News Blues squad to tackle Cats

[winty]

That's about as strong as they can get. But obviously all of them won't play. I'd expect Bartel, Selwood, Chapman wouldn't play

Safe bet there with Selwood, since he isn't even in the squad. Think you might be right with the other two, with some blokes called Ablett and Steve Johnson to most likely replace Bartel and Chapman.

 

[Silvagnis]

Great selections.

Still heaps of pace in the squad which is a first.

I want to see what the young guys play have to offer.

Especially O'keeffe if he's selected.

I'm sure Stevens is looking forward to being the number one midfielder and copping a hard tagger if he plays.

If they don't play Edwards ahead of Stanton...

Robinson should play, but he probably needs to be pulled back a bit for his own safety.

And dropped so we can give Browne a game.

I just hope we keep Austin away from Hawkins and play him at CHB or CHF.

I think Hawkins killed Oz last year.

 

[Bluebear]

I agree with the comments that its great to see a different forward line in place with Cloke, Edwards, Kreuzer and Yarran all getting a decent run, but with the guts ripped out of the midfield, the delivery is likely to be very poor, if present at all.

Would like to have seen a couple of Murph, Simmo, Gibbs etc rested last week rather than put them all out at once.

Anyway, we should cop a royal belting on Saturday night. Good experience? Maybe. I wonder if Joseph will get a run with role on Gazza.

I won't be venturing in to see this one.

 

[celtic_pride]

'Tanks' for Nothing Ratts ...

We are going to get totally annihilated on Sat Night ...

This decision could have nasty repurcussions

If We lose in rnd 1 (a very strong possibility now) i think we can blame it partly on this misguided decision to 'rest' our core group in this match

This decision I would also argue is not in the 'true spirit' of football ...
I wouldn't have minded one or two being rested, but basically taking our top 5 players out is insulting.

If Port managed to beat Geelong last week, would we have rested so many players ???

I'm starting to think the whole club has this 'defeatist' attitude when it comes to playing Geelong, and it reckon Ratten is just 'trying' to use this as an 'excuse' (certainly the Handbags have had the wood on us for several years now.

What is the point in playing players like Rhys O'Connor who probably won't get many (if any) games in the senior side at all.

Geelong to win by 89 points .. (and that is being conservative)

 

[baconb]

'Tanks' for Nothing Ratts ...

We are going to get totally annihilated on Sat Night ...

This decision could have nasty repurcussions

If We lose in rnd 1 (a very strong possibility now) i think we can blame it partly on this misguided decision to 'rest' our core group in
this match



This decision I would also argue is not in the 'true spirit' of football ...
I wouldn't have minded one or two being rested, but basically taking our top 5 players out is insulting.

If Port managed to beat Geelong last week, would we have rested so many players ???

I'm starting to think the whole club has this 'defeatist' attitude when it comes to playing Geelong, and it reckon Ratten is just 'trying' to use this as an 'excuse' (certainly the Handbags have had the wood on us for several years now.

What is the point in playing players like Rhys O'Connor who probably won't get many (if any) games in the senior side at all.

Geelong to win by 89 points .. (and that is being conservative)

Im very confused.... we should match up like its a real match or at least rest several players... not our top 6-7 best players... Great to see the young guys of course, but who the hell is going to lead these guys? They are going to get an all mighty ass whooping and its going to be embarrassing

We will not lose round #1 because of this match get your hand off it... played 2 matches already and will play 1 more against freo and geelong....

 

[kriso182]

Cant believe your outs! They are you top 8 players! I think Ratts only caught on last week they he should be resting players. Otherwise he would have done the same as Geelong and swapped them week to week.

Our side is stronger than last week but we still have a few resting;

Geelong outs
Tom Harley
Cameron Mooney
James Bartel (still in squad but will be left out of the team)
Joel Selwood
Corey Enright
Andrew Mackie
David Wojcinski
Mark Blake
Matthew Egan (injured for 2009 season)

Not as bad as you blokes by a long way, but still a few handy players missing.

 

[TorresIsGod]

'Tanks' for Nothing Ratts ...

We are going to get totally annihilated on Sat Night ...

