Houla or T-Bird not in your best 22, bluezkreuz?

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Not so best of TheSexySquad


AWWWWWW STEVENS.

I agree with what most say, but anyone who leaves Jackson out of their 22 is a bum.

The kid will be a superstar!!

Anyone who includes Russell .

Geez, Budzy. Take one line and quote it with no consideration of the context in which it was written. I did mention the change in game plan so there is some change there as well as the odd new player such as Stevens, Judd and maybe Hadley. I am not suggesting we never play new players any more than you want to put in all the new recruits for round one . All I am saying is that if Wiggo or Saddo are in the best 22 on the track before round 1, they should be given a chance. If not, so be it. But if you don't pick your team from training, how else can you pick it? Reputations at U18 or in the WAFL don't count for much at this level I think that's why history and the stats say hardly any draft picks play the first round. Or in the first year for that matter.
If you want to talk medicrity, check out some of the stats from Hartlett, Grigg, Anderson, Austin and co who are entering their second or third years in some cases and who have made no impact at all on the club but are touted as the next big thing. They may yet be superstars to a man and I hope they are but if they are not good enough to push out the Wiggins, Bannisters, Saddingtons and Benticks of the world, then theose players will stay in the team until they are ousted. That is how it has always been. If Wiggo represents medicority at Carlton, then those who haven't had the impact he has had on the team must be less than mediocre. I am not saying any of the above current players is a star, only that they should have the same opportunity at Round 1 as everyody else who excels at training. If we pick a player for Round 1 just because he represents the long term future over a player with a certain skill at a given role and who is training the house down, we are inviting a possible disaster, i.e. a Rd 1 loss to Richmond. If we lose round 1 next year, we are shot to ribbons before the season is even off its knees. I don't subscribe to the theory of courting failure just to satisfy the whims of those who want to take un-necessary risks based on premature hopes and unjustified premises.

"As ye train, so shall ye play.."

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

BS,
I subscribe to the theory that's it's better to give new potential elite talent the time at AFL level to adjust and experience the tempo so they can hopefully grow and build a more productive career than some of the proven B & C graders we still have on the list.
We need to improve as quickly as possible to catch up to and surpass other teams level of talent.
Let's not waste time persisting with B & C graders. Keep searching, building and developing until we get 'there'.

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There's so much I could say...

As much as i hate some of the voters of this award and think they clearly need to stand down (eg: Bartlett not nominating Griffen and dick head Demetriou nominating Tom Williames) I still stand by my prediction that Grigg could get the RS award.

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"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"
- Aristotle

Holy Crap that was hard.............. Which kinda makes me happy cause it used to be so easy.

FB: Bower Jamison Thornton
B: Gibbs O'Halphin Walker
C: Stevens Carrazzo Scotland
HF: Simpson Waite Fisher
FF: Houlihan Fevola Betts

R: A. O'halphin Judd Murphy.

Inter:- Cloke / Jackson / Edwards / Grigg.



Damn, that was hard.

Appologies to the new recruits, but i just don't know enough about them yet with the exception of Kreuzer, who will play plenty of games next year, i'm certain of that.

As will Hampson, but at this stage, Aisakie and Cloke are my ruck team. Clock deserves another shot.

appologies to Joey Anderson too.


My Setanta Delemia:
I REALLY wanna try and find a way for Setanta to play at CHF. But the problem is, Waite is not good down back and is to unreliable to put into the midfield.
But for now, I'll use Setanta at CHB cause i just love the bastards run and carry and determination to take people on.
Plus, i just feel that if we leave his as Full Back, he'll miss out on learning so much more about this game. I know some of you weren't happy with Pagan playing him in the ruck, but i felt this was the best thing Pagan did for Setanta's development (most of the credit should go to Mitchell) as it just tought him so much more about the game than 'Just Defending'.

Edit:- Spelling mistakes (i dont rite no god)

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"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"
- Aristotle

Bower OhAilpin Jamison
Bannister Thornton Hadley
Walker Carrazzo Simpson
Murphy Waite Fisher
Gibbs Fev Kruezer
Hampson Judd Stevens
Jackson Scotland Bower Bentick

You could then have any of Grigg, Blackwell, Cloke, Betts and Saddo to replace many of the above with little consequence to team structure.

We're getting close to being in a happy place .

Pretty good team Ryan, but I have a hard time seeing Aisake starting the season as our #1 ruckman. No doubting he has a big up-side, but I think he'll start the season behind Cloke, Hampson and Ackland for a spot in the ruck.

In fact, I'm not sure that if he does 'make it' it will be as a ruckman. He looks to me like he could end up as a CHB, or maybe a Buddy Franklin-style forward (ie. doesn't take many overhead marks, but is a nightmare to match up on because of his size and agility).

The prospect of a forward line in 2010 of Fev, Kreuzer and Aisake has me salivating...

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It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

aboynamedsue wrote



Salivating 'ere in Bondi too!!


ryan2000 wrote




Yeah I agree Ryan, good team. I like the centreline a lot; 3 strong bodied experienced campaigners at their peak.

