No changes for mine. Tracking beautifully at the moment
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McG BZT Laverde
Redman Ridley DāAmbrosio
Martin Merrett Durham
Perkins Weideman Guelfi
Menzie 2MP Davey
Draper Setterfield Parish
IC: Kelly Voss Baldwin Shiel Caldwell
Inj: Langers, Jake, Heppell
VFL: Jones, Tippa, Hayes, Monty, Stewart, Bryan, Phillips, Hobbs Hind Snelling
Something like that as a lineup ā¦ Guelfi, Hobbs may not get there in time. But would like BBB and Voss be handed a chance.
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Opinions vary. Several former Hawks pitch them as spooners in 2023, while at least 1 other has them getting into the 8. So far this year the opinion that Mitchell is a master coach seems to have less currency than last season.
Its possible that the difference between the sides might come down to who is the better game day coach, because right now the sides both look average to below average (call it ā ā ā ā if you like) to me.
if Brad plays these 3 in round 1, heās done
My team for round 1 based on pre season:
DāAmbrosio BZT Laverde
Redman Ridley McGrath
Martin Merrett Durham
Perkins Weideman Davey Jnr
Jones Wright Menzie
Draper Parish Shiel
Setterfield Caldwell Kelly Snelling
Our defense needs that 8th player and the choice right now is between Kelly and Hind. I think Kelly is a bit ahead of Hind at this point. The injury status of Heppell, Stringer, Guelfi and Langford (whatās up with him??) hopefully will help a bit but Iām also helping the club donāt rush any back either!
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Lol Heffsgirl I feel your pain already
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My team for now, pending fitness of a couple:
B - McGrath BZT Kelly
HB - Redman Laverde Ridley
C - Durham Parish Martin
HF Perkins Weideman Davey
F - Menzie Wright Snelling
Foll - Draper Setterfield Merrett
INT - Sheil, Caldwell, Massimo,
Guelfi
Sub - Hind
Emerg: Jones, Langford, Baldwin, Phillips
I think we are terrible, soft and predictable, but we will win this comfortably as hawks will be wooden spooners this year.
itās irrelevant where they will finish.
this is their final, their biggest and main chance for a memorable season moment. they are celebrating the 30 yr anniversary of the 83 final.
they will be hyped up, running on hype from that, and it honestly wouldnāt be surprising if they come out and roll us.
They like most teams in this situation know they donāt have to be good for the year to beat us, Just when they play us all they have to do is turn up, bring intensity and effort and they are in with a good chance of beating us.
Look at west coast last year, or every other example of it over our recent history.
Add to that our very poor starts to seasons, and seemingly very lil effort to change that fact so far, almost makes it a certainty they roll us rd 1, because itās only a preseason game right ?? 
ā¦ you donāt win premierships in march 
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Gone from, lock us in to win the first 4 to damn, we are going to end up in the bottom 4.
Itās amazing what a loss in a unimportant, inconsequential, insignifacant practice match can do to the BomberBlitz psyche.
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On paper we should win and win comfortably
Problem is, I still have no faith in the side to actually turn up and try their best( the stkilda game really hasnāt helped my enthusiasm for this club).
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And on the flip side Micthell will have his team primed to beat us
Iām hoping we donāt lose by too much.
I reckon the little feral Mitchell will have his players nicely revved up, while our crew will be full Essington.
Hawks have just lost Mitchell, OāMeara and Gunston as well as Shiels and McEvoy, all who did a fair chunk of the heavy lifting last year. We really should be walking this one in.
That said, weāve had some diabolical Round 1 games the last few years. Letās reminisce them together!
Rd.1 2022 - Bombers lose at the 4min mark of the 1st quarter.
Rd. 1 2021 - Bombers lose in the last minute to the Hawks
Rd. 1 2019 - Bombers stand in the corridor and watch as a GWS midfield runs around them on the flanks and hits up easy targets all afternoon. Dons score 5 goals for the day.
Even in 2020, we won. But if the game had gone another 3 min Fremantle would have beaten us.
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It also wasnāt long before Worsfold was telling the fans to ābe patientā.
For how long, John?
On paper, we should win. However games are won on attitude and intensity and to be honest, Essendon canāt be trusted in this respect. Round 1 invariably throws up upsets too.
Essendon should win, although you canāt count on it.
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Hawthorn is 100% tanking this season. No one will beat them to the bottom
Games are won by kicking a score higher than your opponent.
I think we will.