Carlton Supporters Club

What a cutie, congrats DJC

Dogs are so much better than people. My boy is cozying up to me on the bed as we speak, it's scary outside with the rain and such 

Every time I hear polson's name, I think of fight club.

"his name was Robert polson"

2 in row to square the season up.
Go Blues

Nailed it tragic, well said mate.

Some of the commentary here is ridiculous, apparently we are further from a premiership after last night. We are blooding young kids, ALL who showed something last night (inc curnow) and when was the last time we could say that?

Everyone expected we couldn't find goals, but looked the most coherent heading towards goal for several years. Unexpectedly it was our backs that crapped themselves and coughed up at least 5-6.

The difference with this crop of youngsters is they take the game on and will no doubt learn from the experience.

Like I said elsewhere, Bolton could easily have move weitering back, and played loose men back but how does that help in our development? Playing players in their positions, sprinkled with some experience is the best way for them to learn their role, their limitations and capabilities.

So whilst it was a disappointing loss, there was enough in it for me to walk away feeling content that we are on the right track. Much patience will be required.

Things I learnt tonight:

- We picked up a 10year player in Caleb Marchbank
- GWS have directly and indirectly gifted us a very promising backline (Marchbank, Plowman and Macreadie)
- Once SPS is match fit he's going to light up our games
- Weitering will rarely be sighted in defence this year, and that's ok
- Our forward line actually shows promise (pity the delivery into it is scarce)
- Thomas won't hit his quota for a new contract
- Jack is a chip off the old block. Knows how to position himself and will only get better
- This is going to be a long season, full of mistakes, but the foundation for the future is really starting to take shape
- Next draft we need to stock up on as many A Grade midfielders as we can get our hands on

Smedts was fine.  He didn't Kerridge the ball for one and did some neat things by hand.

Did he get enough of the ball, no. But he showed reasonable composure in traffic and is only just getting back into the swing of AFL.

Positives
Sammo soaked up a mountain of pressure and looked good before a bit of a fade.
Pickett flashes of great. Can't wait till he builds up his tank.
McCreadie was good, reads it well. Some muscle and he'll hold his own.
Smedts was good in patches. Looked like he moved well. Expect his improvement to increase quickly.
Marchbank and Weiters  ??
Crippa got through unscathed. Will be better for the run.
Sam Rowe and Kruez were solid. Looked to give 100%
Daisy kicked longer and offered more in general. Maybe that ankle's better.
Plowman was solid. He'll continue to improve.

As others noted, (quite) a few of our seniors didn't perform as we hoped. Obviously we can't expect to win under those conditions.

In all, the youngsters had a great hit out. Their learning now begins.

Yes, we're playing the Saints at IP this Saturday.

It might be lambs to the slaughter, but this is exactly what we need.

No more hiding Nick Graham, Dylan Buckley, Blaine Boekhorst, Jed Lamb, Liam Jones, Billie Smedts, Sam Kerridge, Liam Sumner, Kristian Jaksch, Simon White, et al. Let's see if you blokes have even slightly what it takes to be a top consistent AFL-worth footballer that we can rely on and be an AFL Carlton man in our best 22. The heat is on, as the past legend Glenn Frey would say!

Time to be men, and stand up, not behind Judd (in the past), Cripps, Gibbs, Murphy, Simpson, Docherty, etc.

We'll get thumped, BUT, let's see who exactly does stand up.

We'll see some lads exposed on Saturday. And, we might see some become AFL footballers. It just might be the making of some. It's what we need IMHO!

IMO :
Thomas at this point in his career is a honest trier, who very rarely shows flashes of class. Yes, I guess he is in our best 22 by default, but what I saw today, I don't think we missed him all that much.
Byrne, yes I suppose he is.
Everitt needs too much in favour to be useful week in week out.
Walker was horrible last year and not much better this year.

In a nutshell.

Perhaps its not the fact we are playing 2 rucks that is the problem. Perhaps it is the blokes playing as ruckman that are the problem.

Same problem we have with our key forwards, that is, they are just not very good at it!

EDIT:
Nic Nat and Cox both got AA status playing in the same team. It can work if you have the right people for it to work.