Round One??

B: Buckley Jamison Watson
HB: Walker Waite Yarran
C: Simpson McLean Tuohy
HF: Gibbs Henderson Everitt
F: Menzel Casboult Ellard
Foll: Warnock Bell Murphy
Int: Kruezer Carazzo Thomas Graham

Missing: Judd, Docherty, Scotland (inj) Curnow Cachia Robinson Garlett Cripps McInnes Rowe White Lucas Armfield.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

After yesterday, I'd like to see for Round 1:

B Buckley Jamison Simpson
HB Walker Watson Menzel
C Gibbs McLean Curnow
HF Tuohy Waite Everitt
F Yarran Casboult Garlett
R Warnock Bell Murphy
INT Wood McInnes Robinson Armfield (sub)

Some notable omissions there so far, and depending on the remaining pre-season games, would expect to see some more of the older guys get their spot back. At the moment, that line up is a bit reminiscent of the later years of Malthouse's reign at Collingwood, when you saw the likes of Licuria, Lockyer, Medhurst, etc all playing as depth players. For the time being, unless you're 100% fit, I wouldn't consider you for round one, especially the way we ran out that game.

At the moment, I think you have to give Buckley the first crack at the back pocket position for round one. Keep Scoots in the Bullants as your back up option, bring him back if Buckley, and later on, Docherty don't grasp the opportunity. Make it his to lose. Tackles well and he breaks lines.

Watson and Casboult effectively competing for the one position once Henderson returns in round 2 or 3. Psych's convinced me you can play Casboult and two rucks. Think it's a horses for courses event with them.

Would like to see Menzel given a run off half back early in the year. As good as he's been, he fades in and out of the game a bit, and he's got such great kicking and decision making, may prove to be an asset back there (and allow the lack of Scotland down back). Build his tank up, have a view to swap him out for Armfield at 3/4 time in an ideal situation (i.e. winning by plenty, no danger of the two rucks being run off their feet). Similarly, I'd like to see what Tuohy can do as a forward. Hits the scoreboard too often to be so far away from goal.

Not sure of the need to play Everitt and McInnes in the same side just yet either, but whilst Everitt proves a difficult match up in the forward line, its tough to move him around. Similarly McInnes = Walker not having to play third tall in defense.

Wood plays until either Kruezer is fit, or there becomes a need to play Casboult AND Watson. I'm still not convinced Kreuzer is in our best 22. Could you imagine that we end up with a situation where Cameron Wood keeps Kreuzer out of the side?

Eventually one of Watson/Casboult and the four on the bench make way for Thomas, Carrazzo, Judd, Henderson and probably Kreuzer. Maybe Buckley for Docherty too.

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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?

Is Wood eligible?

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

Have I? I'm not sure I'm convinced myself.

I'm not sure how it will work out. To be honest I think we have an average group of rucks.

Apart from a few positional differences we seem to be on a similar track.

PS You don't think Carrazzo or Thomas will be ready for Rd 1? Thomas has a chest infection and Carrazzo will play next week.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

Thought I saw clarification that Wood will be upgraded for Duigan on the LTI?

Still wouldn't play Kreuzer round one regardless.

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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?

Okay, didn't realise that.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

..all rucks being fit, Krooz is the first one picked.. ..use last season as the example..

..contrary to popular belief, i see Knockers as the most 'vulnerable'.. ..doesn't work hard enough off the ball, and his tap skill [hit to adv %] is average, albeit extra height enables more hitouts.. ..but he also causes repeat stoppages which in part i believe 'boosts' his hitout numbers.. ..knockers has ordinary skills, a long left boot but passing skills are sub-standard.. ..handballs are more "hot potatoe" than creative.. ..his defensive pressure isn't good enough for a ruck, and his tackles wind up as 'frees against' every other time.. ..he offers sweet F.A up fwd, doesn't work hard enough to play an all game ruck role, and after half a dozen games in succession he is spent..

..and in the 'versatile' new game, he is the most 1 position/dimensional player on our list..

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..if you can't be good, be good at it..

..hey Psych, why do you often have Jeffy out of your best 21..?..

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..if you can't be good, be good at it..

I realised that this thread is no longer about our best 22 when I read that Rhino wants to play Wood ahead of Kreuzer

Maybe we should start a thread about round 1 and move the discussion to there?

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It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

ABNS - I don't believe there's necessarily a best 22 other than the one for the week ahead.

Too many variables, and if there was one, its too unlikely to happen in the modern game.

