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91
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL EF#1 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by blueboys_1 -
Quote from: kruddler – on
I think we went in with our best balanced team. That was until we saw the weather forecast.
In the end, Young was not needed and we needed an extra small.
Wet conditions, marking is more difficult, ball spend more time on the ground, you need more smalls to adapt.

I think the weather exposed our game plan.

I think it exposed our forwards as not good enough.

I think the poor performers from last week were the same this week. Young, Byrne, gov, Kemp.

We missed Hayward.

We missed Haynes.
Derkson was not up to same level.
We got exposed when Harry Dean went off.

Nobody told Frankie it was raining. Clone him.

Yep pretty much agree with most of that.
Before I give my two cents worth, I just want to say what a year we have had. Weeks 1-9 were just so demoralised personally for me. Never felt so distant from the club from a supporters point of view this year as I have since I started following them as a 6 year old.
The second half of the season even though I did not get to many games for one reason or another I felt my old self showing my colours and being proud to be a blues supporter. Instead of people bagging me people were saying how good we had become, 2nd only to Freemantle in wins and form for the second half of the year. I was so excited and proud to be a bagger.

Getting to the game I think we handled the conditions poorly and made poor decisions, trying to play dry weather football. Trying to pinpoint passes, and not taking marks on the chest played in Geelong's hands; Byrne come to mind a couple of times. They handled the conditions so much better than us. There were other options when we switched to the middle but did not take them, instead kicking to a two on one situation far too many times causing turnovers which Geelong took full advantage of.

Dean did not look right coming back on after his face knock. Was accidentally kicked by one of our own players I think.
Forward line was non existent, with Gov and Kemp kicking only one goal between them. We missed Haywood and Haynes and a whole lot more.

My only issue is, does Fraser have a plan B, because Plan A did not work last night.
Onto 2027 and a great year for the baggers. I hope it is not a repeat of 2024.

Go Bluesssss.
92
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL EF#1 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by kruddler -
Quote from: PaulP – on
Quote from: LP – on
I thought Walsh was clearly our best, Hewett had a lot of footy but I suspect little impact. Weitering was well on top before being smashed by Neale, just another accident. I suppose the usual suspects will role up here telling us how soft Weiters is and why he should be traded! ::)

There is a toll paid when you try to better teams like the Handbaggers, they are willing to go that step beyond fair to get a result, and they are coached in it. They bury knees into hips and backs in marking contests, take legs out from under opponents, block hinder and push to the limits of the rules and often beyond, they happily give away the free if the opportunity to bruise an ear or two surfaces. All the time claiming an injustice at peak voice.

You can't defeat them by colouring inside the lines, we just never seem to learn that.

Personally, I've not really a fan of the "we're too nice" trope. I've been hearing this for years, and whatever other issues I have with it, it basically condemns several generations of coaches, players, administrators etc to the status of blind ignoramuses, scardey-cats, or an endless parade of placid, semi pacifist individuals of extremely high moral caliber.

Agree.

Where we physically dominated? Pushed around? Scared??

No.

We put our body on the line.
We stood up for teammates.
We pushed and shoved as much as we needed too.

Did we miss some tackles? Yes.
Did they? Yes.
Does every team? Yes.
Look at our run down tackles last week. Same players. They get scared during the week??

So....do we want to encourage our guys to 'stretch the rules' in order to get an advantage? I'd argue we do that already in certain ways......cripps has a nice 'crow throw' and george does a good 'selwood drop' to get frees. Do we need to borderline assault the opposition to win games? I don't think so.
95
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL EF#1 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by PaulP -
Quote from: LP – on
I thought Walsh was clearly our best, Hewett had a lot of footy but I suspect little impact. Weitering was well on top before being smashed by Neale, just another accident. I suppose the usual suspects will role up here telling us how soft Weiters is and why he should be traded! ::)

There is a toll paid when you try to better teams like the Handbaggers, they are willing to go that step beyond fair to get a result, and they are coached in it. They bury knees into hips and backs in marking contests, take legs out from under opponents, block hinder and push to the limits of the rules and often beyond, they happily give away the free if the opportunity to bruise an ear or two surfaces. All the time claiming an injustice at peak voice.

You can't defeat them by colouring inside the lines, we just never seem to learn that.

Personally, I've not really a fan of the "we're too nice" trope. I've been hearing this for years, and whatever other issues I have with it, it basically condemns several generations of coaches, players, administrators etc to the status of blind ignoramuses, scardey-cats, or an endless parade of placid, semi pacifist individuals of extremely high moral caliber.
96
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL EF#1 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by LP -
Quote from: PaulP – on
I think the players deserve to be judged on a full season. I would struggle to name one clear winner last night. Maybe a couple of break evens, and that's about it IMO. Most of our guys played average to poor. I wouldn't be kicking McGovern, Acres etc to the kerb based solely on last night's game. McGovern has absolutely earned his extension, looking at his full 2026.
I thought Walsh was clearly our best, Hewett had a lot of footy but I suspect little impact. Weitering was well on top before being smashed by Neale, just another accident. I suppose the usual suspects will role up here telling us how soft Weiters is and why he should be traded! ::)

There is a toll paid when you try to better teams like the Handbaggers, they are willing to go that step beyond fair to get a result, and they are coached in it. They bury knees into hips and backs in marking contests, take legs out from under opponents, block hinder and push to the limits of the rules and often beyond, they happily give away the free if the opportunity to bruise an ear or two surfaces. All the time claiming an injustice at peak voice.

You can't defeat them by colouring inside the lines, we just never seem to learn that.
97
Notice Board (Visitors Enter Here) / Re: Where's EB1?
Last post by Lods -
Just a quick update.
I have had no reply to the e-mail that I sent to EB1
Several members have tried to contact him through PM's with no response.
Unless he returns to posting, it's a situation where we may never know the reason for his absence.
99
Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL EF#1 2026 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Geelong
Last post by PaulP -
I think the players deserve to be judged on a full season. I would struggle to name one clear winner last night. Maybe a couple of break evens, and that's about it IMO. Most of our guys played average to poor. I wouldn't be kicking McGovern, Acres etc to the kerb based solely on last night's game. McGovern has absolutely earned his extension, looking at his full 2026.