Looks like Bower, Russell, Thornton and Lucas have had their papers stamped. If I was Collins I'd be asking my manager to start sounding out other clubs, sub last week then dropped and after what the NB coach said about Yazz... I hope Boots doesn't get killed, I'd rather him be sitting out this match.

Lucas has never really played well in the VFL, even when he was getting those intermittent senior gigs. Something's certainly going on with him.

Like everyone else, I'm a little puzzled about Collins.

Thought he was pretty good against the Cats, sub last game and now dropped.

I dunno...


Hendo is a huge loss

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

I might have myself some of that $3.50 for the Blues.

Not wildly confident. Wrote this game off a few weeks back. Thought the attitude and endeavour has improved over the past couple of games and particularly last time in Perth. Admittedly it had to.

Eagles are a good side and have a huge home ground advantage. For some reason our players often lift there although it is not always enough.

We also tend to play well at the G.

It suits our runners. If we carry the improved endeavour over from the last two games and if the Dawks are at all over-confident - as they would be if they read this thread - then we might add to this season's increasing list of boilovers.

Bower Russell and Thornton all at one stage asked to leave . I dont know about Lucas
But it does appear that at every chance the club gets they are dropped
I often wonder if it is a bit of a payback and if it is the club is very unprofessional

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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

The Perth game was not a great performance.

Cats game was ok.

No matter though, we will need the Hawks to be shit to get close.

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I hope Essendon* folds.

Like an earlier poster wrote earlier, Hawthorns backs hack the ball haphazardly when put under pressure.. This is their biggest weakness..

When that happens we should be good enough to get it back into their defensive 50 before they can orchestrate a 3rd man up.. Last years game we did this from Qtr3 onwards and nearly pinched it.. Hell, Jamo had a few marks inside 50..

Another thing, do not allow them a loose man in defense!! They kill us with this..

at least Hodge is missing, (can't believe we had Cam Cloke on him a couple of times)...

Also, I wouldn't be surprised to see Gibbs on Buddy at times... Yes he gives away size, but Buddy isn't the best overhead mark going around, and I still think Gibbs plays well when matched up on stars...

Hawks like every side can get over-confident.

Twenty-two run out against them. Its at the G where apart from the occasional shocker the spaces seem to suit our gamestyle.

'Everyone' expects us to lose. This tips it to 50/50 for me.

No real loss with the first three.

It's a blight on our MC that we haven't given Collins the chance to show the guts in our jumper that we saw when he was partially k.o'd and still kicked three in the last quarter playing for the tigers.

His spirit and passion for our club would be fairly non existent at this stage.

Wouldn't they have been taught all about trust breakers etc through this 'leading teams' bulldust?

Classic example of a trust crusher right there.

It's looking like another pumping on the cards tomorrow night. Hope the young fellas play well.

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We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion.

I remember that move. Was it the last game of 2008?

Plan was to concede the ground ball, but get him in the air.

Think it was abandoned around half time, when Hodge was on around 20ish touches, to Cam 2.

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"They're [REDACTED]'

I couldn't give us any hope to win, other than hope to win, an hour ago.

I was having problems fitting in Henderson and needed to fit Hampson in.
There's only Henderson, Waite, Murphy and Laidler missing and TBird, Russell, Bower and Lucas are out of form.
I'm sure they have a few missing too.

Anything is possible.

Going to watch the game with a few Hawks fans at the AFL pub in Alexandria.
I have a feeling we'll withstand the bullying and run over them.
Well we can do that if we come to play to win amd play for 120 minutes.
We will cut off Buddy's supply.

Please let us win. I'd like us to earn it, but I'll take a lucky win.

Yarran wasn't dropped to the 2's. so I can't see why he shouldn't be picked.
Despite being lazy and not deserving of a senior gig on that performance last week.
What has Garlett done wrong to not find the footy?
I reckon he's been having a go, and neing asmall forward he does depend on us winning further up the ground.
The whole team hasn't been playing well.

Go Blues

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Given the named side I would prefer to see Hampson play from the square as the tall mark option with Kreuzer further up the ground.

Walker also to return to deep forward. That is where he blossomed as a player last year.

Need to provide some support for Judd - maybe a tagger on his tagger. Thinking Robinson and/or Joseph.

Otherwise play an attacking game. Add Betts, Armfield, Garlett and Tuohy to the midfield rotations.

The three ruck man really worry me. If they don't mark it is will be run out of defence so quick it will be mind-blowing.

Then we need to stop Buddy!

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

It's either that or go small and get outmarked. We have obvious flaws forward of the ball that are easily exploited regardless of who we select.

Agree. We badly need one of Kreuzer / Hampson to lift to the next level as a marking forward. And then kick straight. Not asking for much...

Hoping for a big game from Betts.

Thanks for the laugh Gro. That's about all I'll get as those selections are just making the bile rise again. Fair suck of a Ruddism! Collins dropped because he showed something against the Cats? Or because he didn't get enough of the ball against the Weagles when on the bench?

Yarran still in - injured or horribly out of form. Showed less than what is acceptable in the twos. Coach give the game off instead it seems. Garlett still playing and AJ apparently must be Ratt's adopted son or something. Never expected all three to be dropped, but didn't expect all three to play. Shows I'm the moron I guess. What is it they say about the MC. Fool me once, fair enough. Fool me 3,642 times, my fault.

Sick of us having no system of merit to get into the Seniors. No wonder they don't bust a gut in the Magoos. Actually, make that the twos as the Magoos are the ones running the place. I know people keep talking about how many Collingwood people we have in the footy dept now, but I'd swear it seems like we just hired Joffa!

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I would like to thank Collingwood for helping me keep faith in my old man. He always told me that 'People are thick'.

Will be at the "G" tomorrow for my one and only game for the past two years! Hoping for a positive outing from the lads.
Go Blues!

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"our electorate seeks less to be informed and more to be validated." Sad times.

I am in the "Ratts isn't up to it" camp, but I also think the Hawks are over rated, and the only excuse we have is if Buddy puts on a clinic. He can be instoppable, but Rioli is over rated and inconsistent. Surely Judd is more of a match winner than Mitchell. Roughy's okay, but go through the sides player for player and see how the ledger stacks up. If we play to our talent and we can keep Buddy to 5, we should win.

I will be going to the match. Will be interested to see if our game plan is as predictable as ever. That is what has been the real problem the last couple of months.

It hasn't been the players so much. Other sides have worked us out and Ratts and his mates are not able to come up with any workable Plan Bs.

And as everyone else in this thread is going on about, what is wrong with Yarran? What's going on with Lucas?

Plus, if the beanpole Bootsma can get a game, maybe give Dale or even Buckley a shot. Anything to inject some new blood and enthusiasm. A transfusion might just do the trick.

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"Get ready, Teddy - you're on": Ron Barassi half time 1970 Grand Final

Yarran just needs 1.