PROS:

Kreuzer ... Great debut (we will see more and better of this)
Judd ... showing what he is capable of and generating some excitement for us (also this guy is a real pro ... rocks up at Princes Park the next morning to run laps around the area ... hope Stevo was doing the same)
Fev ... 8 goals in a losing team is a brilliant effort
Betts ... best game ever for us

CONS:

our reverse running is not up to AFL standard and this is why we lost in rounds 1 and 3 ... we don't push teams wide ... some of our so called fast players (according to their draft camp times) are not quick at all

we have too many "jugglers" in the team ... players that lack that first touch and then often turnover the ball ... the Essendon* cheats (Lovett especially) hang off the play ... a Carlton player has the ball in their hands and then other Carlton players run forward to receive ... the Carlton player with the ball looses possession ... the turnover is handed to the Lovett types who then stream off ... this works against a team like Carlton with their jugglers but against the one touch players from Geeelong, they keep possession and move it on to those running forward.

Ratten needs to show some imagination and break up the way we play and how we target forwards ... for example when Lloyd comes off for Essendon* they go the long bomb inside the goal square to either Laycock or Hille ... what we need to do is say in short bursts have Fev at CHF ... when he goes there the players know it is a long bomb to an isolated Hampson, Kreuzer or Cloke ... Betts then knows his role is to not lead up the ground (for that time being) but rather get himself front and square to that isolated contest inside the goal square

The match commitee need to stop pissing in the players pockets ... you cannot have a player get a 3 out of 10 rating for the Bullants and then get themselves promoted ... they are sending the wrong message to all players including the player that was promoted.

All our best players played well ... what is that saying about the next tier

Pros

Attractive game to watch
Judd and Hadley stepping up a gear
Betts first 4 quarter effort
Beat our opponents for the first time in the clearances
Kruezer game and the positve impact he will have on others in terms of being a role model on giving it your all
Fevola regaining his confidence with his goal kicking
Gibb's third quarter

Cons

Most brittle defence I have ever seen conceding 150 points to an oprdinary attack compounded by an unaccountable midfield
Thornton. His behaviour is an embarrassment to the colours. The way he picks on smaller opponents trying to intimidate them is immature to say the least .I hope he follows it up when he plays on Barry Hall. Needs to grow up.
No youngster for the Bullants putting their hand up to seize the opportunity.
Scotland. When people ask why the club is in such a mess. Look no further. On the big bucks, in the leadership group yet ratyher than setting an example, concedes frees in off field incidences. Getting frustrated because he no longer picks up cheap possessions as the loose man down back. We cannot move forward as a club until such players are held accountable and dropped.
Russell. His ability to read the game is about as proficient as Ian Predergasts.
Kade Simpson having a woeful start to the season and badly out of form
Teams have worked it out that he cannot kick on his right. Needs to be played offensively where he has more space and time.
Losing despite going into our inside 50 more times.
Cloke too slow as a forward option
Missing out on the entertaining Sack Pagan threads of last year

Pros
Betts - I've been a massive critic of his. A good hard working game and the first real 4 quarter effort that I've seen. Really hope he keeps it up
Kreuzer - what more needs to be said about that debut. Did more than what might be expected from someone his age/height
Fev - one of his best games in a while - devoid of any antics, some good chases as well.

other positives - Judd, stevens, hadley,

Cons
We basically lost the game due to 3 things -
1. goals scored against us in red time (I can recall at least 3 possibly 4 or more)
2. umpires - I'll seldom complain about the umps but this game was a disgrace - Given the outcry over reidwoldt/bolton, it will be interesting to see if Betts gets hauled before the tribunal for 'tunnelling' into fletcher
3. Still lacking match fitness - was expecting a few players to run out of legs and sure enough it happened. We got killed around the ground and in stoppages in the last quarter. Might also be the reason why we get goals scored against us in red time as well.

The other concern would be the way we are being monstered in the corridor during general play. Essendon* made several telling runs through the middle of hte ground whereas most of our runs were along the wings. Hopefully that will turn around soon as the players develop matchfitness/skills and become more confident in each other

its probably me hoping Hartlett can hold down CHF. I see him as more mobile than Cloke, they both have mongrel about them. I like Cameron Cloke but just struggle to see him playing any major role moving forward thats all.

I was sitting on the fence on the pocket punt road end and you should have seen T-bird give it to Bower when he was tackled and handballed to an Essendon* player who snapped and goaled. I hoped T-bird was passed this, one would think you would wonder across and tell him what he could have done instead bitching like a little bitch that he is

PROS
- Kreuzer
- Judd
- Fevola
- Betts
- Stevens

CONS
- Russell
- Bower (unfortunately the 2 guys this site sponsors, but I don't believe either will make it)
- Lastly, those flowering opposition "red time" goals

_________________

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NOW YOU'RE JUST SOME CLUB THAT I USED TO KNOW.

