grazman

I'll absolutely spew if CJ gets dropped.

No match up for Benny, but I wonder how much Kosi's comments will affect the selection. Personally I'd have Riv in for Holland, Wheaters for Ward and I'd replace Belly with Bizz in the back line and tell Daniel to play a run with role in the midfield (won't happen of course and they'll bring in Godders)

IN: Wheatley, Rivers, Bizzell, Godfrey Out: McLean, Holland.

There are many factors affecting leadership, and the MFC has gone to great lengths to identify them prior to drafting players. Lets not forget quite a few eyebrows were raised when CAC read out Brocks name as pick 5. People in the FD had faith not only in his football ability, but his will to win and maturity. Most social conditioning occurs between 0-5 which obviously means a lot of the so called "leadership" traits are put in motion probably before a kid has even picked up a footy. Brock has definately had the right grounding... he will make a fantastic captain, because he follows up his words with actions.

Neil Young is more my cup of tea.

They were icing the injury so it may not actually be a break.... but if he has torn the ligaments then he looking at a fairly lengthy lay off anyway. This injury will certainly test the depth of our midfield group.

I was watching it live here in Canberra on Main Event. I stopped watching after the third quarter and let my daughter watch Kim Possible instead. She said: "Don't you want to keep watching football?" (but really wanting to watch her cartoon) I said: "No I've seen this one before"

My thoughts exactly... I feel like Bill Murray.

Beware the side with a new coach... I still rate St Kilda - their defence is weak, but they still have a lot of class in the midfield and up forward. That said, this match was as disappointing as either Carlton matches last year.

quiet, but far from the worst.

Saints got a few lucky ones, but I gave up swearing at the umpires, Saints are hunting in numbers we are second to the contest and standing flat footed. Who knows if this run and carry will work, the players are just handballing in circles. I thought the idea was to go forward.

Means there will be something worth watching on tele.

Actually the game plan from last year was fine... just we were mentally soft in two or three "easy" games that would have delivered us a home final... there something very Balmesque about the current style.

Here, Here Brother! Just because someone has made some poor choices and then gone on national Television about them doesn't mean they are brave or classy -nor should I feel respect for them, but then I guess I am a little biased because I have often been on the other end of people that consistently made poor choices. I am pretty sure there are conclusive studies that well document that both Marijuana and Ampthetimines (speed and Ice) can lead to psychosis. I am also pretty sure it's not too hard to believe that taking such drugs would exacerbate any emotional or psychological problems an individual might have.

I don't know how it would work in the VFL, even with the suspension there should be some appropriate level of restitution. The mentality behind such an act worries me, and I would think irrespective of the views of the VFL or the club, that such an act borders on criminal behaviour and should be investigated by police.

It seems Rivers, Macdonald and McLean are all in doubt. I would seriously be worried if Brock didn't play. He played the last practice match and if he misses then I'm worried that there is a recurrence of his quad problems and that to me would seem to indicate and extended time on the sidelines. The papers today indicated that Gardiner, Raph Clark, Hamill, and Riewoldt won't play. Kosi, Max, Lenny and Maguire will all be underdone.

My condolescences. Losing someone close is always a tragedy and I hope you and his family and friends can find comfort in a life well lived.

It certainly turns up the heat on the Eagles, and now the Kangaroos.... who could in some regards plead ignorance, although considering Edwards performances in the VFL and the apparent lack of interest from any other club, you would suspect that word had got around about his history. To sum up in relation to allegations/speculation about Eagles Players: Cousins - confirmed and suspended internally. Kerr- yet to be confirmed, but a huge weight of public opinion (the pressure of which may well destroy his career). Fletcher -yet to be confirmed, but again mounting public pressure to spill the beans. Chick - with Cousins missed training, guilt by association and more to come. Edwards - see Kerr. Gardiner - much speculation and innuendo. That's six players that were all there when Worsfold took over.... only Edwards and eventually Gardiner when he became too much of a media liability were shown the door. I'd suggest whatever other programme the Eagles had in place (details of which are yet to be provided ) were not effective. Ahh yes of course there was no drug culture at the club, how could anyone do anything without proof.

Well thats an absolutely salivating prospect, because I don't think the Eagles can fix the problem, it runs a lot deeper than just Cousins and their track record is diabolical. To address the issue they could potentially lose three or four of their top ten or lose the best player in the land.... hmmm. Interesting how two weeks ago the Eagles and AFL were basically denying there was any drug problem at all, and now without anything actually being admitted the whole thing looks set to crash down around their ears. Could we see Judd playing in the red and blue.... I'm saying my prayers.

Jaded raises a very good point about Worsfold and the onfield discipline being isolated from the player's extra-curricula activities. As Old has pointed out, the Eagles were prepared to continue to live off the kudos of Cousin's leadership even when it was removed from him for being a naughty boy. I am still not comfortable with the grand final celebration scenes when Chris Judd may as well have been the accidental tourist up there on the dias. So far the Eagles have been able to remove such distractions from on field, but what goes around comes around, if Benny is as important to the Eagles as they keep claiming him to be, this will hurt them, because this issue runs a lot deeper than simply one player and has the potential to implicate a lot more key Eagles. I think Cousins has lost a lot of focus since his 1% Brother was ousted from the club and he is now a loose cannon. I think the club will move into damage control to minimise the effects, but it will be exceedingly difficult to drag some of the drifting satellites away from the the impending self implosion of the Red Dwarf.

Is this blind optimism Storm? The Eagles only acted against Cousins because he is basically telling the club to get stuffed and not going to training.... I have no faith that if Kerr was caught again or another Eagles player for that matter they would adopt the same weak as puss stance they have in the past.

Raph Clarke is out I think, and Gardiner is still overcoming the effects of his ankle (it was his ankle he broke at the end of 06 for Claremont wasn't it?) and may not play either.

Which one Jack? It looks like they will be carrying three or four, and no Hamill. I'm not suggesting in anyway shape or form that we will smash them simply because some of their players are underdone, but I did want to raise the issue. It will be a test for Lyon? I'm not sure Danners would play all three if the positions were reversed. I believe Maguire is ready to go and will play this weekend, although both he and Hayes will take a while to find their legs again (no pun intended)

After reading the papers it appears that none of Riewoldt, Kosi or Gardiner will play a practice match between them prior to Rd One. I can understand how important all three will be to the Saints chances of winning, but I wonder if he will risk them all or start some in the VFL? I wonder if he thinks he has the depth to adopt a longer term view?

It's highly unlikely given his preparation thus far that Pickett will be picked for Rd 1. He hasn't got enough match fitness and still has a long way to go. I think Moloney will be picked and on preseason form Bell and CJ have cemented spots for Rd 1. It's unlikely that Fergs will be picked ahead of Holland. I wouldn't expect Frawley to play, but wouldn't discount Buckley completely, For me I'd have him in ahead of Ward. I know preseason matches aren't much to go on but I would think Dunn would have a greater claim to rd 1 selection than Miller.