I think you are being hard on Zak. His form has not really dropped off as much as our back line is decimated and he has to take on a better quality opponent. No laidler, duigain, yarran, henderson and a still struggling jamo - we have a revolving door policy through our back line at the moment with russell, Thornton, bower etc all struggling for form and Gibbs nit really knowing if he is bought or sold in the midfield.

And I agree with another poster - McLean has to play at least the next four weeks. I never wanted to see the guy in a Carlton jumper again, but desperate times and all that. Who knows, maybe he will repay some of the faith that cfc has placed in him.

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"our guest is dressed by hand-me-downs, hair designed by pillow"

Good on Brock I reckon. If he can keep up that level against better sides, then we will be very fortunate to have him. I really admire his effort to improve himself, and keep going.

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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.”

Right now the game style in afl of congested contested footy suits brock. These conditions are perfect for him. He does not need to be the running outside player. His challenge is to consistently win clearances, block for other mids, feed the outside players, build a raport with warnock and to know how to defend in the stoppages.

Im really concerned with what i have seen with judd. He is on the decline, he cant carry the midfield like he used to. He will become more of a burst player as time goes on. He needs to play more outside mid, but to do that others need to fill the void. Hope brock can do that, thats why we recruited him.

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'‘He had an enormous capacity to pump himself up and get the best out of himself when it mattered. He had a fire in his belly – a passion for the contest like few other players’' -- D Parkin in reference to the dominator

Agree with Dom, todays game style suits Brock to a tee and others become slightly obsolete until game plans change again, and they tend to do that every 20-40 games or so remarkably. Game is not that quick, its just kamikaze congested contested football...until someone finds a way to break it open.. guys like Garlett and anyone else that can't get a hard ball get will need to sit on sidelines until game plans get quicker.

Agreed, problem is Ratten wants us playing that run and gun crap that Knights had the Bombers playing 2 years ago.
Didnt work for them, now look at them since they have gone the power game.

The game has come full circle since then and we aren't a hard enough team. When the game opens up we can smash anyone, but when it get hard an dirty we get found out.
We're behind the 8 ball big time, the coaches need to reverse this.

Heres hoping Tom Bell has a couple of good games in the VFL and gets elevated could be a good tonic to the team with Robbo in the middle.

It's a shame that Mitchell or Casboult were injured this time of year because it would have been the perfect time to see what they're about... I really hope either gets a go soon when they're fit enough to play.

I still dont think our hardness is an issue.. When we want to be hard we can be (collingwood this year, Essendon*, WCE in the finals last year).. I believe it is more a mental issue with our group..

For example, when is the last time we went on a significant winning run (5 to 6 matches +)? Could we be harder? Yes.. but lets not get too caught up with what the idiots in the media say... Apparently Hawthorn are soft now..Give me a break..

As for this game, it will be tough due to our players missing and nothing else. Take 6-7 of a starting 22 from any side and they will struggle.. Especially when this 6-7 includes "core" players (CHB, CHF, Best defender, Best tagger and an elite midfielder)... They would all be in our best 10 players..

I will take an ugly win as thats all you need.. take 4 points and move on..It wasnt that many weeks ago the Essendon* scraped past Gold Coast now all of a sudden they are premiership fancies.. Get the points and look forward to a struggling Geelong..

Well there you go ... just when I thought I'd heard all the possible criticisms that could be levelled at Carlton ups pops a new one. For the record, MJ, I would've said that we've actually focussed heavily on speed in particular and that's what we're known for. I think that the selection of McLean was so controversial precisely because he is a grunt player which doesn't fit the mould.

Means we have to re-structure the side to get more of the right players in at the contests. It's where McLean might come into hos own, maybe getting Tuohy into the guts more often, as with Robbo, as we did last week. If we are to play the 3 big guys might find Kreuzer might play a ruck-rover role more now, leaving the other two to ruck, smashing a few bodies at contests and clearances. Would be dangerous there as well as creating any mismatch floating forward. We have the hard players but just have to re-structure and put them in the right spots. We started that last Sunday hence the obliteration we gave the opposition in contested possession and clearances, even it if was Melbourne. Have to start somewhere though.

Top 4 will be a tough ask if we drop this one

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"I had to eat"

If we play like we did in the fourth quarter for the entire Port game we'll win by 60.
If we start slowly, the massive crowd (18,000 of which about 6000 will be Port members) will get involved. There is no way we can lose this game if the players do the hard stuff from the opening bounce.

No Way!

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

I don’t think were soft just playing soft.
Just need time to gel with all the changes going on at the moment.
When you get all your regular players going out of the team a bit of uncertainty may come into your game.
It takes a bit of time to gain some understanding from the new inclusions of what they can and cannot do and how this affects the overall team structures.
One player might do some thing slightly different from what is used to so everyone adjusts slightly. Sometimes we go back to bad habits (Betts as a focal point).
This isn't ideal and change doesn't happen over night.
Henderson, Laidler and Yarran down back.
Carrazzo and Murphy in the middle.
Waite in the forward line.
Walker and Warnock just starting.
As far as I can see some major players in our initial starting line up.
Something seems to crop up every week.
I think we will be on track soon enough but we also need some leadership, both from the coaching panel and on field leaders.
To me this hasn't been as apparent as I would have wished for.
The problem is that I expected the senior players to take a stand and go harder unfortunately that hasn't been as pronounced as we would have liked.
I would have also liked to see Ratten throw the gauntlet down with more authority.

IMO This is a must win for our season.

How I would like to see us set up.

B: Armfield Jamison Bootsma
HB: Gibbs Bower Lucas Scotland

C: Simpson McLean Collins Ellard
Foll: Warnock Robinson Touhy

HF: Walker Judd
F: Betts Kruezer

Int: Hampson Garlett Curnow Sub: AJ


I have a feeling there may not be any changes as there is really no one available. Maybe Buckley for AJ? Please NOT Russell.

Lucas has to go back to a HBF. Thats where he started and played his best footy. Let the kid settle.
Scotland and Gibbs as sweepers third man up etc.

Midfield adding some bulk and aggression around stoppages.
Cornes would probably go to Judd so I would put Ellard on him and try and create a mismatch. Let Judd start forward (would really expose Cornes) and move up the ground when needed. Trying to create a loose man.
Touhy can go to Boak and sit on him and get in front at clearances. Use his body and aggression with McLean/Robinson and take pressure off Simpson, Ellard etc. If Touhy can get some kicks from the centre area if would put us deep into attack.
Garlett lucky to stay in and should be given a job to stop Pearce who has been playing very well in last few weeks as loose man behind the ball.
Walker/Kruezer to alternate as mobile CHF. If Hampson on has to lead from square.
If Duigan was fit I would be tempted to play him as a defensive forward to create space for smalls and is abel to kick a goal himself.
If AJ plays it is part of midfield as he is NOT a BP.
If Henderson fit, Bower out.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

TBH..hard to see how we can get in, even if we do win.
I mean, it would be amazing, but I think it's probably healthier to downgrade that expectation at this point.
Personally, I'm going back to my pre season wish of winning 2 finals.

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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.”

i want us in a pre lim

thats been my expectation since we lost to the eagles last year

I want us to win the cup.
There ain't no second prize.

Sounds pretty good although i worry Ellard, Curnow and Brock all playing on that big ground will leave us open defensively. We probably cant do anything about it though as we dont have any players left.

Now I've got Jimmy Barnes in my head. thanks a lot!!!

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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.”

You're welcome

Better than Michael Jackson