Reckon we will struggle to make the 8....difficult to see us winning any of the next 3....maybe the Pies game but even so we still have heaps of structural deficiencies which over the years should no longer be there....effort may be up but without wins eventually that will dissipate again....very disappointing season....incredibly frustrating

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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

Alan Richardson was interviewed on channel 10 last night (he speaks very well) and he said that Carrots was close for this week and should come into the team next week. Not sure if they will risk him so probably after the bye.

We will finish 9th. Might come down to Carlton vs St Kilda in the last round for the final spot in the 8.

Certainly best case scenario on where we find ourselves.

Would love for it to happen however can't see us winning any of the next 3. I fear that will be our undoing.

Makes last night all the more gutting.

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We are on our way back...

Next week will be tough but, assuming we get some players back, I reckon we'll win at least one of the Hawthorn and Collingwood games. Given a better run with injuries in the second half of the year, I expect us to charge home.

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Formerly Blues-Back2003.

You make me laugh ... "God help any team come finals if we are in it with a fit and firing list. " ... really ... that's about as likely as your trade Joseph wish ... ain't neither gunna happen.

Shoot yourself.

Why not?
Why can't we have a full list available?
And if everybody is available, why wouldn't they be able to fire?
Shooting your mouth off is easy. Now give us a solid reason to back up your post.

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

I reckon the big ship Carlton started to turn around Friday night.

Sure WCE will be tough, but whoever would have thought struggling Freo would get over the rampant Tiges? Subi is our best ground, couldn't give a fig who we played. They were beaten by Lions last week and we nearly beat them undermanned and in a final over there last year. Why not?

Reckon we can beat Dawks with Carrots back and at the G - the closest we have got to them recently was that missed Fev kick on the siren at the G back in 2009. Etihad is not the ground for us to play them as evidenced by our recent poor record there against them.

After a Dawks win, why not beat the Pies again, probably without Pendles?? They are entitled to have some confidence going into that game.

Hoping to sneak 2 of the next 3.

We'll beat Brisbane and the Gold Coast. None of the others are a lock.

..this season is pretty bloody hard to predict.. ..our own form is a mess, and most of the comp's is as well.. ..unless the 2nd half of the season changes, a team hitting a purple patch going into the finals is a definite chance.. ..whether they're top 4 or just top 8..

..getting a fitter list back will certainly help, but getting our intensity back is the most important.. ..some good signs this week, need it to keep on improving until it's first class again..

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

Agree that the only 2 games that are a lock are Brisbane and Gold Coast.

Nth Melb and the Bulldogs have beaten us at Etihad in the past two season's so both games are going to be critcal to our season.

Adelaide, thanks to the softest draw in the history of the comp.

The thing in our favour regarding the 8 is that anybody seems to be able to beat anybody else on the day. The top 11 is a scrum with only 2 games separating about 10 teams. In that environment, two or three wins on the trot (or losses as we have seen) can change the landscape. To some extent the future this year is therefore not only in our hands but we will need to rely on the season staying even until we get the players and confidence back. meanwhile we have to do our best, hang in, try not to drop too much percentage and maybe sneak an unlikely win somewhere.

Also, we have to practise goal kicking and maybe adopt a man on man at kickouts strategy. Our zone at kickouts is obviously too loose if Geelong can just run the footy through the corridor three times in quick time for three goals. I am so pissed off that we didn't win last week due to poor foot skills and a few defensive lapses when the pressure was on.

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

but remember we will be undermanned in every possible way thursday night

it will be 22 versus 25 thats why its so hard to win there

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"Then joked and said he (Jack himself) probably wouldn't even need to play until round 2 against Collingwood."

Dont think our next 11 could be any worse than our first 11
Think we will go one better 7 and 4 in the back half giving us 13 and 9 and finishing 7th or 8th

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If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

I'm curious about what over the last 6 weeks would give you that confidence?

We beat Melbourne who beat Essendon* who beat us

we couldnt be that shit again if we tried

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If you allow the Government to change the Laws in an emergency
They will create an Emergency to change the Laws

Carlton out to $34 for the flag.

Thursday night's game now is season defining.
Win this and we are still in the hunt for top 4.
Lose this and for mine it's curtains. Unfortunately, it really is that simple now.
Feel for Ratts but I think he's up against it. We should have never been in this situation.
For what it's worth - I thought we did show Friday night we haven't completely dropped our bundle and had we nailed the first quarter goals - Garlett, Judd & Collins - we would be back in the hunt now.