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Slight pun on how rubbish our forward line has been for a month or two, however, this is just ramblings of an idiot about where I think the team is going this year, and next.
Ok it has taken until now for me to calm down about how crap our first 2.5 quarters were. The positives to come out of that disaster of a half of footy was how well Baguley and Melksham played. I am totally sold on them now. I'm getting close to settling on my best 22 for Essendon this season so based on the team last night it would now be:
Out: Hams, Daniher, Crameri
In: Dempsey, Bellchambers, Gumby
If Crameri can get his run back then I'd replace Gumby with him. However, Crameri only works at this level if he's a beast of a running/lead up forward rather than a mobile power forward.
Daniher is still a little too skinny. I wouldn't drop him next week, I'd drop Ryder and let Daniher have a crack against a younger opponent at gold coast.
Hams last contest was magnificent and he will be a player I think. Just as we're hoping to push deep into the finals we can't really carry skinny kids unless they are of the quality Heppell was in his first year. I would like to give Kavanagh a running role off half back next week and give Dempsey another week off after that hit. Or I'd like to see Pears be given another crack at playing on a small forward like he did well against St Kilda.
2013:
Hibberd Hooker Fletcher
Dempsey Carlisle Baguley
Stanton Watson Heppell
Winder Hurley Zaka
Davey Gumby Ryder
Bellch Goddard Hocking
Howlett Myers Melksham (sub): Jetta/Kommer/Kav/Merret/Hams
I also learnt last night that while Fletcher is going to take smalls and mediums that Pears is on the outer. I get the feel that this is Fletcher's last season and as a result I want to see our KPPs next year set up like this:
KPDs: Carlisle and Hurley, 3rd tall defender: Pears
KPFs Daniher/Gumby and resting ruck, 3rd tall forward: Crameri
This gives us a lot of flexibility with the one true KPF being able to play 2nd ruck if one of them was to go down during the game. A third tall at either end that could easily play a genuine key role of needed and two KPDs who can go forward if we want to roll the dice.
Also if Hooker plays ahead of Pears this year it'll mean that he'll have greater trade value at the end of the season than Pears. Being a genuine 196cm KPD also means that plenty of clubs who are lacking in these types will look at him.
Back to this year. Bombers can still become a force. I doubt we'll see a game again this year where all of Watson, Stanton, Howlett and Hocking play so badly. I also hope that the coaching group is putting a lot of time into the forward structure and how the midfield works with that.
Also if the midseason slump Essendon gets is more than just the injuries of the past, as they have been uninspiring in a few games now, then they should look at spending nearly the whole two weeks around our bye up in the very north of Australia. Get some sun on the skin, and do a mini preseason in summery conditions. Also allow wives, kids and girlfriends to come along.
Pick either Cairns, Darwin or Broome and build a relationship with that town. That town could also be used in the preseason as there has been a fair bit of sports science to say that heat training is as beneficial as altitude. So in the preseason an altitude camp could be followed up with a heat one.
Ok it has taken until now for me to calm down about how crap our first 2.5 quarters were. The positives to come out of that disaster of a half of footy was how well Baguley and Melksham played. I am totally sold on them now. I'm getting close to settling on my best 22 for Essendon this season so based on the team last night it would now be:
Out: Hams, Daniher, Crameri
In: Dempsey, Bellchambers, Gumby
If Crameri can get his run back then I'd replace Gumby with him. However, Crameri only works at this level if he's a beast of a running/lead up forward rather than a mobile power forward.
Daniher is still a little too skinny. I wouldn't drop him next week, I'd drop Ryder and let Daniher have a crack against a younger opponent at gold coast.
Hams last contest was magnificent and he will be a player I think. Just as we're hoping to push deep into the finals we can't really carry skinny kids unless they are of the quality Heppell was in his first year. I would like to give Kavanagh a running role off half back next week and give Dempsey another week off after that hit. Or I'd like to see Pears be given another crack at playing on a small forward like he did well against St Kilda.
2013:
Hibberd Hooker Fletcher
Dempsey Carlisle Baguley
Stanton Watson Heppell
Winder Hurley Zaka
Davey Gumby Ryder
Bellch Goddard Hocking
Howlett Myers Melksham (sub): Jetta/Kommer/Kav/Merret/Hams
I also learnt last night that while Fletcher is going to take smalls and mediums that Pears is on the outer. I get the feel that this is Fletcher's last season and as a result I want to see our KPPs next year set up like this:
KPDs: Carlisle and Hurley, 3rd tall defender: Pears
KPFs Daniher/Gumby and resting ruck, 3rd tall forward: Crameri
This gives us a lot of flexibility with the one true KPF being able to play 2nd ruck if one of them was to go down during the game. A third tall at either end that could easily play a genuine key role of needed and two KPDs who can go forward if we want to roll the dice.
Also if Hooker plays ahead of Pears this year it'll mean that he'll have greater trade value at the end of the season than Pears. Being a genuine 196cm KPD also means that plenty of clubs who are lacking in these types will look at him.
Back to this year. Bombers can still become a force. I doubt we'll see a game again this year where all of Watson, Stanton, Howlett and Hocking play so badly. I also hope that the coaching group is putting a lot of time into the forward structure and how the midfield works with that.
Also if the midseason slump Essendon gets is more than just the injuries of the past, as they have been uninspiring in a few games now, then they should look at spending nearly the whole two weeks around our bye up in the very north of Australia. Get some sun on the skin, and do a mini preseason in summery conditions. Also allow wives, kids and girlfriends to come along.
Pick either Cairns, Darwin or Broome and build a relationship with that town. That town could also be used in the preseason as there has been a fair bit of sports science to say that heat training is as beneficial as altitude. So in the preseason an altitude camp could be followed up with a heat one.
