Considering we've had only one real match after the first big cleanout, it's a bit early to tell. I'm expecting one more clean out at season's end and another decent draft/trade period to get the mix right.

Walker received a one week suspension. Dont know what was up with him last night, really out of character.

I disagree, this has been building for a while now. Has been a real hothead since last season. The new Waite.

Need more peptides!

Just carrying on from the NAB Challenge perhaps?

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

I agree. I also said a number of times throughout the game that whenever Warnock was in the ruck we looked Ok, and when he went out we dropped off.

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Never argue with idiots. They drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience!!!

After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says W T F .........
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Agree. Every time Port got a run on Kruezer was in the ruck.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

Agree on the attempted corridor use. Our disposal is woeful at times and the turnovers are the killing point in the game that could put us further ahead vs another shot on goal to the oppostion. Repeat offenders for what should be professional standards. Our drafting has not assisted us in this area over the years.

The 1st quarter was the standard we should be aiming for consistently, not a fleeting pick & choose moment by the players. All buy in, fight as one, protect one another and team first oriented mantra. Results will follow if we can bring consistancy to our attack on the game but that has alluded us for so long with these players. Bring in Boof Lehmann or some mental hypnosis.

It is only the 1st round and we showed some real positives while also bringing to the park some usual tripe that we can dish up. Fitness was a real concern and working out how we'll compose our disfunctional forward line into a consistent performer.

A week & a half to remedy, with particular emphasis on how to replicate the start of the 1st quarter as our level of team football that is expected to be delivered week in, week out. No passengers.

Considering we've had only one real match after the first big cleanout, it's a bit early to tell. I'm expecting one more clean out at season's end and another decent draft/trade period to get the mix right.[/quote]

That I agree with. I have been calling for a clean out for several years. Unfortunately our record of what we replace them with isn't that good either.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

..its what happens when you play an under done ruck, interesting to note that the mc pick krooz to play even when he isn't ready or keep him playing the injury.. ..I don't believe knockers is the clear number one, very little confidence in him to carry the sole ruck duty, coz krooz gets rushed back into the side to help him out.. ..he will be better for the run though, but knockers must do something when not in the ruck, he's a liability when not in the ruck, and can have too many low possession games when playing so much time 'on ball'.. ..if krooz was fit we'd not have seen the drop off, but just another game where the mc have rushed him back into the side..

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

Yet to watch the game but there seems to be a few recurring theme. Same as last year and previous years:
1. Lack of leadership when the going gets tough. Simmo seems to be playing a lone hand - still. Captains should lead by example. Not sure that fits with the incumbant. Injured? We have a leadership group that ought to be handling this. They don't or can't.
2. Mental softness, doing the hard things
3. Lack of speed to cover the spread
4. Poor defensive running.
5. Poor footskills

Hard to pick these up on the replay. Maybe our expectations of this current group are too high.

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"our electorate seeks less to be informed and more to be validated." Sad times.

The issue is we don't have a No.1. I wouldn't rank any of them ahead of most other clubs No.1 ruck. Wasted a lot of picks and money on average players.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

The analogy was to suggest the coach can make a big difference to the side
Man U are still the best administered best off financially of any club in their league
But the coach went and along with it so did their performances

Not comparing Ratts to Fergie at all

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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

..knockers is 27, and hasn't even played 100 games.. ..we chased him and paid overs coz we thought he would be like Sandi, and krooz was gonna be the next sticks, even though he has never been a key forward type.. ..we keep flirting with the idea of krooz being part ruck part fwd, when it is obvious krooz is an all round work horse ruck.. ..his best games have been him as main ruck.. ..play him as man ruck.. ..knockers can't carry the load anyway, he'll be spent by mid season..

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

You can't use underdone players as an excuse when you have young, fit midfielders running around in the VFL.
Port were too good. They reacted to our momentum like every other club does. They put floating defenders back and we are unable to adjust. Its been happening since Pagans days and we've done insufficient to address it since.
Until we develop players to make good decisions instead of players to do what they're told, it will continue.

