Blues Last Chance To Spoon Feed Saints

In a round which has been described as one of the biggest of the season we find ourselves in the unflattering situation of what has this week been labeled "The battle for the spoon". Tomorrow we return to where we the Captain of the Titanic first spotted a speck of ice in the far distance fifteen weeks ago - St Kilda at Colonial Stadium.

 

In Round 1 we entered that game with injuries, unfit stars and a mountain of trepidation and not a lot of changed for the return bout. Just when things were starting to look up Brett Ratten and Lance Whitnall decided to add their names to the ongoing injury list. The unpredictability at the selection table continued with debutant Callan Beasy and veteran Angelo Christou named Thursday night in the starting 18. The squad was finalised last night with Andrew Eccles & Andrew Merrington making way for promising youngster Justin Davies and favourite son! Michael Mansfield.

 

Having a look at this weeks changes will give you the other reason why my previews are getting later and later by the week. Never in my wildest dreams would I have been able to predict this week's in's and out's. Sure I could have a preview ready on Tuesday or Wednesday but with the unpredictability regarding our line-up the content would be even less accurate than the drivel that is normally produced.

 

The debut of Callan Beasy now means just two players on the senior list have yet to taste senior football in 2002. Sean O'Keefe once again has made the squad but missed the final cut so he also can't be too far away. It's been almost ten months since I've seen Beasy play and I must admit seeing a youngster make his debut does add spice to the contest. He was a raw talent in 2001 and had the ability to produce the unpredictable. He has been named in the ruck and despite pinch-hitting was some minor success in the VFL I can't see him spending much time in the middle!

 

Speaking of ruck contests the Saints have added our Round 1 nemesis Trent Knobel to the line-up and that added to the return of Peter Everitt spells danger for the Blues. Corey McKernan is the closest we've got to a recognised ruckman and with no Whitnall down forward it's going to be up to the kids and the crumbers to kick us a winning score. Tomorrow would be as good a time as any for Fevola and Lappin to produce the goods, Hickmott to return to what he does best, Houlihan to repeat last week's form, Camporeale and Murphy to play forward of centre and chime in for a couple.....should I go on....??!!

 

Down back there is no better way to get Andrew McKay back into form than to line him up against Aaron Hamill. It was a sad sight to see the great one been carved up by the small Melbourne forward line and his toweling of the former Blue in Round 1 felt like a distant memory. Hamill is the match-up McKay needs as he can match him with toughness and wont be exposed by speed. Look for Luke Livingston to try and prove the gap between the Number's 1 and 4 picks of the 2000 draft is closer than daylight as he takes Nick Reiwoldt and Simon Beaumont to return to the half-back line on Loewe. (Insert note for ODN, most people access the Internet from work. The first they will read of this will be on Monday morning. Please take note of match-ups of actual match-ups and edit accordingly!)

 

The wooden-spoon noose has been ever lurking since Round 5 but after Sunday we may know once and for all whether or not the once empty kitchen will have a new addition. A loss tomorrow will mean it's curtains for 2002. It will also mean that I can finally write a preview and not have to bother trying to find new and obscure ways where I think the club may win.

 

As dirty as it felt barracking for Collingwood it was a relief to see them get over the line against Richmond last night - the loss meaning that there are now still two clubs in our sights. I'm backing the Blues tomorrow solely for the fact that Corey, Macca, Ratts, Murph & Campo keep telling me each week how the 'spoon' is a motivating factor so for one last week I'll believe them.

 

Win this one Carlton for yourselves, for your families, for those that have represented the club for the last 138 years in one form or another, for your friends, for your fans and finally for those that have wasted so many hours writing on websites!!