5 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

Highly unlikely. I’d guess it’s more of an injury prevention type of situation than a behavioural issue.

Nah because it would say managed instead of omitted. Hes dropped for bad form its no big deal.

1 hour ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

This is the nub of it I recon. I can count on three fingers premiership players who have improved since that game. Message is this:

I'm curious who your three are. I can only think of one - Pickett.

Why so many conspiracy theories? He's obviously been dropped. Harsh decision or not.

Omitted means that, there's no smoking gun here.

1 hour ago, Flagdees said:

Dosent star at lower level?? Idk what Casey games you have been watching over the past 2 years

You're extraordinarily easily pleased. An average of 24 disposals in 2025 for a year 5 AFL listed mid is ''starring'' ? It's generous to label Laurie as vanilla.

I'm beyond debating players who have the ability of Laurie. I'll leave you to duke it out along with other staunch supporters. He's worth your time not mine.

Edited 14 hours ago14 hr by Gator

Honestly, I'm not surprised Rivers has been dropped. We all know he can definitely play and maybe he was lighting up the track over the summer, but in actual game this year against other opposition (North and Richmond preseason games included), I've been disappointed with how ordinary he's looked.

I'm glad that King has pulled the trigger in Rd 3 rather than waiting until another half a dozen games have gone. I'm sure Riv will respond. I also get the view of @binman that this is also about getting a bit more pace into the side, but if it were just that, then surely there were also others that could have made way as well. I do think this is a bit about sending a message as well.

Edited 14 hours ago14 hr by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

51 minutes ago, Bowserpower said:

You were more than wrong pal. Totally careless.

Less arrogance please

Settle down chief.

Edited 14 hours ago14 hr by The Cult of Disco Turner

2 minutes ago, The Cult of Disco Turner said:

Settle down chief

No need to be smart just ease up on the attitude.

.

Edited 14 hours ago14 hr by Bowserpower

I’m slightly confused about the sentiment around Rivers (not responding to anyone in particular just reading through the thread). The past couple years coming off half back, wasn’t the general sentiment that he looked out of position and to get him in the middle? But now he’s too slow to play in the middle and should be moved back?

Wasn’t he supposed to be next in line for our midfield?

9 minutes ago, The Cult of Disco Turner said:

Settle down chief.

“You were more than wrong pal”

My god so dramatic…

Why did you edit this?

Talk about dramatic.

6 hours ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:

Honestly, I'm not surprised Rivers has been dropped. We all know he can definitely play and maybe he was lighting up the track over the summer, but in actual game this year against other opposition (North and Richmond preseason games included), I've been disappointed with how ordinary he's looked.

I'm glad that King has pulled the trigger in Rd 3 rather than waiting until another half a dozen games have gone. I'm sure Riv will respond. I also get the view of @binman that this is also about getting a bit more pace into the side, but if it were just that, then surely there were also others that could have made way as well. I do think this is a bit about sending a message as well.

Yeah, I agree it's unlikely to be pace alone.

Who knows, Riv might have been given a specific role or task he didn't satisfactorily complete, or break a non negotiable team rule.

Or more likely, despite having reseonable disposal numbers, King, like all AFL coaches uses bespoke data and metrics to set KPIs for specific players and inform his assessment of their performance.

One such KPI would almost certainly be pressure, as evidenced by tackles (and pressure acts, one percenters etc)

In other words King perhaps king and/or the coaching panel wanted to get some more pace into the side, needed to drop somone to make that happen and decided riv was that person because he didn't perform to the level required.

I don't know why posters want to interpret his non-selection to something other than poor form.

We've had players over the past few years that have under delivered v their pay packet and their capability.

I don't think this is anything more than Kingy wanting to enforce better standards which i'm all in favour of.

And i think Trent will be better for it

4 minutes ago, BDA said:

I don't know why posters want to interpret his non-selection to something other than poor form.

It's bizarre isn't it

11 hours ago, DubDee said:

Could be something to do with resting but he is listed by the club as Omitted so i’ll assume it’s a player being dropped. Hope he goes to casey and does well

Casey has a bye this week.

1 hour ago, binman said:

Yeah, I agree it's unlikely to be pace alone.

