I'm not buying this crap about Fev being in for a day out. He'll have to do a lot of set-up work to deal with the extra defender dropping back in front of him AND get plpenty of lead up effort from the half forwards.... We're already short on defensive talls and talking about dropping Setanta back as cover.

The only way Fev kicks a bag is if someone else kicks 3 in the first quarter to force a change, or he kicks 4 in the last to cut the deficit to 20 points.

Is Mumford playing for Geelong? He's a big dude and IMO is a better ruck than Blake... No walk in the park for Krooz and Hammer.

Relentless pressure at the stoppages is STILL the only way to kill the Cats.

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"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter" - Winston Churchill.

Geelong have heaps of talent on every line, but it's in the midfield where the big challenge is.
We have our hands full with Ablett and Bartel, but it's Selwood who is the guy with the hard

The one bloke who is a beauty and a bloody hard nut is Selwood. He has no fear, and goes in headfirst into contests (and usually gets a free) and wins more than he loses.

Who have we got to go head to head in the clinches with him?

I think AB can, but doubt that is going to happen. Maybe the Wiggler is another, but I'm not sure if he's in form or not. Not many hard nuts. Robbo isn't afraid to go in hard, but he aint going to last a game on Selwood...I think.

IMO, it isn't going to be Murphy or Gibbs. Who? Beat Selwood and we have a better chance towards victory.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Bondi,i think we should bring Grigg back for Selwood.He will probably get beaten but it will be good experience for him. Grigg has the potential to be our hard nut.With Hadley(who showed signs last Fri night) and AJ in there as well,the midfield starts to look a little bit more robust.

You musnt have watched Grigg much this year. Selwood would make chow mein out of him.

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T E A M

Yes,prob right Buzzaaah but i reckon Grigg is a major part of the future and the more experience he gets playing against the best the better he will become. Who would you play on Selwood?

I think Carrots would be a good match with Selwood. He's hard at it and would be able to stick with the task.

Lets be fair dinkum, we wont beat Geelong, their midfield is too good

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Matty Kruzer you star!

Not sure I agree with you there Crusader.

Geelong’s backline is currently decimated as far as talls go: Scarlett, Taylor, Lonergan out; Harley is suspect and not fast enough to keep up with Fev even when fit. Mackie is too lean and he really is a running type winger/flanker more than anything. That leaves Milburn as their only realistic match-up for Fev, who can’t beat him for strength in the 1 on 1’s. Sure, you might get Harley or Mackie dropping in the hole, but then who are the other talls that can cover Setanta and our resting ruckman, not to mention Kruz floating into the forward 50? At least one of these backman will have to go to them. And if it turns out that they drop a smaller player in the hole, not only is it a win to us but they’ll be constantly looking over their shoulder for the rib breaker coming through.

I’m not sure what you mean by being short of defensive talls – we have T-Bird, Bower and Austin to cover their forwards. Sure we are missing Jamo, but we do not need 4 talls in defence. Although I am happy to throw Setanta back if needed provided they give T-Bird a go up forward. The Cats know that T-Bird can take a mark, so they’d be stupid to leave him unattended. By the same token throw Austin forward if we need another target – he’s quick and mobile, so could provide some decent leads.

You may be right about Mumford – I haven’t seen much of him to be honest – but my point earlier was that Kruz and Hammer won’t be a deer in the headlights up against him like they would against Ottens or Blake. Blake might not be an elite ruckman, but he is always in the contest and he has a strong body.

I agree with your last statement, and this is a hard task to accomplish, but it’s not the ONLY way to beat the Cats.

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"If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself" - Henry Ford

How much have you put against us? It's the only way we can judge lately

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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.

Fish=Wiggo=Cloke=Bullants.

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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

divided by hartlett

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*(grow - fun - gah)

Yeah but whatabout your whataboutism.

Surely, (with finals being the prize in 4 weeks) we can find it somewhere in ourselves to win at least 2 of the next 4. To rely on others in order to play finals is not what we are about. Thats why I'm expecting us to wrap it up by this Friday night.

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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

Lets face it Hollywood, that's exactly what we have to do to win.

I'm sure we can give them a contest.

I'll give you some names (not man on man, just the names in the guts)

Judd..........Ablett
Gibbs..........Ling
Murphy.......Bartel
Simpson......Kelly
Carrazzo/ Hadley/ Joseph......Selwood

It's the game plan thereafter which is important, not just the midfield, but it starts in the midfield.

Look, on our day (and the midfield have enjoyed purple patches = potential) we can match them.
The Geelong midfield have not been in sparkling form for a while.
If they don't put their best foot forward and we have a day out, then why not entertain the possibility that we may beat their mids.

That's life.

I don't believe the Carlton team will go into the game believing that they are playing in a losing team; they're going out their to win (against the odds).

I believe that their is a possibility for a victory, as for probability, that's another story.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Bollocks, get on the $5 being offered. This game will be close. Would not surprise me that it ends up being a carbon copy of the St.Kilda game, just hope the result is different.

All great teams try to destroy the opposition early, that's what we have to be mindful of.

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"I will rejoice in their anguish, delight in their failure and revel in our success"

We are Carlton, @#$%&! the rest !!!!!!

My team for this week

INJURED: Waite Jamison Johnson
UNDERDONE: Warnock Jacobs Wiggins Bentick
OTHER: Yarran (leave)

ANTS BEST: Bentick Grigg Garlett

I think we'll start like this (Ratten game plan A)


B: Austin Thornton Armfield
HB: Gibbs Bower Walker
C: Scotland Joseph Stevens
HF: Houlihan Setanta Carrazzo
F: Kreuzer Fevola Betts

R: Hampson Judd Hadley
IC: Murphy Simpson Russell Robinson (Ratten Plan B) ...pace with class.


E: Grigg Bentick Garlett (and maybe Cloke to keep peace)

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

What's Rattens game plan A? Is this the first half game plan we keep seeing or something new (hopefully)?

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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

Would be nice to start well for a change

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"I had to eat"

Plan A: Club KPI no blowouts and improve percentage. Defense and seasoned bodies.
Plan B: We're falling behind and time to get a score on the board if we are to win
Plan C: A combination of defense and attack, probably 2010.

In all fairness, Plan B would be to rotate class with class and pace. Robbo can go forward to release Carrots in the midfield to give Hadley a break.

It would be fair to consider Grigg, Garlett after last weeks efforts in the Ants.
But I can't see the last in Robbo or Army being dropped after 1 week back, let alone the positives they showed.
Maybe even Wiggo for the hard body forward if they choose not to have Kreuzer forward.

3 talls in the back who are all fast is enough against the Cats forwards.
Walker on Johnson
Joseph on Ablett
Thornton on Hawkins
Bower on Mooney

If Hawkins is too big (and he might) then there's always Setanta to swing back there.

We must always have a minimum 2 targets up forward. Always.
Even if that means just Fev and Betts,
but I would prefer another taller type (Kreuzer, Houla, Austin/ Thornton if Setanta goes back).
Cats always support the backline in clusters closing down leading space.
We've got to attack to move the ball forward fast. Plan B is the only way for a win this year.
I would be rapt if we bring the 2010 Plan C game in our run to the finals starting this Friday against the Cats.

I expect Judd and Setanta to have blinders (if the weather is fine).

Positive vibes about this game. NAB game helps.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Can't say i can see us winning after how bad we've been at the g recently

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#23: Lachlan Henderson

I am told that Setanta won't play due to a recurring injury that affected him last year.

Another big loss for us and surely this means that Cloke is recalled as the other forward option??

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Life is made up of 3 things: Pre-Season, Post Season & Footy Season.