Preview Essendon vs Melbourne, Docklands, Sunday 29/04/18 @ 1:10 PM

[JayJ20]

we are far from the worst team and if we were playing richmond or one of the dominant teams...i wouldnt be so surprised....but against a rabble like melbourne...seriously guys????.......bombers by 36

We're really not that good.

It's called being realistic. Melbourne and Essendon are literally only separated by 0.4% on the ladder. Both mentally weak. I want them to win and will be barracking for them tomorrow like always, but I'm not going to act like a win is a given.

 

[bombadeer]

Melbourne matched it for 3 quarters against the in-form team of the competition.

The Bombers were never in it against a middle of the road ( jury is out - they might actually be better than that ) Collingwood.

Demons comfortably if they play as they did on Tuesday - 50+

 

[Macca18]

It's taken five weeks but finally supporter expectations (for the most part) are actually starting to match this teams current capabilities.

The 2018 delusions of grandeur are starting to dissolve and more accurate assessments of common sense are taking over.

Hope the club can have a massive turnaround and put some egg on face... but so hard to see it happening this season consistently. Of course we're going to have a few more wins for the season (and likely when we all least expect it) but we are destined to paddle in the waters of mediocrity for the rest of the year.

Hopefully the coaches box has seen the light and will play youth for the rest of the season with the anticipation of another end-of-season list cull & some savvy recruiting. As we've seen with a few other clubs this year if the mix is right then there can be a swift turnaround in onfield fortunes.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

It's taken five weeks but finally supporter expectations (for the most part) are actually starting to match this teams current capabilities.

The 2018 delusions of grandeur are starting to dissolve and more accurate assessments of common sense are taking over.

Hope the club can have a massive turnaround and put some egg on face... but so hard to see it happening this season consistently. Of course we're going to have a few more wins for the season (and likely when we all least expect it) but we are destined to paddle in the waters of mediocrity for the rest of the year.

Hopefully the coaches box has seen the light and will play youth for the rest of the season with the anticipation of another end-of-season list cull & some savvy recruiting. As we've seen with a few other clubs this year if the mix is right then there can be a swift turnaround in onfield fortunes.

Our season is done if we lose another year of talent wasted.

 

[Macca18]

Our season is done if we lose another year of talent wasted.

Let's say 12 wins this season (as it does most seasons) gains a spot in 7th or 8th... where we finished last year and got smashed in Week One.

We will need to win 10 of our next 17 games to reach this... desired (?) position. I have no confidence in the reliability and mental toughness of this club to achieve that. Others might and will and fair enough but it would likely be a pretty underwhelming finals exit on the cards... again.

Despite the short break this week the selections are pleasing enough to suggest we might see if many of our 2015-2017 draftees can play the game at this level over the next few months.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Still able to resurect our season beat Melbourne,Hawks,Carlton and be sitting 5-3 the team is capable.

 

[JayJ20]

Our season is done if we lose another year of talent wasted.

Still able to resurect our season beat Melbourne,Hawks,Carlton and be sitting 5-3 the team is capable.

Very wild predictions

 

[ghostdog]

Salmon did his knee at full foward then played ruck for years and years (eventually).

I get people dont want him in the ruck but sometimes you need to shake things up a bit and see where they land i reckon.

Salmon was lucky. It ended John Coleman's prematurely. Just because we can doesn't mean we should, and with Daniher there's no point taking that risk in the context of where the team is at. In fact, in the context of the where the team is at I'd say playing the youngers is shaking things up.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Very wild predictions

Your welcome to jump on board the B4L rollercoaster

 

[JayJ20]

Your welcome to jump on board the B4L rollercoaster

I already have the Essendon rollercoaster to deal with

 

[Pevers-Legend]

Let's say 12 wins this season (as it does most seasons) gains a spot in 7th or 8th... where we finished last year and got smashed in Week One.

We will need to win 10 of our next 17 games to reach this... desired (?) position. I have no confidence in the reliability and mental toughness of this club to achieve that. Others might and will and fair enough but it would likely be a pretty underwhelming finals exit on the cards... again.

Despite the short break this week the selections are pleasing enough to suggest we might see if many of our 2015-2017 draftees can play the game at this level over the next few months.

10 in 17 requires us to win two on the trot. So I would say that is progress.

 

[Don35]

Bellchambers is rested not omitted. Leuy is backup only.

Right.... When we are massively under the pump following 3 terrible performances out of 4 games we 'rest' our best ruckman in round 6 for a must win game against a side that has arguably the best ruckman in the league... If that's the case our coaches are dumber than I tought

 

[CBombers17]

Salmon was lucky. It ended John Coleman's prematurely. Just because we can doesn't mean we should, and with Daniher there's no point taking that risk in the context of where the team is at. In fact, in the context of the where the team is at I'd say playing the youngers is shaking things up.

They throw him into the ruck now - i'm just suggesting they leave him there and improve him in that area. Get Madden to work with him & maybe even get him to kick straight as well.

 

[Run and carry]

We're really not that good.

