Should be a good game. I think the Hawks are in it to win the NAB Cup this year so it will be a good comparison for us to see where we are at.

Worried about their runners though. We may be stretched if they click like they did at times tonight.

Can't wait to see Waitey on Franklin!!

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Mjonc signing off at 8888

Hoping they will play Croad on Fev. He will kick ten, all from hands in the back

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The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.

Ronald Reagan

Just so long as we have a red hot go, I'll be happy.

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Saturday
Hawthorn v Carlton (Aurora Stadium, 6:10pm, Ten)

Points of note:

- Hawthorn early on were a bit behind Melbourne

- Hawthorn runners got on top

- The last quarter Franklin turned it on from supply and kicked 4 from left of screen left hand pocket on the run.

Lesson:

If we start off the way we did against Essendon* and obviously play four quarters we will be ok.

The match up on Franklin will be ultra important, would start with Thornton.

Hawks mid field I would rate more explosive than Essendons, Mitchell, Hodge, Crawford in particular exposed Melbourne from what I saw in the last.

We can get this right, the Hawks are ok, but we can back ourselves here.

Defensively they are going to be shaky with Fev, Kennedy, Whitnall, FIsher and Betts.

In the midfield we can hurt them if Stevo, Murph, Walks, Simmo, and Houla bring their games and run, run, run.

I am not that worried after seeing our options down back against Essendon* ( not worried not in the sense that we are it and a bit now, but we have options defensively), I think Thornton can take Frankin, we have Ohailpin or Waite for Roughhead, and even Walks can slide back and take Williams.

Franklin - Thornton

Williams - Walker

Roughead - Ohailpin

Ackland / Cloke can hurt Hawthorn if smart enough?

Can't wait.

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Supporting the Blues No Matter What

Remember kids, it's not about winning, its about getting out there and giving it your best.

Can I ask what happened to Bower and Hartlett last night. Not sure why they didn't play but I would rather see either of these two in verus a Saddington for instance.

Was explained to me today by a very learned man (dannyboy) that the reasoning behind playing those guys in the 2's this week was to make sure they got 4 full quarters of footy into them.

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I'd rate one of Bower, Carlos, Waite or Walker to go on Franklin, maybe even trying them in that order.

Thornton is a great defender for us, but I don't think his smarts are going to make up the ground on Franklin's raw athletic ability. If Franklin is remotely smart about the way he goes about next week's game, T-Bird will be left thumping the turf in his wake.

But as I said, it's all about how Franklin goes about it, and how he's used. I really don't see any harm in sticking Carlos on him, looking over the Hawks forward line he should be the number 1 target this year, and as Barnesy said, Walker can account for Williams.

Maybe if they switch Croad forward, but if we bring Bower in for the game, we always have someone with the speed and agility to match up on either of those two should Waite or Carlos prove not to be up to the task.

Ahhh a little depth (and I think I've been saying that every year for the past 4 years).

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

Dwayne Russell thinks Hawthorn are flag contenders this year

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*(grow - fun - gah)

Yeah but whatabout your whataboutism.

I think they're a good chance for the 8.

Certainly have the ability to cause matchup problems in places (Franklin and Birchall are two names that come to mind) but they do have a bit of a question mark at the number two ruck position, and full back.

But yeah, tommi has a fitting way of describing Dwayne Russell.

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29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

Dwayne Russell is an idiot. I felt like reaching through my TV and punching him in the face with all that Hawthorn crap he was talking about.

remember what happened last time someone tipped the hawks for the flag.

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Last edited by true_blue3 on Mon Sep 26, 1981 5:07 pm; edited 92 times in total

Hawthorn are definitely a level above us. I was glad they won, as we seem to play well against Melbourne and Hawthorn spanked us last year, so at least we will get a realistic idea as to where we are at after next Saturday's game.

Do u think walks can play on Franklin? Both atheltic! Just put it out there as an possiblity, interested in your thoughts???

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"I can't wait to win a premiership with this club" - Fev

Waite should play on Franklin

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

if o'hailpin and waite both fail i think he could. franklin isn't really a high marking or pack marking player and walker we know can jump 10 metres high and at ground level walker can probably beat him which is franklin's biggest strength

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Last edited by true_blue3 on Mon Sep 26, 1981 5:07 pm; edited 92 times in total

I'm also gald we are playing the hawks. I think they are a year or 2 ahead of us at the moment. But hopefully our boys can prove me wrong, and get up. The battle is in the middle of the park. Mitchell Hodge and Crawford will be hard to handle, but i think our midfield depth may be better. So when there blokes are rotating through, we have to take advantage.

Our forwards will beat their defenders, while their forwards will test our backs. I think if we break even in the middle, we should sneak a win.

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@cecil_anderson

Don't know about Thornton on Franklin..........although i think he's beaten him before IIRC.

I'd be going for Waite or Setanta.

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"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"
- Aristotle

Why are so many posters focussing on negating Franklin. No doubt he is a quality player but if we stop the easy supply to him, he won't be in a position to trouble the scoreboard.How we manage Hodge will be the most telling factor. He is their quarterback. We have plenty of athletic types who could nullify Buddy in our defence and let's not forget what Walker did to Croad last year. So who do we match up on Hodge to stop his damaging disposal.? Not only is he a great long penetrating kick (best in the business out of defence ahead of Gilbee and Goddard) he also possesses great vision in spotting unmarked midfielders. We need to stop his supply from their defensive zone. Hawthorn defenders always look for him at every opportunity. Would like to see Rusell be given the chance to run with him and stop him from getting his customary easy possession. Has the pace and is not bad in the air otherwise it may have to be Walker or een Gibbs. Gibbs could end up hurting Hodge should he play loose because unlike the others he certainly knows show to kick a goal or two. Stop Hodge and we proceed to the third round as simple as that. I rate our midfield slightly ahead of Hawthorns, so I can't see too much pressure being exerted on our backline. I rate Essendon*'s tall man department a lot stronger than Hawthorns and we successfully cut them out of the game. Our reliance on Fev is still a major problem for us but overall I believe we match up well against Hawthor just like Essendon*.