Bondi blue wrote:
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I thought Pagan's view was pretty honest. Take out Kouta and it's a very very young squad.
We've got groups of players, in their teens, early 20's, mid 20's and Whitnall 27, Lappin 30, French 31 and Kouta 32. Bloody young, and young bodies are that aren't fully developed; in height and weight (let alone the skill to play at elite level; to our expectations).
But it was against the eagles we played on a hot balmy night, (them without Cousins, Kerr and Judd) that this team of ours beat them!!
This time it's on their turf (with the inclusion of Cousins and Kerr), and they're playing hot footy. In fact, hey kicked 8 goals in the last quarter last week after they had been battered from pillar to post, but they still have to beat us. We're one up on the eagles in 2006.
If the eagles are not on their game (without Judd) Carlton can pull off a 'miracle' win. Why not? It's not the first time an upset has happened.
All our older guys are not helping our team much atm (Whitnall is not old, he's peaking), and it's the groups of guys mid 20's and kids in the early 20's that are carrying this group, and one teen star. So it wouldn't really be fair to expect the group still in their teens (first years of their footy career) to have to 'survive' in the seniors without much support. Pagan's right about the potential for damage.
Nevertheless, the eagles owe us, and that's in the back of their minds. That alone is incentive enough to beat us. On form they are perhaps a 20 goal better team, and playing on their own turf (a very big ground) definetely favours them.
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Carlton have 'proven' they can win. Pagan's right, Carlton have won many quarters and halves this year, therefore it's believable that if the 'cards' fall our way against the eagles we could win.There are two big questions I have in his ability to coach us a win on this ground. Will he rotate the players on the big ground? Does he understand the strategy of rotations? Pagan holds the 'cards'.
Good post! I tink the $9 offered by bookmakers for this match are definately over. Then again, I would be happy with a loss less than 60 ponis - what a shocking sign of the times.