It's called being realistic. Melbourne and Essendon are literally only separated by 0.4% on the ladder. Both mentally weak. I want them to win and will be barracking for them tomorrow like always, but I'm not going to act like a win is a given.

Thing is that I'm not sure its about being good anymore. There really isn't a lot between most of the teams.

We beat both Adelaide teams comfortably. Port beat the Swans and then should have been beaten by Brisbane at home. Adelaide were thumped by Collingwood at home but thumped Richmond themselves. And the Roos were up by 50 odd points to Hawthorn at half time.

I suspect it will be another log jam for the 8 with all 8 teams able to beat any other team on any given day. Essendon will be thereabouts.

 

[Proper Gander]

Seriously - I can’t hack this game tomorrow which will mess up my day because I’m too nervous for this to be an enjoyable pastime anymore.

What say everyone forfeits, split the points and we all go drinking HARD

 

[Gumby2Hurley]

i forgot i had tickets to this game. i am now HYPED. dons by 36

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Salmon did his knee at full foward then played ruck for years and years (eventually).

I get people dont want him in the ruck but sometimes you need to shake things up a bit and see where they land i reckon.

Salmon was actually relieving in the ruck when he did his knee.

 

[CBombers17]

Salmon was actually relieving in the ruck when he did his knee.

Was he? I thought he went down in the goal square? Oh well. You can ruck without doing a knee as well. Plenty do.

Edit; just looked it up and yes it was in the centre square so you are correct.

Im not for Joe to only ever play ruck anyways - i'd like us to throw things around more. They rotate him through there anyway so it's not like im suggesting he goes to full back or whatever.

Anyway - its gone on far more than the initial point was worth.

 

[jmoo wan]

we should never have put Begley in the ruck on Wednesday.

 

[ghostdog]

They throw him into the ruck now - i'm just suggesting they leave him there and improve him in that area. Get Madden to work with him & maybe even get him to kick straight as well.

That's fine, I'm suggesting they shouldn't just leave him there. Pinch hitting here and there I'm okay with.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Was he? I thought he went down in the goal square? Oh well. You can ruck without doing a knee as well. Plenty do.

Edit; just looked it up and yes it was in the centre square so you are correct.

Im not for Joe to only ever play ruck anyways - i'd like us to throw things around more. They rotate him through there anyway so it's not like im suggesting he goes to full back or whatever.

Anyway - its gone on far more than the initial point was worth.

Wasn’t trying to dispute anything you said just a minor point. I agree with you giving Joe a run in the ruck.

Salmon’s injury could have happened anywhere, full forward, full back. Raines fell across his leg as Salmon went to kick

 

[JayJ20]

One thing I'm getting concerned about is the amount of people that want our players to be agro pieces of shits. Do we really want our players to give away crucial frees, 50 metre penalties or getting suspended every so often?
Playing with aggression and ferociousness is one thing, but the obsession with flattening opposition players is strange when none of Sydney, Geelong or Richmond do that.

 

[Lore]

Right.... When we are massively under the pump following 3 terrible performances out of 4 games we 'rest' our best ruckman in round 6 for a must win game against a side that has arguably the best ruckman in the league... If that's the case our coaches are dumber than I tought

We don't rest players just for shits and giggles. Resting helps to prevent injury, and Bellchambers is one of those typical injury-prone ruck men. Coming off a 4 day break, and being injury prone, possibly even carrying an injury, is not a great combination. I'm glad our high performance team (or whatever the medicos are called these days) have the foresight to sideline players for this purpose. I'd hate to see us win this one, then Bellchambers gets injured and we lose the next 6 without him. Losing this might put us even more under the pump, but losing Bellchambers would be far worse for our prospects.

 

[hurlygurdy]

Seriously - I can’t hack this game tomorrow which will mess up my day because I’m too nervous for this to be an enjoyable pastime anymore.

What say everyone forfeits, split the points and we all go drinking HARD

I rarely watch live games anymore, i just don't want to deal with the stress and the likelihood of ruining one of my few days off. I made an exception for Anzac day so i've learned my lesson for the moment

 

[Lore]

One thing I'm getting concerned about is the amount of people that want our players to be agro pieces of shits. Do we really want our players to give away crucial frees, 50 metre penalties or getting suspended every so often?
Playing with aggression and ferociousness is one thing, but the obsession with flattening opposition players is strange when none of Sydney, Geelong or Richmond do that.

Yep. Physical pressure ≠ assault charges. There is definitely something to be said of the psychological dominance though, which comes from a combination of things including maintaining a physical presence, attitude to opponent (inc. banter) and scoreboard pressure. "Fake it til you make it" comes to mind.

Talls take marks, smalls create pressure (at least that's what Woosha said the other day). That pressure is what we're lacking, along with the speed (which our small players typically have, though not necessarily a general attribute of small players ). With our best small players currently out of the side, we'll be glad to have the likes of Slambrose, Mutch and Laverde in, who have reasonable fitness, some speed, and are willing to tackle hard.