We can beat the Swans we can't beat Paul Roos & that is who we are playing. An absolute litmus test for Brett Ratten.
He must not be predictable at the selection table or with match day tactics. Coach to win.

- Gibbs to the midfield for some part of the game
- I would bring in the O'hailpin so that we have the option to move Waite back, If setanta can't play there. Bower just isn't a key backman & if we win who is going to hold Hall or Collingwood forwards?
- Mclean or Hadley have to play.....Yarran goes
-

Oh know... a replay of last years final... bradshaw killed us.

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I am as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more!!!

Mate, you wouldn't be cheerful about Carlton if you were asked to hand over the Cup to Juddy this September, and offered a heady from Megan Gale as a sweetener.

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Nah, I'm good. Remember, I got to see them play (poorly) in February. And even got to get a pic of BabyK with Wiggo.

Speaking of which.

IN: WIGGO.

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Well its finals time now. Time for the match committee to get serious.

From the seconds the following players are worth a look (in no particular order)

Jacobs, Thornton, Hadley, McLean, Walker

Who played poorly in seniors

Hampson, Carazzo (Injured)?

If we are to beat the Swans we need to play our hard bodies. So Davies, Ellard have to go, through no fault on their behalf.

Also there is no way that you can take injured players to a final, so Carazzo is out.

So this how I would go.

In - Jacobs, Hadley, Walker, McLean

Out - Hampson, Carazzo, Davies, Ellard

Betts is damn luckey to stay in last 10 weeks have been terrible.

So how do we line up

FB Andrew Walker Michael Jamison Aaron Joseph

HB Jordan Russell Paul Bower Heath Scotland

C Kade Simpson Brock McLean Shaun Grigg

HF Bryce Gibbs Lachie Henderson Chris Yarran

FF Mitch Robinson Jarrad Waite Jeff Garlett

R Robert Warnock Chris Judd Marc Murphy

Bench Sam Jacobs Dennis Armfield Eddie Betts Richard Hadley

Emg David Ellard Marcus Davies Shaun Hampson

The more I look at it the more I like our chances.

IN: Thornton Hadley Walker
OUT: Carrazzo (hamstring) Yarran Davies

I don't think Grigg is a great tagger, but if it could only work. I suppose you'd try him on Goodes.
Gibbs freed up to play in the midfield is a real bonus. Let them worry about Gibbs. He's due for a big one.

We have to take the game on.
We can beat them at the clearances without Kreuzer.
We have the pace. If only Ratts would allow them to take risks.

Yarran doesn't have the strength to take on the Swans.
Whilst Davies' promotion has been good for him, he made too many mistakes last week.
The stakes are too high for development purposes, but Ratts would've played Thornton if he had no intention to play Davises in finals.

The Swans backline has 2 KP talls at 192 cm each: Grundy and Richards VS Waite 194 and Henderson 196
The 2 back pockets are fast but small at around 183cm: Shaw and Bevan VS Hampson 203 with pace and Betts 174.
The back flankers for them are both 188 cm: Kennelly and Malceski VS Scotland and Garlett or Robinson may play defensive forward.

I think we will win the ruck and midfield battle if we all play hard and fast footy.
We have to stop them from getting first hands on the footy.

My midfield consists of Judd Murphy Gibbs Simpson and Grigg, Hadley, Ellard and Joseph to rotate as the inside mids.
Hopefuuly we can also throw in Betts, Scotland, Walker and Garlett through the midfield to sustain the intensity on the ball.
I am not confident Carrazzo will make it. I hope he does play. I really hope (like all of us) that Betts finds the goals in the finals.

I think Jacobs will be a liability at the full fwd line once the ball hits the deck. The Swans are quick in the backline.
That's why I'm expecting Hampson to hold his spot. He will be much better this week. I'm sure. He needs to be against Shaw.
That'll be a great mismatch. Hampson has the pace to keep the pressure on Shaw. Dunno if he can turn like Shaw though.
I really want Thornton in for Davies.

FINALS. is synonymous with Carlton.
I hope we win this and the next and surprise in the prelim; then they's all know the Blues are back.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Some great differences of opinion here. I would keep it reasonably simple.

Use Gibbs at his creative best in the middle.

Walker into the side BUT NOT IN DEFENCE. Play him on the wing where he can run.

T-Bird in to steady Bower and Jamison.

McLean in to release Juddy.

Out - Davies, Carazzo, Yarran.

Grigg tags Goodes, Ellard tags Jack. Game over.

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"Get ready, Teddy - you're on": Ron Barassi half time 1970 Grand Final

..Russ has backed it up the next two times.. ..Gibbs hasn't the next two times.. ..personally i don't really wanna stick the Gibblet with negating roles.. ..not run-with, not defender.. ..not wait til he gets the ball 'in time and space' off a hbf.. ..i want him creating play from the middle, on the ball..