This decision could have nasty repurcussions

If We lose in rnd 1 (a very strong possibility now) i think we can blame it partly on this misguided decision to 'rest' our core group in this match

This decision I would also argue is not in the 'true spirit' of football ...
I wouldn't have minded one or two being rested, but basically taking our top 5 players out is insulting.

If Port managed to beat Geelong last week, would we have rested so many players ???

I'm starting to think the whole club has this 'defeatist' attitude when it comes to playing Geelong, and it reckon Ratten is just 'trying' to use this as an 'excuse' (certainly the Handbags have had the wood on us for several years now.

What is the point in playing players like Rhys O'Connor who probably won't get many (if any) games in the senior side at all.

Geelong to win by 89 points .. (and that is being conservative)

Hawthorn obviously have a 'defeatist' attitude when playing Carlton then?...

 

[blueblooded]

I dont agree with this approach at all, I would have played the whole squad this week bar fev and judd, tested ourselves against the best and if we won we would play off in a pre season granny with fev and judd, it would have been a full dress rehearsal against quality opposition in the pies or bombers, it would have enhanced interest in the club, membership and the confidence of the playing squad. By resting the entire midfield, a key defender and the games best forward against a pretty strong cats outfit the only thing we achieve is having a look at the kids get smashed by a well drilled Geelong outfit. Had we played the majority of our ommissions this week and lost I would have rested the majority of the squad the following week and played fev and judd for a half.

This way we are guaranteed to take a full strength side to the middle of WA, they will play on a ground that is probably not up to AFL Standards (ie MCG, Dome, Visy pARK) in what is likely to be hot conditions. What is better prep for round 1 taking on Geelong at the dome and possibly contesting a pre season grand final?? or going halfway to shit creek to play freo on a crap ground in the heat, risking injury on a poor ground?

I know what I would have done, played a strong side this week, had a look at them agaist the best if you win you play them all again next week with fev and Judd. Guys like Murphy, Gibbs, Robbo need game time they'r not 200 game veterans they should be playing at every opportunity.

Poor decision from the match committee, they are taking a bigger risk by not playing all of these guys this week and leaving them all the pleasure to play on a cow paddock.

Dont say I didn't warn everybody when we get some bad news from Bunbury next week!

 

[TorresIsGod]

Cant believe your outs! They are you top 8 players! I think Ratts only caught on last week they he should be resting players. Otherwise he would have done the same as Geelong and swapped them week to week.

Our side is stronger than last week but we still have a few resting;

Geelong outs
Tom Harley
Cameron Mooney
James Bartel (still in squad but will be left out of the team)
Joel Selwood
Corey Enright
Andrew Mackie
David Wojcinski
Mark Blake
Matthew Egan (injured for 2009 season)

Not as bad as you blokes by a long way, but still a few handy players missing.

The quality you guys have going in compared to ours though, our outs are obviously way more important to us than yours, but you guys replace the class with class, we cant do that.

You still should beat us comfortably, but I just want to see the boys in action, show some heart and soul, give it their all and see what happens.

 

[TorresIsGod]

I dont agree with this approach at all, I would have played the whole squad this week bar fev and judd, tested ourselves against the best and if we won we would play off in a pre season granny with fev and judd, it would have been a full dress rehearsal against quality opposition in the pies or bombers, it would have enhanced interest in the club, membership and the confidence of the playing squad. By resting the entire midfield, a key defender and the games best forward against a pretty strong cats outfit the only thing we achieve is having a look at the kids get smashed by a well drilled Geelong outfit. Had we played the majority of our ommissions this week and lost I would have rested the majority of the squad the following week and played fev and judd for a half.

This way we are guaranteed to take a full strength side to the middle of WA they will play on a ground that is probably not up to AFL Standards (ie MCG, Dome, Visy pARK) in what is likely to be hot conditions. What is better prep for round 1 taking on Geelong at the dome and possibly contesting a pre season grand final?? or going to halfway to shit creek to play freo on a crap ground in the heat, risking injury on a poor ground?

I know what I would have done, played a strong side this week, had a look at them agaist the best if you win you play them all again next week with fev or Judd. Guys like Murphy, Gibbs, Robbo need game time they'r not 200 game veterans they should be playing at every opportunity.

Poor decision from the match committee, they are taking a bigger risk by not playing all of these guys this week and leaving them all the pleasure to play on a cow paddock.

