Pre Match. Pies v. Blues - All comments please.

[Magpietothemax]

Interesting discussion on the assessment of West Coast. They were missing their two key forwards, Kennedy and Darling against Essendon. However, what was exposed in this game is that they depend on these two tall forwards to dominate the air. So they have the luxury of playing a slower, buildup game when these two guys are on fire. However, if they are not on fire or missing, they struggled to adapt. This suggests that they are ossified within a single paradigm.
They can't play the mobile short/fast forward line conformation that Richmond, and now us, have configured. I actually think West Coast are screwed as far as being contendors for a Premiership. They have constructed their game around two talls, to whom they send the ball. But this is not super fast, it is not chaotic, it is not unpredictable. I think their methodology has been superseded, and the game against Essendon proves that they have no alternative. Even more so on the MCG.
Conclusion: Strike West Coast out of the list of Grand Finalists.

[think positive]

i seriously cannot wait til sunday! you can take the girl out of the country but you cant take the magpie out of her! man oh man, pies by 99!

[ronrat]

[simon tonna]

I'll b en newzealand for a break and a ski. Hope I can see the metch somewhere in queenstown to see a smeshing eh.
Go meggies.

[RudeBoy]

[stui magpie]

I'm still nervey about this game, teams haven't had a good record first up after the bye.

[Piethagoras' Theorem]

Well done to Appleby, I thought he was stiff to get dropped. Underrated around here I reckon, the boy will be a 200 gamer!

[inxs88]

[5 from the wing on debut]

[David]

[Jezza]

Glad I'm not the only one feeling jittery about this match.

Carlton will have a point to prove after an insipid performance last week. Hope we're switched on from the first bounce.

[stui magpie]

[Piesnchess]

Make NO mistake, lads and lassies, this will be no walk in the park for us. The doggies showed tonight, with a decimated team, that if a side comes with the right attitude, and the other is a little bit off, anything can happen. North were very lucky to win tonight. Lucky. Im not saying our game v the bluebellies will be that close, but It will be real contest, for a fair while, the blues are hurting, a week of hell, and they will come at us hard, very hard. We must absorb their shit, their hardness, and stay with em, then wear the pricks out, wear em down, and pull away, to a 22 point win, hopefully.

[Magpietothemax]

Agree with all those who are sensing concern in this game because of the psychology involved. We are coming off a break during which certain figures in the media have been suggesting that we are Premiership contendors, while Carlton is angry and has plenty to be desperate for. I hope that our psychologists have been defending our guys against the very real danger of complacency and lack of motivation. If we were 5% off our game, we could easily lose.
However, this year I have noticed a definite improvement in our mental preparation for game. I hope I am not myself being guilty of complacency by observing that I think we will have anticipated these mental dangers and taken appropriate measures. Therefore, I await this game with cautious optimism.

[swoop42]