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..if you can't be good, be good at it..

Whats with the calls for Grigg to tag Goodes? Since when has he ever been used in such a role where he has to tag such a damaging player who plays mid and also pushes forward...i dont recall Grigg being used in defence at all...

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Carlton Premiers '10

..Goodes match-up is possibly the most concerning match-up for me.. ..a lot may depend upon how Roosy will utilise his star player..

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..if you can't be good, be good at it..

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"I had to eat"

I agree, we don't have an obvious macth up. Roos will use him in the middle and get him to push forward, he absolutley smashed us last time. In fact if you look at their midfield it has a fair bit of quality, Jack, Hannabery, Goodes, McVeigh. We have a chance if Mumford does not play and we can smash them in the ruck otherwise it will be all over for this year.

Its a matter of the players at your disposal. Who matches up to Goodes? Gibbs has done well on him in the past but he is just to valuable in a run with role. Grigg is deceptively strong, tall, and quick. Just hasn't got too much footy nous yet.

The other option is Bower in a run with role. Considering he is not in great form at the moment that may not be a bad idea either. Get him into the play and with his dash will exhaust Goodes.

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"Get ready, Teddy - you're on": Ron Barassi half time 1970 Grand Final

I reckon Roos is worried about out midfield.

Judd, Murphy, Gibbs (hopefully), Simpson, Scotland, Grigg, Ellard, Carazzo/McLean/Hadley, Garlett, Betts.

And even if Mumford plays, Warnock the WARLOCK

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"Get ready, Teddy - you're on": Ron Barassi half time 1970 Grand Final

Walker in to tag Goodes? Has the tank, is 190cm and might be able to hurt him the other way?

He has at least been called upon to play as a tagger in the past

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Cheerio to my friends KN, BC, TT, GP, DK, AE, MS, SC, TC, JL, MO & LF

The sheer presence of Bondi Blue at the game Sunday will establish our home ground advantage.

Give it to 'em Bondi !!!!!!!...........they wont know what hit 'em.

Grigg has played defensively before and done well - played defensive forward on Heath Shaw and killed him. Having said that, it was a long time ago & I wouldn't use him that way now.

Walker should come in and play on Goodes. He can match him in the air, his speed, strength as well as anyone and can hurt him bursting the other way. He can play go with Goodes forward, back or through the midfield. He has the endurance & speed to annoy Goodes by not leaving his side. The weaknesses - and there will be no matter who plays on him - are Walker's tackling and being caught on the rebound if Walker runs off him and kicks poorly.
Solution: 1) Walker's tackling goal is to stop the guy. Not to win possession, not to win a free kick just DO NOT LET HIM PASS YOU. This might slightly alter the way Walker thinks about his tackling role.
2) Whilst Walker's kicking has improved, we must make sure that everytime Walker bursts forward, one of us from our defensive side runs forward to cover Goodes so he is not alone for the rebound and cannot link the ball forward for them. If Goodes runs forward, the key is to cover the loose man who has taken the spot where Walker has run from, BUT Walker must know to sprint back just as quickly as he burst forward so we only have to cover for a few seconds.
Alternatively, I would play Walker on the wing. Give the tagging role to Grigg or Gibbs. Grigg could be good b/c you don't need to be as good as Goodes in order to stop him. You just have to be able to run with him, annoy him and compete physically, in the air to mae a contest of it until the troops arrive.

Whoever said Ellard should be dropped b/c not hard enough body, he laid 12 tackles last week!!
Ellard for Kieran Jack. I'd have Simpson matched to O'Keefe. Robinson on Malceski (I think Robinson would just make Kennelly play better!)

Thornton should come in for Davies, for several reasons mentioned by other posters.

Am 50/50 on Hadley. Based on form, doesn't seem to me that McLean is ready. If Hadley comes in, I guess it is either for Yarran or Robinson. Would be reluctant to drop either of these two.
Robinson - you know will give a contest but his finishing may be poor.
Yarran - you know his finishing and class could be the difference but not sure if he will contest with enough intensity.
Hadley - sort of a conservative combination, not quite as fierce as Robinson and without the finish of Yarran but confident he will give a bit of both....

In: Thornton, Walker
Out: Davies, Carrazzo.

(If Carrazzo is ok to play, Walker may come in for Yarran or Robinson...)

I THINK WE CAN WIN THIS. We lost to them in our down period. If we play like we have played the past few weeks, we can win!

Starting to think about the Ashes.

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I am as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more!!!

How's this for a radical idea?

Start Robbo on Goodes. We know that if Goodes loses his cool he goes all sulky and starts trying to play for frees, and throw his weight around, thus taking his mind off the game.

This is assuming Goodes starts on ball. Robbo just annoys the hell out of him for the first 5-10, then we go with Walker.

Thoughts?

Really does he?

I wouldn't stir up Goodes, you are just asking for it if you do.

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Koperek.