Game lost at the selection table?

[Smyth94]

When I saw "IN: Bolton, Bradley" I can tell you it didn't do wonders for my confidence against Collingwood.

What we needed were two young players that would add value to the team and not two players who are just "fillers"

Houli, Reimers, Hislop, Gumbleton, Lonergan... seriously just anyone!! I would've preferred to lose playing these guys than playing two players that are obviously not AFL material

Of course I'm not taking into consideration the amount of passangers we had on the day.

 

[don4eva]

When I saw "IN: Bolton, Bradley" I can tell you it didn't do wonders for my confidence against Collingwood.

What we needed were two young players that would add value to the team and not two players who are just "fillers"

Houli, Reimers, Hislop, Gumbleton, Lonergan... seriously just anyone!! I would've preferred to lose playing these guys than playing two players that are obviously not AFL material

Of course I'm not taking into consideration the amount of passangers we had on the day.

Lonergan would have been a great inclusion IMO.
I think most Essendon supporters' confidence dropped when we saw IN: Bolton, Bradley.

 

[J.Hetfield]

Yes thats all i can say...the committee handed the pies this one..Why you would include more talls when your coming off a four day break when you need ectra run is beyond me..Bolton and Bradley cost us 5 goals today..

 

[Smyth94]

The thing that really pi$$ed me off was that by picking Bolton and Bradley we slipped into our '06 loser mentality. Those two players are not going to take us places.

It was a soft decision by the selectors.

 

[Strike Swiftly]

The thing that really pi$$ed me off was that by picking Bolton and Bradley we slipped into our '06 loser mentality. Those two players are not going to take us places.

It was a soft decision by the selectors.

Sheedy defends Bradley error
26 April 2007 Herald-Sun
Mark Robinson

BUNGLING Essendon defender Kepler Bradley was not to blame for yesterday's Anzac Day loss, but coach Kevin Sheedy conceded the first-round draftee must improve.

Not his fault: Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy does not blame defender Kepler Bradley for yesterday's defeat at the MCG.
Sheedy also lined up midfielder Jobe Watson and out-of-form Mark Johnson as players needing to find touch. But it was Bradley who was the focus of post-match discussion when his final-quarter mistake handed Collingwood's Tarkyn Lockyer a game-breaking goal.
Bradley's high, floating drop punt was picked off by Lockyer, who gave Collingwood momentum and an 18-point buffer that the tiring Bombers could not challenge.
The final score was 12.23 (95) to 11.13 (79).
Bradley, who played his 47th game yesterday, was taken at pick No. 6 in the 2003 national draft, but has yet to play to that lofty expectation.
Sheedy said last night Bradley had the work ahead of him.
"Obviously most people felt the kid transferring the play across goal hurt us, but he's a player still getting there. He's a player that actually has a fair bit to do to become a league player," Sheedy said.
"Some of those guys do take a while, particularly a big fella. He knows he's made an error, but don't get gun-shy. A lot of players make errors. It wasn't his fault (the team lost)."
Teammates Dustin Fletcher and Mal Michael also were supportive rather than critical.
Fletcher: "You've just got to tell him head up and keep going because we all make mistakes. But he's going to get better, yeah. We've got to get behind him because it was a pretty important time of the game."
Michael: "I just said, don't worry about it, it's finished, you can't change it.
"If you dwell on it too much, there will be another one, and then another one, and before you know it the runner comes out and drags you.
"It's important he puts it behind him . . . that wasn't the reason why we lost."
Essendon's three-goal start yesterday was slowly overcome by a fitter and faster Collingwood midfield.
The Bombers' key forwards were beaten - Matthew Lloyd, who carried a corked thigh, by James Clement, Scott Lucas by Harry O'Brien and Courtney Johns by Simon Prestigiacomo.
The coach said he could name about eight winners.
Significant was Essendon's inability to take from half-back through half-forward. The inside 50s were Essendon 49 to Collingwood 69, a statistic that supported Fletcher's theory.
"We didn't seem to have enough targets to kick it to (in the forward line), and if you don't have that, it's pretty stagnant and you end up going backwards," Fletcher said.
"The first 10 or 15 minutes was all right, but after that the ball was getting shot around. There wasn't much movement through the forward line, so the backs sort of chipped it round and chipped it round, and we couldn't get much going through the centre."
Sheedy agreed, although he indicated that if he had selection again, he would opt for Bradley and Mark Bolton instead of younger legs such as Bachar Houli, Sam Lonergan or Leroy Jetta.
"We got off to a good start, but their running game was very good," Sheedy said.
"The area that Essendon could do with a few boys back would be in the middle of the ground, players like (Nathan) Lovett-Murray or (Andrew) Welsh or (Jason) Winderlich or (Courtenay) Dempsey."
Jason Johnson is a week away and Scott Camporeale maybe two weeks.
Sheedy said Mark Johnson, who started back and kicked a goal when moved forward in the final quarter, needed to lift. "He knows he's got to lift to be a better player and to get back to the best of Mark Johnson. He's not there yet."
He also conceded Watson's ball-getting ability - he had a healthy 23 touches yesterday - was being hurt by his sometimes poor disposal.
"He's making too many errors, but he's trying to get better," Sheedy said.
"Both Jobe and Kepler would have to say they've got to get their footy better."



