I played the old U/18's, the reserves in 1989 before being told I was useless, does that count?

Did Mark Riley play AFL?

Who in the team has the required attitude, training form, the ability to follow instructions and perform designated roles etc? Who is a team player and who can accept criticism without sooking up and being a destructive influence?
Who can play only one role in the team and who struggles to understand set plays and their role at stoppages? Who is carrying an injury and who struggles to perform with the slightest niggle? Who has been diligent in their rehab and who is taking shortcuts and leading others astray?

Those criteria are all important factors in the make up of a team yet they are the questions that only the MC would have the answers to.
By all means have an opinion on selection but lets also realise that the MC are armed with far more knowledge than the average punter.

I would suggest that if anyone "deserved" a game, they would be getting one!

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

In answer to your questions cj.

1) No, it doesn't

2) Don't think so, but I did mean to say either played &/or coached at AFL level.

As BV says, these guys are the ones armed with ALL the info, not us & we should let them do their job.

As a professional myself, the one thing I cannot stand is someone who has never done what I do, telling me how to do my job & I feel fairly confident most, including you, would feel the same.

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"You will always miss 100% of the shots you don't take"- Michael Jordan

protected species yet again. surely not selected on performance.

would have thought austin, pfeiffer and jackson or anyone else should have been given a go!!!

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one you knock back is one you never have

I have never seen Thornton kick it over 50 m. He gives a good contest when he is next to his opponent.
But you need to do more now as a defender(run,carry and kick it forwards)
Thornton isnt capable of doing it

He has been ordinary the last 2 weeks



he is lucky to be playing and Austin is extremley unlucky given his efforts against North Ballarat

I know how you feel. I write some posts based on my profession and people dismiss them without the knowledge I have in my field. However, this is a forum and is based on opinion (and emotion), and thats what it is, opinion and we all have them.

If those are not rhetorical questions, BV, could you please elaborate with some surname examples because those questions could cast unwarranted aspersions to those players in the bullants who are doing the 'right things' but not being selected.

From memory Mark Riley was an All Australian Under 18 coach and had quite a bit of success in WA.
He was highly sought within the AFL before signing with Melbourne.
He is an excellent lateral thinker and offers a wealth of knowledge for our kids.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

I agree, but the question related to playing AFL.

Exactly cj. Your views & mine are simply opinions, not fact. The MC are the ones with the facts.

When people say that such & such is unlucky to not get a go & so & so is very lucky to hold their spot, they are opinion, not fact.

And to say the MC have got it wrong is also opinion & not fact.

That's all I'm saying really. Thank you for your assistance.

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"You will always miss 100% of the shots you don't take"- Michael Jordan

I would of picked Austin to play on Brown this week (replacing Thornton) and Pfieffer to replace Russell. I would of also changed Hadley for Fisher but probably needs another run. Add that to the ins of Bower and Houlihan and reckon its a pretty handy side.

Is it a fact the MC wrongly promoted Saddo 2 weeks ago and hung the poor bloke out to dry? Saddo was crucified IMO

Who would you have played in his place?

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

I was specifically referring to this weeks selections Budzy, but as you bring it up, imho, the only fact is that he was promoted. Whether or not he was "hung out to dry" is opinion. Was he beaten? Sure was & very convincingly IMO.

What if Ratts went to Saddo before the game & said, "Mate, we're gunna give you a go this week but you might be playing on blokes a bit taller than you, how do you feel about that? Do you still want the gig?

Saddo - "Nah, jam that Ratts. That's just hanging me out to dry"




Do you really think any coach, let alone Ratts, would deliberately "hang" someone & give them an impossible task? That's ridiculous, if so.

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"You will always miss 100% of the shots you don't take"- Michael Jordan

Austin Bower Anderson ...

Of course Saddo would do as he's asked. He seems a really decent bloke..

He should never have been put in that position IMO. This is a development period we're in. We're not developing Saddo for the future ..are we??

Having an opinion that he should never have been put in that situation is 100% OK.

At the start of this year we were in a development situation. Let me ask you this Budzy.

Were we in development "mode" when we were all talking about being in the finals or were we looking for the best possible line up we had in order to win games? Were we still in development mode before last weeks game, because last time I checked if we had won last week, we would be a far better chance of playing finals than now.

What would you have said if we were a big chance to play finals & all of a sudden Ratts brings in kids to take on men, with not much chance of success.?

Development is not only about developing the players' skills (etc) it is also about developing their bodies & minds, which includes protecting young bodies & minds to a certain degree from being absolutely smashed & causing these kids to have bigger fears about playing at AFL level than they had beforehand.

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"You will always miss 100% of the shots you don't take"- Michael Jordan

For those clammering to play the kids in the last 2 rounds, I'm not sure if it has been mentioned but we are the youngest side in the flowering competition.

If we play anymore kids, we will look like this........................


























Let's get a grip on the selections that have not eventuated to everyone else's design.

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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.

Aaawwwwwwwww. The middle one looks like Army.

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"You will always miss 100% of the shots you don't take"- Michael Jordan

Well if you have no interest in the game stop filling the boards with negative posts about it.

We have our 3 draftees from last year playing this week, Hampson - a very raw ruckman and an incredibly young defence lead by Jamo/ Bower, Grigg - a youngster performing well after being given a go and Russell who is being given the season to show what he can do.

Not to mention Murph and Gibbs who are still young kids too.

You can't give them all a go, they will be slaughtered + we will be trying for team balance for nxt year.

Saddington was given his last chance to see what he can do. The MC now know where he is at and he will probs be cut.

The MC are not complete fools. Austin got his ass handed to him by that Moran bloke from Adelaide!!! What the hell do you think Jonathon Brown would do to him. Aisake struggles to get a gig in the VFL reserves - he is not ready for AFL. Anderson is a good mover and perhaps should get a go, however Browne and Dangles are competing for the same spot whilst Anderson also still has very scratchy disposal.

Also Thornton has played some fantastic games this year, he has 2 bad ones and you suggest Aisake who played alot of bad ones in the 3rds to take his spot?

Fisher battled hard last week, he tried a hell of alot harder than some others out there - snagged 2 and should have kicked more. He is one of our few marking targets - when we are trying to provide more forward options other than Fev. Why would you drop him - instead work on our FWD structure. Who would replace him anyway? Hartlett who can't get on the field or Edwards who rarely works hard on the pitch and is just as one dimentional.

Collingwood have played alot of kids this year, but guess what?! So have we! We are coming from a long way back - at the start of the year most of us would be very happy with 8 wins. We have also had a very tough run home so it is perfectly understandable that we have only won 3/8 or whatever.

I would say the MC have had a decent year + I am a supporter, I want to see our team win, I want to see the players develop so I have interest in this weeks game.