Pros
Judd, Fev, Smurph, Stevo, Eddie and the Kreuz

Cons
JR, Scoto, Houli

On Bower, I'm not sure if it me but his handballs seem to ack any strength/penetration, which always makes me nervous - he seems to handball like a girl.

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“It is a state of mind, a system of belief, a way of seeing the world, a deep faith that, because you are Carlton, you belong to something great.” - Mike Fitzpatrick articulating what Out of the Blue means.

Pros:

Betts - if he can play at that level each week, will make a MASSIVE difference
Kreuzer
Judd
Hadley (looks like he will become important, some great clearances)
Bannister (agree with Cazzesman, he is our number 1 negator, and has done it well this year)
Forward structure better with a resting ruckman up there.
Fevola
Cloke - becoming a very important player
Gibbs - disagree with those having a go at him. He is actually starting to bring in a different element to his game - clearances. Some of his hard ball clearances were outstanding, and reminded me of Williams and Ratten in the sense that you wouldn't know who got the ball out.

Cons:

Lack of midfield pressure.
Scotland being played (or dragged by opposition) too deep, doesn't suit his playing style. Needs a run in the midfield
Russell - wish he could just take that next step...seems to be close, but it's not clicking for him

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Mens sana in corpore sano.

Bring back the laurel wreath logo!!!

Bit sexist.

I agree btw. His disposal under pressure is atrocious. That said I see more value in him than Jordan Russell.

When he gets the ball he slows to a jog and you can practically see his brain ticking over. I wait for him to get mown down in a tackle every time he takes possession.

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"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

As a girl buzz, I have tried handballing a footy that has been fully pumped and I can tell you that when i handball, it is atrocious.

when bower handballs, he reminds me of me.

in comparison with JR, yes Bower is much better.

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“It is a state of mind, a system of belief, a way of seeing the world, a deep faith that, because you are Carlton, you belong to something great.” - Mike Fitzpatrick articulating what Out of the Blue means.

How often has he been caught this year?

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

This is a function of the teams lack of movement and lack of run through the mid-field when our defenders get the ball and are looking to move it out - Bower gets the ball and looks up and sees nothing to kick too - mid-fielders need to be creating options and have confidence to do this through the centre corridor.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

Pros
Most have been mentioned. Kreuzer's first game is the only one I will repeat.
Cons.
Sitting up till 6 in the morning listening and hoping they could come back in the last quarter.

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

Judd brought a tear to my eye. THE best player to pull on the navy blue since Diesel. His ability to muscle the ball and run away from several players is incredible. He runs straight and hard and the acceleration blows me away.

Kruezer was brilliant. His work ethic is the equivelant of Judd's for his age. He tapped and roved and moved the ball forward. He followed up and often got rewarded.

Murphy is pure silk. He thinks and understands Judd and his abilities and works WITH him rather than for himself which is what we see others doing.

Fev was Fev. Part of the package that I don't think we need. He is a genius at what he does. I have to give the guy credit - The free against him was the worst decision of the year. He got on with the job, caused a turnover and we got the goal anyway. I cry when I think of what could have been.

I don't wanna talk about the cons.

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end of message

Once or twice there he tapped the ball in the centre square direct to the rover and was then on the receiving end of the "tapee's" next disposal .

Sensational and nearly worth the price of admission - the crowd's spontaneous eruption with gutterall chant of "Cruize!!! Cruize!!! Cruize!!! was quite emotional - reminiscent of Walker's debut in 2004 and the chants of "Walker!!! Walker!!! Walker!!!" by the faithfull in the outer.

Like Synbad said the pieces of the puzzle are coming together - there are few more pieces that we need - but patience is the key.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

PRO's - agree with general +ve's

CON's - again i refer to the WILL to apply defensive pressure at all stages of a game (we have a large unhealthy % of this)

The inability to cut down short smartarses. Monfries tonight, Milne last week, Medhurst/Didak next week?

This is what we recruited Denis Armfield for - would like to see him be given a chance at some stage this season.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

Spot on AGRO.

Bower is at least trying to follow the game plan Ratts is instigating, but has trouble deciding what to do when the options arent where they're meant to be.

Imagine this kid when he has 50-70 games and some confidence under his belt.

On his handball....it looks poor because he's trying to handball more than 15-20m, not 3-5m.

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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

More than anything i need to see Armfield or whoever exert physical pain on these types. I need to see a gash on their head and blood streaming down...............i hate 'em.