Preview Round 6 vs Port Adelaide

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I can only assume this week’s selection points to a change in our game plan. I expect to see more long balls into our forward line. Having Larkey there along with BBB, Wood and Jack, obviously, gives us more targets up there. The danger will be Port rebounding from their half backline. To me, this means we have make sure our forward entries are deep, rather than shallow. Immediately after McGrath scored Essendon’s first of four goals in the second quarter, we clearly won the centre clearance and quickly kicked it forward. Unfortunately, it was a very shallow entry, enabling the Bombers to rebound and score again. Of course, the ideal result for us would be if Larkey and Wood are successful in drawing defenders away from BBB. At the end of the day, it’s hard to see us getting within 60 points of Port. In fact, the entire game could be spent in our defensive 50, if Port play like they did against WC.


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Roo182

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Ziebell is not and never will be a CHF. Chuck Larkey on from the first bounce, tell him to fly for marks and create a contest. Otherwise why bother.

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I saw him listed as CHF on AFL.com.au, but obviously could be wrong. Unless they're trying him there to apply midfield pressure ..
 
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I've got a sneaking suspicion Port will have a let down after last weeks win. Don't be surprised if you guys get up, which would suck because that would just delay the inevitable. We need to get thumped by Port & then lose convincingly to Carlton. If the Board doesn't act then, the Members (me included), need to vote to bring back Corporate Punishment & spill the Board.
Anyway, still feeling a touch seedy after a BIG night on the gas last night. Reckon I sank 7 cans, at least! Went with the Tank Engine to a seedy nightclub called the Pleasure Chest and I reckon someone spiked my drink again. The Tank Engine reckons it wasn't him but he watched me go downhill fast over a 7-8 hour period. Been riding the porcelain bus all morning, but there can't be much left. Just hoping I come good by tonight's game in the City of Churches. I've lost 7kgs over 24 hours - can't be good for ya. I'm onto my 3rd bottle of Lucozade though and now I feel brand new.
 

ferball

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Yes, the entrenched senior players who have accrued 4, 13 and 40 games respectively were clearly the exact players people had in mind with respect to the above.

What's your opinion on our selection been?
People have been calling for Jy to be dropped for weeks. After last week he probably deserves it. I honestly thought Bailey Scott struggled and the idea of playing VFL to learn to dominate does make sense with him and Jy. While I'd persist with Ahern he wasn't very good and ... as troubling as it is to hear, Tef reckons he was coasting and in last weeks game that's unacceptable. I might disagree with Tef about the odd political thing sometimes but he is a good judge of footy and always worth listening to. I'd really like to see all of them dominate the VFL and get 30+ possessions each and force their way into the side.

I dunno who I'd drop instead of them. Bailey for TT - I'm kind of happy that if one gets dropped the other comes in (at the least I spose). Honestly think Bailey started well but appeared to be struggling with the size and strength of opponents since. TT probably shouldn't have been dropped at all. You can tell he's a bit tougher and more able to cope with the physicality and he's been playing seniors since he was 6 years old or something hasn't he? - hardly a surprise there.

JZ maybe but that won't happen played on a good backman who beat him with size and needs fitness. JMac maybe but lets be realistic about that as well - really he's a flawed player but he isn't as shit as people make out - he and Taz took more marks than anyone else last week and he looks alot worse when the forwards and midfield let the opposition waltz into their own forward line. If we had Marley and EVW in the side I wouldn't pick him at all, but we don't. Turner - I'd drop Jy before him and at least he goes hard.

Maybe Sam Wright but with him once he goes he won't be back and probably needs another go just to see whether he was struggling last week but can still play at this level. At his best he's what JMac is trying to be, but its unlikely we'll ever see that again. Sadly.

Our selection is a bit patchy at best.

I would have picked Ahern in r1. Larkey when Wood was dropped? - I thought Campbell in was a good move structurally and we looked better for it - but I'm glad he's getting a run. I like that Tyson hasn't come in since Jed has been back and he shouldn't be back till he gets 30+ games in the VFL as well. Wouldn't have dropped LMac, especially after Marley got injured.

Really there are heaps of players who could be dropped to send a message but who do you replace them with? And players like Taz and Browny and JZ started poorly but need the match fitness - interrupted pre seasons were obvious in terms of their form and fitness.
 

Kimbo

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And look at that backline. Yes, injuries have crucified us. But just look at that backline.

McDonald and Macmillan are turnover merchants. Tarrant appears cooked and no longer rebounds out of defence like he used to. Thompson has never been the most dependable with ball in hand. Wright is as slow as a wet week at the moment (nothing against him, one of the few players in the team I like, but he is underdone).

