Yeah well I didnt say it smartypants🤯

Just now, Smokey said:

I have a feeling we’ll put our foot down and beat them comfortably

So do I.

The dees seem to love playing teams in the rise and putting them back in their box.

And the blues are coming off two very tough, physical games. Hard to back up again. 

2 hours ago, Dwight Schrute said:

This is really going to be a midfield battle. the Saints contained the Blues pretty well but didn't have the talent in the middle to maintain their dominance, i suspect we have more midfield talent than the Blues so they'll be relying on pressure to cause mistakes. 

Without McKay/SOS i think they'll struggle to kick 100 points against us, and as long as we don't just bomb it to Weitering over and over again we should be fairly dangerous in attack. I don't see a natural match up for Petracca in their side. 

Have you not been watching? Removing Harry and SOS has made them far less predictable and they're getting scoring contributions across their midfield and small/mid sized forwards. We've also been conceding big scores. 

Petty would have kept Weitering occupied but that's out. We no longer have a matchup for him (he'll destroy Melk). 

Saints midfield included Steele and B Crouch amongst others, which compares favourably to our recent starting midfield of Sparrow and JJ. Viney a trump card, but no more than an equal of Steele who has come top 5 in the Brownlow 3 years running. Petracca in there tips us over the edge, but we don't have the luxury now we need him down forward. Oliver - who knows but I wouldnt take any bets on him playing. Even if he does, he hasn't played in 11 weeks and apparently hasn't been able to finish a training session. 

Carlton are the best defensive side in the comp since round 10 by a huge margin. Have the Coleman medal winner, the reigning Brownlow medal winner, 2 rucks to smash into Max and they play the same contested stuff we do, are on a huge hot streak culminating from a player-led honesty session at an off-site camp. They broke through the 2nd best defensive side (St Kilda) with almost their entire starting midfield out of action and scored relatively well against them through their contest work.

It's us that will be worried about getting to 100.

Edited August 8, 20231 yr by fr_ap

2 hours ago, Dee Zephyr said:

Just read the match now starts at 7:30 pm, start time has been pushed back 5 mins. You can now maybe fit one more banana fritter in for dessert.

Matildas QF starts at 5.00pm, I’m guessing it’s to keep clear air between events. 

27 minutes ago, fr_ap said:

Have you not been watching? Removing Harry and SOS has made them far less predictable and they're getting scoring contributions across their midfield and small/mid sized forwards. We've also been conceding big scores. 

Petty would have kept Weitering occupied but that's out. We no longer have a matchup for him (he'll destroy Melk). 

Saints midfield included Steele and B Crouch amongst others, which compares favourably to our recent starting midfield of Sparrow and JJ. Viney a trump card, but no more than an equal of Steele who has come top 5 in the Brownlow 3 years running. Petracca in there tips us over the edge, but we don't have the luxury now we need him down forward. Oliver - who knows but I wouldnt take any bets on him playing. Even if he does, he hasn't played in 11 weeks and apparently hasn't been able to finish a training session. 

Carlton are the best defensive side in the comp since round 10 by a huge margin. Have the Coleman medal winner, the reigning Brownlow medal winner, 2 rucks to smash into Max and they play the same contested stuff we do, are on a huge hot streak culminating from a player-led honesty session at an off-site camp. They broke through the 2nd best defensive side (St Kilda) with almost their entire starting midfield out of action and scored relatively well against them through their contest work.

It's us that will be worried about getting to 100.

You are underestimating our players! I’ll take our 23 this weekend against whatever the Blues put on the field!

Who do you support?

 

Here is the door stop interview with Oliver.

 

7 minutes ago, D4Life said:

You are underestimating our players! I’ll take our 23 this weekend against whatever the Blues put on the field!

Who do you support?

And you are underestimating theirs.

I wasn't aware that supporting one team  meant I could be blindly ignorant of the other. 

1 minute ago, fr_ap said:

And you are underestimating theirs.

I wasn't aware that supporting one team  meant I could be blindly ignorant of the other. 

Let’s see who wins.

Tillies on at 5pm

Dees on at 7:30pm

Gonna be a cracker of a Saturday!!!

5 minutes ago, D4Life said:

Let’s see who wins.

Yes we will. I hope it's us but get sick of the back slapping in here that discredits their form or posters saying they're not worried. I think it will be a tougher game than KB. 

47 minutes ago, fr_ap said:

Have you not been watching? Removing Harry and SOS has made them far less predictable and they're getting scoring contributions across their midfield and small/mid sized forwards. We've also been conceding big scores. 

Petty would have kept Weitering occupied but that's out. We no longer have a matchup for him (he'll destroy Melk). 

