Pre-Match. Round 9. Magpies v. Bulldogs.

[PyreneesPie]

So glad to see Poulter finally get a chance this season.

[stui magpie]

Bulldogs changes

In: A.Keath, M.Bontempelli, J.Sweet, L.Cleary, R.West
Out: R.Smith (omitted), T.O'Brien (calf), L.Vandermeer (hamstring), C.Weightman (collarbone), S.Martin (managed), H.Crozier (Medi-Sub)

So no Martin and no English, Keath will be short of a gallop, the only worry there is Bont.

We could win this.

[KickTruly]

I'd like to say something nice about the
composition of this team (below the dotted line):
- - - - - - - - - - -



.

[Tanuki]

I thought McInnes had been playing well and looked to be getting into some good form, does anyone know why he was dropped?

[Return of the baldfacts]

I thought McInnes had been playing well and looked to be getting into some good form, does anyone know why he was dropped?

Think he was unused sub last time he played and VFL had no game last week, so l am guessing they want him to have a decent hitout in the VFL.

[Uncle Jack]

Interesting. I wonder if that was just Ginnivan and McCreery, or someone else? It seems strange that they would be mentioned publicly by McRae if other players have it worse.

(Also, did no-one get their flu shots this year!?)

It is interesting. We’re into our third week of training disruptions because of illness. I take it that the first two weeks were gastro related and as we all know, that can go as quickly as it arrives. Not one ill player in the previous two weeks went on to miss the game, albeit they werent likely 100% either.
I thought that McRae described this weeks illnesses as a carry over, so by extension, there’s every chance Ginnivan and McCreery still get up. As above, it’s been reported that Ginnivan was training today. Seems like the key to this bug is to have caught it by mid week and then likely come good for the weekend. We will all know soon enough.

I can't remember players missing games in previous seasons due to Flu. It's almost as if something has lowered the vast majority of the populations' immune system.

[swoop42]

With Ginnivan out and Poulter in it's the perfect opportunity to play Sidebottom closer to goal.

Hopefully the Cameron and Begg combo can capitalise on a weaker ruck division than the previous two rounds and they look to exploit a defence that like our own struggles in covering the oppositions tall forward options.

[Lazza]

Sadly I don’t feel fully confident about our chances but hope springs eternal. We need to have a hell of a lot going our way but hey, maybe it will

[RudeBoy]

Unfortunately our lack of quality talls - missing Grundy, Roughead and Krueger in particular - leaves me doubtful about our chances. Ginnivan is also a big out. Nevertheless, I'm glad to see Poulter promoted, and hope we can turn it on. I'm tipping a big game from JDG, who has seemed a bit flat since being crook a couple of weeks back. Happy to see Madgen return, as despite his many detractors, I felt we badly missed his strong body work in defence last week.

Begg will no doubt get beaten again, but that doesn't concern me. He will benefit from these games and it will pay off for us in the long-run.

Pies by 3 points!