Picks 2 and 9 are taggers...wonder if pick 1 will get the same treatment.

Theyre learning..... theyre learning on how to run around the park chasing shadows instead of playing footy......

Why cant we find a Steven Baker../ Damien Peverill to do that shit?????


Surely you dont draft kids early to chase Ablett aroundf the park...

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I agree.

His decion making still is his biggest weakness. IMO it wont improve by tagging he needs to be unleashed. He will make heaps of errors but needs to learn from his mistakes. It might take a few years but while he's wasting away tagging it's not going to improve. Unleash Walker!

Andrew "Proactive" Walker...

His decision making errors are due to the fact he is playing an alien game.

Anyone who saw him play as a junior saw why we took him.. he provides run and drive...!!!

He should be played on the defensive side of the midfield where Bentick or Kouta can just handball out to him and he runs 30 and kicks it 50 deep into the forward line...

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Have to agree with Andain. That's pretty much what I thought. Was impressed with Setanta, Blackers, Murphy and one or two things McLaren did. Was pretty unimpressed with DeLuca's continued marking issues.

Overall I don't see the improvement since last year. We would have and should have been belted by pretty much most of the competition on tonights performance. I know it's a pre season game but the lack of pressure and the problems in defence just looked the same.

Another long bitter winter I suspect.

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The great are great to us only because we are on our knees. Let us arise.
--Robert Collier

I am worried about our full back position and I was disappointed with Thornton's performance tonight, sometimes he's just too relax and at times I thought he was quite slow!

And Betts as well, he gets pushed off too easily, and he has no 2nd effort.

Pretty scrappy match cats looked rusty and have to Say Scarlett really is a classy backman the calibre of player we really lack at moment.

What this match showed on both sides but looking more at the blues real lack of decision making big hope that can be corrected come round one.. Coaches get out the tape and highlight this.. This error showed on a number of players both Senior and new comers.

Senior Blues who played well
* French
* Steven slow start but was good later
* Lappin good game
* Whits Servicible when we had numbers but suffered in space
* Fisher was good had a fair few marks also
* Cory was reliable and played pretty consistantly

Senior Players servicable
* Bentick Slow start but was okay
* Simpson was good enough to show can play more in Midfield
* Carrazzo again slow to get into the game but did some things
* Deluca Did some good things but as some said let down again by Marking
* Fev Servicable for limited preperation and time rest him for season proper
* Walker Did well to keep Ablet Quiet did a bit more second half but still makes crucial decision errors

Senior players poor
* Houla Leave on the back flank / Kids looked better in midfield
* Betts second year but had a shocker
* Prenda did some okay things poor decision making just hmm dunno
* Kouta lacked impact poor performance by his standards of what we expect
* Scotland Shocker did little
* Waite showed glimpses but looked to have average nite
* Thornton shocker soundly beaten

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New Blood comments
* Murphy can see he has class a couple of errors but he shows he is able to go in and under and also outside will get better quickly
* Hartlet had a few bad decisions against him but seemed to show he has improved .. thought was better than Thornton on the nite
* Santanta was good and made a target if he didnt mark he made a contest ... too bad betts didnt crumb better but good option and dor someone playing second season showed he can contest .... i think needs to be in front of goal as he kicks straight lol not so good from the pockets
* Blackers again showed he reads play well for limied time did some good things
* Maclaren did some things i think will work okay with Frech as back up ruckman needs to show he can do more around the ground.

Summary -
Backline - suffered due to Thornton havin a shocker and not havin a ideal matchup on Kingsley think Hartlett did better but only second gamer... Ideally i guess Saddington would have been ideal matchup ... I am looking at Saddo / Edwards / Bower .... Kennedy so hopefully we can develope from at least the new kids for some other backline options

Mid Field - Got possion but lack decison making and need to really look up and get the guys to really think about how they use the ball. More accountability and maning up / Pressure ... again look to fill Midfiled with Murphy / Carrots / Walker / Possibly Blackers to add to Stevens / Simo / bentick / Kouta / Scotland

Forward line -
Think We actually have a good Forward options and with improved delivery could be quite dangerous with the rght supply .. IE choices of Fev / Fisher / Santanta / Waite / Betts crumbing though put in a bad night / with editions of J kennedy key position forward or back May need him down back lol but Even Houla could be used on the forward flank

But i guess now for the practice matches play these kids give em a run
Lets see what Bower / Edwards / Murphy / Blackers / Hartlett / Santanta / Josh if fit ... Give them a good run couple them with Simo / bentick / Carrots lots of Midfield run / Maclaren Key ruck .. even if it means resting stevens / French / Kouta ect

Lets see if some of these kids can show something when given more time on the field

The kids have got what it takes...Just some cooler heads at times is required...

