A good point. An unmistakably short emergency list.

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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.

The MC certainly see something in White that I don't.

That aside, I really thought Armfield would be well suited to this game.

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"I had to eat"

i believe White will play forward with Hendo..

Why not Waite to Ryder when he goes forward..Can match him athletically, but gives up a few centimetres (who doesnt). Dont forget, Ryder wont have had a hard-tag to contend with previously and i believe will struggle with the added attention...Waite should be able to stop him drifting forward unattended.

As for Watson, yes he is taller and heavier than Hurley, but he is not stronger than him currently..Hurley has 2-3 more preseasons than Watson and has more core strength..As we saw last week, until Watson develops this core strength, he will get bullied....Am looking forward to these contests between Hurley/Watson in years to come...

Re: Watson, I don't think core strength or strength was really an issue. He just got run up and down the field and it left him ragged. Held up well under the ball.

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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.

Watson will learn that you can't sag off blokes 1-2 metres at AFL level like you could at U18s. You get found it. He's young and talented and will play 150-200 games.

A bit mystified by the ins, particularly White. Can only assume they like his versatility against the bombers mid-sized forwards and maybe the resting ruckman or hurley. Seem short one tall to me.

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Go Blues

Thanks Parko.

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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

Fair enough, but I can also see CM's perspective that wholesale changes are not required at this stage. It's a long season, opportunities will come for the likes of Ellard & Lucas. But I hope Ellard gets his chance soon-ish, otherwise I wouldn't be surprised if he sought more opportunities at another (WA?) club next year. He shouldn't be playing VFL anymore...

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

Thought T Bird was unlucky, thought White could do with a game or two in the VFL

Carlton by 4 goals

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A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty" -Winston Churchill

L.M 35-06

I think your spot on mate. Waite would be great suring up our defence and beleive he would take anyone of there
fowards to the cleaners. With hendo and white coming in and also resting our rucks up there we have enough height up foward.
We can always throw it around durning the game if not working out. I also agree with the watson out, Hurley is very quick aswell i think watson at this stage lacks abit of speed aswell.
Lets smash these #$#$S

As I posted previously, this is our big test. We have to consolidate our good form and start to the year.

We have a perfect opportunity to confirm we are the real deal and a serious contender for top 4.

Last week I was hopeful rather than expecting a win. This week is different. Losing is NOT an option as far as I'm concerned.

We simply have to get the job done on Sat and come away with the win. Anything less imho means we haven't improved much.

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We are on our way back...

I think armfiled is well suited to every game, but thats just me.

I really hope we works he's way back into the side.

Dont know what Thornton did wrong to get dropped, maybe its on his past history against Essendon*.
I am really confident about this game.















Confident we will get smashed.

Thornton got dropped because he is finished as an AFL player. Oh and ess are very very quick and
Tbird is very very slow...........

I just went onto the ticketek website and the only seats available now are in the Great Southern stand on the top deck. Everything else is booked up. I got seats in Q10 so it looks like only about 6 bays will be still be available and the MCG books on demand so if everyone decided to book a seat there are none left aside for the general public on the day. It may be a good idea to upgrade to a reserved seat. If you turn up with a membership you usually can still get in but may have to go to standing room.

I agree that he was a main offender with the goals (on or near Blair & Krakouer, wrong sided at contests too) and there was a highlight of him just jogging outside the boundary after handpassing (Dennis C picked it up & was laughing in the commentary) but I think he'll be played in to settle a back 6 and how he copes with the tempo of AFL (though 4 rounds may be

Thought Laidler wwould have been inked for Crameri this week but White could go there too (perhaps Watson if/when he drifts forward).

Pretty sure if Collins who botched the handpass in the centre late in the 3rd that cost us any chance of coming back.

As for those saying Thornton offered versatility, White can play forward as well. T-Bird is backup only now & I wasn't impresed with some of his efforts in marking contests last week, or to impact on the contest. Note he got slated by T.Shaw (as did 2 others, though unnamed) on AFL teams for squibbing on the wing in the 3rd Q. Parko thought there were 5 Blues who didn't go hard enough when it was their turn last week.

Good to have Hendo back. Thought Ellard may have been due to add around the packs but you'd think Carrazzo would have to be one dropped for this position ATM.
Armfield is required for this week with his pace & tackling, and should be in the team every week when fit.

Betts, Walker, Collins & maybe (hopefully) Carrazzo on the tightrope for next week should they fail to rise to the occassion.

Need to win this one and it needs to be on a telecast in Bali.

On Armfield, did anyone catch this?

[youtube]QxyQxwvOij8[/youtube]

Named trainer of the month then promptly dropped

We really need to work over Watson in this one he's the captain and the heartbeat of the side. Start Curnow on him, then switch to Robbo, then Curnow, then Robbo and always getting stuck into him, a few little jabs, then odd short sharp elbow. We have to put him off his game and the rest will follow IMO. Start at the top.

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You want the flame? Give us the marbles!!

Hey, what about the scintillating speed of Gibbs he'll burn them off all day!

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You want the flame? Give us the marbles!!

No Davey for them means we should at least avoid 1-2 extra dodgy frees

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WADA medical director Dr Alan Vernec describes Essendon* FC drug case as biggest scandal in team sport the world of sport has seen. #WC2WB

#GUILTY

I posted this earlier and it's how we'll beat them or they'll beat us.

The key to stopping Essendon* is stopping their run and the run is generated from stoppages. You have to shut down Watson, Howlett and Hocking and of course it helps if you win the ruck. These guys distribute it and they spread in numbers often wide - so there will be three or more options spread wide from a stoppage feed from Watson Howlett Hocking etc.

Sydney stopped them at stoppages and stopped the spread on the outside. That's what we need to do.
It requires huge accountability from midfielders going head to head in the grunt - Murphy, Judd, Robinson etc but also very careful checking on their spread players.

If we play with 100% intensity for 100% of the time (we played patches of 100% intensity against the pies) we will beat them.

Essendon*'s game plan is simple but effective because opposition don't pay respect to their lesser likes spreading and their grunt no-names likes Hocking, Howlett etc dishing it out.

This year they've added a forward press.

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This might sound extreme in the context of alleged sexual assault, drunken violence and a drug trafficking charge...