Review Essendon defeat Footscray by 8 points

[rines]

It's still weak.

Hawks v Saints got 32k in pissing rain earlier yesterday.

I'm not saying it isn't weak.. I'm saying it is real, happening and I have been banging on about it since Rnd 3.

In fact many told me to 'calm down' after I mentioned that crowds were well down.

AFL has some very big problems if they don't address the lack of crowds.

 

[Doss]

I don't recall anyone telling you to calm down about the lack of crowds. It's clearly an issue and clearly needs addressing.

Ours are particularly disappointing though. Are people staying away because of a couple of losses? Pretty fair weather if so.

For an Essendon home against a Victorian side, anything less than 40k is not great. But 33k...I'd be interested to know when we last had such a poor crowd when hosting another Victorian side.

 

[BrunoV]

Also I've never seen a player more in need of the bye than Jobe. Something's up. He can't get out of 3rd gear.

He's never had third gear.

 

[BrunoV]

Carlisle had more impact that Stewie. Worked a lot harder

It's why I sometimes wish that the numbers didn't exist.

I noticed the workrate too. He also pulled down a couple of big grabs.

Thompson would not have said that Carlisle's game was an improvement if it wasn't.

 

[Doss]

Carlisle was definitely better than the last two weeks.

 

[MiloStedman]

If the bulldogs had a forward line we would of lost.

What if this, what if that. What if we had a forward line?

 

[BrunoV]

The coaches seem pretty positive about a pretty average display IMO.

I thought we were lucky to come away with the points. If we are only a goal better side then the dogs than we are in for a world of pain. Just some guys arent anywhere near it at the moment. Watson, Carlile, Hocking ect. We look flat and like we have no energy, unsure if we are being trained too hard throughout the week?

Would like to see TBC in next week. Dont think we can afford to rest either of Fletch or Winderlich. Im not confident about the lions due to past history and also playing at the Gabba.

Id be looking to send out close to our best side. Is Myers close? Just play all the talls and sub through the 3rd quarter TBC probably ideally. Send Ashby and Zerrett back even though i thought they were pretty good. Bring Gleeson back. If Howlett needs to make way then he does.

Something is not right. We were ****ing terrible. The Bulldogs are probably the only team in the AFL that plays dumber football than we do, seemingly to a plan.

So many of our players don't look fit.

 

[srobbo]

Carlisle showed some signs...if ever so faint in 2nd half. Worked well as high HF and took a few clunks...JD was a Trojan last nite.

We are still stinking it up, but positives are Dempsey has 2 games under his belt, Goddard got back into the groove which we'd missed & hopefully TBC or Ambrose get a trundle at the GABBA n/t week.

We seriously need to get a good game in up there next week. They are demoralised with injury & there wont be any excuse not to win by 7-8 goals.

 

[rines]

I don't recall anyone telling you to calm down about the lack of crowds. It's clearly an issue and clearly needs addressing.

Ours are particularly disappointing though. Are people staying away because of a couple of losses? Pretty fair weather if so.

For an Essendon home against a Victorian side, anything less than 40k is not great. But 33k...I'd be interested to know when we last had such a poor crowd when hosting another Victorian side.

We play some of the ugliest footy in the league.. and we have been losing.. = lack of crowds.

And don't think I am suggesting it is ok.. or that people should stay away.. just suggesting reasons why... possibly.

 

[rumply]

Having zero confidence in how Etihad usually calculate their crowds, at best it looked a very soft 33k to me.

& it's not an Essendon issue, it's an AFL issue - they ****ed up the ticketing, constant rule tinkering has seen the game lose some if it's spark, drug scandal has disillusioned a certain percentage of fans (who knows what the actual figure might be of people lost to the game) & many just don't have the cash to burn on a game of footy most weeks. Hardly rocket science.

 

[eth-dog]

Having zero confidence in how Etihad usually calculate their crowds, at best it looked a very soft 33k to me.

& it's not an Essendon issue, it's an AFL issue - they ****** up the ticketing, constant rule tinkering has seen the game lose some if it's spark, drug scandal has disillusioned a certain percentage of fans (who knows what the actual figure might be of people lost to the game) & many just don't have the cash to burn on a game of footy most weeks. Hardly rocket science.

Um, the scanners count how many tickets are scanned into the ground and they add that up to calculate the people admitted.

 

[rumply]

Um, the scanners count how many tickets are scanned into the ground and they add that up to calculate the people admitted.

yeh well you believe the figures they publish every week I got a bridge to sell you...

