Sinners

I read your posts regularly and I respect your views and insights. What I see in JR is a lot of skill and potential. He is very balanced and plays off both sides of this body. I thought that he presented well on a few occasions last night and delivered well into the forward line. I think his downfall is that he does it in bits and pieces instead of consistently. I think this is a mental thing and should improve as he gets more game time. He has only played a handful of games and in 20ish from memory. I think that this is his make or break year . I sincerely hope that he makes it. If he doesn't so be it.

http://www.blueseum.org/tiki-index.php? ... +J+Russell

Last night was Game #30, and he is in his fourth year now (although his first game was 10 minutes on the field for 2 kicks)

From the Blueseum

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Dennis is not alone. Another loss next and we will break the record for the longest consecutive losses in a row set back in 1901 which was 13 games. We are heading for our 14th.

Let me guess, half time against the bombers sticks is going to pop up in the rooms and fire up the boys for a win.

We are a rabble, and Dennis Pagan is laughing all the way to the bank.

stubba, his problem is he has not imposed himself at any stage of any game since coming to the club.

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I agree. And he has to do it this year

The bottom line is he aint good enough.
Neither is Stevens
Neither Houlihan
Neither Scotland
All 4 dont put their body on the line when it matters
You cant have them in youtr team if you want to go places
With the exception of Russell all 3 I have mentioned have got a regular game because they can kick a ball.
All 4 dont get a hard ball
Dont tackle hard enough
Dont chase hard enough
Dont hit a pack hard enough

I rather pick a player like Bentick or Anderson who I know will put his body on the line.
this lack of intensity shown by Russell has been shown by others
Just so frustrating
This aint a knee jerk reaction
Its been going on for over 6 years
We have a new board
new President
new coach
new coaching staff
new fitness staff
but the same crap on the field
Until the issue of committment is address either by
the players themselves
or by the club saying show us you want it down at Preston
We will stay down the bottom

Keogh
Sure, but I think it is unreasonable to bracket JR with Houlahan, Stevens and Scotland. These 3 are senior players and are all 100 gamers. JR is much younger and significantly less experience.

He does not come across as being confident and this was demonstrated by the 22 donning the white jumper last night.

How could he have been the best candidate for the job?. He was an assistant under Daniher at Melbourne, a club with no training facility nor any money to spend in there football department. Great exposure that was for him. Then under Dennis. A club with deplorable training facilities and a coach who gave his assistants bugger all.

So what does the club do, send him to Manchester United and Milan.... wooo!!

My brother in-law to be worked with a member of collingwoods football department, he said how astonished everyone at the pies are that Guy Mckenna had not been given a senior position.

Better performance than last week.

Positives:
Gibbs, Murphy, Hampson, Thornton/Waite (well done guys, beat your opponents by a country mile), Betts.
Endevour ... much better.

Negatives:
Jamison ... big loss before the game.
Forward line ... need a big body to stand up. Hartlett/Cloke or Setanta need to play CHF. Fisher or Edwards won't do. Simple. We won't constantly win without a big body forward who can straighten us up.
Corridor football ... start playing it!
Houlihan .... FOR GODS SAKE HIS NOT A DEFENDER.
Fevola ... your very close to being ommitted!
Scotland ... enough said.
We need a back pocket ... try Pfeiffer ffs.

what you trying to say is you can teach a new do new tricks. But we traded those new dogs away and now we are stuck with Houla, T-bird and Banno for life

My problem with Carazzo, Scotland and Houlihan is not so much their ability individual. Scotlnad is excellent, Houlihan good and Carazzo good if you discount his terrible kicking. The problem is they do not play as a team, they play as individuals. You cannot have good linking football with these guys. Scotland for some weird reason kicks to a contest every second time, even when there's a player 5 metres away who with a handpass could be away. houlihan has his unique loop de loop and feels the need to hang onto the ball for 10 seconds, stalling any momentum. and Carazzo's kicking make him quite literally the weakest link. When we play sides like Geelong these players expose us.