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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?

I don't disagree with you. In fact, I'm kind of surprised this thread is still going. If we want to talk about who will play against Port in round 1, why don't we start a thread about that game? We could call it 'RD 1 vs Port - pre game discussion'

I'll take my radical thinking and get out of here now.....

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It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

That's batshit crazy.

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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?

..i kinda viewed this thread as uspposing to be our best, all being fit and in form.. ..it kinda became who is fit for round 1 and started going in that direction.. ..but i'm more interested in idea of which players play where, structures and the like, vs specific names.. ..for this thread..

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..if you can't be good, be good at it..

...are you sure that the Carlton community is ready for this sort of shock intellectualism and totally "OUT THERE" challenge?

May be better to introduce the concept via a intra-club practice match or an early round NAB cup match before one STAMPEDES towards a round 1 analysis against Port Power.

You really should think these things through, before you gallop in here and propose radical notions that risk totally destroying the very fabric of the Carlton Football Club fraternity.

There are plenty of historical examples of such reckless behaviour. We all know what happened in the end to Hitler, after he mindlessly invaded Poland.

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Vice President, International Extreme Sarcasm Society (IESS)

..now you've done it..

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..if you can't be good, be good at it..

Hitler was a complete cauliflower in TalkingFuhrer though. Would spam the @#$%&! out of the Our Best Third Reich? thread, always advocating more than 5 changes a week.

Had a look through Google Archives though, him and SurreyBlue had some good arguments about where to play home games - Princes Park or France?

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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?

You noticed.

Not a criticism of Jeff himself as I believe he is a very good small forward. For me it's more about balance and the way the game is being played these days.

It's so much more about rotations and is more midfield/run dominated than ever before. Look at Sydney, Geelong, Collingwood & Hawthorn. The most successful teams of the past 5-6 years and they do not have permanent smalls. Guys like Jetta, Stokes, Johnson, Rioli, Blair, Kennedy etc have all progressed to be major parts of the midfield.

We also now have Menzel in our side who will take time to develop an engine. Can we really afford 2 of them stuck up forward?

Mick last year complained about our lack of run. Small forwards don't help.

I also believe that as supporters we get too excited about "hightlight reels" from players. I look for players that perform week in week out, 120 minutes a game.

If we took Jeff out replaced him with Ellard for example would we be better? I believe so. Why? Ellard would be part of a midfield of McLean, Murphy, Graham, Judd, Gibbs, Thomas, Bell that would all rotate through the fwd pocket at times. I have no doubt that they would kick at least as many goals as Garlett (if not more) and would also add more around the ground. It would also be much harder to match up on and plan against. Look how Hawthorn last year deliberately moved Franklin up the ground as to not be predictable and create other options.

IMO you cannot win a flag relying on a small fwd to kick 40-50 goals. When was the last time that happened?

Not only that we still have Yarran, Walker, Tuohy, Simpson, Buckley, Scotland that could easily push forward at times and provide a "spark".

Just my opinion!


PS Did we miss him yesterday?

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

I'd like to formally apologise to all members of this forum. I now see the error of my ways. I behaved like a lunatic. Mine were the rantings of a madman.

Mods - please don't ban me, I promise not pollute this website with anymore of my left wing soap box rhetoric.

Hugely so,

ABNS.

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It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

..i just don't see Jeffy as a 'small fwd' in the traditional sense.. ..yes, he is small.. ..and yes, he's a very good fwd and argueably now one of our best.. ..but he's also a very good high HF, and he can play in bursts thru the middle.. ..i think pre-knock last season [about midyear], he was sensational with his run and work rate, up and down the ground providing great transition..

..i mentioned elsewhere that i think for us now, the fwd pockets are gonna be used as rotational positions.. ..resting rucks and mids rotated thru there, and the small fwds/HF's will work hard to lead upo the ground and push deep fwd as well.. ..i just hope one stays within 'range' of the deep tall so they can run back hard for the long bomb, so that even if they;re not there in time to crumb at least they can provide pressure and stop outside run..

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..if you can't be good, be good at it..

I will try to put in a good word for you, but seeing as my status in this forum is pathetic to say the least, I doubt very much anything I say on your behalf will carry any weight.

You could send me a blank cheque though. There are other ways we can sort out YOUR LITTLE PROBLEM.

We wouldn't want anything TO ACCIDENTALLY HAPPEN TO any of the mods in here before the start of the season, now would we!

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Vice President, International Extreme Sarcasm Society (IESS)