Who knows, Riv might have been given a specific role or task he didn't satisfactorily complete, or break a non negotiable team rule.

Or more likely, despite having reseonable disposal numbers, King, like all AFL coaches uses bespoke data and metrics to set KPIs for specific players and inform his assessment of their performance.

One such KPI would almost certainly be pressure, as evidenced by tackles (and pressure acts, one percenters etc)

In other words King perhaps king and/or the coaching panel wanted to get some more pace into the side, needed to drop somone to make that happen and decided riv was that person because he didn't perform to the level required.

or Occam's Razor 🤔

Understand the Rivers decision but why Cross in? He didn’t really stand out to my eye in the 2s match last week

14 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

Highly unlikely. I’d guess it’s more of an injury prevention type of situation than a behavioural issue.

If that was the case then he wouldn’t have been omitted he would have simply been rested and I don't see how he was dropped for anything on field so its just a process of elimination.

8 hours ago, Gator said:

You're extraordinarily easily pleased. An average of 24 disposals in 2025 for a year 5 AFL listed mid is ''starring'' ? It's generous to label Laurie as vanilla.

I'm beyond debating players who have the ability of Laurie. I'll leave you to duke it out along with other staunch supporters. He's worth your time not mine.

Yet you managed to give him a drive by on a post that had nothing to do with him.....so you are not beyond it....you actually doubled and tripled down on him.

It sounds like you have seen him play for 5 mins as substitute in seniors and seen enough. Don't bother replying!

Hope we haven’t gone for too many light bodied types around the ball, it’s a complete inversion of Goodwins style, taking a bit to get used to! I don’t rate Carlton’s midfield anywhere near as much as some punters seem to though, looks ok on paper but doesn’t seem to put full games together that often (a little like ours in 24-25).

Provided we can win SOME of the footy we should be able to cause trouble on the spread and counterattack….im just a bit worried that Steele aside we are small and light in midfield.

10 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

How about we just accept the fact that Rivers was dropped purely because his form hasnt been at an acceptable level.

He's "omitted" enough said.

Conspiracy theories are wild.

And he'snamed as an emergency

13 hours ago, bing181 said:

21 Disposals, 10 marks, 500m gained. Not too shabby.

You'd think either something off-field related, or some kind of on-field non-negotiable that he hasn't met. On the surface it seems a bit harsh, but "speak softly but carry a big stick" comes to mind re King and the coaches. Nice guys. Until they aren't.

I suggest it’s the 1 tackle for the game. Sparrow 9, Steele 9, Lindsay 6, Kolt and Koz 5 a piece.

11 hours ago, beelzebub said:

Was only talking with his Aunt earlier today. I even said I hope he gets a block of games.

Now... 😒 hmmm

Kinda feel for the lad. He has improved. He's quite comfortable in the middle. He has footy nouse ,good disposal. I would have thought that might work in his favour under the new regime.

I'm obviously wrong

Hopefully he gets a chance under King and grabs it.

On 26/03/2026 at 23:44, Bring-Back-Powell said:

And he also missed an elementary set shot in the first quarter after Freo kicked 5 straight goals. We needed a bit of leadership from a 7 year player to help stem the tide.

A new game plan shouldn’t exonerate a player from fumbling a handball receive or missing a 40 metre set shot directly in front.

He won’t be dropped this week, but I don’t think it’s that bizarre to expect more from players like Rivers.

And I don’t overly agree that he’s been “excellent” at other times.

Totally fair & valid points

1 hour ago, sisso said:

Hope we haven’t gone for too many light bodied types around the ball, it’s a complete inversion of Goodwins style, taking a bit to get used to! I don’t rate Carlton’s midfield anywhere near as much as some punters seem to though, looks ok on paper but doesn’t seem to put full games together that often (a little like ours in 24-25).

Provided we can win SOME of the footy we should be able to cause trouble on the spread and counterattack….im just a bit worried that Steele aside we are small and light in midfield.

I wonder with Cross coming in I assume to fill a half forward spot if Culley shifts more into the mid rotation this week.

17 minutes ago, Lil_red_fire_engine said:

I wonder with Cross coming in I assume to fill a half forward spot if Culley shifts more into the mid rotation this week.

Yeah was wondering that too, he’s trained in midfield over pre season hasn’t he?