You are so talented B44...you wrote a book on the subject.

it will take a miracle

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I didn't have Thomas in our best 22 last year so that wont change this year.

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"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"
- Aristotle

I have a strong feeling that Willamson is going to be our bonafide HB in the future...(I men McLeod like good, or close)
If he comes out of this preseason better than when he got to the club, with fitness, game plan, game plan execution I think he will play round 1.

I'm just putting it out there.

I keep looking at this kid's highlights footage and he blows me away.

With Best 22 I we should look at the lines or groups and best to start with defence and look at whose vying for spots.
Whilst doing that, just planning ahead 1 or 2 of our defensive talls is going to play Key Forward with McKay, SOS and Curnow.

Who knows he may not be needed at HB with Docherty, Byrne, Sheehan Pickett (who looks like McLeod when he's running and bouncing)

Both Williamson and Pickett could look after the opposition small forwards.
Williamson is fit and a very good athlete. He's a big boy.

I also think Fisher and Poulson will impress so much over the preseason but they will be too skinny for the midfield in 2017 but might be good to start in a BP ala Ratten Carrazzo.

I don't think Carlton will play Byrne at the start of the season.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Unless SPS, Sumner and Pickett come straight in, Thomas will play. Bolton didn't leave him in the twos like Everitt. I like Sumner, but he will have to find more of the pill and start kicking goals.

At least Pickett appears to be training and having a kick afterwards.

Palmer played for a far better team, so by rights, he should start ahead of Kerridge.

B: PLOWMAN - WEITERING - ROWE
HB: DOCHERTY - MARCHBANK - SIMPSON
C: BOEKHORST - GIBBS - PETREVSKI-SETON
HF: MURPHY - MCKAY - THOMAS
F: C. CURNOW - J. SILVAGNI - SUMNER
R: KREUZER - E. CURNOW - CRIPPS

I: PALMER - CASBOULT - CUNNINGHAM - WRIGHT

E: KERRIDGE BUCKLEY PICKETT

Fair enough

Many Carlton supporters thought Thomas was sadly out of form towards in the 2nd half of the season and was lucky to have a spot.
In fact, come end of season, I don't know any Carlton supporters who thought he was First 22 material, and we needed an upgrade.

He played against Melbourne when our injury list to running players included Murphy, Kerridge, Lamb, C.Curnow Byrne, Sheehan and Walker.
The following week the MC preferred to drop Everitt for Kerridge's return from injury so they valued Thomas more than Everitt.

I'd prefer Kerridge over Thomas for output and value to the team, in particular the midfield, but that's only because of his engine.

With the return of Murphy, E & C.Curnow and Byrne and the addition of Palmer, Smedts, Pickett SPS and Fisher (and Williamson: I'm a fan), I can't see Thomas playing much.
I don't think Sumner is taking his spot, but just another who might be picked ahead of Thomas.
If the penny drops for Boekhurst with more physical competitiveness, I can see him passing Thomas too, but you already have him in your 22.

Bring on the preseason and may the best players win a spot in the first 22...and lets ssh the Tigers in round 1.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I wonder if Docherty may see more time in the midfield and Bolton replaces him in defence with more rebounding speed... ?

The coach certainly has more options now.

I hope not, We have lost Tuohy and with Byrne most likely to miss the first half of the year I don't see why you would move a player who was in the All Australian squad last year out of his natural and best position.

Likely Round 1 with CRIPPS and BYRNE still to come back from injury.

B: PLOWMAN - WEITERING - BUCKLEY
HB: DOCHERTY - ROWE - SIMPSON
C: BOEKHORST - GIBBS - ARMFIELD
HF: J. SILVAGNI- C. CURNOW - PALMER
F:SCHEMDTS - CASBOULT - WRIGHT
R: KREUZER - E. CURNOW - MURPHY

I: PHILLIPS - CUNNINGHAM - KERRIDGE - THOMAS





Hopefully it transitions to something like this over 2017

B: PLOWMAN - WEITERING - SIMPSON
HB: DOCHERTY -MARCHBANK - BYRNE
C: CUNNINGHAM - GIBBS - PETREVSKI-SETON
HF: J. SILVAGNI- C. CURNOW - FISHER
F: PICKETT - MCKAY - LEBOIS
R: KREUZER - CRIPPS - MURPHY

I: PHILLIPS - E. CURNOW - BOEKHORST - PALMER

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The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.

Ronald Reagan

OK ... round 1 against Richmond if at all possible.


