AFL Autopsy RND 19: Essington Rides Again

[fairbump_playon]

Would also say never underestimate the role confidence plays in modern footy. Good sides are good sides so there is no denying that. However those sides trying to build something can come crashing to earth in a big way . You lose a bit of confidence. They players start taking less risks . The work rates falls away a bit. You only have to look at Carlton. That game against us they made a few mistakes late in the second and early in the third and they fell off the cliff. They had similar issues in the game I went to against Melbourne. Now they are back with a bit of pep in their step. We will continue to go through the same in the next few years as they try and build something that is better.

I tend to not go on about umpires too much. But if we get a few Q2 & 3 calls we should have, and don’t miss a couple of set shots it’s probably a different game.. for the reasons you have outlined

 

[FlyingV]

Hobbs, Caldwell, Perkins, Martin and Durham have had to shoulder a ton of the midfield this year. Average age of this group would be probs 21, most have only had a couple of full pre-seasons. They’re running out of steam with Parish, Shiel and Setters being out for so long. This exposure will set us up for the future, hopefully they all make it through the season and get a clean run at pre season.

I reckon we need another prospect as an insurance to Martin. A run all day mid in the vein of Oli Hollands type imo. Would love a look at his brother Elijah for GC.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

I tend to not go on about umpires too much. But if we get a few Q2 & 3 calls we should have, and don’t miss a couple of set shots it’s probably a different game.. for the reasons you have outlined

2MP hitting the post really killed our momentum at start of Q4.

 

[ydc55]

i think there is some overreaction on this thread.
At the start of the year if you said 9-9 I would have been pleasantly surprised.
The reality is Libba and bont are proud warriors who stamped their ability on the game and we had no one who could or would physically compete.
zach and Darcy needed to match them as senior players and neither could or would.
you would seriously contemplate not giving Darcy big money. A stat on sen stated he was 40% less effective against top 8 sides.
zach battled hard yesterday but I watched him and thought he was luke power

Luke Power

Age

44

Ht

180cm

Wt

79kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

23.0

5star

K

13.4

5star

HB

9.6

5star

M

3.9

4star

T

3.9

5star

CL

1.9

4star

No current season stats available

D

16.6

4star

K

10.2

4star

HB

6.4

4star

M

1.4

2star

T

2.0

4star

but we have no Voss (hard as) no lappin (gut runner) no aker (absolute class)
Brad Scott has consistently said he wants to learn about the list.
if that is true he must rest a clearly unfit stringer and look at Voss.
he should look at bringing Elijah, tex, jye and Rhett in and truly evaluate our list.
hard decisions need to be made about a few blokes such as Heppell and tippa to keep turning over list.
I do think adrian needs to be moved on and a list manager who has built a list that has successfully competed should be first priority.
go bombers

 

[Keystone agony]

Weve improved from 12 months ago

Moved from 15th to 11th, already won 9 games last year we won 7 for the whole year

Its not a huge improvement but its an improvement

The 2nd year is important when Scott adds his style and knows his players and starts making some tough calls

 

[WABomber]

Another frustrating part was watching phillips win hitouts and getting sharked by the doggys midfield. You can gauruntee if he wins the hitout he will smack it forward, nothing complicated. The chemistry is really lacking, Draper being out and our lack of form is not a coincidence at all.

 

[windyhill]

Not even stat padding I don’t reckon. Just no options up the line or any real plan/way to go forward. Keep chipping it around to try and find something until we give it up.

I get that the dogs forced us to play that way, but sooner or later you’re gonna have to take the game on.

 

[outersanctum]

One difference in the last few weeks has been the drop off in form of Martin.. I wonder if he is carrying something or if oppo are just putting in a bit more work. Just not having the same impact he was a month ago.

Very interesting few weeks coming up. If we put up the white flag and keep losing like this then I think you could say that we haven't moved forward at all. I will be watching and hoping.. if we can get a win against the streaky swans then I think we cruise through WC and Hawks.. and then start to feel good about life and hopefully get that 2nd win.

It all starts in the midfield. They set the tone and need to lift.

 

[Keystone agony]

One difference in the last few weeks has been the drop off in form of Martin.. I wonder if he is carrying something or if oppo are just putting in a bit more work. Just not having the same impact he was a month ago.

Very interesting few weeks coming up. If we put up the white flag and keep losing like this then I think you could say that we haven't moved forward at all. I will be watching and hoping.. if we can get a win against the streaky swans then I think we cruise through WC and Hawks.. and then start to feel good about life and hopefully get that 2nd win.

It all starts in the midfield. They set the tone and need to lift.

I dont think so

Weve improved win, ladder position and id say % already

If we lose vs Sydney then we are done, nothing past that point matters for me

 

[madrigal]

Weve improved from 12 months ago

Moved from 15th to 11th, already won 9 games last year we won 7 for the whole year

We finish in the eight and then get a harder draw the next year and finish down the bottom. Then we get an easier draw and finish higher. I don't think this necessarily indicates improvement, that we are following the same pattern for 7 years.

We are about where we were 24 months ago, despite having a much better, more experienced coach. Much better game plan. Much fitter than ever before.

 

[Keystone agony]

We finish in the eight and then get a harder draw the next year and finish down the bottom. Then we get an easier draw and finish higher. I don't think this necessarily indicates improvement, that we are following the same pattern for 7 years.

We are about where we were 24 months ago, despite having a much better, more experienced coach. Much better game plan. Much fitter than ever before.

Yeh probably fair

Id say next year is big for us

It would almost be good to finish 7th last and not get the really easy draw

I dont reckon our draw till now has exactly been that easy though

 

[madrigal]

I dont reckon our draw till now has exactly been that easy though

I am not sure, far too complicated for me to have a sense of, as it often matters more when you play a team. I guess it is all about next year and whether we can show real improvement and consistency.

 

[Keystone agony]

I am not sure, far too complicated for me to have a sense of, as it often matters more when you play a team. I guess it is all about next year and whether we can show real improvement and consistency.

Agree, i said before the dogs game that would be the one i put the most significance towards and we failed the test badly. Basically as close to a finals test without being one

 

[bombreys]

We lost to Port once when we were in front on the final siren, once because a kick fell 5 metres short, were 5 goals up against Collingwood at 3 quarter time. It's not as cut and dry as we've been nowhere near the teams above us.

Yeah but we weren’t Good enough to win those games. You don’t get to say ‘what if’. Otherwise you could say North and Richmond deserved to beat us, and we’d be 16th

 

[Keystone agony]

Yeah but we weren’t Good enough to win those games. You don’t get to say ‘what if’. Otherwise you could say North and Richmond deserved to beat us, and we’d be 16th

We would be 14th if we lost both of those

 

[Squeaky]

Controlling the ball while moving it forward strategically through the wings and taking the occasional risk through the middle.

It was a nice balance.

I didn't think it was a nice balance. At the game it was infuriating crabbing the ball around and stat padding. We didn't engage in the game or threaten them at all.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

One difference in the last few weeks has been the drop off in form of Martin.. I wonder if he is carrying something or if oppo are just putting in a bit more work. Just not having the same impact he was a month ago.

Very interesting few weeks coming up. If we put up the white flag and keep losing like this then I think you could say that we haven't moved forward at all. I will be watching and hoping.. if we can get a win against the streaky swans then I think we cruise through WC and Hawks.. and then start to feel good about life and hopefully get that 2nd win.

It all starts in the midfield. They set the tone and need to lift.

I'd say this. He also played deeper forward and less wing against Dogs.

 

[bombadeer]

Just got home from Marvel - farrkkkennn it's freezing in that joint - I'd like some of those outdoor cafe heaters down the aisles.

I always find Marvel far colder than the MCG.

Maybe it’s because it has no soul.

 

[Zephyr Effekt]

I didn't think it was a nice balance. At the game it was infuriating crabbing the ball around and stat padding. We didn't engage in the game or threaten them at all.

Was replying to a post about how we were playing earlier in the year.

The game against the Bulldogs was exactly how you have described.

 

[bombadeer]

We still need to find some marking targets forward of the footy. Our total lack of ability to take a contested mark down the line kills us.

Of all our problems, this one is probably our worst I think.

None of our rucks are particularly good contested marks, we don’t have a healthy or in form CHF, playing Langford / Wright further up the ground robs of forward line of the only good contested marking targets… it’s a huge problem really.

I think we just have to roll the dice with what we’ve drafted for the backline and hope they come good, and go all in on trying to address this problem.

We need to be able to switch between a forward handball style and a contested marking style - at present, the opposition just has to defend the former.

Yes, our midfield is under sized, inexperienced, easily bossed. Yes, we don’t have a full-back who can play on the number 1 forward effectively. But our most glaring hole is in the part of the ground where it’s hardest to recruit the best players - KPFs. We have no one in the seconds even developing in those positions, and injury clouds over the only promising forward ( who I do rate, and think if he can get the body right will make it as a third tall - emphasis on if ).

 

[MiguelM]

Some damning behind the goals footage (15 minute mark) of our ability to run with the opposition and terrible awareness. Our gut running/fitness continues to let us down. Questions need to be asked of our fitness staff.

This has not improved since Rutten by the look of this footage. We will never be competitive consistently if this is not addressed.

Behind goal footage vs Bulldogs

 

[Lore]

Some damning behind the goals footage (15 minute mark) of our ability to run with the opposition and terrible awareness. Our gut running/fitness continues to let us down. Questions need to be asked of our fitness staff.

This has not improved since Rutten by the look of this footage. We will never be competitive consistently if this is not addressed.

Behind goal footage vs Bulldogs

Gross!

 

[Squeaky]

Was replying to a post about how we were playing earlier in the year.

The game against the Bulldogs was exactly how you have described.

Oops sorry...

 

[mcgrath_truther]

what was most apparent is that outside of a number of players (notably ridley & zach merrett) our disposal was s**t. lord of kicks missing targets, lots of bad decisions, far too many quick handballs being rockets causing a fumble & turnover. if we don’t make finals, we need to have a plan on improving the basics. it’s getting too costly.

lots of question marks too, who deserves to keep their spot. snelling? obsolete, guelfi? needs to be more consistent etc.

 

[Keystone agony]

We blame the forwards but the reality is we lost clearances -21