You are speaking to much logic and that goes against the Carlton logic ,

Apparently Carlton still reckon there is nothing wrong with cripps

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#sayerscouldbetheman!!

Hawthorn Chief Justin Reeves communicates the facts and common sense to his Members and supporters, as well as, even if unintentionally, the wider football community whilst our leaders leave our club out to the constant media attacks and degrading of our Brand.

reeves said



https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/hawthorn-v-west-coast-eagles-claim-38point-win-at-mcg-in-round-8/news-story/e6ddb6bf79f82223275236c4b8c7a913

Our chief could have come out and set the record straight, otherwise we hear Teague's broken record and not laying blame. He could say something along the lines:

* we are not where we expected to be at this stage this year. We expected to take a couple scalps of last years and this year's top teams
* our 2 big recruits Saad and Williams have been playing under duress of injury, and its no secret Cripps and Casboult have played with injuries every game
* with injuries to C.Curnow, Gov, Silvagni, Fisher and Martin, 5 of our best forwards has been injured, key back, Marchbank, Newman and ruckman DeKoning have also ben out injured along with McDonald
*we had to play what we have, underdone, players carrying niggles, and we've had to blood young raw players like Stocker, Parks, Cottrell, and Owies who have impressed.

*we have been competitive against last years Premiers (Tigers), ladder leader (port) and finalist (Pies), and top 4 team (Lions) for 3 quarters, but that doesn't suit media's dialogue
* we have beaten sides we were expected to perform well against and won against up and coming teams like us, Freo GCS and Effendruggies
* we have lost our games by between 16 and 28 points; less than 3 goals to less that 5 goals, where turnovers have cost us between 6 and 8 goals in those games.
* the media haven't been too kind on carlton, nor have they highlighted the injuries to a third of our team this year, which have curtailed our season thus far,

* but we expect with the return of DeKoning, Silvagni, Martin and Newman in the next fortnight, followed by Fisher and Charlie in the next or so 6 weeks we should get our season back on track
*and who knows what impact the return of our first round players Kemp and Philp will bring.
* internally, we are aware of the bad luck this year, but we are excited with the list and what it will bring as they get to play together.

Then tell conclude and tell the public we have decided to rest Cripps and Levi to help them recover over the next 3 weeks (ie 2 games)

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

No doubt all three will be back in time for us.

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WADA medical director Dr Alan Vernec describes Essendon* FC drug case as biggest scandal in team sport the world of sport has seen. #WC2WB

#GUILTY

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2021/05/11/the-defensive-tweaks-carlton-should-consider-leppitsch/



Teague & Co have to get their defensive plan sorted. Its too late according to Leppitsch to change the game plan, but there's a few tweaks to help us win more ground ball in defense.



Stocker Saad, Williams are good backmen and having Doc as the spare will add class when attacking the ground ball and supporting the other 3 small backmen.

Might be time to see how Stocker goes in the middle for 10 minutes here and there.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Excellent letter. I'm just going to assume that I received exactly that from the Carlton hierarchy. Afterall, we pretty much know its true (except for the bit about Charlie returning which I just can't take on face value anymore - I'll believe that when I see it.) Apart from that, your letter does make me feel better

And I tend to agree with Leppa on this - I'd make sure that each of Docherty, Saad, Stocker and Williams are ready to play the loose man in defense, depending on how the opposition are matching up.
And yes, I would start to give Stocker time in the middle. I'd tell Williams that he is going back until he gets his fitness and form to a level worthy of full time mid. In the meantime, Stocker plays mid and every now and then rotates with Williams.

Oh, wouldn't it be great to be the first team to knock off the Demons!

Am I allowed to dream?

Go our Blues!!!

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Blue is the colour, Blue is our colourful conversation, football is the game, talking carlton is our aim, we're all together, we're all together, winning is our aim, arguing is a pain, let's debate for gain. .. .!

But, not too loose.

Last night on OTC they also highlighted Docherty playing loose, and I mean really loose in an attacking position with no intention to defend, and he is the captain of the team and captain of the backline. No wonder Jones plays with similar abandonment.

The ball was coming in and a defensive mindset was required. Doc left his man and gambles the ball would be turned over and he would be in an attcking position to take advantage of the turnover...which didn't happen. Never was within undermanned Defense.

Defence first for Defenders. Doc has been loose all year. About time he changed. If not then its time to change the captains.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I had to give myself a mental slap in the face earlier today because my mind started to enter the "I hope that if they lose, they actually get flogged to give them a kick in the arse" territory.

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WADA medical director Dr Alan Vernec describes Essendon* FC drug case as biggest scandal in team sport the world of sport has seen. #WC2WB

#GUILTY

Don't wake up, but stop snoring please.

I'm hoping for the same.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

The young and inexperienced Swans gave the Dee's a run for there money.If they can,we can...................i think the Dogs have more talent than the Dees and we gave the Dogs a fright...............Yep,we can definitely beat this mob.

