I don't disagree.
I think the game plan we have implemented over the summer required certain players to be able to utilise their skills to move the ball cleanly out of defence.
Unfortunately those players are injured and we are now fielding a very young inexperienced team.
I guess Voss and Co only have a couple of options.
1. Try and work out a way forward with the plan and our injury list - which I think they have been.
2. Revert back to last years game plan and risk a few beltings along the way until our injured players return - if we do that I just hope the herd are ready for it.
It seems to be a damned if you do and a damned if you don't scenario.

Our issues this season, the same as last season are coming back to bite us from the obscure drafting option taken last year.
When we were screaming out for another mature ruck, 1-2 quick & or skilful mature aged inside mids and possibly a small forward with some X-factor, instead we went heavy on the wings. And although they needed some addressing, either Acres or Hollands would've been enough (and I'm not saying I'm not happy with them).
Therefore we didn't fix the more important issue, covering and removing the annually injured players.
I just hope this year we start to move on the more injury prone players (if possible) out of the club and keep the more durable ones like your LOB's, Dow, Fisher, Plowman etc as depth players for a while longer until that mid tier is built up to support the top tier injuries. Though it's not ideal and the herd will hate hearing it, at least those players can get on the park and stay on that park and if the team as a whole needs less of them (especially at once) then if/when required they can fit into a stronger system to cover players and not be so exposed. Fit average players are better than always injured stars IMO.
And although I don't like looking backwards an example is getting rid of Setterfield and Stocker (although there were reasons) instead of say Philp, Cunningham or Marchbank. That hurts the list depth, a lot.

So for me going forward the list management really needs to be focused on mature aged durable footballers that can kick a footy if we want to play a tempo style game like we are trying to.

I agree, it's not all doom and gloom.
We can still do well we just need to get some talent back on the field, but we won't be winning a premiership this season.
That was stamped at the draft table last year, hopefully 2024 is our year.

Never said it was perfect or didn't need balance but the better sides take the game on. We did that last year but don't now. We are worse

[url]https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/news/afl-2023-mick-mcguane-on-what-is-wrong-with-carlton-and-how-the-blues-can-turn-their-season-around/news-
story/bfb672b92ff340a845df83dd6f96e6c0[/url]

Mids need to improve their effectiveness with the clearances. They're asleep at the wheel lacking enthusiasm and spirit, or maybe just common sense.

Bombing it into the forwardline in hope has to change.

Forwards need to LEARN how to kick straight and must have a set routine ...you'd think this wouldn't be an issue for professionals...just goes to show just because you are paid handsomely as a professional, doesnt gurantee the player will perform as a professional.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Acres cost us pick 49 and we have him on a wing for next 3 years
Hollands cost us pick 11 on a wing for the next 10 years

I dont think those selections stopped us trading for a ruckman
I'm sure we didnt need any more inside mids.
I think some outside speed to add to the mids waxing with Cerra, and a HF is all we really needed if Martin couldn't be relied on is what we could've added.

I'm glad to see Pitto lasted 84% of game last week.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

That you did.

You picked it abns.

You couldn't trust our perennial injured to stand up in 2023: Marchbank Cuningham, Martin, Gov, Williams

At the time we already knew Williams and Philp were out for the year.

Last weekend we had 13 injured.
We had 8 AFL listed players playing in the VFL
We also have VFL players injured too, so how can we create continuity let alone develop players in the VFL with the same Game plan we play in the AFL? Impossible.

The only way back is to get players back and forwards kicking straight: take their opportunities, and the mids get on with the job at winning, clearing the hard ball and connecting

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Nathan Buckley thinks our turnover game hasn't changed, our defense is a little better, and we aren't scoring as much from stoppages. He thinks we are about where he had us going into the season, missing out on the 8. So based off that, he thought we would tread water, which translated means not improve. Seems about right.

I still believe with a fit list we would be Top 4.

I strongly believe we fall away badly after our 25th player and it shows when we lose players. In talent, in confidence and in game style.

We have the top end talent. It's the support and back up I have an issue with

When you lose Docherty Saad Williams Boyd and replace with Kennedy Cowan (new) Cincotta (new) Plowman all at once you are in big trouble. Not to mention we haven't had all of Pittonet Walsh Cripps Kennedy Hewett Cerra all fit and firing and playing as a group all year. Not many sides could handle that drain in talent

Even our forward line hasn't been able to put Martin Durdin Motlop Fisher Owies all together for any time

Makes a big difference

Last weeks line up

B: Weitering Young Newman
HB: Cincotta McGovern Kennedy
C: Acres Cripps Hollands
HF: Motlop Silvagni E.Curnow
F: Durdin Curnow McKay
Foll: Pittonet Cerra Walsh
Int: Fisher Cowan Hewett Honey (O.Brien)

vs Our Best 22

B: Boyd Young McGovern
HB: Williams Weitering Saad
C: Acres Cripps Walsh
HF: Martin McKay Durdin
F: Curnow TDK Motlop
Foll: Pittonet Hewett Docherty
Int: Kennedy Cerra Newman Owies (Hollands)

Means Cowan Cincotta Kemp Fisher Silvagni Plowman Cottrell O'Brien Carroll Binns Cuningham are in the 2's. Depth, Form and compteition for spots makes for a better side?

