we gave the tigers 88 points on turnovers. We need to staunch that wound. I wouldn't be bringing in Kerridge, we don't need another 3 or 4 turnovers from his regular howlers.

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"Who discovered we could get milk from cows, and what did he think he was doing at the time?" Billy Connolly

I'm not sure whether an interest in seeing how he goes in the ones before we dump him at the end of the year, considering he hasn't played there for a couple of years = an obsession.

It's no more ridiculous than Thomas, White, Rowe, Armfield, Kerridge, Casboult etc being given multiple games in the seniors and showing us nothing MULTIPLE times
Hey...I'd be over the moon if Jacksh was given the same number of games as Jones to show his wares
This obsession with keeping Jacksh OUT of the side is insane

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If I want your opinion, I'll give it to you!

Don't follow VFL much or your memory dpan struggle beyond a few days? Previous two games he kicked 4 and 3. That does warrant a chance.

Starts are killing us. Whether its preparation, match ups or whatever the case, on Thursday Richmond kicked the first 3 goals in the first quarter, the first 4 goals in the second, the first goal in the third and the first 3 goals in the 4th.
We were gaining momentum at times but we'd be flattened at the re-starts. Thats the challenge for the coaches.

i'd also be putting Ed back to a midfield tagging role. He's not a wingman and our inability to shut down Richmond in the middle hurt us. The lack of additional midfield rotations was also costly. Cuningham or Graham instead of one of the talls would be appreciated. Lastly, tell Cripps to give the ball off when the option is there. He's got into a habit of trying to do too much himself when running options are available. I realise he's coming off a limited pre-season but we need him up and going asap. 5 contested possessions for the game would be numbers that would disappoint him.

Any mail on what's happening with LeBois? I didn't see him in the VFL and I'm unsure if he played in the previous VFL practice game. We need additional leg speed up forward. Mind you, if we bought in additional midfield rotations, Murphy would be a quality small resting more up forward instead of midfield/bench.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

It's funny that it used to be our finish to quarters that killed us.

Agree we're playing too many talls, don't have enough speed, and that we play too many specialist forwards. Everyone bar your 2 key forwards and 2 key defenders should have some capacity to go through the midfield. Maybe you can have an extra forward and a couple of defenders, but having Murphy, Gibbs and Cripps resting forward rather than on the bench would be great.

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

relax, we have 21 more weeks to ensure both our starts and finishes are woeful.

That's the one that really puzzles me. I can understand them putting games into our young talls, even if it imbalances the side. But what do we gain by taking Ed away from a role that he's elite at? Surely he would have halved Martin's impact on the game, and given us a far better chance to compete.

Out: Macreadie, Thomas
In: Graham, Lamb

The experience of round 1 will be good for Macreadie, but I think he should go back to the VFL now and build his confidence for his next crack at the big time. White is a stopgap in the meantime which we'll need to tolerate.

Graham is no superstar but he was the pick of our VFL mids on Thursday and he gives us another badly needed midfield option. I suspect that Kerridge and Palmer are ahead of him in the minds of the MC, but not in mine. Cunningham is the next cab off the rank.

I don't think you can play all the kids at once so I personally wouldn't promote Polson or Fisher yet. Fisher showed promise in bursts on Thursday, so he might be get a taste of senior footy if a suitable spot opens up.

I get the impression we'll be leaving Weitering forward for awhile, so Jaksch & McKay need to spend the first month of the season playing consistently well in the VFL. If McKay leapfrogs Jaksch, I think Jaksch future at Carlton is officially in doubt.....

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

I'd rather he stay in the seniors and keep gaining confidence by ticking off small measurables set by the coaches.

Going back (NB's) to what has been a graveyard for our young boys over the years has done nothing for our development.

While the kids are up and going, play them in the seniors where they can settle into the tempo and tick off set measurables. When they tire later in the year rest them and play the depth players.

Tony Shaw Labelled our midfield group as embarrassing at the Herald Sun, and he has every right to make such claim, because of their dismal and embarrassing defensive efforts. Everyone wants the cheap turn over ball to attack and kick goals but no one wants to defend.


