For what it's worth here is my starting 22 for next yr, assuming the worst (best for many on this board) case scenario this yr.

Assumptions

1. We get the spoon with less than 20 pts

2. Scum, filth, hawks et al inelgible for PP's

3. We receive picks 1 (PP) and 2 at the national draft, recruiting Mitch Clark and Shannon Hurn, the best tall/midfielder available as per current rumours and these guys are ready to go in terms of physical presence and talent, e.g. Deledio and Franklin/Travis Cloke (Big IF)

4. Pick up a gun/seasoned 21-25 yr old out of contract midfielder in the PSD. Stranger things have happened but a Nick Stevens type is not total impossiblity.

4. MC and DP have some bottle and decide to give our best young prospects game time for the remaining matches. This needs to happen within the next 5-6 games. If this is not possible for all (e.g. Carlos, hartlett, Russell, Blackwell), these guys really need to continue to develop in the magoos for the rest of the yr and are ready to go in the seniors come March 2006.

5. Lance and Houla package get traded for a no. 10-15 rd 1 pick, e.g. Brisbane (I know but I did state best case scenario)

6. Injury free list

7. Coaching and Tactics changes and innovations


B: Teague Livo Carrots
HB: T-Bird Hartlett Russell
C: 1AW Kouta PSD pick 1
HF: Waite Clark (Mitch, not David) Eddie
F: Lappin Fev Carlos
R: French Hurn Stevo
I/C: Campo (sorry Sinbad), Blackwell, Simmo, Fish
Emerg: Chambers, JD Smith, Lance/Houla pick (Pick 10-15)


Balance looks better. A decent engine room - Kouta, Hurn, Blackwell

Outside stocks stronger - Stevo, 1AW, Russell, PSD 1, Simmo, Campo (sorry again).

Tall structure generally stronger with better mobility (as certain overweight, overpaid has-beens departed for greener pastures): Barney rucking b/w FB and Centre, Clark/Carlos taking care of ruck duties in fwd line, Hartlett as a possible floater to fwd line, Fish off the bench.

A youthful team, with only 4 of 22 over 26 - Kouta, Lappin and Campo over 26 come Mar 2006.

Young and experienced depth better with between 6-8 of recycled triers gonski.

All of a sudden, things are looking a little rosier.

Look at tonights result and the season in general, why shouldn't I be optimistic?

OK Boys, I'm wide open!

Backline - Settled and flexible backline. Matchups less of a problem than this yr. Show me a better backline in terms of expreience?

BTW - the creme de la creme of backlines looked shite 2 nite. Scarlett is very beatable/looked injured and the rest of them panicked under pressure

DO NOT (under any circumstances whatsoever) trade Ryan Houlihan and if you're going to (like you really would) please don't throw in Whitnall to only receive 1 first round selection.

Thank-you

_________________
"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

Sorry True Blue Brad, walk me through your reasons,

We do need young, gun depth and these guys are our best bait given current circumstances

Given all the stars aligning as I have mentioned, Houla is one less receiver we need. We will have a dearth of running, HBR's in the next cuppla yrs.

As for Lance, don't get me going!

did I say a dearth of HBR's, I meant glut

IMHO you will not get value for Houla by trading him. Id be asking at least for a 1st rounder on its own....let alone throwing Whitnall away.

We sorely lack players with the kind of silky skills Houla has

_________________
"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

It's a bit premature to be picking sides for 2006 already and basing it on all those assumptions. I don't think other clubs are going to offer high picks for our rejects- no matter how many are packaged together. I don't think Denis has spent 3 years developing Houla so that he can become good trade bait. Has repeatedly said we lack talent so can't see him giving him away. We certainly do not have an excess of players who can hit targets. I don't think you're going to get anywhere continually turning over your 'valuable commodities'- developing them for a few years and then trading them away in the hope you might get something better (which is not guaranteed anyway).

And thank you Brad for always staying positive and supporting our players from the constant criticism and bagging.

jenx,

Although I do reckon Houla has got into some bad habits, (holding onto the ball for too long, too much switching of direction leading to upfield players getting confused, not running at full pace with the ball breaking the lines ala Voss, C.Johnson, etc), I think he still has more to offer for the future than Campo.

