I see what you did there.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

I thought this Russell bloke was Mr Wonderful.
We are a month off the start of the season and have 10 players sitting on the sidelines or touch and go.

This is preseason everyone should be up and ready to go

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

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If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

Summarised version of Riley Beveridge's injury update :-

- Martin (general soreness, back for pre-season games)
- Fisher (general soreness, back for pre-season games)
- Kreuzer (heart procedure, back for pre-season games)
- SPS (quad, back for pre-season game)
- Weitering (hip, back for pre-season game)
- McGovern (?, back for pre-season game)
- Marchbank (loading, back for pre-season game)
- Macreadie (loading, back for pre-season game)
- McKay (groin, unlikely in pre-season)
- Charlie (knee, ?)
- Kemp (knee, LTI)

https://www.afl.com.au/news/375936/prom ... son-opener

So Charlie and Kemp the only long term injuries.
McKay still battling a groin that he seems to have had since early-mid last season. That's a concern.
McGovern has nearly done the whole preseason and will play in a Marsh game.
SPS to miss against Fremantle but has done the whole preseason and will play against Brisbane.

One of the better preseasons we have had for a long time. Great to have had so many who have struggled for so long have a preseason. Docherty, Cuningham and Williamson especially. A lot of quality there if they are on the park. Williamson's highlights from the Collingwood practice match is exactly what most of us have been dreaming of while he has sat on the sidelines for two years. Pace, agility, aggression, nous and skill.

And seemingly all our first choice midfielders and defenders doing the whole preseason without issue should be great for their synergy as a group.

I don't know how Harry will come into consideration for round 1 if he doesn't play in the Pre Season / praccy games.

Last praccy against Lions is on the at 6.40pm on Sunday 8th March, with round 1 being played at 7.25 on Thursday 19th March.

Assuming he's touch and go for the game on the 8th, it gives him another 11 days to find "match" fitness before round 1. Where is that going to come from?

Anyone have any reason why to suggest he can play round 1?

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

I don’t think he will play. I doubt he has even done enough running as a fitness base.

I think our round 1 team will be our most experienced team, with guys like Dow and Fisher left out in favour of Newnes and Martin, and we won’t take in anyone underdone, which should only be McKay of our first choice 22.

Agreed - I can't see any real surprises for round 1 (outside of 'favourites' being left out for experienced personnel).

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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 doubt we’ll see Harry or Marchbank in the seniors early in the season. Their long term welfare should be the primary consideration. I can’t see Russell & team rushing their progress.

Levi staying fit over the next month suddenly becomes vital with clouds over Harry, McGovern & Kreuzer.

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

Every year that passes and our kids become more experienced.

I know what you mean...we can leave out the 21yo and under given the numbers of more experienced / hardened bodies we have on the list since trading in Gov Newman, Newnes, Betts, Martin and drafting Gibbons, and the return of Docherty and Jones.

Marchbank is running and competing in some drills ie ramping up.

Fisher is fitter and slipperier than ever is the word....can't see him missing.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

The Age (or more specifically, McClure) reporting Harry won’t play round 1.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/edd ... 546jk.html

Cripps seems to think he's on track, and Aicav's report, although alluded to Mitch not being injured but working on the training cycle set for each player. I suspect its the same for Harry, who played in last weeks intra club match simulation and looked too tall and too quick for Jones who was playing on him.

Don't be surprised if harry and mitch play round 1, with Levi as the other KP.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Eddie out 3-4 weeks

https://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/576364

It's kind of worrying that even though we have a bloke considered the best in the business, this shit continues to happen.

Curnow - likely gone for year
McKay - not even training
Betts - out for 3-4
McGovern - doubtful for round 1, question mark over whether he's even training

Will we ever see our forward line investment returned?

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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

The bloke who is best in the business can only have an influence in getting injured players back earlier that what might be the case without him. He has little or no influence on players getting injured....... unless he kicked Eddie in the calf.

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“Before you criticise someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticise them, you're a mile a way and you have their shoes."

Whilst some Teams continue to have few if any injuries.

I see the Crows, Lions and Tigers continue to have almost full lists to select from.

Fair enough - but there has to be some all-encompassing reason we again go into round 1 of the season scrambling to put a team together while Richmond go in fully fit.

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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'm going to go with a lack of depth in the middle and our inability to attract players that are less likely to be injured (bottom of the ladder issue).
More mature mids will release the pressure off both the forward and defensive lines, thus negating the loss of key forwards or defenders that we have to rely on to just be competitive.
Much like Richmond do. If they didn't have either Riewoldt or Lynch they would still be able to provide enough forward pressure from the middle to keep the ball in their F50 and the rest just follows.

And fingers crossed the season is delayed 4 weeks and we get some more players back. That'll make for a good start to the season.

Update on CFC website
Marchbank - bone bruising a couple of weeks
Plow - 100% good to go
McKay - been training for 3-4 weeks but needs another 3-4 weeks to be fit and good to go
Charlie - all a bit vague - leg strengthening to start (resume?) in a week or two.
McCreadie - good to go
Eddie 3-4.
That's it.

He did state that more players had completed >80% of preseason and fewer had completed <60% than last year specifically mentioning Setterfield & Fish as significant improvers.

Russell said Macreadie will play “AFL or VFL this week”...... um, I thought there was no VFL until June?

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