Dont say I didn't warn everybody when we get some bad news from Banbury next week!

We'll just do what Hawthorn are doing this week.

McGlynn and Taylor are playing and so is the rest of the Box Hill list.

They needed permission from Adelaide and the AFL.

 

[Jellycup_84]

I agree with the comments that its great to see a different forward line in place with Cloke, Edwards, Kreuzer and Yarran all getting a decent run, but with the guts ripped out of the midfield, the delivery is likely to be very poor, if present at all.

Would like to have seen a couple of Murph, Simmo, Gibbs etc rested last week rather than put them all out at once.

Anyway, we should cop a royal belting on Saturday night. Good experience? Maybe. I wonder if Joseph will get a run with role on Gazza.

I won't be venturing in to see this one.

i hope joseph does get a run on gazza, will be great learing experience plus he has had the the last few roles with harvey etc. so you would say he would be the pick

 

[TorresIsGod]

When Stevens is off the ground (or if he doesn't play), Thornton/Fisher/Wiggins would be captain.

Haha

 

[blueblooded]

We'll just do what Hawthorn are doing this week.

McGlynn and Taylor are playing and so is the rest of the Box Hill list.

They needed permission from Adelaide and the AFL.

Ratts has already indicated next week will be a full dress rehearsal for R1 so dont bank on that!! We will play the majority of the squad next week in BUNBURY SHIT CREEK! Poor decision from the match committee!

 

[matt decat]

Have faith people, Ratts knows the boys better than all of us. Who knows, a few players might step up and prove us wrong. Hopefully there are a few boys there when the responsibility has been pushed onto them. woud be good to see JR, Haldey, Grigg, Bower, Aussie, Pfeiffer, Fish, Edwards and Cloke can all step up and show they are more than 2nd teir and depth players.

 

[Bronx Bomber]

Have faith people, Ratts knows the boys better than all of us. Who knows, a few players might step up and prove us wrong. Hopefully there are a few boys there when the responsibility has been pushed onto them. woud be good to see JR, Haldey, Grigg, Bower, Aussie, Pfeiffer, Fish, Edwards and Cloke can all step up and show they are more than 2nd teir and depth players.

I think it will be interesting to see how guys like JR, Grigg, Bower, etc. cope with being the senior players of the group.
Whether they will take it and run with it or whether they struggle to cope with it.

 

[Blue Bawls]

'Tanks' for Nothing Ratts ...

We are going to get totally annihilated on Sat Night ...

This decision could have nasty repurcussions

If We lose in rnd 1 (a very strong possibility now) i think we can blame it partly on this misguided decision to 'rest' our core group in this match

This decision I would also argue is not in the 'true spirit' of football ...
I wouldn't have minded one or two being rested, but basically taking our top 5 players out is insulting.

If Port managed to beat Geelong last week, would we have rested so many players ???

I'm starting to think the whole club has this 'defeatist' attitude when it comes to playing Geelong, and it reckon Ratten is just 'trying' to use this as an 'excuse' (certainly the Handbags have had the wood on us for several years now.

What is the point in playing players like Rhys O'Connor who probably won't get many (if any) games in the senior side at all.

Geelong to win by 89 points .. (and that is being conservative)

Pfft. If we lose we play Port Adelaide (I think) the following week, so meh. I doubt one person in the entire Carlton Club seriously believes getting thumped will have any ramifications at all on the psyche of the playing group. All it will do is give the kids the chance to see the level they need to lift to to play senior level.

 

[Blue Bawls]

No Bentick?

 

[Salaryman]

'Tanks' for Nothing Ratts ...

We are going to get totally annihilated on Sat Night ...

This decision could have nasty repurcussions

If We lose in rnd 1 (a very strong possibility now) i think we can blame it partly on this misguided decision to 'rest' our core group in this match

This decision I would also argue is not in the 'true spirit' of football ...
I wouldn't have minded one or two being rested, but basically taking our top 5 players out is insulting.

If Port managed to beat Geelong last week, would we have rested so many players ???

I'm starting to think the whole club has this 'defeatist' attitude when it comes to playing Geelong, and it reckon Ratten is just 'trying' to use this as an 'excuse' (certainly the Handbags have had the wood on us for several years now.

What is the point in playing players like Rhys O'Connor who probably won't get many (if any) games in the senior side at all.

