunately Betts, Garlett and Walker did not capitalise nearly enough.

I hope the Carlton that smashed Richmond, Essendon*, Fremantle come to play next week, because if the team play like last night defeat and Elimination are a real possibility.

Twinone
(I AM CARLTON)

Well done to Ireland for providing 6 of our goals last night.

We should have won this game but it was lost at the selection table when Bower was not the replacement for Jamison in the side. When Kreuzer was subbed off, Ohalipin had to pinch hit in the ruck which robbed the team of its structure. St Kilda just loaded up their forward line with talls and despite Henderson giving Reiwoldt a bath others like Kosi popped up and kicked goals.

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You heard it here first!

Warnock got airborne a couple of times last night in general play and used his body very effectively.
He also did some very good work around the ground IMO.

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Bawditawaba

I thought Warnock was ok last night. He took a couple of grabs around the ground and his ruck work was quite effective. With the injury cloud over Kreuzer, Warnock is a certain starter in the EF.

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You heard it here first!

Then we will struggle unless the boy plays out of his skin.

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"our electorate seeks less to be informed and more to be validated." Sad times.

Was at the game, not upset by that loss. Actually take several positives out of it:

* Henderson is in top form. Apart from one turnover that cost us a goal, his was as good a game on Riewoldt as you could ask for. The defence as a whole stood up. Laidler was superb again, and Duigan had one of his best games.
* Lucas looked great and set up Setanta for his first two goals with great placement. Ran hard and supported. Is it possible some players play better at AFL than VFL? A really good sign coming into finals.
* Warnock is in very good form as well. Dominated the ruck and pulled down some marks. Worked hard.
* Great to see Tuohy back, really solid.

My main concerns are the health of Kreuz and the total disappearance of confidence shown by Garlett. This kid is a star but it's almost like he's gone from a position of "nothing to lose" to having something at stake over the last few weeks. A child on the way and upcoming nuptials are enough to rock anybody's world let alone a 22 y.o. kid. Certainly adds a lot of pressure.

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"It was like calling your ex girlfriend after a night on the booze, just a really bad decision".

One of the main frustrations to take out of the game though was the playing on right in front of goal. Three times, Garlett twice, O'Hailpin once. They were at crucial stages of the game when we could have built our lead further to around four or five goals. Was listening to MMM at the time and Nathan Brown nailed it - he said if he didn't want any player playing on from right in front it would be O'Hailpin. Garlett's ones were even more concerning. Is it a confidence issue when kicking for goal? I'm starting to think it might be, as our goal-kicking last night was again average. There is no need to play the game at a million miles an hour. If you're within scoring range, distance-wise and angle wise, best thing to do is back yourself and go for the goal. It's small things like that which cost Geelong a flag back in 2008.

O'Hailpin was great otherwise though.

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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."

i am not really sure this game means anything tbh.

42 tackles indicates we were in self preservation mode & this is understandable considering it was a dead rubber. i am confident the stupid turnovers we made & ridiculous decisions to play on when we had set shots 10 metres out wont be repeated next week. to me it felt like we lost the game rather than st kilda win it.

i thought lucas and tuohy (again) showed plenty for the future as did Henderson who completely wiped the floor with riewoldt. this is exciting because it means we have FB and CHB covered for the next 6-7 years and along with guys like laidler, yarran and duigan i think the backline looks set for the same period. midfield is obviously strong so this leaves us needing that consistent key forward who for one reason or another we cant seem to keep on the park.

only concerns for next week are the amount of underdone or injured players we'll go in with.

go blues!! please bury the red and black flowers

Agree with that.
Simply, with the cattle remaining to choose from, if Betts and Garlett aren't kicking at least 6 goals between them we're stuffed.
Not the coaches' fault, it's just our list isn't deep enough with quality for the business end of the season.

Will be a close game next week, we'll have done well if we win, but won't be shocked if we don't.

Good first half, even though a bit wasteful. Poor second half. Simply stopped running and tackling.

Very pleased with Santy's contested marking. Booked himself a finals spot.
Thought Tuohy was terrific. Should have booked himself a finals spot.
Pleased to see Warnock take a couple of contested marks.
Thought Lucas had a pretty good first half.
There was clearly a bit of experimentation by the MC. Probably a good idea.
Hendo was great.

I'm a big fan of Jordy, but didn't seem to have much impact. Looks like his senior prospects for the year are shot.

Perhaps we didn't care all that much about the result, but Joseph on Milne was always going to be a risk. He kicks 3-4 on him every time. Would have liked to seen Tuohy get a chance.

I thought some horrible turnovers at halfback cost us momentum, scoreboard pressure and ultimately the game.

Obviously pretty disappointing about Kreuzer. Hope Hammer has a good game today.

Had the boot off and they were looking at his ankle.

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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

If we bring last night's performance to Essendon* next week, we will lose.

Ross Lyon changed the game plan half way through the game and shut down our run. What was our Plan B?

The Carlton FC website stated that Kruezer did not train the day before the game. Why did he play ?

Our biggest weakness and has been all year....

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"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

Our biggest weakness is that we do not have a fully listed big bodied and hard spine.....

Reckon you would want to be shocked if we don't....u can sugar coat it all u like but we are playing a pissweak injury riddled team next week....

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"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

Yep, he was very good

Yeah, I get to spend it with Hawks and Cats supporters.

I am royally @#$%&! pissed off by Carlton FC right now, sick of the shit they dish up each week when challenged.

They can't continue to hope to play injured teams and teams below them on the ladder and whip them by 100 points then fail when they need to win..

#IAmCarltonSoAmAlwaysScrewedByTheTeam

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