The heart beats true

I'd be very interested in what others are making of our defensive team set up - particularly in the last 2 weeks. Regardless of experience in defence my issue lies more in how often Freo and Geelong got out the back, or into 1 on 1's against us. I think you can see this in the score lines against us - both of the last 2 weeks we've had more scoring opportunities and gone down. I firmly believe this is more to do with the quality of the opportunities presented to our opponents. They kick the kickable goals because there isn't enough pressure applied. To be clear I don't think this is as much a 'back 6' issue as it is a whole team structure issue. We seem to be too high risk in our set ups and if turned around we simply aren't there in numbers. I'm watching the 3rd quarter again now - Why are we so opposed to dropping a player back (especially when a team gets a run on)? Because that player is logically Watts and we can't kick goals without him forward?

I actually think this about Jones, Viney, Vince and Lewis. The need to develop a different generation and the rise of Oliver has thrown our midfield for a loop a bit. If those guys can be as valuable around the ground then we'll really develop well. We don't need 8 inside midfielders, we need a bit of balance, and I think with some of these guys being asked to play different roles they often seem a bit off the boil.

It was a goal. He just got his foot to it.

I think Goodwin has to challenge the players about that 3rd quarter. Simply didn't want to stop the rot. Vince, Viney and Jones just let it happen. We aren't the footy club we were, and we can't accept our leaders going missing.

Bernie Vince has zero game sense. Zero! If Weidemann gets another game after that I'll be furious. we aren't a top 8 side yet. So bitterly disappointing.

What's going on with Viney. He's letting Neale just run passed him constantly. He looks absolutely spent.

Our small forwards have really stood up. Great to see. Gees Clayton Oliver is a gun. I know we all know it but bloody hell. He's played less than 20 games. Cmon Dees. Get the energy up and keep working.

I really don't like North Melbourne. Docklands closed roof millionaires, but with the added disincentive of Lindsay Thomas.

The Eagles are an odd side. They've got 3-4 genuine footballers who turn up at every ground, and the rest of them seem to only be able to play at home in front of 30,000 family and friends.

I reckon he'll be tasked with that less now that Hunty is in full swing - but he may also get away with it more as the speed in our defence will spread out the opposition more.

Josh Mahoney is a pro. Handled it perfectly. He needs to get more credit I reckon.

He's 22. Spent much time with 22 year olds who live 4 hours flight from their father - whose very unwell? It's a unique, and honestly, sad situation. Lets not beat him up. It's not ideal but it's also not the end of the world.

While the news about Maxy isn't great I'm thrilled for the big Spencil. I really hope the boys get around him and remind him of the hard work he's done. He hasn't dropped his head when Max surpassed him - instead he puts his hand up very high in the off season and gave the club a lot to think about. Go big fella. Knock em out of your way!

Great to see both Cripps and Rowe out there for Carlton today. TOTALLY nothing in it. Youd think with a fractured jaw Cripps should be wearing a helmet? They stitched us up and added a week to each suspension. Absolute dog of a club.

I'm not about excuses because we have ourselves to blame but when was the last time a side kicked 12 goals straight in a game? That combined with our poor kicking meant that they turned 3 points down - not 30. They could do no wrong in front of goal, and we were bloody awful. I will say I think Goodwin handled it perfectly in the Presser. No need to dwell on it too much and turn it into an 'actual' psychological issue, and not just a perceived one.

I reckon Weid and Hannan are in strife, but one of them probably gets saved by the VFL fixture and the fact we have no bloody idea whose in good touch. I'd say Hannan's ok and Pedo replaces Weid simply because Hannan is more versatile once the balls on the ground - but if we are looking long term I'd flip that decision as clearly we need Weid to come on. Pedo is a good option as he can work through the ruck role as well (I still like Wattsy in there too since it gets him involved). Spencil will need more breaks than Max does, and he'll probably move through the bench more as he's not SUPER versatile around goal

We only have ourselves to blame, which is both the most infuriating and exciting thing about today. Geelongs best 5 players have to literally carry the other 17. We'll go well pass them in the next 18 months. I think we are learning hard but valuable lessons this week. I hope the coaching staff are reiterating the lessons.

We have a right to be absolutely FILTHY about the way the holding the ball rule was adjudicated that quarter.

This sort of praise is great for our midfield. Lewis was hard tagged last week, Viney the week before. You can't tag em all, which means someone will get off the chain.

I've taken to calling him Claurence Olivier because he just plays his roll so effortlessly. ?

I think our last game under Roos was actually perfectly designed by the club to be the nail in the coffin of any of his aspirations to coach again.

Big call. Cripps was crushing us. Someone finally did something. Did it cross the line? Yes. Is he penalised? Yes. Did we know he was this kind of player and recognise we need that to protect our young team? Yes. You mess with the bull you get the horns. But do you think maybe I won't mess so much next time? Yes. It sucks to lose players but I personally am glad we didn't just roll over in that game. It wasn't a millionaires win, it was a street fighters win, and sometimes someone steps over the line.

Not to get all conspiracy theory on this but where can we see an 'objective' medical report that states clearly the damage done to both Rowe and Cripps? Theres nothing in Carlton's interests to protect our players. If they believe they'll be in the mix for finals against us one competitive advantage is to try and harm us in other games. With the AFL placing so much value on medical reports whose ensuring they are objective and reasonable? I'm legitimately interested if anyone is aware of the process. Also, I hope the club is doing due diligence and asking the AFL for the full medical reports before deciding next steps. The whole process needs to be more transparent if it's being used as a deciding factor.

I like Vince and Kent in with Petracca out of the square given the pace of the ground. Im just saying that so it gets over the line with Goodwin, who clearly steals all of his ideas from here.

I bet he's miraculously ok to play with it though. How annoying is it that clubs like Hawthorn and Geelong have been doing this stuff for 10 years and the AFL shift focus to it and make an example of us.