A good win BUT...

[bruce29]

Am I the only one concerned that the worst club in the competition dominated us for the first half and led us by nearly 3 goals?

These boys have to start playing 4 quarters. Its true teams like Collingwood, Carlton and Richmond probably won't punish you for it, but if we serve that up against Geelong next week, we'll be down by 50 by half time.

 

[ant555]

Not the only one concerned.
It sound strange but that was the most disapointed i have felt after a 40 point win ever.
The skill level was bloody terrible for the whole game.

 

[Godzke]

wasn't a good win by any stretch of the imagination

 

[Can Opener]

Noone else thinks that richmond had a red hot dip at it, and fell away??

 

[Ben the Gooner]

On the other hand, good teams win on their days off.

I thought we were abysmal, but on the balance of the match deserved the win.

 

[R_n_B]

Agreed, yes it was a big win - in terms of margin - but I wasn't very satisfied with the win. How in the world we managed only to be 3 goals down through the first half baffles me.
That first half was awful, and against Geelong, we can't afford a very poor start like that.

 

[AndyLesPaul]

Am I the only one concerned that the worst club in the competition dominated us for the first half and led us by nearly 3 goals?

These boys have to start playing 4 quarters. Its true teams like Collingwood, Carlton and Richmond probably won't punish you for it, but if we serve that up against Geelong next week, we'll be down by 50 by half time.

Skill Level was scrappy in the first half, not much was going our way, even the ball was bouncing away from Essendon players.

Hopefully Knights give the best training sessions of his life, added with the fact that noone thinks we can get over Geelong, well we'll show them

 

[bomberfan101]

I was never worried about losing the match, as the dons have been awesome after half time in most of their matches this year, and Richmond have been poor. However, i was appalled at some of the skill errors we made in the first half! It wasn't one or two guys making the mistakes either - it was the majority of the team Hope Knighter can address this issue this week with the guys, cause we will need to come out ready to play to have any hope against geelong.

 

[AndyLesPaul]

Agreed, yes it was a big win - in terms of margin - but I wasn't very satisfied with the win. How in the world we managed only to be 3 goals down through the first half baffles me.
That first half was awful, and against Geelong, we can't afford a very poor start like that.

Answered your own question?

 

[Andrew_5]

I agree Ant,
But after this weeks debacle with Wallace and the players there was only one thing that they could do and come out firing..
Our palyers thought they had it won, and it would be an easy game, until they got the spray they deserved at half time...
anyway 4 points and a bit of percentage was good at the end of the game, keeps us in contention for the top 8

 

[Smokin]

I agree, felt very flat even though "they say" when you win well after playing poorly, it is a good sign.

Listening to aw during the game, I cant remember who said he his word from his essendon contact was Essendon were very sore and sorry after the St. Kilda game and struggled all week to get ready for this one.

Playing such a young side, this inconsistancy will happen.

We were destroyed in clearances and 6 of their 9 first half goals were directly from our turnovers (and 2 I remember at the end of the first were direct centre clearances - 2 in 90 seconds). To be able to work through that at half time, then have the boys be able to change the flow in those 2 key areas after half time is a maturing sign.

And Richmond were up for this one, havnt seen that much passion from them that they went into the qtr time huddle with this season yet. They had everything to play for, came out breathing firing then got comprehensively beaten after half time.

Not all that bad, just disapointing to see the turnovers creep back in.

But right now, its not so much where we are, but where we are going which is the key.

 

[bOmBeR_BoY1]

Nope. I don't agree.

Richmond were ALWAYS going to come out last night and show a lot of spirit & heart after the week they had. It's some unrealistic Essendon supporters tipping us by big margins that has set in this sort of disappointment in winning by "only" 40 points. Who would of taken a 40 point win last night at Half Time? Pretty much all of us.

They were 1-7 before the game last night, yes, but this is the same side that ran Geelong to 3 goals at Shell Stadium and Port Adelaide to 3 points in Adelaide. Apart from their Round 1 performance against Carlton, they have been in ALL of their games. Our 40 point margin last night was their second biggest loss of the year.

12.7 to 3.5 after Half Time not only showed our superior fitness, but our hunger for the ball increased and we looked good in all areas. There are, of course, bigger fish to fry this year.