What is the go with Sheedy??? Bradley "actually" has a fair bit of improving? Cant believe it. He's a gun!!! lol.

No regrets about selection. We were smashed at the selection table. Bradley is half ******ed. Bolton has no idea. Laycock is oneof the most unfit blokes jogging around. Dyson - the illusionist - looks like he is running fast but actually isnt

 

[DaSawx]

What crap, we were smashed on the field and Collingwood deserve full credit, don't blame it on the staff and their selections, most of them have deserved it the way they have been playing for Bendigo, blame it on 90% of the players yesterday who weren't at their best and a Pies team who wanted it more

 

[Smyth94]

I admit the thread title is a bit OTT

What advantage did we gain in selecting Bolton or Bradley for that matter? Bolton is a decent VFL player, an AFL player he is not. They add no value whatsoever to the team.

The minimum we would have got from selecting a Houli, Hislop, Lonergan et al was exposure. I'm sorry but the selection committee have to grow some testicles and make some decisions.

 

[Strike Swiftly]

What crap, we were smashed on the field and Collingwood deserve full credit, don't blame it on the staff and their selections, most of them have deserved it the way they have been playing for Bendigo, blame it on 90% of the players yesterday who weren't at their best and a Pies team who wanted it more

I hear you, but we cant look past the decision to play bradley. he is a walking disaster. questions also have to be asked why sheedy played lucas in the backline and kep in the forward line when we were down. i thought the object of football was to win, and you can only win by kicking goals. why put the onfire forward in the backline and the inept in front of goals. does it have anything to do with the fact that kep cant defend? it wreaks of the mentality, we're gonna lose, lets not lose by too much.

 

[DaSawx]

I hear you, but we cant look past the decision to play bradley. he is a walking disaster. questions also have to be asked why sheedy played lucas in the backline and kep in the forward line when we were down. i thought the object of football was to win, and you can only win by kicking goals. why put the onfire forward in the backline and the inept in front of goals. does it have anything to do with the fact that kep cant defend? it wreaks of the mentality, we're gonna lose, lets not lose by too much.

I'm not sure why Lucas was down back so much, but it certainly doesn't all fall back on Kepler, yes he had a bad game, but there weren't many other options at the table, most under-performed yesterday

 

[Strike Swiftly]

lucas went back when kep went forward. lucas is better backman then kep. that simple. shame to waste lucas' forward ability. kep has nearly played 50 games, can you remember him having a good game? if so tell, we all need to here something positive about this battler. i just hope he dont waste our time on him like we did henneman, the worst afl player i have ever seen. Kep, please dont take the title.

 

[Strike Swiftly]

there weren't many other options at the table, most under-performed yesterday

what about gumbleton, houli, hislop, reimers? why werent they considered? why did they have to play so many talls?

 

[stander]

I'm not sure why Lucas was down back so much, but it certainly doesn't all fall back on Kepler, yes he had a bad game, but there weren't many other options at the table, most under-performed yesterday

Its interesting that we under performed and Collingwood didn't. Seems like the staff couldn't get the players up for the big game ? Messages not getting through ? Most supporters went into the game with a neagative reaction to the inclusions of Bradley and Bolton, looks like it rubbed off on all the other players. As someone else said, surely Houli would have been a forward thinking gamble instead of Bradley or Bolton.

