Autopsy Round 2, 2019: Essendon v St.Kilda

[jwikked]

We look like a team that is interested in winning games. Last year it felt like the team gave up as soon as it was given a chance.

We stomped on the Bombers in the first quarter and even second quarter, but after half time Essendon won easily. I haven't looked at stats yet, but I think that's clear.

However, we didn't capitulate. Last year we would have given up the lead and gone into our shells. And while it took a while for the team to bounce back, we did it. We never gave up and we deserved that win.

In a way, I'm almost glad that Essendon showed up after half time. It gave us a lot of pressure to work with, this was a great win.

 

[gringo2011]

Marshall best game of his short career. Was the dominant big set of hands around the ground, very promising

I called it in the Intraclub, he was the classiest tall on the field. He just looks like he knows what he's doing and moves so well. I worried he'd let Bellend have free run but he was competitive enough to slow him down but around the ground he was an asset.

 

[Jaxsons]

So f*cking proud!
Excellent team effort and fantastic spirit shown in the last qtr when they looked to have the momentum!
Matchups and preplanning from coaching group were spot on! Marshall is a beauty and Gresham is God!

Lovely collect to make it that much sweeter! Was arrogantly confident all week and for once my instinct was right!
Fantastic for the group and the whole club! Gives us a real springboard now to tackle the season!

Doing a little jig and reminding every Essendon flog i see that their soulless club is in the toilet!
I'm tipping there will be plenty of little Saint babies conceived this evening!

If for once your instinct was right.. It means its a fluke.. Well done.

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[SAINTsincebirth]

I know I’m darragh’s advocate however I can’t see what brown offers over Joyce, other than experience

I think people don't see Browns positioning when the ball comes in. People only notice his disposal numbers but his body work is what makes a big difference. He reads the incoming ball better and stops the big forwards clean run at the ball.
I originally thought the same as most a started to see the small things he does. His opponents rarely have a good day unless they are super mobile. I think thats something his been working on his ability to stay with the typical more mobile forwards in todays game.

 

[Jaxsons]

No one talks about Sinclair much , but today he had 9 tackles and that goal he kicked settled things down.
All round good team performance.

Thought he was outstanding.. Guy doesn't fumble. One touch player.

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[gringo2011]

Honestly surprisingly the commonpatatoes gave saints a lot of praise.

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Only in hindsight, they were talking about the Bombers the whole time. Stringer must have kicked 15 goals because apparently he was playing the Saints by himself.

 

[sammm]

great game, glad the bombers turned up after the first quarter, it was red hot and we'll be better for it.

notable mentions:

Marshall 8 tackles, 13 contested possies
Lonie was brilliant
Bruce has started 2019 with a bang, I take back everything I said. He looks bigger too which I think will help with the wrestles
Parker breaking McGrath's ribs
Great midfield spread (last year it was the same four in the square every bounce, clear difference this year)
Billings' midfield move has started very well

Changes for next week,

outs - Kent, Dunstan
Ins - Joyce, Clark


BATTLE FORWARD, HE IS A FORWARD - he might become a great backman, but right now we need him up forward. He takes Kent's spot, Kent goes to sandy to find some touch, Joyce takes Battle's spot.
Clark into the middle for Dunstan, or someone, I don't care. Had 9 tackles to 3QT in tough conditions, don't know what he ended with but would have cracked double digits, and he got his hands on it. Wouldn't have been many easy touches out at TBB Oval today...

Im telling you they will keep Battle in the back line. They need him there.
Dunstan was good. He will stay.

 

[Pakenhamsaint]

Im about to get off the train and still I have a smile on my face

 

[gringo2011]

I think people don't see Browns positioning when the ball comes in. People only notice his disposal numbers but his body work is what makes a big difference. He reads the incoming ball better and stops the big forwards clean run at the ball.
I originally thought the same as most a started to see the small things he does. His opponents rarely have a good day unless they are super mobile. I think thats something his been working on his ability to stay with the typical more mobile forwards in todays game.

Without runners, having a general is super important. Our structures were all over the place last week despite individual good players. The unit held up tonight.

