Played 100 games for the navy blues and is very talented - will never be a physical player but will take a hit and get up for more
Still one of the most skilful players at Carlton and at pick 70 or so complete steal

So did Ron DeIulio !!

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GROUND ZERO + DRAFTING YOUTH = SUSTAINED SUCCESS

Yes you definitely are consistent but to a point where you are sacrificing your credibilityas a footbasll follower. Just like Craig Bradley was in his playing days Houla will always be a soft receiver. Nobody will dispute the fact. It does not ncecessarily mean he can't make a meaningful contribution to the side.

Supporters like me were impressed in the way he recovered from that knock to be our most dominant player in the first quarter. He got plenty of the ball and used it effectively. The fact that he has played well in both games should have quietened knockers like you who cannot overcome their own dogma. Sheik, you need to take those blinkers off as they are affecting your judgement. Save your vitriol for when he has a bad game. Timing is everything.

yes BB and 's' word

What the ??

For the sake of consistency AND to fly in the face of Bluebird's post that the dreaded 'B' word was not used, I make a post going completely against the trend WITH the obligatory emoticons that supposedly exclude anyone from being taken seriously and you guys leap to young Ryan's defence as if I've suggested he is Osama Bin Laden half-brother and has married a goat.

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GROUND ZERO + DRAFTING YOUTH = SUSTAINED SUCCESS

What's your point???

Ronny gave great service to the club over his time. Not sure why you want to keep slagging off certain players even after good performances but whatever works for you I suppose.

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In WADA we trust

I reckon after the game against Freo the "spotlight" should be moved to Nick Stevens.

Back to Houla, anyone reckon the match review panel might take some interest in Medhurst's actions?

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I hope not. It was a perfectly delivered legal H & S.

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Richard Pratt - A Carlton legend.

they flower better.

i also want to see Carr go up for stiking Murphy behind play - flower coward is Carr

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Got to love the stare Down by Setanta on Llyod

Gee, I'm missing something - on the replay I was watching there was H&S and a lot of raised elbow involved - I'll be buggered if he doesn't get cited.

And also meant to add - all head high - last time I heard the head was sacred in H&S - remember Byron?

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This might sound extreme in the context of alleged sexual assault, drunken violence and a drug trafficking charge...

I think it is fair to say that Ryan was publicly humilitated last year after a well documented weak attack on the ball. Many people including myself thought that this would be the end of Ryan's career in the AFL.

However rather than give it all away Ryan has worked his backside off during the pre-season to add some size and endurance and has publicly put his hand up for a midfield roll right in the heat of the action. I think it is also fair to say that after last year he is going to be a target as every opposition club will be more than willing to test his ability to withstand physical intimidation. He is never going to attack the ball with the ferocity of Fraser Brown or back into packs with the reckless abandon of Kenny Hunter, but neither did Craig Bradley. As long as he puts his head over the ball when its his turn (which Braddles did & Ryan has done thus far in season 06) he can let his silky skills and poise under pressure do the talking. I personally wish him all the best as it is going to be a hell of a tough year.

If you are missing something then I am too WBY. Agree it has to be looked at.

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"Whoever said you can't buy happiness forgot about puppies." - Gene Hill

Except that he hit a player in the head, with a raised elbow and no eyes for the ball.

I'm a bit 50/50 on it though. I won't be surprised if it is let go, and I won't be surprised if he gets a week.

I certainly wasn't surprised that it barely got a replay from the WA FoxFooty team though. Equally, it would be all over the papers in Perth today if was a Carlton player that did that to Medhurst.

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Thought he was one of our best..at least used the football well when he got it unlike a few of his other mates who couldnt hit a target....credit to him for returning and playing on after being hit with a nasty shirtfront...I thought he was lined up...Medhurst should have been dealt with and given similar treatment...
This week was a better game from Houlihan purely from the way he attacked the footy..last week he had a relapse in this area early but I dont have any complaints about him this week and would probably say he was in our top three players for that game...

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"When you have the attitude of a champion, you see adversity as your
training partner."
- Conor Gillen

I had some negative things to say about him last week when, in the first quarter, he pulled out of a contest with Yze which gave Melbourne an easy goal.

Since that though, he has performed extremely well, so i'll hope that first yip was the last.

Also got a bad knock to his knee in the Lavington game. Was limping pretty badly & had to come off. Could have sat the rest of the game out (if he was the wimp some people think he is) but came back on within 30- 40 mins & played the rest of the game (well). Has also played a lot of games with groin problems when he could have not played.

Heard the incident discussed on radio yesterday- head high, no eyes for the ball. They expected him to get 2-3 weeks.

IMO the medhurst hit was about 5 times worse than the pickett-wiggins hit last year that got pickett 2 weeks off. his reputation probably fked him there though.

medhurst was fully in the air, and the point of contact was too the head. p
i thought leaping into a players head was a no no wheather he had the ball or not and wheather the arm stayed down or not.

i dont think i would have got up in a hurry. top effort by houla

Loved Houlas' game ... as always.

On another note, it's interesting to hear that short passing and finding a target is 'killing' the game. On the other hand, legitimately hard hip and shoulders within 5 metres of the ball (even when they are on my favourite player!) are now overadjudicated to ridiculous ends.

The physical side of this great game is in danger of being lost forever.

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In WADA we trust

Going on recent times it'll be looked at. They've been pretty clear that the head is not to be hit.

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"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

What he did this week doesn't change what happened last week and won't excuse him for anything he does next week.

I've acknowledged his effort in another thread. It was a big bit and he could have righfully gone off the ground for 10mins and no one would have thought the less of him. He braved it out and was involved in play not long after. Sensational effort from Ryan.

He never will be a Glen Archer type, not many are. He's an extremely skilled player though and we need him up and firing to succeed. As long as he goes when its his turn thats all you can ask from Ryan and everyone else at Carlton.

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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