Preview Round 16: Geelong vs Essendon, 'Gabba, Sunday 06/09/2020 @ 3:35 PM AEST

[TheGreatBarryB]

From AFL app

In - Townsend, Redman
Out - Daniher, McGrath

I think I’m going to throw up.

They’ve got to be ****** joking?!

 

[ant555]

 

[JT_the_Man]

They’ve got to be ****** joking?!

That is why I think am going to throw up, yes.

We aren’t making finals. Why play a bloke who likely won’t be on the list next year (it’s not like he’s going to show us anything we didn’t already know either) instead of blooding one of our young key forwards?

 

[ghostdog]

If Hooker goes back and we have Townsend and Stewart as our key forwards......

You can hear the lambs, can't you, Clarisse.

 

[ghostdog]

These selections reek of "I believe I can fly" moreso than "F*** the Police"

 

[Duckworth]

That is why I think am going to throw up, yes.

We aren’t making finals. Why play a bloke who likely won’t be on the list next year (it’s not like he’s going to show us anything we didn’t already know either) instead of blooding one of our young key forwards?

My Spidey senses predict another impending bigfooty meltdown.

 

[JT_the_Man]

My Spidey senses predict another impending bigfooty meltdown.

I was going to say won’t straight out but thought twice about that one.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Townsed.

Get ****ed.

We are an utter ******* shambles.

 

[SherbertLemon]

What’s funny is our preview threads don’t seem to have that many people who give a s**t.... or many people at all at this rate. What’s with that? We’re being dwarfed by club boards like st Kilda (thank you)

 

[blitzer]

What’s funny is our preview threads don’t seem to have that many people who give a sh*t.... or many people at all at this rate. What’s with that? We’re being dwarfed by club boards like st Kilda (thank you)

I think the whole "16 years without a finals win malaise" has deflated this board. Can't blame people. I'm not particularly excited right now either.

 

[Darealrath]

I'm just glad they've had the sense to rest Daniher.

 

[westking]

Is Essendon playing tomorrow? Seriously? I thought the season had finished for us since it is September.

 

[westking]

Ive got a feeling Townsend has a bit of the Philips about him. Plays very well first up, but its a steep mountain top decline after that.

 

[carloss]

Bigfooty : Are we trying to win or playing the kids?
Essington : Neither

 

[eth-dog]

Townsend is just bizarre. Put games into a kid at least

 

[BrunoV]

Townsend in ey?

I'll take a 10 goal flogging thanks.

It's not like I have faith in football people to learn lessons but at least they can be embarrassed by the club that has basically done the opposite of everything we have done for 15 years.

 

[CBombers17]

What’s funny is our preview threads don’t seem to have that many people who give a sh*t.... or many people at all at this rate. What’s with that? We’re being dwarfed by club boards like st Kilda (thank you)

Some possible reasons things are less than electric on here:

We are far closer to the bottom of the mountain than the top and yet our expectations have dropped so far that no longer even insights outrage.

We get sold patience and yet are supposed to be in our premiership window. Meanwhile our gamestyle verges on unwatchable. When when we do manage a win it's a scrappy bumbling poorly skilled armwrestle over junk like Adelaide or Sydney (we have literally had one convincing win this year against ok opposition - Collingwood). .

Despite a much lauded come from behind win (over absolutely nobody in Hawthorne), and another scrappy wasteful loss against a side with skilled footballers, we are deservedly rank outsiders against an actual contender club in good form. A contender with a midfield performing despite losing Kelly from last year and down generational talent like Ablett and Selwood - meanwhile our diabolical best 22 midfield has so little depth we lose just one average AFL level inside mid (McGrath) and we have literally nobidy to bring in to replace him with. We will have to shuffle a few other slow short people around the board instead.

We rest our erratic point kicking megastar forward whose future with us, after three injury wrecked season's in a row, remains uncertain - and instead of bringing in a young forward to see if he can actually play, the club's best vision is the return of the journeyman battler Townsend.