This means it will be solely up to Pittard and Atley to move the ball out of defense quickly. LOL. Two dudes out of seven who can actually break lines on the run without turning the ball over immediately. At any given time there is a good chance one of them will be on the bench, leaving just one get-out option on the field.

This would have been barely acceptable twenty years ago. In the modern game, it is the closest thing you can get to throwing a game of football.

Unless of course our midfielders flood back and/or run two ways to help out and provide options. Which ours never do. Look at how Richmond and Collingwood midfielders create two-on-ones for easy outs. The mids run across to the man with possession to either handpass over the top or provide a block for a run. Whenever a switch happens, their mids (like Houli and McIntosh) burst laterally across the field to get extra numbers around the ball-receiver. Our mids never do that.

So when we have possesion across half-back,you can expect Wright to pass to Thompson, who will push hard backwards behind the mark, and then kick back to Wright, who will wheel around and kick to Macmillan, who will pretend to take on a tackler, sell himself into trouble, pass a dinky handball to Pittard who by this stage will be under pressure because the Port press will have moved up to swarm, and then Pittard will be forced to bomb it long to a contest, which we will be lucky if Goldstein breaks even, but more likely, Sam Powell Pepper (my tip for the Kerridge) will burst away with the ball and spot up a target all alone in our back 50. Probably a mid like Boak or Rockliff who will have burned off Cunnington three minutes prior.
Perspective is a funny thing. The situation you've outlined with Pittard being forced to bomb it long to a contest (down the line) is exactly the situation I think jmac has often been placed in, as he's one offering options when others, like Luke, get themselves into trouble by trying to take on a tackler etc. That's what I saw at the ground in the second half in particular, against Freo when he was judged harshly.

The overall scenario is about right, and the issue, you've named is the mids not running both ways and providing options.
 

Event Horizon

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After weeks of calling for the coach to enforce standards he finally does by dropping our worst players in a 10 goal loss in our only marquee game and then gets slammed for it. The poor campaigner can't win.

Also after people calling for Larkey to get a game for weeks now he's finally got one its wrong? What?
I would have thought Wright needed to be dropped on that basis, making way for McDonald. That and either Scott remain in the team or Hayden come in for some midfield depth.
 

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Lightning_Rod

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Cold overcast day so far with a couple light showers. Doesnt look like it will improve throughout the afternoon, in case any if you guys were interested in what the weather may be like for tonights game.

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ferball

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I would have thought Wright needed to be dropped on that basis, making way for McDonald. That and either Scott remain in the team or Hayden come in for some midfield depth.
Wright had one game back after shit loads of injuries and because of that probably should have more time to show whether or not he is still up to it. And if we can get him back to his old form it will benefit the side heaps. In that instance "backing him in" for a game or two more is a smart response. And if not he deserves the chnace to show if he's up to it anyway. He turned out better deals to stick with us and was always a worthy contributer.

But it isn't looking good for him.
 

Orange Peanut

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Cold overcast day so far with a couple light showers. Doesnt look like it will improve throughout the afternoon, in case any if you guys were interested in what the weather may be like for tonights game.

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Damn, that takes away our number one asset of blistering speed. I guess we'll have to fall back on our laser-like disposal accuracy to try and force the win here.
 

LuvtheKangas

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Damn, that takes away our number one asset of blistering speed. I guess we'll have to fall back on our laser-like disposal accuracy to try and force the win here.
True, and we can always rely on our infallible game plan.
 

Only Forwards

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Wasn't it said before the Adelaide game, that we won? :p
Yes it was.

You're all about language though aren't you?

JMac saying 'I don't think it's a must win, I think it's a really like to win' is an insight into his belief.

I don't want players who think of winning as optional. I want players who burn at the idea of losing.

How am I supposed to believe that the ethos of this team is win everything, every contest, every quarter, every game, if leaders are essentially saying that winning is optional?

Whats more the question was so easily answered its not funny.

'Jamie is this game a must win?'

Jamie - 'every game is a must win'

He was trying to be clever. IMHO as a club we've tried to be too clever, and it's cost us.
 

Kimbo

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Yes it was.

You're all about language though aren't you?

JMac saying 'I don't think it's a must win, I think it's a really like to win' is an insight into his belief.

I don't want players who think of winning as optional. I want players who burn at the idea of losing.

How am I supposed to believe that the ethos of this team is win everything, every contest, every quarter, every game, if leaders are essentially saying that winning is optional?

Whats more the question was so easily answered its not funny.

'Jamie is this game a must win?'

Jamie - 'every game is a must win'

He was trying to be clever. IMHO as a club we've tried to be too clever, and it's cost us.
If I pick you on your comment that I'm all about language (I'm about other stuff too) does that mean I'm all about language?! :p

For the record, I didn't like the comment either. I just find it amusing that in the aftermath of it all, it was the only game we'd won, which it could be argued, undermines the angst.
 
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