Preview Round 2, 2019: Essendon v St.Kilda - Marvel Stadium, Saturday 30th March, 4:35PM AEDT

[Max the great]

McKenzie was a liability against Swallow who was on one leg. Also Savage did not have any meaningful impact. Geary if he wasnt captain would be another I'd be looking at phasing out as his turnover are atrocious.

Out: long/Kent, McKenzie/Savage, Pierce, Wilkie/Joyce/Battle
In: Acres, Clark, Marshall and Brown

Savage is a one trick pony. Sat lose behind the play chasing kicks, is unaccountable and his work rate is terrible. Needs to go.. Webster would benifit having Savage out of the side as well. If Coffield is fit he is the ideal replacement for Savage.

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[Max the great]

OUT- Savage, Dunstan, Pierce
IN- Clark, Acres, Marshall

If Brown is available and we decide to play him it's going to have to be Joyce or Wilkie which is unfortunate because they both showed a bit today.

Sinclair and Kent on notice as well.

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[eth-dog]

These Essendon distance covered metrics are really interesting.

I didn’t see much of their game but how can such a difference be explained?

Could it actually be down to fitness differences in the 2 sides? Surely most clubs follow a similar preseason program?

Was it down to game plan? Essendon didn’t get much of the ball and weren’t so interested in running both ways?

Or did the heads just go down early and they stopped trying?

There was something up with the stadium apparently so we couldn't record the distances ran accurately apparently for half an hour. I don't doubt that we'd be near the bottom but it certainly explains why it was so far removed from everyone else

 

[Sunnyjim]

I am AMAZED how Confident people are that we are going beat ESSENDON.
I know they weren’t good At all today but... did no one else see us play against the wooden spooners today???

 

[Barrels]

4 to 6 changes rarely happen from week to week...

Let alone after Round 1...

And a WIN!

Get a grip, you lot.

 

[MUFKilda]

I am AMAZED how Confident people are that we are going beat ESSENDON.
I know they weren’t good At all today but... did no one else see us play against the wooden spooners today???

It's difficult to make an assessment after just one game. Perhaps Gold Coast aren't as bad as everybody thinks, or maybe they played well above themselves? Perhaps Saints underperformed on the day, as did Essendon? We'll have a much better idea of how each team will go this year after a few rounds have been played. It's an important game for both teams.

 

[Sab22]

Our team won't gel and build consistency as a group if we keep rotating them. I'm seeing people suggest like 3 to 4 changes, its only been round 1. Give it like 2 to 3 weeks unless suspensions and injuries or just atrocious form.

The only change I would make is Marshall for Pierce. Brown for Wilkie or Joyce. We lack experience down back with Carlisle and Robbo out, so brown is needed. Wilkie and Joyce were admirable but it's best for the team.

One of those changes needs to happen

 

[tomjoad]

The rust should be shaken off after our win, even Richo said that there were parts of the game plan and structures that were not adhered to during the course of the game. There is more or less a reinvention of the wheel coaching wise at our club. It's going to take some tinkering and tightening here and there, and even some editing on the blueprints and manuals. We're going to be an entertaining lot to watch this year...be it for good or ill. I'm just hoping for incremental improvements round by round. I expect some blow outs and dubious victories (as proved yesterday, though still today for me) because i'm still unconvinced and unsold on the players skills by hand and foot, but as long as the coaches stick fat and give the players enough trust to play their own games within the set structures, then there should be reason for optimism...enough optimism to beat the Bombers.

 

[mightymalaka]

I am AMAZED how Confident people are that we are going beat ESSENDON.
I know they weren’t good At all today but... did no one else see us play against the wooden spooners today???

I'm AMAZED so many are not confident that we are going to beat ESSENDON!

If we are serious about doing anything meaningful this year, this is the type of game we should be bloody confident!
Yeah we weren't great but will be better for the hitout! With a couple of important ins to come!
They were just putrid and no Daniher who always seems to tear us a new one!

