I think it’s a bit rough to sink the boots into the back six today. At one stage, the discrepancy in the disposal count was akin to five extra DOMINANT players on the field. It was a massacre and I don’t recall them padding out the stat line going sideways.

Then, there were some rough as guts umpiring decisions against us when momentum was taking us forward.

The midfield group are severely undersized without Cripps. 184cm & 82kg in the wet, versus 187 & 88kg... doesn’t seem like much, until you’re getting pushed aside at every opportunity. It’s a stiff arm you can’t break, a leg drive you can’t stop, a high ball you can’t reach... men versus boys.

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"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter" - Winston Churchill.

Yes happened consistently.

You're right...I was so caught up in the moment, my memory only recalled Setters running into space to try and mark

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

Just re: the setterfield front on contact. It wasn't the only one, I reckon I saw four. I would have loved Teague to have come out and said something along the lines of "that was on us as a coaching staff. We obviously didn't train the boys to the new interpretation this week and as a result we missed a few chances to spoil them". Or some sort of shade. It was a blatant change in interpretation and should be called out as such.

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The only way for some people to understand is for them to be on the receiving end

Left wing moralists
In self serving denial
They shit me no end

I had to look at the scoreboard 3 times when we hit the front, couldn't believe we were leading after being so incredibly shite. Melbourne are frauds, to dominate like that and almost lose, and celebrate like they did, sums them up.

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"I had to eat"

Yes probably a fair call about the back 6. My criticism about Jones though is that even when we were under the pump in the middle, he was still standing 10 metres off McDonald, and playing an attacking game, when circumstances dictated otherwise.

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"I had to eat"

We gave them 2-3 extra stars giving it straight back to them. Plowman, Simmo, Jones and Newman were terrible.

How good is Walsh eh?
I just shake my head watching him.
Does he need a rest? Is it too much for a young kid? Doesn't look like it but I hope they are right on top of it and not just asking him. 'Hey kid, do you wanna play?'

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That’s not a political statement — it’s a harsh reality, and we must act,” she said. “He is a clear and present danger to the things that keep us strong and free. I support impeachment.”

As well as Lewis lining up Fisher there was Kruezer having his arms pinned and been driven head first into the ground, yet no report and no free.

In the back maybe but didn't warrant a report.

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

Biggest positive for me is that we scored 100 points without Curnow, McKay & Cunningham in the forward half and without the best midfielder/player in the league in the middle.

One of the other positives over the last few weeks has been our ability to score fast. It’s kept us in games even though we haven’t necessarily been playing well. Hopefully we can fine tune and put 4 quarters together a few times before the end of the year - would be fun to watch.

Anyway, we all have bad days at work, maybe Jones did too. Plowman turns in too many imo.

The lift in intensity once we got a sniff in the 4th was as clear as day. Whoever coaches us....if they can manage that better, look out.

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"I had to eat"

Very mixed emotions after this one.

Pros:
The never say die attitude to come back from 6 goals down with stars out
Managed to hang in just despite playing poorly for three quarters
The crowd (56k and probably 40k Carlton)
JSOS (best game for the club)
Levi (kept us in it early when we were poor)
Kennedy and Setters hitting the scoreboard

Cons:
First three quarters were bad
The midfield was dominated (small in there without Cripps)
Ball use was poor
A few of the young guys like Dow, O’Brien, Fish and SPS were quiet
McGovern (struggling big time)

Was going to post yesterday after coming home from the game, but my text somehow got lost in the ether. Very frustrating after last week's effort. We were awful in the first half. Our disposal efficiency was 60% at half time, I think the Dees were about 71%, so not that much better. But 60% means that if some players were doing ok, and there were a few that were, then there were players who were turning it over big time. Plowman, Newman, Fisher for example. Just looked dumb. Gov had 5 disposals all day for 20% efficiency, so, one was effective, hardly good enough. At the end of the game 63% with 190 effective disposals vs 72% for 267 effective disposals for the Dees says it all. Dees workrate with 229 uncontested possies vs 159 for the Blues was also telling.

We didn't deserve to win, but I must say that the last quarter was good. The fans were going nuts of course. But it's no long term strategy if we have to rely on kicking six more goals than the opposition in the last quarter in order to win. We have to be switched on from the start and not give up substantial leads to end up playing catch up all day.

The Dees weren't that good, but we made them look good for three quarters. They should have won by six goals+

Jack and Levi were good, Setters eventually (although he was just jogging around early, letting his man lead and mark easily), Kennedy showed a bit, Gibbons also, Walsh good as usual, Weiters not bad. Kreuze tried but we got hammered in the middle with effective clearances. Plowman awful, Gov unseen, Newman, Fisher and plenty of others, including Simmo, ineffective.

Others blame the umps, yeah there were some bad decisions, but on balance it was 26 all.

Can't believe there were 51,000 there, looked like just 40+ to me.

We will win more games this year. Go Blues!

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also on twitter @m_j_short

Poor as we were, I wouldn’t be getting too hung up on stats. Casboult’s libe reads:

8 Disposals
5 Clangers
62% Efficiency
3 Goals

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"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter" - Winston Churchill.

I have watched a replay of the match.
The commentators were very biased, every missed free to Melbourne was mentioned and they questioned ones that we got.
Melbourne got many of their goals as a result of a direct free or a free further down the field, many of them dubious.
It seems that's our lot at the moment, always on the wrong end of decisions.
Some of our turn overs in that first half were dreadful, Plowman and Newman the main culprits.

We are very lucky to have him. Unbelievable to think he has only just turned 19. He is now our second best player.

I reckon the AFL appoint 'trainee' or second tier umpires to the bottom of the ladder games.

Young guys who have only ever known a shit Carlton, and pay us no respect.

That is probably the case, the top teams get the better umpires.
We get the crappy ones and that female one who has no idea.

One thing that disappointed me slightly yesterday was that McGovern wasn't getting near it and Jones was having issues down back.... and yet they kept the structure. I would have swapped them for a spell to see what happened.