The team

[Reggi]

SYDNEY
B: Mathews, Schauble, Warfe.
HB: Barry, C.Bolton, Kennelly.
C: Crouch, Maxfield, Kirk.
HF: Nicks, Goodes, J.Bolton.
F: O?Loughlin, Hall, Davis.
FOLL: Ball, Williams, Cresswell.
I/C: Fosdike, O?Keefe, Roberts-Thompson, Schneider.
EMG: Meiklejohn, Powell, Sundqvist.
IN:
OUT:

No change

[Mark]

Lets hope Mickey is better for the run, looked very out of touch last week.

A settled side cant remember the last time ?

[Reggi]

We have not had a really settled side for a long time - imapct is huge. Even if Fixter and Seymour get fit they will struggle to permanently settle in the side.

Touch wood - no injuries.

[Swansinger]

I suppose the "line-up" ought to be taken with a pinch of salt , but I'd swap Bolton J. and Willo's positions.

[Reggi]

In a sense Powell is unlucky - his time will come.

Lining up against the doggies would have been a good opportunity for him.

[midaro]

From what they (Roos included) said about Magic during the telecast last Saturday night, I got the impression he was still carrying an injury and only played because of the significance if it being the "Marn Gook" game. So, I wouldn't be surprised if Magic for Powell (or Stevens) is a late change.

[Roscoe]

A bit harsh on Mickey saying he was "out of touch"

Being more compassionate he was a "little under - done"

Roos reckons he is one player who does'nt need much game time to get quickly back to his best

[TheHood]

I tend to agree Roscoe. Thought Mick did very few things but they were "one grab" things that he did, including a goal so to me he was not out of touch at all.

Had barely any game time and with what he did have he did well with.

He took 3 weeks to get back to what was a devestating game for Leigh Matthews against the Lions. I mean Leigh was worried about him publicly before the game and Mick took them apart. He will be invaluable against Port, MMW!

[anniswan]

According to Ed the man we have 15 players that have played every game so far this year. Personally I didn't realise that!

AS

[floppinab]

It has been the doggies smalls that have cut us up in recent encounters, particularly in one on one forward contests.

How about Nicks as a permanent backline stopper this week???

[sharp9]

Originally posted by floppinab

How about Nicks as a permanent backline stopper this week???

He's looked a little slow both by foot and brain this year IMO. The last thing you'd want is to have him fluffing around five metres behind the leads of Johnson or Brown. They'd turn him in so many circles he would get dizzy standing still.

I reckon that reason he got moved to the forward line in the first place was because, despite his rebound, he just wasn't accountable one on one.

On the other hand I don't have any real answers either. Tiger, Leo, Benny or B2 is going to have to go with their small fast forwards. Unless Crouch gets to taste the backline again. Mmmm maybe that wouldn't hurt to put Matthews in the middle.

Crouch is named in the middle, however, FWTW.

Bulldogs team is

B: Robbins, Kretiuk, Hargrave
HB: Birss, Croft, Murphy
C: Smith, West, Hahn
HF: McMahon, Harrison, Johnson
F: Garlick, Skipper, Brown
Foll: Darcy, Dimattina, Giansiracusa
Int: Bowden, Harris, Eagleton, Power
Em: Gilbee, Cross, McGuinness

In: Eagleton, Harris
Out: Gilbee, McGuinness

So they also have Garlick and Eagleton as small forwards. Mmmm you would have to say that this is their game plan (not that they have too much choice)

Gee the dogs are short, though. Only one back over 190 (Croft 191) Both rucks are 196, and Skipper is very young (and named as CHF anyway)

Patrick Bowden (190) and Brian Harris (194) are the back up KPP.

Kretiuk (184) is considered a tall key defender!

[NMWBloods]

One thing to note about the 'Dogs is that they are the no 1 team in the comp for centre clearances (we are near last) and are a very high scoring team with a lot of inside 50s. This will be a major test of our backline, particularly on the small SCG.

[Templeton31]

Originally posted by sharp9


<snip>

Bulldogs team is

B: Robbins, Kretiuk, Hargrave
HB: Birss, Croft, Murphy
C: Smith, West, Hahn
HF: McMahon, Harrison, Johnson
F: Garlick, Skipper, Brown
Foll: Darcy, Dimattina, Giansiracusa
Int: Bowden, Harris, Eagleton, Power
Em: Gilbee, Cross, McGuinness

In: Eagleton, Harris
Out: Gilbee, McGuinness

So they also have Garlick and Eagleton as small forwards. Mmmm you would have to say that this is their game plan (not that they have too much choice)

Gee the dogs are short, though. Only one back over 190 (Croft 191) Both rucks are 196, and Skipper is very young (and named as CHF anyway)

Patrick Bowden (190) and Brian Harris (194) are the back up KPP.

Kretiuk (184) is considered a tall key defender!

You've hit the nail on the head there sharp! As a Doggies fan I'm buggered if I know how we'll match up on Barry Hall (think Crofty is too slow for him) yet alone any others. Harris will play FF (if he plays - was late withdrawal last week with thigh injury) and will offer a good contest, especially for a bloke playing his 6th or 7th game. Brown, Garlo et al will try and feed off his crumbs.

[snajik]

I'm not in the least bit concerned about our recent record against the Dogs. I am more worried about their winless streak and the fact that they have been playing quite well. They will break through for a win soon. Hopefully not on Saturday. We had four hoodoo teams coming into this season including Footscray and have already beaten the other three (Essendon, Brisbane & Geelong).

It's become difficult to hate Footscray with the same degree of intensity now that Libba has retired. It's position on the ladder is definitely deceptive. They have certainly played better footy than Melbourne, Hawthorn, Geelong and Carlton in my book. I also have time for Robert Murphy who has guts to speak his mind amongst a generation of robots.

In our favour, we are very fit, and they spent last weekend in the west.

[Ganjaman]

An awesome line-up. Not a single change from last weeks killing.

We oughta flog those hapless doggies. Top four for another week!!