Jamo at FB is going to have a lot of people sit up and take interest; he'll make that position his own. He's a big, fast boy; a natural defender. Setanta at CHB ...I like too. That allows Waite to go CHF...I like!

Who says we don't have KP's...maybe not experienced, but we've got a lot of developing ones in our developing years...that's all we can expect from the future powerhouse.

Don't know about Edwards and Grigg. I can see why you would, but on the flipside there are a few others vying for a spot there too. That's depth for you...again, good problem.

And another thing I found interesting is that the 2 tall BP's you selected in Bower and Thornton are capable of playing against small forwards, but maybe an Armitage, Browne, Anderson...maybe a Jackson or a Pfieffer may be better???? Good problem.

Like you, I would like to see Aisake as our first ruck with a view to seriously developing of the kid in 2008. Yeah I know he doesn't have the rucking smarts yet, and imo, I think the first year Kreuzer is the only genuine natural ruckman with ruck smarts on our list, but he's too young to hold first ruck all year. I know he's physically ahead off Kreuzer and Hampson, and much taller than Cloke and Ackland, so I say why not develop him there? He was due to take that post last year before succumbing to OP.

Kreuzer is a great chance to play 22 games this year. If Westoff (pick 75)from Port can do it in his first year, then there's no reason why the better and more physically equipped Kreuzer wont. He will win the NAB rising star.

Yeah, I can't see current injured players in there first year at Carlton, Hadley and Pfieffer will break into the first 22 in round 1 due to conditioning reasons.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Aside from being extremely raw, Aisake has had a restricted pre-season. It's a lot to ask of him to come straight into the side and be our #1 ruckman.

In any event, as I said in my earlier post, I'm not convinced we should be trying to make him into a ruckman (although obviously a Hampson/Aisake/Kreuzer ruck/forward combination in a few years would be awesome).

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It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

The last time I looked Jamison was a rookie, rather a pointles exercise putting him in your teams, if he's not available

He can play as the nominated rookie

B: Thornton O'hailipin Anderson
HB: Scotland Waite Stevens
C: Simpson Carrazzo Walker
HF: Houlihan Edwards Gibbs
F: Fisher Fevola Betts

Ruck: Cloke Judd Murphy

Int (from): Hampson Jamieson Hadley Armfield Bower Russell Pfeiffer

B. Jamison, Setanta, Thornton

HB. Scotland, Bower, Walker

C. Houlihan, Stevens, Simpson

HF. Carazzo, Waite, Fisher

F. Kreuzer, Fevola, Gibbs

R. Cloke, Judd, Murphy

Bench. Betts, Hampson, Hadley, Wiggins

Very hard task and apologies to several who will play this year for sure.
CHB and CHF are the hardest positions to fill IMVHO. I would like to see Waite on a wing or HBF if possible but he seems destined for a KP.
This is for Rd1 only and a lot depends on how the newbys perform in the NAB and of course on injuries. Teams usually play 30+ players in a year.
I have put Wiggo on the bench to put my money where my mouth is, so to speak but I agree with the rest that this year he must have a good year or he is curtains. I think Stevens, he and Hadley and maybe Armfield will be assigned the task during the year to block for Judd and Murphy as well as get a few touches.
I think Armfield, Grigg, Anderson, Hartlett, Russell, Aisake and Benjamin will all play at some stage, depending on the form of Jamison, Bower, Betts, Hampson and of course, Wiggo.

Others have said it before me and I agree, it is great to have a hard time picking the team. Without doubt we are on the cusp of something special here.

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

I'm never sure why people pick 3 talls across the full back line.

I know the days of your resting ruckman and resting rover are long gone, but teams rearely play 4 talls in the forwardline. Its more like 2 tall marking players (your old fashioned FF and CHF) and then a more mobile, medium sized marking player, like Brad Fisher and what Russell Robertson used to be.

I'd have thought the ideal set up is

BP smaller defender for your FP, Aaron Davey types
FB taller defender with some pace to go with a quick leading forward
BP your 3rd tall defender for the mobile, medium sized forward.

HBF medium sized with good run and good skills
CHB tall defender, to play on the forward who plays further up the ground
HBF medium sized with good run and good skills

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

Our next CHB = Michael Hurley.

Our next CHF = Matthew Kreuzer

Our next ruck = Nicholas Natinui.

Gutsy call DT. Hope your right. Your side looks good however, would be happy with that, except Stevens on HB. He & Scotland together across HB ... don't know.

Gibbs is a playmaker. What's he doing stuck down in a FP??

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There's so much I could say...

Hopefully making plays and kicking goals whilst being part of the midfield rotation. Not everybody can be inside the centre square all the time. If he goes in, somebody else has to come out. He did spend time there last year too IIR.

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

I'd prefer to see Gibbsy rebounding and setting up play off half back feeding Simmo Stevo Fish and our forwards.
Lots of options isn't there....

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There's so much I could say...