VelvetSledge
Moderator
- May 24, 2007
- 17,495
- 35,319
- AFL Club
- Essendon
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- Liverpool FC, Melbourne Storm
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- #1
ESSENDON
Once again, a somewhat promising performance was overshadowed by a piss-weak club decision to not even bother backing the player going hard at the ball. I know there's a video explaining our legal standpoint, blah blah blah, boring. Two-Metre-Peter will be sitting out the next month after Cunningham went back with the flight and copped the wrath. Game's gone.
The Swans turnover and transition game absolutely killed us. We are, once again, incapable of defending the transition.
We were dominant in the middle, with the undermanned Swans midfield conceding clearances constantly, but they didn't really need to worry about that so much when we would turn the ball over across half-forward and they would run it straight out completely unopposed.
This has been an issue for us for years now, and it's absolutely staggering that it is, again, going unaddressed.
With Wanganeen-Milera waiting for us this week, it will absolutely be the most glaring issue, once again.
Tom Papley kisses his Dad on the lips and pees sitting down.
Zach Merrett is a freak. He puts this entire time on his shoulders time and time again, and deserves more than to be one of the only ones who can run both ways.
Stringer did very little until late in the game, whilst the ex-Saint in Jade Gresham is proving to be a very astute pick-up.
* Sydney. Mugs.
SYDNEY 19.17 131
def.
ESSENDON 15.11 101
BEST: Merrett, Setterfield, Martin, Gresham, Caldwell, Durham
GOALS: Gresham, Stringer 3, Langford, Merrett, Wright 2, Cox, Draper, Goldstein
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ST KILDA
There's a lot to be said for the mental resolve of the Saints after seeing Mason Wood get absolutely cleaned up at the very start of the game and to still come away with the win against the reigning premier.
St Kilda looked to be on top in most facets of the game and kept Collingwood at arms length throughout, before the Pies started to rally right towards the end.
The Saints withstood a barrage of Inside 50s from the Pies, with Wilkie and Battle holding the fort.
The Pies were strong when the ball was moved quickly, but it was during the slow plays where the Saints would wrest back the advantage.
They flooded the backline to choke any sort of flow that Collingwood was trying to develop, and frustrated them into turnovers.
This saw Ross Lyon's team pile on 5 goals in a dominant third quarter, and ultimately set up the win.
They were helped by uncharacteristically poor errors with ball in hand from Sidebottom, Pendlebury, and Moore, with the Pies shooting themselves in the foot in very threatening positions on the ground.
Wanganeen-Milera is an absolute jet - He is lethal by foot and transitions the ball out of defence to attack better than almost anyone in the league. He will need very close attention today if he's to be quelled.
Good on the Saints for another successful Spud's Game, too - It's an extremely important aspect of all health these days, and bringing awareness and fundraising for the cause is always a wonderful thing to witness in our game.
ST KILDA 14.10 94
def.
COLLINGWOOD 12.7 79
BEST: Wanganeen-Milera, Windhager, Steele, Higgins, Marshall, Owens
GOALS: Higgins 4, King 3, Membrey, Henry 2, Hill, Sharman, Phillipou
ESSENDON OUTS: Elijah Tsatas, Alwyn Davey Jr (Both Omitted), Peter Wright (Suspension)
ESSENDON INS: Mason Redman, Darcy Parish, Jake Kelly
ST KILDA OUTS: Max King (Suspension), Mason Wood, Liam Henry (Both Injured)
ST KILDA INS: Dan Butler, Anthony Caminiti, Angus Hastie
![[PLAYERCARD]jake kelly[/PLAYERCARD] 150.jpg](https://www.bigfootycontent.com/attachments/1800/1800282-7e8a6a281e1df3c11009c98b0ad224ab.jpg "[PLAYERCARD]jake kelly[/PLAYERCARD] 150.jpg")
ROUND 3, 2023
MCG
1/4/2023
ST KILDA 14.8 92
def.
ESSENDON 11.8 74
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ST KILDA GOALS: Butler, Higgins 4, Hill, Wood, Gresham, Windhager, Owens, Caminiti
ESSENDON GOALS: Shiel, Caldwell, Perkins 2, Stringer, Langford, Parish, Martin, Menzie
ST KILDA BEST: Crouch, Wood, Higgins, Butler, Ross, Wilkie
ESSENDON BEST: Kelly, D'Ambrosio, Ridley, Shiel, McGrath
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CHANGES SINCE LAST TIME:
ST KILDA OUTS: Gresham, Crouch, Wood, Clark, Webster, Howard, Paton
ST KILDA INS: Bonner, Wilson, Membrey, Steele, Jones, Hastie, Sharman
ESSENDON OUTS: D'Ambrosio, Shiel, Ridley, Davey, Weideman, Jones
ESSENDON INS: Gresham, McKay, Duursma, Hobbs, Goldstein, Cox
A lot has been made of our aggressive, physical approach to last week's game, but I for one believe it's the right way forward. Whilst our undermanned defence is still a concern, I think we match up on the Saints fairly well, and I think we can get the result here. Either way, we're in for a bloody exciting match.
Essendon by 5.
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