Do we risk players with injury clouds? (Judd, McLean, Scotland). They will face a similar dilemma with Reiwold, Newman and White. Pace will be important. Selection will be critical.
For everything that has happened this season,our highs and lows and the successes of others, we are on absolutely even terms with with both Richmond and Collingwood and better off than Port (we don't travel, we play a home final and we are playing at our favourite ground!)
We play an opponent who we have defeated 9 of the past 10 meetings, including 3 weeks ago. They have 3 key players under injury clouds (Newman, Riewold and White), as do we ( Judd, McLean and Scotland)
One feels that the stars might just be slightly alining........
Murphy is booked in for knee surgery on Monday but will obviously reschedule if we are still playing. Why do we play injured players and wreck their confidence??
OK I personally think that it is 'line in the sand' time.
The line in the sand should be that, from now till the end of the year, forget about the drugs, the injections, the 4 aminos and focus on ourselves and how we are going to beat a team who we despise, who are on the same number of premierships as us and who are spiralling out of control, ready to be buried.
Let them keep their points and let them be humiliated over the next three weeks. Most of their supporters and I dare say their players would love to cop their penalty now, cause they ain't going anywhere this year, but their admin are sitting firm.
Just go out and beat them because they are Essendon and because they are one obstacle standing in the way of us and a hit at the finals.