First Quarters

[Chiz]

What's going on? The dons haven't had a good start yet this season. Always a few goals down at quarter time. They slacked off a bit at the end too against the dogs.

If we can manage a good start against the pies we'll be a chance this week, but we'll need to be right with them at quarter time.

 

[pazza]

Last year we couldn't finish games off, this year we can't start. It's become the one thing that has stopped this club reaching the upper echelon that Brisbane or Collingwood have obtained. We need to change this and quickly.

 

[Stealth bomber]

Slow starts

We have trailed by three goals or more at some point in every match thus far.

Brisbane, Melbourne, and Carlton each kicked the first three goals of the match against us. The Bulldogs kicked the first two.

We have trailed at quarter time in every match by roughly two goals or more.

 

[Chiz]

Originally posted by pazza
It's become the one thing that has stopped this club reaching the upper echelon that Brisbane or Collingwood have obtained.

In 2000 we were the best because we could play good footy for four whole quarters. Brisbane win games even when they've been losing all night, because the other team becomes too tired to play and they get run over.

Essendon keep starting bad and then have to play catch up football for the rest of the game. It's easier IMO to play well and get ahead for the first three quarters and hang on in the last, than to be down at quarter time and have to catch up for the rest of the game. I wonder if this is a Sheedy tactic, or if each of the players take half an hour to wake up and realise they are playing a game of footy