Can we match it with the best?

Sep 11, 2006
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Our defensive setup and pressure on the opposition is much much better this season. Also, our ball movement is faster too. We showed we're not far off Geelong and it was the same man today, Hawkins who got the job done just like he did against us. I have no doubt we can push for top 4, just how far we go remains to be seen.
 

jonbe54

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Sep 18, 2009
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Yes, we will stretch hawks backline 100% but they have dangerous fwds Cyril and bruest will kill us
This is why a balance is necassary and perhaps the inclusion later in the year of Shazza and Broomy will help in this regard. We are still a bit off the pace but we have huge potential in the bank, its possible we could find the balance and be a contender such as in '10 when our early season resembled this one so much but its more likely we will continue to build until next year with perhaps a top 4 finish this year if all goes well to give the youngsters that vital finals experience.
 
Oct 1, 2012
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This is why a balance is necassary and perhaps the inclusion later in the year of Shazza and Broomy will help in this regard. We are still a bit off the pace but we have huge potential in the bank, its possible we could find the balance and be a contender such as in '10 when our early season resembled this one so much but its more likely we will continue to build until next year with perhaps a top 4 finish this year if all goes well to give the youngsters that vital finals experience.

Against hawthorn carrying two inexperienced players who are yet to prove themselves at afl level against arguably the strongest and best team the last thing I'd do is bring in broom head and shaz, not to say they will be great players I think shaz will be a gun not sold on broom head though.

The most important player to return In the backline is Williams
 
Sep 11, 2006
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Also, people need realise that in the past 2 years our extra player would be at the contest whereas this year our extra plays behind the ball. This is a big reason why our ball movement has been better. Bucks is backing our mids to win the clearance but if not our defence is set up well with the spare man. Then from there when we win the footy back, we've begun to spread really well into space.
 

jonbe54

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Against hawthorn carrying two inexperienced players who are yet to prove themselves at afl level against arguably the strongest and best team the last thing I'd do is bring in broom head and shaz, not to say they will be great players I think shaz will be a gun not sold on broom head though.

The most important player to return In the backline is Williams

You have a short memory indeed to have forgotten the young and inexperienced faces that stepped up for premiership medallions in our '10 team.

I NEVER . . . EVER let reputations or appearances intimidate me, Hawthorn appear unbeatable at times - so did Geelong in '10.

I'm far from sold on the Hawks invincibility, 50 years of following football have taught me many things . . one of those things is that NOBODY is unbeatable . . . if you doubt check out the events on 1970 and how the Blues turned the tables on us after we dominated during the year.

As far as I'm concerned the finals series are a different ball game and the GF is entirely different.

Tell me how invincible the Hawks are AFTER they have won the flag, because until then its all p1ss and wind as far as I'm concerned
 

blaze036

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Apr 27, 2011
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You have a short memory indeed to have forgotten the young and inexperienced faces that stepped up for premiership medallions in our '10 team.

I NEVER . . . EVER let reputations or appearances intimidate me, Hawthorn appear unbeatable at times - so did Geelong in '10.

I'm far from sold on the Hawks invincibility, 50 years of following football have taught me many things . . one of those things is that NOBODY is unbeatable . . . if you doubt check out the events on 1970 and how the Blues turned the tables on us after we dominated during the year.

As far as I'm concerned the finals series are a different ball game and the GF is entirely different.

Tell me how invincible the Hawks are AFTER they have won the flag, because until then its all p1ss and wind as far as I'm concerned

I too am pretty sure the hawks are beatable.

In fact they may of even been beaten today :p
 
Sep 17, 2007
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We should have beat Geelong so yes.

Hawthorn don't have Buddy anymore so we're already 4 or 5 goals closer than we would be. Yes. I think we can match with both of them. Of course we'd need ot be at our best and injury free.
 

BringbackHarry

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Apr 19, 2014
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Apart from a pathetic umpiring decision close to the death against Geelong, we'd be the only ones to have beaten them.. if Freo was an aberration after quarter time and just under done players getting up to speed with a game plan then we are right in the mix
 

Bring_Back_Brad

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Jul 16, 2013
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Everyone says how skillful the Hawks are and I'd be the last to dispute that, they have recruited with smarts and developed with cleverness . . . however . . . I remember the '70's - at times the Pies looked bloody unbeatable with some very skillful players in the team . . . guess what brought us undone time after time?

Pressure . . . honest to god physical, threatening pressure, unrelenting over 4 quarters. Someone posted not minding our players getting looked at by the umps for pushing the boundaries and I couldn't agree more, the only way to counter elite skills is with intimidatory pressure - both direct and inferred.

This is true to an extent, but in modern football, and by modern I'd say probably the last 6 or so years, elite skill and structure is what has overwhelmingly won the grand final. Pressure is your only option when you can't match the better teams skills, and if you're lucky you can win every now and then if you frazzle the opposition. But by grand final day this generally is overcome by elite teams. That's why we lost in 02 and 03, and it's why Ross Lyon has never won a premiership and probably never will.

We need to get our skill levels up, structures and forward delivery up from where it is to be a genuine chance.
We aren't too far off in my opinion, but the players who can't produce the skill levels required to reach that level will need to be put aside in favour of ones that can, and that means several favourites will need to lose their spots in the team. Hard choices ahead for buckley, but I think he knows the balance required.
 
Aug 29, 2005
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We did match it with Geelong, just couldnt get the job done over four quarters.

We are building though and by mid season, a sustained four quarter effort against the best is a big possibility.
We will also have a completely diff fwd line next time we play, with White and Reid ins so Taylor wont be aloud to sit in front of cloke all effin game.
 
Feb 13, 2013
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We are not hungry enough to beat the Hawks. They start beating up on us and we go to ground. It has happened the last few times we have played them except for the qualifying final in 2012. We need to show more desire as a team before we can compete with the best. It has been a bit of a problem for awhile now.
 

Shaneprice97

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Sep 24, 2013
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Cats, of course we can.
Hawthorn, different story, not if Pendlebury, Beams and Cloke are the only players who show up every time we vs them. Buddy not playing for them is a much bigger advantage for us and Essendon than any other club(Geelong and Freo for example, buddys useless against them) and it makes our backline sleep alot easier the night before Hawthorn. Maning up will be alot easier without Buddy and the presence which buddy had against us will be gone, dont give us Gunstons goal average or Hawthorns scoring for the 5-10 games Buddy missed in 2012-2013 or any other crap.
 

mike123

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Cats, of course we can.
Hawthorn, different story, not if Pendlebury, Beams and Cloke are the only players who show up every time we vs them. Buddy not playing for them is a much bigger advantage for us and Essendon than any other club(Geelong and Freo for example, buddys useless against them) and it makes our backline sleep alot easier the night before Hawthorn. Maning up will be alot easier without Buddy and the presence which buddy had against us will be gone, dont give us Gunstons goal average or Hawthorns scoring for the 5-10 games Buddy missed in 2012-2013 or any other crap.

Buddy showed up against Freo this week.
 
I think Fasolo has pinched Sinclairs position. He will find it hard to get back in to the team unless we have injuries.
Poor guy he was really coming good.

I think Fas has actually taken Heath Shaw's position who is no longer at the club :) Toovey/Langdon have taken the positions of Marley/Sinclair IMO.
 

DaicosianMarvels

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Oct 5, 2012
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We can't and we won't beat Hawthorn. Total different game plans and ours just can't sustain the Hawks style of football.

As for the Cats we have won 3/4 and lost by under two kicks this year, any one who thinks we can't match it with the Cats are either trolling or are on drugs.

There are two sides that I fear playing against and they are Port and Hawthorn, Fremantle at the MCG are nothing to fear.
 
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