Eagles "beatable"
by Frizz Ferguson

A strong Carlton Blues squad of 25 hit the training track in WA on a cloudy Wednesday morning ahead of their clash with the third placed West Coast Eagles.
 
There was a good mixture of experience and youth out on the field, with three emergencies brought over to the West. Injured players Andrew Carrazzo and Heath Scotland made the trip, with the hope of making a return to the team, along with local Perth product Kane Lucas. 

It was in Round Four that Carrazzo was sidelined with a shoulder injury so it was good to see the talented midfielder out on the ground. Scotland also looked comfortable running around after sitting out last week with a calf injury.

In a press conference before training, Carlton coach Brett Ratten said the inclusion of Carrazzo would make a big difference to the side.

“I think he’s really important in regards to quelling the influence of some of the key player of the opposition; he’s so hard at the footy and he’s a real enforcer on our blokes in regards to where they’re setting up, what we want from them and he doesn’t take any sort of backward step in that regard from a leadership point,” Ratten said.

Robert Warnock was subbed off during last week’s heartbreaking loss to the Geelong Cat’s with a sore hip, but the coach said the ruckman is fit to play on Thursday night at Paterson’s Stadium.

“He’s going alright; I think because of the quick turn around and coming over here he’ll train today and I expect him to play so unless something happens after training he’ll be named and I hope he plays.”

But as a Perth supporter, it was impressive to see so much home grown talent making the team and running around on their home turf again. Jeffery Garlett, Chris Yarran, Dennis Armfield, David Ellard, Joshua Bootsma and Lucas all came up WA’s local league and they represent Perth well each time they don their Blues gear. And WA footy fans will always claim Chris Judd as a local after spending his formative AFL years at West Coast and is still a clear favourite with the Carlton faithful in Perth.  

It will be a tough challenge for the Blues tomorrow night with the Eagles looking to climb back up to top spot on the AFL ladder and their midfielders such as Daniel Kerr and Scott Selwood ready nullify their visitors.

But Carlton showed promise last week in their 12 point loss to the Cats and the mighty Blues are ready to push for a top eight spot again. Ratten put it simply when he said, the Eagles are “beatable”.

“Yeah they are; there’s no doubt about it. We haven’t come across here thinking let’s make a real good fight of it, we’ve come here thinking we can get the four points,” the coach said.


Blues need to embrace opportunity
by Chris Bailie

As an avid Blues supporter I was only too happy to head on down to the WACA ground today to get a spectators viewpoint of the Carlton training session today. After all it isn’t everyday you get to come and share the hallowed turf with your “team”.

It was great to see so many Blues supporters coming down in some “Melbourne like” weather to get a close up look of their heroes. Seeing quite a few Dads down there with their sons only made me wish I’d taken my 18 month old son “Charlie” down to reinforce his future allegiance to the Carlton Footy Club.  It’s never too early, especially when he lives in a two horse town like Perth.
 
Anyhow, I was sent with a mission, and that mission was to “tweet” like a bird and update all you that couldn’t be present how the session was going.  Well I embraced the tweet and I think I did a good job sending pics, uploading videos and trying to sound like I knew what I was talking about. 

The best thing for me though was being able to talk to some fellow Blue Bag enthusiasts and share our passion - which for me is an immense loyalty for a team that represents more than just the 25 players that were out there today.  Players come and go and I hope those 25 blokes out there realise that not everyone gets to pull on a Navy Blue jumper and represent the Carlton Football Club. 

Embrace the opportunity... you don’t get a second chance.

I’ll be at the game tomorrow and I want to bellow out as loud and proud “WE ARE THE NAVY BLUES” come that final siren... As Ratt’s said today... “We are here for the 4 points!”


Click here to view photos of this morning's open training session.