Given it happened to Pagan, how do we know that Ratts isn't getting overruled?

Yes, Ratts is more soft than Pagan (Gibbs basically said this), but i don't like the idea that the administration continually overrules the coach on certain players and selection

Scotto needed an op half way through last year. Rather than him go under the knife and get him ready for 2009, they decided they play him for the rest of the year because we had the slightest chance to finish eighth (imagine the accolades for Ratts if we made the finals in his first year)........... he had the operation at the end of the season missing the crucial pre christmas fitness base work and he has suffered.

AGREE. How easy is it for Ratten to puff his chest out and drop players like Scotland, Princess (Houlihan), Carlos (earlier in year) and Browne. Sorry, but they have become sacrificial lambs. Stevens virtually dropped himself. Send Fev to the Bullants for a couple of weeks (and I love Fev). I know I may rile some on this site, but I'll be pissed off if we beat Freo because Fev decides to play this week and kick a bag. It is NOT sustainable. If we beat Freo with an even contribution, that's fine.
PS. FWIW, I think there are some issues at the club with who gets preferential treatment. Fix it quickly Ratts otherwise you'll be shown the door at the end of 2010.

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

Why would they think that?

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

I was being sarcastic Exorcist.

The theory that the administration overrule slections is farcical. Pagan wouldn't have tolerated administrators telling him who to select on a weekly basis. If he did, he is weak and didn't deserve the role in the first place.

The match committee select the teams.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

Considering the very defensive mindset we had last Friday night I would say one of the cornerstones of Rats instructions was to apply as much pressure on the Bombers when they had the ball to try and slow them down.
I just reckon Stevo and Scotto might have be wondering what Fev was doing after Tate Pears took his 3rd bounce on the half forward flank and then stood there wondering who do I kick it too? After sizing up his options under no pressure whatsoever for the 30 or 40 seconds he had the ball he spotted Slattery running into the goal square and duly delivered.

No wonder they're being dropped then!

Obviously they dont understand how a zone defence works.
Fevola wasn't responsible for Tayte Pears.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

So it was Ratts' fault that the Football Dept went with medical advice, not to mention that Scotto probably wanted to keep going?

Your agenda is getting really silly now.

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Fevola, being a senior player, could have made the effort to chase. That's setting an example, at the very least.

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There's so much I could say...

Ultimately if you want to feel obliged to put the ball in the kids face after you take a mark and then proceed to kick a point you are showing the 80,000+ people at the ground plus the million that are watching on TV that you are responsible or perhaps irresponsible?

BINGO!!

Hit the nail on the head, woof.

You'd think a bloke of 28 would know that you only carry on like that when you're 10 up with 5 on the clock.

Shushing the WC crowd at the Dome, and panzying around with a soon-to-be rising star nominee, is just plain Fevola.

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end of message

Seems Fev isn't responsible for much these days. But hey, he'll kick a bag in the next few weeks and present us all with a bale of straw for all of us to clutch on.

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

People still think its the 80's and we play man on man the whole game.

If you read Ratts comments after the game its easy to understand why Stevens and Scotland were dropped. I'd suggest there were some team orientated aspects of the game they weren't adhering too.

Its very difficult to criticise decisions like this and Russell's inclusion if you don't know the the goals and benchmarks that are set for players.

I'm certainly in no better position to understand them, but the people selecting the team are.

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

Your response is silly.

Be thankful. If you cant grasp the concept of a zone defence, at least you can grasp the straw.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

I know you are, but what am I?

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

I wont say for the fear of a lifetime banning on here

That happens to me surprisingly often.

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Enough off topic japery thanks you two.

Indeed. The topic.

Heath Scotland is one of the few players in this team who will put his body on the line routinely, and without thinking.

What he did int he last quarter of a Collingwood thumping this year sums up him as a player and what he will do for the team.

I would be absolutely FILTHY if I were Scotto. He deserves better, and his dropping, more than any other (who were thororughly deserved), smacks of media driven REACTION.

We're playing on a huge ground this weekend, so we take out one of our longest accurate kicks who can cover the gorund reasonably well.

Terrific MC. Good thinking. Instead, we'll being in the slowest player on our list who... guess what.. couldn't kick over a packet of tim tams.