Shoulder surgery. Not good for us though as he is slow and was in shocking form.

Agreed, this ISN'T good news for us. The less changes their team has the better. The reason Hird is such a bad coach is that he's arrogant and stubborn, refusing to listen to others despite his plans being horrendously wrong. The 100 point loss MAY force his hand.

Howe hasn't been chasing and hasn't been attacking the ball well in the air, but he did enough with a couple of mark and kicks against the saints and cats. He'll get that chance when not up against a true key defender v Ess. One more week.

Dawes can't mark that's for sure but I think his mobility and chasing is good enough when up the ground. The MCG should suit him more than if it was a small ground like Etihad.

I think it's a lot to expect from Harmes to be a marking player off a few good grabs at VFL level. Vanders is the one I want to see use his height to take more grabs and play as the 3rd tall, but besides round 1 he's been used as a midfielder/high half forward and I think he'd get that role again.

Dawesy couldn't catch a cold 'George', he can chase all he likes but he needs them to run into his arms to lay a tackle.

He's got the turning circle of a mac truck, hardly mobile.

...by the way, I like your HF line. They can all play footy and take a grab.

Grub.

So Watson out, Cooney a fair chance he will be out as well with an abductor, Bagurly possibly out?

And they have Shaun Mckernan as their number 1 ruckman..

No Excuses this week!!!

Agreed, this ISN'T good news for us. The less changes their team has the better. The reason Hird is such a bad coach is that he's arrogant and stubborn, refusing to listen to others despite his plans being horrendously wrong. The 100 point loss MAY force his hand.

how often have you seen an out-of-form 'big name' player have a blinder against Melbourne to lead his side to victory

too many times for mine

how often have you seen an out-of-form 'big name' player have a blinder against Melbourne to lead his side to victory

too many times for mine

injured or not he would have required a quality player to stand him, frees up one of our better players, its a big win for us.

Agreed, this ISN'T good news for us. The less changes their team has the better. The reason Hird is such a bad coach is that he's arrogant and stubborn, refusing to listen to others despite his plans being horrendously wrong. The 100 point loss MAY force his hand.

I disagree. It means that Viney or Vince who would definitely go to Watson will go to someone else. This is great news for us, he may have been down in form but he still would have been very dangerous.

how often have you seen an out-of-form 'big name' player have a blinder against Melbourne to lead his side to victory

too many times for mine

Probably equal to the number of times I've seen spuds and first gamers tear us a new rectum when we expected a walkover.

Our team must be responsible for the most opposing team Rising Star nominations of any in the league.

I disagree. It means that Viney or Vince who would definitely go to Watson will go to someone else. This is great news for us, he may have been down in form but he still would have been very dangerous.

True. It was also quite possible that Watson of all EFC players may have become the out of form player that surprises everyone by suddenly inspiring his team. No way of knowing but I doubt we'd be happy if N Jones was down of for and then was out. We'd prefer he play and find some form.

Likewise there is no point in agonizing over some replacement suddenly becoming the rising star of the century. We just have to play to win no matter who they throw at us.

hm, interesting with 'vandemon' and grimes also up and about...

i'd expect lumumba, vandenberg would practically be auto-ins.

jkh must come under consideration given we'll need run, and lots of it.

Jobe Watson Is out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury he incurred in Rd13 against the Hawks.

Watson is a huge out for them. He is their only leader of substance and it's hard to see where any inspiration will come from if he's not there.

They are full of depth players who are unlikely to spark a revival - a bit like us expecting M Jones, Bail or McKenzie to mount a major turnaround. The only problem is it will be hard to know how much a win would really mean.

The only problem is it will be hard to know how much a win would really mean.

A lot.

Interesting re how I felt our team looked against Geelong and we won that by 4 goals. A wounded Essendon, with backs against the wall and everyone writing them off, is a dangerous proposition.

I hardly think we're the type of team to go into ANY contest over confident though.

Im expecting a really super tough, hard fought, game with strong statements made from the first bounce. Hoping we dont have too much of a post darwin drop and that Brayshaw plays.

Wins are gold for us and this is a real chance.

The press just never get things right, never give MFC credit where it is due.

alf.com say he "injured his neck while attempting to tackle Wellingham" - attempting to tackle FCS!!!! Fiercely / brutally tackling more to the point.

The article was probably written by a bot...

They were playing one man short with Watson. Now we know why. He's no loss for them.

Watson is a huge out for them. He is their only leader of substance and it's hard to see where any inspiration will come from if he's not there.

They are full of depth players who are unlikely to spark a revival - a bit like us expecting M Jones, Bail or McKenzie to mount a major turnaround. The only problem is it will be hard to know how much a win would really mean.

thats what i would have thought, but just checked that stats, from the last 16 games without Watson they have won 9, thats amazingly high compared to the win strike rate over the same period with him, doesn't make any sense he is clearly the best player.

The article was probably written by a bot...

Gasp, what if large slabs of Demonland are too.

thats what i would have thought, but just checked that stats, from the last 16 games without Watson they have won 9, thats amazingly high compared to the win strike rate over the same period with him, doesn't make any sense he is clearly the best player.

That is surprising but they have so many more on the injury list as well.

It demonstrates that they were basically playing a man down on Sunday which goes a long way to explaining the magnitude of that loss.

Gasp, what if large slabs of Demonland are too.

Hmmmm....that would explain soooo much...

Watson gone for surgery. The tanking has begun

Really think/hope we win by 60+ and put the final nail in the James never Hird from again coffin......been waiting for that since 2000.

Watson gone for surgery. The tanking has begun

Odds now 1.59 us 2.50 them

Really think/hope we win by 60+ and put the final nail in the James never Hird from again coffin......been waiting for that since 2000.

I agree, we should. Vince is the perfect match up for Heppell and McDonald is the perfect match up for Joe Daniher.

But the NAB Challenge this year where we lost to their U23s and top ups at Etihad proves we can't take anything for granted.