AFL Toast Round 9: 34 Point win against the Pussies

[bacon buster]

Just give that effort every week. Fans will be happy. And we will be hard to beat

Go dons!!!!

 

[Despair]

The first half was just football bliss to watch. Finally a game where the adjudicating lent a little towards us instead of the usual rogering.

Was pretty disappointing to only kick 3 goals in the 2nd half given we still played some nice footy, just let ourselves down in front of goal.

Good to see Zachy Merrett flying again. Two massive tackles - the one where he double-leg takedown'd Dangerfield and then the tackle to stop Ablett at the end of the 1st quarter. This is what he needs to do every game, he is a talisman. When he does this stuff everybody follows him.

Devon Smith is so damned important to this team right now. All the pressure acts, the tackles, he even celebrates hard for other players which is imporant. The team as a whole really seemed to be enjoying each others' success. Ie. Guelfi's first goal, just about everyone got to him.

Hopefully that Carlton loss was the loss that this club needed. If this intensity and effort we saw today is the standard then this team has so much potential. It was never lacking talent, just lacking the heart to give 100% and the dare to take the game on. Smack is a prime example of this, he has basically built a career picking and choosing when he wants to try. If he can buy in like everybody he could turn his career around.

Also I've decided to stop attending games this year as I'm 100% cursed (went to Dogs, Collingwood & Carlton)

Love you all,
Despair.

 

[Shane Heard]

In my mind...just a simple case of let’s go back to nursery school and do the basics...the absolute fundamental things that are the foundation of any decent side in any league that free you up to create space and force the opposition out of their “ game plan “ mindset.

Tackling is aggressive pressure.

Kicking around with dinky, half arsed passes and not chasing with relentless, manic intent ..is not pressure.

Glad we sorted that out today.

 

[Gumby2Hurley]

Junk time goals in the last quarter flatter them, they had 3 goals kicked @ 3/4 time with our best defender missing! can't wait to watch the replay.

 

[Shane Heard]

Angry Woosha is good Woosha.

Like many this week, I was calling for his head.

I’ve eased up on that for a bit now.

But this whole thing about Worsfold keeping his poker face on...win or lose...is a mute issue.

And the complete imbecile that is David King should be just be ignored by all bomber fans.

This is the Worsfold makeup ..the way his personality works.

You watch a YouTube clip of his greatest hits...smashing into blokes like a deranged battering ram...and you’ll hardly see any expression of emotion on his face.

It’s the quiet, determined ones who keep the emotions to themselves.

We are not going to get a Sheedy like response from Worsfold win, lose or draw.

He’s an introvert. And that’s fine with me...for now at least.

 

[Shane Heard]

Hmmm... Make luv tonight and think of red and black

 

[Jacques_]

Watching Walla today it was blatantly obvious that he was moving much more freely. I’m certain he’s been carrying something so far this season.

I hope the club is learning from trying to push players through injury rather than taking a more conservative approach.

 

[BackOnOurPerch]

Okay. How are we to interpret today? There was clarity,finally,as to how to go about achieving our game plan?
Or the players understood the game plan all along but weren't committed for whatever reason. If so why?

 

[brutus76]

3 quarter of intense hunger and desire...the younger Bomber fleet did well.
Ridley did not look out of place...neither did the Guelf.
Hooker OWNED Hawkins.
Experienced players had a dip and laid tackles and put their bodies on the line.
Smacks was on fire. Pack marks, contested marks, leading and positioning himself well.
Let's build on this - keep working hard both ways and kick to release the ball into space - so much better than sideways backwards handball.

 

[Doss]

Having had some time to reflect, a few points:

- We were not bullied around the ball, contrary to expectations. Huge plus
- Ridley as discussed looked completely at ease. He'll play 200 games
- Tippa looked his old self
- Raz has a class that is almost impossible to put a value on
- Hooker is an amazing footballer
- Heppell's best game of the year easily, I thought
- Bags may well have a role as a negating forward
- in general, the 1% style defensive desperation this week was fantastic
- a little disappointing to let them close the margin to as little as 34 points; the gulf between the sides on the night was more in 10-11 goal range I thought, we smashed them

Away from Essendon, I also feel Geelong have particular foibles that mean they fundamentally do not match up well with Essendon; in particular, the slowness of their midfield apart from Danger does play into our hands and Hawkins is simply a bad matchup for Hooker. It's why I was desperate to get a crack at them in the finals last year.

I'd just implore people not to expect the season to suddenly progress 10-3 win/loss wise; there's still a lot that needs to be sorted out. But that was our most complete performance as a team in a while and that is immensely pleasing.