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

Kep and Bolton should not play another senior game of AFL footy. I am also losing patience with Dyson and Laycock (who is looking nothing more than an average back-up ruckman). If Bolton and Kepler play again this year I will consider whether or not returning to watch us play...

 

[DaSawx]

what about gumbleton, houli, hislop, reimers? why werent they considered? why did they have to play so many talls?

As ant555 has said elsewhere, Gumbleton isn't ready while Hislop and Reimers have been a bit underdone, there would be reasons why Sheedy maybe didn't want to bring Houli in

Its interesting that we under performed and Collingwood didn't. Seems like the staff couldn't get the players up for the big game ? Messages not getting through ? Most supporters went into the game with a neagative reaction to the inclusions of Bradley and Bolton, looks like it rubbed off on all the other players. As someone else said, surely Houli would have been a forward thinking gamble instead of Bradley or Bolton.

Maybe they are fitter as a whole, or we just had an off day, it can happen. I highly doubt the players would let a negative reaction off a selection rub off on them, Bolton and Bradley are liked in the playing group.

 

[Daytripper]

what about gumbleton, houli, hislop, reimers? why werent they considered? why did they have to play so many talls?

You complain about playing too many talls, yet you want to play Gumbleton. Sorry you've lost me there.

Houli, Reimers and Hislop all played on Sunday. Would have been extremely unfair on all three asking them to play their first game in front of a massive crowd off a 3 day break.
Besides that Hislop is the only one at AFL senior level at the moment IMO and none of them had shown blistering form for Bendigo prior to Sunday.

Just because players are young, doesn't mean they should be in the team.

We had a poor day. These things happen over a 22 round season.

 

[Smokin]

Maybe they are fitter as a whole, or we just had an off day, it can happen.

Yea, I always had the feeling we were going to put in a dead effort sooner or later, simply an accumulation of the season thus far. We had a big off season, hit the season hard with some great wins, had an epic with Carlton and perhaps the previous 4 weeks combined with the 4 day break with so many younger players together forced a very flat effort. Who knows.

They definitely were harder in the contests, and run the game out much better than us. After watching the replay last night, even the commentators mentioned it, before halftime we had certain players looking buggered.

Fletcher wasnt right, I didnt notice yesterday, but watching the replay he copped a knock early and really grimaced. He apparently wore a protective vest, and didnt have the same presence in the aerial contests as he usually does. Lloyd didnt seem to have his spark...it was just a very flat day across the board really.

It was a very flat effort on and off the ball. We sorta have to expect this a bit, as regardless of hype, we are still a developing side and will show inconsistency for a while yet.

 

[stander]

Yea, I always had the feeling we were going to put in a dead effort sooner or later, simply an accumulation of the season thus far. We had a big off season, hit the season hard with some great wins, had an epic with Carlton and perhaps the previous 4 weeks combined with the 4 day break with so many younger players together forced a very flat effort. Who knows.

They definitely were harder in the contests, and run the game out much better than us. After watching the replay last night, even the commentators mentioned it, before halftime we had certain players looking buggered.

Fletcher wasnt right, I didnt notice yesterday, but watching the replay he copped a knock early and really grimaced. He apparently wore a protective vest, and didnt have the same presence in the aerial contests as he usually does. Lloyd didnt seem to have his spark...it was just a very flat day across the board really.

It was a very flat effort on and off the ball. We sorta have to expect this a bit, as regardless of hype, we are still a developing side and will show inconsistency for a while yet.

I watched all of the Port v Collingwood game last Saturday, played in the wet - they looked completely buggered and wounded and yet made the Dons look flat. Mangement of players not up to scratch ?

 

[Smokin]

I watched all of the Port v Collingwood game last Saturday, played in the wet - they looked completely buggered and wounded and yet made the Dons look flat. Mangement of players not up to scratch ?

who knows, could my a number of reasons.

While their game last week seemed harder (although on Bomber talk Quinn said last Sunday teams always take longer to recover from TD games than any other ground, simply too hard) but overall, I think our last month may have contributed as a whole, as we have been up for so long playing big games, throw in a 4 day break, and it all sorta caught up with us. Who knows.