Saints midfield included Steele and B Crouch amongst others, which compares favourably to our recent starting midfield of Sparrow and JJ. Viney a trump card, but no more than an equal of Steele who has come top 5 in the Brownlow 3 years running. Petracca in there tips us over the edge, but we don't have the luxury now we need him down forward. Oliver - who knows but I wouldnt take any bets on him playing. Even if he does, he hasn't played in 11 weeks and apparently hasn't been able to finish a training session. 

Carlton are the best defensive side in the comp since round 10 by a huge margin. Have the Coleman medal winner, the reigning Brownlow medal winner, 2 rucks to smash into Max and they play the same contested stuff we do, are on a huge hot streak culminating from a player-led honesty session at an off-site camp. They broke through the 2nd best defensive side (St Kilda) with almost their entire starting midfield out of action and scored relatively well against them through their contest work.

It's us that will be worried about getting to 100.

Getting a bit carried away there. They’ve had good wins against Hawks..Freo & WC all in bottom 4, They beat Port who had 7 out …17 points against Pies who are on the nose at the moment & just a win against a similarly placed top 8 side. I’ll happily put our 23 up against theirs and expect a win. It will be tough but I back our team to get it done. I hope you do ?

59 minutes ago, fr_ap said:

Have you not been watching? Removing Harry and SOS has made them far less predictable and they're getting scoring contributions across their midfield and small/mid sized forwards. We've also been conceding big scores. 

Petty would have kept Weitering occupied but that's out. We no longer have a matchup for him (he'll destroy Melk). 

Saints midfield included Steele and B Crouch amongst others, which compares favourably to our recent starting midfield of Sparrow and JJ. Viney a trump card, but no more than an equal of Steele who has come top 5 in the Brownlow 3 years running. Petracca in there tips us over the edge, but we don't have the luxury now we need him down forward. Oliver - who knows but I wouldnt take any bets on him playing. Even if he does, he hasn't played in 11 weeks and apparently hasn't been able to finish a training session. 

Carlton are the best defensive side in the comp since round 10 by a huge margin. Have the Coleman medal winner, the reigning Brownlow medal winner, 2 rucks to smash into Max and they play the same contested stuff we do, are on a huge hot streak culminating from a player-led honesty session at an off-site camp. They broke through the 2nd best defensive side (St Kilda) with almost their entire starting midfield out of action and scored relatively well against them through their contest work.

It's us that will be worried about getting to 100.

That's the spirit.

I reckon it'll be crackerjack.
Their game plan reminds me of ours.
GF prelude IMO, unless we meet 'em in a prelim.

Hope we stick it right up 'em.
Go the Demons.


 

Edited August 8, 20231 yr by Fork 'em

59 minutes ago, fr_ap said:

Saints midfield included Steele and B Crouch amongst others, which compares favourably to our recent starting midfield of Sparrow and JJ. Viney a trump card, but no more than an equal of Steele who has come top 5 in the Brownlow 3 years running. Petracca in there tips us over the edge, but we don't have the luxury now we need him down forward. Oliver - who knows but I wouldnt take any bets on him playing. Even if he does, he hasn't played in 11 weeks and apparently hasn't been able to finish a training session. 

#10 skip your notice fr_ap? He's been pretty handy.

13 minutes ago, fr_ap said:

Yes we will. I hope it's us but get sick of the back slapping in here that discredits their form or posters saying they're not worried. I think it will be a tougher game than KB. 

Carlton is playing well and have some excellent players, there is no denying that fact!

I think our midfield will be too strong. Gawn, Viney as the leaders, Oliver coming back! Our backline is strong, it’s a premiership winning backline, and our forwards are coming back into form, particularly small forwards Kossie, Chandler and Trac playing forward.

I have more faith in our proven 2021 premiership players and team coming into form, than your belief in Carlton!

How are Carlton seriously going to beat us? Just someone who thinks they can win please tell me how. Please don’t say they’ll out contest us or out run us, they aren’t in our wheelhouse in either of those areas. The media hype is just that. Time to show these pretenders who’s driving the bus. 

36 minutes ago, D4Life said:

Let’s see who wins.

Who dares wins 

9 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

How are Carlton seriously going to beat us? Just someone who thinks they can win please tell me how. Please don’t say they’ll out contest us or out run us, they aren’t in our wheelhouse in either of those areas. The media hype is just that. Time to show these pretenders who’s driving the bus. 

What if Curnow bags a hatful?

2 hours ago, Demonland said:

Silvagni is closing on a return, but it won't be for this week's clash with the Demons

Bro is listed as 2-4 and they wrote this

14 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

How are Carlton seriously going to beat us? Just someone who thinks they can win please tell me how. Please don’t say they’ll out contest us or out run us, they aren’t in our wheelhouse in either of those areas. The media hype is just that. Time to show these pretenders who’s driving the bus. 

wet weather game

29 minutes ago, Deestar9 said:

Getting a bit carried away there. They’ve had good wins against Hawks..Freo & WC all in bottom 4, They beat Port who had 7 out …17 points against Pies who are on the nose at the moment & just a win against a similarly placed top 8 side. I’ll happily put our 23 up against theirs and expect a win. It will be tough but I back our team to get it done. I hope you do ?

