Preview Fremantle vs Essendon, Optus, Saturday 17/08/2019 @ 6.10PM AWST

[BrunoV]

Because there’s bugger all alternatives

Liked for the honest acknowledgment but dont agree that there haven't been alternatives.

We've shown no inclination to use the alternatives. Whether they'd work is another matter entirely.

 

[JayJ20]

Zaka’s no coward if that’s what you’re suggesting. Forward and in the middle is where he needs to be. Clarke has time, but he’s been very poor last two weeks and kicking and lack of pace hurting us.

People say D Clarke has been poor the last 2 weeks, but Zaka has been poor all year.

It's not about being a coward. He just doesn't want to do the hard work. Either he doesn't want to do it or he can't do it. Either way, he shouldn't be ahead of D Clarke.

D Clarke at least does something without the ball. He had 9 tackles last week. That's 3 times the amount Zaharakis had in the last 2 weeks.
Zaharakis had 2 to go with his 13 disposals. That's backing up his 1 tackle against Port.
In fact, Zaharakis didn't have a single game where he laid more than 5 tackles this year.

If he doesn't get the ball and doesn't do anything without it, then what's the purpose?

 

[Beerfish]

but Zaka has been poor all year.

Now you wait just a darn tootin minute there. What about round 16 against the woodwork climbers?

 

[Cold Sober]

I know I know...

ok ok

 

[Hird05]

ok ok

That's the true trues

 

[JayJ20]

Now you wait just a darn tootin minute there. What about round 16 against the woodwork climbers?

Obviously Im averaging it out. You think a couple of games here and there is good enough for our most "experienced" player?

 

[Beerfish]

Obviously Im averaging it out. You think a couple of games here and there is good enough for our most "experienced" player?

I only mentioned one tbf.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

People say D Clarke has been poor the last 2 weeks, but Zaka has been poor all year.

It's not about being a coward. He just doesn't want to do the hard work. Either he doesn't want to do it or he can't do it. Either way, he shouldn't be ahead of D Clarke.

D Clarke at least does something without the ball. He had 9 tackles last week. That's 3 times the amount Zaharakis had in the last 2 weeks.
Zaharakis had 2 to go with his 13 disposals. That's backing up his 1 tackle against Port.
In fact, Zaharakis didn't have a single game where he laid more than 5 tackles this year.

If he doesn't get the ball and doesn't do anything without it, then what's the purpose?

He’s had more tackles because as a close checking tagger his main job is to tackle opponent as soon as he touches the ball.

Macrae was then running to Shiel as if to tag him and Shiel’s opponent would block out Clarke. Once he’s no longer effective as a tagger he’s a liability.

Zaka plays a different role and would be far more dangerous and effective as an attacking mid.

 

[IggypopsTshirt]

Heppell did very little on the track this afternoon.

 

[eth-dog]

Zaka’s no coward if that’s what you’re suggesting. Forward and in the middle is where he needs to be. Clarke has time, but he’s been very poor last two weeks and kicking and lack of pace hurting us.

Zaharakis has been very poor for a lot longer than 2 weeks with soft play and not running both ways. What a great message to send to a young bloke who's form before that had been stellar that a senior bloke who has been worse for longer gets a free ride whilst he gets dropped.

 

[Bombers36]

I've just had $100 on us at $2.50 - probably foolish but I just love this club!

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Zaharakis has been very poor for a lot longer than 2 weeks with soft play and not running both ways. What a great message to send to a young bloke who's form before that had been stellar that a senior bloke who has been worse for longer gets a free ride whilst he gets dropped.

Different players, different roles.

Must be very tough physically and mentally to tag a player all game week after week. Even more so for a young player like Clarke.

Probably needs a break. Still may play if Hepp is out. With Hepp’s lack of run due to his foot, maybe feeling is can’t play with Clarke.

 

[The Airing of Grievances]

Heppell did very little on the track this afternoon.

And I echo the earlier post that Optos surface is not a happy place for a bloke with a chronic foot problem. I think saving the skipper for other battles makes more sense for our long term.

