A little early but it seems that Ratts is backing down on Betts, and that's piss weak... at least start him as the sub ffs.

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“I would rather have questions that can't be answered than answers that can't be questioned.” ― Richard Feynman

Accept your comment on role specifics etc Jimmae, it would be ok to carry him if the other blokes around him were picking up the slack.

But we're apparently going to try and work Hendo into form in the seniors, we've got Walker out of form, Waite is inconsistent and Hammer is not providing any kind of realistic option. Which leaves Jeff.

We can't carry that many out of form or substandard players in one area of the ground. Something's got to give.

End.of.story! Softcock!

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C'mon Blueboys!

You guys are all going to have ulcers before too long.

How about we all wait and see what the actual selection is before we go off our heads?

There is a chance that what was said to the press bears only a slight resemblance to what is actually happening.

I'd like to think he wouldn't be venturing down that path.

Eddie's one of our most talented and gifted forwards and he will turn the corner eventually. I want him playing !

Is the team plus extended bench named tonight?

agree, that was a great effort, and still a rat favourite so is safe for a while. still makes infantile decisons at times - but great goal on the run though

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one you knock back is one you never have

give him more responsibility like playing in the middle but tell him not to try to take mark-of-the-year each week!!

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one you knock back is one you never have

Out: Passengers
In: Bus Drivers

Ratts suggested in his press conf.....1, maybe 2 changes. One of those chnages seems likely to be a tackling machine (he used Armfield as an example) for the front half

henderson is safe

decision on betts left to the match committee

This are why we're still shit. The Age article is worse.

Good to see it's taken 4 weeks to prove that we have no depth and "no passengers" is a marketing slogan not a club ethos. FFS.

You think we are shit?

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Have I run too far to get home?

I have no problem with Betts playing if the coaches think that is the way they want to go with him.

Ratts has dropped plenty of faves to prove a point so i am not sure why people think he wouldnt do it with Betts if he thought it would help.

In an important respect, yes we are.

We are obviosuly a relatively improved side in purely football terms. But half the comp is in that ordinary space. I keep waiting to see evidence of the hard edge the seperates a top 2-3 team from the other "relatively good" sides. I'm just not seeing iy yet. I thought I saw it in the pre-season when they said there would be no passangers this year. But it seems no matter how out of touch you are, as long as you kicked 5 goals 12 rounds back you can still have a seat.

In short, we're not ruthless enough to achieve the results we aspire to. And it will cost Ratten his job.

listen to the press conference rather than read an edited version.

ratts says it will be up to the match committee

Betts shouldn't be judged on last 2 weeks alone, but what he's provided us in big games over the last few years. And that is why he should be DROPPED & left down at the bullants for a month - minimum. His finals efforts in 2009 against brisbane & 2010 against sydney were awful. And I cannot remember the last time he's played well in a big game when we were desperate for a win. Perhaps saints and cats games were solid, but since then & in the back 1/3 of season in 2009, he's been ordinary.

He spends most of his time, standing in the forward line pointing his finger at where other team-mates should run, but does very little pro-active running himself, particularly at stoppages. The fact that he's in his 7th season now & is not being rotated through the midfiled, says it all in my opinion. He's not prepared to get himself in the necessary shape, body/fitness wise to be an AFL player, & it's now catching up with him. IF Ratten can't apprecaite this & do something about it, ie, drop him, then that has me extremely worried.

I don't think I'm overstating things to suggest that Betts peformance on Saturday lost us the game - we were essentially one man down. Ratten has to take responsibility for this, particularly given most of us who look closely at players like Betts & have been observing a totally inadequate work-rate for some time now.

What also disappoints me is Betts history suggests that if he plays long enough, he'll strike some form & kick a few, soon enough, but most likely against teams outside the top 8. And when we need him to stand up when it counts, he'll let the club down.

i said on the match day thread that betts looked like he was limping, either that or he just looked lazy couldnt lift his feet. he also needs to give big nick his shorts back

^This.

I hope Betts plays. Hendo needs time to get fit. Give him 3 weeks in the twos.

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end of message

Looks like the team proper has been named, looks unchanged. Watching AFL teams and this is what they have.

White, Jamison, Carrots
Duigan, Laidler, Russell
Scottland, Juddy, Yaz
Eddie, Waite, Simo
Hampson, Hendo, Garlett
Warnock, Murph, Gibbs
int: Curnow, Walks, Collins, Robbo
Emg: Ellard, Army, Lucas

I have a gut feeling Collins will be the Emergency. Won't be Walker again, they won't want to lose his match fitness. I am very surprised Collins gets another gig. I hope he improves. I think T bird must be pretty filthy right now. Was good against Collingwood but who do you drop for him? Hendo needs time to find his feet once more. Eddie will come good, just hope it is this week.

That looks exactly like the side from last week.

The Blues won't name an official side until tomorrow.

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