Thomas showing pleases Malthouse

Paul - See the article in todays Herald Sun that Jeremy Cameron might be looking to get out of GWS - he would be the perfect player for the BLues I would have thought - although they have probably already won too many games to get the draft picks high enough to get him and not sure what player the GWS would want that the Blues woud be willing to give up.

Interesting article in the age today saying that the blues disposal efficiency in the past 5 weeks is close to or the best in the league when in the first few weeks it was close or the worst in the league. It also mentioned that before this round Gibbs was leading the AFL coaches award.

Brett agree they are a chance and further improvement is required. I think thee second half will be stronger (due to slow start to season for some players and improved confidence with game plan) but draw is harder. Agree with Macca need a key forward but. Not as far off as people think. Happy with recruiting in recent times hopefully this can continue.

The game was horrid to watch mate but a win is a win. Really need judd in there just too any player that butcher the ball....

DO you bloeks put everything with Adam Co O ney's name in it straight into moderation? Can't you be a bit more sophisticated than that

the match-day report levelled at Cooney for making contact with Ablett's head was thrown out. "It was the view of the panel that Cooney was contesting the ball and had no realistic alternative way to contest the ball," the panel said in a statement.

Tad - You clearly haven'e played much football - putting your head over the ball isn't the same as leading with you head into the contact - Ablett could have "put his head over the ball" while at the same time protecitng himsefl from the contact coming from Cooney (who was determined to put his head over the ball) but Ablett chose to lead with his head in order to draw the high contact from Cooney. Cooney took all possible precautions - he was nearly slidning he was so low and he protected himself in doing so - would you prefer both men went at the ball head first and both were paraplegics? Or would you prefer Cooney jsut to stand back and allow Ablett to pick up the ball and run away with it? And do you think players who deliberately lead with their head should be encouraged to do it by getting rewarded from the umpires?

Why would you bother putting your head over the line of the ball, when you are a potential paraplegic with the MRP ATM. Are you saying the best player in the game has bad tchnique and the guy hitting him on the head and neck has good Macca ??. Cooney should take care not to turn his opponent into a paraplegic, it's very simple, you just can't attack the ball with nill care. Both players did not have their head over the ball, only one !!.

Tad - Who aid you can't put your head over the ball? All I said was you that if you point your head towards your opponent and run in deliberately to get a free kick you should expect contact to your head. Both players had the ball as their focus, both players "put their head over the ball" but Ablett looked across and saw Cooney coming (look at the footage you will see the sidways glance) then he deliberately positioned himself so that head led with his head so Cooney had to make contact with his head and he would win a free kick - why should Cooney get suspended for that? Ablett could have easliy positioned himself to make shoulder contact with Cooney but he wouldn't have won the free kick and winning the ball would of been a 50/50 proposition - Ablett took the rick of injury to make it a 100% proposition he would win the ball - pay the free kick sure but it isn't reportable.

Yer, you are right Macca, players should not place their head over the ball, because if they do, they should expect to hit by someone turning their hip and shoulder on top of their neck and head. I guess if they are blindsided, don't see the player coming or are following their coaches instructions ( head over the ball), then they deserve what they get. Funny how the best player in the game is now also a victim of a player crashing in on top off his head, and now i guess he has bad technique, but the player who turns his hip and shoulders into his head had good. The fact is if you have the ball as your focus, your head over it, you are saying you simply are fair game, something that goes against over 100 years of games rules and spirit.

Paul I completely agree we aren't in the same class - just don't think whoelsale changes are required. If for example the blues did go out and get a quality Key forward next year, Henderson then goes back with Jamison which makes the Key defensive posts pretty solid, Casboult should be better again next year and with the new KPF plus Waite and Menzel will make a reasonably potent marking forward line then you add say Bell with another year under him plus Cripps with a full pre-season and maybe a Graham or Holman into the midfield and have Thomas with a full pre-season and just by recruiting 1 extra player and some natural develpoment the side looks dramatically different. I am not saying we shouldn't look to get an experienced KPF - just that the number of changes required isn't as great as some would say.

