Stuff me dead Sportal have got us as favourites:

WE THINK: The Lions have been underestimated throughout this pre-season competition, but surely we can’t expect Leigh Matthews' team to win a fourth successive game on the road. Brisbane defeated St Kilda in Cairns and the Bulldogs and Geelong in Melbourne en route to their second pre-season grand final appearance as they aim to win the NAB Cup for the first time since joining the competition in 1987. The return of powerhouse forward Jonathan Brown is a major boost to their chances, but the Blues will be the fresher side, having only travelled twice during the pre-season. They also have home ground advantage and, in Brendan Fevola, their own match-winner in attack. Carlton by 15 points.

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2002:> "In their Masters Chambers
They Gathered for their Feast
They Stabbed us with their Steely Knives
But They Just Can't Kill The Beast!" <2016

THE BLUEBAGGER BEAST IS BAACKK!!

Come off it Ryan!
Bower and Hartlett both did everything required of them.

No more freebies at Carlton as far as I'm concerned. Let Lance get 4 quarters in the Ants instead of cameos in the seniors.
Games should be given on form.
Harts more than earnt his spot.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

It will be interesting to see how much game time Jon Brown gets.

First game back after a hefty lay-off -- he might see a bit of time on the pine or at the very least being played close to goals through lack of fitness.

I'd say Setanta on Brown. As somebody else said, he'll have to watch the body on body stuff. It would be great to see him use his pace, height and leap to spoil the man mountain all night.

I don't think that we should get too carried away with worrying about Brown though. The simple fact that he is playing after a bit of time off has everyone buzzing -- but even he is only one bloke.

I'm confident that we'll give 'em a spanking in the midfield. We match up quite nicely with them I reckon. With Stevens in great form, Murph cruising along, Houla racking up the touches and Bentick grinding it out . . . Bring on saturday night!

If Hartlett gets dropped, there is something wrong with the MC.
Did really well when given the opportunity and that mark in the first few seconds of the third quarter is a classic example of what he's capable of.

He'll stay in.

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Writer for SuperCoach Paige www.scpaige.com.au
Twitter - @johnfeeney24

Josh Kennedy has been named back in the squad for Saturday Night!!

Whoo Hoo!!

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"...that's the thing about opinion - you don't have to know anything to have one..." Andre Agassi commenting on Pat Cash 2004
"...the less you know - the more you believe..." - Bono 2006

..yeah, he's been named.. ..but it's dependant on how he trains friday morning.. .so fingers crossed he's good.. ..but at the same time don't wanna rush and risk an injury..

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..if you can't be good, be good at it..

As has Kennedy and the only reason Bower & Hartlett got in was because Kennedy was injured.

If one of them was dropped for his return then ok i could accept.

You want Kennedy back in? Your gonna have to drop somebody?
Who would you suggest?

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

WHITNALL!!!

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

Unfortunately it won't work like that, we aren't going to drop our inspirational leader for a GF, especially not one with a 'football brain' like his

Blue Vain suggests that Waite is toofor the backline.

Wow....shaking my head in disbelief.

Pretty tough viewpoint, and that's an understatement, especially when the rest of the world sees it a bit differently...in fact the rest of the world sees his move to CHB as a revelation.

The rest of the world must be wrong.

Erratic...what do you mean BV?

Hartlett is good for the team, sure...and I'd like him down forward, or even in the back half if needed.

But to suggest that Hartlett is more of a stabilising influence than Waite...I'm at a loss with this one...he's only played 30 minutes of football...that's not enough time to determine whether he's is erratic or not.

Surely you need more time than you've had to come to that conclusion....please explain....from where I sit that is very illogical...unless you're looking for the perfect footballer...but even then it remains confusing to me...because Hartlett isn't close to a perfect footballer yet....in fact he's playing for his career this year on a one year extended contract.

Hardman BV.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

..i don't understand the love affair some have with wiggins either.. ..he's average, sub-par for a team thats a real contender.. ..it's only cos for a long time our entire team was sub-par that he looked ok.. ..but ok in football is like 'close-enough' and that only counts in horse-shoes and hand-grenades.. ..lookit, if kennedy's fit bring him in, and leave in hartlett.. ..the lions will be physical, and we need players that are naturally physical as well.. ..and both these boys show they like to crash packs and back in for contested grabs.. ..and we'll need that not just fer this weekend but all season proper.. ..blackwell while good is still a small body.. ..he's good for giving our midfield depth, but not a certain starter yet..
..as for down back, waite at CHB and setanta at FB.. ..as for the threat of brownie i don't think he'll be risked all game long.. ..and it'll be interesting to see how he pulls up.. ..folks keep pointing out his return match against the bombers in '05, and then his return match against the hawks last yr.. ..but shite, he's been injured badly since then and all these injuries take their toll..not to mention both big return matches weren't against the afl's strong teams.. ..brownie has presence sure, but half of it is the opposition buying into the brownie pr campaign..

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..if you can't be good, be good at it..

I'd be suprised if Jackson is dropped; his logical replacement would be either Blackwell or Grigg, but both are too offensive and we have enough attack coming through Stevens, Murphy and Simmo. If Jacko could put a tag on Rishetelli we'd go a long way towards winning the game.

Brown will have to tag him.

You flower beauty!

Only two more sleeps!

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[Sam Jacobs] looks like a 7' Lance Whitnall, and [Mitch Robinson] looks like a 4' Lance Whitnall
(The SEN team during the Carlton v Cats 2009 pre-season match)

ppffffttt!

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Oompa loompa doompety dee
If you are wise you'll listen to me

Keen, are we?

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[Sam Jacobs] looks like a 7' Lance Whitnall, and [Mitch Robinson] looks like a 4' Lance Whitnall
(The SEN team during the Carlton v Cats 2009 pre-season match)

Guess what Bondi?
I 'm not one to care what "the rest of the world thinks".
I believe Waite makes some poor decisions and his disposal is not up to scratch.



No one has said Hartlett is the perfect footballer Bondi.
As for what you believe is illogical, that means very little to me. Its my opinion.
Get over it.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

He made at least 5 clangers coming out of defence against North. I love his ferocity at the ball but better teams will make us pay.

..

His form certainly warrants it, but doubt that's gonna happen.

However..............

I could see the MC beinging in Kennedy at the expense of Jackson thus meaning Grigg misses out again.

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