Why go? You're the voice of reason and unlike some, not a heart attack candidate (depending on your weight and how much you smoke).

Can I please be a pain in the ass and ask someone to put up images of the game from getty images in here please, I cant view them at all from my home pc. Thanks.
What a bummer of a result, how did Kouta go, ws he pretty ineffectual?

_________________
'Cause I'm J.U.D.D
I'm dynamite
J.U.D.D
And I'll win that fight
J.U.D.D
I'm a power load
J.U.D.D, Watch me explode

Hi Beano... im not one to post pictures so ill leave that to others.

you can be happy with setantas game.. still a long way away but very encouraging and was in our best half dozen players.. will play more games than he wont this year.

Kouta looked disinterested to me..

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Good to hear, I was on the phone first thing this morning, joined the game int he 2nd qtr, keeping Seán Óg updated, looks like I might be getting down for the Sydney game at telstra in Mid April. cant wait

_________________
'Cause I'm J.U.D.D
I'm dynamite
J.U.D.D
And I'll win that fight
J.U.D.D
I'm a power load
J.U.D.D, Watch me explode

I'm lazy tonight.

Lots of encouraging and positive signs for the Blues playing against the pre-season premiership favourites and, as the reigning wooden spooners against a team seriously tipped to have a chance at the flag this year, not a bad effort at all.

Well done to the boys for fighting all the way -- after last year, the money aside, winning these games are neither here nor there. We lost to the Cats in '04 as well, with O'hAilpin playing his first ever game for the Blues. '04 was a nice year, much better than '05, so I hope '06 is just as enjoyable.

Expanded benches, short quarters, umpires who can't bounce and screw up the "novelty" rules, plus we missed more than we normally would mean I'm not stressed at all.

Was an awesome night! Loved seeing the new guys and am looking forward to the new season.

Good point verbs, a lot of positives, till I actually se the game, but, as you say, Setanta's first game proper, save a few minutes against the tigers and a run against the cats a matter of weeks after he got off the plane. Murphy seemed to go well, along with the older heads of Lappin, walker, fev and lance, fingers crossed that this is the start of the turn around.

_________________
'Cause I'm J.U.D.D
I'm dynamite
J.U.D.D
And I'll win that fight
J.U.D.D
I'm a power load
J.U.D.D, Watch me explode

O'hAilpin showed enough to suggest he will play quite a few games this year. As did Murphy. It was great to see them out there. Blackwell did well too.

It's not the real thing. The extended interchange bench really distorts things. Plus the super goals and rushed behind initiatives skew things even more.

Fevola will be better for the run too.

Was a good hit out all up last night.

Fantastic boys and girls. Thanks a million.
I am off now to do some damage with my hurley. Chat to ye all soon

_________________
'Cause I'm J.U.D.D
I'm dynamite
J.U.D.D
And I'll win that fight
J.U.D.D
I'm a power load
J.U.D.D, Watch me explode

It seemed to me that there were more experimental things done and less emphasis on winning (afterall, look what winning last years did... absolute jack). It looks to me like it is a fresh start for us and a finding our feet kind of year. We have more input from the other coaches and Pagan has let go of his enforcer kind of tactics....so we have a really changing team at the moment.

I was pleased with Setanta, He did many a good thing and even effectively passed it off a couple of times. Murphy looked at ease and Hartlett looks to be a likely type.

Anyway...I enjoyed it for what it was.....we are a weak team and Geelong aren't.....I wasn't expecting much..I just wanted a taste of the new guys.

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The problem will be made. for the solution to be sold, to your face before your eyes, tolerance is now the new danger

Well haven't all the Doom & Gloomers appeared early this year???

One game in the pre-season cup after a single serious intra-club hitout and all of a sudden there are no positives?? Give me a break, and give them at least until round 3 of the real season before bringing out the knives.

It was disappointing to lose, and there were some poor players and some poor passages of play, but there were some very encouraging signs too. Enough to suggest we will actually be a better team this year.

I think we all understand that we won't be competing for the finals this year but can we at least be looking at positives and giving the fellas a chance to get it all together before we write them off completely??

