Let me just say i cant stand pagan. I want Mitchell in.

My point is that how can Luke Blackwell play decent footy when he gets 32% 40% 27% game time? I dont know whether its Numnuts Pagan or midfield coach Libba but it is a joke. I understand rotation but not 3 qtrs a game on the bench. Give him 80% + for 5 games then make a judgement. Jesus! Same thing happened when Joey Anderson debuted he got no more than 32%.

Anyone else feel my pain?

Yes..............i feel your pain.

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Bower against Pies was another one-sure he looked a little overawed but does that me banishment to the Bullants for next 5+ games?This year is surely the season to get games into our young players like Haw` did.Must go all out youth from here on.

Why if you want Pagan out do you want Mitchell in??? There is no other option???

Mitchell gives Blackwell 100% game time.

MItchell is NOT the answer! We need a long term plan and Mitchell would only serve up the same sort of crap because he is unimaginative and has little defensive idea (same as Pagan).

We need a long-term solution when the time comes, not a short term fix that wouldn't fix anything.

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I agree, but I think Blackwell isn't in immediate danger of losing a spot at Carlton. If Pagan plays the kids, he needs to give them time to get into the game, get some confidence. Hartlett, Bower, Anderson, Young - these players need game time to prove themselves.

PS: Ackland is horrendous. Can't wait for Cloke, Setanta, Aisake, Hampson and Jacobs to come through.

I actually think Blackwell could be in trouble. Last night showed (in case we didn't already know) that pace is king. From what I know of Benjamin and Grigg, we would be wanting to give them every opportunity when match fit, and would be wanting them to overtake Blackwell for us to get better.

I'm not saying Blackwell is a dud, but he is a bit slow and lacks kicking penetration. Carrazzo and Bentick are ahead of him, through sheer ball winning ability and above average tackling respectively.

Consider that next year we should have

Stevens
Benjamin
Grigg
An early draft pick
possibly Ryan Jackson

pushing for a spot in the midfield that played last night. Really makes life tough for Luke.

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Pagan thinks he is to slow

I always think you look slower chasing the guy with the ball than having the ball your self

we need ball winners

Its never how fast you are its always how fast you move the ball

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Are you his older brother

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Why was his contract extended until next year?

Do they think he can offer something?

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Hmmm ... wonder if that has something to do with the fact that Mitchell coaches him in the VFL rather than the AFL?

What do you think would be the odds of him giving Blackwell 100% game time in the AFL? Maybe 1000-1?

Put it another way ... if Carlton were able to play all of this week's 22 senior players in the VFL, do you think Mitchell would give him much more than 30% game time? Or maybe he'd like to have Simmo, Gibbs, Murphy, Carrazzo, Walker, Bentick and others for the lions' share of the time.

blackwell should get more game time. it is also time for pagan to start to get a better view of the list. 2007 is a write off in terms of finals (no shock there), so it is time for carlton to look seriously at edwards, bower and hartlett in particular. all are out of contract at year's end to my knowledge and we need to get a better look to see if we keep them. raso might be in that group too, but i suspect that he wont make it.

no point replacing pagan at this point, although it should be perhaps suggested to him that he will be judged on development of the list for the remainder of the year, rather than wins or losses.

mitchell is counterproductive to player development in his selfish chasing of glory at the bullants and should never coach carlton. they should have sacked him last year.

Disagree, who makes way for Grigg/Anderson next round?

Better teams have exposed that Bentick and Blackwell in same team won't work. If Blackers could tackle like Blackwell, would have him ahead of Bentick in a heartbeat. That's his challenge.

I'd like to see Benjamin and Grigg given a go.

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I was interested to read the quote from Pagan where he said that we cannot afford to play Blackers and Bentick in the same side. It may well be correct that we can not afford two mids that are not too quick even if they can get the ball frequently.

But I think that the issue is compounded by the fact that we often have Lance and Kouta on the field at the same time. I do not intend to be derogatory towards Lance and Kouta as they have both played great footy for the Blues, but a coach cannot bemoan the lack of leg speed of a couple of ball winning mids when he is putting two other slow players alongside them.

I think a side can afford to have one mid/onballer who is not express if he is "in and under" and gets the ball a lot but he needs to be surrounded by quicks. I can't wait for Clint Benjamin, Paul Bower, Joey Anderson, Grigg, Hampson and O'hAilpin jnr to add that speed ingredient that we lack at present.

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A go at what.................................? Less than 20min of game time.

I too love the idea of Grigg getting a game (was my favourite player last year, after Selwood of course) but there is little point if Pagan is just gonna play him for 20min and then drop him the next week, ala Bower, Blackwell, Hartlett, etc.

I'm all for giving these kids a softly-softly approach but what Pagan is doing is just silly. I'd rather see them get a full game in the Bullants to be honest.

Even thou Mitchell has been down this year (although i think it has alot to do with the players he HAS to use in the seniors) Mitchell still playes these kids better than Pagan.

Check out how he uses Kennedy for example!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (although even he uses him in the ruck, which i don't really like, but it seems to be working so what can i say!)

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Libba isn't the midfield coach. the problem is Blackwell is too similar to Bentick and the MC prefer the tackling ability of Bentick at this stage. Playing both in the midfield makes us extremely slow and one dimensional IMO.

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i see a 60 point loss for the bullants on the weekend and the team only managed to kick 5.6.36

yep, mitchell is doing a great job with the bullants this year, lets not mention his recods in big finals games.

Agree with Mj...I like Luke Blackwell as a player but he might be struggling to keep a place in the seniors as we search for quicker mids......
As has been said before he lacks a yard of pace and his kicking lacks depth.
Bentick who is similar is a stronger body and a better tackler even though Bentick himself isnt quick and disposal by foot not wonderful.
Shaun Grigg when match fit has to get a go, quicker, bigger and with better disposal he has a fair bit riding on him....you add the return of Stevens next year and I see young Luke missing out and only being used as backup.

There is a place for a ball magnet slowish midfielder as Greg Williams showed when he played and players like Scott West and Sam Mitchell show today but you have to be top shelf in all the other areas.....Mitchell has improved his kicking and looks quicker so it can be done, its up to players like Blackwell to emulate Mitchell and move to the next level....

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