I would have said Judd was one of our better players tonight.

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

this was only the second full game of afl that ive watched (first as carlton fan) and apart from the first quarter it was pretty evens. i spose you could agrue that brisbane had already done the hard work. carlton did some good stuff but they did a lot of bad stuff too. they seemed to get stuck in possession a lot in dumb situations. some of the kicking was shite house. that referee didnt help either.

...but then again what do i know.

Referee? Where are you from?

seemed to be giving away a stack of 50m penaltys.

In a posting sense, yes you are.

milky joe dont be like that.
im sure ruby and precious will be able to cheer you up.

anyway im sure you knew everything after your 2nd game of afl

I'll steal this quote to comment on both of your quotes - if you know what I mean.

Yeah Judd played ok. But you know what? I reckon he can play better. I didn't see any speed tonight. I DID see some excellent elusive play but I didn't see anything more than a good player. I thought Ash McGrath showed Judd-like speed tonight. Actually, a number of Brisbane players showed Judd-like speed tonight.

When a player is feted as the best in the AFL (better than Riewoldt, Brown, Black, Ablett, Franklin, Fevola et al), I kinda hope to see more, ya know? But I must admit, I should've learnt my lesson when Stevens came over from PA. I thought he was a gun - but his new Carlton team mates soon put the brakes on that expectation.

So yeah, I just wonder how long I'm going to keep telling myself Judd's still injured - and kind of hoping it's true. Because you can't tell me you don't want to see Judd rip a game apart - like he used to.

As for Gibbs, none of my friends can figure who he's like. you know when you compare current players to other current or past players? We can't get a comparison.

Maybe that's a good thing! Maybe he's unique! Anyway ...

I don't think I'm alone in thinking Gibbs isn't really playing in HIS position. I don't feel 'spare man in defence' or 'minding the excitement machine' is what he was put on a footy field for. but you know what? That's the position the MC make him play! Have you noticed?

As for the expectation comment. It's a good comment - one created by the astonishing emergence of one Chris Judd. But ... I don't care about the number one tag that Murphy and Kruezer carry. I also don't care about the number tag Gibbs carries. All I care about are the players selected in the Carlton team. Otherwise I would be astonished at Fevola's ability to kick a lazy four or five a game when he's a mid thirties pick! Or I'd bang on about Jamison being so good for rookie. But I don't - and never have.

Gibbs simply doesn't seem comfortable playing the positions he plays. And having seen a couple of his games prior to being drafted (on telly), he doesn't seem to be playing the possies he used to play. I don't think HE'S choosing where he plays - I reckon the MC decides where to put him. I don't reckon he's playing his natural position. I reckon his natural position is anywhere forward of the HBF. Hmm, who should I blame for that? Yep, it's the MC I'm gonna pin that on.

...

Having said all that, I'm pretty not much of a bagger of the players - and I don't consider this a bagging. And I'll bag anyone who bags me for ... er ... bagging the players. I'm just saying stuff as I wait patiently for my wife to go into labour.

I think Judd's the gratest thing since Barassi. I think JR is going to be one of our best. I think Gibbs will find a position and shine in it. And I think Fevola will either kick a shitload of Carlton goals or go to another team or go overseas - ok, I'm hedging my bets on the Fevola prediction.

Here's some homework for you - who in any god's name is Gibbs like? AT LEAST let's get this dialogue going in a direction that'll help me win some points against my mates at the pub.

I knew everything before my first game of AFL.

i thought i did too....aparantly not

Yeah fair call brother. Was a cheap shot.
If it makes you feel any better, you've come on board at the right time...

Judd has ran away from one pack all year. Acker said it would take 6 months, so I'll give him still the start of next season.

Gibbs could be like David Rhys Jones and Peter Motley put together then take away Rhys Jones Whiteline fever and add in Motley x factor and wholah there it is.

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I know a little secret. And i'm not sharing.

If you don't mind ... I might just borrow that comparison

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Gibbs is not being played 'out of position' by the MC. There is no 'correct position' for footballers in today's game. You need to contribute wherever you are playing.

Gibbs plays an 'OK' game every week. And that is starting to worry me. His games this year are the same standard as last year. If he has the talent we expect from a No 1 then we should be starting to see regular periods in games where he makes a sustained impact - say a quarter where he has 7 or 8 telling positions, 3 or 4 inside 50's. Watching him during games this year, it appears to me he cruises - does not work hard enough and does not have any urgency in his play. He does not seem interested in chasing unless the his man is within 2 or 3 metres. He does not seem to have much 'passion' in his body language.

Putting him into a position just because it might 'suit' him better is doing the team and him a diservice.

I hope I am wrong. "Gibbsy' show me more.
.
.

Gibbs is only a couple of months older than Kruezer.

I agree that he should be played forward much more but I guess the MC have some sort of plan.

Not sure that someone like Gibbs needs an apprenticeship in the backline, but he is still very young so he will not be doing anything of note for another year anyway.

BTW, just on the consistency thing, that is exactly what we need, murphy is the same, after playing 50 odd games they will give you solid 7 or 8 out of ten games 9 games out of 10, and a couple of those game will be above 7 or 8s as well. Gibbs will be that type of player, basically what a long term champion does, see Simon Black.

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|♥♥♥♥♥♥| http://www.blueseum.org |♥♥♥♥♥♥|

How old is he?

I thought he'd just turned 19 but I might be wrong.

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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

See Gibbs last year in the middle and going forward. Looked good, knew what he was doing.
See him down back this year, kicking out. Looks lost, running around in circles lke he isn't half as good as we know he can be.

Pros:

Development of Murphy, Betts, Bower, Russell, Grigg, Gibbs, Jamison, Kruezer, Browne

Cons:

Form of Fisher, Ackland, Carrazzo, Setanta

Drop Fisher and Ackland for Hartlett and Hampson.

Well after today we are 3 wins 5 loses and all 3 wins have been against teams below us or a not at their best like Collingwood.

I think the truth is we have too many injuries and not enough talent on the list and the club probably deep down know that,even our bullant AFL listed players are struggling.

I would go for that Ruckmen and another top 10 pick,what's another year,because we won't make the finals after todays performance,but i'll would see how we go in the next 3 games before going to that path.

We have too many of our best players with too many injuries,that won't come good this year,let's @#$%&! the AFL and play the rest of the kids,everybody. If they win lose draw,so be it, stuff the AFL,the Eagles are doing it,i guarantee you. We could end up with the best Ruck option ever.

By the way

Pros

Fevola
Murphy

Cons

Ackland

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Bang Bang.

born 15th march 1989 (according to wiki) - which would make him 19+2months