What are they going to do ... send McGinnity out to call us names?
Its not like the Eagles have hardened bodies like the Hawks and when Geelong, North and Saints used to push our youngsters off the ball. Our players are as physically developed as theirs, I'm sure Priddis, Ebert, Selwood, Masten don't strike fear into any of the Blues midfield. Gibbs may be doubtful this week, but at the end of the Eagles game last week, Cox, Nicnat, Glass and Waters all looked pretty sore ... and I imagine Kerr isn't 100% either.
Our best footy will account for them easily. I hope they do come out and play the man, we'll be 5 goals up before they start to play ball.

They have been ordinary in 2nd & 3rd quarters nearly all year. That is our time.

My prediction: 1st 1/4 even, Eagles just in front. 2nd 1/4: we hit the front by 2-3 goals. 3rd 1/4: we pull away by another 2-3 goals. 4th 1/4: Eagles storm home, scores just about equal. We then kick a couple of steadying goals then try to run clock down for last 3 or 4 minutes (coughing up a goal in through process). Judd does something amazing. Siren goes and the club song can be heard coming from the crowd.

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when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth

Feelgood Hit of the Winter - GHRP-2, GHRP-6, CJC-1295, AOD-9604, Humanofort and Hexarelin

Did we win?

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I hope Essendon* folds.

Blues' No. 1 concern


Think you're underestimating their size just to pump up our chances. They were too big for us. The Selwoods, Naitanui, Smith, Cox, Lynch, Ebert, Kennedy, Darling, Glass, Shuey, Mackenzie, Embley, Nicoski, Hurn, Priddis, Butler, Waters and Kerr are all match hardened. Our advantage will be if we can get into space and get through their press because they're not that quick. Shuey and Gaff can run though, so we'll have to mind them closely.

Newspapers.

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Let slip the Blues of war (with apologies to William Shakespeare) (and Sir Francis Bacon, just in case)

Last time we played them

Austin, Russell, O'keefe, Houlihan, Tuohy and Kreuzer played

Also Jamison hurt in 1st quarter - Hendo put to defence for 1st time for the year and Thorton switched forward

Players who are in the side now are Davies, Duigan, Laidler, Robinson, Joseph and O'hAilpin

1 forced change as Gibbs won't play - My pref would be Hammer

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Ecclesiastes 1:4, "One generation passes away, and another generation comes: but The Blues abide forever."

If we win this week WC will finish 5th, so we still wont have beaten a top 4 team

......unless Sydney win also.

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"I had to eat"

If Gibbo doesn't play I'd expect JR to come in and play forward releasing AW into the midfield.

Hammer in for Davies as well. I reckon Hammer's on the cusp and ready to explode next year.

Perhaps this is one situation where it's not bad to have Razor as an umpire. He likes nothing best than to piss everyone off so I could just see him being the one umpire to reverse the home ground umpiring advantage

No Gibbs makes this almost impossible..l am also concerned that given the whole focus was to just win a final this year, and that it's now be done, the players might drop their guard ever so slightly, even on a subconscious level, and don't go out there giving 110% as they already achieved their big aim for the year.

To those who say West Coast can't outmuscle us off the ball, did you not watch the game in round 14?

Heard Basil Zemplis? on 3AW last night. Said the Eagles are really primed for this. And if Judd is held and Kennedy kicks a few, that'll really please the crowd. Then he said what a remarkable turnaround to go from last to "at worst fourth".
Overconfident much Perth people??

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T E A M

Call me old fashioned if you like(spoken with best Julian Clary voice).

You just know that even if Kennedy only kicks 2 goals there will be another installment of "Did the Blues give up too much for Kennedy?" in the papers again

As good as Gibbs has been he is not as critical as if we were to lose Judd, Murphy, jamo, yazz or jeffy, those blokes are impossible to replace but given the chance I reckon Russell can go a long way to filling Gibbs boots this week

It sounds like some of you need to lock yourselves in The Worry Room for awhile.

