This is my Grand Final line-up with the proviso that Kouta and Wiggo come up and Waite doesn't.

Full Back: Carrazzo Livingston Teague

Half Back: Sporn Thornton Houlihan

Centre: McGrath Stevens Camporeale

Half For’d: Lappin Whitnall Chambers

Full For’d: Deluca Fevola Davies

Ruck: French Koutoufides Scotland

Interchange: Morrell Norman Wiggins

Prendergast Bannister Walker

Johnson(If Kouta Doesn't Play)

ALSO HAVE SOME EXCLUSIVE INFO - CHRIS JUDD WILL COME TO THE BLUES IN OCTOBER 07

As I said before - a big NO re: dropping Johnson.
His worth to the side is severely undervalued.

If Kouta comes is, I'd take out Karl.

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Writer for SuperCoach Paige www.scpaige.com.au
Twitter - @johnfeeney24

The Weagles will have minimum of Lynch, Hansen, Gardiner/Seaby and possible rookie Jamie Grahm in their forward line. Karl has seemed a bit off in games so far this year but is a must for insurance against these talls. Who do you propose takes the 3rd tall ?

Western Bulldogs have as many talls as the Eagles, and we went alright without Karl.

Look, I rate Norman.
At the moment he is a victim of circumstance.
That circumstance being Livo's good form over the past three weeks.
As said before, Karl will have to sit tight and wait for an injury to occur before he will find his spot in the starting 22.
At the moment he is either bit part/bench material or BullAnts material.

If Kouta doesn't play, then possible Setanta could play.
Archie DeLuca is more than capable of floating back and providing that extra tall.
As is Digby.

i'd leave Digby forward, but if need be send him back.
Archie should see a bit of ruck time so if I were Denis I'd tell him to push right back after the centre clearance.
His instructions should be to not go past the centre circle unless it is absolutely necessary.

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Writer for SuperCoach Paige www.scpaige.com.au
Twitter - @johnfeeney24

i thought i saw karl playing against the dogs....in fact im sure i saw him playing..

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R A D I C A L B R O T H E R S

Inspired by the One-Minute Sculptures of Erwin Wurm

"All in all is all we are..."

Yeah he played.
Didn't do much however hence the reason why I said we went alright without him.

I reckons he needs a re-charge in the twos.
There is no doubt we are going to need him at some stage during the year.

Just needs to be re-charged that's all.

He'll be right.

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Writer for SuperCoach Paige www.scpaige.com.au
Twitter - @johnfeeney24

Agreed regarding Johnno, PJ. One example comes to mind from last week - a beautiful gather and dish off inside 50 for a goal. If it hadn't happened right in front of me, I might not have seen it at all as it was so quick (and the glory went to someone else).

WC has Fletcher as an in-and-under. Leaving aside blocking and grabbing, there isn't really any point tagging such a player during stoppages as they are used to working in a phone box anyway and getting the ball out to their runners. You can tag them around the ground to prevent them being a "go to" player, or play a fast player on them to exploit them going the other way. But when you have Cousins and Judd who have explosive pace away from the pack (and are quite capable of going and getting it themselves as well), the last thing you want is someone feeding the ball out to them. The only way to stop this is to have your own in-and-under who can win the ball in the pack, and clear the ball out of the danger area. Johnson's ability to grab the ball at stoppages and kick long (albeit somewhat aimlessly) will get it away from their dangermen. With Fev and Lance in good form, and Whoosha's distaste of flooding, such long kicks into the forward line should work to our advantage and fit in with Pagan's plans.

If Kouta was perfectly fit and able to play in the midfield for the whole game, Johnson may well be superfluous. But it is most unlikely that Pagan would want him to play for the whole game, and he will be played to the extent that maximises his readiness for the start of the season. There is a real doubt about his fitness anyway. He trained on his own estimation for 25 minutes. Apart from drills in which the players were paired up, he only did one group drill as far as I saw. This involved him marking and handballing or running to receive and kick without turning. I did not see him do any drill that involved changes of direction. While it is encouraging that he can kick the ball long, and he did not have strapping, the jury is still out on his fitness.

You are drawing a very long bow if you compare the rabble that the Bullies were last week to the ruthlessly efficient Eagles. We torched the Bullies who over-possesed which proved their undoing in not taking advantage of their height advantage up forward. Archie has had half a game and not in defence mind but you would throw him back on one of the Eagles resting ruckman.

I like Johno but IMO he won't live with quality Eagles midfield and for mine Karl should play for balance.

Not in terms of quality re: The Doggies talls vs the Eagles talls, I was comparing them in how many the Dogs had and how many the Eagles while adding in Karls influence on the game.

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Writer for SuperCoach Paige www.scpaige.com.au
Twitter - @johnfeeney24

Any chance Denis will play an Irish wildcard?

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"The Wigg's big in 08!" - Chris Judd

i bloody hopes he plays the irish wildcard

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R A D I C A L B R O T H E R S

Inspired by the One-Minute Sculptures of Erwin Wurm

"All in all is all we are..."

Said on radio today that Setanta is better off playing a full game in the 2's than on & off the bench in the 1's.

Oh. Well.

Easy solution to that dilemma then: Give him a full game in the 1's!!

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"The Wigg's big in 08!" - Chris Judd

If Kouta comes up then I'd drop Karl. Missing out on a grand final might be the kick in the bum he needs. Although I'm not really a big Johnson fan there is no way you could consider dropping him, and especially with the Eagles dominant midfield.

I agree that Johnson will stay in the side, as Kouta is no chance of playing a full game.

I also think Bannister is a certainty to start on the ground and tag Judd (unless of course, Judd starts on the bench!).

Johnson has to remain in the side.

We have no chance of beating the weagles in a centre square shootout, but what Johnson gives us is an ability to at least win the ball and get our runners into the mix.

Our running players are of a decent quality. Sure, not Judd, Kerr, Cousins etc, but I'm confident that if we chase the real hard ball with made-for-it players like Kouta and Johnno, then it will give us a fighting chance in the middle.

Johnno's role is not delivering the ball into the forward line. It's getting the ball out of there, and that happens to be something I reckon he's really good at.

Kouta in for Karl. Johnno stays for mine.

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Congratulations CK95

I think Karl will probably get the chop, he didn't get a look in at all last week and the two previous to that again saw him with little chance to do much.

If Kouta plays then I'd bring him in for Karl.

Otherwise I think we're pretty settled. I'd like to get Wiggo in there somehow but can't find anyone to justify replacing.

Setanta is an unrealistic option and I don't know why people would even bring him up. As Denis says, he's better off getting a full game for the Bullants than playing about a quarter's worth for Carlton in such a big game.

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Formerly Blues-Back2003.

Good to see the general opinion on Johno has changed for the positive,
even though his contribution last week was minimal.

Johno is the in and under player we need, as quoted in this thread previously his task is to get the ball out. Which is what he does quite regularly.

Kouta in

based on last week ...

Norman out

What about Simmo?

I have no probs with Kouta for Karl. I thought Simmo did enough last week to warrant another game. I like Wiggo as well.....oh shit....not easy at all. Simmo has one ability Wiggo doesn't - he's a left footer, just gives us something extra.

For me just one change then,

Karl out - Kouta in

karl and davies OUT

kick up the backside for both, even though Davies has been okay, but he should be doing more.

that free kick for a piss weak attempt to tackle in the last quater last week was unacceptable. he should have done much much better but didnt look interested.

Wiggins and Kouta IN.

wiggins provides that extra hard body around the packs and can be used as another run with player.

in case banno or prenda are getting towelled up.