teams are up

[penga]

Originally posted by snajik
As much as I'd like to see it, I won't be holding my breath as I wait for James to become a key position player.

next year mate, next year... im holding my breath!

[Dpw]

Originally posted by Nico
Clearly Charlie you were not around to appreciate the deplorable coaching of Buckenara in 1994 and the appalling team that Ron Barrassi took over. This team would have whipped them by 15 goals.

I feel so sorry for you. You must be sitting at home like a qiuvering jelly just waiting for the season to take you by throat and strangle you. I suggest you drink at least half a slab before the game to calm you down. If thats no good get stuck into the valium.

Don't worry about the opposition son, it's just a game of footy. Don't let it get to you, enjoy it, it's one of the great pastimes of out time.

They were the worst years of my life. I broke two remotes and when we played at Subi the eagle fans brought me beers they felt that sorry for me, I can remeber a game when the crowd didn't cheer for the whole second half they were that far in front.

I pray we never reach those lows again.

[Nico]

DPW you have nothing to worry about. It will be a long time before that hppens again.

Start salivating on this prediction of Saturday night's activities.

BBBH has the forward line to himself. Ball and Doyle drop across half back to add height to the backline.

Goodes drifts in and around centre and HB then streams off HB banging the pill down Bazzas throat.

Wiiliams, Kenneally, Maxfield, Davis, Nicks and Fosdike with their abundant pace bolt into the open spaces in the forward line and feed off BBBH and Stevens.

Saddo does a "Roos" and bobs up on HFF after running off Whitnall.

Pace and anticipation are our weapons.

Leo Barry and Rohan Warfe will stun the crowd once again with their brain snapping stuff ups. They will show the kids how to dodge shadows, drop marks and pinpoint kicks to the opposition. But there will be enough scintillating play by the others to win the day.

[Bron]

Mathews drives me nuts with his kicks backwards and sideways. Whilst "up the guts" isn't always the answer, it does make me feel a bit more comfortable than dilly-dancing back into defence. Well, let's just see what happens tomorrow night.

[chammond]

I feel so sorry for you. You must be sitting at home like a qiuvering jelly just waiting for the season to take you by throat and strangle you. I suggest you drink at least half a slab before the game to calm you down. If thats no good get stuck into the valium.

Well, Nico, I think I'd rather have some of whatever you're on, thanks.

[Craig]

Definately going to be tough to contain the Carlton forward line. Let's just hope our midfield dominates (who are up against Ratten, Kouta & Campo) and BBBBH can kick a heap! IMO we will have too much run for Carltons aging legs.

[liz]

Originally posted by Craig
Definately going to be tough to contain the Carlton forward line. Let's just hope our midfield dominates (who are up against Ratten, Kouta & Campo) and BBBBH can kick a heap! IMO we will have too much run for Carltons aging legs.

I reckon that's the key. Both teams have forward lines that look far too good for the respective defences that will have to mind them. So it is likely to come down to which team manages to get the ball in the general direction of its forwards more often.

Putting aside the varied comments above about Mathews and how good/bad his ball use is, he is usually a pretty good stopper when given the role. If he can shut down Ratten and Kirk can shutdown Campo, I reckon we'll be OK. I'm assuming that, in Fixter's absence, Crouch will have to play on Lappin (who he towelled up quite nicely, thankyou, in Round 2 last year). Hulme is the other one in the midfield that needs to be watched but maybe Bolton and/or O'Keefe can do that.

Interestingly, over on TBV (Carlton equivalent of RWO, for those who have never visited) a lot of posters are confident of their team's chances on the basis that Biglands and Allan will give them first use of the ball out of the centre. They reckon Sydney have "only got Ball". Glad they're optimistic, because I don't see that ruck combination as any better than Ball/Doyle/Goodes.

Oh, and it also seems that Martyn only trained for about 5 minutes today before hobbling off with some kind off injury. Carlton could be foxing, of course, but if he doesn't play it will leave either Beaumont or a very inexperienced kid trying to mind Hall.

Should be an interesting game...

