The Cats are ripe for the taking. They've done just enough to win the last two weeks...

Scarlett and Taylor - even if they don't miss they won't be at 100%
Harley has only just returned from another injury.
Hawkins is in dubious form - he's still bloody big, but he's looked good in the ruck lately, not in the forward line.
Mumford is a battler, and they seem intent on getting games into him regardless of the result. He might turn out to be good, but he's just a big lump at the moment.
Ablett may miss...
Mooney is in okay form, but can't kick for goal.

Of course on the other side of the coin, Chapman is in scorching form and Johnson has another game under his belt. And their midfield is still A-grade.

If Scarlett plays I'd think about keeping O'Hailpin deep on him and trying to engineer a match-up for Fev on Mackie or Harley across half-forward. Scarlett is much more comfortable across the last-line.

Bower to Johnson, Thornton to Mooney, Jamo on Hawkins, Carrots on Chapman. Then just all-out attack from the mid-field.

Jamo listed as indefinate on the clubs website.

Jamo listed as indefinate on the CFC website.

..what-ever we do, our late starts have to stop, we give these guys a head-start and no matter how much we turn it on, nor how good we play we won't reel them in [see saints].. ..and what's up with Murphos starting the game on the pine..??!!.. ..two weeks running that i've noticed it, possibly even a third..??..

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

He had the flu last week and only got out of bed on the Thursday, so that might explain last week.

the 'indefinite' for Jamo can't possibly mean... .. can it??

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#23: Lachlan Henderson

Gerard and the boys on the couch reckon we're still not certainties for the finals. Goes to show how our recent performances are being viewed externally.

Whilst we should never by solely motivated by proving external parties wrong, this week is a huge opportunity to earn some respect back. Go all out and attack the game with full intensity. You just never know what might happen.

If we play the way we've been playing, it's likely it'll be ugly. However if we can return to some form and bring our A game, it'll at least be interesting.

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We are on our way back...

Wish they'ld do some homework... likely to play even if we win the game against Melb and lose the other 3...

Also "may" play Collingwood is all falls our way (rather than an interstate setup.)

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“Every single element of the Club has to be the best in the league, meticulously and methodically, and only by doing this will we be elite and challenge for number 17.”
Greg Lee

Worst case scenario with Port, Hawks and Essendon* winning all remaining matches except for Hawthorn/Essendon* rd 22 playoff for 8th spot, and us losing all remaining games, will see us as low as 10th.

But, I'm confident we will beat Melbourne and be in 8th spot over the Hawks on %age. If we beat Port too, we'll be 7th.
I have the Lions in 5th spot and the Dogs in 6th, so finishing 7th would be better in terms of a Melbourne final.

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The turning of the tide, falling in behind
Pretending not to find, the questions in my mind
The shining of the day, the old familiar way
Follow the road where it leads
And all the way we will sing...

We have a hard run home. If we can keep any losses to narrowish margins, our percentage may not suffer too much. ATM is is as good as a game.
We have to beat Port. Simple as that to assure a spot in the 8.
Next year we will have to again improve a lot to make the 8.
Those teams knocking at the door aren't going to go away.
This week we should rest Judd. He didn't look 100% last week.
Get him up for Port.

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

Is it too much of a risk in terms of a score blowout to leave Judd out?
Or is it riskier to play him if he's not fit and risk losing him for several matches?

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The turning of the tide, falling in behind
Pretending not to find, the questions in my mind
The shining of the day, the old familiar way
Follow the road where it leads
And all the way we will sing...

Are you for real

The only time in the game where we looked the better team was in the 3rd quarter when Hads was shoveling it out of the middle others streaming forward with it.

His job is not to be an outside runner it's to get in at stoppages and get it out to our quicker players. If you don't consider Hads to have done his job on Friday night you must have some other agenda.

One Brett Ratten wasn't the quickest. Rather handy though don't you think...

I'd suggest Judd was not 100% on Friday night and Hads was put in to do the hard yards. ONe of our best on the night. Perhaps a review of the tape might assist you Adam

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I support the Navy Blues whatever happens!

Play Judd up forward again (if he's not 100%). Always creates something. A 1% fit Judd is better than 90% of our team.

Hadley to win the contested possessions in tight.

On Footy Classified last night they highlighted Adelaide's forward entry against the cats. In the first half they employed the long bomb and the Cats dealt with it easily. In the second they spotted leading forwards with 20-30m kicks and got to a winning position.
We cannot bomb it to Fev all night. We need the likes of Setanta, Thornton, Russell and Kreuzer to spread the Cats defence and lead to the ball carrier. If we do that, the long bomb to fev may work without Harley and Milburn going 3rd and 4th men up.

I haven't pencilled this as a loss at all. This is a winnable game and will do great things for the team spirit

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T E A M

unfortunately we will though. besides we dont move the ball forward quick enough to leave space inside 50 and/or utilise other options. cats easily this friday

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C'mon Blueboys!

Most of this is pretty good but Carrots on Chapman is a major mis-match. Chapman is way too strong, turns on a coin and is close to league best form right now. If somehow we can keep him to 1 goal then we'll go a long way to providing an opportunity for a win. I would put Walker on him first up and if he's carved up try an angry Joseph... But the club will probably end up putting Thornton on him!

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No matter how long it takes Carlton to rebuild, they will still win a premiership before Essendon* and Collingwood.

I don't need to see an Ants game to know that AB should be playing. Our tackling and intense work over the last month has been ordinary at best. We need an inside hard nut like AB to give Judd a break.

If he's fit (which seems to be the case) bring him in. Play him this week and next. Some oif these guys have been in Siberia so long they've forgotton the rules of the game.

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end of message

Chappy out for Geelong

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/ ... 42,00.html

Well that's good news, but not good for my supercoach.

I heard Gibbs say after the North game that we get a free shot at Geelong this week. I got a good feeling about this game. Also suspect that Selwood may miss, I saw him grab his hammy in the dying minute against Adelaide and he looked a bit proppy. But in saying that I did see him at the next contest so maybe I'm reading too much into it.

Well how about that!

I love the way Chappy plays. I love watching him play. I wish we had him.
Having said that, I'm happy for him to be rested this weekend.

Now if Scarlett and Taylor are rested along with a couple of others like Ablett to give them a breather before the finals (good idea and great luxury to have), then power to the Bluebaggers.

The game wont be handed to us on a silver platter, we have to win it against them.

Go Bluebaggers. I have a good feeling about this game.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue