Preview Essendon vs. West Coast - Sunday 13th March @ 7.10pm

[Bombers36]

This will be the last hit out before the season proper and Woosha has indicated he will be making some changes so one would assume we’ll go over to Perth with a near full strength team. There’s a 13 day break before we have to play the Gold Coast in round 1 so he won’t be resting anyone you wouldn’t think, and Woosha will want to put on a competitive display against his old team.


At this early stage for the Bombers the changes I’d have would be;-


OUT: Ambrose Edwards Long Grimely Laverde Hams J.Merrett Ashby

IN: Goddard Zakka Stokes Daniher Z.Merrett Crowley Kelly Gwilt

Possible Teams:

Essendon

Tipungwuti Brown Baguley
Gwilt Hartley Gleeson
Fantasia Goddard Kelly
Zakka Daniher Langford
Cooney McKernan Stokes

Jamar Crowley Z.Merrett

Bench from:
Bird Simpkin Morgan McKenna
Dea Michael Kommer Dempsey

Eagles

Schofield Mackenzie Sheppard
Wellingham McGovern Hurn
Jetta Priddis Gaff
Yeo Darling LeCras
Cripps Kennedy Hill

Naitanui Redden Shuey

Bench from;
Butler Sheed Hutchings Lycett
Ellis McInnes McGinnity Duggan

Thoughts:

This will no doubt be a huge test for our new look team, going up against one of the premiership favorites on their home turf. Hopefully McKernan is right to go as he gives us something to kick to up forward which we desperately need.

The inclusion of some class players like Zakka, Crowley, Goddard & Kelly should see us be competitive for at least half the game, but the eagles have too much class all over the park, and will run away with this one towards the end.

Hopefully it’s a good hit out for us and puts us in good stead for round one against the Gold Coast and a few things I’d like to see would be;-

• Crowley to tag Shuey
• Daniher to kick 4+
• Stokes and Kelly to play at least one half of football each
• Tipungwuti to catch up with Wirrpanda pre game and get some tips. Walla reminds a lot of Wirrpanda, and hes been the find of the pre-season. Surely plays round 1 if he has a decent game and if he turns out to be half the player Wirrpanda was it would be a real bonus for us.

Players to watch:

Eagles:

LeCras – just an all round gun. Not too many small forwards average 2.2 goals a game after 154 games – this bloke is poetry in motion

Naitanui – hard to miss with his athleticism and strength. Will be a key to the Eagles flag hopes this year


Essendon:

Crowley – best tagger in the comp not long ago and may still be one of the best taggers. Will be interesting to see how Woosha uses him here

Daniher – simply has to clunk marks and kick goals. 48 games under his belt, has all the tools, needs to start finding the big sticks with more consistency.

X-Factor:

Eagles:

Kennedy – Big Josh can blow a game apart very quickly if hes on song. Kicked 4 or more goals 7 times last year and a couple of big bags – our defence will have their work cut out keeping this man quiet

Bombers:

Cooney – Has flown under the radar a little, but promising signs against the cats and we’d love nothing more than the 2008 Brownlow medallist to have a big game here and a big 2016.


Predicted Odds:

Eagles : $1.10

Bombers $7.50

Predicted Outcome:

Eagles by 38 points


Comon you Bombers - lets try defy the odds so we can wave our bloody jackets...!!!

 

[sameolds33]

I don't think that Woosha's going to show his hand by playing his best team in a practice game prior to the season. One of the very few cards he's got up his sleeve is the element of surprise. Why would he give GCS a chance to see how the team functions just before the first game of the season?

 

[Bombers36]

I don't think that Woosha's going to show his hand by playing his best team in a practice game prior to the season. One of the very few cards he's got up his sleeve is the element of surprise. Why would he give GCS a chance to see how the team functions just before the first game of the season?

I think we have to play our best team. Woosha has already indicated he will be making up to 9 changes, and in 2016 we aren't the sort of side that will have the luxury of resting players. Would be good if we could get a run into Grima & Leaunberger also but I think both under injury clouds..

 

[eth-dog]

Might as well make this the official one, I probably won't have time to do mine until tomorrow.

 

[Doss]

Might as well make this the official one, I probably won't have time to do mine until tomorrow.

You're welcome to add your write up to this whenever you get around to it though, mate.

 

[vaughany]

I'm happy that Woosha will make 9 changes. Heat of Shepparton + long trip to Perth it makes sense

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

 

[ManWithNoName]

POLL: Will we kick a goal?

 

[Beerfish]

Good job there Bombers36.

 

[F_therest]

I don't think that Woosha's going to show his hand by playing his best team in a practice game prior to the season. One of the very few cards he's got up his sleeve is the element of surprise. Why would he give GCS a chance to see how the team functions just before the first game of the season?