[Nico]

Originally posted by chammond
Well, Nico, I think I'd rather have some of whatever you're on, thanks.

Touche' (if thats how you spell it) Hammo.

[Dpw]

Originally posted by lizz
I reckon that's the key. Both teams have forward lines that look far too good for the respective defences that will have to mind them. So it is likely to come down to which team manages to get the ball in the general direction of its forwards more often.

Putting aside the varied comments above about Mathews and how good/bad his ball use is, he is usually a pretty good stopper when given the role. If he can shut down Ratten and Kirk can shutdown Campo, I reckon we'll be OK. I'm assuming that, in Fixter's absence, Crouch will have to play on Lappin (who he towelled up quite nicely, thankyou, in Round 2 last year). Hulme is the other one in the midfield that needs to be watched but maybe Bolton and/or O'Keefe can do that.

Interestingly, over on TBV (Carlton equivalent of RWO, for those who have never visited) a lot of posters are confident of their team's chances on the basis that Biglands and Allan will give them first use of the ball out of the centre. They reckon Sydney have "only got Ball". Glad they're optimistic, because I don't see that ruck combination as any better than Ball/Doyle/Goodes.

Oh, and it also seems that Martyn only trained for about 5 minutes today before hobbling off with some kind off injury. Carlton could be foxing, of course, but if he doesn't play it will leave either Beaumont or a very inexperienced kid trying to mind Hall.

Should be an interesting game...

Sure hope they banking on Allan and Biglands - Because Biglands isn't on there list and Allan isn't playing from what I could see.

[liz]

Originally posted by Dpw
Sure hope they banking on Allan and Biglands - Because Biglands isn't on there list and Allan isn't playing from what I could see.

You got me there on the Biglands - whichever ruckman they imported from Adelaide (though it was Port, not the Crows). What's hisnameagain??

[Cheer Cheer]

Barnaby French. He goes alrite

[Steve]

How could you forget a name like Bananaby Lizz???

Pagan will definitely try and play McKernan and Fevola, and maybe even Whitnall and Kouta at times, as deep as possible to try and stretch us.

But with Hall, Goodes, Stevens, Doyle/Ball and even O'Keefe as marking options up forward for Sydney, surely Beaumont, Sporn, Thornton, Martyn/Merrington and Waite will struggle to hold them.

I predict one of Whitnall and Kouta will be in defence after half time.

The midfield will be important, but Kirk-Camporeale, Murphy-Maxfield, Cresswell/Mathews-Ratten has worked well before in our favour, and Crouch/Williams should have too much run for Hulme/Franchina.

I'm not really worried in the slightest with Saddington on McKernan and Barry on Fevola, and Whitnall gets so many of his kicks further up the ground setting up play that someone like Bolton or Goodes could work.

It's hard to know with this side at this time of year, but I'd be surprised if Carlton really pushed us at all.

[Craig]

Is Matty Allen actually playing? I didn't see him on the team list but I haven't heard that he's injured.

[penga]

i thought allan has been suspended indefintiely because of his involvement in the salary cap rort

i might be wrong, but thats what i recall

[chammond]

Pagan will definitely try and play McKernan and Fevola, and maybe even Whitnall and Kouta at times, as deep as possible to try and stretch us.

But with Hall, Goodes, Stevens, Doyle/Ball and even O'Keefe as marking options up forward for Sydney, surely Beaumont, Sporn, Thornton, Martyn/Merrington and Waite will struggle to hold them.

If it comes to a straight shoot-out, I agree the Swans should more than hold their own, especially if Whitnall is forced to the wing (or further) to get his possessions. But who is going to play on Whitnall and force him up the ground? It would be a big ask for Craig Bolton or Rowan Warfe.

If Crouch is taken out of the midfield equation by Lappin, then it might be a straight stand-off between Williams/Creswell and Ratten/Camporeale . . . something worth seeing! If they merely neutralise each other then it might come down to a ruck duel, and we'll maybe see just how good Ball really is?

Or then again . . . Sydney might kick ten goals in the first quarter, and the rest will be merely academic!