'

I'm looking at the 'pies game longingly.

But I'm just going to keep the powder dry for later in the year.

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I hope Essendon* folds.

Heard the interview as well. While he did give us our due ('probably the form side of the comp right now'), it was quite clear that they are looking forward to the game and fancy their chances ('can't wait to get over there and have a crack at the Blues').

I hope to God we take care of business. It'll be hell over here if we lose.

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We are on our way back...

That's because you drink beer out of a man's glass not a tiny "pot"....

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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

I don't understand it either that Bower is not in the side. When he is up and about, he is a damn fine player, what's going on?

His career is 1-2 weeks away.

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Congratulations CK95

Austin was very good on Mooney last week in the VFL. Bower had a lesser opponent, and started well, but then drifted out of the game. The fact that Bower was sub a few weeks back indicates they wanted him available for this week's game. But his form just hasn't been good enough. Austin's has been better. (Even though I'm a Bower fan.)

We chinned adelaide with run. We missed loads of shots and they got a sniff and their big guys almost got them over the line but our extra run got us the win in the end.
Collingwood got us because whoever got Watson become the target and he wasnt ready. The smallest man on the ground got us that night. Blair

Start picking guys for insurance and you rob us of our own strength - midfield dominance. They should be worried about us. They should be dropping talls so they have the numbers to match it with our onball fleet and numerous onball options and rotations.

We will strangle them and slowly grind them down before running all over them.

... we get it club29, take it easy mate and enjoy the ride, it's going to be a beauty!
We just want all our youngsters to get a game and play well. Hence the Aussie call to arms.

I certainly think the extra runner has been an advantage this year, as it was last year as well. But I still don't think it's sustainable against the better clubs in the longer run. So even if we take a slightly short term 'hit', I'd still like us to be developing/adjusting to playing an extra tall. Austin in for mine.

Besides it's now or never for Austin. We need to be able to make an informed decision about whether to keep him or not. Best way to do that, is to give him some time back up at AFL level.

You can still do that by having a Tall (insurance) as a SUB, and 3 rotating mids on the I/C bench.

I like your thinking club. I think you're on the money.
We have gone one less tall for more run in the backline.
Maybe the Eagles are different, and need something different, but it has worked for us so far this year.

Maybe its because our backmen in Laidler, Duigan, Russell and Gibbs (all around 190cm) are actually amazing players.

I reckon we need 3 tall backmen. Just a hunch...to cover their 4 talls.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

True, but one of the reasons Collingwood small forwards do so much damage is because of the aerial threat of Cloke and Dawes, who draw extra defenders to help out against them. Playing the extra tall defender makes it far easier for Duigan and Laidler and Russell and Yarran, etc. to focus on and shut down the Collingwood smalls.

Carlton hasn't lost to WCE since Chris Judd arrived. Can't see that changing this weekend.

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"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

West Coast were also going to 'stretch' Collingwood, and were going to 'stretch' Essendon*. Never happened.

Obviously, we're not in Collingwood's league yet, but even Essendon* were able to force them to constantly bomb long by applying a strong press which eventually wore the Coasters down.

Not saying it will be a matter of just turning up, but our improvement in all facets of the game, will help overcome a few cm's in height. Adelaide did stretch us, but our pressure through the midfield for most of that game was woeful allowing them to stroll through the corridor with ease.

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"They're [REDACTED]'

And never was going to happen. Ben Reid (195cm), Chris Tarrant (193), Nick Maxwell (193), Alan Toovey (189), Harry O'Brien (188 and a big body). Collingwood's defence is not only blisteringly quick. It's also very tall. It's one of the reasons why they're so hard to beat.

By comparison, in defence we currently have Jamison (193cm), Thornton (192), Gibbs (188), Russell (188), Tuohy (187), Duigan (186). Not saying West Coast would beat us, but they can certainly stretch us without the extra tall. I think Austin (193) will play as our 2nd tall defender, allowing Thornton to play the 3rd tall defender role he's better suited to.

Nothing worse than gloating eagles fans and piss poor press in the West Australian.
Bring home that bacon in large, gratifying chunks please lads.

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We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion.

Couple of years we'll hopefully have Watson(195) and McCarthy(196) contributing to that list. Nice

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We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion.

Piss off Yibbida you tryhard West Aussie!!

Pots rule and you know it!!

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"If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself" - Henry Ford

Yeah, it'll really add to the balance of our defensive group when we can get at least one of our new guys up and running.

I agree. Armfield a much better option.

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"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

It's a good debate around the team balance; really enjoying it. On one hand we've won a number of games with the clear benefit of extra run and pressure.

I just go back to our Collingwood game. To me we were short one tall in the forward line - our main structure seemed to be to kcik to the fast break and rely on jeffy or Eddie. With our main tall forward sucked up to HB at times our only other tall was Hammer and that wasn't working that well. We tried Thornton in defence and attack and in attack to his credit he ran hard to create space but it was mainly on the wing and our I50 entries in H2 were lucky. Now a lot has happened since then, but it may be that we run the guantlet on team selection for this point on an opponent by opponent basis.