 

[R_n_B]

Answered your own question?

Haha, yeh I guess. I mean if I was a Richmond supporter itwould of been: How in the world we managed only to be 3 goals up through the first half baffles me.

 

[R_n_B]

It's some unrealistic Essendon supporters tipping us by big margins that has set in this sort of disappointment in winning by "only" 40 points. Who would of taken a 40 point win last night at Half Time? Pretty much all of us.

Yes I agree our second half was great, and a 40 point win is a great result.

But, it was just our first half performance that I was very dissappointed in.
They had loose players around the ground, we were getting smashed in the clearances, we were getting ouplayed in our defence, we weren't able to lay tackles.
And yes, Richmond came out firing, but I was upset that we couldn't step our won game up. But then again, I guess maybe some credit should be given that we did stay close in the first half and didn't fall apart.

 

[DonMania#5]

They were always going to come out firing with what has happend the past week..

 

[raskolnikov]

Not concerned at all for reasons that others have pointed out.

- We played our worst footy of the year in the first half.
- Richmond have been doing ok this year. Almost beat Port and took it up to Geelong.
- Certain teams always match up and play well against certain other teams. Richmond always seem to play well against us no matter the ladder positions.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Initially I was disappointed but on reflection we should think of it as a good win by a finals side.

They had Port on toast last week and should have won so they came in playing ok footy. They were bashed in the media this week and came out breathing fire. Once they couldn't sustain the intensity we belted the crap out of them.

 

[HighFlyer]

Am I the only one concerned that the worst club in the competition dominated us for the first half and led us by nearly 3 goals?

These boys have to start playing 4 quarters. Its true teams like Collingwood, Carlton and Richmond probably won't punish you for it, but if we serve that up against Geelong next week, we'll be down by 50 by half time.

This is Richmonds problem not yours ... we did it to Geelong for a half to lead at 3/4 time, sydney for a half, brisbane for a half 7 goals to 1 ...., port adelaide for a half and north for 3/4's and you guys for a half.

Tigers problem is that they don't have the mental discipline to do it for more than a half ... Game is 4 quarters. Essendon improved in areas that had to and then believed in themselves. Starting to look really good.

 

[Shane Hird]

Yer, lets find a negative about winning. Lets ponder how Richmond kicked those first half goals.....

Do you think Geelong are sitting around today wondering how the Bulldogs kicked 6 in row and nearly beat them?

No. They won and now they move on to next week's game.

 

[Andrew_5]

Lets face it, everyone is somewhat disapointed (inluding myself) because we played a side that was 1 -7 and we are on the up, and improving with every game, they came and smashed us in the centre in the first half and we didn't look like winning..

 

[George Washington]

Do you think Geelong are sitting around today wondering how the Bulldogs kicked 6 in row and nearly beat them?

No.

Err.. Yes. Of course they would be, the would analyse exactly what the bulldogs did that no one else has done in the last 50 games, and analyse what they themselves did that they havnt done in the last 50 games. I'm sure there will be plenty of time spent watching repeats of the game down at geelong......

 

[ManWithNoName]

We played like crap and won by 7 goals. I'll take that. But this was always the danger game. So I'm relieved it's over and that we got the 4 points. We can only improve for next week.

 

[jimmy5]

We played like crap and won by 7 goals. I'll take that. But this was always the danger game. So I'm relieved it's over and that we got the 4 points. We can only improve for next week.

Ditto just glad we got the win ....

Knights highlighted the fact this week that besides the Hawks game we have been slow to start.

We didn't get a 4 quarter effort this week and still won.

Next week without a 4 quarter effort we wont get close.

 

[GoDons]

On the other hand, good teams win on their days off.

That was the stance I took, we weren't great, but we got the job done and ended up with a pretty healthy winning margin.

Pulling up after big efforts has been an issue all season, it was an issue last night, and we won by 7 goals.

Can't really complain too much. Let's hope we're up for next week.

 

[Mad Bomber Sean]

With such a young group I am not suprised by how we played so badly in the first half.

A sign of growing maturity to bounce back in the 2nd half & play the kind of footy we want to play.

Ultimately a wins a win and I am happy to see us win.

But I think talk about finals is premature.