But we definitely looked flat and had very little run on and off the ball.

We also struggle with one on one contested footy, which made us look a bit pedestrian as well.

 

[ant555]

I watched all of the Port v Collingwood game last Saturday, played in the wet - they looked completely buggered and wounded and yet made the Dons look flat. Mangement of players not up to scratch ?

Have spoken to a few people from outsdie of our club but involved in sports science and they say that we have hired a couple of the better young blokes in that area for our player managment program. Say what you like about Sheedy's coaching or selections but the player managment couldnt have been done any better. Players recover at different rates and injuries heal at different rates. Collingwood may have looked flat after the game on saturday but how do you know that all the injuries and physical efforts where exactly the same as ours. You dont!

 

[ant555]

Reasons for selcetion guys. It is ok to say this guy or that guys should have played but look at the fatcs.

1) NLM,Winderlcih,Welsh,Dempsey and Hille not available.
2)JJ,Campo,Hislop and Lonergan needing to play on sunday for match fitness after having pre season injuries and limited practice match games.

 

[Smokin]

Reasons for selcetion guys. It is ok to say this guy or that guys should have played but look at the fatcs.

1) NLM,Winderlcih,Welsh,Dempsey and Hille not available.
2)JJ,Campo,Hislop and Lonergan needing to play on sunday for match fitness after having pre season injuries and limited practice match games.

Yep, but what about Houli?

I woulda thought in any other year, Houli would have been a moral for selection. It had a Sheedy type debut written all over it - young Muslim kid debuting on ANZAC day in the whole global climate rah rah. Plus we were too top heavy and needed run againt a Collingwood side full of runners.

The cynic in me is telling me Sheedy selected Bolton over him due to his own survivial, rather than the future of the club. But I will hold judgement on that for the time being.

 

[Daytripper]

Yep, but what about Houli?

I woulda thought in any other year, Houli would have been a moral for selection. It had a Sheedy type debut written all over it - young Muslim kid debuting on ANZAC day in the whole global climate rah rah. Plus we were too top heavy and needed run againt a Collingwood side full of runners.

The cynic in me is telling me Sheedy selected Bolton over him due to his own survivial, rather than the future of the club. But I will hold judgement on that for the time being.

How do you think Houli would go off a 3 day break playing his first game ?
Its just too tough a task.

He needs to work on his disposal too. Let him learn the game at Bendigo. There is no need to rush him in.

He's behind Hislop and Lonergan at this stage.

 

[DaSawx]

The cynic in me is telling me Sheedy selected Bolton over him due to his own survivial, rather than the future of the club. But I will hold judgement on that for the time being.

So Sheedy is trying to win games? How blasphemous

If it actually was the case wouldn't Bolton have been getting games over Jetta, who was quiet the last 2 weeks

 

[Crave]

I can understand brgining in one tall to compensate for Hille, but 2 talls was beyond me. Their running game beat us, and unless we were to beat them in the air all day with the talls we had, another running type woud've been handy. The only conclusion I can come up with for 2 talls is to cover Lloyd carrying an thigh injury.

 

[Smokin]

How do you think Houli would go off a 3 day break playing his first game ?
Its just too tough a task.

He needs to work on his disposal too. Let him learn the game at Bendigo. There is no need to rush him in.

He's behind Hislop and Lonergan at this stage.

No, we rested Bolton when we could of played him in the VFL, and rested Houli, who has been super fit and playing the pre-season and the VFL season. He was/is match and physically fit.

So Sheedy is trying to win games? How blasphemous

If it actually was the case wouldn't Bolton have been getting games over Jetta, who was quiet the last 2 weeks

No, Bolton offers us very little at best, and isnt part of the future. We still have to blood midfielders, ball winning ones specifically. We are still developing and a long way behind in this area.

It was touch and go weather Bolton would be worth more than a Houli, without even mentioning the fact Collingwood is all runners and we were already top heavy as it was, yet it seems Sheedy took the safer option in the more experienced Bolton, over the untried rookie when match balanced screemed for a hard running type.

We have a host of guys who we need to develop who will struggle to get games this season. Bolton should only be getting games when he specifically is required. He wasnt yesterday, and IMO was the real questionable selection. Bradley, I see the argument (not that I agree with it), but Bolton, got me stuffed why he played.