Prior to the season starting i had us 3-3 at this stage with wins against Richmond, Melbourne and Essendon*. I had a line through us against West Coast so a win this week has Carlton where I expected us to be at this stage 3-4.

In all the doom and gloom of supporters whenever we lose, take a step back into reality and evaluate where you seriously think we would be at Round 7?

We've had 4 debutants this year already in Browne, Pfeiffer, Kreuzer and Edwards, getting regular games, but more importantly game time into kids like Grigg, Russell, Bower and Jamison.

Our KP defenders have really stood up and are developing a great understanding of how to play with each other.

Murphy has come back refreshed and showing serious quality as is Gibbs who is now playing with more run and confidence in his game. Both have made mistakes, but who cares right now, it's about development and learning.

We have holes in the team and certain players who lack the skill needed for finals football, but as the younger kids come on the holes will be filled and less noticeable.

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Mjonc signing off at 8888

Good post. we're def much much more solid looking than previous seasons. we were probably 2-4 last season as well but this team is not only better but with the core we have plenty of room for them to grow. ratts will turn over all the kids and give em all enough time to prove emselves for the future. looks like we wont get a top 4 pick in 09 so i hope we do a trade for key backman somehow. bower, jamo and tbird would all do better with a big monster helpen out, merrett from brissy comes to mind. jamo is going to be a gun. love his body work at times and he has good strength . also he doesnt panic often and has good skills. bower can be a gun for us too. just needs to improve on the decision making and his kicking. all that will come.

Well, if we finish the season at 8-12... I'd be okay with that. That's probably 11th? That's about where we're at.

Bluechampion it is a 22 game season so 9/13 would be even better

Yes we lost yesterday and it sucks but we made that many errors yesterday, that would have been a 15 goal drubbing last year. Oh and the umpiring in the last quarter didn't help.

For the majority of the first 3 quarters we responded with a quick goal every time they took the lead, but when they went 2 goals up they got on a roll but the guys didn't give in and fought it out with 2 less guys on the bench.

I had us between 10-12 at the end of the year & at the moment we are pretty much exactly where I thought we'd be at this time of the year. I'm pleased with the improvements in most of the team & glad that our ruck has stood up enough to keep Ackland out of the team for now. Our back line is starting to look a little more settled although I really think we need another skillful, experienced backman from the draft this year.

We're getting there slowly but surely.

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Witty signature required.

at the start of the season I thought that barring injuries we should be ok for finals.

Unfortunately we have suffered a few important injuries that have hampered our performance. I've little doubt that had hartlett/thornton not been injured yesterday we would have made a good fist of winning the game. All coulda, woulda, shoulda though...

Looking forward - some players have shown more than I expected - hadley, kreuzer, bannister etc so I think we are still a reasonable chance of the finals.

Having said that though I'm more interested in thedevelopment of the game plan and how we structure up as a team. I've seen some improvement there though continue to be concerned about our reliance on Fev.

As everyone can clearly see, we are improving.

But what people anxious for the end of our football dark age might not appreciate is that to get out of the bottom 4 is more significant than they might realise - and Carlton started from a long way behind.

Our trajectory will be like to that of an elliptical ogive.. not dissimilar to that used in subsonic model rocketry.

While it will not have the impact as the Judd trade did, the critical element that will ensure that we track onto the last, and most specatular part of that path - will be success in our delistings and then recruitments at the end of 2008.

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My Blue Heaven

look winning is everything, no doubt there, & i agree with all the comments but development is the key, we still need big time game time into our kids before we start to worry most sides, yesterday was evident with our rucks, what was the stat - 50 odd hitouts to our 17 - 20, we need a huge lot of develpment there - our list is a lot better than a lot of people give us credit for & it will take time - just keep watchin us week in week out & you will see it, Hawthorn were where we are 3 yrs ago, now look at them, i suggest buckle in & enjoy the ride, its only gunna get better

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We will be back as a force - keep watchin this space !!

I said at R1 we are where Hawthorn were around 2005. meaning finals are possible for 09 and likely for 2010.

I personally would of thought 3-3 would be best case scenario at this stage, and 1-5 would of been the worst. I think barring Stevo, Judd, Murph and Fev all going down, 7-10 wins likely this season, and winning more games in the 2nd half than the first.

I do very much like our style of play the last 3 weeks, very 1990s style Carlton (emphasis on putting pressure on the opposition), and is a much more sustainable style of football than Essendon*'s.

The Hawthorn analogy is an accurate one.

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My Blue Heaven

I was saying exactly that just the other day...

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“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn't become a king. The palace turns into a circus.”
Turkish Proverb

The good thing about this season is that even when we've lost games, we havent been totally destroyed... Yes, this time last year we were also at 2-4, but we'd already copped two 60 point + thrashings....

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James Hird and Essendon* FC - #FOREVERDRUGCHEATS

is that a bit like a dick, mainly down but sometimes looking up ?

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NG
S M C , S F L

Blasted mathematics...

basic parabolic equations first feature in year 9 mathematics.

y = x squared y = x squared plus 1 etc...

A parabola though is a bit steep early on.

But an eliptic ogive has a nice gentle ascent that lasts a fair while, with a sharp and rapid rise to the top close to the end of the curve.

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My Blue Heaven

Oooooh........

diz-zeee.................!


kindest regards tommi

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that'siti'mnotchangingthistagain......!

With our midfield quality I think we are too good to be copping beltings. Ratts said he wanted our percentage to be in the 90s or so, which is where we are at. I dont believe our percentage would of been as high as it is now at round 6 in any of the last 6 seasons (except 04 perhaps).

Anyone going to find out for me?

Top post. we are much better than we have been for years. Hopefully will finish above the bottom 4. Our first,second and third year players are showing plenty with lots more to come. Also the Ants are going OK as well.Plenty of talent there that we have'nt seen in the navy blue yet. Maybe finals next year???? Certainly 2010 I reckon.

Sorry don't want to throw cold water on the party. Hawthron young players were more talented. Some of those players may have arrived in 06 but I have not even added Roili. As good as our kids are Hawthorn were at least a key position player and a key midfielder ahead of us and there mid tiers are way better. We may catch them in the next draft but our list looks potentially 4 to 8 where as Hawthorn have premiership written all over them. I just think we are over hyped

Roughead Hartlett
Franklin Kreuzer
Lewis Murphy
Sewell Gibbs
Birchall Bower
Boyle Hampson
Mitchell ?
Ellis Russel

I actually agree with you Michael Jezz!

The Club will rue the inability of Pagan / Smorgon to make a trade when they had the opportunity. Hawthorn did it with Hay and Thompson and gained the benefits. We had the chance with Whitnall, Fevola, and Thornton and we squibbed every time. I agree that we are 1-2 players short of the Hawks. It means we may beat them on a good day... but over the course of a series of games, I'd back their list over ours.