And lay all the tackles, and win all the contested football, and raise all the money, and drag in all the members, and be the club spokesman, and win games singlehandedly.
I'm pretty sure he's comfortable with it.

Wiggins still there and named at CHF...

Thornton named in the back half again...

Stevens at HB...

Hadley at wherever...

You would hope that the bench would be Robbo, Hamspon, Yarran and Austin/Browne.

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"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

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"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

Limited choices?...dude come on if the guy aint doing anything then how can you be limited in your choices to replace him....please explain that one to me.

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"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

i just meant we dont really have much else and thats maybe why it appears he is getting a few chances ?

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*(grow - fun - gah)

Yeah but whatabout your whataboutism.

How about throwing Thornton up there and playing Austin down back and giving Wiggo a break for awhile until he gets his touch back...Could play Waite at CHF...maybe Kruezer/Hampson...maybe even Austin himself...

_________________
"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

Making the distinction between comparing them and comparing their statistics is a little disingenuous.

I also see you didn't include the statistic for marks. An area where Wiggins averages significantly more than Houlihan.

It's all academy anyway if the stories that Houla is serving a club imposed suspension from the firsts are true.

Not impressed with the ins and outs. half measures.
I am glad Robinson is back but same old same olds selected in the team.



I am tipping the pies. Complacency and every time Carlton are favourites they play as show ponies= no hard work/running.



In contrast, the team that most recently beat Carlton - Freo - are more likely to play finals than Carlton.





Freo can make the tough decisions on established players
This is from Walls' article:


Out went more than 1500 senior games of experience. It was goodbye to Peter Bell (286 games), Jeff Farmer (249), Shaun McManus (228), Mark Johnson (208), Heath Black (192), Josh Carr (188) and Matthew Carr (162). In came 14 youngsters, eight from the national draft and six to the rookie list. So, at last, the club's focus became obvious. It would draft young players and would enhance the resources to give these youngsters every chance to develop.

Totally agree 709 and cj69

If you read the bullants reports Fisher has been ordinary this year. Obviously in for Cloke or Hampson


Just unbelievable to me that
Hadley Wiggins Stevens and Russell continue to get games

I reckon the pies could roll us their outs could be a blessing

The effort at the Gold Coast was the perfect opportunity for this club to make a statement
It hasnt
We have lost 4 out of the last 5 games.

And yet these 4 hacks get a game
Add thornton to the list

This club has no flower idea and our MC once again are too scared to make the tough decisions
pathetic

At least there's something we can agree on this week. I have absolutely no faith in our MC this week either.

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SIDE BY SIDE
COOOOOLLLLLIIIINGWOOOOOOOD

The reality is that most of those departures were forced on Freo and there's really no other way to go than youth - scarcely a case of making the tough decisions.

Anyway I agree the team changes are uninspiring again. It seems unavoidable that one of Cloke or Hampson will play (no other relief ruckman for Kreuz) and surely only one of them will especially given the anticipated conditions. Let's just hope it's Cloke who gets dropped, he's been hopeless for weeks and Hammer is a genuine ruckman, quick and athletic, showed decent recent form (albeit in the 'Ants) and is possibly someone with a future - none of which can be said for Cam. Surely Fisher will not get a call-up. His form in the 'Ants has varied from bad to maybe barely acceptable as a VFL player but hasn't come close in my view to pushing for senior selection and I worry he is gone for good. Definitely shouldn't be in this week. But that leaves one from Aussie/Brownie/Robbo/Yazza (all of whom I'd like to see in the team) to go out. I don't think either Aussie or Yazz deserve to be dropped on last week's performance and Robbo I think is just the ticket to come in for this game. He adds spark, enthusiasm, defensive pressure, hardness and carries decent 'Ants form. But Brownie has been probably better over the last month as a whole and if he doesn't play this week will have missed a run for consecutive weeks, which is appalling player mangement. I am almost hoping there will be a player pulled from the 18 (Wiggo for form? Fev for injury/form/discipline???) to give all 4 a run, but otherwise I guess it comes down to either Brownie or Aussie being left out. Despite not deserving to be dropped I think it probably should be Aussie for reasons of team balance

I agree it would be unfortunate for Browne not to play a game of footy this week, but isn't it just an inevitable result of an interstate game one week with a Bullants bye the next week? We had a player injured during the warm-up, if that had happened earlier in the day Browne would have played, proving the need to take an emergency interstate. Then we're saying he has to play in the 1's so he doesn't miss 2 weeks in a row? By all means pick him in the 1's if he deserves it and you think he's in your best 22 (and I'd be quite happy to see him playing btw, I rate him highly) but to pick him because there's not an Ants game for him to play in is silly.

I'd suspect the only change will end up being Robbo in.

With that said, the following players BETTER step up or there is no valid reason as to why they are staying in the side.

Russell (still nobody can tell me who he's opponent was the other day, but everybody says how good he is at shutting people down)
Wiggens (love him, but he needs to find form)
Stevens (YES - Stevens, has done nuthin!)
Hadley (great tackles, but that's about it)
Cloke - (needs to lift.)

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

Finally i get a chance to watch the game this morning, actually depends if Lakers vs Rockets is on first.

The things that are happening at the Club are becoming very worrying.

Ratten says during the week that we have too many inconsistent performers and rely on too few.

So what do we do. Include Fisher??? Why??? His form has been woeful.

Our defence is to slow and soft. What have done? Nothing

Fev sooks it last week. What do we do? Nothing. Our forward line with Fev in it is not functional. Does anyone remember the Geelong game in the NAB Cup? The big names were out and the effort and excitment from that game was massive. Then what do we do, go back to the safe old crap.

We may well drop Yarran this week. Why did we bring him in then?

If Browne doesn't play he will not have played a game for three weeks!

Wiggins, Russell, Stevens, Thornton have all been very average but seem untouchable? Why?

The odds are we will win on Sunday and everyone will think things are fine which will only add to the problems.

If I was Browne, Anderson, Ellard, Austin, Hampson, Garlett, Bannister etc I would seriously frustrated at what is going on.

I just finished watching Angels Vs Red Sox.......... went to the 15th innings. Great Game.

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

just a few tidbits from todays paper

fevola has kicked 21.11 in the past 3 matches between the 2 teams

last game we played scores were level at 3/4 time but we kicked 8 goals to 3 in the last quarter to win by 30 points and fev kicked 8.6

nathan buckley has tipped us to win this weekend

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*(grow - fun - gah)

Yeah but whatabout your whataboutism.

Absolutely no excuses this week. If we lose to this mob, no number of excuses (or sarcastic proclamations of "The sky is falling!") would be able to justify it.

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WADA medical director Dr Alan Vernec describes Essendon* FC drug case as biggest scandal in team sport the world of sport has seen. #WC2WB

#GUILTY

Nathan Buckley did not pick us to win, he was on channel 7 news and tipped Collingwood. The ins for Collingwood are pretty good, Medhurst, Davis, Anthony are all forwards. The outs, Thomas, Cloke, rocca and Fraser have all been struggling anyway and will not be missed too much. This is a game that we should win, on paper we are a better side. Having said that i dont think we will win this match and the pies will win by about 2 goals. Hope i am wrong but there seems to be something amiss at the moment whether is a confidence thing i dont know. If we play like we did early in the season we will win, the key is to kick straight.

In todays West Australian news paper there is a big page with about 30 football people and 'celebs' tips listed and it is there every week

Nathan Buckley is there and in his tips he has tipped Carlton

Thats where i took it from , in fact everyone tips carlton bar 2 people

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*(grow - fun - gah)

Yeah but whatabout your whataboutism.