Our list's soft underbelly is in danger of being exposed. The healthy senior group has covered for the devastated ranks of our developing players. We need young players ready to slot in and play a role, but who have we got coming through?

Our first 30 players to choose from hasn't changed since last season. The list appears stagnant at the moment, a result of the current Bullant injury crisis, drafting talls in 2010 who aren't ready yet, compromised drafts, and some mixed drafting and trading results.

Tuohy, Curnow, Laidler, Lucas and Henderson are the only young players to come to the club since 2009 who are in our best 30. (Of these five, Lucas was the only typical draftee). Four look like being good players for a long time, Curnow maybe not.

Where are the first, second, third and fourth (!) year players ready to come in??
We're waiting and hoping for the 2010 talls to be ready in the coming years, but where are the smalls?

McInnes, Kerr, Bootsma, Davies, Buckley, O'Keeffe, Bell, Dare, Heyne, Carter, Lodge.

A long list of names - how many are healthy, talented and ready to contribute at senior level this year?

Ellard, Joseph, Russell, Collins are our reserve mids and flankers. We need some kids to push up as Geelong and Collingwood did in 2010 and 2011 to give us a chance to win it in 2012. Right now I cant see who they might be.

Lack of depth had nothing to do with this loss...

It was our (lack of) attitude, mentality and poor structuring from upstairs.

A massive wake-up call for those that were already picking their GF parade spots.

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“I would rather have questions that can't be answered than answers that can't be questioned.” ― Richard Feynman

Just returned from injury; kicked 3 yesterday in the VFL; just returned from a rest; plodding along and needs to improve; injured; injured and needs to get on the park to have a hope of staying on the list; just returned from injury; delisted last season; plodding along and needs to improve; just returned from injury; just returned from injury.

I'd only be looking at Bell, Bootsma, McInness and Kerr to add anything to the line up in the short term, and even that's probably asking a lot of them. Patience is required with a lot of those names.

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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.

poor drafting or lack of drafting talls is a huge problem imo

Cheers Jimmae: Swap Dale for Dare.

I know these kids aren't at the level for various reasons, just making the point that our list isn't that flash right now and we'll need a lot of luck to even have a chance this year.

Hopefully by next year a few more of these lads and Mitchell, Watson and McCarthy are ready to have an impact.

@Hornet - wasn't referring to yesterday's loss.

Yep, except for one year; recruiting for faster development is actually backfiring.

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Just because I'm offended, doesn't mean I'm wrong.

We copped a loss against the run.
Geelong nearly got beaten by Richmond today.
North beat Geelong last week and are getting destroyed by Sydney now.

What does all this mean?

It means sometimes your last game is not a true reflection of how you're traveling.

Carlton's performance yesterday appears to be against the trend.

I think this loss will be a good thing in the end.

Hopefully the message hits home that we can't show up and expect to win.

The only worry for me is that yesterday was signs of the losses to WCE and WB last year where we were just smashed all day.

I think we can beat Freo.

IMO what those results mean is that some teams that were in the bottom half are improving....so we need to be improving to avoid just making up the numbers again....we'll know more Friday night....this is a pivotal game and will provide a more accurate assessment of whether we are improving this year or not....make no mistake this is a must win game for us....

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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

I reckon depth is a problem at every club.Shorter list do that.I reckon we have about half a dozen on the fringe that could come in and thats about average for every club in the comp.

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All my dangerous friends

I think we have a few handy players waiting their turn to come in - whilst I think Mclean should be given another go at senior level, it shouldn't be this week at Subi (large ground).
Back to my point, players like:
Ellard, AJ, Walker, Russell, Warnock, Collins, Armfield, Thornton.
Form, picking for position, and suitability of the ground and team we play will be factors that will influence which of these players play. Arguably, 2 or 3 of those players could mount a case as being in our best 22.
If laidler doesn't come up, Thornton plays, likewise with Curnow, Ellard comes in, and AJ for either Carrazzo or Curnow, or Mclean.
Russell for Yarran if he doesn't get up (ducks for cover).
Any more injuries, then we will be really stretched thin.

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For some silly reason, you people want to assassinate him, and it's just rubbish. You people. All of you, ALL of you!

If you look at this from a different perspective it's a massive pat on the back for the recruiting department, (who haven't had the early picks to play with).
He's not so young, but at Duigan to that list too.

There have been a number of Carlton flags that were won in seasons which contained losses to Essendon* at various stages.

In the overall scheme oft things the Fremantle match is a bigger test of where we are at.

Things will be in a bit of a sharper focus after ANZAC day.

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My Blue Heaven