Very disappointed with tonight's game. We had the opportunity to make a statement and we squibbed it. Freo shut us down in close, we couldn't extract the ball, they could and they hurt us. We were soft, they out-muscled us. Too many passengers!

Watto, Zach, Simmo all good. Judd good early but faded. Den and Lachie a bit, rest were average, some very average, some shocking

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also on twitter @m_j_short

Watson?

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

Retain some sort of optimism that Betts, Yarran and Robinson will be gone at the end of the year.

Resigned to more of Captain NKOTB....

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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?

Watto was great I thought. At least the last month has shown we may not have wasted that pick or draft.

Wow. Hope everyone got a look at our best 22 tonight.
Not lacking in skill and promise, but sorely lacking in effort, heart and desperation.

Too many players out of form.
Same players coming up short.

It's just where we are at.

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

Simpson should have been made captain.

Captain Bluebeard??

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

Yep simmo wow. So brave.
Poor start this season but my god is he the measure for the effort required

Simmo set the record for back flops tonight

You must be a very patient person.

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

We shouldnt have a captain.
We should be the first team ever to not have a captain.
Tossing the coin should be a lottery and a member should be drawn from a barrel before every game and that member should call the toss.

That way... the opposition cant target our captain... and make him go into his shell...

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Has shown he can make it as an afl player. Rowe showed he can't.

Rob's Rant

Blues tried very hard but just not good enough.
I can't fault the endeavour but the execution is simply not there.

If I can make a small suggestion (for the 1 millionth time)......... STOP PLAYING THE 3 SMALL FORWARDS IN THE SAME TEAM - IT WILL NEVER WORK ON A CONSISTENT BASIS ESPECIALLY AGAINST A QUALITY OPPOSITION. Not only does it fail 8 out of 10 times but it means that we are playing effectively 1 or 2 players down because we are have 3 of essentially the same player who cant really have an impact anywhere else on the ground.

*** Team Selection - A howler at the selection table this week -
- The decision to play Rowe was a shocker. If ever there was a time to play your 6'11 ruckman -Warnock tonight was the night. Asking Rowe to pinch hit against Sandilands and Smith is fanciful. Kreuzer struggled let alone a 4th string ruckman like Rowe. Warnock doesnt get much of the ball around the ground but neither does Rowe, and warnock would have been useful winning a few taps.
- What does Graham need to do to get a game??? Another BOG last week for NB and still we select Robinson and our 1 too many taggers/defensive minded mids ahead of him - Cacchia, Curnow, Armfield, et al. (Curnow was excellent last week and the others were fair but for team balance we needed ball winning ability and Graham would have provided that.

** Mitch Robinson - How can I say this nicely?????? Actually I can't.... your effort is great but you are the absolute turnover king and your presence in the team is actually a disadvantage. Sorry to say it but your in your 5 season and in reality you are unlikely to improve significantly so I think its time we looked to relocate you either to a different club or the Northern Blues. (Wow I managed to say that without a single swear word!)

** Gibbs - I have defended you for 5 years and I still rate you in our top 6 but at times your hunger for the contest and want for the ball is embarrassing. I realise you probably have a laconic nature but please at least try and look like you give a shit!! It makes it a little less painful for your teammates and fans.

** Rowe - Great story of triumph over adversity but not much else to say. Given that Rowe, Betts, Garlett and Yarran between them have about 35 touches a game it makes it pretty hard to win when 2/3 of the fwd line hardly have an impact. I hope Mitchell gets a shot next week but I highly doubt it.

** Kicking - Need I say more......

** Tackling - We seem to miss crucial tackles every week. Is it technique or lack of strength or lack of composure.

Believe it or not I am not devastated after the loss because the team tried hard but I am incredibly frustrated because it just reinforces how far away we are from being a true finals side let alone a real contender. We still cant beat good sides yet we show a few glimpses that deceive you into thinking that just maybe we aren't that far away.
I eagerly await the end of season so we can see what changes Mick has install for us. Swann said 12 changes and i hope that means some serious changes not just the permenant reserves palyers like Joseph, Davies etc... We need to somehow improve the list and it will be interesting to see whether MM wants to do that primarily through trades or the draft. We must be savage because we arent going anywhere and unfortuantely father time has seen the demise of Judd and Scotland so there will be 2 gaping holes in the midfield and HB line


IMO there is minimal improvement possible in several of our players, that doesnt mean we g

too many soft, lazy, stupid mummy boys

bring on the cleanout

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*(grow - fun - gah)

Yeah but whatabout your whataboutism.

Is it a good time to remind people that Freo got Suban using the pick we gave them for Warnock.

Ouchy, ouchy, ouch.

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I hope Essendon* folds.

Watson wasn't really playing that well when he was promoted but I'm glad he's getting a game. I'm talking about Graham, he's been killing it in the 2's. Bell, Casboult and Menzel should be playing ahead of Curnow, Cachia, Armfied and Rowe.

Their small forwards carved us up
Cant see why when thats happening one of ours cant go back and help out
We need flexibility we are being robbed of it
They had a crack you cant question their commitment tonight it was a tough game but the lack of players that can take their turn in the middle cost us in the end
Judd was spent by half way through the 3rd and leaving murphy up forward for most of the game cost us again

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

Great comments from Malthouse sum it up:
1) smashed in the midfield - their top 6 all performed better than our top 6
2) got nothing from our small forwards
3) no excuses for Murphy - has to take ownership and raise the bar

MM with some genuine truth there re: murphy and his midfield mates. Maybe they should pick next weeks side now rather than wait til thurs!