Thomas was the big culprit, whilst Gibbs & Crippa just didn't look ready to do the dirty work. I am sure they will get better, but Thomas's days are OVER.


Here is the Scary thing: Thomas has a Clause on his contract that if he plays 15 Games this year, he will automatically be granted a new contract extension. Mick Malthouse, You Son of a Gun, you have put our Club into the Dark ages... how can we possibly recover?



Shaw also laughed off giving Liam Jones a three year contract when he wasn't even performing at VFL level, before being drafted by us.


To put an immediate solution to our pathetic midfield, we have no option but to bring back guys like Graham and Kerridge. Whilst both are Average and Clanger kings, at least they can put some midfield pressure on the opposition.

Cheap shot by Shaw. Murphy Cripps and Gibbs did more than their share of the midfield work on Thursday. They dont have the support most other clubs have and unfortunately Cripps probably had his least effective game. 5 contested possessions!
Murphy had 18 and Gibbs had 15. More than any Richmond players. Does he want them to be winning the contested ball and then be on the defensive side when the opposition win it or the ball is turned over?

Cripps needs to regain match fitness and play to his strengths. We need him to be the extractor who wins much more contested ball than uncontested. Pendlebury had 24 contested possessions last night. Thats his game. When he plays his role, the other midfielders can play theirs instead of supplementing his game. I give credit to Murphy and Gibbs for stepping up. They just need some support. Too many talls. Too many players who cant supply midfield support.
Otherwise we'll just burn out the players who are carrying too much of the load.

I'd give Jack runs on the wing. He needs to build his tank instead of sitting on a HFF. That enable us to push Smedts into the middle or to half back and give Docherty a few spurts in the middle.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

Smedts, Thomas, D. Armfield, & Curnow are the Four players who failed to apply the Pressure & support. Three of them have to go... we can not have them all in the one team.. we will continue to be slaughtered.

Curnow is an established Tagger. Why wasn't he put on Martin to shut him down? Something had to be done in the midfield... Bolton just didn't have any other options.

EFA

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

Le Bois was earmarked to play his debut but was ruled out with an ankle injury endured on Tuesday. His forward pressure and ability to kick goals was 'sorely' missed.

Totally agree re Ed Curnow, BB tried playing him as a pure mid last year in Murphs absence. Wasn't a success then either. He's a role player who finds space when we have the ball.

An underdone Cripps would benefit immensely if he unloaded quicker.

Need speed, not Graham imo. Cunners better option imo.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Out: Thomas Armfield White
In: Lamb Cuningham McKay

B: Plowman Rowe Simpson
HB: Docherty Marchbank Macreadie
C: Petrevski-Seton Gibbs Smedts
HF: Pickett McKay Wright
F: Lamb Weitering Silvagni
R: Kreuzer Cripps Murphy

I: E Curnow Cuningham C Curnow Casboult

Lamb and Cuningham can provide no less impact and speed than Thomas and Armfield.

Casboult only remains as a relief ruck/forward with Kreuzer and McKay spending majority time rucking and forward.

There's 7 players under 20yo and I don't think that's too many.

It will be nasty.

Worst bit will be seeing Jeffy G cutting us up......he was nearly best on today. Never forgive Malthouse for cutting him

We could be Dees in 3 years if we do it right. Must drop White and Armfield. Not up to it. We could have drafted Hartung too as I watch tonite's game.

Le Bois and Cunningham must be played soon too...we need genuine speed.

We could be lke the Dees in 3 years but highly unlikely. The AFL stepped in and helped Melbourne. First they used their secret formula to come up with pick 3 as compo for losing Frawley. They talked Roos into coaching again and then paid his contract for 3 years. They put a CEO in place and helped negotiate compo from the MCC because they had MCC Melbourne members, as all clubs do.
They became a destination club in part due to Roos and now is it paying off.
The AFL do not give a stuff about us and we will not help.
This will be ugly I am afraid.