Blame the recruiters all you want but the coaches have the responsibility to develop the players. Millions of kids play the game and the guys that are lucky enough to get drafted are the elite. Very few get there by being stupid. They have learnt to play the game at a very high level. Its then up to the clubs to take them the next step.

I'd suggest we expect their natural ability to get them through. It doesn't work that way. Developing players isn't just about teaching them to kick and handball. Its also about creating an environment where players can make quality decisions under pressure. We take that responsibility away from them and teach them to do what they're told. That will be fine if the game doesn't evolve and stays the same way for 30 years. Unfortunately the rest of the coaches won't accommodate our inadequacies.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

As a matter of interest, how many players taken in the last 5 National Drafts played last night?
I can think of Menzel, Watson and McInnes.

May I say 8 pages of hysteria based on 1 quarter of footy. We were in front at three quarter time last night.

Yes I was there and saw us get smashed in the last quarter. I will agree with all that is being said about the team if we base it on that one quarter but really we were okay with a few exceptions up till then.

Get hysterical after 5 or 6 games into the season. Apart from that I agree play the young 'uns. Menzel, Buckley, Holman, Graham, Cripps, Docherty and yes even Lucas. They are the future.

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"Get ready, Teddy - you're on": Ron Barassi half time 1970 Grand Final

National draft selections (non rookie upgrades) that didn't play

2009 - Kane Lucas
2011 - Joshua Bootsma, Sam Rowe, Dylan Buckley
2012 - Nicholas Graham, Tom Temay
3013 - Patrick Cripps, Cameron Giles, Nick Holman

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

Kruezer isn't good enough in the ruck or as a forward, but he does play relatively well (by his standards) against Richmond. Do you give him one more week? That is the question.

He is a nice guy obviously but we aren't playing for tiddlywinks. This is a serious matter and the emotional element should be taken out of it. Everyone likes Kreuzer obviously as he gives it his all and is a real trier, but this is too important to let slide.


Another option is to get Warnock & Casboult (Despite his terrible kicking) or some other combination that gives Carlton an option other than having a match with 2 ruckmen - 1 playing poorly, 1 playing ok. In modern football you can't carry a ruckman as the game is all about speed through the midfield now. You are basically just gifting Port an extra runner.


One of the reasons why Port ran over the top of Carlton is that they went in with one ruckman - Lobbe and had Trengove (15 possessions) a 197cm defender who did some hit outs. There was no double ruckmen option. If we are going double ruckman one of them has to be able to kick goals &/or get a lot of possessions- neither can, so we have to go with the better ruckman, which is Warnock.


Can you remember the 2012 grand final? Two ruckmen - Pyke (16 posessions, 29 hit-outs), Mumford (with an injury - 6 possessions- 14 hit-outs, 3 tackles). Compare that to the match on the weekend - Kreuzer (14 possessions, no tackles, 13 hitouts) and Warnock (4 possessions, 31 hit outs and 1 tackle). ie both Swans ruckmen were contributors and Mumford came off in the last quarter. They subbed out their less effective ruckman and had the option of putting on a runner - Parker.

Carlton on the weekend instead kept two ruckmen in the mix in the last quarter (taking Bell off - who could have pinch hit as a defacto ruckman to wrestle around the boundary - (not in the midfield battles as you risk knee injuries) anyway and he was a running option. ie given us even more run. Taking Bell off in the last quarter was bizarre. They needed runners, why take out a runner and leave on a cumbersome ruckman (Kreuzer) who is having no impact? and/or leave on McLean who was a deer in the spotlight?

Bell is going to give Carlton a lot of options if they persist with him. He just needs more game time. He isn't the best player but at least he can play many roles.






Wayne Johnston said in an interview a few weeks back said Warnock is the key - and we have to persist with him. For the time being, I agree with the Dominator.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/c ... 6852882535

That kept Port in the game, but their midfield won it for them.
The ball barely made it forward of centre in the last when the game was still there to be won.

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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