Butters was asked about exactly this in his post match interview and he was very open about it. Said they had specifically discussed at HT and 3QT that Carlton would run out of gas and they just needed to keep it close and keep something in reserve. He didn't mention slipping the umps a 50 to gift them the goals they needed to grab the lead, but aside from that it was an insightful chat.

Kemp was moved forward at one stage. He was no value there either.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

I thought he was drafted as a big bodied mid. Perhaps we should try that and let Walsh be an outside mid where his recent loss of quickness won't be so exposed.

Not sure what to make of the Young CHF thing. Feels like he was on a hiding to nothing getting parachuted in at the last minute to moonlight as something he's not, replacing the best in the biz. Given that Young played as a defender early in the season, I think we have to put away the tinfoil hats and assume they just didn't want to unsettle multiple positions by having our returning defenders shuffled at the death. But it's disappointing we didn't shuffle in-game when it became apparent Kemp couldn't handle the Rat.

Agree.
I'm confident we will get the job done against the Pies next week.
The addition of McKay and Acres (to replace Young and Carroll) plus an 8 day break will make a huge difference.

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There is no footy god

Watching last night, we need to rookie a mature bash and crash CHF from the VFL for occasions when we are down a KPF

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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

Coming from the opposition, there's obviously some truth in that, and part of the planning.

We couldn't find the energy to perform in the last after a 5 day turnaround from a dirty bruising encounter of "unsocialble footy".

Our high level of pressure in the 2nd created goals. Our high level of pressure in the 3rd was just to hold them. Port didn't let up their pressure in the 4th, and we faded.

The good thing from here on end, is no more 5 days turnaround in H & A and Finals. A week off before first final will be the right tonic.

The season isn't over. Our aim is to end up in the top 4.

Its not the end of the world. Every team has had ups and downs, playing with sore players and affected by injury. Any team in the top 8 can win the flag imo.

I have no fear of playing SCG or Gabba after a week's rest beforehand.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

We’ve got one. He is injured right now.

i love the optimism BB ... but we've been playing poorly for over a month now. port also were on their 3rd game in 12 days, and have been travelling. so they should have been just as cooked as us?


... word doing the rounds is walsh's back is cactus again. if that's true, we're not doing anything in sept, imo. unless we start feeding cerra and carroll peptides intravenously.

which i'm down for.

Too late BV. Game was lost by then.

2nd week in a row the opposition exploited the opportunity presented when we lost Harry from CHF.

The opposition selected 3 tall KP defenders both weeks, but only needed 2 to cover Charlie and Harry (when he was not in the ruck).

Last week it was Comden who went forward to give North 3 tall marking options there and he kicked 3 goals against .
This week, with Harry a last minute out, Esava went forward to give port 3 tall forwards, took half a dozen marks and kicked 2.1 goals.

Weitering did an amazing AA job at FB, completely blanketing his opponent, Ports tallest KPF, Charlie Dixon. Dixon had 2 kicks.

Kemp is not a KPF. Gov is not a KPF. Georgadis is 192ck, and did a number on them.
I would have preferred Young on Esava. He too was just too big for Kemp/ Gov.
I couldn't believe how easy Georgiardis and Esava marked the ball with no body pressure. Weird.

Kemp was sent back to the VFL to work on his concentration. He doesn't seem to have tidied that up imo. Losing Durdin, and not using Young in the backline left us no option but to play Kemp, if Marchbank was still out (as usual).

Times like these I think about what we had with Weitering-Jones combo. That's the past now, and the cupboard is bare for KPD's.

From what Ive seen of Lemmey this year, he isn't ready to play AFL. He's a 20yo developing KPF, who is still growing into his body and learning the game. He played most of this year in the backline in the VFL, and swung back KPF in the last month. Consider how long it took Harry to compete in the AFL, and Lemmey isn't Harry.

We a

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

We witnessed the end of David Cunningham’s CFC career.

Last week it was Sam Durdin.

The week before Caleb Marchbank?

