Hmmn, I hope all is OK???

PJ & Martin. Martin with the versatility gives us the option to play 2nd ruck, or back on Setanta, or forward to stretch there defence.

Also quick for defensive pressure, tackling, etc.

based on today's performances for Casey, neither Martin nor PJ will play next week. I suspect it will be Dunne again. It cost us lastweek when Miller went out of the forward line into the ruck. Dunne's performance against the bombers today was ok soi would include him. Spencer was stretchered off with a leg injury.

Edited May 30, 201015 yr by DeesPower

Both Carlton and Collingwood are better teams than us at this stage, and should be able to beat us. But the poster is right that these are important games. As a supporter, you want to see your players busting a gut to play finals – and they would be giving their all for these matches if that was the case.

Having said that, despite what a lot of posters here seem to think, 2011 is still maybe too optimistic as far as playing finals goes. Our list will still be incredibly young next year – guys like Blease and Tapscott will just be getting their first games, and there will still be very few games in Watts, Jurrah, Mckenzie, Scully, Trengove, Gysberts, Bail and even Wona.

oh I think finals next year are well within our reach. Wins against the Pies and the Bulldogs would have put us there this year. That extra experience should prevent those lapses mostly next year, and we will have our forward set up back.

It would be a singular lack of ambition not to aim for finals next year.

This is going to be our Grand Final for this year. Probably amongst the two biggest crowds, certainly the Pies one will be our biggest. If we can stay in touch with finals up until the last few rounds, then we that's a huge victory.

The W and L column does not define our season. It is how our kids come along, and how we push contenders that defines our season. Winning respect back is key- and so far the dees have taken some big strides in doing just that this season.

I'm not sure about them being 'season defining', but these are important games for us IMO. If we lose them both (especially if we are not competitive and lose them badly), it could set back some of the progress we have made so far. On the other hand, the confidence our young team would take from two wins would be enormous. We all agree that this is a 'development year', and our coach has made it very clear that getting games into our youngsters is a priority, but it's hard to deny that consecutive wins against strong opposition would enhance our self-belief, and have a positive influence on the 'development' of our playing group.

Carlton is the preliminary final, then Collingwood is the grand final. We're going to go out and we're going to win, and I hope that's what Dean Bailey is telling everybody.