All teams, but especially Essendon, would want to play at least a near full strength line up in NAB 3 so the players get more cohesion and put plans into place.
The benefit Essendons group would get from playing together for the 1st time ever, far outweighs losing the 'element of surprise'.

 

[sameolds33]

All teams, but especially Essendon, would want to play at least a near full strength line up in NAB 3 so the players get more cohesion and put plans into place.
The benefit Essendons group would get from playing together for the 1st time ever, far outweighs losing the 'element of surprise'.

Don't agree. It's a long season in which we're expected to finish bottom 4. Having our best 22 flogged by the Eagles in a NAB match would have us starting the season on a huge downer. Keeping something in reserve for Round 1 against a team we have a better chance of being competitive against would mean that even, if we lose this week, we'll start the season more positively than if we put our best out there now in a game we're expected to lose. One game won't be enough to give the the team sufficient cohesion for the GCS game. Building team cohesion is what we'll spend most of this season doing.

 

[monty1104]

David Wirrpanda. There's a name I haven't heard for a while. As you say, if Walla turns out half as good as Wirrpanda we should class it as a win.

 

[quotemokc]

Nyuon a chance to play?

 

[TheFrenchCut]

Pretty sure we can only have six on the bench for this game, can't we?

I say play Dempsey -- who has been okay so far -- in the seconds' practice match on Saturday instead since he's suspended and we need to look to round 1.

Hoping Laverde will be fit to play, and that Francis can get a run (which is what they'd spoken about a week ago).

 

[ezard15]

I'm thinking of Marching from Melbourne to Perth to support the players. And when I Say Perth, I mean Browns Corner in Coburg.

 

[ezard15]

unless you mean half as good as wirrapunda was in "Dancing with the Stars"

David Wirrpanda. There's a name I haven't heard for a while. As you say, if Walla turns out half as good as Wirrpanda we should class it as a win.[/QUOTE

 

[Sockeye]

Don't see the point in taking Goddard, zaka, zerret or Daniher to Perth for a practice match. It's a long season and they are going to be shouldering a big load of responsibility. They showed they are sharp enough in first NAB, except JD, but his problem was timing and can be fixed for GC game without going to Perth. Give him a half in the twos in melbourne. Don't mean to be negative but we'll get flogged whether they play or not. Bringing this 4 in for round 1 will return confidence and give us a better shot at Gold Coast.

 

[Ambrosia]

Don't see the point in taking Goddard, zaka, zerret or Daniher to Perth for a practice match. It's a long season and they are going to be shouldering a big load of responsibility. They showed they are sharp enough in first NAB, except JD, but his problem was timing and can be fixed for GC game without going to Perth. Give him a half in the twos in melbourne. Don't mean to be negative but we'll get flogged whether they play or not. Bringing this 4 in for round 1 will return confidence and give us a better shot at Gold Coast.

Disagree our team needs a chance to play together we should pick a side very close to the one that takes on GC in round 1. The travel factor shouldn't be an issue considering we have a week off before the season starts

 

[yaco55]

Ordinarily you play close to your best 22 in NAB 3. Will be different in Essendon's situation because of players joining late - Reckon therecould be 4 or 5 changes from NAB 3 to Round 1.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Can't be resting too many players that didn't play this weekend. Don't want too many players going into Round 1 with their only pre-season game having been a month beforehand.

 

[Halftimehero]

This is another **** up from the AFL, no team should have to travel in NAB 3, especially not one's who are then travelling in round 1.

 

[Lore]

This is another **** up from the AFL, no team should have to travel in NAB 3, especially not one's who are then travelling in round 1.

So Freo should play WCE, GWS should play Sydney, Port should play Adelaide and Brisbane should play GC in NAB3? I mean it sucks, but it's hardly unexpected that someone will have to travel.

 

[Ambrosia]

This is another **** up from the AFL, no team should have to travel in NAB 3, especially not one's who are then travelling in round 1.

Especially a side that already has to go to WA twice in the regular season.

 

[Howard Moon]

Dont mind playing the eagles now, reckon they will be very slow starters this year, no where near as ready as some of the lower rung teams. Dont think this will be a smashing

 

[Lore]

Especially a side that already has to go to WA twice in the regular season.

See that's a better argument. Travel should be worked out over all scheduled games. We're playing most of the interstate teams away from Vic this year (GC in round 1, Port in 3, Sydney in 7, Freo in 11, WCE in 15 (after the bye), and Adelaide in 19). We also play GWS, GC and Brisbane at home (we play GC twice).

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

So Freo should play WCE, GWS should play Sydney and Brisbane should play GC in NAB3? I mean it sucks, but it's hardly unexpected that someone will have to travel.

On top of this WA teams travel every second week on average. The sooner people stop letting travel be an excuse for change in performance the better. Woosha is a good coach to have in this respect. If we want to be a premiership team, then we will need to not worry about travel when expecting to win. There is two weeks between NAB 3 and round 1, it really isn't an issue.