 

[ScrappyDo]

Was listening to Roberton on radio pre game and he was asked about the 6-6-6 and he said they'd really embraced it as it forces them as a defensive unit to take ownership of the situation and lock down which we have seen in both last quarters this year. Also said they liked the no runners, seems we've really brought into the new rules and the players have been empowered by it rather than previously just waiting for coaches instructions.

What did you make from the "Richo gave me a bake" discussion?
I couldn't make sense of his answer..

 

[Cairnsman]

Perception will be we didn't play as well in the 2nd but that's not reality, Bombers were always going to have a crack.

 

[Hayes4PM]

Can we get one of Rice or White in for McKenzie? Only guy out there who looked like he crumbled under the pressure and looked out of sort.

 

[Mowman]

Only in hindsight, they were talking about the Bombers the whole time. Stringer must have kicked 15 goals because apparently he was playing the Saints by himself.

Spot on

 

[gringo2011]

Last week I think Darragh gave away 6 frees (correct me if I'm wrong?). Brown today gave away none.

In the third quarter today the bombers had repeat forward 50 entries - if Joyce was playing rather than Brown today who knows what might have happened. A single goal can do a lot for momentum.

To be fair at least 3 were absolute bullshit, we were behind goals and they just made a heap of them up. He was holding without using hands at times.

 

[CHBench]

Perception will be we didn't play as well in the 2nd but that's not reality, Bombers were always going to have a crack.

I would actually argue our 2nd half was more impressive, smacking witches hats is easy

 

[sauce_head]

Despite not being up by 40 at quarter time, questionable forward 50 entry (kick it to Francis) and the umpires willing Essendon on after half time (even their final goal was after one of our blokes got decpaitated and holding the ball was only payable against us), it was a great win!

Always enjoyable to beat the DCs!

I’d only ask Billings to go lace out rather than kickthe ball for the man to run on to. When he did the former tonight he looked great. When it was the latter, not so much...

Anyway, I’m happy, the kids are happy and the Mrs is happy!

Thanks Saintas!!!

 

[Drake Huggins]

Wilkie and Parker are such a bloody good pickups. No more fluffing about with trades to bring in more role players. There’s a ‘mature’ talent pool there ready to make immediate impact and we keep the picks, absolute game changer.

Look forward to Parker lining up those demon pretender flogs

Great nickname, BTW.

 

[MOLTEN GANGLANDS]

Im telling you they will keep Battle in the back line. They need him there.
Dunstan was good. He will stay.

fair enough, battle didn't really have much of a match up and didn't get anywhere near it. I think he would have been valuable up forward today, and Joyce would have had a comparable game down back.

 

[gringo2011]

Can we get one of Rice or White in for McKenzie? Only guy out there who looked like he crumbled under the pressure and looked out of sort.

Marsh and Hind would do as well.

 

[NarklesHelmet]

Perception will be we didn't play as well in the 2nd but that's not reality, Bombers were always going to have a crack.

Yeah agree.

They’ve got talent there. What we had to do was establish early that we were here to play and pound them around the ball. We did it perfectly. They doubted themselves and we got out to what was a match winning lead in the end while they were doubting themselves due to our intensity.

Then when they inevitably threw everything at us, we bent but didn’t break and came away with the 4 points.

It was an outstandingly executed win by the players and coaches today against a talented team with their backs to the wall.

This will really give our whole organization belief that we are going somewhere. And so it should.

 

[Saintbloke]

Looking at the stats, we were down in most areas- didn't get enough of the ball, but Essendon were just ordinary. We went off the boil for some of Q2 and early Q3. We need to make sure we can keep the momentum up for four quarters. A good win, but we have work to do yet.

 

[Sir Skid]

fair enough, battle didn't really have much of a match up and didn't get anywhere near it. I think he would have been valuable up forward today, and Joyce would have had a comparable game down back.

Agree with this

 

[Hayes4PM]

Marsh and Hind would do as well.

Hind sounds good to me! Webster, Geary and Hind would mean some serious acceleration off the backline.

 

[The Jack]

In case any of you are deaf, apparently we were up by 33 points at one stage.

 

[Saintos The ITK]

Is it too early to mention the F word.