Eth

I wonder if the reason Paul Johnson was given a run against Essendon had to do with giving him a taste before he and Jamar take on Sandilands. If the goal is to buffet and bump the beast into submission, the extra mature, heavy body would be handy.

For the first time this season Jamar could find himself with less of a workload than his oppenent(s).

That would also be an argument for having Bail in over, say Cheney or MacDonald - the harder runner so we have more left in the tank for the last quarter as, hopefully, Sandilands influence starts to fade.

Now I'm thinking far too much.

It's a good idea LG

I think we're GC paranoid.

I think everybody is.

Maybe I'll make it worse by saying NATHAN FOLEY AND GARY ABLETT WILL LEAVE IMO, but then again, we couldn't care less

He reminds me of a skinny Matt Preston

Bartram is underrated I think. He is doing a fantastic job on the small forwards of each opposition team and really shutting them out of the match. Did anyone realise that Alvyn Davey was playing last weekend???

I did. Saw the number 29 a few times. Mind you he only had 11 touches...

I know he's a tagging defender, which he does fairly well, but his disposal isn't good enough. He's had his turn. This was posted somewhere else, but maybe bring in Addam Maric as a back pocket for the last few games, seeing as Jetta and Wonaeamirri are obviously ahead of him as small forwards. He might be that Matthew Whelan type player we need - although not as good of course, because Wheels was awesome.

So maybe for now:

IN: Bail

OUT: Bartram

And bring in Maric to fill Bartram's role later?

Although I doubt that will happen, DB will play Bartram to shut down Ballantyne - although he never does much anyway.

Maybe...although the Williams twins would be confusing

Sylvia to get 28 touches and 2 goals

Edited. Herald Sun fails.

Gotta say I wouldn't miss it...

I was amusing myself when I couldn't sleep last night by reading bomberblitz (all 35+ pages of their matchday thread), and someone posted something funny. Along the lines of

"they should pay copyright infringement to John Williams in the amount of $767,000"

Just went on the site, and found a thread about the umpiring. 60% of people reckon it ruined the game and that they would've won had it been fair.

LAWLZ

Jack Grimes (hamstring) - 2 weeks

Jordan Gysberts (back) - 1 week

Rhys Healey (hamstring) - 2 weeks

Daniel Hughes (ankle) - 1-2 weeks

Stefan Martin (hip) - 1 week

James McDonald (hamstring) - test

John Meesen (ankle) - indefinite

Michael Newton (quadriceps) - 2-3 weeks

Ricky Petterd (shoulder) - season

Jake Spencer (back) - test

James Strauss (knee) - 2 weeks

Deliberately took Max Gawn off as he is playing in the Casey reserves this week.

Linky

The banner of Jimmy and one of his little ones was fantastic. I'm not sure if it's possible is there any way we could get the thanks Jimmy onto stickers for the car? the club could sell them and the money could go towards the debt. What does every body think?

Send it in to the club, I'd buy one

Four weeks ago we had Jamar, Frawley, Junior and perhaps Grimes as candidates for AA.

Injuries to Junior and Grimes would have pretty much ruled them out now.

Jamar and Frawley are still thereabouts and Green's consistency has I think put him in the picture at least for now for AA talk.

Jamar, Frawley and Green are easily in the squad.

Forgot Adam Goodes too. Without Goodes Sydney would've been in trouble, and without Green Essendon may have gotten a lot closer

It doesn't mean much, but I was annoyed not to see Brad Green in the Performance of the Week. Dane Swan (39 touches), Dustin Martin (for Richmond's second last goal) and Ryan Griffen (29 touches, 2 goals) were the nominees. A little bit silly IMO.

Green was nominated for Mark of the Week too

Or Ricky Henderson from Adelaide? Hard to overlook 22 touches and 3 goals in a winning side

Melbourne are far from a top 8 side, so based on that theory Eth, Freo will win. They are a better team than us, and are at home.

I didn't say we'd win, but Richmond did beat them two days ago. Always good to be hopeful

Off topic - but I tried it today as well. I had North at 8th on 11 wins, and Sydney at 9th on just 8 wins...my tips had them not winning another game.

My ladder:

Geelong 19 0 3 143.1%

St Kilda 18 0 4 128.1%

Collingwood 15 1 6 124.7%

Bulldogs 14 0 8 132.8%

Hawthorn 14 0 8 111.1%

Fremantle 13 0 9 110.4%

Carlton 11 0 11 103.6%

Richmond 11 0 11 87.8%

----------------------------

Sydney 10 0 12 100.8%

North 10 0 12 80.5%

Melbourne 8 1 13 93.4%

Adelaide 8 0 14 93.7%

Port Adelaide 7 0 15 79.9%

Brisbane Lions 6 1 15 82.7%

Essendon 6 1 15 81.5%

West Coast 4 0 18 77.8%

YES, RICHMOND MADE THE FINALS.

(winners in bold)

Geelong v Bulldogs

St Kilda v Collingwood

Hawthorn v Richmond

Fremantle v Carlton

Bulldogs v Hawthorn

Collingwood v Fremantle

Geelong v Collingwood

St Kilda v Hawthorn

Geelong v Hawthorn

Eight and a half wins. Good result.

Makes me think that Sydney v Brisbane should be on Sunday as North and the Swans are about equal and we're more of a chance of making the finals

Did anyone hear the Essendon supporters behind the Punt Rd goals with all their wannabe soccer chants at 3/4 time? Anyone would have thought they were up by 5 goals and not us.

Big props to the guy sitting with his partner, when we kicked a couple early in the 4th, who ran up the aisle toward the muppets absolutely giving it to them. They weren't heard again for the rest of the game.

There was a Bombers supporter who kept yelling 'Go Jacky Watts', kinda got annoying.

Okay, here's the 50s:

Q1 - Colin Sylvia - Bumped as he marked - BAD CALL

Q1 - Lynden Dunn - Tackled after mark - GOOD CALL

Q2 - Jack Trengove - Overstepped mark - GOOD CALL

Q2 - Brad Green - Overstepped mark - GOOD CALL

Q2 - Jamie Bennell - Tackled after mark, tripped - GOOD CALL

Q4 - Matthew Bate - Tackled after mark - GOOD CALL

Q4 - Mark Jamar - Ran through mark - GOOD CALL

Probably didn't need to do this, but I might go and post it on other forums

Without Barlow Freo are a top 8 side at best. We'll give them a crack, but too early to call at this stage.

i agree that the first 50 to sylvia was soft. the question is, did the umpire think that sylvia had marked it before he was cleaned up? if so it could be a very soft, but correct decision. i didn't think he had marked it, in which case, i thought it should have been a free kick.

would happily see a replay?

http://www.gameanalyser.afl.com.au/Default.aspx

There's an option for the 50 metre penalties. Gonna watch em now and I'll give my opinion

Wow- i was close. 29 touches. 2 goals. In the best.

You were still wrong though, but I bet nobody picked Green stats to be 27 touches, 5 goals

Green for last goal

For Melbourne, yes

Headlines will be : KNIGHTS NEXT TO GO?!

Probably

Melbourne kicks the first goal of the game.

Supporters in shock!

We weren't in shock, but yep :D

GREEN ?????????

You beat me to it, Green's an automatic six

6 - Brad Green

5 - Cameron Bruce

4 - Jack Trengove

3 - Lynden Dunn

2 - Jordie McKenzie

1 - Mark Jamar

PJ- the less said the better

Trengove - classy classy classy

Loved his blind turn through the Bombers' forward line in the second quarter

... After 14/15 rounds I think MFC can still make the TOP sorry bottom FOUR.

On a side note IF the boys can come up against the Dons tomorrow this could push MFC up a few places in the ladder. Edging towards that TOP FOUR SPOT

For us to make the top four, we have to win every game, Fremantle have to lose every game, the Dogs can only win one, and Carlton, Hawthorn and the winner of Sydney vs North can only win two.

Like the optimism though, and sorry I ruined the moment :D

Well I guess that tonight's effort by Richmond puts us firmly in line for the spoon again so any pretensions of top eight are well and truly gone. If we don't win tomorrow we are firmly in second last position and in danger of sliding to the bottom again.

There will be questions asked if this happens.

We're still a game and a half clear of West Coast at least, depending on what happens tomorrow