Massive difference

Acres cost us 2023 3rd and the way we are going it might be better than #49, hopefully not though.
Not that we had a chance but Grundy went for #27
Rory Lobb went for #30
Lloyd Meek was a player swap.

As for inside mids, in 2022 we ranked #10 for Centre Clearances and #11 for total clearances and finished up 9th.
Not sure what else says we needed more speed in the middle, aside from watching us get ripped a new one on the rebound.
* Currently we only have Crippa #7 Centre Clearances next is Cerra #36 and Crippa #2 for total clearances and next is Cerra #46.
That's a massive hole in inside mid top end talent, no wonder teams can shut us out so easily.
And if we needed outside speed why did we bring in two wings that aren't overly quick.

We could've traded pick #11 for a pretty decent mature mid TBH.
Taranto #12
Tanner Bruhn #18
Jacob Hopper #31
or even Josh Dunkley or Tom Mitchell for experience.
Not sure if we had a chance with any, but one of those (except Tanner) in the middle providing experience and depth would've been pretty good.

Either way, it's only RD 6 and both Kennedy and Hewett have had a stint on the side lines already and that is the biggest issue we will face all season, as we did last season.
Don't get me wrong, I like all 4 of our players but the holes that needed to be filled and still need to be filled are either replacing injury prone players or creating depth to cover them at a better than VFL level (mid tier).
So for me it doesn't matter if Acres plays for 3 years and Hollands 10, if we aren't fixing our injury and depth issues in the other key positions they may also never see a flag at the club.
We need durability and depth, not 6 players (3 in the one draft) that can play wing role, all of whom are not that quick (except maybe Cottrell).

And it's great Pitto played 84%, but he is also another risk on top of all the other risks we have on our list ATM.
Anyway this is just my opinion carried over from last season, unfortunately I have seen no other evidence to change it yet.

That's what I thought too.
For me that decision was made at the draft table when the teams above us were improving their midfield but not us.
However, I am still hoping to be proven wrong.
A finals slap in the face would be great.
I still trust what Voss is doing though.

That would be a good 22, unfortunately we won't see it this year though.

We could get close. That side with Cowan or Cincotta replacing Williams is still a bloody good side

Fingers crossed.
We need some continuity in the side, for everyones sake.

Absolutely.

Add Marchbank incase Gov breaks down, assuming Russell is rebuilding him from scratch.

Fully fit, its a great AFL and VFL team.....fkn injuries.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I think a better ruckman would have helped to improve our clearances. Grundy > Pitto & TDK.

Josh Dunkley is the only mid I want from the above list. Always liked him in the TAC. He's been injured too. Yjey all get injuries. Some more than others. A bit of luck on that front helps.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Grundy would've been phenomenal for us......but we had no cap space and the other option was Melbourne.
Meek or Lobb would've been good additions, but if Young turns out to be good in the ruck.......we may need another intercepting defender instead.

Taranto and Mitchell go alright too, both leading their clubs in total clearances.
Taranto #9 Centre Clearances, #17 Total Clearances
Mitchell #18 CC #14 TC

Looking at the stats, Nick Daicos is killing it.
He used to support the Blues as a kid, might need to ask the question if they win a flag.

Didn't Cook say when they appointed Voss that he might need some help on a tactical level but he was an excellent leader?

Quite possibly and no one should be surprised by that. Macrae coaches from the bench and I'd suggest others are making the moves and formulating the strategies. Chris Fagan leaves the strategic work to other coaches and a number of others do as well. Including Ross Lyon who handed the strategic direction and game plan formulation to his assistants.
IMHO, it's more important for the senior coach to be a program and people manager. Strategic direction should be managed by the coaching panel as a group.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

So the master Voss said on Kemps return that his form was so good that regardless of them not having a spot for him he just had to be picked because he was knocking the door down with his form in the 2's.
Paddy Dow says 'Hold my beer'
The same Master Voss who said that Dow can't get a game because we have too many Mids.
Pick and choosing already in his 2nd year that's a great culture he's building.
Welcome to Carlton where selection integrity doesn't exist unless of course master Voss decides to change his views on certain players when it suits.