Basically I want to go and watch 22 in the Navy Blue( not f---- white) have a crack.

We didnt last night

The third quarter was the worst I have seen for long time
here is a team 13 points down at the half who came out so defensively minded.
Its like some of us accept mediocre efforts
If the coaching staff dont accept it then those 4 players need to be playing against coburg next Sunday

Ratten should put the wind right up these players now otherwise it will be another wasted year.

The third quarter effort was a disgrace.

The leadership issue has been tossed around here for weeks now. We have to face it - our mid level experienced players are soft as butter Scotland, Houlahan, Stevens, Carrazzo and play as individuals. Other teams have their leaders who deliver, put simply we don't. Juddy can't yet, Fev can't (won't ever!) and you just have kids and foreigners trying to fill the void. That is why we struggle. I wonder how Ratts is reacting to this? I'm mindful that I never get to see games live so I can't watch off the ball efforts, player positioning and body language of the players. After such a long time on the bottom it is easy to see why people get a little feral.

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One thing that i think we got wrong last night was our match up on Milne. Armfield might have been a better choice

With Judd and stevens being unfit and Carrazzo not a real midfielder we are virtually playing a man or two short. Teams are just walking it through the midfield once all the blokes who have to cover for those above have run out of steam.

Hard to judge the young players in these circumstances.

Cloke played well but has to control that rush of blood when he gets a head of steam up and wants to kick the ball 900m. A 20m inside 50 will do just fine.

Bower i like. A bit freaky. But i dont like how we are chipping it around the flood not trying to give away possession and it gets to him and he kicks to a contest. He will be told.

Fevs kicking is off and it is sapping his confidence. He copped a couple of punches to the head from Hudgeton. Need a big game sooner rather than later. Its hard for him when he is up against the flood.
I suggest we unleash the beast next week and play Asaike in the square for edwards. Anchor him there Rocca / A lynch style and fev roam the arc.

Carrazzo to back pocket to mind the Milnes of the world.

and bring in some run for bannister russell and Stevens. Stevens can get fit in the rezzies for the time being we can only carry Judd or Stevens.

Well said Taff
Its time some of us finally realize that the broom has only been used halfway

yep ...

is ratten capable of imposing himself on the serially offending senior players?

he's had 5 months to drill the side yet we still see someone like scotland dance around before bombing long on the left foot to a contest. there is no discipline in any aspect of our play.

this possession rubbish we're doing is not a game plan, it's a cop out.

as far as "game plan" is concerned it's basically same shit as pagan but different smell.

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... an eagle flew out of the night. he was something to observe, came in close i heard a voice, bending stretching every nerve, had to listen had no choice ...

No. Cloke to the forward line Aisake or Jacobs to the ruck.
Yes/Maybe but why not try Pfeiffer 1st?

i had the thought that the club is stable and everything was in place for us to move forward but the last 2 weeks have proven me wrong.

the only shinning light is Greg Swan. come years end he will say 'i told you so'

Totally agree, we have been so bad for the past few years we accept mediocrity!!!

Four main issues for me:

1. Very disappointed in Ratten. He has a chance to set a standard at the club and hasn't. Players being not fit enough, not doing the hard stuff or playing as a team.

2. Fevola is useless! Not a team player, cannot pack mark and is useless on the ground. Essentially a one trick pony that makes us predictable and easy to stop. Despite numerous warnings his body language has not improved. He will NOT be part of our next premiership team so get rid of him NOW!

3. Stevens fitness. he has had a FULL pre season. There is not excuse for him to be so unfit. His defensive skills are disgusting.

4. Our list, we are a long way from from being a finals team. It will be a while before we are top level again. WHY do we persist with players like Scotland, Houlihan, Bannister, Russell etc when we are still going to be bottom four?? Time to get games into our kids and see if they are good enough before the end of this year.


This week we will equal our record of 14 losses in a row which was done in 1901. When will we get the hint?