Jaded No More

I should have wagged work. I am not productive at all. Tomorrow will be worse, but I have meetings I need to be switched on for. At least they are in the morning, so I can take an early mark and sneak out. My boss is going to line up for MCC walk ups, so I'm safe.

Fair enough. I am not against this, just curious.

A beautiful special human being. So happy for him to have won a flag with us in 2021.

Genuinely curious why those young Casey players are still training and not having an early start to their pre-season to freshen up? It's not like any of them will play in finals.

Here I was thinking we will pull a late rabbit and debut Farris White to take on Cox

We have shown repeatedly that we can easily close a 2-3 goal gap, and the Pies don't really have the defensive game plan to shut a 3 goal lead down for long periods to win. Unless it is pouring with rain late in the game, a 2-3 goal lead to the Pies won't phase us. Whereas we can sit on a 3 goal lead for 25 minutes and just make them sweat.

You think we play Smith, Tmac and Fritsch all together this week? It can work as Smith is good defensively and at ground level, whereas Tmac and Fritsch are not. I am not sold on Smith, unless we give him a role on Moore Team selection tonight will be fascinating. We are all analysing it, an in the end it'll be Tmac for Melksham.

Luckily Fritsch is back, who is also a very smart player who knows where to lead and can nail shots on goal from the pocket. Likewise Tmac, who may be slow as the day is long, but he knows how to make and find space and he knows how to kick goals. Smith is just chaos.

Tmac won’t take the ruck work in the middle or around the ground. He will likely help out with ruck work inside 50.

Regardless of whether the Pies play one ruck and one as sub or both start the game, Gawn will likely share the ruck duties with JVR more in the first 3 quarters so he can conserve energy for the last quarter to go it alone. Fitness and endurance is not Gawn’s issue. He is just about the fittest endurance ruckman going around. Cox will be spent by the last quarter from trying so hard to start fights.

I wanna know what Fritta named his invisible moonboot

Very sad I can’t make it. Stupid employment keeping me able to exist. So rude.

I had a dream we kicked the first 3 goals of the game and won by 45 points. My dreams are never right but take this one to the bank 😂

I’m not sure about the blow out on GF day. Brisbane at the G are not exactly world beaters. I see the grand final between Pies/Melbourne vs Brisbane. I guess we could win by 70+ again. 😂

Yep shout out to McVee, JVR and Chin too who will all play their first ever final. At the G. In front of 95,000 insane fans. No biggie.

This. We cannot play both and we need a tall forward more than we need a second ruckman.

Forecast is improving each day. Now looks like only a few showers and likely done by 9pm. Rest easy.

I always lose my voice after the game. I will be mute by quarter time. Guaranteed.

My wild guess for selection that will 100% be wrong In: Tmac, Laurie Out: Smith, Melksham Sub: Smith or Hibbo I feel like with Tmac coming in we don’t need Smith. What we do need is some classy ball use going inside 50. Laurie has shown that. Especially if it does rain, and that’s looking less and less likely, to have a good ball user around the forwardline will be paramount. Smith or Hibbo as sub. Hibbo if we are worried about McVee on Elliot. Smith as sub if we are worried about Turner or Tmac. Ultimately Smith is the most versatile sub and the best break glass in case of emergency player we have.

The wet makes everyone slower. He has always lacked agility but made up for it in endurance. If he can continue to lead and bring ball to ground, that’ll do me. He just needs not to get out marked or out bodied in the contest.

0% chance they drop Bowey. One of the few elite ball users in our side.

All the pressure is on the Pies. Finished 1st. Coming in off the back of some questionable form. Nobody will question us if we lose. Questions will certainly be raised if the Pies lose.

Can’t see it happening but Hibbo could replace Salem. I would feel safer with Hibbo in the side. Elliot worries me and McVee has never played on him before. Not saying he can’t do the job but Elliot is an extremely smart and strong player. He’s hurt us before and he’s exactly the sort of player who can turn a game in the blink of an eye.

14 weeks and two busted feet. Nervous? Me?

The thought of listening to those nuffy fans chant Collingwood as they stare down a win makes me want to throw up. Do not let that happen Dees. I beg of you. Win and win well!