AFL Autopsy Round 7 loss to Hawthorn

[gardiner stand]

Some expected Essendon to finish top four?

Yes mate. Unless you were living under a rock you couldn’t have missed all the media hysteria after the trading coup of the three S’s

 

[BattlerGM]

Yes mate. Unless you were living under a rock you couldn’t have missed all the media hysteria after the trading coup of the three S’s

Living under a rock is a bit rich. Media hysteria was certainly there ($$$) but expecting top four? Not really.

 

[BattlerGM]

I sat through belting after belting in the back half of 2015 - I mean the Geelong game, the St Kilda game, the Footscray game, the Adelaide game...fun it was not, and worse than this.

I draw the parallel with 2010 because there's a similar level of chaos with our gameplan, it's coming off the back of a reasonably promising year in 2017 just as 2010 came off a promising 2009, and most hauntingly for me, there seems to be a similar inertia and resignation setting in among our fans.

Totally agree with the similarities. I guess my rationale for saying this is worse than 2006 or 2015 goes beyond the margin of the losses (expectations of finals, garbage leadership, premature extension of coaches contract again, a misguided board) and takes into account the handicaps that were beyond the club's control.

I'm sure we can both agree that this stinks and somethings gotta change.

 

[Summer Nights]

Then you would be wrong. Calm and measured in what he says in the media but behind closed doors he will give a serious spray. Other than making the supporters feel good I fail to see what him blowing up in a presser does to get the players on board.

What he says in public has an impact on players too. It’s similar to the psychological effect of moral hazard, ergo when the players know what the fans hear from the coach, it can change their perception of fan expectations. Malthouse was very good at it.

 

[84859300]

- Our forward pressure is horrendous. Daniher (0 tackles), Stewart (0), Stringer (1), Walla (2), Baguley (3), Laverde (4) is below average imho.

We are a slow, slow forward line when trying to keep the ball in the F50. Don't forget we've added speed, when you take into account that we've moved Hooker back again.

Daniher, Stewart and Stringer (of which I thought he was quicker) are constantly beaten out of the B50 by defenders. In an attempt to set up further down the ground, opposing teams are often setting up their attacks from the last defender's first kick being 25+ away from the goal line... wheer we seem to always be going backwards to start ours from the goal square.

 

[yodellinhank]

What he says in public has an impact on players too. It’s similar to the psychological effect of moral hazard, ergo when the players know what the fans hear from the coach, it can change their perception of fan expectations. Malthouse was very good at it.

Kevin Sheedy. You don't have to go to a press conference and watch everything outside off. You change the direction of the conversation to manipulate the media into talking about things You want them to.

You don't blame the playing group and separate yourself from them, we are a team.

Sheeds was the master.

 

[Vander18]

To say nothing of the weird obsession with using them as betting objects!

Only the left one for some reason...

 

[HirdsTheWord]

* it and * hawthorn.

At least we don’t harbour sex offenders.

 

[sameolds33]

Could it be, that's it not just one thing, but a truck full of wonderfully terrible aspects of our club converging into one neat little package that we get to witness for 120 playing minutes a week?

Yes Worsfold appears to be struggling.

And yes the players are struggling.

And yes, our main method of attack appears to have been found out.

And yes our secondary one sucks.

And our team lacks balance.

And we appear to be persisting with players that we shouldn't.

And we haven't ever addressed our midfield problems.

And we abandoned our structure a few games because Hooker needed to go back.

And almost every one of our players getting games at the top level have regressed.

And we're doing a fantastic job of not bringing in a bunch of potentially productive young players, because, well, we just are.

And there's plenty of rounds left.

And we've been in shitty spots before.

...But this is a bit of a cheeky low point, isn't it?

and we're not playing as a team which is probably the most dispiriting thing about the last few games.

Shame that so few players got around Mutch's first AFL goal. Compared to (I think) Tigers, Swans where every single player made the effort in those cases. I think we'd all feel a lot better if there was a sense of cohesion, unity and fighting spirit in the playing group. Instead it looks like the only thing that is shared by the playing group is misery - misery loves company.

 

[Bombermania]

and we're not playing as a team which is probably the most dispiriting thing about the last few games.

Shame that so few players got around Mutch's first AFL goal. Compared to (I think) Tigers, Swans where every single player made the effort in those cases. I think we'd all feel a lot better if there was a sense of cohesion, unity and fighting spirit in the playing group. Instead it looks like the only thing that is shared by the playing group is misery - misery loves company.

