Jimmae I don't have an opinion because I don't have enough information about who is fit to play and who is not. Who is mentally on the ball and who is not.

I don't know who has been given instructions and roles to play in the VFL and who has carried those instructions and/or roles out well. I don't have the detailed analysis that Cordy has regarding who; needs to be rested and who needs to keep playing based on the fact that a bye is not far away.

I can't read between the lines regarding what Ratts said about Carrots running well and whether he was ready to play this week.

I don't know where Austin, Bower and Lucas are at in regards to their mindset and/or fitness to play AFL.

I do know you can't fit 25 into 22 and if some worthy choices are still missing out of the team then that can only be a good thing. I don't know but I can surmise the MC want to try and settle down the team leading into the finals but we are still awaiting the return of Hammer, Waity, Jamo, Carrots, Curnow, Paul Bower and JR. So that means there are 4 or 5 who are currently playing that have their spots up for grabs.

Those players are obviously; Touhy, Davies, Armfield, McLean, Houls, AJ and maybe Ellard. So I would surmise it may be abit pointless to start bringing others into the team at this late stage to cloud the issue. That is not to say it won't happen but I don't know why it would.

Regards Cazzesman

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Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

I would have brought in Set Top Box.

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I am as mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more!!!

???

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Never argue with idiots. They drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience!!!

After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says W T F .........
Visit http://fromthemoshpit.com/

That is one of Setanta's nick names. Refer to his video on the website

Set top box hahahahaa!!!!!!!!

Oh. Thanks. (Had nfi... )

_________________
Never argue with idiots. They drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience!!!

After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says W T F .........
Visit http://fromthemoshpit.com/

Very interested to see how the dees react and how the Blues respond lots of emotion big Jim due for more cancer surgery , Lyon telling them to enjoy themselves
Coached sacked

Lots and lots of emotion

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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

That was actually my question. Cheers Carlos!
Though my name is DEON, not DEAN.

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i AM CARLTON

Swear he said Dianne....

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Go to http://www.snoutslouts.org/ for a look at the mighty GFC...

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"I had to eat"

Fair enough; thought you might have caught a few games recently. Last week's VFL is still on iView if you're keen.


Yep, fair, but I look at the senior line-up and see plenty of tired blokes running around who could have been systematically rotated 2 or 3 at a time for the last 6 to 8 weeks. First and second year players get every 3rd week off, but even with our injury list there was an opportunity to spell that many each week, and try to use the sub to spell another.

Instead we have Ratts saying we tried to pin that on the sub each week, and the plan regularly back-fired due to injury concerns on match day. What a surprise. So that's 1 from 2 for Ratts & Cordy.


I can understand Carrazzo not being brought back in and Hoops going out, but I'd like to know why we've pushed another bloke returning from injury into the side without considering form players in the VFL who have been playing regular footy. Lucas & Kerr are the stand-out names there, and they're looking fresh due to Cordy's change in tact.


I can agree with that to an extent. Perhaps Davies and Joseph could have been reconsidered and alternative options explored? I don't feel they had any of their team mates vying for the same spots over a barrel in any category other than defensive application. Certainly not in their read of the game and their decision making with the ball in hand (though both have improved).

Anyway Cazz, it's a discussion forum and we've got to make a few assumptions to actually get to the point where we can discuss the topics.

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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.

I think you missed the point.

_________________
"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

It's where assumptions turn into fact that the MC has got it wrong, is always the sticking point.

The assumption that you can watch the VFL and or the AFL and decide who is tired and who is not is always interesting. It is the assumption that Lucas and Kerr are ready to come up when they may have been asked to work on certain aspects of their game in the VFL before they get a look in at the AFL is another point of consideration.

Realistically at this time of the year there is no real need for Lucas and or Kerr to be in the team. Others can and do play their roles and most are physically seasoned AFL combatants. Both Kerr and Lucas will have their day and if it happens to be in 2012 then so be it.

Regards Cazzesman

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Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

Co-sign.

Actually, I asked him what he thought about the selections, and the other possibles for this week. I think the question I was asking was completely hijacked.



Ratten himself has said through the week that Lucas is close, and given Armfield is named I'd say he's a great chance to come in. The jungle drums are beating for both he and Kerr based on VFL form, and even training reports this week. It's a reasonable guide, but there are of course other factors and of course factors influencing the punter's form guide, as you mention.

I think the flip-side to the argument you put forward is that players should be rewarded for progress where it can be allowed. We've seen that with Watson, Davies, Joseph & Tuohy, but not Lucas. Is he that physically far off the boil? I don't think so at all. He's already an elite runner and is by no means skinny.

I really do think this comes down to some of the coaching and FD personnel getting into a mindset about what each player represents and what needs to be targeted in selection at senior level. A player then gets typecast and you see them slide down the pecking order for a while before finally someone loses their cool and constructive dialogue opens as a peace breaker.

We saw it work with Thornton last year, and this time it seems to be Lucas' turn. My problem? That approach doesn't always work, and the decision that leads to that point isn't always warranted.

It's not that critical thing to say, so I don't see the point in defending it so staunchly. A good organisation in any industry should be open to critique and able to sift through and take on advice in the hopes of improving their practices. Even for a mug punter looking in on a sporting club, there is still the opportunity for useful insights.

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

I only go by Bullants reports and what the highly respected posters there see and write - but Lucas must have done something very special the last couple of weeks because the majority oF comment i have read on him suggests he's struggling a VFL level, never mind contributing in a top four AFL team.

I'm all for developing kids but we've got a top four spot to win and I think we should be dancing with the ones who brung us

I see your point but we've had a decent injury list, and this is the midfield pool we've been able to dip into for selection:

Joseph
Curnow
Carter
Houlihan
Kerr
McLean
Armfield
Lucas
Cachia
Twomey

We've tried 6 of those 10 names in recent weeks, with very limited success. Some due to for injury reasons, others form, others still a combination of the two. Out of the remaining 4, two names stand out. Their form has consistently improved through the year, so given the limited success with the first 6, why not dip into that pool a bit more?

As it stands I think we'll pluck out number 7 this week, and if Houlihan doesn't find fitness we may have a look at number 8.

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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.

I will be most interested in how we start the game.

We have to be absolutely ruthless and hit them with all we've got right from the start. Let them know they are no chance of winning.

I'll be disappointed with anything less.

With what's at stake for us, last thing we want to do is give them a sniff and be in a dog fight.

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We are on our way back...

With all respect, the majority of us wouldn't have a clue who's ready for selection and how they'd fit into the coaches game plan. We demonstrate every single week we're just as clueless as to what that game plan is...and thats not because there isn't one.

We just aren't privvy to discussions on it and don't spend 40+ hours a week involved in it.

Some of us are more capable than others of working things out, but for any of us to be second guessing the coaches and MC is laughable when you think about it and accept it.

When Cazz, who at least has some involvement with the club, says he's not informed enough to have an opinion on selection, what hope do the rest of us have?

Of course the point of the forum is a place to offer opinion and thoughts and ask questions to better understand (and those things should be encouraged) but lets not make out we know any better than we actually do.

_________________
"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

A poster on BigFooty who is really well connected at the Bullants reckons Armfield is a definite out and Houlihan will be in as sub.