<blockquote>Jennifer Witham ? @AFL_JenWitham Big blow for the Pies. Shaw and Thomas to miss the next two games with hamstring injuries. That makes at least four changes tonight. Both to miss Port & Essendon games</blockquote> I have a feeling its just the beginning. Those two on top of Goodes, Leuenburger, Lake, Grimes and possibly Fyfe & Dempsey.
Only affected by Shaw. Have traded out Fyfe. Have dodged the rest, but I'm sure my time to be hit by more bullets will come. No good planning - only luck. At least Shaw will have a good long break after Anzac Day.
You'd be struggling with a full strength team considering the imbecile you currently have in the coaches box, not that I'm complaining
Big SC news! especially Shaw... Big Footy news for Collingwood, just got a lot harder to beat Port, looked at being a gimme game.. so many players down now, and so many under prepared. Went to the Coll v Carlt game last week, and with my mates we noticed Thomas looked buggered lots of times, and he ran to the bench a few times but was made to stay on with Reid and Ball both out! very intersting to me now that he has hammy sorenesss... I think its defintely a call to the AFL for more subs? or to change the interchange rule somehow?
just waiting on a late withdrawal from Ablett now...i wonder how many people are NOT affected by all the player ruination this week...they'll go straight to the top.
Pretty low troll Angry. 15 of the top 22 have been out this year so far, with a few LTIs, not the best scenario for anyone. Fairly likely a fit squad would have beaten Hawthorn who I think are still flag favourites. Still, if we finish 5th and knock out Carlton in a semi sending them out in straight sets then I'm OK with that.
@shortsandshoody ...or maybe teams need gameplans that don't tire their players out, just like they used to when there was only 2 on the bench. @Lucas Now you know how the Hawks felt in 2009. Everybody laughed when we couldn't make the finals despite our injuries and retirements. Remember the game where Luke Hodge had to ruck because we had nobody else?
Any team continually missing their best players will struggle. Whether the coach in question has the foggiest idea, I'm not sure. But I'd hate to think what would happen to my mob if we were down that many players. Nightmarish. (As a Tigers fan its tough feeling sympathy for Collingwood. But I do ... a little ... )
Agree on that one Swert. Which means it will be a return to flooding and 5 goals v 3. There will be a few coaches going around at the moment seeing the high scores this season and saying "this is madness". For those who have enjoyed the attacking aggressive matches, I'm thinking we might be in for more WCE v Sydney arm wrestles in future years. Maybe not this year as coaches still think the press is the best option, and that attack is the best form of defence, but I do foresee the flood being implemented as a means of being able to keep players refreshed for a full game.
On the Hawks 2009 I do think that a few players read their own columns, and believed their own hype a shade too much. Haven't seen full evidence that this occurred to the Pies so far. Hawks also came from nowhere 2006 nothing to flag 2008. Not a surprise to see them have to build again. Pies the only team in the league who has made the 8 every year since 2006. Not saying they are a certainty to rebound, but there's been more of a base of success for players to tap into mentally when the going gets tough.
Must resist the urge to trade that idiot Heath Shaw...does this to me every year regardless of circumstance, what was I thinking!
Lesson to self, pay attention to black list and make sure you DON'T pick players on it, they will screw you in the end. Damn you Heath Shaw!!!