Given the mounting injuries and that we need to find 2 more wins, this game is absolutely massive vs St Kilda. It doesn’t look like we’ll have anyone of note back next week either and Melbourne have pretty much already confirmed Oliver will be back.

If we win, the equation is find one more win. The Melbourne game becomes a free hit / bonus with our injury list and likely no one notable returning. Then we hopefully start getting players back for GC and GWS where a win in either of those will likely be enough to secure a finals appearance.

If we lose, the equation is find two more wins. Suddenly the Melbourne game becomes massive. They are playing well, will have Oliver back and we’ll be getting no one back. Hard to see how we beat Melbourne with an injury depleted team if we can’t beat St Kilda. Then we’re staring down the barrel of needing to win the last two in a row which is fraught with danger.

I still think we’re a good shout to win this Sunday but would be a lot more confident with a healthy list. Truly is a massive game with the margins so fine and hope we aren’t sitting here in a few weeks bemoaning another year in the wilderness due to extremely poor patch mid year and injuries late.

I understand where you're coming from with the injuries, but otherwise I think the situation is very different. Let's face it, last season we peaked early and were stumbling towards the line from Round 11 onwards. This season we dipped early and are gathering steam at the right time. So far, the injuries haven't hampered us; remember how it felt when McKay went down, then Silvagni... and yet here we are having comfortably beaten the Power and the Pies.

Oliver is earmarked to return against the Hawks. Injury list says 1-2 weeks, but the interview stated that Oliver will be back by Hawks, so no guarantee it will be against the Blues.

Walsh is running and due back vs Melbourne. It will be 4 weeks since had a light strain of his hammy. Harry may surprise. I agree its a free hit against a Top 4 team with all the injuries, just like we had with Pies, only we had Cerra for a half.

One week at a time. This game vs Saints is huge. Really huge. Its our home game, but will feel like its ours. Win this and we are 11.5 wins and a good percentage.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Melbourne game would be 3 weeks.
If we can get over the Saints, I wouldn't risk Walsh after 3 weeks. Not coming off back surgery.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

Voss said yday Rd 23 for Walsh. Of course, that could change but I think after Cerra they will play it safe.

I'm very curious re McKay and Kennedy because we've heard so little.

Same. It's been 4 weeks since Kennedy got injured

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#DonTheStash

I look at time frame since injury than games.

im pretty sure it was a 2-3 week strain.
given walsh is running, anything can happen.

We arent dependent on individuals as we were, and bat even across the squad.

if we win on sunday without HARRY wALSH cERRA kENNEDY, we bat deep, and the selfless cause is the winner

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Yeah I’m pretty sure Voss said Walsh would be a 3 week injury in total, meaning he’d miss Collingwood, St Kilda, Melbourne, and be back for Gold Coast. He’s listed as 1-2 weeks


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Neither would I. Cerra dye back for final game against GWS. If we've sown up a finals spot I wouldn't risk him either. Save him for finals.
Either does their hammy again, it's pretty much curtains for them for the season.

There's also the week off after GWS, so yep, to have a spot stitched up & be able to give a few that game off would have them cherry ripe for finals.

Not that I'm getting ahead of myself or anything....

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This so-called "injury riddled" team just beat the Filth - convincingly.

They are now Unstoppable.

Injuries or not.

6 down, 7 or 8 to go.

7? We ain’t losing in the prelim


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I think he's livin the dream that we make top 4

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No worries. I'm just clarifying the timeframe. No matter how you look at it, it's 3 weeks, not 4.
Not worth the risk IMHO.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

I get it, and it should be called 3 games rather than 3 weeks, but measuring from the day of the injury is a way of looking at it. Some do.

The injury to Walsh was reported to be a light strain and 2-3 weeks. Same as Cerras before he played against Pies. A mate was watching him train this week and said Walsh looked like he wasn't hindered. Just sharing that, and the point was made that its been 2 weeks since his injury that he's running, and will be 4 weeks against Dees, since he injured it. Again, just sharing what I was told.

The discussion is whether he will or will not play vs Melbourne in 7 days, after missing 2 games, like Cerra did... and Vossy thought Cerra looked right to play the week before but took the conservative approach. That ended well. Every player is different. We will see.

After we win vs Saints, we need to win one more against Melb, GCS or GWS. I'd be happy more comfortable for injured Best 22 players to start coming back for GCS game.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

The only opponent I have apprehensions over is Max Gawn.

The big oaf almost single-handedly denied Richmond last round.

However, Richmond defenders kept kicking it to him out of the backline - I hope we don't make that mistake.

And I hope our coaching staff study hours and hours of his hit-outs to create a counter plan.

Apart from Maxie nothing else stands in our road.

Well Tigers are less of a threat now

Melbourne will get to 2nd this round so Carlton get to beat yet Another top 2 team!

"Bring out yer Dead!"

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

I believe.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue