Love it that they've stuck with Davies. Gotta keep building and getting experience into our young guys.

Yep - Good call Hutchy, good call.

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"If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself" - Henry Ford

Big doubt on Carrots, agree with this.

Who saw the Grigga injury coming? Very disappointing. Been very good for us lately, ideal player for ANZ. Tex playing for his career, good luck son!

+1

Bet he never thought he'd be playing in an Elimination final a few weeks ago ?

T-Bird...........thanks for the memories.

Reckon Hadley will play

Need hard arses in close against Swans

Grigg off to GC?

Loom could be worse, his kicking for goal is a liability right now

Thornton gawn for sure

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It's a small world, but I wouldn't want to paint it

Yeah, that's good Rexy for the development of the kid, but I think it's more a case of no one to replace him rather than sticking with the kid.

Thornton is gawn for sure. Not what I would be doing, but then again who knows what really transpired btw Ratts & TBird. Must've been bad.

We've got a good team on paper.

I don't think Carrots will play though....but I hope he does.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

spewing grigg is out. i reckon he would have played well on sunday.

any idea how serious the injury is?

Disagree with this one Rexy. I'm all for playing the kids and giving them time...White is a great example. But to me, Davies just looks out of his depth right now. Keeps getting caught with the ball, he seems not quite ready. I'd much prefer to see Walker playing the third tall down back in a final.

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Mens sana in corpore sano.

Bring back the laurel wreath logo!!!

Certainly is a conundrum - but Davies isn't doing too badly.

Have to give guys like Yarran, Garlett & Davies a taste of finals football.. were not going to win a flag this yr so might as well.

Please correct me if I'm wrong...but when a squad of 25 is put out changes can't (or just generally don't) come from within the starting 18. This means Davies is definitely in the side. Don't get me wrong, I like what I see with the kid and think he'll be a good player but can we really go in to an elimination final with a 4th or 5th gamer or whatever the kid is. For mine he hasn't yet really looked settled and adjusted to the pace of AFL Home and Away footy, and the intensity is obviously much greater in finals footy. As much as I don't rate Walker too much these days, surely his 100+ game experience should give him the nod ahead of Davies or even an Ellard or Browne (since both on bench and could be out) type with the couple of extra years of experience and kg's they have on them.

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Carlton. Yes, Carlton are into the grand final!!!
- Drew Morphett, after 1999 prelim final

Ratts must be mighty unhappy with Tbird. BOG most weeks with the Ants, both our key defenders are average at the mo, and still there is no spot. Can't see him playing again for us. Pity, he and Fish gave us plenty during the real grim times and they look like they are both gone. Presume it is some discipline thing, and coaches do have their favourites. Aj has had an ordinary season punctuated by poor onfield discipline too many times, yet no chance of the red guernsey. Ando must be close, I think Browne is named because Ratts loves him, he hasn't looked senior class, and if he has only had a couple of games during the year then can't see him playing in a final. Pity about Grigg he was playing well, means Hadley is almost a certainty. We need someone other than Judd to go in for the ball. No way will Carrots play. I think Walks will play (hopefully).

Well if we lose because the back line doesn't hold up Ratten will have a lot to answer for.

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"We used to sit around and talk about how bad the game plan was." Anthony Koutoufides

Thornton did play well for the Ants but let's remember he didn't have an opponent.

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"You are being watched. The government has a secret system. A machine that spies on you every hour of every day. I know because I built it." - Finch

It's hard to believe that Thornton is not a better option than Davies at this stage. That's nothing against Davies, but this is an elimination final, our most important game of the year so far, where surely our best available team should be selected. Thornton has been absolutely dominating in the Bullants, so obviously, something has happened between Ratten and Thornton, which is disappointing.

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Formerly Blues-Back2003.

He shouldn't have been dropped in the first place. Jamison got destroyed by Barry Hall and they dropped Thornton who was actually one of our better players that day.

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"We used to sit around and talk about how bad the game plan was." Anthony Koutoufides

I wouldn't read anything into that. You can't play three tall defenders against the Swans when there is more pace than height in their forward line. Thornton is battling for his position with Jamison and Bower, and on that basis - hasn't deserved a call-up. Davies can play on a Paul Bevan or Gary Rohan who have pace and are good overhead as well. It's really a no-brainer considering the kid is super hungry to play and Thornton thinks it's owed to him.

Dropping Hampson crazy.Not playing our best backman even crazier.

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All my dangerous friends

Noted criticism coming from you Blues2005, someone with a history as a staunch Ratten apologist.

Hampson was a liability, hence why he has been dropped.



White's injured

I commented somewhere that I thought Ratts would not have liked some of the T-Bird traits that were on display during the Bullants game. He was definately good in his role, but he didn't go in hard a few times, chipped sideways for no reason on occassions and also when under pressure just dished off to a teammate in a worse position.

It doesn't matter anyway, T-Bird has one, hopefully 3 more games with the Bullants and then we say goodbye.

I have a feeling we won't be seeing Thornton in navy blue next year.

Nothing to base it on, just a feeling.

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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