He should help them by organising a gameplan that will happen then...

Still perservering with the closed practise sessions... possibly because he is embarassed by the education he is giving them there...

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Fantastic effort to squeeze a win against the odds in a tough contest with a lot of emotion driving the Kangas.

It didn't look good for us when Thornton and Bower collided and left the field.
Juddy wasn't himself and Fev missing in front of goal.

Kids like Austin need to strengthen up to play KP against monsters like Petrie and McIntosh. I was going nuts calling foir Setanta to shore up the contest down back with his strength and height.

Switching Setanta and Thornton was a great move by Ratts. A winning move.

Our #1's are just getting better. Gibbs BOG. Murphy 4 goals. Gotta be happy about that.

Hadley and Armfield did a job at the contests but their disposal is a bit ordinary. Either they improve in this area or we have to import some talent to take their place. As it stands we don't have anything on our list to cover at least Armfield. So what is it that Army brings to this team? Pace, competitive edge and a great tackling machine. If only he could kick and handball better. That can be fixed, but not in the remainder of 2009.

Without Army in the backline, I just can't see where we get our run from. It can't be just Bower and Armfield. Walker should help in that area over the next dew weeks. HB attack is so important in the modern game.

Walker unscathed. Didn't set the world on fire, but showed glimpses of what his express pace can do for us. A couple more games under his belt at the business end of the season and we will improve because of him.

Welcome back Stevens. That's better. Much better, Should hav ekicked the first goal of the match.

Robbo is still raw, but the kid is fearless and has a dip. Worth keeping in the 22 imo just for his development. He can only improve.

Some posters have said that Bettsy has lost form over the last 4-5 weeks. I can't see that. He's in form, we just don't use him enough. He has great hands, great timing, presents, applies unmatched pressure...he just doesn't get enough shots at goal. Not his fault.

As for Hammer, I have no problem with his rucking. He can ruck for rather lengthy stints which is invaluable. Let him continue to grow in the ones. He is very important to us. Jacobs will slow us down, but is a good back up. Come on Mr Warnock...get it together for us in the next few weeks.

Simmo was good too. We need a couple of hard running midfielders to add to Judd, Gibbs, Murphy, Stevens, Simmo.

The rest didn't star but were serviceable.

Tough game.
Walker is back.
We got the 4 points.
We have matched our 10 win effort of 2008.
We have 4 games to go with finals in our sights.
We need to improve every week from now on.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I think the game could have been over early on if Fev had converted. In past seasons they'd be sitters for him but this year he isn't kicking as many. We looked to struggle getting clean clearances...often get first possession but then get wrapped up in a tackle. Started with Austin on Hansen, Thornton on Petrie and Bower on Corey Jones. Houlihan on Thomas, Armfield on Campbell and AJ on Harvey. Harvey started in the forward pocket but then drifted into the middle - AJ struggled to go with him and looks to be getting tired but Harvey didn't have a huge impact. Austin did quite well on Hansen who are both from the 06 draft - got a few unlucky frees against. Petrie gave us trouble with his presenting and lead up work.

North were able to create space in their forward line and hurt us when we kicked points in the first quarter. Often we won the ball at half back but made errors which you would expect in the VFL.

One was a Gibbs handball to I think Judd under pressure, and a few others where we handballed to the feet or tried to hit a target 15m away and gave the ball too much air.

To half time we kicked 6 goals - I think Gibbs was the only one from a set shot/mark. Fev kicked one from a crumb where he was the first to recover, Stevens kicked one on the goal line, Setanta also on the goal line, Murphy kicked one running into goal. Stevens marked one about 60m out and ran into goal. So only one goal from a mark inside 50...could've been more if Fev kicked straight but often there was still no system...no system from the forwards and poor decision making from those kicking inside 50.

Fev and Setanta often were going for the same ball...maybe it will take more time for there to be some organisation but Fev was in a one on one and then Setanta went to the ball taking his man with him. Then there were instances where there was some tactic to make space. Setanta had McIntosh on him at one stage and lead up past the 50 but McIntosh elected to not go with him and drop back in front of Fev. Maybe make the lead laterally instead of up the ground so McIntosh or any defender can't drop off...it is too close to goal to leave you alone.

There was also one passage of play where there was organisation in terms of making space/coming out of defence. We had the ball at half back with our players spread over the ground...someone initiated a lead to one wing...nearly all of our players between the arcs led to that wing as well. It created space on the other wing and AJ was the player to run into the space. Then there was even more space at half forward for someone to lead into. I wish there was this sort of thing more often but I guess you need players who are prepared to run knowing they won't be the one receiving the ball. A few times Carrots spread hard to be an option along with JR. Gibbs obviously worked hard as well.

Hadley had 8 clearances which was the most on the ground but he had 6 clangers. A player who has been around that long shouldn't be making so many errors...he has poor skills so don't chase the uncontested ball and instead give it off to a running player who can hit a target. There was the woeful turnover in defence as well as another terrible kick when Hampson had pushed forward perfectly losing his opponent. Just on Hammer he provided an option too and some think he lacks a football brain but he pushed forward from the centre bounce a couple of times and made a great contest from one kickout for our midfielders to crumb.

Armfield was excellent on Campbell winning almost every 50/50 contest through hunger/body positioning. Unfortunately got the ball a couple of times at half back and turned it over. Along with Hadley had the most clangers of any player on the ground. If O'Keeffe can break into the team next year maybe he doesn't have to be the one to deliver it.

Murphy kicking 4 goals is a great effort considering he was ill during the week, and along with Gibbs/Stevens mixes the goal kicking up a bit more but there is still a lot of work to do.

Kreuzer's output is decreasing gradually as the season continues but good to see his TOG reduced to 56%. Statistically his best game was round 1 so with another pre season he will get more consistent. Betts form has been poor too since round 8 - he kicked 23 goals in the first 8 rounds and only 11 in the next 10 games. I recall molsey or someone else saying he has an injured knee so him being fit is very important to the team. His form has mirrored that of the team but he has already had a career best year.

Another game where we won the inside 50s but lacked composure/skill going inside 50 as well as not having the space in there. We look a much better team running the ball out of defence instead of kick-mark kick-mark. In the kick-mark style we often have a player leading up who can't get any space on their opponent so if the kick is good enough there's a fair chance it will be spoiled or the kick won't be good enough. The ball then gets turned over and comes straight back in to our defence.

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"You are being watched. The government has a secret system. A machine that spies on you every hour of every day. I know because I built it." - Finch

Robbo's time..... 70% on the field.

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No ones listening till you make a mistake.

Ok, a few of our blokes with the flu. I feel slightly better about the performance factoring that in. Both sides were a man down for periods of the game so that's not a factor in my book, but I'm sure Bower & Thornton were hurting like hell.

But, does anyone think we are a bit too quick to clear players fit to play?

Setanta & Walker will be alright next week, but Judd was down again, Fev was down again (both of them fought on superbly), Murphy with the flu, Bower & Thornton pushed back out onto the field, Hammer with his niggles.

Kreuzer & Joseph look like they're dragging themselves a bit. I hope the entire performance management unit understand that they are flogging some of these blokes and I hope it has a purpose. I'd like to see some moves being made such that we're fresh for finals (and I suspect we may be doing that with Garlett at present).

As much as he did well at times, I don't like Houlihan in defence. Under-commits to the incoming ball, and then over-commits once it's on the deck. Needs to try and get to drop zone rather than sit back, and needs to really go about getting the ball off the deck in a less frenetic manner. He's not alone there, though.

Glad to see Ratten is frustrated by our kick-out play, as I think was somewhat intimated by a very random statistician during the week.

