Warnock is NOT a tap ruckman. Warnock wins the hitouts but that is as far as it goes. He hits it to nobody most of the time. Hitouts that go to ground, hitouts that go to someone wearing an opposition player, hitouts that go to an opposition player don't count at all. Last week he had one beautiful palm to a Carltonplayer running past the outside of the pack.

ONE!

He had one mark last week. He played on, lost the footy and it resulted in a goal to Hawthorn.

Hampson is one of the top contested marks at the club on pure stats. Last week he took several again. He doesn't get as many hitouts as Warnock but that doesn't matter so much because Warnock's aren't to advantage as much as they should be. He is the best kick for goal at the lub (has something like 14-3 this year) and when he plays from the square, straightens us up. Problem is, he doesn't play from the square enough.

Of the three rucks we currently have, he is the most versatile on exposed form. I would trade both of the others before Hampson. Kreuzer is a shadow of the man we recruited for whatever reason and here we are, Ratts has given him a new job this week. If it is anything other than leaning on the goal post and marking everything that comes to the 10 metre square, a la John Nicholls 1972 GF, I'll be disappointed.

I hope the selections are based on speed and spread because that's how we beat them last time. Apart from Murphy (big out) we have a similar lineup. They are without Pendles (big out) but Beams is playing like a man possessed whereas we haven't been able to replace Murphy with anybody half decent. I'm guessing that's why Ellard is out. Congrats to McInness. I hope he is a star of the future. Do your best and I hope you get to sing the song.

I have a good feeling about this game. It's real backs to the wall stuff for the players and they have a chance to prove they can do it on the big stage. If they do, I'll be chuffed they did and angry they only turn up to play when they feel like it.

I gave it to a couple of my Collingwood mates earlier this year (which I normally don't do) so I have bought a jar of Vaseline just in case....

Big day tomorrow. Starts at 0415.

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Let slip the Blues of war (with apologies to William Shakespeare) (and Sir Francis Bacon, just in case)

Makes me suspicious Lucas has signed with west sydney

He's contracted

I thought he was signed until the end of 2013.

Is anyone here going to the game?

Yes

Nope!!!!

Gonna stay home and make dinner for the missus................ I reckon i've got a better chance of scoring that Carlton does.

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"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"
- Aristotle

I agree with everything you said.

I'm starting to sense that there's a bit more pragmatism from every level of CFC. The media focus on the whole club is unprecedented in Ratts' 5 year reign. We're are scrutinised from coach to board to fitness....I'm hoping that everyone is on notice in this game. The President is doing a rad tour.

Stars, No 1 picks or rookies doesn't matter, we all have to stick up for the club and really give us a shot at winning this one.

We have to disrupt their machine. Drain the oil, break an axle and deflate a tyre. We have to win.

Warnock clearly out of form because he's too weak against stronger opponents. He had no preseason on upper body.
We look faster, and fast in general. Walker at CHF? Why not? Duigan against Dawes? You betcha...but have to take note that Dawes aint slow for his size. I just hope we get the not in the midfield and make sure the ball is going our way.

I just don't want a 10 goal loss which is what I was looking at towards the end of the Hawks game last week.

Fingers crossed the Phoenix to rise and win against the odds and then the next 8 on a trot after that.
We'll see.

Go Blues

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Am I the last person to know this was O'Brien's first name?

Yes.

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I hope Essendon* folds.

I'll be there...I think if this site and last week's pathetic Carlton supporter turnout is any indication, on top of the fact that this is an away game, this is going to feel like an interstate game!

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Formerly Blues-Back2003.

My main interest is the response of the players. We have been in turmoil for weeks now and really they haven't fired many shots.

If this playing group ever wanted to play for ratts, this is the week.

In my opinion, it will be crystal clear if they are behind him or not. One way or another...

Would love nothing more than to stick it right up em tomorrow but I know full well that it will likely be very ugly for us once again.

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We are on our way back...

And every poor performance has been the same. We have an go and look the biz but it all evaporates halfway through the second quarter. .

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I hope Essendon* folds.

Don't forget the extra run and effort that suddenly appears as soon as the heat's gone out of the game.

I'm not sure if the player's effort is going to give an accurate indication of their support for the coach. The players themselves seem to mostly get along and support each other off field but you'd never know it by watching them on game day. You'd think they all hate each other.

warnock was a liability last week - made some really poor decisions.

as for ellard - perhaps it is team balance and the coaches currently rate mclean> ellard with curnow having done enough to demand a recall. Perhaps its a team instruction thing

I really, really, really want us to win. I want the boys to smash them and shut everybody the flower up. But its not going to happen

Please let it happen. Please.

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A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty" -Winston Churchill

L.M 35-06

We only just lost to Geelong and WCE over in Perth.
Hawks were just simply too good last week.
We match up well with the Pies and we will struggle with out murph, waite and hendo, but if Wato can step up that will be huge. They don't have pendles so carrots will shut down beamsy or sidey.

I remember a Pies v Blues game, I think it was 2002 and Blues were on bottom or 2nd bottom and Pies were on top, and we beat them by 27 points. We are a lot better team now than 2002.

I know if you read most of the threads on here, you would think we are the Melbourne Football Club, it is a negative forum. But keep the faith and go blues!!!

Final Thursday night shows

Marngrook Footy Show
[youtube]rnfhk6qxXRE[/youtube]

League Teams - Preview
[youtube]qLNhpGUxF_0[/youtube]

League Teams - Coaching Speculation - must watch Parkin go off lol
[youtube]_QHAUuFrZyI[/youtube]

AFL 360 - Preview
[youtube]D3TwRvw2oSQ[/youtube]

AFL 360 - Hall and Mooney on Carlton
http://youtu.be/1maxGL3kSRA

The Footy Show
[youtube]eBff1ZczVyc[/youtube]

Before the Game with Marc Murphy
[youtube]hKNq-S2TMJc[/youtube]

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http://www.youtube.com/user/Navyblue95 -
my youtube channel tracking carlton news on television and paytv

Geez TShaw doesn't hold a grudge does he?
I would be interested to know how many games Pies and Eagles have lost through injury in comparison to us.