 

[Mercurial89]

I've just had $100 on us at $2.50 - probably foolish but I just love this club!

Great bet. Hope you are rewarded. Chuck another 300 on us because trust me the boys are hurting. No way we lose this game.


Gamble responsibly

 

[Schnitzengruben]

I've just had $100 on us at $2.50 - probably foolish but I just love this club!

Great bet. Hope you are rewarded. Chuck another 300 on us because trust me the boys are hurting. No way we lose this game.


Gamble responsibly

I'm sure these will age well

 

[srobbo]

We dropped the wrong Clarke. Seriously if Zac wasn’t playing I’d be confident about tomm night.

Point in case tonight, with Allir barely competing against Max & playing as an extra mid. Big Sandi would’ve hit half of them down our throat anyway if we planned accordingly...

Anyhoo...

 

[Mercurial89]

I'm sure these will age well

Oh ye of little faith

 

[Schnitzengruben]

Oh ye of little faith

Take the 2000 tapes out of your VCR and watch the replay from last round...

 

[The Dustbin]

Ess are playing Hurley, Heppell, Raz, Saad, hooker, stringer, mckernan - all under done and all could potentially blow up spectacularly. New definition of chips all in!!!

Im nervous how this game is going to end.

 

[windyhill]

Great bet. Hope you are rewarded. Chuck another 300 on us because trust me the boys are hurting. No way we lose this game.


Gamble responsibly

You can't eat odds !

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Rushing back players who are underdone is a recipe for disaster. We aren't winning the flag here so there's no reason not to blood another youngster. BZT case in point.

Unfortunately players are being selected on job preservation vs what is best long term for the club.

 

[MiguelM]

We dropped the wrong Clarke. Seriously if Zac wasn’t playing I’d be confident about tomm night.

Point in case tonight, with Allir barely competing against Max & playing as an extra mid. Big Sandi would’ve hit half of them down our throat anyway if we planned accordingly...

Anyhoo...

Would agree normally, but Sandi is cooked. Sandi will win the hitouts but Clarke might do ok around the ground.

With 2 retiring players for freo, we are a chance if we hit the scoreboard early (something we have struggled with all year) and take the crowd/emotion out of it.

 

[MiguelM]

Anyone else hear the stat this week that we have been ahead on the scoreboard for only 38% of the time for all games combined this year?

That is bottom 4 stuff. Amazing we are sitting 7th and it is just the lucky wins that have put us there. I suppose that reflects our low %. Something we need to fix and a main reason there is a big gap between us and top 4 teams.

 

[Liberator]

Why the * do I feel so positive about this game? We've just had the most abject defeat against Port followed by a double-scoop of semi-freddo dogshit last week, unimaginable. Players out injured, players in potentially underdone. vfl team undermanned and losing steam, depth tested at both levels. An actual Ent in the ruck. Our wunderkind tagger dropped, after losing a bit of steel in the last few weeks. Some august posters here preferring defeat, even abject defeat, rather than the hope that might come from an unconvincing victory (because false hope is worse than certain hopelessness, because of systemic problems/coaching/list issues that won't get addressed without extreme failure). All of that in the pot, and yet.... I feel good man. Not much to lose, at this point, quite a bit to gain. The lights are green across Liberator City. Let's see how THAT goes later this eve, when I'm screaming at the TV accusing Marghets of match fixing.

Saw this quote in the Guardian in an article this morn (about Leeds fans, a doco which is coming out), thought it was trite but still absolutely right:

Football is about hope. It’s that simple. Ultimately, success or failure is less important. What matters is there is a reason to believe...

We have little basis for belief, after the last few weeks, with all the problems, yet here we are. In 7th, a game (or so!) away from finals. Who knows what could happen?

 

[cAsEy_18]

Ess are playing Hurley, Heppell, Raz, Saad, hooker, stringer, mckernan - all under done and all could potentially blow up spectacularly. New definition of chips all in!!!

Im nervous how this game is going to end.

They might be fit, but also bringing Parish & Francis back from respective injuries takes the tally to 9.