Prediction Changes and Pre match discussion vs Essendon round 15 @ The Gabba.

[ghostbat12]

I didn't say he's a superstar, I said that he has ostensibly done everything asked of a young player to receive an opportunity in the senior side. If you know why he isn't getting the chance then feel free to share.

Has he done everything? And only conclusion you have is that he is deliberately victimised?

 

[Scotland]

Reasonable changes, but the forward line is looking a bit thin. Brander who has been playing a wing role out with Cripps already leaving the hub I'm iffy about. Cameron as an emergency WTF?

If we control the game we'll kick enough goals, but who is going to stop Saad and co running riot off half back? We've picked a back 6 plus 2 defenders on the bench which is interesting.

 

[HoneyBadger35]

I am honestly at a loss as to how Hamish Brayshaw has:
1. Not been named
2. Has been dropped from being an EMG

It's extremely disappointing to say the least given that he has ticked literally every box the club has put in front of him since being drafted.

How do we know that?

It's disgraceful and makes zero sense considering the quick turnarounds as well, especially when players like Ainsworth were given opportunities despite lesser form and unimpressive pre-seasons.

I'm not one to be overly critical of a Coach's strategic decisions since they know what they're doing, but this one just stinks.

Who would you have had him ahead of this week?

 

[Grahame]

With the tight turnarounds this might be something like our best team anyway. I mean, sure Yeo, JK, Waterman and Cripps might be nice for this game but regardless we will need to ’manage’ players so it nice to think we will have a few good’uns to come back who are a bit fresh (plus maybe Cameron). And this side is less inexperienced than last week.
So either way we will not have full strength side for the immediate future. Hopefully we win two or more of the next three and have pretty much everyone back for North and the finals.
Given it looks like travel won’t be the issue it can be then the disadvantage for those finishing outside the top four may not be as big as normal. So get a full side together for the final four weeks of the season and then let them loose. Everything before then is just a rehearsal.

 

[Scotland]

Top 4 might not mean home ground advantage but it should still mean a week off which could be beneficial this year pending finals schedule.

 

[Grahame]

Top 4 might not mean home ground advantage but it should still mean a week off which could be beneficial this year pending finals schedule.

True but an end of season bye reduces that advantage a bit e.g. Dogs in 2016. Of course any which way it is better to be as high up the table as possible, but this might be one year where the advantage is much reduced.

The best outcome would be to be top four, win, and go to the prelim with a week off. But if you lose you play four games in four weeks with the first against a top four side - arguably in that case it might be easier to finish fifth have a (theoretically) easy game against eight, win etc etc.

But top two (or four) would be best for sure.

 

[FKASC]

He had us on top due to Perth form. He has made it quite clear he is basically willing to disregard any Perth form as he believes no more games will be played there, hence the slide from 1-5 on his rankings today, despite playing the reigning premier (and in my opinion the team to beat) off a 4 day cross country break with our best forward knocked out in the first quarter along with several other injuries. On the weekend he basically suggested we will be flat out making seventh. https://www.sen.com.au/news/2020/08/28/why-whateley-has-worries-about-west-coast/

He has fuelled this hub garbage more than anyone.

We’ve only managed to beat bottom 3 sides in Qld thus far and have lost every other game by an average of ~40 points, so it’s not that much of a stretch. Only a comprehensive win tonight will change those media opinions

 

[amazingjoshy]

I've always thought no one was more interested in Gerard Whately's opinion than Gerard Whately.

Evidently half the BF WC board are...

 

[FreeTK]

We’ve only managed to beat bottom 3 sides in Qld thus far and have lost every other game by an average of ~40 points, so it’s not that much of a stretch. Only a comprehensive win tonight will change those media opinions

Personally, I find looking at W's and L's alone overly simplistic.

We were competitive with Richmond off a 4 day break with Kennedy going down early.

We kicked 9 goals, when in those early games against Port/GC/Lions we couldn't kick more than 6.

The boys brought the effort and intensity, they just got beaten by a side that was better in the night.

Bring the same effort tonight and we win handsomely.

 

[Dark Sharks]

Not sharing everyone else's confidence but i'll take it. Essendon have some quality all over and who knows what they'll dish up.

Apart from our ruck, i really don't see an area where we clearly have the ascendancy. McGovern (if he's on and not invisible) down back could help.


That forward line is going to struggle to kick a bloody goal considering it looks to be centered around marking the footy if anything, and we're playing in yet another disgusting humid Queensland night game. It's worked so well for us in QLD before.

Darling, Allen and Bailey are going to be handling the thing like a cake of soap.

We've lost 2 of 3 of our leading goal kickers from last year this week.

Then you've got the forward craft of (checks teamsheet) Jack Redden, and Brendon Ahchee (2 goals from his past 4 games)

Good thing known goal kicker Mark Hutchings will roll through there, as well as 3rd game midfielder O'Neil.






I miss Willie

 

[FKASC]

Personally, I find looking at W's and L's alone overly simplistic.

We were competitive with Richmond off a 4 day break with Kennedy going down early.

We kicked 9 goals, when in those early games against Port/GC/Lions we couldn't kick more than 6.

The boys brought the effort and intensity, they just got beaten by a side that was better in the night.

Bring the same effort tonight and we win handsomely.

Just saying, that’s the basis of the media pessimism. They’re always going to simplify things

 

[WCErevival]

Reminds me a bit of 2018 this one. Played the Bombers without JK and JD. Fraser played FF. We lost.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Incredible that Jetta makes it back when we don't actually need anymore defenders lmao.

Probably because he won't play defence and has experience in the forward line

Tell me - who do you think Essendon is going to fear more - Jetta or Reid?

 

[FreeTK]

Not sharing everyone else's confidence but i'll take it. Essendon have some quality all over and who knows what they'll dish up.

