BENTICK BENTICK BENTICK!!!

Look I know he didn't dominate - but for the first time I thought he looked like he belonged out there!! I was really impressed with his efforts today.

Lots of other positives:

Whitnall - has been fantastic lately
Fisher - amazing how quickly he has picked up the pace of things
Stevens - showed how dangerous he is if he has time with the ball
Kouta - played like a captain today - need more of that
Fev - is starting to realise he can be dangerous without kicking a bag!
Waite - was tough all day
T-Lo - I like this guy
Scotland - is having a great few weeks
Bryan - didn't do a lot but what he does is good - he has passion for the jumper you can tell

I thought the match ups were very good by the Coach and MC today and most of all we had a contribution from all players towards the win.

Last time we played them Tuck blitzed in the centre and Coughlan running on ball with Stevens caused a lot of problems. This time we blanketed Tuck with a rotation of players Carrazzo Bentick Scotland Chambers and even Waite at one stage whilst Stevens was on ball and then went to the half forward line where he proved he doesn't need a lot of chances to kick goals. Coughlan was needed on ball by the Tigers so when he went with Stevens to our forward line they lost a lot of possible drive. Campo in the back line with McGrath in the back pocket and Lance at CHB gave us a lot of run and clever use of the ball whilst on the wing Simmo against Tambling, Tivendale, Hyde and Bowden had a great game. Fisher Longmuir and Waite up forward gave us three contested marking options and what a difference that made to our scoring. Then when Waite seemed to tire and the Tiger backmen got on top they were able to bring on Digby and he presented and contested and ran and chased.

At Bentick's height and pace, he really needs to hit hard. And he did that in spades today. Look forward to seeing if he can maintain the intensity. He's got nice skills when he does get it. I prefer Bentick in the side to Brett Johnston.

The Campo move down back worked well (helped in part by our midfield ascendancy). It was a bit of a return to the Wizard Cup set up, where our best ball users (Campo and Stevens) played loose behind the ball. And then ran hard out of defence and set up forward thrusts. It's a particularly good set up for Telstra Dome, which is smaller than other venues and where because of the fast track and dry conditions you get these quick high-scoring 'rebound' kind of games.

By the way, I think Chambers showed some glimpses again today. As our side improves, and we get better at retaining control of the ball, he could prove to be a real asset.

Stefchook I was just going to post about Chambers.

I only caught the second half live and had to watch the first on tape tonight and I reckon Chambers is a bit like French was, having to adjust to a very different game plan. However, he works very hard at the
1%ers and he will get better. He needs to hit the ball a bit harder though.

Another big positive for me was seeing Livo serving a bit of agro up to Stafford before the opening bounce. The best way to deal with a bully like Stafford. Hopefully we will see a bit more of "angry" Livo in the future.

I think Fev played a great team game today too. I think he is being used as a bit of a decoy for Longmuir and Fisher these days and it works a treat. I loved seeing Fev with his arms in the air jumping for joy when Fish took a great contested mark in Q2. It's nice to have good Fev back again.

I have always been a fan of Fisher, but I will now go on record as saying that he is twice the player he was before he got injured. He looks stronger and faster; he has more penetration on his goal kicking (could still use another 5m) and his field kicking (which I've always had reservations about) has improved out of sight. It's almost incomprhensible that he could come back after 12 months out and have such an immediate impact.

He and Simmo just need to be locked in the gym over the off season and they are going to have a serious impact next season.

Simpson - How good is this guy !!!

Bentick - Oh how we need him in the team - so hard at it

Fisher - Love the fish - some of the best hands around, Kudos on the hard work over the injury , some credit to WAyne Carey on the kicking coaching - would be good to have him full time.

Waite -

Fev - instrumental in the first half - best game for a long while - kept their key playmaker in bowden out of the game when it mattered and opened up the 50 for the other boys

Carrazzo - I almost wet my pants in excitement when this guy lines up in the centre - awesome weaving ability and VERY GOOD DISPOSAL !!

T-Lo - Another contested marking threat - definately a keeper

Stevens , Scotland - RUN RUN RUN AND PASSION PASSION PASSION

MOST OF ALL ..................................

................. THE UPPERCUT I GAVE MYSELF FOR ADVOCATING TANKING !! THAT FEELING IN THE GUT OF SHEER DELIGHT WITH THE BOYS PLAYING SO WELL.

We have the ingredients of a good side - if we dont get murphy or a PP at all i will not be unhappy as 4 more wins this year will be sweet !!

And i am sure whoever we get in the draft next year will be a good addition to the side. Don't forget we still have plenty of quality youth to bring in to todays side as it is.

GO BLUES !!

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*(grow - fun - gah)

Yeah but whatabout your whataboutism.

And another positive...

11:30 in the final term, centre bounce and it went something like;

Bentick->Simpson->Carrazzo->Fevola->Fisher->Stevens ***GOAL!!!***

All within 25 or so seconds.

For me that say's a lot about where we're headed.

Fantastic game, well lead from our senior players but more importantly our juniors are now starting to show the way...I'd better put my sun glasses on

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

1. We won the first 3 quarters and only last by 5 poinys in dead time. We havent done that this year.

2. Tackling has been a sore point this year. Betts, Simpson, Bentick etc have shamed the rest of the team into holding their tackles. It was magnificent yesterday.

3. Defensive pressure. The Tigers couldnt get a run-on or play on all day cos we covered all options which is something Wallace didnt plan for.

4. Skills and vision. Mostly our players picked the right option. Long game and short game is menaningless. Pick the right option long or short and you'll be alright. Our kicking was good, not great but pretty good.

5. The youth are emerging. the names have already been mentioned but the young players are backing themselves.. they dont feel compelled to dish every ball off to Kouta, Campo or Stevens

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T E A M

Positive...well being berrated for going to the footy on such a beautiful day by my Carlton (yes member!) neighbour and when I see him next telling him that it was briulliant and that the TV didn't cover the enthusiasm and atmossphere that was at the ground...



I saw that at the ground! Fev had the biggest sh&t eating grin and literally jumped up and down like a giggling school girl. This was a decoy ploy...don't kick it to Fev if someone else is there and it worked. Fev would've been doubting it in the pre-game plan meetings, but you saw by his reaction, that knew it could work. Penny dropped for him (and me) at that point and I watched it for quite a bit. T-Lo , Waite, and Fish will no assure that Fev doesn't get double teamed each week and we've probably seen the last of the Whitts/Fev forward line which is WAY to easy to negate.



Yep...but, I know it's a negative, opur kicking out structure is ordinary and must be improved!
Other positives...
watched the replay on Fox last night (as you do ) and they showed Pagan's first 1/4 address.

In shot was the back of Mitchell's head, then Pagan, then Simmo, Bentick, Carrots, Waite, Fish all listening intently. Now that's a positive soight and one that we'll be seeing for some time!

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“Every single element of the Club has to be the best in the league, meticulously and methodically, and only by doing this will we be elite and challenge for number 17.”
Greg Lee

Must not forget the captain who was magnificent. Not having to worry about being the major onballer and winning contested possessions allowed Kouta to run free and he seemed to relish the idea that he was getting support. If he continues in that mode he could play another 2-3 years.

Also noted 8 tackles in the stats for Kouta.

That's more like it in the leadership stakes.

IMO Kouta has been pretty good this year, just that his last month or so has been pretty poor, but he's not alone there.

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Dont know if anyone has posted this yet but I've got one.

WE DIDNT LOSE FOR ONCE

Kade Simpson is this week's Rising Star Nomination

Onya Simmo.

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