 

[Keystone agony]

And how was Dempsey's form in the VFL??

Not my point

 

[eth-dog]

yeh well you believe the figures they publish every week I got a bridge to sell you...

Well showing incorrect crowd figures is technically false advertising so why would they do that and open themselves to a potential lawsuit?

 

[Tassieboy]

One other thing.

33k crowd. I don't care if crowds are down across the board, that is absolutely pathetic. Saturday night against a fellow Victorian team. We have record membership this year. What gives?

It was really ordinary, worse than the St Kilda game. Apart from Knights' last games as coach, we haven't dropped below about 29-30k for any home game since the 90s. I suspect we will go close against the Gold Coast. Crowds are a concern. Maybe we just don't have the supporters we used to.

 

[GeneralHurley]

We are playing a predictive, ugly, unattractive brand of football at the moment. Football is not very exciting at the moment, especially when we struggle to kick 10 goals a game.

 

[eth-dog]

Positive is that if/when we fix our offense we'll be an excellent side

 

[eth-dog]

It was really ordinary, worse than the St Kilda game. Apart from Knights' last games as coach, we haven't dropped below about 29-30k for any home game since the 90s. I suspect we will go close against the Gold Coast. Crowds are a concern. Maybe we just don't have the supporters we used to.

57.5k members suggest otherwise

 

[rines]

I would also imagine there are some that are unhappy with what happened last year.. in lots of different ways.

If we start to play better.. they will come back I think.

 

[rumply]

Well showing incorrect crowd figures is technically false advertising so why would they do that and open themselves to a potential lawsuit?

You would have to ask them that, but I am sure you can think of a couple of reasons yourself.

 

[rines]

Who is going to sue the AFL for publishing incorrect crowd figures.. really??

They fudge figures all the time.. for everything.

 

[monty1104]

Who is going to sue the AFL for publishing incorrect crowd figures.. really??

They fudge figures all the time.. for everything.

Advertisers. They may choose to advertise at the ground based on crowd figures. Fudging the numbers would have an impact on that.

Having said that, I don't think the AFL do fudge the numbers. Some people fail to realise that those in corporate boxes count towards the numbers. You might not see them, but they're there.

 

[mike14]

I'm actually impressed 33k willingly sat through last night, instead of enjoying any of the myriad of entertainment options available in Melbourne. One of the major reasons people go to the footy is entertainment and we are not an entertaining team, nor have we been for the majority of the last four weeks (except the LOL moments). I was bored, many around me were bored, and unless we see some kind of improvement in the next few weeks crowds are going to get a lot worse.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

I'm actually impressed 33k willingly sat through last night, instead of enjoying any of the myriad of entertainment options available in Melbourne. One of the major reasons people go to the footy is entertainment and we are not an entertaining team, nor have we been for the majority of the last four weeks (except the LOL moments). I was bored, many around me were bored, and unless we see some kind of improvement in the next few weeks crowds are going to get a lot worse.

Ditto for the rest of the comp. Everyone playing slow chip chip games and don't want to make mistakes and hold onto the ball. The good teams do the same but the only reason they look ok is they can get the ball off the opposition a bit quicker and have space to move it and launch.

Only 1 or 2 watcheable games per round imo.

 

[calyam]

I found our performance was very reactive. The Dogs set the pace and we basically let them lead us to the ball most of the time. Our spread was ordinary and we were unwilling to break lines most of the time - when we did though we looked dangerous. The same could be said of our play in each of the last three weeks.

Dempsey is a mile away from it at the moment and if his head isn't in it then he shouldn't be in the team. Daniher was impressive and I thought it was one of his best games for us. Watson was well held and Heppell worked hard though was not as good as he is usually. Hooker, Fletcher and Hurley were excellent but it usually isn't a good sign when your three key backmen are among the highest possession winners.

Our defense really is covering for a lackluster midfield effort in recent weeks, which combined with our forward inefficiency has made us a very ordinary team. There is enough talent in that midfield to turn it around, but if they don't then sheer weight of disposal will open up our defence - particularly against the good sides.

The game as a whole was a poor spectacle - possibly not as bad as the St Kilda game from an entertainment point-of-view but nevertheless it was a horrible game to watch. Last year we were among the more exciting teams week-to-week so I find our more conservative approach particularly jarring - that it hasn't led to better performances makes the whole thing disappointing.