Next week?

Jack Martin . Nothin" surer .

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All my dangerous friends

I know an extra day's recovery helps exponentially. There's sore, and then there's really sore.

We have been down, and its not the 1 or 2 rucks (so lets avoid putting the blame/ focus on them).

Form is a fickle thing, and like I've said all along, Purple Patches don't last forever.
We need the every player to bring the pressure every game. Sometimes players don't bring it: even the best.

Walshy hasn't been the same player he was in the Finals. He is so important in our engine room.
Because of injury, or a lack of 3rd marking option, Kennedy has been thrown around the place, not allowed to settle.
Despite kicking 3 goals against Richmond, I don't think Fog has been consistent with the pressure since then.
We leak goals from Kemp in the backline. He's asked too much of him. He's not a KPD. He was drafted as a Utility: HB/HF/Mid.
We've got Cerra in the backline, whose Ok there, but that's not what we have him for. Boyd's run and kicking is missed.

This year is littered with upsets, and proof form of players and teams have had their bad days.
Its about peaking at the right time.

Thank god we have plenty of wins on the Board and time to find form.

Harry, Martin, Williams will help improve the forwardline. I expect Boyd back. And TDK will be back for Finals.
We will play Finals, and there is and will continue to be pressure on spots. The rest is up to the fitness staff and players.

I do trust Vossy and dont think moving Young and Kemp would have made a huge diff to our energy levels, because they weren't the ones who played North 5 days ago.

For me its not blind optimism. The team has done too many good things this year to dismiss them after a loss or two or three. They have plenty of credits in the bank for mine, and good reason why they ran out of energy last night. AND, I don't expect the abovementioned players will be out of top form for the rest of the year. They will find their mojo.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I agree

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

once again our game plan is so predictable it is embarrassing how many times have i said this long bomb game style is our downfall . Another concern for me is that when you play against carlton and you are 4/5 goals down we are vulnerable . Bit like pies comeback in the lastQ reputation last year we are the opposite .

Just a big shout to Matthew Kennedy. The guy is mr fix it and gives his all now matter where he is played. Half the time it’s not even his natural position. Would love to see him play midfield for 4 quarters……….

Fatigue ? I don't buy it . Port came off a six day break AND they had to travel ..................

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All my dangerous friends

Walsh still found the footy 20-odd times & laid 11 tackles, so the management programme is doing well. He can’t escape like he used to, so could adjust his game to drop the pill when tackled. But, that’s only minor.

I’m not going to revisit the programme that he’s certain to be on, but the difference between five days and seven ought to be obvious. Active recovery is everything.

Seven days to Filth. Seven again to Hawthorn. Watch him go off for 40.

Spare him the Perth trip & either manage or rest him again for Saints. Freshen up into a final & away we go.

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

me either mate. port was also on their 3rd game in 12 days. with travel.




are we really that weak, that a 5 day break, with only one day of training (weds) is the difference between winning or laying down?



also interesting that in the scheduling, we could have a 6 day break after our trip to west coast, should we play on saturday. also, also interesting in the scheduling that none of the other top 6 teams were pencilled in to play last game of the round (sunday twilight) and then back it up on a friday night.


afl scheduling is the most thoughtless, money grabbing bit of bs in all of sports. that's my hot take for the day.

Let's just say your brainless agendas are no more relevant than my brainless agendas.
I been on here for almost 20 years and despite you being touted as a statistical expert most what you type is opinionated garbage

Kemp or Gov should have played forward.
Marchbank should have played instead of Lewis. As a matter of fact we should have played an Auskick kid instead of Lewis
Martin should have played instead of Cunningham.

Kemp Gov and Martin might not be KPF but they can provide a target and take a mark.

Out of interest if Harry and TDK had played last night would Port been afforded the luxury of sending Ratugolea forward.

If pitto tdk Harry and Charlie played last week would Comben been playing forward.

We are exposed for height down back because we allow opponents to take excess tall defenders and play them forward.



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If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws