FB: Saddington, Thornton, Wiggins Scotland, Waite, Houlihan

HB: Walker, Murphy, Simpson Whitnall, Kennedy, Russell

C: Fisher, Fevola, Betts


Foll: French, Stevens, Koutoufides

I/C: Carrazzo, McLaren, Lappin, Bentick

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“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn't become a king. The palace turns into a circus.”
Turkish Proverb

Carrazzo, Lappin and Mclaren couldn't get a spot in the backline?

Put Stevens, French and Kouta on the bench, and put Carrazzo, Lappin and McLaren in the backline.

Whats the scoreline for a walkover

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Supporting the Blues No Matter What

Being serious for 1/2 a second, with the confidence and skill level atm obviously shot to bits, the MC just has to pick the most in form mid/senior players we have alongside most of our youngsters if fit. No use playing out of form mid/senior aged players whose skill level and work ethic are way below par....they'll destroy our younger players.

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There's so much I could say...

No Saddo No
No Saddo No
Noooooooooooooo Saddo

Please Denis send him to Preston for about 16 weeks

I think you might have to get Fisher and Betts to push down in to defence to help out a bit

Good Post GWS - very funny

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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

we have the SHITEST list in the league............ and thats that

i would like to see Bower and Russel come in and maybe Chris Bryan. We could use his long kicks from half back into our forward line

Obviously not the day to be posting a bit of humour hey GWS

I thought it was funny

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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

What forward line?

Hello????? Is anyone there?????

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"A good composer does not initiate. He steals."

- Igor Stravinsky

Bryan will not get a game. I'm tipping he told DP and TE that even at Frankston the coaches managed to make it out onto the ground at 1/4 time before 3 minutes are up!!

That says it all. A beautiful post GWS - Hat's Off.

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17 4 10

From the the Frank Farina school of on-field formations, but I guess he even managed to have a lone striker up front.

Someone on another thread after all did suggest Guus Hiddink as a replacement for Denis.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

The long kicks into our forward line is the easy bit .....

...... it's the bit after that !!!!

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"IF YOU FAIL TO PREPARE, YOU'RE PREPARED TO FAIL" - Mark Spitz

Good point Budzy.

I like the kids we have on our list. I wouldn't classify our list as the shittiest but the most un(der) developed. It's a young list. It's the weakest list in terms of experience, size and age. I'm sure we wont be saying that in 2-3 years time.

We have to win this one against Ess. In form players with strength should be in for this game. Personally, I don't think we are way off, just a bit down in confidence ATM.

That's why I have a strong desire to see Prenders back in the line up. Freshen up the faces, and add abit of winning form. For me he has been really good over the years, not bad. He just hasn't been given an opportunity to call any position his own. He's a leader at the club, and he has the engine and form on the board to be considered as worthy of a position in the team.

Lets look at the teeth of goals either end:

Fevola and Fletcher (I like that match up; proven)
Thornton and Lucas (a good match up)

It's in the middle where I'd like to see someone like Blackwell but in this game I want to see our bigger bodies in there smashing their midfielders bodies in the contests. This is where we can win this game as Ess are not a powerhouse in this area. Bentick must only be in there if his shoulder is right.

Hille vs French, McLaren ( I like the idea of tagging this guy with Kouta, but Kouta in the middle should be more of a headache for them)

Stevens, Prendergast, Bentick in the middle with other bigger bodies in Scotland, Carazzo, Houla thrown in and smaller bodies in Murphy and Betts just to mix it up. Rotations are a must to keep our guys fresher and to to keep Sheedy guessing.

Walker must tag Hird everywhere, as I can't see Sporn getting in to repeat his past feats on him.

I've got a good feeling for this game.

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

If Pagan has Walker tagging Hird, he has dived triple somersault with a twist into the pool of complete negativity.

It is time to give this kid his head and have them tag him. Put McGrath on Hird, or bannister. It's hardly like we've got a surplus of fast creative types with a bit of spring in the step.

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This might sound extreme in the context of alleged sexual assault, drunken violence and a drug trafficking charge...

Put Russell on Hird... and rotate him with Wiggins

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Love Cricket? Love me

I would play Walker on Stanton..Stanton is now the prime Essendon* midfielder.....Trent Sporn has done the job on Hird before but in light of our youth policy as Frank has suggested we probably need to include Russell, Blackwell etc so there may not be a spot for Sporn...

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"When you have the attitude of a champion, you see adversity as your
training partner."
- Conor Gillen

Where have you been? Walker in the backline is not new, and couldn't be considered as a complete turnaround on what has happened in 2006.

Walker has been in the best every week, and in one way or another it's been in a tagging role Even when he played CHB against Croady he was taggin him; went everywhere Croad went. And boy did he provide some stability and drive.

I consider Carlton's ultra flood, with no forward targets to pass to as complete negativity. Whereas tagging is both a negating and offensive play (now that Franchina is gone).

I suggest that when Hird will play in the forwardline, in the middle and wherever he sees fit, and with Walker on him it may just get him out of the backline. Frankly speaking, I can't see him being released from the backline otherwise.

I'd love to see Walker out in the wing one day, cutting loose. But I would also not like to rob Peter to pay Paul either. He, along with Whitnall (better known as a forward) have been the best defenders to date for Carlton.

McGrath on Hird? McGrath will get killed in the air where Hird is very dangerous.

Gotta close Hird and Lucas. It will take two good players to do that, and I'm pretty sure that Russell and Wiggins are not in that class ATM. As for Bannister, now that's a worthy consideration, as he has some height and body strength. Again, the same question arises; does he have the class to match Hird?

If Russell, McGrath or Wiggins were to play on Hird, where would you play Walker? In the middle? Whosespot does he take in there?

We've got to win this one!!

Go Blues

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Everyone looks good in Navy Blue

Why not see Walker cutting loose this weekend? Let them tag him - he's stepped up a level this year and needs to be cut free.
We do not gain by having him playing as a tagger in our game plan even when he creates play out of the back half because there's nowhere to go.

I suggest they give nearly every player the freedom to play a full on offensive game and man on man in the back half. If ever we have nothing to lose it is against this mob.

I will never comprehend if we choose to start defensive flooding against Essendon*. They are shit the same as us but that will hand them a win.

Sure tag Hird and Lucas but not with a bloke that could really give them trouble.

I think we agree Bondi, but just differ on interpretations??

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This might sound extreme in the context of alleged sexual assault, drunken violence and a drug trafficking charge...