Apart from our ruck, i really don't see an area where we clearly have the ascendancy. McGovern (if he's on and not invisible) down back could help.


That forward line is going to struggle to kick a bloody goal considering it looks to be centered around marking the footy if anything, and we're playing in yet another disgusting humid Queensland night game. It's worked so well for us in QLD before.

Darling, Allen and Bailey are going to be handling the thing like a cake of soap.

We've lost 2 of 3 of our leading goal kickers from last year this week.

Then you've got the forward craft of (checks teamsheet) Jack Redden, and Brendon Ahchee (2 goals from his past 4 games)

Good thing known goal kicker Mark Hutchings will roll through there, as well as 3rd game midfielder O'Neil.


I miss Willie

It's funny that many people are lamenting the absence of Cripps given that so many people had maligned him for what was considered a poor season where he disappeared and applied little to no pressure.

To kick a winning score, we need Jack to step up, Liam to continue his good form and Oscar to get a couple. I'd expect to see TK roaming across HF, and there's no reason Dom couldn't find the goals.

It starts with Nic, if he can have a day out and gives the mids first look, we can dominate them.

 

[ConcreteWaters]

We’ve only managed to beat bottom 3 sides in Qld thus far and have lost every other game by an average of ~40 points, so it’s not that much of a stretch. Only a comprehensive win tonight will change those media opinions

Gerard's overstating the fixture a bit. A fighting loss against the reigning premier and it's over (who, by the way are half a game in front after playing one more game)? Let alone we have a game in hand on Geelong, Richmond and Port. Geelong and Richmond have to play each other so there's potential for one of them to drop out. Brisbane have scraped past the Roos and Saints, so they're hardly setting the world on fire and have a tough game against the Pies. We could overtake Brisbane on percentage alone if both sides win the same number of remaining games.

 

[Dark Sharks]

It's funny that many people are lamenting the absence of Cripps given that so many people had maligned him for what was considered a poor season where he disappeared and applied little to no pressure.

To kick a winning score, we need Jack to step up, Liam to continue his good form and Oscar to get a couple. I'd expect to see TK roaming across HF, and there's no reason Dom couldn't find the goals.

It starts with Nic, if he can have a day out and gives the mids first look, we can dominate them.

Despite his lack of scoreboard impact this year, his forward pressure is underrated and something we're going to sorely miss.

I think even though we don't always see it, it's stil there. Really not sure where the forward line pressure is going to come from this week.

He's a big out with no Rioli, Petch or Cameron to replace him.


#1 at the club for tackles inside 50
#1 at the club for ground ball gets inside 50
#2 at the club for goal assists
#2 at the club for score involvements
# 2 at the club for pressure acts
#3 at the club for tackles


I'm sure we might gain some in other areas. Cripps has certainly killed a few clean movements forward with his fumbles at times, but we're better off with him.

 

[WCE Wizard]

It was difficult to play our game style and that could be due to a number of reasons:
Too many new players that couldn't adjust to the pressure that Richmond brought. If we only had 1 or 2 to carry maybe we could have covered over the cracks but 6 is too many.
We were missing Yeo, Redden, Allen, Waterman, Nelson and Kennedy.
It was our first game back in Qld and we are not yet used to the dewy conditions not that we were ever good in those conditions but there's still room for improvement.

That is a lot of quality to take out of one team. We get back Redden, Allen, and Nelson for the bombers and Muddy and JK for the Dogs game so we need to get the wins on the board

 

[FreeTK]

Despite his lack of scoreboard impact this year, his forward pressure is underrated and something we're going to sorely miss.

I think even though we don't always see it, it's stil there. Really not sure where the forward line pressure is going to come from this week.

He's a big out with no Rioli, Petch or Cameron to replace him.


#1 at the club for tackles inside 50
#1 at the club for ground ball gets inside 50
#2 at the club for goal assists
#2 at the club for score involvements
# 2 at the club for pressure acts
#3 at the club for tackles


I'm sure we might gain some in other areas. Cripps has certainly killed a few clean movements forward with his fumbles at times, but we're better off with him.

Darling is underrated in terms of his pressure.

We have had the issue re small forwards for majority of the year.

Our forwardline is in better shape for this game than what it was once Kennedy went down in the first 10 minutes in the last game.

 

[FreeTK]

 

[Obeanie1]

whateley hardly has a good word for us. Prob since we bent Ablett and his cats over in 92 and 94.

On SM-G925I using BigFooty.com mobile app

Whately isn't an Eagles fan at all.

And it shows through his journalism.

 

[ziad]

Whately isn't an Eagles fan at all.

And it shows through his journalism.

he is a mouth on radio not a journalist - they are a rare breed indeed

 

[TOA.]

Massive danger game. Its an elimination final for Essendon, they will be giving it one last shot. We better turn up or it may not end well. Chance of rain as well (of course). Just need to get the job done but I'm worried given our horrendous form in Qld.

 

[FKASC]

Jetta for the <insert player who has played for both clubs> cup confirmed

who has played for both WC and Essendon?? Michael Prior?

 

[Luuuc]

BOM shows 5% chance of rain from 4-7pm, and then 0% for the rest of the night, so at least that's one potential advantage of this late starting time

 

[FKASC]

Reminds me a bit of 2018 this one. Played the Bombers without JK and JD. Fraser played FF. We lost.

We have JD this time though and Allen should be at the stage where he is able to lead an attack. Hell, not long ago we were already contemplating life without Kennedy and itching to fast track Allen’s development as his successor.

Williams is only in his second game but he will pose a threat regardless due to his sheer athleticism and intent. it’s not like we’re plonking 2019 Vardy or Mitch Brown in the pocket.

The smalls are an issue but as long as they are switched on and tackle hard, that’s half of the job done