We have thoroughly embraced mediocrity. And if we get flogged over the remaining games the only upside will be club finally getting the blowtorch treatment it's deserved all season.

Edit: I just read in Blitz that Worsfold said we may actually play Clarke in the middle and Redman on a wing. That would be a pleasant surprise and something to look forward to.

 

[Mootsy]

Hibberd unlucky, provides good defensive pressure and can win the contest.

Townsend has premiership experience and that is handy, just needs a good four quarter game, some momentum.
2017 grand final, he kicked goals, blocked out intercept mark and tackled all game, was integral to the premiership win. That’s experience that’s hard to beat. I’d say the issue he has is adapting to Essendon and all the skill errors and lack confidence in many players to take on the game. He seemed to thrive in the Tigers environment of winning mentality. Basically if half our team actually turn up to play, I’d say he steps up as well.

my advice, just play classic footy, nothing fancy.

 

[windyhill]

Love Jake Stringer, but it’s time to perform brother.

 

[Albertross]

I love to back the boys in, no matter what (Thanks Sheeds). However, this is what we face against the Cats.
Hope I'm wrong.

Heading to this game. Was hoping to see Joe. Guess I'll have to settle for spending "quality time" with the family.

 

[CBombers17]

Caracella: 20 years to come full circle and help us make finals!!
1997: 14th on Ladder/Essendon
1998: Qualifying Final/Essendon
1999: Plays in Preliminary Final/Essendon
2000: Wins Premiership/Essendon
2001: Grand Final Loss/Essendon
2002: Semi Finals/ Essendon
2003: Wins Premiership: Lions
2004: Grand Final Loss: Lions
2005: Finished 2nd Last/Magpies
2006: Forced To Retire from Football/ Magpies
2007: Magpies Assistant Coach
2008: Magpies Assistant Coach
2009: Magpies Assistant Coach
2010 Magpies Win Premiership, Moves to Geelong/A coach
2011: Wins Premiership /Geelong
2012: Elimination Final/Geelong
2013: Preliminary Final/Geelong
2014: Semi Final Loss/Geelong
2015: No Finals/Geelong
2016: Finish 13th/Tigers
2017: Wins Premiership/Tigers
2018: Preliminary Final/Tigers
2019: Wins Premiership/Tigers
2020: Moves back to Essendon!!

Compare our midfield with anything he's coached previously at Pies, Cats and Tigers...

Cara ball movement magic may be a little bit harder to conjure up with a bottom 4 midfield as opposed a top 4 midfield - you can't polish a turd.

 

[westking]

Maybe they don't want to play a debutant against one of the bigger bodied sides n this competition. Lets be honest if the cats are in the mood, they will maul us today.

 

[Bjchan13]

This is the time to be setting ourselves up for the trade/draft period by finding out about our list. The need to rest players like Joe and Jakey happily coincides. I'm hoping to see players like Gown, Jones, Crauford, Begley, Hibberd and Mutch selected.

At this stage it doesn't matter if we win or lose. I'd give these players a couple of consecutive games, if not all three, and see how they fare in preparation for a good clean out.

I think the decision on Begley and Mutch has been made already.

 

[JT_the_Man]

I think the decision on Begley and Mutch has been made already.

I agree with this, however I still would’ve preferred us to have played Begley over Townsend today. I still think there might be something there with Begley, while we know what Townsend is. Unfortunately we’ll likely never know.

 

[Maddogm]

What’s funny is our preview threads don’t seem to have that many people who give a sh*t.... or many people at all at this rate. What’s with that? We’re being dwarfed by club boards like st Kilda (thank you)

For me, it has nothing to with the club or the state of the league, it's the posters. It has become so toxicly negative in here and the ignore list just cant keep up. It seems people equate negativity with intellectualism not realising how stupid and petty it makes them look. There have been a number of times that I've done something else knowing that coming in here would just be unpleasant.