Preview Changes vs Cats in the Semi Final

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Don't really care much about the game at this stage, seems kinda pointless in the big scheme of things in some ways. If we win, it'll just drag this whole situation out and the media over there will absolutely drive the boot as far in as humanely possible, and if we lose it'll be a loss, no premiership and the whole weird thing will still hang over Willie and the club's head.

I can't actually see us winning now anyway, it's just very deflating considering how much work the club has put into Willie's development as a person, and about how hard it's worked to mend it's reputation over the last 13 years.

The 4 givens in life: Birth, Death, Taxes and something to do with WC around finals time.
 
Finding it hard to care too much about the game now tbh. Anybody else?

Massively flat, will watch the game and get behind the boys but can just see a pumping coming up.

Team sports are a funny thing, something like this will either galvanise the group like Gaff's incident last year, or it will derail us horribly.

The well is only so deep and these players have had to dig further than most over the past 18 months, can they go again?
 
Don't really care much about the game at this stage, seems kinda pointless in the big scheme of things in some ways. If we win, it'll just drag this whole situation out and the media over there will absolutely drive the boot as far in as humanely possible, and if we lose it'll be a loss, no premiership and the whole weird thing will still hang over Willie and the club's head.

I can't actually see us winning now anyway, it's just very deflating considering how much work the club has put into Willie's development as a person, and about how hard it's worked to mend it's reputation over the last 13 years.

The 4 givens in life: Birth, Death, Taxes and something to do with WC around finals time.
As hard as it sounds, they've already put a line through Rioli.
They certainly won't be thinking about him once they cross the line.

If we lose, it will be because we aren't good enough.
Not because of the Rioli issue.
 
C'mon, what a bunch of negative supporters!? Where's Colonel Kurtz, we need some man-up hardener here!? What about the team and the coaching, they still have to get on with the game and what's left of the season, they're in this up to their necks, they can't pull the plug and say "Oh I don't care about this game anymore", "We'll probably get flogged now anyway"!!? If they said or acted out that way, you'd all be jumping down their throats and lynching them on social media.
You're supposed to be supporters....well then, support! Do your job, they're doing their job!
 
Still find the timing ver strange of Rioli issue, none the less he is not available and these guys are supposed to be professionals. Get on with it and take care of business is what pros do. Petch in, meh

If they found a banned substance i still don't get why they waited until now to suspend him.
 
If this was any other non-Vic team you would be so f**ked it isnt funny.

I do have faith that the Eagles can beat the Victorian enemy tomorrow night.

Your coach and your players have recent proven successful September finals experience. It wouldnt surprise me if this galvanizes the team, rather than break them.

I dont think the Eagles though could win a grand final without NicNat and Gaff, with that said. :think:

Why shouldn't they play? Don't get your last sentence.
 

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C'mon, what a bunch of negative supporters!? Where's Colonel Kurtz, we need some man-up hardener here!? What about the team and the coaching, they still have to get on with the game and what's left of the season, they're in this up to their necks, they can't pull the plug and say "Oh I don't care about this game anymore", "We'll probably get flogged now anyway"!!? If they said or acted out that way, you'd all be jumping down their throats and lynching them on social media.
You're supposed to be supporters....well then, support! Do your job, they're doing their job!

Yeah exactly. 'Yeah this'll affect the players mentally, they'll surely lose now.' What kind of defeatist attitude is that? I'm a realist, but that's the kind of bs mind games opposition supporters and the media play. I don't think the club are like that, we tend to respond well to adversity. I highly doubt this is a reflection on the club and we can hold our heads high.
 
This might offer some clarification:

Drug testers come to your home right?

"The potential violation of the league's anti-doping code was detected following an out-of-competition doping control test on August 20, with ASADA informing the AFL on Wednesday"

August 20 is a Tuesday

So, this likely explains what might have gone down; they have come to Riolis home, he had panicked, and tried to pass off some other substance as a sample

Are the same testing criteria meant to be in place for a home test vs a match day test? It would also explain how commentary couldn't see how, under match day testing conditions, Willie could have tried to substitute another substance as the sample

This all makes a bit more sense to me now

And it doesn't bode well for Rioli
 
Still not seeing why Petruccelle should be getting selection ahead of Ah Chee for this match.

Saw Ah Chee play in the WAFL last weekend, and he didn't exactly bang the door down for selection

Not saying Petrucelle did either, but he is more "like for like" in selection terms then Ah Chee is
 
The opposite happens with this team. We s**t the bed in the 2015 GF after the Chick s**t came out, and it took Port being down three rotations in the last qtr for us to beat them at the last second in a game we never looked like winning, a week after the Gaff s**t.

Good thing we didnt win last round otherwise we'd be staring down straight sets to Collingwood at Optus. At least now falling to 5th pre finals and probably losing to the cats we can so 'ah well we lost to top seed'.

I cant believe i just read something negative from you of all people. Has the world gone completely mad!?
If you think the Chick thing was the reason we lost the GF you dont have much of a clue. We were beaten by one of the best teams of all time using a strategy that was ineffective on a wide ground. The guts and strength of character to come back in that Port game was something else, irrespective of them losing a couple late in the game- the belief to still get there is the same belief that wins flags when shit goes against us.
To be honest I was a touch apprehensive this week as we were touted as favourites and it was ours to lose. Look at this past year and our opportunities to win games we should to go a game clear in the top 2 or top 4. We could have gone a game clear against the Swans when our opposition all had shock losses, we got beat. The Pies in Rd17 were playing rubbish and we were killing it, could have gone a game clear top 2- we got beat.
This fiasco will be a big distraction for sure, and no one knows how it will affect the players, but if there is one thing I have learnt about this group in the past couple of years- when our back is against the wall and the snipers start up, we respond. Im backing my team to respond rather than going full Eeyore.
 
If they found a banned substance i still don't get why they waited until now to suspend him.

According to press - they did not find banned substance.

IF manipulated sample (or whatever they call it) happened the 'observer' should have been able to raise matter then and there and 'suspension' imposed on the spot.

So like you - the circumstances puzzle me.

Now back on topic - gotta back the boys in. If they're good enoough they will do it.

Suspect Simmo has images of Geelong players with ASADA written all over them. Wouldn't want to be the first Geelong player with ball in hand and within reach of NN.
 

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