Was also glad to see some mighty shepherds when it mattered, and some clever knock-ons (yay T-Bird). It's so frustrating to watch some of our smarter ball users always wrap the ball up when there has been some obvious opportunities for a knock-on; it's a very undervalued form of disposal by our boys.

Things to work on at the training track:

Structure for opposition I50's - part of this is when and where the ball is turned over, but swarming an aerial contest to little effect seems to be something that has been with us for 4 years, and we more often than not suffer when the ball spills.

Kick-out defence - Really poor again last night, one way or another our opposition get very quickly to our f50 flank on the kick outs, and this week's leak was none other than Liam Anthony. Guess it's good it wasn't a Shaw, but things need to change or we will start seeing serious coast-to-coast numbers.

Protecting Judd, or any other midfielder on their day - Blocks & shepherds need to be up and about, Judd is copping such a battering of late and we don't seem to be trying to work him outside of the contest where he can really flash his talent. Hadley and Walker can provide some of that, but we have plenty of blokes who need to dip in and show a few bumps. It was definitely on the up though.

Corridor play - North barely defended it last night, and we didn't make them pay as much as we should have. I understand Ratts' is playing wide to try generate straighter shots on goal by drawing zones or loose players out wide, but the players are not moving with that idea anywhere near enough. The fat side is under-utilised and some of our blokes are genuinely scared of kicking across the 50. Why not put all that on the back burner a bit and attack through the middle? When we look up at the centre circle and it's not on, then we can shift wide and know our blokes can work it inside 50 from there.

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

Bloody hell, he barely bobbed up in all that.

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

True, jim.......but possible 'flu notwithstanding; I think he should be persevered with......he does have a go.

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No ones listening till you make a mistake.

Gibblets holding the ball decision was one of the worst ive ever seen

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When you're a Jet you're a Jet all the way!

His physical style will look silly against the Cats, they can ride his bumps and ride off into the sunset. Would rather Yarran if we're going to have a bloke who can't make an impact without the ball.

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

He may not have got the ball too often, but his chasing and tackling is impressive.

His team mates have nicknamed him "Crazy"......but he IS a fierce competitor; whose exuberance will always make him someone to be reckoned with........he's naturally just lacking maturity .....patience, people.

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No ones listening till you make a mistake.

Not about to delist him, just think he's not packing the punch he had earlier in the season and his spot in the side could be better used.

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

No, the one on Austin, when Hanson kicked a point was even worse!

I read this and then pictured you and :melvey: having a 'closed practice' forum where you develope your more insightful posts.

Synbad..."I'll say he has no game plan"

:melvey:...."Yeah, yeah, yeah. Then I'll come on and say..Ratten has no game plan"

Synbad...."Good, good then I'll come on and say...He has no idea and no game plan"

:melvey:..."Yeah, yeah, yeah. then I'l come on and say..Ratten has no game plan"

Synbad...."Then I'll say the MC is a boys club and he has no game plan"

:melvey:..."Yeah, yeah, yeah. then I'l come on and say..Ratten has no game plan"

No doubt this practice session goes on for about 30 pages.

I can even picture their voices as they talk.



Regards Cazzesman

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Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

I know what I would say.

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

Winston Churchill

Cazz....................and loving it!..................

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No ones listening till you make a mistake.

I think its a tank that he is missing....usually very prominent at the start of a game....seems to struggle after.
His high energy game style is very energy sapping, will take him a couple of years hard work to be able to play his style and contribute for 4 qtrs.

How about playing the ball and not man ?

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Scott, things aren't as happy as they used to be down here at the unemployment office. Joblessness is no longer just for Philosophy majors - useful people are starting to feel the pinch.

I think he needs to get wiser . When and where is it best to expend that energy instead of 100% of the time he's on the ground.

Another 2 preseasons and he'll be a ripper in the midfield.

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"I will rejoice in their anguish, delight in their failure and revel in our success"

We are Carlton, @#$%&! the rest !!!!!!

That's gold Cazz.