Carlton has flown under the radar but the top four – and even a flag – is now possible
LOL yes it is a long time. Who know maybe in another month we'll all look back and laugh.....hopefully not hysterically whilst rocking back and forth and muttering to ourselves "it's all OK, it's all OK, it's all OK".
Walls is getting very senile and needs to stop embarrassing himself.
I thought the points he made were fairly reasonable. It is obvious from his tone on how he regards the sacking of Ratten and when you consider where we are it doesn't look good. Yes Mick Malthouse was going to have to change the way we play but I think the expectation was we were better than we actually are.
Still our best player and that is a worry. Murphy I think has been weighed down by the captaincy and is not a strong leader. For mine I thought it should have been Carrazzo.
Yep he kicked truly with that one. He is right about our improvement defensively and of course we were all told we were a potential top 4 team. Simply not the case.
We need to bowl well (I Know Captain Obvious) but that will essentially dictate the outcome of the series. Allow Cook, Pieterson and Trott quality time in the middle and we're cooked. Who will trouble them?
Siddle is a concern as he isn't quick enough outright and will have to bowl tight and he doesn't get much movement. Must bowl the fuller length. Starc could be a match winner or contribute well to a century before lunch - it just depends a bit like Mitchell Johnson and you never know what you're going to get. If he cannot control the swing (the big worry) he will be very ineffectual quickly.
Sayers is too inexperienced I feel but one for the future. Pattinson and Harris loom as the guys who can do the damage and perhaps the all rounder in Faulkner who is a handy pace (just off Siddles pace) and a left armer. Just on that if we do play left armers, England do have a handy spinner in their line up so that's something to keep in mind. I think if Swann doesn't come up fitness wise then you would definitely play one of Starc or Faulkner - what a pity we cannot find the spinners equivalent of James Faulkner. I hope Boof is working with Lyon on his batting.
Whilst I don't think he's earned it yet I think we have to give Mitchell an extended run. The finals are gone for us and we should now find out who can play and who can't.
Watson to be given an extended run, bring in Laidler to see where he's at, play McInness, blood Graham and give a taste to Buckley. I would also play Casboult at FF for an run of games to see how he goes without having to ruck too much. I would move Yarran to rebound out of the back half and also move the Irishman onto a wing to run and carry a bit and perhaps even try him for short stints into the midfield. Anyone who's injured or not 100% we don't play.
Edit: Forgot to add PLAY MENZEL
Stop making sense!!!!
It's all the drugs I am on - they say it where wear off.......eventually
The smart thing to do is to get games into Menzel, Buckley, Graham and Bell if he's available to set those players up for next season, we could do that and still be picking competitive teams. We made the mistake with Yarran of not playing him enough in his first season then dropping him after one bad game in his second. Talented players are hard to find and we should make the most of the ones we've got.
This
Even If the Scum lose points and we climb into the 8, we won't trouble Hawthorn, Geelong or Sydney. We'd be better served by preparing for next season and blooding the kids who will make it.
Agree completely with this. We will not trouble anyone of note in the finals and if we lose to the Saints we're cooked anyway.
I think we have to face reality and no we haven't improved unless improvement is measured also by revealing where we're really at.
The rumours of list turnover I here initially sounded knee jerk reactionary but after witnessing the last month perhaps not.
My concern is where to from here? Where the hell are the players going to come from? In another thread I mentioned going to the draft is a 3-5 year proposition - just not palatable to the supporters after what we have all been through. So what do we do?
Pretty damn disappointing to see us capitulate so badly in the same weekend the seniors have their worst loss of the year. It was a big opportunity to earn a senior game this week but how many actually seemed to want it?
You know what you really nailed it Nath - that really was a Sh1t weekend football wise
What a shocker! A 75 point thrashing. A couple of positives: Menzel stood up and kicked a few goals. Watson played probably his best game of the year and destroyed Gumby. That may terminate the move to recruit Gumby in itself. Otherwise....
I'm looking forward to what RR and the crew have to say.
Thank you again to Matt Lodge for his excellent coverage via Twitter.
Crash have to agree a positive may well be we stay clear of Gumby now, Menzel to come in hopefully but aside from that
Whilst I don't think he's earned it yet I think we have to give Mitchell an extended run. The finals are gone for us and we should now find out who can play and who can't.
Watson to be given an extended run, bring in Laidler to see where he's at, play McInness, blood Graham and give a taste to Buckley. I would also play Casboult at FF for an run of games to see how he goes without having to ruck too much. I would move Yarran to rebound out of the back half and also move the Irishman onto a wing to run and carry a bit and perhaps even try him for short stints into the midfield. Anyone who's injured or not 100% we don't play.
