Swan is not much of a loss. I think Pendlebury's a far better player and should be the one we're concerned about.In saying that the margin will be under two goals.

Swan is a loss. Whilst I agree Pendlebury is better, the two together is what opponents fear. As for under two goals, can I have some of what you've had, cause it sounds fun

This is an insult to the MFC. They are going to send one of their best players away for a camp because he is not required against the demons. We have been reduced to a cellar dweller again. Any respect we reclaimed has gone out the window!! I hope we roll the Dons and build some form going into the QB clash.

It isn't an insult to MFC, and the rest of your post explains why. As for getting some form going into QB, I hope we don't roll the Dons, casue we don't get form. We roll a team reacting to criticism and then return the following week to being a rabble.

I hope I am wrong as this is the only game I am going to make from Sydney this year, and would dearly love to see the toothless smiles wiped off the faces of the filth supporters, but I just can't see it happening.

Hard to see how sending injured players to a low oxygen environment is going to help them heal - Flagstaff at > 2000m. Usually they get in a high oxygen environment - see Riewoldt and the Saints got a hyperbaric chamber last year. Also as noted 2 x 15 hour flights at low oxygen (2400m) is not going to help either - even if they're in a proper bed at the pointy end of the plane. Wonder if Lance Armstrong is coming to visit them to provide inspiration?

I wouldn't call the Saints one of the big clubs, or the Cats. But both have had resent success in the AFL.

The AFL won't put a cap on clubs FD, because the big clubs run the AFL.

Geelong are becoming BIG financially, they make a heap from their home games sell it out every week really and get a much better deal than the Melbourne clubs do

Wonder if Lance Armstrong is coming to visit them to provide inspiration?

Hah.

its not the healing, its getting fitness back faster.

its not the healing, its getting fitness back faster.

Exactly right. Also, high oxygen levels (from a hyperbaric chamber) would really only be effective while you're in them. Increasing your red blood cell cound (by engaging in high-altitude training) has effects that last for two weeks or more. Perhaps the benefit of that two-week long surge in blood-oxygen levels has a bigger healing effect than spending a little time in the hyperbaric chamber.

This is an insult to the MFC. They are going to send one of their best players away for a camp because he is not required against the demons. We have been reduced to a cellar dweller again. Any respect we reclaimed has gone out the window!!

They're not that concerned of the battle, they want to win the war.

I hope we roll the Dons and build some form going into the QB clash.

So do I. Just a pity guys like Tapscott won't be available.

Exactly right. Also, high oxygen levels (from a hyperbaric chamber) would really only be effective while you're in them. Increasing your red blood cell cound (by engaging in high-altitude training) has effects that last for two weeks or more. Perhaps the benefit of that two-week long surge in blood-oxygen levels has a bigger healing effect than spending a little time in the hyperbaric chamber.

I don't know that a hypobaric chamber will assist healing. Following altitude/hypobaric training, you won't have a two-week long surge in blood oxygen levels (and certainly nowhere near the very high levels achieved in a hyperbaric chamber). You'll have a period of time where your blood's oxygen carrying capacity is increased by virtue of there being more red blood cells circulating. Tissue oxygen delivery and usage when resting won't necessarily change to any great extent. The advantage comes when you're actually performing intense physical exercise, whether training or playing - ie: your aerobic/anaerobic threshold is higher.

And of course, you're right - it's safer and cleaner than old-school blood doping but it's not much different from injecting synthetic EPO. Altitude training causes your body to produce more of its own EPO, increasing your red cell mass ('haematocrit'). The danger with any/either form of blood doping is that, especially if you were to increase your red cell mass significantly and then become dehydrated, your blood is 'thicker' (more viscous) and more prone to clot (a number of cyclists have died this way).

This is blood doping. It's just prettier. Above a haematocrit of 0.5 or so and it doesn't matter how you got there - it's still dangerous.

So, perhaps what I'm saying to Mick Malthouse is - you're a cheat (just kidding, but I like the way that sounds...)

I don't know that a hypobaric chamber will assist healing. Following altitude/hypobaric training, you won't have a two-week long surge in blood oxygen levels (and certainly nowhere near the very high levels achieved in a hyperbaric chamber). You'll have a period of time where your blood's oxygen carrying capacity is increased by virtue of there being more red blood cells circulating. Tissue oxygen delivery and usage when resting won't necessarily change to any great extent. The advantage comes when you're actually performing intense physical exercise, whether training or playing - ie: your aerobic/anaerobic threshold is higher.

And of course, you're right - it's safer and cleaner than old-school blood doping but it's not much different from injecting synthetic EPO. Altitude training causes your body to produce more of its own EPO, increasing your red cell mass ('haematocrit'). The danger with any/either form of blood doping is that, especially if you were to increase your red cell mass significantly and then become dehydrated, your blood is 'thicker' (more viscous) and more prone to clot (a number of cyclists have died this way).

This is blood doping. It's just prettier. Above a haematocrit of 0.5 or so and it doesn't matter how you got there - it's still dangerous.

So, perhaps what I'm saying to Mick Malthouse is - you're a cheat (just kidding, but I like the way that sounds...)

Oh, right. Thanks for the info. I've heard of that clotting having happened in the past, like you say.

This is an insult to the MFC. They are going to send one of their best players away for a camp because he is not required against the demons. We have been reduced to a cellar dweller again. Any respect we reclaimed has gone out the window!!

I hope we roll the Dons and build some form going into the QB clash.

Being done next week as collingwood have the bye the following week. Swan will only have to miss one game on the trip this way.

This is an insult to the MFC. They are going to send one of their best players away for a camp because he is not required against the demons. We have been reduced to a cellar dweller again. Any respect we reclaimed has gone out the window!!

I hope we roll the Dons and build some form going into the QB clash.

Disagree.

It's pretty much a given that they'll be grand finalists again this year and they'd be aware of that too.

What better time than now to send them over so they'll be 100% right for September.

Swan is a loss. Whilst I agree Pendlebury is better, the two together is what opponents fear. As for under two goals, can I have some of what you've had, cause it sounds fun

Haha, I'm not on anything, trust me

What I meant to say was that we need to be more concerned about a fit Pendlebury/Didak/Ball/Thomas rather than a fat and injured Swan.

And the margin? We're soft, aren't we? Collingwood will still come in expecting a cakewalk.

Edit: Like last year. Nobody gave us a chance...twice. Third time lucky, I reckon.

Pretty sure it does...

Systematically extracting your own blood (or someone else's), storing it, then returning it to your body when it's needed (aka "blood doping") is far more macabre than simply visiting somewhere mountainous for a couple of weeks. Why don't the Olympics ban Kenyans for living in high places too? I'm just annoyed we can't afford it.

The AFL should go over to Arizona now, to do random drug testing on the Collingwood boy's. Might find something?

SInce when was mid-season blood-doping legal in the AFL? "Going to Arizona" is code for low oxygen low pressure altitude training which induces EPO production and raises red blood cell mass and total body oxygen carrying capacity. Just because it's been produced by your own body doesn't make the whole process kosher.

Correct. You have to eliminate pork from the diet to make it kosher.