Can't believe we managed to lose a game we dominated from 10 minutes in to 10 minutes out.

Judd was terrific as he has been virtually every time he has pulled on the jumper and the game was lost when he went down (tho we still should have won). He is still our best player and we are going to slip when he retires, (hopefully not next year). Casboult had a shocker and dropped marks he would normally swallow. Ellard tries hard but the difference between him on a hff and Betts is massive. Thomas was okay but he has none of the zip or spring that made him such a dynamic line breaker several years back. We want a gun mid not a loose man in defence, and he put in a couple of average marking efforts. Next year will tell whether this was an okay decision or a typically bad Carlton recruiting mistake. Graham looked up with the pace and Johnson didn't do much but glad Mick played him. He has that good soccer build with low hips, should have good balance and lateral movement.

McLean is the least suitable sub option. Our current list should have us 8-10th which is why this season has been so disappointing, but it isn't going to take us far beyond 8th and then we will slip so immediate future is not great.

Wood battled hard and at least gives something around the ground. Much better aggression from the team, not sure where that has been most weeks.

Fyffe is a gun. Retrospective recruiting is easy but we have got nothing except Robbo from those many picks we have had between #8 and #58 in the ND over the last decade. Be great if we could occasionally snag a good player with one of thsoe picks.

My main worry is that I no longer care very much when we lose like that. For all my life up to the last few years I owuld have been livid. I hope its just me and not the majority of supporters that no longer feel that blood connection to the club.

It would have been nice to actually win a close one but in the end it was 13th vs 2nd. It's happened so often that I was sitting there just expecting it.
Generally pleased with the effort except for the second quarter when we should have kicked away, and the fact we are slowly playing as a team.
I don't like to point fingers but Tuohy's 50m and subsequent goal stands out in such a close game.
Also, how big a flog is Zac Dawson?!

I though Casboults dropped mark on the wing was more disappointing than Wood's kick. That was a rushed kick under pressure. Brain fade not to go to the wings but Casboult missing a uncontested mark allowing the Dockers to sweep that ball forward was the moment my heart sank.

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T E A M

Agreed with Moshe re: the effort put into Crowley.

If its one thing I took away from tonight's game is that the best teams in the comp have something to prove, both as a unit and as individual footballers. Think back to the 2011 "peak" side, and there's not a lot that needs to be proved in that side, and as such its little wonder we failed when it counted so often.

You're starting to see points needing to be proved amongst this side, and I like the little edge it gives players. Whether it's Graham proving he shouldn't wear the green vest for another six weeks, or that Judd still has something to prove/offer at this point in his career, even Murph and his constant issues with taggers. If Ratts had been asked that question about Judd playing on next year, he'd have sat there for five minutes reeling off every accomplishment and stat in his career to date, leaving the first year journos concerned if he was going to whip out Little Ratts at any second. Instead, enjoying that Mick is constantly challenging these blokes and not allowing the complacency that has otherwise so easily been allowed to permeate amongst the club for the past 20 years.

For that reason alone, I'm looking forward to Cam Wood's game next week.

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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?

Yep, seems to be a tougher edge to the team now, think I saw Levi give Crowley a nice clip to the head too. Players are harder at the contest too, eg Gibbs.

Bloody Hodge. Every club would love to have him in their team, but he's a sniping mongrel. An opposition player is going well, he tries to take them out. Hawthorn under pressure same thing, tries to clean someone up, eg North's Swallow. Back in the seventies he would have been running around king hitting people behind play.

Freo are well off the boil at the moment and on top of that were men down. I wouldn't read too much into last night.

Our structure looked good and we didn't kick to many contests until the last. Lots of chip chip which is the way to go with teams that defend space well.
Still the errors were shocking and we didn't get much from a large number of players.
I liked the effort.

Great game from Judd, Waite & Carrazzo.
All 3 must go on in BLUES colors in 2015 .

Hopefully Judd does

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dane's trolling again

we still kick the ball staight to the opp,and our fwds when are they going to start leading out to the ball carriers instead of waiting to take the mark.Watching the swans v hawks game this what they do always hitting up the player on th lead being on the wing ,fwd line,out of defence. big pre season coming up .

Fyfe is a ripper alright, but it helps when you are allowed to hold players off the contest, fend people off with high contact and dispose of the ball whichever way you like without the thought of ever being penalised for it.

Look we SHOULD have won. We were unlucky. I dont buy your analysis of freo.
Sure they had injuries...we didnt? Hawks have . Other sides have. Its a factor but does not define the side. Freo off the boil? How do we know whether it's that or we played well? I would like to give the kudos to the players and coach, rather than denigrate their efforts. If freo werent motivated after last weeks match then they have lost it and wont feature in the GF this year. I think they were motivated and we played well. Credit where credit is due.
Look we cant pay out on the team when they have losses such as the swans and Essendon* and then ignore their great efforts when they have them. Its just not consistent and shows some sort of bias against our playing group.
I think given our cattle, that they have spasmodically performed admirably. We need some more skilled, steely resolved players that will not accept narrow losses. That will come with
A. Maturity of some younger players eg casboult docherty
B development. This is behind closed doors stuff ,and i believe takes time, like the physical side does. Some players have it naturally, others have to develop it. Thats micks job.
C recruiting. Maybe look at a chapman type next year. Ryan okeefe? The aim being to bring that mental toughness into the group.

Correct Fyfe can do a full circle while being tackled, then dispose of the ball when it suits him and not get holding the ball.

He can take 5 minutes to shrug off a tackle and not get penalised.

In saying that, he is awesome...........

He doesn't get penalised because he is in full control whilst he is tackled.

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Koperek.

Nah. Snipers used to get their come uppance pretty quickly back then. I don't reckon Jacko or Harmsey or any number of players would have let him get away with much.

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

Shall I add that we also gave away pick 11 in that draft for Brock

Good effort and even though we lost for most of the night it was good to watch.

I really believe the Malthouse critics out there will eat their words before long. IMO he is developing a side and game style that will match up against anyone. The way we are playing, the effort, the team style and the improvement in so many palyers highlights for me that MM is doing a great job.

The key now is to back it up with some smart drafting and recruitment. We lack quality depth and class.

It's in the past but imagine if we had taken Fyfe instead of Lucas. It was the difference last night and could of been in several games. Just shows how important to get it right.

Next year we add some more kids and I expect significant improvement in Cripps, Graham, Casboult, Kruezer, Docherty, Buckley, Menzel, Thomas & Henderson. Still a bit to go but I seriously believe we are on the right track.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

Freo went the best available footballer with that pick. He has footy smarts.

We should get the Freo recruiter

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It is not as bad as you are lead to believe.......it is %$#^& worse!!!

Exactly.
We ve been pushed around for way too long.
See how Crowley went from tough guy to little sook when the shoe was put on the other foot.

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James Hird and Essendon* FC - #FOREVERDRUGCHEATS

Re recruiting Fyfe, just like Talia - who says we would have developed them properly?

Agree with the rest. But it is pertinent that we sign Menz ASAP.