How did Waite train Doc Sherrin ? I am still suss on his sore back. It looked pretty bad when he jogged to the bench last week. Came back on but i doubt he was feeling too well after the game.

Sydney is a side who unlike Hawthorn, Collingwood and Geelong have never really had to test their depth over the last couple of years.

Last year they had only three real injuries for the year. Rohan the season, Goodes 6 with a calf, and Mumford in and out with a back.

Their best 22 played in the GF, bar Morton for McGlynn.

In 2012 they used just 30 players for the year and this included the likes of Armstrong, Seaby, Morton, Denis-Lane, Walsh and White.

Their best 22 however was fantastic.

History says write of the Wk 1 losers, and talk up the winners at our own peril, and maybe so but our best can do this as long as the belief is there.

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"They're [REDACTED]'

Shane Biggs is a late bloomer and was playing 3rd division Eastern Footy league 3 years ago. He went to first division club Mulgrave and Essendons VFL side Bendigo asked him to have a run.
At the end of the season he was rookie listed by Sydney.

Lots of ability, he played the majority of his junior footy as a 3rd tall/goalsneak. He lacked commitment early and didnt show interest in playing TAC. Mind you, he was pretty small and they didnt show a lot of interest in him.
I'd like to see us have a nibble at him. 187cm, very good overhead for his height and is quite good by foot.
He's developed into a good midfielder with the ability to win both inside and outside ball. Only 22 and has played 1 game although he was emergency several times.

Hopefully he has a quiet one tonight.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

Sydney are 7-1 at the SCG, but 1-2 at ANZ with the win being against GWS.

MM under Collingwood used to have the wood over Sydney but how relevant is that is to us now is probably drawing a long bow.

Their for/against % for each quarter is also interesting:

Q1, 142%
Q2, 142%
Q3, 140%
Q4, 98%

Could be misleading as there would be games where. they can ease off, but last week their outside run was non-exsistant.

Don't know much about Biggs and Cunningham but was surprised at no Brandon Jack. Perhaps one of the big guys may still drop out.

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"They're [REDACTED]'

He got dropped along with Farmer

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Cheats never prosper (except in the AFL)

Hopefully he has a big one. Out on the piss

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*(grow - fun - gah)

Yeah but whatabout your whataboutism.

Wouldn't surprise me to see Ellard made sub at the expense of Menzel. The kid is all class however a finals match against a seasoned tough side like Sydney is probably too much for an 18yo. Also Ellard provides suitable backup for McLean if he gets injured (assuming they pick Brock in the first place).
McLean to replace McInnes and Casboult for Kreuzer.

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There is no footy god

With Sydney going so tall can't see them dropping McInnes.

Waite will play forward with Cas; I don't think Hendo will spend much time up forward either.

Mumford/Pyke pushing forward is the worry. McInnes will have to either take one of them or cover White or even Tippet of Jamo goes to them.

As great as Hendo is, he's too slow and small for Tippet.

Walks, Simmo and Scotland will HAVE to kill a few contests for us to keep their talls in check. Hope they've got the balls to back themselves to leave their man.

You know that McInnes is 191cm?

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

I do.

I understand Jamo and Hendo aren't especially tall either. Both are strong and smart to help mitigate these deficiencies. McInnes isn't quite at their level yet.

Against 1 of 3 or 4 guys approaching 200cm tall, McInnes is giving away both a lot of height and strength. His form the last few weeks signals to me that it could be a match-up that is worrying.

Very well. Found some form last week...hopefully it continues.

Awesome.

You could see him finding touch in the last against Port. Was in everything.

I would drop McInnes for McClean and make Duigan play on the 3rd tall in defence.
I know he will be giving away height but McInnes is struggling big time and an extra against midfeilder against Sydney would do no harm.

I remember back in 2010 when we played Sydney up there and we didnt go with Yarran in that game, I thought we missed a bit of "X" factor without Yarran in that game, we only lost by a kick.

Menzel may be just the "X" factor we need to get us over the line, might be time to show a bit of faith in our young ones.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

The way to beat Sydney is to get them with uncontested possession. Brock has the smarts to get out in space better than anyone plus his ball use is very good.
A "must" selection if he's fit IMHO.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

If Brock does come into the side, it probably is Menzel that doesn't get a game. Menzel has gun written all over him, but last week, a couple of times just got pushed around a little too easy. In saying that, he is the sort of player that could kick you 2 goals in a quarter.

Dennis and Duigan you'd think would pick up McVeigh and Malceski, so neither of them dropped for Brock. Andy Mac has to play back as the third tall. No-one else would be in the gun.

The problem then is, who to make sub? Scotto would be a real long shot. Has Duigan got enough points from last weekend? Mentally, he would cope with it best but can see him doing a job as per the above. That leaves Yarran, Bell or Brock. X factor over consistency. Not really sure which way to go but if Brock comes in, it would be between him and Belly.

Anyway, tail is wagging. So bloody excited to see the boys again in a final. Will be hitting the Novotel with CK95 about the 5:45pm mark.

Go Blues.

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Yazz - The only way is up

Let them worry about having a tall too many and our blokes running off their talls and setting up going forward.

It's going to be wet here tomorrow night, don't get too hung up on their marking talls, think "tits on a bull".. When "rain" is forecast up here, a swamp immediately comes to mind.

Sounds like you have been listening to SEN or reading Inside Football.

MM will go one one one. Swans have a similar game plan to Freo but slightly less zone and press football.

Contested possessions will be key long with ball use efficiency.

It's about consistency across the field. We need to win the little contested possessions and then some spread later.

One major key will be effectiveness inside our forward 50 and can we lock it in. The other will be winning ball at the stoppages and this is where Warnock will be a bonus. I'd back him in to ruck 80% and beat Mumford and Pyke.

The simple fact is if we can win the midfield and stop easy ball inside their 50 they will struggle. If it gets in quick their talls will cause problems.

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#NewBlues beginning 25th August 2015

Paolo Rossi 1982

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If I want your opinion, I'll give it to you!