Confidence is a major part to the player's game and backing one's self at critical stages is a special commodity to have...

Nothing wrong with Betts or T Bird.

The problem is elsewhere....


Look in future we will have the players to curtail forwards like Kingsley with Bower Edwards and flint.

In the meantime its silly dropping Livo cos he would have had 9 kicked on him too.. but T Bird could then go to CHB and Lance out as the third/ fourth expensive defender... allowing him to do what he does best...... slip away on his own and kick off one step.

Hartlett isnt a defender.. he reacts to the game he is not in tune with it back there...

Fev shouldnt have played FF should have alternated between Setanta Fisher and Hartlett....

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I am seriously worried about how we will go against the likes of Hall, Tredrea, Lloyd, Rocca, etc given the interpretations of what now constitutes interference.

Scragging has been our most effective defensive tactic for the past few years!

Just wonder if Whitnall should go forward - he might be able to milk quite a few frees I would have thought.

I didn't expect much out of tonight and I wasn't disappointed. O'hAilpin the biggest positive definitely capable of a 5 goal game, I was disappointed with some of Blackwell's disposal - but at least he found it and I think his skill errors were more nerve related and will sort themselves out. Key one was a handball in the 1st quarter to the disadvantage of Stevens, it was coughed up and a goal to Geelong.

Structurally, we looked too tall at times in what is becoming a running game that is now being umpired specifically to reard clean crisp skills.

It was good to see a bit of beef on some players - De Luca looked bigger (still a two grabber though!), but we make poor decisions under pressure, drop easy marks and miss easy goals.

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Get comfortable being uncomfortable

The current rules suit Russell Simpson and Walker if wee had a brain to use them properly...

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And another thing Kingsly normally has an accuracy of 25% lol just happened to have 100% tonite of all nites

I'd have thought given the lack of accountability Stevens, Campo, Kouta and Scotland showed last season playing in the midfield, the decision to play Walker and Russell as taggers would be obvious.

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"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

But theyre being played as taggers...

nothing to do with just midfield accountability.

There was one point when Walker came off his man to help elsewhere and the ball was passed to Ablett for a goal i think....

That is flower confusing... when youre trying to do the team thing and noone is covering you man.

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Aren't we teaching him to be accountable for his man? Its nice to think someone will cover you, but if they dont you're still accountable.

Stevens Kouta Campo and Scotland all think thats ok. I want Walker and Russell to know its not.

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"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

If you have to play the younger guys as taggers to teach them to be accountable then there is something seriously wrong at the club... If Stevens, Scotland, Kouta etc don't want to be accountable then they shouldn't be playing midfield. It puts to much pressure on other players to cover there man and look after their own... Walker should be playing in the midfield but the older guys are holding him back. Great leadership we have.

well the coaches decide who plays in the midfield, not the players.

Whats wrong with teaching the younger players how to play accountable football?

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"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

Instread of kicking the ball to the boundary like we do.. howabout we use their run with some positivity ?(simmo too)... how the hell are we going to teach them anything.. if were kicking to the boundaries and flooding???

all that does is it teaches u nothing...!!!

We had no run through the midfield whatsoever.. why???

because Walker was tagging.. russell was in the reserves and if he was playing hed be tagging... and simmo was off and on the ground.

Howabout we teach them to find the ball first????

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Yes Synbad you are seeing the light - this coach has not got a clue .

The only thing good to come out of tonight was the form of Lappin - on half back take note. Murphy played well for his first game and the big Irish bloke had a dip.


It is going to be a long season

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They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

Heyyyy...........!






kindest regards tommi






i'll go now.............!

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that'siti'mnotchangingthistagain......!