Preview Essendon vs Collingwood, MCG, Sunday 08/07/18 @ 3:20 PM

[Cup_o_Jobe]

Spot on, that’s exactly right.

Gives us a nice balance with saady & Irish still able to play to their strengths.

I’d play him on Josh Thomas & send Pidge to Stephenson in a Betts kind of shutdown role.

Definitely think these are the match-ups planned. McNeice has the fitness to stick with Thomas, and Pidge to Stephenson allows one of Ambrose/Hurley/Hooker to play loose, clunk a few marks, and deny the Pies forwards ground ball (personally I wouldn't mind getting Hurls to play accountable role on Cox and letting Hooker run his own show in the back 50).

 

[blitzer]

Collingwood number 1 for free kick differential. Number 2 for free kicks
Essendon 16th for free kick differential. 18th for free kicks

That number would have blown out massively for us in the last few weeks. West Coast in Perth and then a similar ratio vs North. Before that we were somewhere in the middle of the pack.

 

[Towno78]

Dea is like the comfy pair of shoes you got for a fiver at the op shop, they are worn in, comfy and great...But you keep thinking you had better wear the shoes you bought for 200 from the shops just because they're frickin' awesome!

Efa

 

[fairbump_playon]

Collingwood number 1 for free kick differential. Number 2 for free kicks
Essendon 16th for free kick differential. 18th for free kicks

Good stat to know, will watch this one with interest

 

[fishardansin]

With Dea on the bench it could be that they're bringing in McNeice to provide more flexibility matching up against the Pies small forwards (this would have to be a case of the classic Woosha "matchups" at work, as the form of neither player warrants the switch). Would love to see Long get a crack but can't see anyone else coming out for him, unless someone's carrying a niggle and needs the week off. (beej?)

Hello wizard.

 

[JayJ20]

That number would have blown out massively for us in the last few weeks. West Coast in Perth and then a similar ratio vs North. Before that we were somewhere in the middle of the pack.

Whilst it did blow out, we were bottom 3 for free kicks received most of the year

 

[JT_the_Man]

As long as we don’t have Bags down back like on Anzac Day... *shudders*

 

[fishardansin]

I see what they have done...

Couldn't justify dropping Dea for Francis but they are playing the long game , they can justify dropping him for a small on matchup basis then next week when they drop niece again they will bring Francis in because we will have forgotten.

Dea is like the comfy pair of shoes you got for a fiver at the op shop, they are worn in, comfy and great...But you keep thinking you had better wear the shoes you bought for 200 from the shops just because of the cost.

I was thinking this exact same thing. Dea has been playing too well to be omitted, so do as a match up. Then Let Francis and Dea battle it out to replace McNeice next week. The club would be interested to see Francis perform under the pressure of knowing he has to play a big game this week for a spot next week.

 

[BrunoV]

I prefer McNiece to Dea with a side that already has Hooker, Hurley, Ambrose and Goddard.

There is a tendency to overrate Dea's performances because of a desperate lunge or two that stand out but he also misses targets, is occasionally unable to keep up with smalls and not holding a mark/getting out-bodied by a tall.

Dea hasn't been horrible, not by any stretch, but he has been solid at best (i.e. the bad cancels out the good). That's the strange thing about depth, everyone wants it and likes the idea of selection pressure but then there is always staunch resistance to changing a winning side despite the potential for improvement.

Given the standard to which we defended the ground against North, see Hooker's comments if you need independent confirmation, there would be players in the middle who are probably lucky not to join Dea as omissions (though I couldn't say who).

The side is in a development phase and bottom 6 players who are only playing average to solid footy, not demonstrating significant improvement and/or who are not irreplaceable in a structural sense should be moved out until we find the best combination we have.

I would like to see McNiece play in a less defensive role, mirroring the one he plays in the VFL. He has the pace and quality of disposal by foot to be really damaging off half back. Saad has now well and truly mastered the art of destroying an opponent and then attacking from half back.

Against the Pies the ability to dynamically transition the ball out of defence will be crucial because it's unavoidable that there will be phases of play which will result in us camped deep in our defensive 50 for extended periods of time. McNiece, even it if is to free up Saad and McKenna, is an important part of setting the side up to negate one of Collingwod's strengths.

 

[Vander18]

I’m ok with Dea out - horses for courses selection is something we should probably do more of.

I saw Dea get torched for speed by Richmond’s small forwards, Collingwood forwards present similar problem for him. Plays best on medium sized, mark and kick types. Struggles with smarter, quicker ones.

Whether McNeice is the answer - time will tell. In theory, the selection makes good enough sense.


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[Howard Moon]

We have ben brown full respect and dropped I front of him every time, he was rarley if ever one out with hooker.

Let's not let our guard down with cox, huge man, show him the respect his size deserves and team spoil him

 

[ThexderX]

Collingwood number 1 for free kick differential. Number 2 for free kicks
Essendon 16th for free kick differential. 18th for free kicks

Just don't tell anyone on our board as apparently we get stitched up every quarter in every game for ever..

 

[Howard Moon]

Just don't tell anyone on our board as apparently we get stitched up every quarter in every game for ever..

