All for back-up plans Elwood but I just get the feel that our team last week was too defensive. We know of your admiration for Banno but I think we had too many defenders in there. The great clubs of the past few years have a series of defensive midfielders in there, but I feel as though a few on our list are nullifiers rather than defensive midfielders.

Agree on versatility over Wiggins, not McGrath, but I can't help but feel they needed to make a change. Wiggler for all of his errors really does try to run off from defence, perhaps thats the change Pagan wanted? Perhaps he saw Banno shirk a contest, something Wiggler wouldn't do?

Look I agree Molsey that you cant get carried away with overtagging ....you have to get the balance right depending on who you are playing. I didnt think that Bannister shirked any issue last week or was our worst player either.

Essendon* have a few players worth tagging IMO and apart from Hird who Sporn will probably get I rate Adam Mcphee as the next most dangerous along with Jason Johnson.
McPhee is an athlete and I think Bannister is the ideal opponent.... to me there are not many alternatives for Mcphee.....maybe Prenda....Wiggins and McGrath wouldnt be able to handle MCphee who is bigger and quicker... really cant understand why he has been dropped especially as this game is against his old team and he should have something to prove...

Well he's technically not dropped until 7:40 tonight I guess

Yeah. I didn't see Banno shirk anything, nor would you expect it, but im sure 90% of blues fans were surprised that he was dropped so I just gather there is something bigger to his demotion.

McPhee nailed us last year int he first game; if he plays forward with lucas they will be able to kick a few, no doubt. Many of the tipsters have gone with us but I think that's just because everyone loves to kick the Bombers wehen they appear to be heading down. Our defence is a real weakness and solutions willr equire players being pulled from elsewhere - as much as I love Prenders effort he's not a key defender - so we've got some serious holes to fill.

That being said, our Ruck (how long has it been since you could honestly say that?) and forward line are real advantages for us and we will need big games from french, whits, fev, kouta and 2 of our onballers to win.

McPhee is pretty hampered by OP don't forget, nowhere near 100%

I reckon you're off the mark there, but that is my opinion and yours is yours.

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I agree with Deano that that could be a part of it but I think it's more to do with the fact he's an Essendon* player

agree with you fevolaaaa.
Sheedy is an absolute master at clouding the real issues and getting everyone to look the wrong way. He should have been a magician not a football coach.


Back to us.
How come jonno cannot get a look in?
I know he is not perfect, that his disposal is average, but is the anyone better as an in-and-under footballer?
It would seem to me that we need this.
I would much prefer to see him in rather than wiggo.
What we need is a Voss/Riscutto type player. We dont have this. We either have in&under or we have tough. It seems to me that we are choosing Wiggo as that tough type of player. I would prefer to pick the in&under guy.

I don't disagree with your note of caution EB. Arrogance should be left to us supporters until the players can use it wisely.

But as will always happen when comparing 2 players, Cartledge's situation isn't quite the same as Mark Porter. IIRC, Porter was drafted as a mature-age rookie from the VFL. His body and game had matured as a 1st ruck in that competition. In that sense, Porter shared some common ground with Brogan and Fanning who both came into AFL football after spending a couple of years in the NBL and were mature athletes. Cartledge doesn't yet have the body to take 1st ruck, unlike Ports.

On the other hand, of course, for all we know Cartledge might be dissimilar to Porter in his capabilities. Ports had his limitations, and Cartledge may be a lot more athletic and skillful. As you said, we have to prepare on the assumption that he will display those qualities tonight. We have an irritating history of witnessing the birth of young stars - Modra kicking 13 on SOS, Tredrea ripping apart Peter Dean. Let's not go there again

i think porter came in from the diamond valley league from memory, not the VFL.... not that it really matters

yes laserkid, there is, his name is kouta and he picked up 32 possies last week doing exactly that.

wiggins can play on a number of opponents (some may say not very well) but he has more dimensions than johnno. johnson will be an emergency / back-up player throughout the year, unfortunately (IMHO). look through the bombers line-up - where else can johnno play?

Look out for Big Red. Balmy night, sticky fingers, big ocassion, big crowd & no obvious good match up for him from a Bumbers point of view.

Go you good thing

A Bomber fan friend of mine reckons Henneman will get 'im.

Please let it be true.

Porter came from Coburg.....agree Mav that Porter was more mature in both body and mind so it wasnt such a big step up...we have a habit of being burnt by first game players so I always tend to be a bit wary of writing them off due to inexperience...John Georgidies(spelling) and Brent Heaver are two that come to mind for me...

Don't tease me

I recon Fev will lead Fletcher well up the ground tonight...need to keep him away from the goal mouth and Fev will find it hard to beat him in the air...hope they do match up as it will be a very interesting duel.

lucas the dangerman...who will get him

wouldn't be surprised we start with prenda as selected, but if it doesn't work drop to waitey with his left side (heard he was running out from CHB in training drills during the week)