Ah well Macca, We'll agree to disagree, but as a Carlton Supporter who has been to 17 Grand Finals dating back to 67, And many of those GREAT Carlton victories, We aren't in the same class as Hawthorn, Geelong, Swans & those hacks from the West( Fremantle) and others, I think we are a Few class players away from being a top 4 side.

Paul - On Menzel I am pretty confident in saying that in every game he has played this year when he hasn't been the sub he has kicked at least 2 goals - yes he isn't going to be a Kernahan or Fev but he looks very good as a high half forward and given he is in just his second year it looks very promising. As for key Forwards Casboult looks to have improved again this year and is playing pretty consistent footy, yes he still needs to take another step but it is promising. On Henderson he is in a similar boat as Thomas in that he had hip surgeery over the summer and missed a lot of the preseason. DOn't wrtie Judd off yet either. So yes we clearly need to improve to get into that top 4 but a complete rebuild is hardly required.

Hi Macca, You have some good points there mate, But unfortunately Judd is just about done( He is a champ) and the juries out on Menzel, I just don't see him being a Kernahan or a Fev,( love him to prove me wrong), we lack so many Quality Key position players, WE need a Gun Forward, Henderson goes ok, but he's not a matchwinner, and we could do with some qulity in the backline, & Kruezer may not be able to put up to the demands of AFL footy, & I do think he is a very good player, but he breaks down SO much, That's my reasoning behind my thoughts of us having to rebuild, Your right young Bucks could be a star, and a few of the others are improving, Would LOVE Carlton to chase a proven forward and a BIG backman, I was at Princess Park last week OH for the days when it was OUR fortress. GO BLUES

Why is it that whenever I post a reply to Tad regarding this issue it get's moderated?

Tad - I think your post is a bit misplaced here and I did answer it on the Hannebery thread but for some reason it got moderated. TO answer your question the best player in the game had plenty of awareness, he looked across and saw Cooney coming and positioned himself to draw the high contact and win the free kick - it is exactly the problem with the "head is sacrocanct" laws. Cooney should get off.

Ablett has bad technique and deserved to be struck on the head and neck, no doubt about it, Cooney was just going the ball !!. Not Cooneys fault, he was just going the ball, Ablett should have picked the ball up earlier, not fumbled or kicked it off the ground !!. The best player in the game has bad technique and deserved to be hit !!. The best player in the game obviously should have more awareness !!.

Quite possibly we would be cannon fodder Paul and I think we are very much long shots to make it but I don't think the "rebuilding job" is as big as people make out - put Judd and Curnow back into yesterdays side for a start and it looks a lot better - we have the likes of Bell and Cripps outside the team at the moment - Graham and Holman were both in the best for the 2's yet again on Saturday. We also have Menzel kicking goals consistently (when he isn't the sub) Buckley is playing good footy and Yarran seem to have matured - if the likes of Thomas and Henderson and find some form in the second half of the season things may not look too bad.

Hey macca, I'm a full on Blues supporter & I agree with you in regards to our losses to Richmond & Melbourne but surely if we were to make the finals we WOULD be cannon fodder, We have a lot of rebuilding to do over the next few years to make an impact in September, & if I, along with countless other Blues supporters had our way, A change of Coach would be a POSITIVE for Carlton. Go Blues.

From all reports not a great game but the blues got the 4 points which is all that matters. Considering they are missing Judd, Curnow, Robinson, Carrazzo and Bell out of their midfield (plus Kreuzer although him being fit would present a selection issue with Wranock and Casboult playing reasonable footy) it was a pretty good effort. As for finals with a a few tough weeks coming up I think they are fair way off still but the last 5 weeks just highlights the amount of damage the Melbourne and RIchmond losses did to the blues season - win just one of them and the blues are 5-4 with a big chance to go 6-4 against Brisbane the week but instead they now need to upset a Geelong or Hawthorn to keep their faint hopes alive.