Austin is the man for Franklin. One of our only players with the pace to keep up with him and who is match fit.

We have to win the midfield contest to have any chance. We have to exploit the Hawks' short-ish defence.

We need to make a physical statement against the Hawks - I'd like someone to iron out Mitchell or something like that. We have been physically intimidated previously, we cannot allow this to happen.

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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

100% spot on......I'm not understanding the weekly call of 'Out: Davies' by so many across all forums - has done his job for all 4 weeks he's been in, doesn't get a lot of the ball himself, but certainly shuts his opponent out of the game completely. Watching him in the background of play today & he never stops bumping, blocking, shepherding - basically being a nuisance to the opposition, whilst creating space/protecting his teammates who have the ball in their hands. Couldn't be happier with & for him at the moment - has been given a chance after I personally doubted we'd ever see him in Navy Blue again with emergence of Duigan & Laidler & he's thoroughly grabbed it......just as AJ has also done. Credit to both of them.

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Football is life: there is nothing else

What Don said.

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I hope Essendon* folds.

I'd be tempted to bring in Bower for this one, after another apparent decent VFL performance. That said, not sure who comes out for him unless Thornton is deemed not fit to play, as the coach seems to like Davies and he went ok today. And even then, I feel that Ratts would sooner bring in JR than Bower. But from my perspective I feel Bower could be a good second option on Buddy, he has done a great job on him before. Big ask I know, but if he's in any sort of form he's a good matchup for him.

No reason why a tall can't take Buddy and play like Alex Silvagni who took the points by playing in front.

Austin is the same height and weight.

Franklin is ranked 24th for contested marks and 40th for total marks.

For a player of Franklin's height, size, weight and reputation, he is an average mark in pack situations.

On the smaller Etihad, Franklin could struggle to find space if we flood and push back.

That's what stops us from playing our game.

Bring Austin in and play him on Franklin. Hotcox would be in favour of that.

What do you have against Davies?

Your justifications are almost as forced as those who constantly look for ways to pot Austin, Gibbs and Mclean.

I see Franklin as a threat that requires a change in the structure, and I'm also wary of Thornton's injury, Waite's return and the fact that we'll need a few tall options.

Who would you cull out of the defensive unit ahead of Davies?

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Surprised no-one's mentioned Garlett as possibly being in the gun.

Whilst I don't think we'd do it so close to seasons end, there's some traits creeping into his game that I really don't like. Starting to play like a millionaire.

Could perhaps do with the rest. A good game from Kerr in the Ants would have made things interesting.

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Nearly agree with that. Jeff has been just a little disappointing for most of the season in my view. Started it brilliantly, but his rapid improvement has stalled and his execution has become less reliable.

Just like we heard all week Sandilands was going too....

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Hawthorn has won the last 7...win this and it is a record winning streak against us. We've smashed all the other hoodoos - time we did this one!

Also going for our 5th win in a row, something we haven't done since 2000.

From the Bluesuem

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gibbs on franklin

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"If" Bower doesn't come back we'll need to play one of the undersized defenders on him. For mine, I'd lean towards Laidler with Davies as my 2nd option. Remember Josh Gibson has done the job before while playing for North Melbourne and the very reason is that Franklin is more of a mobile KP player more than a pack mark forward. Henderson will be needed for Hale.

If Thornton plays, we'll need to make sure he's protected. These flogs (cheered on by their flog coach) will do anything to soften him up.

We should have a slight advantage in the ruck, but they (Warnock in particular) need to tap it to advantage and not straight bloody down. Mitchell and Sewell will kill us on the ground if they get first crack at it.

We need to stretch their undersized defence, because they are experts at getting the ball out and up the other end uncontested. That means we need someone to TAKE SOME CONTESTED MARKS FFS!

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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

How did Bower go in the Bullants?

Will Thornton be OK to go? We have a pretty short break.

Does anyone actually think Waite will return?



His kicking accuracy has been down lately which is probably making him look less sharp.
There was a passage of play yesterday however where he went for the snap, missed the goals, got the ball again and thought about going for the snap again yet handballed it off to someone in a better spot.

Clarkson doesn't mind a bit of action around the cheeks.

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yeah nah. did you miss that passage of play in the 3rd where he gathers the ball on the wing, takes on and goes past barlow and silvagni and then hits thornton long?
there arent many players that can do that ....

he can rest during the bye

I can't see Waite coming back for this.
Saints game at best.