 

[bombre-boy]

Fantastic win, pleased for the players, but as Doss says, lets not get ahead of ourselves. We were under no pressure today from the cats.
Not every team will be like that.
Nice to see some of the youngsters in and playing well.
Lets hope we dont lapse back into the "older guys have the experience so they should come straight back in" mindset.
Need to get those easy shots for goal converted.

How the fcuk did we lose to carltank....geez.

 

[JayJ20]

I suspect that we'll do well against an out-of-form GWS next week before copping a bit of a beating from Richmond. We can learn from them a lot. It really looked like we had changed our sash with our intent, pressure and team chemistry.

 

[essendon]

Well done Bombers......never knock down a proud club...do so at your peril......hope the so called detractors, haters and external so called experts eat there words.......ALL bomber fans stick it up them all....

 

[Mootsy]

Baguely forward as a link-up player, outstanding move!

 

[abers47]

So what happens when Joe's back. Pretty harsh dropping Smak if he plays like that every week. Hard to drop Stuart. Probably too tall with Tbell. Good problem I guess. I'd say Smak over Stuart because he's a good ruck. Either that or Tbell sits out...

Few weeks to go before we have that problem - let’s see who has the consistency!

 

[abers47]

Laverde for me.

No one let’s keep the team as it is - have to earn a place.

 

[abers47]

Zero changes for next week.

I don't care who is available. You reward games like this.

Yes! Yes! Yes!

 

[Doss]

Zero changes for next week.

I don't care who is available. You reward games like this.

Cannot agree with this. Hurley and Daniher aren't available next week so they're a moot point, but there's no reason you'd leave McGrath out; someone will need to come out for him.

 

[SherbertLemon]

So i missed everything because i chose beer over Essendon.

Can't wait for the replay, perfect hangover cure.

I am stunned

GABs?

 

[DapperDon]

GABs?

Yes. I is well drunk rigit now

Many beers and many gin

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

I suspect that we'll do well against an out-of-form GWS next week before copping a bit of a beating from Richmond. We can learn from them a lot. It really looked like we had changed our sash with our intent, pressure and team chemistry.

5-7 at the bye wouldn't be a bad result.

 

[Halorad]

The old campaigner who is always sitting near me that yells out "just kick it" every time we have the ball might be onto something.

Incredible how much better we look when attempting to kick up the ground inside 50 instead of shithouse switches across defensive 50 which inevatably lead to turnovers.

 

[MarkG]

Cannot agree with this. Hurley and Daniher aren't available next week so they're a moot point, but there's no reason you'd leave McGrath out; someone will need to come out for him.

Worsfold was talking of Myers, Hurley and McGrath all being available.

Reckon Myers is too slow to play midfield and his reflexes in tight are not sharp enough. But he is a Woosha favourite. Don't know where he fits in.

If they drop Ridley (composed contested marking and precision kicking), Ambrose (hardness at the contest) or even Dea (110% effort .. chasing and nice mark) for Hurley, reckon it will hurt us.

Who will McGrath replace? Clarke got 3 possessions 1 tackle in crucial last quarter and hurled his body in and under but looked a fraction tired. Guelfi run in a straight line and was very hard at the ball but only had 1 possession in last quarter. Langford looked like he belonged and was far more physical. Laverde had 3 possessions 1 tackle in the last quarter (8 for the game) and put in.

 

[citizen-erased]

Worsfold was talking of Myers, Hurley and McGrath all being available.

Reckon Myers is too slow to play midfield and his reflexes in tight are not sharp enough. But he is a Woosha favourite. Don't know where he fits in.

If they drop Ridley (composed contested marking and precision kicking), Ambrose (hardness at the contest) or even Dea (110% effort .. chasing and nice mark) for Hurley, reckon it will hurt us.

Who will McGrath replace? Clarke got 5 possessions in crucial last quarter and hurled his body in and under. Guelfi run in a straight line and was very hard at the ball. Langford looked like he belonged and was far more physical. Laverde tired and had 0 possessions in the last quarter (8 for the game) but really put in earlier.

Dea for Hurley
Who knows who comes out for McGrath. I'd probably assess who is a bit sore or could do with a rest and avoid a trip, albeit a short one. Possibly Goddard and have him fresh for Richmond

Funny what one game can do. This time last week, we could drop 8+ players.

Bags' reinvention was something else to watch. Took a guy in AA form to the cleaners.
Smack at FF worked wonderfully with Stringer and Stewart. Such a good trio up there.
Fanta and Tippa back to being weapons.
Merrett back to something close to his best.

 

[VelvetSledge]

Well that was just great.

Was starting to think I wouldn't get to celebrate many wins this year so I'm enjoying this one.