Well I feel super confident. There's been a lot of coach talk, and that can be snuffed out by us playing to our season's form. That's what good teams do in finals and we are a good team. Here's the week to prove it. What are we scared of? I've barely heard of any of the Bombers, and who is their no-name coach, sure apparently he played a few games for them, but his coaching experience at any level is 22 games.

Big K being available is a big one. I doubt we will move Hendo forward for 2 reasons - he is genuinely starring at CHB whereas he was just a serviceable forward, and Jammo currently is not our #1 tall defender. If he plays and gets through and is serviceable that will be a bonus.

If Jammo is fit - genuinely fit because we can't afford to be a player down at 1/4 time - then he and Carrazzo come in and Davies and JR go out. JR is a quality player but he is way out of form. Hard to believe - maybe he has been carrying injury. Tuohy was very good last week, AJ lacks skill but has performed well. Army has great pace. Can't really find a spot for TBird (unlucky) or Bower unless Jammo doesn't come up. They brought in three guys the week before the finals, and they all played well so would be illogical to drop any of them. If they rated JR ahead of Lucas and Tuohy at the present, then he would have been picked ahead of them. Can't find a spot for Ellard.

Run Eddie Betts and Walks thru the square occasionally both can be really effective at centre bounces.
Tell Robbie Warnock that he has a chance to show the football world he is a #1 ruckman - get stuck in
Tell Jeff Garlett to get 10 tackles and any kicks he gets are a bonus.

I think the MC will have us steaming. We will come out ferociously and maintain it. Relentless all day.
There is nothing to fear, play as we have played most of the year and the victory will take care of itself.
The Bombers fell into 8th for a reason - they are not very good

So certain am I that we will win that I have turned my attention to week two. The WCE are a realistic chance to do the Pies, setting up a Carlton Collingwood 1st semi or do they get to play the lowest ranked side?

Go Blues we have been waiting ten years for this. Hard to believe there will be young Blues supporters there who weren't alive when we last won a final. There is no pressure on us. Any pressure around needs to be applied by us to the Bombers. 8 goals I reckon.

Not a chance in hell

i watched the weekends game and no way is curnow ready. best thing was if levi can bulk up a bit over summer me thinks we have the key forward we looking for. only think is whilst he took some dam strong marks i have read that he isnt too good when ball hits the ground.

Ratten deserves to stay

Love the second paragraph though

The hope oozes from Ralph's mouth again. A 10 GOAL LOSS??

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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

This is another reason why we simply have to win and win big - to make all the circling vultures @#$%&! the hell off.

Hope Swanny has banned the Hun this week at royal parade!!

[youtube]7mvNYmjEo68&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

This love of Essendon* is sickening...........

By the way the media carry on about how BRAVE the Scum are, you would think they all would have one of these!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_of_V ... stralia%29

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"He was found guilty in June 2008 of assault with intent to cause bodily harm, an offence which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years jail."
And people are making his return to footy somewhat of a fairytale?

Watch from 1.18 to see how Judd was allowed to "run free" and by run free, they mean, held before the ball gets to him and pulled back before the ball arrives.

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T E A M

I dont see anything wrong with the On The Couch comments. I think they're pretty much right. It was all about the Blues and nothing about Essendon*.

I just want to win. 1 point or 100. Win.

Betting markets are firmly in Carlton's camp with a line set at 19.5 to the Blues.

We were 9.5 against the Saints.

Might swing once the team sheets come out on Thursday.

All I ask for is this final win. Then everything else is a bonus.

It's worth noting that Mark Austin and Paul Bower aside, we didn't have another 187cm-plus player available. Ryan Houlihan, at 186, was our next tallest, so we were somewhat decimated in this area. Regardless, some of our other boys got an invaluable run, and I'm referring to Kane Lucas, Jordan Russell and Dennis Armfield, whose role on Nick Dal Santo was commendable.

These are Brett Ratten's words from his email to members.

The implication is fairly clear that these 2 are no longer in the plans of the MC.

Both played in the VFL on the weekend. We'll regret them leaving (if they do).

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"A good composer does not initiate. He steals."

- Igor Stravinsky

Agree completely. If we win this final I'll still be smiling about it in 6 months time regardless of what happens to us the week after this one.

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Premierships: 1869, 1871, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1887, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1995.

"GIBBS."

Interpretation is everything. Thta's not how I read that quote. I read it as him saying we only had 2 tall players in reserve, that's it.

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"I had to eat"

And we don't want to pick them

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Yes, interpretation is everything (particularly of the statutory kind)

But it is what is unsaid or left implicit which carries the greater meaning in this context.

If they were injured, fine, that quote could carry the interpretation you've taken. However, my point is because they are fit, they've played VFL last weekend, the MC just didn't want to pick them.

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"A good composer does not initiate. He steals."

- Igor Stravinsky

You're probably right. I'm sure Ratts didn't mean for it to be interpreted or come across that way, can't see why he'd talk them down publicly.

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"I had to eat"

Jeremy Laidler is in top form and should not be under estimated on playing on bigger players. Henderson, Jamison and Laidler can cover the Ess talls. It's all about team defence. Hawthorn is a great example, they can cover injuries because they are so well drilled and structurally sound. We will get plenty of defensive help from the midfield as well so I think we are in a good position in defence.

I am more concerned about our forward line. Setanta looked dangerous against the Saints, Kreuzer does his job and is important to the team but Betts, Walker and Garlett need to play big games for it to work. I hope Gibbs spends some time up forward just to mix things up.

We are the ones who can lose this game. Inaccurate goal kicking, fumbles and nervous kicking will be the end of us but as long as the good Carlton come to play, we will win. This is a final, there will be no question about how hungry the players are at the ball and how hard they will work defensively.

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Koperek.