Roast A Target

[footycool]

Being at the game today, it would of been the most frustrating times at the footy for a long time.

Essendon needed a target besides Neagle and with the Late out of Gumby (What was wrong with him?) i though that Knights would have the knowledge to try Hurley forward and push Welsh back.

Today we have 59-51 Inside 50's and this was ultimately the downfall as i believe that if we would of moved Hurley to the forward line at HT it would of gone a long way to bettering our chances of knocking off the dees today.

/end rant/

Despite this Neagle held his own well today and a Hurley/Gumby/Neagle and Hille floating around with crummers Davey and Jetta will scare Backlines for years to come

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Given Welsh was already at full-back, who do you propose would have played on Jurrah if Hurley was moved forward?

 

[DVD Player]

Welsh was already back. Really Knights should have brought in T.Slattery instead of Lonergan, but in saying that Lonergan was good today.

 

[EssendonPride]

Given Welsh was already at full-back, who do you propose would have played on Jurrah if Hurley was moved forward?

Tyson Slattery, the guy that we shouldn't have dropped in the first place (especially if there was any potential gumby would miss)

 

[Barines1987]

Just from being at the game, I'm fairly sure we didn't have a mark inside 50 until a decent way in to the 2nd term when Lonergan bobbed up and took one. It was fairly depressing.

 

[anf06]

Tyson Slattery, the guy that we shouldn't have dropped in the first place (especially if there was any potential gumby would miss)

Seeing as though Welsh played back all day proves that you must have been watching the seagulls and not the game.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Tyson Slattery, the guy that we shouldn't have dropped in the first place (especially if there was any potential gumby would miss)

I was talking about within the game.

I agree Slattery shouldn't have been dropped.

 

[Jobe Watson]

Even if we had a decent target inside 50, we wouldn't have been able to hit them. Our kicking into forward 50 is probably the worst in the league.

 

[Yoda_]

Hardingham would of been 'the perfect' player to play on Jurrah..

I have been saying for months, that Essendon need to get skill ful players into the side, thus we have too many 'unskilful players in the side.

Like I have said before, how many targets do Geelong miss when going forward? how many targets do a Collingwood miss when going forward? even a St.Kilda and Western Bulldogs, hardly any. They are the most skill ful players in the competition. Who do Essendon have in the side at the moment (best 22) who we can say undoubtly that *insert player name here* is going to be a genuinely good user of the pill?

I think I can name two that will hit the target nearly every time.

Dustin Fletcher and David Zaharakis..

Alwyn Davey is border line..

 

[FrankGrimes]

Hardingham would of been 'the perfect' player to play on Jurrah..

I have been saying for months, that Essendon need to get skill ful players into the side, thus we have too many 'unskilful players in the side.

Like I have said before, how many targets do Geelong miss when going forward? how many targets do a Collingwood miss when going forward? even a St.Kilda and Western Bulldogs, hardly any. They are the most skill ful players in the competition. Who do Essendon have in the side at the moment (best 22) who we can say undoubtly that *insert player name here* is going to be a genuinely good user of the pill?

I think I can name two that will hit the target nearly every time.



Dustin Fletcher and David Zaharakis..

Alwyn Davey is border line..

couldnt agree more our skills are school yard stuff, dempsey missing easy targets all day, our skills are bad going forward and in general play... thought jay battled very well all day and it was shockinh kicking into f50 that let us down today..

 

[EssendonPride]

Seeing as though Welsh played back all day proves that you must have been watching the seagulls and not the game.

And you're quoting me before saying this why?
Didn't even mention Welsh.

In other news, watching seagulls certainly would have been more enjoyable than the game.

 

[Rack Watts]

Hurley hits targets too.

 

[bombadeer]

Slattery was injured - bruised ribs. I like Hurley down back - our midfield is in a serious form slump right now, at least Hurley will see plenty of action for the rest of the season as a defender

 

[yaco55]

A bit of revisionism in this thread - not necessarily by the OP.

Read through all the threads about this game and the majority of posters wanted Hurley to play back.

Neagle was hung out to dry today - He was the only tall forward ( excluding the ruckman ) and having ruckman playing as a tall forward only works when they are a third forward - As this creates mismatches in the opposition's defence.

It was obvious that Hurley needed to play forward ( ans should stay forward for the foreseeable future ) - We made a similar mistake against Sydney when we went in one forward short.

 

[EssendonPride]

Slattery was injured - bruised ribs. I like Hurley down back - our midfield is in a serious form slump right now, at least Hurley will see plenty of action for the rest of the season as a defender

You realise we have 2 slattery's on our list right?
We're talking about Tyson. The one that played in the VFL this week.

As for Hurley, I'm strongly on the forward wagon. Just wish we could provide a semblance of decent delivery,

 

[bombadeer]

A bit of revisionism in this thread - not necessarily by the OP.

Read through all the threads about this game and the majority of posters wanted Hurley to play back.

Neagle was hung out to dry today - He was the only tall forward ( excluding the ruckman ) and having ruckman playing as a tall forward only works when they are a third forward - As this creates mismatches in the opposition's defence.

It was obvious that Hurley needed to play forward ( ans should stay forward for the foreseeable future ) - We made a similar mistake against Sydney when we went in one forward short.

If you've got Gumbleton + Neagle + Resting Ruckman (Hille/Ryder), there's your 3 talls.

