just joshin' ya champ

complemented by the odd, monastic gatekeepers of truth, justice and the TC way (or so they would have you believe)
Carry on Cazz. Don't change now

_________________
If I want your opinion, I'll give it to you!

I've found it very interesting that Watson has been mentioned as undersized at 195...(Hurley is 193), yet we bring in White who is 190.

BTW...has anyone noticed how well Watson kicks a football???

Just an observation

_________________
I see you watching me watching you.

Why do you say that jimmae? Unless you are talking about Ellard's non-selection (which I think is a team balance thing), not sure what you mean.....

Hendo's VFL form has been good, without being spectacular, and White was very solid last week. Whereas I suspect that the MC agreed with my assessment last week that Bower looked like he needed at least another week in the VFL...

Lucas has had a good couple of weeks in the VFL but it's not surprising that a player at his stage of his career is being asked to string a few strong games together at the lower level. And Armfield, AJ & Brock are fringe players that had reasonable to solid games last week but need to knock the door down to get back into the side....

VFL form isn't everything, but I think it is an important factor for the MC. So curious as to the basis of your above highlighted comment (not 'having a go' by the way, just interested what makes you say that this week)...?

_________________
It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.

Gibbs on the footy show tonight @ 9.30

3 amigos on marngrook show @ 7.30

Can't see us lining up as named. Laidler at CHB - no. Carrazzo in back pocket - no. Yarran on wing - no. I wouldn't even be surprised if Walker started in defence with White on the bench. Quite like the forward 6 as named. Hope that they stick with that one.

What chances Monfrees gets a free kick before the start of the game

I thought Bower played better than White last week and he definitely provided more run.

Would have loved to see Ellard get a game, he was very good last week - inside mid similar to Curnow and good skills that we could do with.

My concern is that Duigan and White can seem to be flat footed at times when the ball hits the ground and with Monfrees, Jetta, Winderlich, Zaharakis and Melksham about we will need to be on notice at all times.

whilst I'd prefer to see watson in the side, he really struggled last week - just didnt make enough body contact in any of the marking contests. Give him a couple weeks in the ants to build up some form before coming back into the ones.

agree thornton is unlucky though.

As an aside, perhaps the MC is putting as many games into duigan/laidler as possible early so that they can make a decision on who to run with come finals time

I'm hardly T-Bird's biggest fan BUT he was more than serviceable the last few games, offers versatility and experience in our very inexperienced backline, and White was really not much chop against either Richmond or GC. I don't know - I understand these younger guys needs games to gel together but it just seems odd to me, especially with Bower still out.

Is Armfield carrying any sort of injury we don't know about?? I would have thought him to come in this week.

The last time we lined up as named was 1985.

_________________
"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

Watsons being dropped would be part of his development if anything these18 year olds struggle after 3 to 4 games in a row this a tactic Malthouse has been doing it for a while
Someone had to come in Bower not ready White was right
I like white

Thornton could consider himself a bit stiff he has been playing well but Hendo is the future
I would have dropped Walker myself

_________________
If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

He'll be our no.1 backman in 2 years is my tip, and he'll be all of 21 ??? But he got towelled up by Cloke then Dawes for a bit last week. Which is fine for a young kid against the KPP of the premier, but he'd benefit from a spell in the VFL. Very worried about Paddy........the kid can play.

White is a mystery this season. He looked very good in his games last year before injury. Then has what he called a great pre-season, and said he was looking forward to maybe playing up fwd. So what's happened ? Is it a case of him being asked to play on talls due to Bower/Jamo's absence, when really he's a good flanker ?

We are light on for forwards who can hold their marks (hoping Hendo can change that this year). He maybe worth a shot.

Win the ruck contests and midfield clearences and the game is ours.
Hendo is the 2nd big body up forward that we sorely missed last week
Usually against the Bummers, Thornton usually gives up a goal or two per game through frustration or bad decisions, and Diver Davey usually gets a couple of soft frees that result in goals. Less pace for us to worry about with Davey not around as well.
There you go. We're already 3-4 goals better off with T Bird and Diver Davey not playing on the weekend...

_________________
James Hird and Essendon* FC - #FOREVERDRUGCHEATS

readin' and writin' ain't my strong points but I can lift heavy things



I think Yoda looks more like me overall.

Regards Cazzesman

_________________
Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

Well good luck to the MC. But i can't see their reasoning with those selections. (Enter Cazz to give me shit about being on a football forum with an opinion!)


- Watson was hardly our worst player last week (see Carrazzo, Duigen, Betts, half a dozen others)
(White was dropped just one game ago. One game in VFL is all it takes to get your form back these days, so it appears)

- Watsons kicking is already more elite than 75% of our list
(White's kicking is still a work in progress)

- Watsons 195cm, THEREFORE taller than Hurley and body for body could match him in strength.
(White is about 4cm shorter)

- Henderson was wasted down back in Brisbane and we've worked so hard on him being a forward and yet we play him down back in the Bullants after he kicks a few goals? What is that going to do for his development?

- With dropping Watson (who gave 110%) and keeping players like Carrazzo, Duigen, Walker and others (who didn't give a shit) what kind of culture will this create?????


I just can't see the reasoning behind those picks. That's all.

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

Glad you feel that way cause I'm to old to change now.

Regards Cazzesman

_________________
Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

Yeah mostly Ellard & Lucas (for Carrazzo & Duigan); I can somewhat understand backing White over Thornton in defence with Bower not quite ready.

I just think the fact that we are ripping VFL teams apart says something about our depth, and that it can be drawn upon to get members of the senior side to raise the bar. Ratts' is a little too slow to change IMO, when players really shouldn't have two below par games in a row.

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

Refresh my memory here. Didn't we win our 1st 2 games and then do pretty well for 75% of the 3rd game? And don't we currently sit 4th with a percentage of 146? We aren't winless and sitting in 14th position.

I agree some players are struggling to impact and they need to be looked at closely if they fail again, but it is hardly the time to turn over 4 or 5 players.

The major point I guess in these discussions is that we now have players playing very good football in the VFL who are putting huge pressure on those in the Seniors to perform. That has to be a good thing. It isn't something we have had for 10 years.

Regards Cazzesman

_________________
Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

I'm going to disagree with your comment on White looking 'very good' last year. He was made to look a lot better than he truly performed by very poor kicking at goal by his direct opponent on more than one occasion. He gave up a lot of shots at goal last year.

I'm not saying he can't be an AFL grade defender at some point. But right now he has a clear deficiency in his game, that being effectively contesting one on one. He needs to improve that in the VFL. I sat on the boundary for the Richmond game and the ease with which Riewoldt had his way with him at times was frightening.