RalphiusMaximus

Honestly, I think the next couple of weeks are the best opportunity this season to blood some kids. They are games that are all but lost anyway, our injury list is almost as long as our list of available players, so why not admit that they are long shots, throw in some kiddies while we do a little mid-season rehab/patch up on some of the senior players, and let them take the game on. At worst we loose badly, and sorry to say we're already doing that. At best we uncover some serious talent and give a big scare to a couple of good sides.

Not a chance. They play to our biggest weakness. They get their goals from a fleet of small fast forwards. We have never been able to cope with that. Our backline is set up to deal with tall KPPs, not a mosquito fleet. They will move it quickly through the middle and run rings around our lumbering giants in the back 50. This is going to hurt folks.

I saw that. My reply to CC? It's not Carlton who disrespect our club. It's our players.

Just for a bit of perspective on our season so far I thought it would be interesting to see what people predicted for the first ten rounds before we had played a game. Results to date: Round 1 Sydney Draw 84-84 Melbourne Round 2 Hawthorn Loss 77-122 Round 3 Brisbane Win 82-71 Round 4 Gold Coast Win 159-69 Round 5 Bye Round 6 West Coast Loss 52-106 Roung 7 Adelaide Win 149-53 //spotted by Happeninghunts Round 8 North Melbourne Loss 83-124 Round 9 St Kilda Loss 86-106 Round 10 Carlton Loss 46-93 Looking back at This Thread it would seem to me that we're not all that far off what was expected. I look at my own predictions and see that we have three losses that I thought were 50/50 games in West Coast, North Melbourne and Carlton. Looking back I was probably a bit ambitious with Carlton, but I thought we were a very good chance against the other two. I also have us down to win next week against Essendon, which is highly unlikely at the moment. Still, we are sitting at the lower end of my "Acceptable" range. I'm just wondering how everyone else thinks we're looking when you compare it to your predictions at the start.

Let's keep it simple. 3 words. No F***ing Spirit!

And at the moment we have neither.

Totally agree. If nothing else it would be more readable without having to figure out who you're talking about each match. However, the ratings seem to be quite fair.

It's funny how one of the huge crippling negatives in having Jamar injured has led to such a big positive. Martin has thrived on the added pressure and responsibility and his ruck work is improving as we watch. Huge bonus. Jack Watts seems to have figured out that he is bigger and faster than most of the guys on the field. He's not so shy of contact any more and he's using his pace better. Still needs work, but he's another one who's showing signs. Tapscott is every bit as good as we were told by those who had seen him play as a junior. His defensive work was suspect to begin with, but he improved rapidly. Kicking is as good as any in the side. Maric is one I had written off. To see him come into the side this year with more speed, more fitness and a better workrate is great. He's turning into a very nice forward pocket who can push into the midfield and have an impact. Those are the big four for me so far. I'm really hoping to be able to add Gawn and Howe in the next few weeks.

Stef has been particularly good at the center bounces. If he took some of them with Jamar in the goalsquare it would make a hell of a quick clearance-mark-goal combo. Scary to be a fullback with that facing you.

I like the concept. My concern is the involvement of the umpires. It takes one careless block for a high contact free to be paid. Hit someone head high or in the chest and it's off to the MRP. I just have a horrible vision of umpires paying soft frees in our defensive 50 because one of our players hit someone high with their back while sheperding. Of course, in all of this is the notion that you work hard off the ball to help out your team mate, and that's something we have seen very little of this year. So many of our players seem to be prima donnas out there and only put an effort in if they are a realistic chance to get the ball in their hands. How many of the run in to create space for a teammate or buy them another two seconds to get a good pass off? It's all part of the soft culture we seem to have developed.

If Gawn comes in the Newton isn't needed as a second ruck. Bennell was soft all game, so off with his head. Petterd is a straight swap for Howe. Trengove and Scully would be swaps for Evans and Nicholson I would think, although I would prefer to have both rookies in the side.

I think a very important point here is he can't possibly make things worse. So hell yes Dermie, come on down, run a few masterclasses in what it means to be a forward in the AFL, see if you can have even a little of your mojo rub off on these kids.

It was a bloody awful kick and he decided early that he was better off taking it on the bounce. Then he took his eyes off the ball before he had it and fumbled, allowing Betts to move in and pick his pocket. Terrible play by both parties.

Clean kicking to targets seems to do the job. Having a good target outside the zone to use as a long option, fast movement of the ball. All of these are helpful. Can you pick which ones we don't do?

The problem here is that Bailey is very conservative in his selections. He has always been reluctant to make sweeping changes, even when they are warranted, preferring to trust in his experienced players and play only a couple of younger guys at a time. In this case I think he has to throw that philosophy out the window and show the experienced players that they have to earn a spot just like anyone else.

A fair call I think. It's obvious that Malthouse would want to bring some personnel with him, but he may be tempted if he rates our young players.

Stef Martin once again showed he's worth the effort as a second ruck. Rivers was good. Sylvia once again was our only player to show spirit in a dismal game.

I'm normally one of the people who support the team in these situations, but tonight was simply embarrassing. They were pathetic and what's worse, most of them didn't seem to care. No fight, no fire, no effort. And sad to say I agree that the gameplan has to go. It's all very well forcing a turnover at half back, but what good is it when you look up and see nothing but opponents ahead of you?

Isn't Trengove out for another week yet? Out: Newton, Petterd, Bate, Bennell In: Scully, Howe, Blease, Davey Yes, I know Davey was awful last week, but he'll come back in assuming his knee is OK.

6. Sylvia 5. Rivers. Nobody else was worthy of a vote. Sorry.

Damn, I was hoping the late change would be Howe coming in for us.

It's a stress injury. Is he any less likely to hurt himself again at Casey than at Melbourne?

And it is acknowledged that these discussions are purely hypothetical on the assumption that he may come to the club and tell them that he wants to be traded to Port.

I'd be thinking Nicholson ahead of Blease at this point. He seems to be in better form at Casey and physically is probably a little better off. Howe I would love to see in the side. I want them to give him an extended run to get a feel for the pace of the game and see if he can adjust quickly.

Dean Brogan is broken down and probably due to retire. The only one I'd consider of your list would be Trengove (Trengrove?). Might also go for Boak, but it's doubtful they'd be willing to let him go.