Simpson Marchbank Plowman
Dockerty Weitering Byrne
Smedths Gibbs Boekhorst
C Curnow McKay SPS
Silvagni Casboult Pickett

R:Kruezer, Cripps, Murphy

I/C: Palmer, Wright, E Curnow, Cunningham


E:Thomas, Sumner, Buckley

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I am as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more!!!

Just a couple of tweaks...

Simpson Marchbank Plowman
Dockerty Weitering Buckley
Smedths Gibbs Boekhorst
C Curnow Casboult SPS
Silvagni McKay Pickett

R:Kruezer, Cripps, Murphy

I/C: Palmer, Wright, E Curnow, Cunningham

E:Thomas, Sumner, Phillips

I don't think Byrne will be ready for Rd1 so replacing him with Buckley and I would play McKay out of the square with Levi as the hit-up target from CHF.

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Carlton - Nothing's changed
I still love you, oh, I still love you
Only slightly, only slightly less
Than I used to, my love

Seems reasonable.

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I am as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more!!!

I see Docherty as the replacement for the Simpson role as a cutout running defender, which Docherty is doing on the other side of the park but not to the same degree as Simpson. I am also hoping Williamson develops into the second running HB. His highlight reel shows he can do it at U18 level. Depends on his tank and how it develops but it seems from the little I have seen of him her could do it.

Doesn't refer to your post but I am not sure McKay will be the CHF in 2017. Maybe he'l get a few games but unless he is Robert Walls II (we can only hope) he looks to need a fair bit of development in his body. I think C. Curnow will be our big improver in the 'tall' forwards area. He showed us some glimpses last year that made me take notice. I honestly see a lot of Kouta in him. Please God, if you exist, make it so.

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

I love the idea of having one bonafide ruckman for a more mobile play maker, but what is your contingency if Kreuzer gets injured during the game?

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Casboult, Curnow and Cripps could cover in the ruck if Creuzer gets injured....

Good on you Sinbagger.

I thought Casboult would have been the answer given he's 198cm, but the left field suggestions of Curnow (191cm) and Cripps (193cm) has me thinking and asking how would that go?

I would have thought that midfield depth is a weakness and losing Cripps would further weaken this position, and the only mature KPF is Casboult, so who would take that KPF spot? McKay is a bit undeveloped imo but if he steps up and makes CHF or FF he own Casboult would be the obvious answer. So we are hoping the 19yo McKay makes the grade in 2017. I don't think he's a Wayne Carey or Jonathon Brown who showed enormous strength as 19yo's.

Cripps is our extractor, and leagues best clearance player. We lose that drive if he goes in the ruck.

I just feel Bolton, Clarkson and other coaches go with 2 rucks as insurance incase of injury let alone support for a needed rest for the No 1 ruckman.

We don't have a ruckman who can go 90% like Goldstein and Gawn, hence the reason for 2 rucks Kreuzer/Philips, and I'm guessing because of a lack of KPF's compounded with knee injury Casboult wasn't used as 2nd ruck with either Kreuzer or Philips.

Hope to see Kreuzer improves his marking and forward play or Philips build more strength to go with his good leap and marking. The ruck is a weakness and a hinderence having to carry 2 of them imo when they don't hit the scoreboard or mark consistently around the ground.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Not having a go at you at all Sinbagger as thinking outside the box can be beneficial at times.
However, if we went in with one specialist ruck and he went down early, of the 21 fit players we have left on the day, I'd pick 20 of them to cover in the ruck before Cripps.
In fact, after that, I'd probably pick the other 19 of the 20, before I'd play Charlie in the ruck.

For the most part, I like your suggested team, but given there is no second ruck and no Rowe, Casboult would be have to ruck solo for the entire game based on your team.
No chance in hell would I ever even consider playing any of our kids there. Even for a 5 minute burst.

I agree, Charlie will be our biggest improver 2017 barring injury.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

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Circumstance has no value. It is how one relates to a situation that has value. All true meaning resides in the personal relationship to a phenomenon, what it means to you.

It may have seemed like a flippant suggestion but from what I've seen Cripps goes third man up most of the time anyway so would we really be loosing that much?

Anyway my thinking was Casboult takes full time ruck duties if Kruezer goes down and Curnow and Cripps do very short burst so he can occasionally rest.

Remember this is an exceptional circumstance for only a part of a game. You can't plan 100% cover for every scenario and it's not like it will affect our finals chances

C Curnow is an interesting one. Looking forward to see what he can do.

191cm is not really that tall and because of this I can't see him playing as a key forward ... we already have Silvagni (about the same height) down there supporting the other talls and maybe Charlie needs to get into the midfield sooner than later.

I can't wait for 2017. Really getting excited about the list Carlton are building.

Go Bluebaggers!!!!

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I am as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more!!!