No - you don't get to do this to them and not us. Do you realise they're building the same narrative about us on their forum? It's standard fare for fans to fool themselves into confidence. 

"Collingwood had the flu, Brisbane [censored] the bed at their worst ground in the last 5 minutes, Adelaide had 5 out inc. Laird, Richmond pushed them all the way and the lowly Kangaroos completely outplayed them for a quarter. Petty is injured and Oliver will be rusty".

Not hard is it? Sound familiar or are you incapable of looking in the mirror? 

They have copied our game plan and are trying to copy our DNA. Contest & Defence. Statistically, they're the best in the comp at it since round 10. That's objective. 

Ignore them at your peril.

I feel good about how we've been tracking (or at least I did until Petty), but it's not inconceivable that they beat us at our own game on Saturday. I hope not as I have tickets, but if so there will be apparently be some very surprised folks on here. 

1 hour ago, fr_ap said:

Have you not been watching? Removing Harry and SOS has made them far less predictable and they're getting scoring contributions across their midfield and small/mid sized forwards. We've also been conceding big scores. 

Petty would have kept Weitering occupied but that's out. We no longer have a matchup for him (he'll destroy Melk). 

Saints midfield included Steele and B Crouch amongst others, which compares favourably to our recent starting midfield of Sparrow and JJ. Viney a trump card, but no more than an equal of Steele who has come top 5 in the Brownlow 3 years running. Petracca in there tips us over the edge, but we don't have the luxury now we need him down forward. Oliver - who knows but I wouldnt take any bets on him playing. Even if he does, he hasn't played in 11 weeks and apparently hasn't been able to finish a training session. 

Carlton are the best defensive side in the comp since round 10 by a huge margin. Have the Coleman medal winner, the reigning Brownlow medal winner, 2 rucks to smash into Max and they play the same contested stuff we do, are on a huge hot streak culminating from a player-led honesty session at an off-site camp. They broke through the 2nd best defensive side (St Kilda) with almost their entire starting midfield out of action and scored relatively well against them through their contest work.

It's us that will be worried about getting to 100.

I agree with you that Carlton are being seriously underrated on here. 

But I don’t agree with everything in this post. St Kilda’s been out of form since the bye and they struggled to get separation against them for 2.5 quarters. The Saints’ defensive ranking stems from their pre-bye form (North scored 34 and the Dogs 41 which skews their points against total a bit too). Jack Steele’s 2023 form is a shadow of his 2020-22 form, too. And I don’t think Tom De Koning is “smashing” into anyone (North played two much bigger rucks this weekend and Gawn had no issues from a physicality perspective).

Clearly though they play a brand of football that stacks up. They have talent on every line and as you say, McKay out has forced them to think about their forward line (a bit like Fristch out for us I think) and they’re finding new ways to score. My principal concern is their backline - we have to neutralise the air and without Petty, I fear that is going to be a big task.

1 hour ago, fr_ap said:

Yes we will. I hope it's us but get sick of the back slapping in here that discredits their form or posters saying they're not worried. I think it will be a tougher game than KB. 

It's Demonland. 

A land of sweet candy, flowers and where you don't have a bad thing to say about anything MFC. 

6 minutes ago, JimmyGadson said:

It's Demonland. 

A land of sweet candy, flowers and where you don't have a bad thing to say about anything MFC. 

Sweet, sweet candy.

19 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

I agree with you that Carlton are being seriously underrated on here. 

But I don’t agree with everything in this post. St Kilda’s been out of form since the bye and they struggled to get separation against them for 2.5 quarters. The Saints’ defensive ranking stems from their pre-bye form (North scored 34 and the Dogs 41 which skews their points against total a bit too). Jack Steele’s 2023 form is a shadow of his 2020-22 form, too. And I don’t think Tom De Koning is “smashing” into anyone (North played two much bigger rucks this weekend and Gawn had no issues from a physicality perspective).

Clearly though they play a brand of football that stacks up. They have talent on every line and as you say, McKay out has forced them to think about their forward line (a bit like Fristch out for us I think) and they’re finding new ways to score. My principal concern is their backline - we have to neutralise the air and without Petty, I fear that is going to be a big task.

Good response - I will admit I'm not closely across St Kilda as I've never considered them a serious threat. 

Re. TDK - it's not that 2 rucks always go after Gawn, just that Carlton's are in form and it would make sense on their behalf to target Max physically, especially given we're going to be a (quality) tall forward short and therefore will rely on Max bailing us out in the air as we so often do. 

I share your principle concern on neutralising the air.