Selection disappointment

[Spinner]

BIggest disappointment for me in selection is that X. Clarke is yet again missing. Why? What's wrong with him now?

he isn't up to it is what's wrong with him. i assume he's injured (as always) but even if he's fit, cast your mind back to his performance in the qualifying final against the cats last year. absolutely doesn't deserve a spot. he's just one big disappointment.

Na.

[plugger66]

We should be giving McEvoy game time sooner than later -that's my opinion

McEvoy in front of Gardiner and King?

My opinion is we aim to win, which is clearly not aligned to your thinking.

We can play McEvoy up forward you know he has a great pair of hands and can kick a goal or two

You live in the country so I take it you have seem Ben play once and he headbutted the ball. I would love to know how you know he has a great pair of hands and can play as a forward.

[3rd generation saint]

Carlton picked their side on fitness and form through the pre season,
the four kids they picked earned their spot.

Is Geary on of our hopeful up and comers and he has played well through the pre season.

If we win & win well tomorrow night, we may actually be showing a bit of depth as Lenny, Goose, Max, X, Armo, Eddy and all those young guys can still come into the team and perform.

[Foz]

Form and fitness are one thing - I think "the model" of how to win a flag is what the Blues have going for them. The Saints big draft picks around 2000-1 and success 4 years later. the Hawks picks 2004 and success 2008. The bookies had Carlton 3rd in betting before the Richmond game. Not so much based on form but their alignment to the model of no 1 picks in Kruzer, Murphy, Gibbs.

Pump the games into the kids now and get them ready is one way to advance that cause. For Saints its more about crafting talent, plying it till its ready.

Macca will get his chance - he has shown in his juniour footy (no1 in contested marks) that he can take a grab. Easy to dismiss this grade but its why he got picked in the first place.

[WayneJudson42]

So after 1 win, Carlton have the magic solution??? Some people oughta get a grip... seriously.

It's round 1, and selections have been made based upon who's unavailable, and the next best options.

I'd like to see the reactions from all the "play more kids" group, if we did, and then finished 10th or 11th.

I hear it now: SACK LYON!

People forget that a similar line up finished last year strongly, and the assumption is that it can no longer improve, hence we gotta play the kids... flawed logic.

A 10% improvent from Dal, Kosi, Gram and a few others and we'll close the gap pretty quickly.

[saintsRrising]

I think Leigh Matthews knows a thing or two about football..

On discussing it tonight he clearly was against playing too many first gamers in Round 1.

[saint66au]

The tale of two games.....

Last night Carlton debut 4 kids against the rabble that was Richmond. A couple played very well...but under no pressure and got many touches from awful Tiger turnovers.

Tonight..Hawthorn played 3 debutants and none of them looked ready. Dont be fooled by the closeness of the scores at the end. If Geelong had converted their set shots the Hawks would have been at least 8 goals down at 1/2 time and the footy world would have been castigating them for playing kids against the best and toughest side in the comp.

I'm not so much dissapointed that we arent playing kids as that the kids arent screaming "pick me!" with standout NAB Cup games. 100% agree with those who say you dont play kids just for the sake of it..but obviously so far 8 kids from Haw/Carl/Rich have done just that....put their hand up with very impressive NAB games.

Must be our turn for one to leap from the pack eventually!!!

[Red]

I don't believe that any of our young guys have shown enough preseason,

however I do believe if there is a kid who can change the team up a bit,

i.e. break the lines, make really good decisions than he should play.

I just don't think there is one out there.

[ausfatcat]

Form and fitness are one thing - I think "the model" of how to win a flag is what the Blues have going for them. The Saints big draft picks around 2000-1 and success 4 years later. the Hawks picks 2004 and success 2008.

By that theory Carlton should've won or at least made the finals every year since 2004................ They haven't

They have won A game against a side that was hopeless last year.

[bergholt]

Garland was the size of Ross T.

garlett is almost a year older and nine centimetres taller than ross. i'd love to see some kids in the team (on merit) but little ross is a long way away.