Grabbed every contested mark through a pre-season, before his knee a few years ago.

Have been a few times where I thought Kreuzer may actually get nervous in the real stuff but that's probably not right.

One thing is for sure:

We will know after 3 rounds whether we are going to be a serious team or whether we will be rebuilding from here.
We cannot afford to wait until later in the season. There are too many teams competing for lower half of the top 8.

If we win less than two of the first three games, we are done. The hope and excitement from the 'They know we're coming' years is gone. We will not win a flag in the coming 3-5yrs and will need to rebuild.

If we win two games, we are on track for solid top 8 finish or better.
If we can win three, we will have given ourselves the opportunity to be a real threat this year and in the next few...

PS. I am optimistic that Mick's psychology + new additions (esp Thomas) will lift us above our competitors.
I am amazed that most other commentators/captains etc... believe we will miss out on the eight but Kangas, Richmond and Essendon* will make it.
However, as per my previous post, I think we will have a clear answer within the next month!

..we didn't field a 'close to' full strength side at any time thru prac matches, so some of the doom and gloom isn't as warranted I think..

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

Neither did our competition.

It showed up our depth and limitations if and when injuries hit.

It seems to me that Kreuzer's biggest issue when marking is he holds his arms straight up above his head, which is easy for the opposition to spoil. He needs to learn how to position himself so that he can extend his arms up AND out in front, stick his backside out, and then there is no way he can be spoiled without being infringed. I'm surprised that they haven't been working on this (if they have, it's not showing).

There were 2 or 3 against North pre-season where he put his arms straight up and was spoiled.

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Mens sana in corpore sano.

Bring back the laurel wreath logo!!!

I'm not sure how we'll go. But nearly everyone in the media are sheep. A few strong voices express an opinion and everyone follows. The players aren't any different. They just recycle whatever happens to be flavour of the day out in media land.

Sheep is almost kind to some. Sheep don't get paid to follow but these guys do.

Getting lazier by the week.

This !!!!

And he ends up under the ball , or gets pushed out under the ball, hence why he marks writh straight arms .

That plus a tendency to let the ball get too far behind the optimum point of impact (or perhaps one is the result of the other and vice-versa!). I just think that after so many years in the system I have not seen enough improvement or change to suggest that he will get better at it any time soon.

I could go off on a tangent here about sub-standard player development (Levi's kicking, Yarran's lack of motor and desire, Bell's awareness and nous, etc.) but there is probably another thread for that...

Looking forward to the first team announcement for the year tomorrow, even though it has the extended bench. My favourite time of the footy week .

i reckon he gets nervous too

looks it to me anyway

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*(grow - fun - gah)

Yeah but whatabout your whataboutism.

He didn't look all that nervous when he took the game saving mark against Norf.

Updated: Tuesday, March 11

CARLTON
Andrew Carrazzo Calf 2 weeks
Sam Docherty Quad 2 weeks
Chris Judd Achilles 3 weeks

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"You are being watched. The government has a secret system. A machine that spies on you every hour of every day. I know because I built it." - Finch

My team,
Simpson Jamison Walker
Tuohy Watson Scotland
Thomas Gibbs Yarran
Everitt Henderson Menzel
Garlett Waite Kreuzer
Warnock Murphy McLean
From; Robinson Bell Cripps
Curnow Buckley White
Judd, Carrazzo and Docherty are in our best 22.
Picked White over McInnes due to greater flexibility and
better one on one, stronger in the contest..
Still have my doubts over the fitness of hendo, Gibbs and McLean..
Massive first game, must win..

The more I think of it the more I believe MM will take 2 ruck men against Port.
Can't afford to be dominated,
Both rucks have shown something this preseason but not dominated,
I'm guessing MM will not risk with 1 ruck in case 1 goes down.

I don't mind but I really hope Casboult plays and stars to start the season.

Just got in from a good night out on bustling balmy Bondi Beachh and I'm really nervous about this game and this season.

It's time to deliver or you will disappoint.

Thomas 10 tackles

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Not sure Casboult will play if both Kreuzer and Warnock do. Henderson/Waite are our two kpf's and Watson/Jamo the two kpd's IMO.

March 11, 2013?

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"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

Agree. The only time the 2 rucks + Levi played in the same team, Levi got subbed @ half time. Even then Watto wasn't even playing.

Levi will play if Hendo doesn't.

Yep, spot on I reckon. Everett is the backup for defence and forward.