Some good stuff there gents. I too am expecting a better output from our forwards - especially from Bell, Biv, DeVoe on Saturday night.

I do think the 3 amigos might enjoy subi more than friggin skater rink ethiad!

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

If he isn't doing that at all he shouldn't have a job. It's been part and parcel of the caper since the day he started coaching. I'd suggest he's doing it, but not very well, and not reinforcing it enough to see his players take it on board.

That said there are a few blokes in midfield who are doing a much worse job of working over their opponents. These would be things I'd suggest we're not doing right week to week, and they hurt you on match-day. Preparation is everything.

A good example is Harry Taylor. Keeps a dossier on all his likely opponents and notes down their strengths, weaknesses and tendencies in their play, and how he can exploit them. That'd be anywhere between 60 - 100 players. That's the kind of stuff a player needs to do if they want to be elite.

At our club we heard about how Walker spent plenty of time with the tape and scouting while he was injured this season. I have no doubt he has taken his research and film study to a new level and that's reflected in his play this year, even his improved disposal. Given how hard he works on the track, he's probably a shining example of how our players should approach their football going forward, at least during the season.

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

Some decent skates would help at the The Rink.

You would think that the surface at Etihad is the same for our opposition as well...so it's not much of an excuse..

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"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

Yep, doggies and Swans handled it allright. Nike needs to provide a better product.

I thought the bootstudder was suspended so the boys had to go and belt their own boots against the concrete to get all the dirt out. Maybe a few of them were too lazy to do it? Unprofessional to say the least and should be eradicated ASAP. We are a rabble.

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Premierships: 1869, 1871, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1887, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1995.

"GIBBS."

The way our forward line has been going, we need all members of New Edition to be present

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We are on our way back...

..i think Walker needs to be used through the middle, and not in a negating way either.. ..tell him to chase the ball, at least he'll throw his body in.. ..he'll do the grunt work..

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..if you can't be good, be good at it..

so i guess i will go to subiaco and watch this shit live then

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*(grow - fun - gah)

Yeah but whatabout your whataboutism.

Hope it's not over in the first 10 minutes like the last two weeks

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Cheats never prosper (except in the AFL)

Hey grro.......how much support is there in W.A. for The Blues?....and...is there a decent crowd go over for the game?

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No ones listening till you make a mistake.

imo,
armfield jamison joseph
russell bower davies
simpson gibbs walker
yarran waite scotland
hampson henderson betts

jacobs judd murphy

gartlett ellard robinson grigg/kerr/houla

-jamison, last chance before a run with the ants
-hampson, to play as a tall forward for the rest of the season
-gibbs/murphy, to play in the 'MIDDLE' then rotate forward
-henderson, to play from the square, and ratten leave him there
-walker, moved to the wing for extra run and carry into the forward line
-yarran, hey ratten try him in the middle every now and then
-ratten, try and shut down priddis and the frenchman

if we lose, the heat will really be on

And you're happy about that?

Was thinking the same thing...

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

the support for the blues in WA is massive - we will pack out the area behind the goals at one end

if we are winning and look likely to win you will hear the crowd singing the song sometime during the last qtr

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*(grow - fun - gah)

Yeah but whatabout your whataboutism.

you're right its all ratts fault - everything, the players, the missed kicks, the shit shots on goal, the missed tackles, everything.

There is no way certain grounds suit certain teams. Never happened, never will.

There is no way playing on a shit surface week after week could dent your confidence. Now way at all.

In fact I blame Ethiad's surface on Ratts.

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

JR T-Bird Tex
AJ Bower Scotland
Simmo Judd Gibbs
Yarran Hendo Garlett
Betts Waite Hammer

Warnock Grigg Murphy

Armfield Ellard Hoops Robbo

In: Ellard, Hoops, T-Bird, Warnock
Out: Lucas (inj), Carrots, Jacobs, Jamo

Tough decision to drop Jamo, but he's a shadow of himself at the moment. I'm starting to feel sorry for him and I think it might be time he was given the opportunity to find some form/confidence in the VFL.

Carrots might survive the chop if Hoops doesn't come up.

Backline looks vulnerable. But with White & Lucas out injured, and Austin still short on fitness/form, we're running out of options. I suppose there's a chance the MC might give Anderson or Browne another chance, but I tend to think their papers have been stamped. Davies might get a go, but I don't think he's ready yet personally. If they play Johnson, it should be on a wing (he's clearly not up to it in defence IMO). Perhaps Waite could play in defence and we could throw T-Bird up forward (or Tex into the midfield)? That might be 'Plan B' if Waite can't get into the game in attack and/or our backline is getting towelled up...

We might even see Hendo vs Kennedy at some stage too if we need to move Hendo into defence again....

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

The game plan should stop being so negative and so reactive.

We have to forget about all the tagging and focus on our game.
What we are going to do first.

I remember games over the last 2 years when we had success.
It was obvious we were good at getting our hands on the ball first.
I'm sure if we focussed on getting the ball first we should get back on our bike.
Warnock and Hampson can give us first hand on the ball over Cox and NicNat.
We will miss Kreuzers pace against these 2 ruck opponents, but if we have the ball his absence doesn't matter.

I really want 2 tall targets presenting deep in the forward line at times.
If we get the ball in the middle, and I expect to as Judd, Murphy, Gibbs, Simmo and Scotto must have felt the acid this week.

Judd and Warnock return to WA along with their troupe of West Australians (3 Amigos, Ellard and Bower).
It should be a great chance to show our good wares to our fans in WA.

We have to win this game.

I haven't expected much in the last 3 weeks, but this game I'm confident because the players know a loss would knock us out of the 8.
I think of the words 'Eye' and 'Tiger', and I'm hoping it appears for the Bluebaggers this Saturday.
Too much to lose this week. Reputations are on the line. My patience has worn thin.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Whooah danny old boy...whats Ratts got to do with it....all I said was its lame to blame the surface for our woes when both teams are playing on it....if anything we should be advantaged by having played on that crap surface more than most of our opponents of late....

_________________
"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre