Preview Round 11 - Essendon Bombers vs Richmond Tiggers - Friday 23th - 7:40pm at the MCG

[Petrify]

What happened to the essendon edge man. Can't tackle, seem to get shrugged easily and seem slow.

Stats back this up.

We had the worst tackle rate in the past 2 years of any team. Only landed 45% of tackles attempted against the dogs. Competition average is 75%.

Merrett went 0/6 on tackle attempts. Setterfield 6/12

 

[andleanback]

I see this comment every time he plays a kid, there are 2 AFL clubs supporter bases that genuinely believe Brad has a reputation of not playing kids as often as he could and that he backs senior players too much. He only recently (2025) started to play the kids.

That’s incorrect he plays kids that they believe are ready for afl. The facts are we didn’t have a lot of kids on our list that were ready, so you aren’t just going to play kids for the sake of it. Last year we had a really strong draft, in the eyes of the club, track watchers, draft followers etc and what do you know a lot are already finding their way into the side within half a season of being on a list. Reality is before this years crop we haven’t had strong draft hauls with players that are ready.
2023 season - Tsatas would’ve played early but injured his knee, Hayes was a developing tall who needed years of vfl. Davey played round 1
2024 - caddy had a couple injuries early and once he played a few vfl games he came straight in. Roberts need to work on a few things that in my opinion have helped him become a more complete player that has kept his spot. Lual miles off it.

2025 - kako played straight away in r1, with the other kids all now getting opportunities.

 

[Keystone agony]

He has undoubtedly done so this year. The frustration came last year when guys like Archie and Hayes either took the whole season to debut or didn’t at all.

We were going a whole lot better this time last year

We were 2nd on the ladder

Kids wasnt the priority and rightfully so

This year were ordinary and have injuries to Ridley, Draper, Guelfi, Bryan, Parish, Caldwell, H.Jones, Gresham plus we moved on Stringer, Heppell, Hind, Kelly, Weideman

Its a starc contrast

 

[Milanista28]

That’s incorrect he plays kids that they believe are ready for afl. The facts are we didn’t have a lot of kids on our list that were ready, so you aren’t just going to play kids for the sake of it. Last year we had a really strong draft, in the eyes of the club, track watchers, draft followers etc and what do you know a lot are already finding their way into the side within half a season of being on a list. Reality is before this years crop we haven’t had strong draft hauls with players that are ready.
2023 season - Tsatas would’ve played early but injured his knee, Hayes was a developing tall who needed years of vfl. Davey played round 1
2024 - caddy had a couple injuries early and once he played a few vfl games he came straight in. Roberts need to work on a few things that in my opinion have helped him become a more complete player that has kept his spot. Lual miles off it.

2025 - kako played straight away in r1, with the other kids all now getting opportunities.

We have more kids now because we prioritized the draft agree, his 1st 2 years he was all in to win 1 final, it's why we brought in McKay, Gresham, Duursma, Goldstein and Weideman

It's great that he's playing kids now, he didn't at the start because he couldn't based on list calls he was apart of.

Plenty of North fans have found this frustration with him also, it's not new.

 

[andleanback]

We have more kids now because we prioritized the draft agree, his 1st 2 years he was all in to win 1 final, it's why we brought in McKay, Gresham, Duursma, Goldstein and Weideman

It's great that he's playing kids now, he didn't at the start because he couldn't based on list calls he was apart of.

Plenty of North fans have found this frustration with him also, it's not new.

It wasn’t to win a final. It was because they knew they had no depth on the list and used free agency to get some more pieces without giving up draft capital. The reasoning behind bringing them in wasn’t to win a final. Duursma has been a sound signing aswell, for what we gave up and he’s still relatively young.

 

[Milanista28]

It wasn’t to win a final. It was because they knew they had no depth on the list and used free agency to get some more pieces without giving up draft capital. The reasoning behind bringing them in wasn’t to win a final. Duursma has been a sound signing aswell, for what we gave up and he’s still relatively young.

It was, we sacked Truck because we thought 'A more experienced coach can get more from this list' our trade periods reflect that position, it was wrong, we've realized it was wrong and have changed tact, thank god for Rosa.

 

[Keystone agony]

We have more kids now because we prioritized the draft agree, his 1st 2 years he was all in to win 1 final, it's why we brought in McKay, Gresham, Duursma, Goldstein and Weideman

It's great that he's playing kids now, he didn't at the start because he couldn't based on list calls he was apart of.

Plenty of North fans have found this frustration with him also, it's not new.

He probably had the right to be that way with the way we were performing this time last year

We were 2nd, he had every right to believe we could sniff at a final win

As soon as things tapered poorly we moved on experience over the off season and played kids in 2025

 

[Milanista28]

He probably had the right to be that way with the way we were performing this time last year

We were 2nd, he had every right to believe we could sniff at a final win

As soon as things tapered poorly we moved on experience over the off season and played kids in 2025

Fair enough, I'm glad we are where we are now, we seem on the same page from coach to list manager, that's one of the biggest positives of the last 20 years.

 

[andleanback]

It was, we sacked Truck because we thought 'A more experienced coach can get more from this list' our trade periods reflect that position, it was wrong, we've realized it was wrong and have changed tact, thank god for Rosa.

We didn’t get McKay Gresham etc straight away though, that was at end of 2023. Again because we had holes on our list and no depth in those positions.
If they were really in win now mode, and to win a final they would’ve traded away our top 10 picks, they didn’t.

 

[Milanista28]

We didn’t get McKay Gresham etc straight away though, that was at end of 2023. Again because we had holes on our list and no depth in those positions.
If they were really in win now mode, and to win a final they would’ve traded away our top 10 picks, they didn’t.

Fair enough, I just think we could've been less conservative earlier than now, Mass should've played more instead of Kelly and Hep, Bryan should've got more games over Goldy, Voss could've been tried instead of Weideman, Had the chance to debut Hayes last year instead of Lav.

All in the past now and I'm glad we have the youth to call up, Vigo and Johnson likely next up.

 

[Keystone agony]

Fair enough, I just think we could've been less conservative earlier than now, Mass should've played more instead of Kelly and Hep, Bryan should've got more games over Goldy, Voss could've been tried instead of Weideman, Had the chance to debut Hayes last year instead of Lav.

All in the past now and I'm glad we have the youth to call up, Vigo and Johnson likely next up.

Hayes definitely shouldve played late last year

 

[JT_the_Man]

Hopefully Clarke is for Lav?

 

[Mercurial89]

He probably had the right to be that way with the way we were performing this time last year

We were 2nd, he had every right to believe we could sniff at a final win

As soon as things tapered poorly we moved on experience over the off season and played kids in 2025

The red flag being we weren't actually playing that well early last year and the results masked the true capability of the team. He should be the one able to identify that.

It's in the past but fans making that mistake is harmless, the coach and club not being able to or not wanting to see it is an issue going forward.

 

[nipst@r]

That’s incorrect he plays kids that they believe are ready for afl. The facts are we didn’t have a lot of kids on our list that were ready, so you aren’t just going to play kids for the sake of it. Last year we had a really strong draft, in the eyes of the club, track watchers, draft followers etc and what do you know a lot are already finding their way into the side within half a season of being on a list. Reality is before this years crop we haven’t had strong draft hauls with players that are ready.
2023 season - Tsatas would’ve played early but injured his knee, Hayes was a developing tall who needed years of vfl. Davey played round 1
2024 - caddy had a couple injuries early and once he played a few vfl games he came straight in. Roberts need to work on a few things that in my opinion have helped him become a more complete player that has kept his spot. Lual miles off it.

2025 - kako played straight away in r1, with the other kids all now getting opportunities.

Byran, caddy, hayes. Roberts all could have played a few more games to now than currently have.

I think its a little bit overblown but keeps, goldy, laverde, kelly, heppel in for a bit too long and they are really shot before giving a kid a game 3-4 weeks of poor performances later.

Tell me what's the benefit of laverde against small fwd lines over a clarke or Johnson?

Will see how long he stays in the team.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

So watching today’s media get together at the G to promote Friday’s game. Some indigenous performers.
Gresham, Davey and ah Kako. Does the club ah know that um Isaac is indigenous to ah..Iraq?!

 

[Skipper_]

So watching today’s media get together at the G to promote Friday’s game. Some indigenous performers.
Gresham, Davey and ah Kako. Does the club ah know that um Isaac is indigenous to ah..Iraq?!

Think it may have just been some media training for first years given Lalor was also there for the Tigers.

 

[Keystone agony]

The red flag being we weren't actually playing that well early last year and the results masked the true capability of the team. He should be the one able to identify that.

It's in the past but fans making that mistake is harmless, the coach and club not being able to or not wanting to see it is an issue going forward.

Im confident they knew they wernt the 2nd best side

But when your 2nd on the ladder you dont drop 29 yr olds for 19 yr olds, itsl just doesnt happen and never has, never will

 

[Cold Sober]

We were going a whole lot better this time last year

We were 2nd on the ladder

Kids wasnt the priority and rightfully so

This year were ordinary and have injuries to Ridley, Draper, Guelfi, Bryan, Parish, Caldwell, H.Jones, Gresham plus we moved on Stringer, Heppell, Hind, Kelly, Weideman

Its a starc contrast

The rest of the year will be interesting

 

[nipst@r]

6 debutantes already - think we will have at least 8-9 by the end of the year. How many have the tigers had?

Vigo, johnson, mid year Rookie.

Team selection

In: Clarke, Gresham, vigo*

Out: saad, laverde, goldy*

Prior, hobbs, day wicks, shiel, Langford really lucky.

doubt vigo gets a game. Guelfi, johnson pushing.

 

[Keystone agony]

The rest of the year will be interesting

I suspect when we get a bit more of our best 22 back in Ridley, Parish, Gresham maybe even Guelfi we will be more likely to give guys like Visentini and Johnson a go, which are really the last guys

 

[Agronomus]

Think it may have just been some media training for first years given Lalor was also there for the Tigers.

God I hope so. It's the AFL though

 

[Yoda_]

How many have the tigers had?

A quick google search has them at 7

Harry Armstrong, Sam Lalor, Jonty Faul, Luke Trainor, Tom Sims, Campbell Grey, Liam Fawcett

 

[andleanback]

Byran, caddy, hayes. Roberts all could have played a few more games to now than currently have.

I think its a little bit overblown but keeps, goldy, laverde, kelly, heppel in for a bit too long and they are really shot before giving a kid a game 3-4 weeks of poor performances later.

Tell me what's the benefit of laverde against small fwd lines over a clarke or Johnson?

Will see how long he stays in the team.

I’m not sure how caddy could’ve played more games. He hardly played any vfl at the start of last year due to injury and byes, he came in dreantime last year and hasn’t really been out of the side since.
Again Roberts wasn’t ready at the start of last year and holding back to work on a few things, has helped him in the long run. Would you have rathered him debut early than jump in and out of the side, or be held back to iron out a few things in his game and then lock down a spot once he came into the side.
Yes I agree Hayes should’ve been given a debut late last year.

 

[ant555]

Byran, caddy, hayes. Roberts all could have played a few more games to now than currently have.

I think its a little bit overblown but keeps, goldy, laverde, kelly, heppel in for a bit too long and they are really shot before giving a kid a game 3-4 weeks of poor performances later.

Tell me what's the benefit of laverde against small fwd lines over a clarke or Johnson?

Will see how long he stays in the team.

Caddy no. He had some minor injury issues at the start of last year.
Roberts probably could have played 3 or 4 more games but in the end it did not matter.
Same with Bryan. A few extra over the last two seasons.
Hayes should have played 2 or 3.
Clarke is in this week as we now know and it was only his injury that has kept him out a bit longer.
Johnson is a bit like Roberts. He is still sorting the defensive side which is his weak point right now.
I do not think people are totally off the mark as far as Scott keeping in a few old heads for longer periods but in saying that last year we where pushing for finals well into the season so it is not that unusual that he kept some of the old guys who where on the edge of their form in for longer.
What was the benefit of playing Laverde? well none really but obviously Clarke was scheduled to have another week before being in consideration and as I mentioned Johnson is not quite there defensively. The fact that Johnson is actually a midfielder being converted to half back pretty much says he will do a decent stint in the VFL learning the ropes.

 

[jannissary]

i'm optimisitc, but it could go either way.