Team Vs Bulldogs....

[reigning premier]

WESTERN BULLDOGS v SYDNEY SWANS
Western Bulldogs
B: Liam Picken, Brian Lake, Dale Morris
HB: Lindsay Gilbee, Tom Williams, Ryan Hargrave
C: Nathan Eagleton, Ryan Griffen, Daniel Cross
HF: Josh Hill, Mitch Hahn, Brad Johnson
F: Jason AKermanis, Will Minson, Scott Welsh
Foll: Ben Hudson, Matthew Boyd, Adam Cooney
I/C: Daniel Giansiracusa, Shaun Higgins, Stephen Tiller, Callan Ward
Emg: Tim Callan, Dylan Addison, Jarrod Harbrow

In: Hargrave, Tiller
Out: Tim Callan, Jarrod Harbrow

Sydney Swans
B: Craig Bolton, Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Martin Mattner
HB: Rhyce Shaw, Heath Grundy, Jared Crouch
C: Adam Goodes, Brett Kirk, Amon Buchanan
HF: Ryan O?Keefe, Ted Richards, Kieren Jack
F: Jarred Moore, Barry Hall, Michael O?Loughlin
Foll: Darren Jolly, Jarrad McVeigh, Jude Bolton
I/C: Luke Ablett, Paul Bevan, Nick Malceski, Jesse White
Emg: Craig Bird, Mike Pyke, Kristin Thornton

In: Roberts-Thomson
Out: Craig Bird

[pig@fullforward]

mmm not sure that is the best possible change, however i guess they were worried about the Minson match up! I do have to wonder why not go in smaller and faster & use White when Minson goes forward!

[Industrial Fan]

Looks like they're just being cautious because of his concussion.

[satchmopugdog]

My eldest daughter got concussion two weeks ago due to being hit by a car whilst crossing the road (correctly) and it has taken her until now for the fuzziness to disappear. I don't know how Bird could have been expected to play this week considering how dreadful he looked.

Bird needs to be looked after as he is very young for that inside stuff. Just look at how knocked around Luke Ball has been and I don't know how young Joel Selwood has stood up as well as he has considering the knocks he has taken.

[Hartijon]

How lucky is Ablett to be picked? He must have premiership credits to burn.Is there no threat from the 2's?

[connolly]

How lucky is Ablett to be picked? He must have premiership credits to burn.Is there no threat from the 2's?

Thornton is really stiff. If Ablett is going to play up front, Thornton is a better mark, kick and quicker. Ablett is a marginally better tackler but really the kid takes such a good clean grab in packs he gives us an extra dimension on the half forward line.

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Yeah I can't believe Ablett gets a game every week, it's just not right. Thornton would be the perfect replacement and Roos is persisting with possibly our weakest link.

Am I the only one who forgets Ablett isn't in his 30's?

[giant]

The inevitable change - don't actually see LRT's match up but Roos always seems to insist on bringing players back in these circumstances.

[staple]

we really need an extra defender this week. goof is a great inclusion. the bullies attack with johnson, welsh, hahn, minson, akermanis is a good one. b2 and teddy can't take all 4 (crouch will take aker).

possible match-ups?

Aker-Crouch
Minson-LRT
Johnson-C. Bolton
Hahn-Richards
Welsh-Grundy/Bevan/C.Bolton

With Ryce Shaw to get the negative midfield opponent to shut down his run.

[stellation]

My eldest daughter got concussion two weeks ago due to being hit by a car whilst crossing the road (correctly) and it has taken her until now for the fuzziness to disappear. I don't know how Bird could have been expected to play this week considering how dreadful he looked.

I'm sorry to hear that, satchmo. I hope she's okay.

[DST]

LRT in is a given, but would have liked another runner with Bird staying in but it's not surprising that he is given the week off after the hit he took last week.

Ablett could be considered lucky, but not unsurprising that Roos has gone with the mature hard bodies, as this one is really the clutch game for us this year.

Win it and also turn one of either the Collingwood or Adelaide games into a win and the top 4 is looking a real possibility.

DST

[Q...]

The inevitable change - don't actually see LRT's match up but Roos always seems to insist on bringing players back in these circumstances.

Which circumstances are you referring to?

[cruiser]

Yeah I can't believe Ablett gets a game every week, it's just not right. Thornton would be the perfect replacement and Roos is persisting with possibly our weakest link.

Am I the only one who forgets Ablett isn't in his 30's?

Ablett was terrible last week - our only bad player. Surely his time is almost up. This years Benny Matthews.

[staple]

ablett's keeping his spot because his workrate has lifted in the past month. made a few clangers last week, but still a hard inside midfielder with a bit of pace. can play more minutes than a youngster. plus, roos loves the bloke.

[Hartijon]

"plus, roos loves the bloke"

in a nutshell