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All my dangerous friends

Only question is what quarter won’t we turn up will it be like against Collingwood no show first quarter no show against Port second quarter no show Essendon* first quarter and a half
No show against Dogs in the last quarter no show against Brisbane second quarter 3 Rd quarter looking good or perhaps it’s just one of those matches they don’t turn up at all

FFS turn up give us 4 quarters of football and put your bloody heart in it just for once

It has little to do with defence. 23 centre clearances to 7? Our backline did well to keep us competitive.
Get the midfield sorted out and we'll get the wins.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

Don't understand some suggesting Owies as an out. I reckon he's taken his chances when presented and deserves to stay.

Or did I miss an injury?

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Congratulations CK95

Agree Mick, Demons were not convincing, the wet and slippery conditions did not suit.

Dogs bat a lot deeper in terms of their midfield.

Do not discount, As BV pointed out if we can match them in the middle and halve the center clearances we are a big chance.

Honey for SOJ, Murphy for Gibbons, Newman for Cottrell, Dow for Williams.

Kennedy or Setterfield in if Cripps needs a week off.

It’s tempting to bring in TDK for either Pitto or Levi, but I have a feeling they will want another VFL game or two in him first. It’s a shame the VFL has a bye this week because it probably means we won’t see TDK until at least round 11.

I’m assuming Newman pulled up OK after last week’s VFL match. He injured his elbow but returned to the ground and finished the game. If Newman isn’t right, SPS probably comes into the 22 although I would consider LOB who didn’t have his best VFL game last week but his overall VFL form has been pretty good this season.

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

Does Honey have the size to play third tall? If so I’d agree he’s the logical one to bring in for Silvagni.

I’d bring TDK in for Casboult regardless, he can’t do any worse as Levi’s hobbling around like a cripple.

Newman in to strengthen the defence but I’d leave cottrell in and swap him for Gibbons. Hopefully Murphy needs another week.

Dow for Williams seems reasonable as Williams is either injured or horribly out of form.

That's what I find equally bemusing and frustrating on TC, people want the likes of Plowman taken behind the stands and shot because he's being crucified by our non-competitive midfield.

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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

I don't understand it either. I'd like to see Honey (or Durdin) in this week and have them terrorise Salem. cauliflower loves just waltzing around loose back there - shut him down and you shut down a lot of their drive.

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The only way for some people to understand is for them to be on the receiving end

Left wing moralists
In self serving denial
They shit me no end

Problem is can say Honey or Durdin sustain the terrorizing for 4 quarters? because as we saw with Daniels when applied pressure abates , skillful players rise to the top and take control of proceedings.
It’s going to to be very hard against this mob, well synchronized and effective game plan.
If Demons turn up to play it will get nasty. Keep our fingers and everything else crossed, that our boys put in a 4 quarter effort, that’s what I’m hoping for.

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Go Blue Boys

Yes, I think Owies is doing his bit. Esp his last line of defense tackles and his accuracy in front of goals.
I agree that much of the 'defense' problem is actually a midfield problem (actually, a whole of ground defensive accountability problem).
BUT, most teams have a more comprehensive plan down back which doesn't place so much of an emphasis on intercept marks. I'd like to see someone stay back when the play moves forward to at least pause any rebound and/or an extra loose defender.
BUT, as Bondi mentioned, not too loose.

Re Docherty, and several of our players, it is good to be quick off the mark on a turnaround. But this doesn't mean taking a risk to sneak forward in case we win the ball. It means staying on your man but being quicker off the mark as soon as we get possession in the back half and spreading like wildfire! (Of course, this is a challenge for us b/c of 20 years of seeing poor skills result in the ball coming back again over our spreading heads...).

Anyway, this week is a complete lottery for mine: I can see us pushing to go harder for just a bit longer and beating the Dees who are probably due. But I could also see us hitting a wall after putting in some big efforts but then falling away. We just need to keep going.

To be honest, our effort and intensity this year has been better and more consistent than what I have been used to. I'm conditioned to expect this to fall away but we've been pretty good on this front in most games. And our back-front connection has improved significantly. We have been badly let down by poor skills and poor decision making. And against the Bulldogs, our composure and decision making was better... until it dropped away under pressure in the 2nd half.
AND, we have progressed without much contribution from Cripps and with several key injuries (to a list that we know doesn't bat as deep as others).

Now, we need to shore up defense a bit (all over the ground) and turn this progress into wins.

If he is not injured, I'd keep Williams in as he will be better for the run. But, I'd put him in the backline and tell him he that while we gave him the benefit of the doubt, his form and fitness no longer warrant him starting as a midfielder and he will need to prove himself in the backline first.
I would give Stocker that spot - and give him a few weeks to prove himself in the midfield.

I would also bring in Dow and SPS but put the hard word on them about busting a gut to get to more contests and maintain defensive pressure.
And I would bring in TDK in place of SOJ. He could add something to the forward line plus he could get a lot out of running with Gawn for patches (he won't be fit enough to stay with him the whole match). I'd be tempted to drop Casboult but he was a bit better against the Bulldogs and we need him in there to at least draw some fire from Harry.

Finally, if Newman is ready, I'd bring him in for Newnes. Newnes is doing ok but Newman is an upgrade if fit.

In: Dow, SPS, TDK.
Out: Gibbons, SOJ, Newnes.
Medical sub: Kennedy (need someone who could fill a few roles incl potential key forward).