I have full confidence in our medical staff that they'll make the right call. Gasp

Agree 79.
If we play like we have in the preseason games - effort, desire, run and pressure - we will win more than we lose this year.
Can't wait.

It starts at the contest, and that's expected every quarter of every week. Non negotiable.

If Carlton can bring that mantra every minute....we will make finals.

McGovern - McDonald - Newman
Saad - Weitering - Williams
Cerra - Cripps - O'Brien
Martin - C. Curnow - Fisher
Owies - McKay - Durdin
Pittonet - Hewett - Kennedy

Silvagni - DeKoning - E. Curnow - Kemp

Motlop to play if Durdin doesn't come up.
I don't really rate Newman, but they talk about his leadership in the backline.
Docherty and Walsh to come into the side within two rounds, but... I can see Docherty possibly being named the sub.

Carlton’s multi-pronged attack of athletic tall targets gives them a rare weapon and point of difference on the competition which will form part of the Blues’ regaining respect this year, says captain Paddy Cripps.

The return of Charlie Curnow and the emerging talent of young high-flyer Tom De Koning joining Coleman medallist Harry McKay gives the Blues a threatening forward half.

Curnow is one of the most athletic and exciting forwards in the competition but has been wracked by knee injuries, limiting him to just 15 games in the past three years. He didn’t play at all in 2020 but came back to play the last four games of last year and has had a strong summer.

“It’s a luxury and we just want to keep them out there,” Cripps said, adding the forward mix was potent not only for tall players but the pressure and fast small forwards.

“We have a lot of different weapons up there, them two (McKay and Curnow) and the way Tom De Koning played the other night, he brought it to ground, with his presence the way he was jumping - if the roof was shut he would have hit it.

“Charlie is a good story. He has had a tough couple of years, but one thing we have seen from him over pre-season is he hasn’t lost any athletic ability. It’s always something he has to manage through his career, but I am excited to see him have a really good year.

“You talk about the whole forward mix. I think the whole centre-forward mix we have a lot of different dynamics. You throw Zachy Fischer, Jackie Martin in there, Matty Owies and Corey Durdin at their feet with their pressure. We feel like we have a lot of different weapons and it is up to us mids to get it down there and let them go to work.”

“It’s exciting, but at the same time we have won two pre-season games. We are far from ahead of ourselves. We have a lot of work to do,” Cripps said.

“There’s a lot of noise, but we are big on the fact we have to earn a lot of respect back in the competition this year.”

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/we-have-a-lot-of-different-weapons-cripps-bullish-about-blues-attack-20220309-p5a36e.html


I don't think Tom DeKoning is out of the picture for round 1.

Some think he's underdone and wont be selected.

His minor hicup during the preseason was removing a small blood clot from his shoulder.
Up to that point he had done a huge preseason, and played 4 quarters in last week's game vs Dees and 4 quarters the previous week in the ressies.
He looked alright to me last week jumping like Bosustow in the first and right through till the last when he marked that beauty.

DeKoning is the future, and from what Cripps suggests, he's the present.


How can we leave this bloke out from our forwardline and ruck?

https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.201%2C$multiply_1.3545%2C$ratio_1.5%2C$width_756%2C$x_7%2C$y_0/t_crop_custom/q_86%2Cf_auto/9298b8100b596e9e16d060d67a781e02fe4c78a6

Happy about both of those comments. I want Walsh back ASAP but only when he absolutely ready.
Docherty sounds ready. Last year, he seemed to have lost his touch and fumbled a fair bit. Hopefully he has fixed that!

Just dropping in to say I fkn hate Richmond

First time in years I am confident of a Round One win