I don't understand the Lucas demotion. But I'm sure no-one is going to agree with me, so I won't harp on it.
Finally we have another half back in the side in Bootsma, so we might actually see a mid back in the middle.
Actually got excited to see Waite, Henderson & Rowe selected. We might actually get 2 fowards and a ruck/forward playing forward together!!!!!
We might even stretch the bulldogs backline.......
Interesting Saturday coming up. I'm excited.

Please let it be;

Tuohy Jamison Bootsma
Yarran Watson Scotland
Gibbs Curnow Simpson
Walker Henderson Garlett
Rowe Waite Betts
Warnock Judd Murphy
McLean Armfield Cachia
sub: Menzal

I'm also a bit surprised Lucas got dropped.

Hope Mick makes Yarran the sub again

- I thought long and hard about the Yarran sub call missnaut.
I like him though and thought an opportunity to go back to half back might be a good thing instead.

My only change would be Yarran sub. For 2 reasons.
1. I want to see Menzel play a full game
2. Yarran is lucky to be playing after he was WALKING around during the game last week. He was infuriating. I've never seen a more lazy performance. Make him sub and see if he has really learnt his lesson. If he stuffs up again we might just have to make a call on his future @ CFC. Eagles want him bad.

I'm thinking Graham a late inclusion too, but what does that say about MM if it does happen. It's a big deal playing your first game, I'm sure it would suck if he was a late inclusion and he's family and friends couldn't make it.

I'm also still dumbfounded why Bell doesn't get game, he's the sort of player that would send fear into the opposition yet we have Curnow running around, who by the way only managed a measly 8 touches last week. I'm glag Yarran didn't get dropped, now play him off the half bank flank this week and watch him go.

Unfortunately nearly everything my Collingwood supporter mates said about MM have been correct, I never understood why so many Collingwood supporters loathed him but I think I'm staring to learn now.

Not sure what your friends said, but I agree about Bell, and Graham.

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That’s not a political statement — it’s a harsh reality, and we must act,” she said. “He is a clear and present danger to the things that keep us strong and free. I support impeachment.”

This is the 'easiest' game we have left this year. It is obvious to me that if we are going to experiment, this is the only week we have left to try something different. Before now, the eight was a possibility. Now it's 'mathematically' possible. There's a difference.

If we win, and we should, next week is a tougher game and players like Kreuzer will have had a week off before the last three big games. If we lose? No big deal because the season is shot unless the drug cheats get kicked out of the finals and that isn't going to happen because there isn't enough time to sort out the legal issues.

PERHAPS MM is saying to Graham, 'tell your folks to come up for the game against Richmond' and see you make your debut in front of 80k people at the MCG.'

PERHAPS he has said to Yarran/Warnock/other, 'this is the last game you have to show us your wares. Play the way I want you to, you stay in or it's the door.'

We don't know what happens behind closed doors at the club but rant on here as though we do. I don't doubt MM wants to win games and make the eight but that is now out of our hands. I also don't doubt he has a pencil line through maybe a dozen players and an ink line through a few as well. He has four weeks left at his disposal to see who he will keep and who he won't. McInness isn't going anywhere. Bootsma? Shows a bit but may not be what MM wants in a player. Lucas? This is the first time this year he has been omitted. He's staying. Robbo? After a public lambasting on the field two weeks ago and some ordinary disposals last week, he may have decided his own future. I hope not because I like him in the team. He just has to play in the front half/mid because he puts himself in the middle of packs where he has to pump it out in a hurry and in the back line it isn't a good look.

In short, trying to second guess the MC selection policy from week to week and then bitching because we don't agree is a fruitless exercise and I would have thought that after years of realizing it doesn't do any good, people would be less vehement in their criticisms. Passion is great but often, it and logic are on differing tangents.

We will win this and players who have not shown much will suddenly grow a leg because they have to.

GUESSING Garlett for sub because it's his turn out of the three small forwards. Menzel to start but get subbed out unless he is tearing them up. Yarran to half back on Dalhous. Watson back to start with while MM looks at the Hendo/Waite thing. After that anything could happen and probably will.

I'll be up at some ungodly hour as usual to see what happens.

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

Busted Jaw

Bell is playing in the reserves so his busted jaw is ok now. He should be playing along with Graham. Curnow and Cachia were not much good last week..

No matter what others think I regard Lucas as a reasonable user of the ball and has improved considerable through the course of the year and would be a of good value in this game.
You're right we lack outside run and have been found wanting all year.

We need to play a more free flowing game so we need to release some taggers and bring our better players in a more natural and attacking position.
we need to win the uncontested ball and we can't afford to have our fast players out of this game or just manning up on the opposition as a defensive unit.

Having said that the bulldogs aren't much chop so MM is again playing it safe and I think he will allow or better players (Gibbs, Yarran, Judd, Murphy) to play in their more familiar attacking positions.

I'd make Yazz the sub. I'd like to see how he approaches the situation when his turn to enter the game occurs. It's not about his talent it's about his attitude and effort. I have been a big supporter of Yazz from the start and still am but I must admit I am becoming quite frustrated and disillusioned with efforts of late.

They hated him for winning a flag and being runner up 3 times

Lol

Guys what's with bell he is a poor mans robo

Now that you have the things you want I they work out for us/you.

Watch for running out of legs at the end of quarters and then big time at the end of the game (Extra tall means less run over the 120 mins).

...and watch for goals scored by the dogs after we have made a good spoil. (losing the sure handling and ball reading of classy onballers in the back half)
...... watch for dogs scoring more goals on the old slingshot. (Onballers reading the play better and having more run in the tank to get back quicker and track runs.
.......... and watch for lack of rebound and lack of quality in our repeat inside 50's.

I hope the 3 tall forward line works out but i doubt it will. I know it looked ok last week but we covered that by having Gibbs at CHB. This week we have an extra tall in the 22.
Not until we get more run out of the position Betts and Yaz currently fill will this tactic get close to working IMO.

As for the backline. I prefer onballers back there not flankers. More options, they are better players and provide more mobility across the 22.
Walker , Gibbs and Simpson in the back half suits me.

Hopefully we see something from the coaches and team this week. Lately it has hurt to watch the ol Blue boys.

Yep that was my call too but they were also bagging MM before and after the flags, either way I never liked him and he's cost us games this year with poor selections. He also has a history of getting offside with good players going back to his days at Footscray with Brad Hardie. Don't get me wrong though, just because I don't like MM doesn't mean I don't want him to succeed, I do but ain't seeing much this year that is making me all warm and fuzzy. Time will tell I suppose.

Hopefully 2013 is more 1991 than 2003.

We lose 3 mids and Mick ignores the in-form midfielders and prefers to bring in flankers instead.
So much for the theory that we're lacking midfielders.

With Aussie as their key defender, Hendo or Waite should have a picnic.
Congrats to Gibbs and Army.
Blues by 37 points.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

Speaking of Aussie, anyone heard from Hotcox lately (or Jake Edwards).

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"You can't polish a James Hird"

this is a similar game to when we lost to GC last season, slight hopes of making the finals, playing weaker opposition.

SAKC MICK?

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

Was last seen on BF last week trolling Freo supporters.

That ended well.....

(HotCox, not Jake Edwards.....!)

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"They're [REDACTED]'