At this stage of the season your team for next year looks pretty good though. Gonna be interesting to see how it will all turn out.

I reckon it's amazing that people would so readily trade our best players, it beggars belief, I'm talking Fev and Houlihan...on Houlihan he's possibly the most skilful player we have. He has his shortcomings obviously but players with that ability don't grow on trees. Why would we consider trading him at this stage? He's still only in his early-to-mid 20s and got 100 games of experience now. Why trade him for some 18 year old who probably won't be as good a footballer as Ryan?

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Formerly Blues-Back2003.

You wouldn't be happy trading Lance and Houlihan for a 1st round pick, so trade Houlihan for a first round pick on his own. The guy is a cancer for the team when he doesn't run hard all day and pulls put of contests with even a hint of body contact. The guy's been there long enough to change his ways and go in hard for the ball (Lappin,Fisher and even Blackwell do) but he's not going to. If the club can a quality key position prospect or ruck by trading him on his own or with Lance they should go for it.Sporn's skills aren't much worse and he'd be harder at the ball as that it isn't too hard.They're probably similar players and are maybe fighting for the one spot.

I didn't invent the rules

so how much did all that avertisement space cost you the shag??

ahhh...

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R A D I C A L B R O T H E R S

Inspired by the One-Minute Sculptures of Erwin Wurm

"All in all is all we are..."

2006 Well these guys will be gone i reckon


Nearly Certain as these guys play VFL +AFL except Whitnall

David Clarke
Jordan Bannister
Glen Bowyer
Brett Johnson
Lance Whitnall

Not 100% sure if they will stay also

Ian Prendergast
Simon Wiggins
Callum Chambers but his had injuries so maybe not
Trent Sporn unfortunely
Kade Simpson i reckon he may be one unlucky player to go ,i reckon he would take a little longer but seeing him get drop week in and out doesn't look good
Digby Morrell
Adam Bentick needs to get more of the ball, he is young althou
Karl Norman looks like the club doesn't want him ?
Luke Livingston still just average
Troy Longmuir
Justin Davies don't think Carlton let him go as it seems he is starting to play more games and Brett Ratten has some dealing with him and probably influence the club to progress with him

I expect at least 8 will go

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Bang Bang.

2006 Well these guys will be gone i reckon so they want be on any line up


Nearly Certain as these guys play VFL +AFL except Whitnall

David Clarke
Jordan Bannister
Glen Bowyer
Brett Johnson
Lance Whitnall Traded

Not 100% sure if they will stay also

Ian Prendergast
Simon Wiggins
Callum Chambers but his had injuries so maybe will stay
Trent Sporn unfortunely
Kade Simpson i reckon he may be one unlucky player to go ,i reckon he would take a little longer but seeing him get drop week in and out doesn't look good
Digby Morrell
Adam Bentick needs to get more of the ball, he is young althou
Karl Norman looks like the club doesn't want him ?
Luke Livingston still just average
Troy Longmuir
Justin Davies don't think Carlton let him go as it seems he is starting to play more games and Brett Ratten has some dealing with him and probably influence the club to progress with him

I expect at least 8 will go

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Bang Bang.

I cannot believe people are still talking about trading Whitnall.

No problems with the Lance Houla trade.

BUT IF WE ARE RELYING ON A 33 YR OLD IN the Middle

Heaven help us!!!

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Stay tuned We're in for a BUMPY ride

Agree with this.

Also, IMO Houla's playing in the wrong position. My ideal position for him would be HFF with rotations in the midfield. Houla's not hard enough to be playing HBF. I like my backmen to be players that are hard at the ball and hard at the man and capable of beating their opponent on a 1-on-1 contested situation. He's playing in the backline out of necessity AFAIC....trying to fill a hole as the rebounder.

I wonder if Houla being good mates with Fev will have a bearing on the club not be willing to trade him as well?

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When Dick became President, it was as if everyone at Carlton came out of the hailstorm and into the sunshine - Stephen Kernahan

YARRAN!!





.

Apart from there's no point in hanging on to Fev if we don't also have players capable of delivering the ball to him properly and Houla is one of the few players that can do that and we've seen those two combine well a number of times this year (particularly Geelong & Port games).