Grigg from UK says: Lloyd could play under 100% because aggravating a bruised heel wouldn't stop him having a full pre season. However, I wouldn't gamble with a knee injury and wouldn't play Ryder less than 100%. He finishes off his knee and he's out for most of next season. Worst case he never completely gets over it and we have another Neale Daniher! Ryder is giving his all to the club and not trying to move home. So let’s repay him and look after his long term future at the club.
Phil Kerrison from Rotorua says: Both Lloyd and Ryder should play if they're offered the chance. The medicos wouldn't agree if there was an unacceptable risk of re-injury, and if ever we needed them both, it's this week.
Shayne from Geelong says: What a stupid poll! How about next you ask, Would you like to see Essendon win the flag? It's round 22. With out Paddy in ruck we may as well not show up.
Nathan from QLD says: Play Ryder even at 90%, he is very important for our team, Lloyd should play even at 90%, he can still be dangerous up forward and midfield but hopefully notjhing happens to compromise his career. i would like to see him get 1000 before he retires! GO THE DONS
from says: i think 90% fit would be fine they would still have a big impact on the game so go for gold and beat the hawks
mawbz73 from sa says: come on!golden rule,never,never play anyone who is not 100% fit!
Marian Adamcewicz from Keilor says: We need 22 committed, 100 per cent fit goers on Saturday. Selecting unfit players to play is not worth the risk e.g. 2001 Grand Final, and will come back to bite you. Go Bombers!
Joseph Attard from Taylors Hill says: They MUST play. After this round, if we lose, the season is over, and they have the the world of time to recover from minor injuries. Bring them in this week, even if say 85-90%, play them and exploit Hawthorn's lack of star power. This is the best chance to make finals that we will ever have, we have to grasp it rather then being cautious and playing on the safe side all the time.
from says: good players
Matthew from Melbourne says: Ryder and Lloyd shouldn't play, risking too much for the finals if we do win.
Matthew Hives from Melbourne says: Shouldnt risk injury as we would need them in the finals. It could get worse
Stuart Charles from Tas says: Aslong as lloydy and paddy are above 90 percent i would be playin them, even if paddy spend most of the day down forward he would be more valuable, and well to have the skipper on the feild is always handy! Go the Bombers
Sam Cantwell from Traralgon says: Make or break. Obviously, dont play them if they are really not fit. If thay are border line fit then play them. Ryder especially. Lloyd, we have proven we can manage without. Ryder however, proven last week against fremantle we need to play. Go the dons!
AUSSIE2 from upper pakenham says: We have to take the risk & play lloyd & Ryder this week. Lloyd will always get the best defender which leaves Neagle & Hurley to receive the 2nd & 3rd best defenders, our forwards could do a lot of damage against the Hawks. Paddy should also be used, he is currently our best Ruckman. You can't play Lloyd & Ryder the following week if we don't win this one. Go Bombers.
rhys clayton from berwick/victroia/melbourne says: llody and ryder should play. paddy is like th only guy in our team who can jump and lloydy would have an infuence goaless or not. boys put in hard and win the ball .nothing stupid ok
Maranatha from Ferntree Gully says: Definitely both should play, even if they're ten to fifteen percent off full fitness. Paddy is vital in the ruck and would bolster the team in that area on Saturday, quite different fron last round when Belchambers and Hooker were well beaten in the ruck, vastly inexperienced as they are. Also, Lloyd, although not quite the player he was, will add leadership and give another tall, more experienced target to kick to up forward and assist the youngsters playing alongside him. This is, after all, a vital game for the club if we want to be in September action.
antoine curtis from broken hill/nsw/australia says: I think Essendon should play Lloyd and Ryder if it helps us play finals football it should be done, take the risk bombers
from says: it would be good to have both of them playing but if they aint 100% fit just dont play them
Nathan Boyes from Sunbry Vic says: Yeah, it could be his last game.{I hope not
alcan from CAIRNS QLD says: Of course they should play as long as they are at least 90%,It`s our first chance for finals for a while.I did not expect the boys to do so well this year,I`m rapt.Let them go out and have a crack!! GO DONS`
Chirstopher from Victoria says: Lloyd should keep playing until he gets to the magical 1000 goals
vinny from vic says: if they play and get injured, so be it, they miss the rest of our games. If they don't play there probably wont be any games for them to miss
Gerald from Cronulla NSW says: We have to learn from history - 2001 Grand Final included players who werent fit. Better to go into every game with fit players even if they arent first choice they will at least operate at 100%
Andrew Fisher from Altona Meadows says: Well it all depends. Are the players in to replace Lloydy or Paddy sufficient? Perhaps a replacement forward will be even worse than an 80% Llody. And our ruck stocks with injuries to Hille and Laycock are ordinary to say the least, a Paddy Ryder that's not quite 100% may be more beneficial to the team than having Bellchambers carry the ruck load with inadequate assistance. I say play them if they can run and kick the footy.
Leigh from Caroline Springs says: I believe playing 22 fit men is going to gain you a better chance of victory than playing 20 fit men and 2 so-so. And if we do win and they play what good will it do if they have to miss the first elimination final due to injury? I'd rather we get the best 22 fit men on the ground we can and if we win which i can't see why we couldn't if we have a game on then play them when they are 100% fit the following week.
Damo from Ormond says: Too right they should play. The leadesrhip shown by Lloyd on the field and the ability for Paddy to help out even 50% would give us a good chance of winning. If we don't win, there's no next week is there?
James Brown from Berwick, Vic says: no way! why would we risk them? we're a week away from finals. wouldn't we rather make sure they are cherry ripe for the finals, rather than risking them to further injuring themeselves. glad to see an actual real pole this week.
Samantha from says:
Samantha from Delahey says: It's worrying if they are not 100% fit, because if we do end up beating the hawks, you would hope that they don't re-injure or aggravate that injury and not play week 1 of the finals. GO DONS.
Clifford Davison from Blacktown/NSW says: Whilst it would be awesome to have both back this week, if they are not above 95% fit then I don't think it worth the risk. We have seen already this what impact unfit players have had on the side...it stuffs the rotations and puts added burdens on the rest of team to lift for them...
Jake M from Victoria says: It's the last roll of the dice, if we win and they aren't too sore or injured then they hopefully will able to get right throughout next week, and if we don't win then they have until next year to get right
Josh from California, USA says: They have to play! It's do or die, win or go home! Go Dons!
Gail Poynter from Bacchus Marsh says: I expect that Lloyd may be able to have an injection and play, but to have Rider break down half way thruogh the match would be a disaster for us going into the finals.
Paul Drake from Canberra says: No, we need 22 four quarter players. Fremantle's demolition of our team showed we cannot afford any passengers who are not able to sustain unrelenting pressure on the opposition at every single contest. That's finals footy and that's what it will take to beat the Hawks, as ordinary as they have been in 2009, we cannot underestimate them. It all starts in the midfield which was disgraceful against the Dockers. Campo, you have much work to do!
Don Myles from 3116 says: We beat St Kilda without them and they will really be needed if we beat Hawks. We beat Hawthorn last time and if Buddy is out it is a good bet we will beat them again.
