Ramanauskas On Mcleod

[Essendon Fan]

RAMANAUSKAS' DAUNTING CHALLENGE

Adam Ramanauskas might face one of the biggest challenges in football this Friday night after Bomber coach Kevin Sheedy hinted he could get the job on dual Norm Smith Medallist Andrew McLeod. McLeod has been in career best form this season dominating through the mid-field. With Joe Misiti sidelined with injury, Ramanauskas is the likely candidate to get the challenging task of shutting McLeod down.

"We haven't had selection yet, but we could put Ramanauskas into the mid-field. We could give Ramanauskas the challenge on McLeod. In general we have been playing Mark Johnson and Marc Bullen in the centre. We have replaced most of the midfield at times this year and we are just starting to play good strong footy together. We are not an experienced midfield side yet but we had to make changes after last year," Sheedy said.

Essendon will be attempting to win its third successive match on Friday night. A feat it is yet to achieve this season. The Bombers' have been in solid form over the last two weeks - convincingly defeating Geelong and St.Kilda and will take confidence into the match. Sheedy attributes this good form to having the majority of the list available for selection. "I think we are starting to play better now that the team is a bit more settled. Mind you we lost Misiti probably for a week or two. Our younger players are starting to gain some experience."

Sheedy was pleased with the four quarter performance against St.Kilda and the fashion the team ended the match. They turned on five goals in the final quarter and they kept the Saints to just one goal, which they kicked in the dying minutes. "We needed to win desperately so it was pleasing from that point of view. It is a situation where we have to play our best footy and get the best out of ourselves. We have a huge game over in Adelaide this week. Last time we went there we played pretty good footy in the final last year without Hird and Lloyd," the four time premiership coach said.

Essendon is currently just outside the top eight and it is no secret the team needs to keep winning to ensure it will feature in the September action. Friday night has already been dubbed as a "mini final" by the club and they are determined to win three in a row and also secure their first interstate victory this season. With the Bendigo Bombers in good form, Sheedy said things are getting tough at the selection table. “At the moment our reserves team is up and winning and playing really good and exciting footy. They are basically one game outside the eight. We have a lot pressure around the club and we have to justify our selections to the players and you want to try and get it right."

The exciting thing about the season is that any team has the opportunity to win the premiership. Even though Essendon's focus at the moment is to get in the top eight, Sheedy did comment that you just have to look at the results on the weekend to know that the season is wide open. "Anyone can win it this year - it is wide open. If you get in the top four you naturally have the best opportunity, but anything can happen."

EFC

If Rama is put up to this job,
IMO he will play harder,and we might just get to see what Ramanauskas is really made of.He is a great player and I dont think that he would or anyone in that case would like to let the club down..COME ON RAM'S! YOU CAN DO IT!
GO DONS!!!

[Hosko]

Rama would go ok on mccleod i think. The job will probably be taken by either rama, bullen or reynolds who all have the pace to be accountable on him.

[Stiffy_18]

Originally posted by Essendon Fan
... McLeod has been in career best form this season dominating through the mid-field.

He has been far from career best form. He has been good but not THAT good.

Why would you rob one of your best players to tag McLeod. Frankly I think you would get more value out of Ramanauskas if you play him in his usual role rather than a run with role with McLeod.;)

[maccas_no1]

Mcleod in career best form:rolleyes: Dont think so he had a stinker against Richmond,made alot of errors,dont know why he isnt kicking for goal at the moment:mad:

[Kane McGoodwin]

Originally posted by maccas_no1
Mcleod in career best form:rolleyes: Dont think so he had a stinker against Richmond,made alot of errors,dont know why he isnt kicking for goal at the moment:mad:
Macca's form has been up & down a bit. Was brilliant 2 weeks ago & had probably his worse game against the Tigers. The good news is that I can't see him having 2 bad games in a row. ;) Would have thought Rama is too attacking to play on Macca. Wouldn't be surprised if Sheedy plays Bullen on Macca.

[go team]

i think ayres will put mcleod on ramma :D

[Pornstar]

Pev has done fairly well against McLeod in the past, although he doesn't seem capable of the tagger role this year.

[Jars458]

You shouldn't put a player on McLeod who will play his own game and run free as you will get burnt

You need a player who just scrags him all day and has no care to get the ball himself.

Perhaps James Hird?;)

[Darealrath]

I'd prefer McVeigh on him - dunno if Rama is back to full fitness yet.

[ok.crows]

Interesting "spin" from Sheedy.

"We have a huge game over in Adelaide this week. Last time we went there we played pretty good footy in the final last year without Hird and Lloyd"

While that was true, Essendon did in fact lose that final against Port.

They also lost the last time they came to Adelaide to play against the Crows. It was a very similar sort of match, at a similar time of the season (a few weeks later).

Last year, the Bombers were also calling the match in Adelaide against the Crows a mini-final. They said they needed to put in their very best effort. They said they needed to win to make the finals.

The Bombers lost by 48 points, from memory.

However, happily enough for them, the bombers still made the final last year regardless, mainly through other sides falling away.

[rednugget]

Originally posted by Darealrath
I'd prefer McVeigh on him - dunno if Rama is back to full fitness yet.

Agree, McVeigh has been in good touch lately and deserves first crack at McLeod. He's quicker than Pev and I'd rather see Rama focus on his own game.

[dave_27]

Originally posted by ok.crows

However, happily enough for them, the bombers still made the final last year regardless, mainly through other sides falling away.

Made up for the games we lost through injuries. Would of made top 4 for sure had we had a better run.

Remember Essendon finished half a game off Collingwood in 4th spot and one and a half off the Crows in 3rd.

[Koala]

I'd go with McVeigh on McLeod as well - his tagging and tackling has been excellent this season

[X_box_X]

I saw this on BigFooty Live, so I decided to check it out. It's interesting that Sheedy is contemplating playing Ramma on McLeod, because I would have thought that Ramma would be one of Essendon's major ball winners this season. Of course, Misiti has had games where he has got a heap of the ball (Port Adelaide game stands out, so does the Geelong game), so I believe Essendon will need Ramma to stay attacking.

I'm actually interested in who Fletcher will pick up. Would you play him on Perrie or Carey? Essendon has a good mix of backmen players, so my guess would be that maybe Wellman might pick up Carey and Fletcher to pick up Perrie. Jacobs and Bolton will most likely pick up the likes of Scott Welsh and, if he plays, Mark Stevens.

It calls for an interesting match. I can't go past Adelaide, though.

[pazza]

Everyone is talking about Adelaide's forwards needing to be covered.

Look at Essendon's forward 6:

HF: Reynolds Lucas Bolton (if he comes up...dislocated thumb)/Barnard

F: Cupido Lloyd Hille/Alessio

Throw in Richards and possibly Lay**** as well...that's a lot of height.

Have the Crows got a backline capable of covering that?

[snakebite01]

Originally posted by dave_27
Made up for the games we lost through injuries. Would of made top 4 for sure had we had a better run.

Remember Essendon finished half a game off Collingwood in 4th spot and one and a half off the Crows in 3rd.

2 and a half games off Adelaide. We had 15 wins and you had 12 and a half if I remember correctly. We were well clear in third spot.

On the game, if Sheedy plays Rama on McLeod it'll be a seriously wrong move IMO. You'll lose invaluable drive out of defence and Rama isn't the sort of player to scrag, harass, push, pinch etc McLeod which is the only way to get him off his game. So, naturally, I'm hoping he puts him on McLeod.

The midfield battle will be crucial for you guys. You don't have the pace or skill to go with our midfield but if JJ and Pev can get on song early it may unsettle us. Hille will have to have a blinder but unfortunately for you guys I can't see him beating Biglands and Clarke in ruck work. However, the way he can hurt us is around the ground, by pushing forward like he has done so often this year. Otherwise, he will be thrashed. Our forward line is starting to look better but with the likely absence of Perrie we will have to shuffle the deckchairs a bit. Burton may be used as FF this week but he has been playing so well on the wing. Time for Welshy to have a blinder. Hird worries me. We generally struglle against a team who plays a lose man roaming the firld especially the backlines. Stenglein will probably have to play forward if Hird lines up at half-back and to beat Hird he will need to kick goals.