In Mutch's case he was too eager to run off for the players to catch up with him, but you make a valid point about how lackluster this team can be at celebrating a guy's first goal.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

People blaming the forward line need to understand how bad our midfield is. We kick backwards and sideways and allow defenders to get back and clog our forward line. I don't blame them for being pissed off.

Our mids NEVER work to find space, they are lazy one way running outside receivers, otherwise known as a Zaharakis

Our forward line still generates a good ratio of shots per inside 50, went at 51% opposed to Hawthorns 44%. Generate more inside 50s and we probably win.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

Yes mate. Unless you were living under a rock you couldn’t have missed all the media hysteria after the trading coup of the three S’s

Who cares, no one saw Richmond coming, or North or West Coast. People don’t know anything before a season starts.

 

[table tennis]

**** it and **** hawthorn.

At least we don’t harbour sex offenders.

Hush money in the news again

 

[threeleggedgoat]

ant555

You said above that you agree the biggest part of our problem falls squarely on our mids. In an imaginary world where nobody gets injured or needs resting, what do you think is our best starting midfield group that goes the furthest towards fixing our problems? Do we even have those players we need on our list?

Also, are you suggesting there are good elements of our game plan that you like and agree with that our players just can't/aren't executing? Not asking you to divulge what the inside game plan info is that you have, more just looking for some kind of comfort that the coaches and their ideas and plans aren't utterly useless.

 

[Lore]

http://www.essendonfc.com.au/video/2018-05-06/btv-rd-7-from-the-coach

Another game that was bad enough for this thing to be posted on the website instead of in the private email to members.

 

[Summer Nights]

Our forward line still generates a good ratio of shots per inside 50, went at 51% opposed to Hawthorns 44%. Generate more inside 50s and we probably win.

kelvin_sheedy Inside 50s, the stat that matters?

 

[Stratton_Gun]

What is the clubs (or AFL's) general rule for players having a drink during the season?

I was at a bar in Richmond after the game and saw Devon Smith having a pint or 2 with some mates. Didn't look like he was going overboard or anything like that and was there for maybe an hour but I was under the impression that dress drinking during the season was a no go

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

kelvin_sheedy Inside 50s, the stat that matters?

Yes, generally does and a pretty good indicator. Problem is Hawthorn had 54-39 inside 50's.

One of our big issues with inside 50s is our lack of ability to get decent drive from defence. Guys that give it up or can't run. If I was an opposition coach I'd say give Hurley and Goddard as much space and ball possible and zone 15-20m back as they can't run through anything and the play will just stop.

We had all our forwards on fire last year so we got great return from our inside 50's to finish 8th. People haven't yet worked it out but our defence is a bigger problem than the midfield.

 

[eth-dog]

What is the clubs (or AFL's) general rule for players having a drink during the season?

I was at a bar in Richmond after the game and saw Devon Smith having a pint or 2 with some mates. Didn't look like he was going overboard or anything like that and was there for maybe an hour but I was under the impression that dress drinking during the season was a no go

I saw Tom Lynch at The London in round 2 after they won having a drink. Dean Solomon was also there, as was May and another GC player (can't remember who). I'd say you're allowed but no going overboard.

 

[jmoo wan]

What is the clubs (or AFL's) general rule for players having a drink during the season?

I was at a bar in Richmond after the game and saw Devon Smith having a pint or 2 with some mates. Didn't look like he was going overboard or anything like that and was there for maybe an hour but I was under the impression that dress drinking during the season was a no go

as long as he doesn’t drive home and have a light and easy meal, he’s probably okay.

 

[BomberFan355]

What is the clubs (or AFL's) general rule for players having a drink during the season?

I was at a bar in Richmond after the game and saw Devon Smith having a pint or 2 with some mates. Didn't look like he was going overboard or anything like that and was there for maybe an hour but I was under the impression that dress drinking during the season was a no go

Surprised he wasn't getting smashed with the effort most of his team mates put in each week.

 

[quotemokc]

Seriously what even is this?

 

[Cold Sober]

lol yeh coz Worsfold never coached a flag and hird totally did.

I don’t really rate JW now but this revisionist crap is even more laughable

Slither back to your hole.

 

[ChampTurboBucko]

Slither back to your hole.

Sweet rebuttal bro.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

What is the clubs (or AFL's) general rule for players having a drink during the season?

I was at a bar in Richmond after the game and saw Devon Smith having a pint or 2 with some mates. Didn't look like he was going overboard or anything like that and was there for maybe an hour but I was under the impression that dress drinking during the season was a no go

Seems to be personal choice for most I think. Within reason of course.