People keep banging on about what a huge week of scrutiny they will have and therefore will be breathing fire!
Pfffft! The only way those turds could breathe fire is if they gotta hold of some of Bomber Thompsons gear!
The whole week of humiliation and therefore redemption the following week works much better when you are the underdog
Not when they will start the game overwhelming favourites with all the pressure on them at $ 1.25!

 

[tomjoad]

Brown for Joyce. I can't see any other changes YET...though the midfield is going to come under it's usual scrutiny pretty soon I reckon. Ross, Dunstan & Steele is just too slow...we all know it.

 

[tomjoad]

I'm AMAZED so many are not confident that we are going to beat ESSENDON!

If we are serious about doing anything meaningful this year, this is the type of game we should be bloody confident!
Yeah we weren't great but will be better for the hitout! With a couple of important ins to come!
They were just putrid and no Daniher who always seems to tear us a new one!

People keep banging on about what a huge week of scrutiny they will have and therefore will be breathing fire!
Pfffft! The only way those turds could breathe fire is if they gotta hold of some of Bomber Thompsons gear!
The whole week of humiliation and therefore redemption the following week works much better when you are the underdog
Not when they will start the game overwhelming favourites with all the pressure on them at $ 1.25!

Where do you reckon Bomber has stashed the gear

 

[Sab22]

Dunstan 72 TOG. That's appalling for someone who's been at the club for 6 years. He did some goodwork, provided that extra body and tackles in the middle but he wasn't getting the pill enough, he had 18 but considering his age, experience, expectations and position, he needs to get it more.

Acres and Clark are next up if he doesn't keep up

 

[mightymalaka]

Dunstan 72 TOG. That's appalling for someone who's been at the club for 6 years. He did some goodwork, provided that extra body and tackles in the middle but he wasn't getting the pill enough, he had 18 but considering his age, experience, expectations and position, he needs to get it more.

Acres and Clark are next up if he doesn't keep up

72% TOG is not his call....It's the coaches and has been the last couple of years! How is it appalling? And how does him being at the club for 6 years
Got anything to do with the price of fish?

18 possies..2nd most contested...7 tackles and that desperately inspired save at the death all in roughly 3 quarters of work is not bad going
And he was only just going today! I just don't get all the Dunny hate when we all need one and when he clearly bleeds for the club!

 

[mightymalaka]

Where do you reckon Bomber has stashed the gear

If he was smart, probably in Worsfold's pharmacy!

The Men in Black otherwise known as AFL House and their famed " integrity department " will NEVER look there!

 

[tomjoad]

Daniher currently in Tashkent Uzbekistan searching for buyers of biker meth...a down payment for next week's dodgy umpire decisions. AFL house and the black market of central Asia...this s**t goes all the way baby, look deep enough you'll find a Rothschild smiling like a crocodile

 

[austinnn]

Still not really sure who comes out beside Pierce for Marshall - maybe MacKenzie for Clark and Dunstan for Acres, (Acres takes Steven's role today on the 50 and Steven becomes the inside guy Dunstan was). I suppose if Richo had balls of steel he'd drop Gresh, but that won't happen.

On the other hand, I can easily see Richo backing his players and making the ruck his only change. I suppose it comes down to what the coaches feel is Essendon's biggest threat.

Feel bad for Blake and Hunter in particular. Hopefully they will get a chance soon, but as long as the team play well and keep winning I don't mind who it is.

 

[pebblesofsand]

Love the way a mistake or two by one player means they get dropped while for others it doesn't count.

Can't see a legit reason to drop anyone. Maybe Marshall for Pierce but doubt it.

Brown in for Joyce (6 fa's) shows he's still got a lot to learn but really he would be very stiff to be dropped.

 

[sammm]

I thought we would be no chance in this game but look at the work rate from the bombers today, we ran about 280km today. Almost double and in the heat!
View attachment 641060

the bombers should be fresh then? and only a 6 day break for each of us.