I guess, like many...I don't expect us to win...but to put up a mighty fight at least.

But.......then i think of Sam Stosur.
Yes, our Sam.
Who really expected her to win, eh?
I mean...was it hyped up like it would have been if it were Tomic, or Hewitt?
Nope..she just quietly set about annihilating her opponent, in front of an 'away' crowd.
Even when Serena lost the plot...and half the crowd supported her in being unprofessional...Sam sucked it up..recovered her nerve, and went on to win.
i think of her...I think of how much we'd love to win...how much our boys want to win..
and ..yeah...
i have to think we are in with a mighty chance.

Cox is not 100%...Rosa is probably out...
so both have teams have their injury woes.

Dare to dream people.

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That’s not a political statement — it’s a harsh reality, and we must act,” she said. “He is a clear and present danger to the things that keep us strong and free. I support impeachment.”

Geez guys, chill a bit. They are not that good, they came last in 2010. Scott Selwood McGinnity Masten Nikoski and a few other no names are scrubbers. If Gibbs is not fully fit, save him for the prelim. Stop their tall forwards from marking and we can win. We have to be as tough as them and win the midfield. Our midfiled is much better so we will win the mid field. Who have they got a half fit Cox, half fit Kerr, Embley who WCE supporters wanted delisted last year and a couple of talented youngsters who looked like rabbits in the spotlights last week, plus a few VFL quality fatties like Selwood and McGinnity. And as for toughness, Beau Waters will do a calf in the first quarter, or mistime his run and take out a team mate. Anyway while he is lining us up, Betts and Garlett will have sneaked away and kicked a bag on him. And we have our very own psycho killer in Mitch. Have they got anyone as mad bad and dangerous to know?

This game is very winnable. We were pathetic last time we played them, we will be really solid this time. We have had all year to work out the Eagles. We will win this one. Don't worry about it. Just ponder whether Robbo could do the job on Scarlett the week after.

Ha ha..Johnny Goold on SEN giving kevin a razz right now.
reckons Yaz said hampson is as quick as garlett and himself.

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That’s not a political statement — it’s a harsh reality, and we must act,” she said. “He is a clear and present danger to the things that keep us strong and free. I support impeachment.”

They have to catch us first. All we need to do is square the centre clearances and we're home. Our defence is more than adequate for the Weavels and our forward structure will be too hard for them to match up on.

We'll kick 16 goals to win by 4.

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end of message

My concern also. There was such a build up to Sunday's game, winning a final, Ratten's contract, home final at 'G etc, there is bound to be some kind of a let down from that, especially playing interstate. I just pray they don't jump us in the first quarter. The first quarter is absoultely critical. I'd hate to be 5 goals down at quarter time and lose by 5 goals.

Assuming Kreuzer and Gibbs are out, I'd play Hampson and Lucas/Russell. Lucas for pace and drive, Russell for a hard body and some experience, and more of a defensive edge. Hampson though is a must as second ruck, allowing O'hAilpin to stay forward.

Ironically, I prefer this game be at Subiaco than Docklands (although would obviously prefer the 'G over both of them). More room for us to move, harder for them to press tight (cue Grro and DOA).

To have any chance, we have to be absolutely, 100% switched on from the first minute.

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Mens sana in corpore sano.

Bring back the laurel wreath logo!!!

Collingwood had Brown & Jolly against Cox & Nicnat – 28 hitouts to 43. Jolly really struggled early but the Pies midfielders worked their way into the game by roving to Natanui’s taps. His & Cox’s work around the ground was superb in the first qtr but his hitouts he won through the game were not that good.

A bit out of left field but I would be tempted to roll the dice & not bring in Hampson, whether Cox plays or not. He probably will & will be 70% at best. 1AW said on SEN this morning that Warnock rucked for 90% of the game on Sat (& was one of our best).

Just bring in Touhy for Davies & outpace them. They had a much tougher game than us last week.

Did Hampson actually spend much time in the ruck for the Ants?

I think Gibbs will play.

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#DonTheStash