One name there BV: Nick Duigan. He was manned on both of these blokes at times in the game. They always seemed to run riot at that point.

Blair just had to lead up to the centre of the ground, then trot back, with Duigan labouring behind. He's not much chop at this point.

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

what about bower taking Duigan's spot as a running flanker, keeping watson as the chb. JIMMAE ?


Takes pressure off bower as he can play on a smaller forward and run more and also help double team as Maxwell . Hendo a must for strutchure. can play Hendo Waite and Kreuz together but not Hammer. Walker needs to be swapped into mid and across half back more, even for spurts to blow up the opposition with run.

Of all the positions a tall can play on the ground, that is the one that requires the most agility. Why do people keep suggesting this for a bloke coming off a reco?

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

Then we've got a defensive line of Russell, Yarran, Bower, Watson, Laidler & Jamison. That leaves us with Russell labouring after the smalls (still has a niggle in his calf) and Watson still being exposed to the talls because he's not quick enough to play on a 3rd tall/medium forward.

Needs to be Armfield or Tuohy.

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

Slot an onballer type into the back six who can read the play, has clean hands when the ball hits the deck and can hit targets on the way out. Lucas, Gibbs and Scotland are the types i am thinking about. That should shut down the Blairs of the world.

Russ Jamo Watson/laidler
Yaz Bower Gibbs/Lucas/Scotland

That is a far better back six than the one that has been easily beat in the first 3 rounds IMO. Plenty of rebound in there too.

Moving Gibbs back would mean we lose what he has been giving as an onballer. Without being bad that hasnt been too much. Ellard could almost replace what we lose there. However that back six will be 3 goals better a game than the back six so far this season in my opinion.

Disagree. Bring in a more defensively minded bloke like Armfield and release Yarran a little. We now know that Armfield can use the footy on either foot, and that will help his rebound because he won't charge 40 m then kick, he'll charge 20 m then kick 40.

Scotland would be manipulated by his opponent, as would Gibbs. Lucas would be ok.

_________________
29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

I think the coaches have identified that they dont want Armfield in defense. They have shipped him out. Moved him to half forward or wing and then out of the team all together and didnt play him in defense in the reserves. They must have a reason for this and some data to back it up.

Not sure how Gibbs or Scotland could be manipulated. Lower teams still getting their sh1t together might try to take gibbs back to the goalsquare but i am yet to see a team beat us doing that. All i see is a team losing its forward structure. It is a tactic Collingwood would never use as they now have set structures that they wont change up. Having teams watch Gibbs rebounding potential will only leave Yaz and Russ more room . Same way the pies use Johnson, Shaw and Obrien.

Over the last three weeks we have been shaky as soon as the ball hits the deck inside our back fifty and shaky when it comes in in the air also. All to do with inexperience. The back six i propose gives us the chance to introduce a couple of new blokes to the backline at a time. Not 4 out of the 6.

Anyway this is just my opinion. I am sure the coaches will find out whats best for the team.

Simple. They dont have faith in his decision making and disposal off half back. Even though I think he showed signs of improvement in that area late last year and also a level of maturity.
We are certainly lacking a back pocket at the moment and it hurt us bad on Friday!

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C'mon Blueboys!

This is half-way there. He was the kind of player who would run it up the field rather than back his footskills, and it hurt our forward line because the opposition had time to setup. Running 40 or 50 m into a wall is no good; you need kick it over the wall.

This year, right through the pre-season and in the first two games you saw Armfield backing his foot skills once more; that problem has disappeared in my view, and he's improved overhead. Needs to go to HB, lock down a man and open up the game with Bower, Russell & Yarran.

_________________
29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

Armfield played as a defensive forward most of the pre-season, Round 1 vs Richmond and again yesterday in the VFL. Obviously that's where the MC see his future.

AJ & Tuohy were playing the small defender roles yesterday and both played well. As Tuohy is on the Rookie List, you'd assume that AJ is ahead of him.

If the MC decide that Duigan needs a spell in the VFL to work on a few things, I'd expect them to either bring in AJ or Davies (if fit) to play as a small defender, or go with a ball winner back there like Gibbs, Scotland or Lucas (perhaps allowing Ellard/Armfield to come in and play mid/HF) - depending on opposition match-ups.

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It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

Agree with this. Most of our free kicks went to our ruckmen in midfield. They got some generous decisions deep in attack/defence.

True. But he got a pretty rough run with the umps. Whenever tackled it was adjudicated as holding the ball. And whenever he laid a tackle, he was penalised for in the back or too high. Sometimes if you get a reputation as a tagger you get far less sympathy from the umps. (see Baker, etc.)

Nothing gets past you

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If I want your opinion, I'll give it to you!

Brown takes the ruck against Hampson, Swan win the ball ahead of Judd, Didak receives, spins, kicks on his wrong foot and finds Jolly alone at the top of the square (Pendlebury blocks Gibbs).

Goal.

Sack Gavin Brown.

That's not a whole lot above the standard AFL contract these days anyway.

I agree. Along with Carrazzo he's one of the more intelligent and articulate players we have. Presents very well.

Pretty sure the midfield setups are still under Riley's reign, and it's showing.

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

The last quarter reeked of a team not trying to win, but keep down how much they lost by.

I could see it in the body language and the way they attacked the contest.

Also the players seemed pleased that they did not get thrashed and were all bleating the line of how far we have come against the best competition.

Crappy attitude by Coach and Players........ Not good enough Carlton.