 

[sammm]

Essendon will cop the mother of all blowtorches from the media this week.

As stupid and unscientific as it sounds, in the Melbourne fishbowl, this nearly always translates into a win for the team receiving the blowtorch.

The only hope for us is if Essendon are really even worse than we realize and /or they’ve stopped buying into what their coach is selling (which looked a distinct possibility from what I watched of their game today).

Taking the above into account, I’d say the blowtorch wins out and we lose but we are not without hope at all. It’s a tough league to predict nowadays.

so will North .

 

[Stewart66]

4 to 6 changes rarely happen from week to week...

Let alone after Round 1...

And a WIN!

Get a grip, you lot.

Normally yes , not if they picked the wrong team to begin with .

Love Luke Dunstan as a bloke / player but you can’t play Ross , Steele ,& Luke together in centre.

Selection & structure of team.

We keep making the same mistakes with it = Insanity

The meaning of Insanity = doing the same thing over & over expecting different result.

 

[Stewart66]

Hope the bombers embarrassment doesn’t get them fired up. They were slow starters last year. Let’s hope it continues

Marshall in to run an underdone Bellchambers off his feet

Brown to replace an admirable joyce

Battle to go forward/swing if required

Wilkie at chb with Newnes to hb

Clark in for savage and split between mid and hb

Acres in for dunstan

Saints by 20

The first quarter will be the biggest test Essendon with arrogant born to rule mentality will come
out Smoking they play highly emotional football at this ground .

Keep the crowd out of the game by sticking with them 1st half extremely important.

Don’t and we get flogged.

 

[Grav]

Would love to have Cho add another bow to his coaching, by giving Parker a 5 minute run in the guts every so often. Then we’ll see how quick the Bombers midfielders attack the ball ...... or not. Reckon Kent has to stay, fumbled it a bit, but I put that down to trying to hard for his new club. Wouldn’tmake wholesale changes this week, maybe Marshall for Pierce, either Acres or Clark for Dunstan & Brown for either Wilkie or Joyce (both would be unlucky) Another week in the two’s for the other borderline players makes them even hungrier,

 

[BrutThough]

I am AMAZED how Confident people are that we are going beat ESSENDON.
I know they weren’t good At all today but... did no one else see us play against the wooden spooners today???

Can i just point out that the GC haven't won the wooden spoon yet and just because the degenerate bookies have instilled them as favourites, doesnt mean they will win it.

 

[Stewart66]

Can i just point out that the GC haven't won the wooden spoon yet and just because the degenerate bookies have instilled them as favourites, doesnt mean they will win it.

Would be lovely if the Lions do a number on North and see Purple turn Red

 

[Verdun66]

Watched a bit more of the replay. Some random thoughts.

Joyce I like and he did some good stuff. He also gave away 6 free kicks. He panicked a bit. We had very inexperienced key back men, and then McKenzie was having to play really tight close to goal which is not really his thing. Brown back in a no brainer even for just leadership. If we were playing against children as some were suggesting we had the nursery looking after them at the back.

We are our own worst enemy but in the last quarter I noticed a couple of shocking bounces with us in perfect position. One with two of our players running goalside and nothing in front and the ball goes sideways. Up the other end.....goal. And earlier the 12 point turnaround with Long. Think there was another. You make your own luck, but they were cruel.

If the Suns has a young inexperienced team so did we. We had a number who are not that familiar with Docklands. That should have been our advantage.

I think there won’t be many changes as we try to build some synergy in the side. But under threat I suppose are Dunstan, although I wonder if the coaches gave him a job and he did it. Joyce needs more experience. Hard for him to be our No 1 backman. Savage was very unconvincing. Pierce....do we need him v the Dons? I think they will give Kent another go.

Reckon everyone else probably ok. I can only see a couple of changes at most. And the free kicks. We may have been a tad lucky right at the end with one or two but I think the count was 29-18 against. Can’t keep going like that.

Anyway, a visit to the Essendon and North boards was instructful. Not happy campers in there!