Lucky you are not norf then, they get stitched by the umps and the ball never bounces where they want, poor guys

 

[capperscap]

How are we all feeling for this game?
I'm confident if the weather holds off.
Bring the intensity that we have shown over the last month and we should be able to get over the line in a thriller

 

[Old Stuckup]

How are we all feeling for this game?
I'm confident if the weather holds off.
Bring the intensity that we have shown over the last month and we should be able to get over the line in a thriller

Genuine 50/50 game.

 

[Howard Moon]

I reckon its huge, if we win I reckon we play finals and go in with a full head of steam.

If we lose, we might lose all momentum and miss the 8

 

[Keystone agony]

Im very surprised Dea has been dropped and dont agree with it.

However we're tall down back and the pies havnt replaced a KPD with a tall. I wonder how much affect the concern of rain and weather had been taken into account with this decision?

Does Mihocek stay forward? I feel he does.

Cox, Mihocek, Degoey, Stephenson and WHE is a very dangerous 5

No good matchup for BJ or our genuine small defenders Saad, Mckenna and now McNiece.

Saad - Stephenson
Goddard - WHE (Hopefully slow and sore with ankle)
Mckenna/McNiece - Thomas
Hooker - M.Cox

Hurley and Ambrose can play on either Mihocek or DeGoey

 

[Keystone agony]

I reckon its huge, if we win I reckon we play finals and go in with a full head of steam.

If we lose, we might lose all momentum and miss the 8

Even if we win 6 of last 8 we could miss with 13 wins. Depends how Crows, Hawks, Giants, Roos, Dees ext finish year.

 

[Macca18]

How generous of the AFL fixture department to allow Steele Sidebottom to play his 200th against his bunny team.

Watch him play a match defining blinder.

 

[AndretheCox]

I prefer McNiece to Dea with a side that already has Hooker, Hurley, Ambrose and Goddard.

There is a tendency to overrated Dea's performances because of a desperate lunge or two that stand out but he also misses targets, is occasionally unable to keep up with smalls and not holding a mark/getting out-bodied by a tall.

Dea hasn't been horrible, not by any stretch, but he has been solid at best (i.e. the bad cancels out the good). That's the strange thing about depth, everyone wants it and likes the idea of selection pressure but then there is always staunch resistance to changing a winning side despite the potential for improvement.

Given the standard to which we defended the ground against North, see Hooker's comments if you need independent confirmation, there would be players in the middle who are probably lucky not to join Dea as omissions (though I couldn't say who).

The side is in a development phase and bottom 6 players who are only playing average to solid footy, not demonstrating significant improvement and/or who are not irreplaceable in a structural sense should be moved out until we find the best combination we have.

I would like to see McNiece play in a less defensive role, mirroring the one he plays in the VFL. He has the pace and quality of disposal by foot to be really damaging off half back. Saad has now well and truly mastered the art of destroying an opponent and then attacking from half back.

Against the Pies the ability to dynamically transition the ball out of defence will be crucial because it's unavoidable that there will be phases of play which will result in us camped deep in our defensive 50 for extended periods of time. McNiece, even it if is to free up Saad and McKenna, is an important part of setting the side up to negate one of Collingwod's strengths.

Let me explain things in terms you can understand





We've got the big fish now

 

[jmoo wan]

What the * is this s**t?!

 

[Howard Moon]

What the **** is this s**t?!

Shhh
dont tell him the wrestling is rigged

 

[Nifft]

I prefer McNiece to Dea with a side that already has Hooker, Hurley, Ambrose and Goddard.

There is a tendency to overrated Dea's performances because of a desperate lunge or two that stand out but he also misses targets, is occasionally unable to keep up with smalls and not holding a mark/getting out-bodied by a tall.

Dea hasn't been horrible, not by any stretch, but he has been solid at best (i.e. the bad cancels out the good). That's the strange thing about depth, everyone wants it and likes the idea of selection pressure but then there is always staunch resistance to changing a winning side despite the potential for improvement.

Given the standard to which we defended the ground against North, see Hooker's comments if you need independent confirmation, there would be players in the middle who are probably lucky not to join Dea as omissions (though I couldn't say who).

The side is in a development phase and bottom 6 players who are only playing average to solid footy, not demonstrating significant improvement and/or who are not irreplaceable in a structural sense should be moved out until we find the best combination we have.

I would like to see McNiece play in a less defensive role, mirroring the one he plays in the VFL. He has the pace and quality of disposal by foot to be really damaging off half back. Saad has now well and truly mastered the art of destroying an opponent and then attacking from half back.

Against the Pies the ability to dynamically transition the ball out of defence will be crucial because it's unavoidable that there will be phases of play which will result in us camped deep in our defensive 50 for extended periods of time. McNiece, even it if is to free up Saad and McKenna, is an important part of setting the side up to negate one of Collingwod's strengths.

Enjoy your comments Bruno, keep up the good work.

 

[AcuteWhistle]

How generous of the AFL fixture department to allow Steele Sidebottom to play his 200th against his bunny team.

Watch him play a match defining blinder.

 

[astrowizzle]

hoping the weather holds out. I am in South East coast NSW, whats the rain doing in Melbourne at the moment. I cant wait.