Geelong to win by 89 points .. (and that is being conservative)

LOL, so you now know better than Justin Cordy,

 

[Bronx Bomber]

'Tanks' for Nothing Ratts ...

So we are "tanking" in a pre-season match?

Hmm okay.

 

[Blue Bawls]

I dont agree with this approach at all, I would have played the whole squad this week bar fev and judd, tested ourselves against the best and if we won we would play off in a pre season granny with fev and judd, it would have been a full dress rehearsal against quality opposition in the pies or bombers, it would have enhanced interest in the club, membership and the confidence of the playing squad. By resting the entire midfield, a key defender and the games best forward against a pretty strong cats outfit the only thing we achieve is having a look at the kids get smashed by a well drilled Geelong outfit. Had we played the majority of our ommissions this week and lost I would have rested the majority of the squad the following week and played fev and judd for a half.

This way we are guaranteed to take a full strength side to the middle of WA, they will play on a ground that is probably not up to AFL Standards (ie MCG, Dome, Visy pARK) in what is likely to be hot conditions. What is better prep for round 1 taking on Geelong at the dome and possibly contesting a pre season grand final?? or going halfway to shit creek to play freo on a crap ground in the heat, risking injury on a poor ground?

I know what I would have done, played a strong side this week, had a look at them agaist the best if you win you play them all again next week with fev and Judd. Guys like Murphy, Gibbs, Robbo need game time they'r not 200 game veterans they should be playing at every opportunity.

Poor decision from the match committee, they are taking a bigger risk by not playing all of these guys this week and leaving them all the pleasure to play on a cow paddock.

Dont say I didn't warn everybody when we get some bad news from Bunbury next week!

Why would you believe that the match committee does not have the future of the club in mind going into this match?

Surely the benefits of throwing basically all the players, who have not been up against quality oppositon ever, into this match will give them a true indication of where they're at in their own game and what they need to do to improve.

And why continue to risk injury to key players?

Are we forgetting that this whole competition was just the AFL's idea to make a few bucks from practice matches?

 

[Rhys89]

What is the point in playing players like Rhys O'Connor who probably won't get many (if any) games in the senior side at all.

Geelong to win by 89 points .. (and that is being conservative)

Didn't know i was playing . The player's name is Rhys O'Keeffe btw...

 

[Gezza125]

Looks like we want a road trip to W.A. Bunbury right? Why? Got me stumped.

 

[blueblooded]

LOL, so you now know better than Justin Cordy,

I dont buy into resting key players if they are fit to play, they need to play together to learn each others games and to test themselves against top opposition particularly early in the year. What we forget is Geelong and Hawthorn can afford to rest players, they know their gameplan, each other and they know how to win. I think we are overestimating where we are at, resting all our big players like we are some superstar team, like we can play a c grade side and compete against A+ level opposition. Well we are not at that level yet, these guys need to play together against top opposition for their own benefit, if they are fit to play which all our ommissions are, play them!! I can understand resting Fev and Judd for this game, but the rest?? No!

To top it off we will see a full side play in the outback next week and if you thought there was potential for injury this week, wait til our million dollar man and goal kicking genius play on a cow paddock next week in 30 plus degree temperature!! Hearts in mouth!

 

[Blue Bawls]

I dont buy into resting key players if they are fit to play, they need to play together to learn each others games and to test themselves against top opposition particularly early in the year. What we forget is Geelong and Hawthorn can afford to rest players, they know their gameplan, each other and they know how to win. I think we are overestimating where we are at, resting all our big players like we are some superstar team, like we can play a c grade side and compete against A+ level opposition. Well we are not at that level yet, these guys need to play together against top opposition for their own benefit, if they are fit to play which all our ommissions are, play them!! I can understand resting Fev and Judd for this game, but the rest?? No!

To top it off we will see a full side play in the outback next week and if you thought there was potential for injury this week, wait til our million dollar man and goal kicking genius play on a cow paddock next week in 30 plus degree temperature!! Hearts in mouth!

So when do the young guys get a go? Throwing them all into the deep end will soon sort out who deserves a crack at senior level?

 

[Salaryman]

that's what training is for ....we have the best conditioning guy in the country and if the powers that be think we are better off going lighter on some sets of legs I'm going to back them in.