Your attack is good and very dangerous but our defence has been very tight all year. Bolton is a livewire wherever he plays with good pace and good overhead skills so hopefully his dislocation won't come up for our sake. Surely Lloyd can't have 3 blinders in a row can he?

:( :confused:

I hope not. Should be a good game but I'm confident we'll come home with the points. I really hope you guys knock Brissy off in a coule of weeks though.

[ok.crows]

Originally posted by pazza
Everyone is talking about Adelaide's forwards needing to be covered.

Look at Essendon's forward 6:

HF: Reynolds Lucas Bolton (if he comes up...dislocated thumb)/Barnard

F: Cupido Lloyd Hille/Alessio

Throw in Richards and possibly Lay**** as well...that's a lot of height.

Have the Crows got a backline capable of covering that?

Last week the Crows backline kept Richmond's tall forward line down to 6 goals. Two of those goals came via free kicks to Richardson.

So far this season the points against Adelaide total 1092, which ranks as second lowest in the league behind only Port with 1065.

It is entirely up to you how you would regard that as indicators of Adelaide's backline capability.

[dave_27]

Originally posted by snakebite01
2 and a half games off Adelaide. We had 15 wins and you had 12 and a half if I remember correctly. We were well clear in third spot.


yeah ur right.

[go team]

Originally posted by ok.crows
Last week the Crows backline kept Richmond's tall forward line down to 6 goals. Two of those goals came via free kicks to Richardson.



but in holding down the tigers to 6 goals, you only scored 10 yourself.. i reckon you'd need to score more than 10 goals to win against us..

[ok.crows]

Originally posted by go team
but in holding down the tigers to 6 goals, you only scored 10 yourself.. i reckon you'd need to score more than 10 goals to win against us..

The Crows don't need more than 10 goals to win against Essendon if Essendon only score 6 goals.

[rednugget]

Originally posted by ok.crows
The Crows don't need more than 10 goals to win against Essendon if Essendon only score 6 goals.

you might if we score 6-25-61

[Kane McGoodwin]

Originally posted by pazza
Everyone is talking about Adelaide's forwards needing to be covered.

Look at Essendon's forward 6:

HF: Reynolds Lucas Bolton/Barnard
HB: Massie, Smart, Hart

F: Cupido Lloyd Hille/Alessio
Johnc.ock, Bassett, McGregor

Throw in Richards and possibly Lay**** as well...that's a lot of height.

Have the Crows got a backline capable of covering that?

You look very top-heavy considering it is forecast for lots of rain. Can't see your forward line with the exception of Lloyd causing us too much of a concern. McGregor gives us good height & Bassett, Smart & Hart are all capable of playing on talls/smalls - as is Stinger who will probably play in defence if Hird goes forward.


KMcG's response

[Kane McGoodwin]

Originally posted by go team
but in holding down the tigers to 6 goals, you only scored 10 yourself.. i reckon you'd need to score more than 10 goals to win against us..
Our percentage still increased against the Tigers. BTW, I think you are right in saying that we will need to kick more than 10 goals & I'm confident we will. We average just under 100pts per game, so I wouldn't get too carried away with last week as Spud's strategy was to conjest the clearances.

[Pevers-Legend]

Pound for pound we are better - however our brains seem to work in dumb mode whenever we travel, so don;t wworry crows fans we'll be as flat as a tack. Either that or we won;t bother to tag one of your half forward flankers - who will kill us and we will lose in the 2nd half.

will be competitve up to half time though.

any chance of lightning over there so they can stop it at half time, might be our best chance.

[snakebite01]

Originally posted by Pevers-Legend
Pound for pound we are better

Are you talking about footballing ability. As in your best 22 is better than our best 22?

If that's the case, I strongly disagree.

[Pevers-Legend]

You can strongly disagree if you like. Its a free country.