 

[bombadeer]

You realise we have 2 slattery's on our list right?
We're talking about Tyson. The one that played in the VFL this week.

As for Hurley, I'm strongly on the forward wagon. Just wish we could provide a semblance of decent delivery,

Ahh yes, the model T Slattery. I did think he showed enough to warrant another selection.

If we're going to go with Neagle and Gumbleton in the forward arc, and rest one of our ruckman in the same region (as proved so successful prior to Hille's injury) then where would you find space for Hurley?

Although I tend to think there are big question marks over Neagle - if Neagle doesn't pan out this year, Hurley should go forward.

 

[yaco55]

If you've got Gumbleton + Neagle + Resting Ruckman (Hille/Ryder), there's your 3 talls.

You are conveniently overlooking the facts

1) We didnt have Gumbleton
2) We didnt have Hille

 

[footycool]

You are conveniently overlooking the facts

1) We didnt have Gumbleton
2) We didnt have Hille

And this is why i called at HT for Hurley to go forward as a change. I dont think Knights changed up our forward line all day and IMO needed to be done. I agree that when Neagle/Gumby and a resting ruckman are in the forward line there is no need for Hurley, but today without Hille and gumby Hurley needed to be used as a Goddard type utility and act as a swingman. I admire the great defensive marks Hurley took today and i cant help but wonder if he was in the forward line he could of done the same. And i also might add that he is a great kick from distance. This was severly lacking as when we were having a shot when constantly looked to pass the ball and not have the confidence to shoot from 50m+ out.

Hope that make sense

 

[yaco55]

And this is why i called at HT for Hurley to go forward as a change. I dont think Knights changed up our forward line all day and IMO needed to be done. I agree that when Neagle/Gumby and a resting ruckman are in the forward line there is no need for Hurley, but today without Hille and gumby Hurley needed to be used as a Goddard type utility and act as a swingman. I admire the great defensive marks Hurley took today and i cant help but wonder if he was in the forward line he could of done the same. And i also might add that he is a great kick from distance. This was severly lacking as when we were having a shot when constantly looked to pass the ball and not have the confidence to shoot from 50m+ out.

Hope that make sense

I agree with the ruckman being the third tall - Would still play Hurley forward until neagle or gumbleton prove they can hold down a key forward position.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Again, who would you have put back?

 

[anf06]

And you're quoting me before saying this why?
Didn't even mention Welsh.

In other news, watching seagulls certainly would have been more enjoyable than the game.

hahaha, sorry, quoted the wrong person obviously.

obviously seeing as though i pressed quote on your post, proves that I, also, was watching the seagulls. apologies.

 

[Smokin]

I posted this last week, and again this week.

We, under Knights, seem to get team balance horribly wrong so often. I really am not sure what is going on, stubbornness or what.

Last week we didn't bring in a forward (Neagle), so we leave Hurley up forward and let a first gamer in T. Slattery take a KPD role all game. Blind freedy would have seen that there was a fair chance Slattery would struggle, and be ready for it. Not knights.

This week, the same but opposite. Take out a KPD option, bring in Neagle but stuck with the same inflexible lineup.

Once Gumbleton went out - it only compounded the issue to the point the team needed rain to win. We were just too short everywhere. The only rational reason for it to have been in that position was for a freak something to have happened to Gumby at some point after the Bendigo game, something that nobody saw coming or could have done anything about it. I doubt that. Rumour towards the end of the week on BB was Gumby was going to be rested for a start.

To be honest, I thought Hurley was good offensively, but really his direct opponent did too much damage for it to be considered a good game. The team would have been significantly better off for someone like T. Slattery or Hardingham (good Jarrah match up on paper) and Hurley at CHF - with Neagle out of the square.

A resting ruckmen is most valuable when a team is stretched to cover the forwards first, then a ruckman compounds it. Having one option in Neagle only makes it harder for our ruckmen as well.

Call it revisionist but I have been on about our structure for a long time now. A while back we were always too tall, now we seem one or two short.

Oh, and on Targets I guess we can talk about Lonergan, as he seemed to be the forward target up till yest! Surely now knights can see if he plays, he has to be part of the midfield rotation (preferably rotating with Watson) - he is an inside mid. He is not a FF or CHF. (being smart, I know).

 

[Bomberman86]

Slattery was injured - bruised ribs. I like Hurley down back - our midfield is in a serious form slump right now, at least Hurley will see plenty of action for the rest of the season as a defender

Im going to assume that youve mistaken their saying "Slattery" shouldnt have been dropped as being Henry Slattery... im sure that they were talking about Tyson Slattery (I bloody well hope they were)..

 

[Smokin]

Again, who would you have put back?

it got to the point that it didn't matter - we either had to create something across half forward, or die by remaining the same and not trying to win it.

Look at the 3rd, it was only on the break (and a few aweful decisions and a bounce) which stopped our utter dominance - and on the break the slower Hurley isnt ideal. We were infinitely better off having him as a forward target. In fact, we were so dominant he did end up having a shot (or two?). But alas, we dominated yet couldn't put the score on the board (again). We broke down at half forward more than anywhere else.

NLM could have been used differently - even thrown across half forward for example. He could have gone to Jurrah, and Hurley forward (for example). Reimers out of the backline was seemingly the only positive move throughout the day.

A day where FINALLY Hurley's hands didnt feel like big claws, and we cant put him the forward line. typical.