- I thought Simpson was great. He has the balls to take them on and run the lines. He is a bit like a younger Aussie Jones in the way he plays. And good to see him standing up to bigger guys like Milburn and not allowing himself to get pushed around. He doesn't stop running and loves to tackle.

- Murphy looked very comfortable out there and while his disposal let him down a bit with confidence and experience he is going to pay high dividends for the team this year.

- O'hAilpin was fantastic. Robert Walls was raving about him all night. He needs to watch leading out too far into the pockets and leaving a hard angle to kick from, but his accuracy will improve with confidence in the big games.

- Little Blackers looked pretty comfortable out there too for limited time & did some nice things

- McLaren rucked well and to team advantage; French also played well.

- Fisher's kicking has improved

- Waite, Houla, Betts, Walker, Carrazz, Bentick, Kouta all a little quiet but we know they are all decent players and can play much better than that.

Yes, I think we are in for another tough year, but I think we will be a more competitive, hard unit. I also cannot see the point of rubbishing and writing off the team before the season has even started.

Or maybe its so you can be among the first to say "I told you we were shit".....

With these new rules & interpretations -

*newer specific tactics/ground positioning are developing which are common to many teams.

*the way many different types of players play the game have become antiquated & different playing styles are going to become prominent

*players will have to adjust their instincts on how they select their options to win the ball and then where they deliver the ball to - players aren't always in the same positions to receive the ball they used to be in.

At least we now get to watch the other teams & work out our gameplans accordingly & there's a lot of work to be done inside the player's own minds as to how they will get the most out of their individual talents.

Welcome to AFL 2006 - a firm understanding of how soccer teams break down the structure of a soccer midfield sitting back on a soccer defence would be handy - get some tapes of the Socceroos and PSV as coached by Guus & study up on the Dutch system of Total Football. Team's are obviously closely looking at other sports as to how they play our game.

The Swans already play in a soccer style.
They hold onto the ball.. they wait.. they wait and then they attack where they find a weakness.
'But they are a very smart team...and experienced.

Ponkster.. yes its early... but our style is the same... and players are played the same way... but the game has changed !!!

I was bemused with how we lined up , knowing the game had changed. Knowing with where some of our players were in their recovery...

It was a baffling day for me.

It told me we were miles away both in ability and tactically.

Yes some things were encouraging that we can take out of the game.. but we need more than the odd few things that are encouraging.

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Positives


1) O Halipan....

great endeavour and enthusiasm. Very impressed with his little chip kick to fisher. His shots for goal were good, considering angle and distance required.


2) Skinny -

great as per usual. Will be remembered as one of the great carlton players and should have won a b&f by now.


3) Murphy -


has the x factor. knows the game and how to impact.


4) Fisher -

this guy is gutsy and is arguably one of the best contested marks in the league.


5) THE NEW GUERNSEY..

I like it - it is closer to the proper guernsey - neat lines etc,. i would be proud of playing in a guernsey like that.


6) french and mclaren -

i think they will be a good ruck combo... and that is half the battle.
From good rucks come good teams. French.... love the way he does the hard stuff - like chasing rovers, picking up ball quickly etc.

You're right there Synbad, but like anything that works, other's take it a step further. As two of the four teams who played in the doubleheader yesterday illustrated, and by the way, they were the two teams who won.

The 2006 World Cup will be a bonanza for AFL club tacticians, all those different styles & counter styles on show that can be adapted to play AFL.


By the way, with all those missed shots, I'm sure Melbourne Victory's Danny Allsopp was playing in our foward fifty last night...damn that Danny Allsopp

I'll find a way to blame Ernie Merrick, as well.

Synbad - have they practised various tactics over summer? or is it just the let's flood backline, kick long to forward contest option.

I think we should use our runners through midfield a bit more.

Encourage Walker, Simpson TO RUN WITH THE BALL.. in the midfield.
I think it breaks up the defensive lines a bit with players running with the ball in midfield... are they going to cut those players free as you suggested earlier?

They have practised a couple of things... but it looks the same on the field.
Ablett did nothing in the first half... Walker pants him!.


But a lesser player should be playing that role not Walker.

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