Pre Prelim - Pies v. Swans - all comments.

[Piethagoras' Theorem]

Not sure if this is a good thing but I'm feeling a lot more confident this week than last. Got a feeling the monkey is off the back and the boys will now play with a bit more freedom and belief.

[Clifton Hill-Billy]

Must stop Mumford from injuring key personnel like Jolly and Daisy last time. C'mon Pies, there is a lot to drain the confidence about this one, will be a tough ask backing up from the semi, the 6 day break, Jmac's funeral, emotional exhaustion and travel. However, I think we learned last week that this team is capable of anything, particularly so when people write us off. I'm with the emu on this one, GO PIES!

[ANNODAM]

I will back us in a tough, close game. If we play with the guts and determination of last Saturday, then we will beat anybody.
Really proud of the team, they will have a lot of belief. If we make it through the the GF, then I think its this belief that will get us over the line.

Well what does Paul bloody say?

[boofa]

WE are "Cooked", we have been fighting injuries all season and i think that the tank is just about empty.

A "Gallant" Collingwood to go down by 5 goals.

Swans to beat Hawks in a close one in the pouring rain on Grand final day.

[Collingwood 4 eternity]

Sheeds is supporting the Swannies

[AN_Inkling]

We should have gone with the Jolly forward/Wood rucking set up long time ago.

Are you like Spain and think we'd have been better off missing the eight?

Neither Wood or Jolly can play forward. Play them both and we'd have one of them forward for almost the entire game. They'd just be getting in the way.

Wood is not good enough to relegate Jolly to second ruck. We'd be shooting ourselves in the foot by not playing our best first ruck and playing a poor forward who can't run. A double mistake.

I'm not a Wood hater. When given a proper chance he's been a decent first ruck. He's well behind Jolly though. And neither Jolly or Wood is a forward/ruck.

The forward/ruck role is 80% or more a forward role. So, the most important thing is to have someone who can play forward. In the modern game that requires more running and mobility than either Jolly or Wood are capable of. So Paine's our only option if Dawes is out. For the 10-15% of the game that Jolly's not rucking, we simply make do with whoever. Losing the odd ruck contest is not going to cost us the game. Completely messing up the structure of our forward line will.

[RudeBoy]

We should have gone with the Jolly forward/Wood rucking set up long time ago.

Are you like Spain and think we'd have been better off missing the eight?

Neither Wood or Jolly can play forward. Play them both and we'd have one of them forward for almost the entire game. They'd just be getting in the way.

Wood is not good enough to relegate Jolly to second ruck. We'd be shooting ourselves in the foot by not playing our best first ruck and playing a poor forward who can't run. A double mistake.

I'm not a Wood hater. When given a proper chance he's been a decent first ruck. He's well behind Jolly though. And neither Jolly or Wood is a forward/ruck.

The forward/ruck role is 80% or more a forward role. So, the most important thing is to have someone who can play forward. In the modern game that requires more running and mobility than either Jolly or Wood are capable of. So Paine's our only option if Dawes is out. For the 10-15% of the game that Jolly's not rucking, we simply make do with whoever. Losing the odd ruck contest is not going to cost us the game. Completely messing up the structure of our forward line will.

Everyone's wasting their time worrying about this. There will be no changes to our team this week. Dawes and Dids will both play.

[melliot]

As illogical as it seems to me, my instincts tells me Witts to come in for an injured Dawes.

Dont think it will happen. But seems the only workable solution. Gut tells me to go with Witts.

Another 2nd ruck option...... Brown?

[Beast]

We should have gone with the Jolly forward/Wood rucking set up long time ago.

Are you like Spain and think we'd have been better off missing the eight?

Neither Wood or Jolly can play forward. Play them both and we'd have one of them forward for almost the entire game. They'd just be getting in the way.

Wood is not good enough to relegate Jolly to second ruck. We'd be shooting ourselves in the foot by not playing our best first ruck and playing a poor forward who can't run. A double mistake.

I'm not a Wood hater. When given a proper chance he's been a decent first ruck. He's well behind Jolly though. And neither Jolly or Wood is a forward/ruck.

The forward/ruck role is 80% or more a forward role. So, the most important thing is to have someone who can play forward. In the modern game that requires more running and mobility than either Jolly or Wood are capable of. So Paine's our only option if Dawes is out. For the 10-15% of the game that Jolly's not rucking, we simply make do with whoever. Losing the odd ruck contest is not going to cost us the game. Completely messing up the structure of our forward line will.

Jolly/Wood ruck combo shits all over Jolly/Dawes and considering we got nothing out of Dawes as a forward during the year I stand by my previous post.

[Steve86]

triple** WOOPS

[Steve86]

triple** WOOPS

[Steve86]

We should have gone with the Jolly forward/Wood rucking set up long time ago.

Are you like Spain and think we'd have been better off missing the eight?

Neither Wood or Jolly can play forward. Play them both and we'd have one of them forward for almost the entire game. They'd just be getting in the way.

Wood is not good enough to relegate Jolly to second ruck. We'd be shooting ourselves in the foot by not playing our best first ruck and playing a poor forward who can't run. A double mistake.

I'm not a Wood hater. When given a proper chance he's been a decent first ruck. He's well behind Jolly though. And neither Jolly or Wood is a forward/ruck.

The forward/ruck role is 80% or more a forward role. So, the most important thing is to have someone who can play forward. In the modern game that requires more running and mobility than either Jolly or Wood are capable of. So Paine's our only option if Dawes is out. For the 10-15% of the game that Jolly's not rucking, we simply make do with whoever. Losing the odd ruck contest is not going to cost us the game. Completely messing up the structure of our forward line will.

Jolly/Wood ruck combo shits all over Jolly/Dawes and considering we got nothing out of Dawes as a forward during the year I stand by my previous post.

If we brought in wood he's probably served better resting in back half in the hole infront of leading forwards 2bh, regardless wood is our only option if dawes doesn't pull up, can't really rate wood on his performance against a rampaging nic nat and cox

[Steve86]

triple** WOOPS

[Grassy13]

Buckley said on the couch Dawes is very likely to play, same with dids as a sub

[On the March]

Apart from a Maxwell / Elliott swap the side from last week is probably best available due to injury. One of the problems in making any changes now is that its been a while since guys like Wood played. I think its one of the reasons coaches get suckered into playing injured players.

A half fit Dawes who played last week or Wood (and another set of issues) who has not played for 4 weeks and that was very ordinary.

Even for Paine it will be 3 weeks. It is a dilema. Training only takes you so far.

Unless its hopeless I expect both to play.