Happy to have the grunt of Ellard back in. The players that have been chosen have got us to this position in the finals and deserve to be there. Bower, Lucas have not played much. I
Would love them in the team but someone must miss out......

Maybe he needs to change his running gait or avoid running into a gale.

It actually reverts the structure to that of the previous 6-8 weeks, which concerns me more.


We'll be twiddling our thumbs for about 36 hours if we say nothing.

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

Good point Jimmae! Would make for a very boring forum if everyone agreed and said nothing.

ive asked myself and i felt better after posting so yeah it was worth it

i only hope i can come back here on sunday night and read some of the reactions and go... hahaha ... what a pack of looneys we all are (TBB excluded )

but for now, i think the selections are [REDACTED]!!!

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Lets look at the area in which we have a distinct advantage. The midfield.

Judd
Murphy
Simpson
Gibbs
Scotland
Robinson
Carrazzo
Armfield
Ellard

Vs

Watson
Hocking
Stanton
Zaharakis
Monfries
Melksham
Howlett
Colyer
Riemers

Duigen, Laidler, Yarran and Joseph > Hardingham, Myers, Heppell and McVeigh

Betts, Garlett, Walker and Davies > Jetts, Davey, Lovett Murray and Carlisle.

The ONLY area we not better on paper is:

Hille, Ryder, Hurley, Fletcher and Pears >Warnock, Henderson, Jamison and Ohailpin. This is where the doubt over this game has come from. There will be times during this game where we will be outmarked and the Essendon* talls will have their moments.

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Koperek.

Marcus Davies is obviously our secret weapon...hide him for most of the H & A season and then play him in a big final (like last year).

So that would be 2 out of his last 6 or 7 games that will have been finals.

Are you ^%$@ing kidding me?

Tuohy should be playing instead and for those that say Davies will be swung forward I dont remember him being a big goalkicker but I do know that Zac Tuohy can finish from outside 50 with a huge right boot.

Go figure

Russell, Tuohy, and Lucas all in the top half of our list for their ball use...but we'd rather stick with Davies, Armfield, Joseph...flower turnover merchants.

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Carlton. Yes, Carlton are into the grand final!!!
- Drew Morphett, after 1999 prelim final

Not sure about all the surprise over Davies - he lacked a bit of poise last week but was starting to show why he's been in the team for the past 6 weeks or so. I think you could make cases for any of the others: Russell, Tuohy and Lucas. But it's not so clear cut. I think Davies probably has more versatility than the others and has spent longer in the team of late so will be more at ease with the structure.

The bigger surprise to me is Ellard coming back in, just doesn't have enough impact for a guy who spends so long in the midfield and I thought they'd finally made the right call in dropping him for last week - and it isn't as though they decided he needed a rest, he played for the Bullants. No doubt he'll give bust a gut cos he's a workhorse, just tough to follow the logic as a few have said.

All academic in my book, we won't be letting this one slip. Calling it as Blues v Pies in week two (the McAvaney in me wants to point out that we've played the Dons and Pies in consecutive weeks twice already this year, but the normal person in me then points out that that is not so much interesting as tedious).

Probably the first time in ages that we've picked a goal to goal line that is taller than 192 cms.

B: Joseph Jamison Laidler
HB: Duigan Henderson Yarran
C: Scotland Robinson Gibbs
HF: Simpson O'hAilpin Garlett
F: Betts Thornton Walker
R: Warnock Judd Murphy

I/C: Davies Carrazzo Ellard Armfield

If it's this wet on Sunday, then the Bombers may have picked one too many talls for the conditions.

B: Pears
HB: Fletcher
R: Ryder/Hille
CHF: Hurley
F: Carlisle

Our run could be an advantage in the last quarter and when the ball hits the deck.

Walker and O'hAilpin are capable at ground level.

Matchups?

Davey vs Yarran
Duigan vs Monga
Henderson vs Hurley
T-Bird vs Ryder
Carrots vs Stanton
AJ vs Jetta
Armfield vs Heppell

which lucky amigo will have the pleasure of Spud McVeighs attention ?

I'm a bit surprised by the selections as well.
Only 1 of Joseph/Armfield should be in the side (as a run with player) and Lucas definitely is ahead of Davies IMO.
Essendon* fans will probably be happy with these changes.

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There is no footy god

Would have prefered Touy or Lucas to Davies.

I think we are gunna get whipped in Rucks.

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I am as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more!!!

Armfield smashed the NRS winner last time and kicked 3 goals! Carrots will be dirty.

Reminds me of the per game thread last time we played the dons. No one said sorry after that.( go back and read it).

The mc are not trying to lose. They are smart footy folk and they have a plan.

I'm tipping some late changes.

Luck v courage.

THIS

Bagging selection is probably more justified after a game, see how it pans out first.

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"I had to eat"

The surprise here is that the MC thought Lucas and Tuohy should have been brought in for the Saints game and Ellard wasn't up to it (21 games in), now Tuohy and Lucas have played really well and get dropped. What was the basis of their selection initially if playing well wasn't going to influence them staying in the team. What did Ellard do to get dropped after 21 weeks and what did he do to get back in? I would have thought his style of play would be better suited ag the Saints rather than the Dons especially as Carrazzo was out last week and in this week. 2 one paced midfielders may be a liability. Davies and JR were the late changes last week not the other guys. I would have thought you'd want to settle your team in the final few weeks not have a merygoround. What does Davies offer that will be any different? Isn't he just a lesser version of Duigan. Laidler, Tbird, a solid midsized defender. He has gone alright but I can't see why his form that got him dropped has now got him back in. Tuohy and Lucas offer speed. And we have no likely sub. You can't just have a battler as sub, you need someone who can make an impact - especially a fast player. I still think we will win, but those claiming only idiots question the almighty MC maybe can explain the merrrygoround selections of the last three weeks.

And for those who think the MC are infallible and can't be questioned because they are always right I can only say Brock McLean.

Watch it again.

Watch it over, and over, and over, and over. Count how many opponents between him and his target. Count how many loose Carlton players there are running into goal. Lazy football from both sides really, and Davies had a picnic, as you'd hope.

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