Roast Soft.Soft.Soft!

[Kong]

Have only just got home from work, but I imagine that this thread -all 100+ posts of it - is going to be some of the most negative, dampening, angry writing known to man.

Fun times.

 

[Mad Bomber Sean]

Sure I agree this was a tough game. But who really expected us to win ?

Not me. Without Dempsey & Ryder on Subi I thought this would happen,

Our team is young and frankly while we took a massive sculp last week, injuries & the long season were always going to hurt us especially at Subi.

A couple of things to remember

- Watson had the ball 6 times for the game..tagged out of the game
- We are a very young side
- No Ryder, Hillie, Lonergan or Hocking
- Out of form Winderlich & Jetta played
- No one in the AFL has a good match for all Australian ruckman Sandilands ( he killed us in the centre bounce) against Belly & Hooker ( less than 30 games between them ) we'd always lose. At least Ryder & Hillie can do ok round the grounds
- Fletch was probably not 100%
- Pears & Atko hurt themselves during the game
- Game played at Subi
-Watson was tagged & with Sandilands controling the ruck
- Our Run & Carry game doesnt work when Watson does not get the ball first..

What does all this mean ?
If we win next week, we are worth of finals. If we lose we are not.
Either way we have shown how good & bad we can be this year. We have a long way to go but we are getting better. Give the kids & Gumby 3 years to develop, we'll be a top 4 side.

 

[dapto]

Watson had 6 possessions

Sandilands had 42 HOs

We played away...WA again and were not good....again

Ryder is more important to our team structure than anyone thinks. Our ruck structure and centre clearances are masked by Jobe's fabulous recent work. There isnt alot else inside and under.......So yes, we are still brittle. Freo showed this clearly and that is the op point. I have to agree.

I am surprised that anyone is surprised we are brittle if Jobe doesn't get first use of the ball.

Sandilands spanked us singled handedly. And Ryder was beated by the WCE 2 weeks ago.

Furthermore Bellchambers is overrated. He has always been overrated by EFC BF posters for their hatred of laycock and ensuing assumption Tom (2+2=5) will be better.

The fact is we need first touch or we are shot. Jobe works with what he has got. Paddy gives his all but is not really a ruck despite showing he can play there.

We need more ball getters like Jobe and more effective ruck stocks to stop/loss our depandance on Hille's fabulous work if this game plan is going ever get consistency.

 

[TheDon35]

I really don't see what Prismall adds to our side. When we picked him up, Knights talked about him as if he was an elite player but I've yet to see what all the fuss is about

Are you serious???

Not even a year ago this guy did his knee. Worked his arse off and came back in a flash. Has put together some top line games in the handful of games he's been back for with his ball winning ability, cleanliness & disposal being excellent in those games.

You would expect a bloke 8 or 9 games back in from a knee reco to have a down period at some point.

What does he add to the team, well i'd say a better version of Stanton.

By the way, Knights also is on record as suggesting that Stanton was an elite midfielder at the start of last year so I wouldn't pay to much attention to what that little gnome has to say.

 

[The Donners]

Then there is no hope for Jetta.

Quinn comprehensively outplayed jetta today.

Jetta was tucked away in the backline and Quinn was played at half-forward.

You can't compare the 2, Knights obviously wants Quinn to excel and he reluctantly brought Jetta in after what I believe were consistent performances in the VFL.

 

[The Donners]

Quinn was very good. Once he sorts his long kicking out he will be a good player.

Quinn will never be a good player.

I don't understand why a club would put in so much time, money and effort on someone like Quinn when they have players who ALREADY have the necessary skills to play AFL football.

It's a joke and he is a joke of a footballer. I won't be posting anymore about Quinn, it's obvious that only a few are actually watching him play.

 

[james_omahoney]

I think you guys under-estimate Freo and aren't giving them much credit.

They are a bloody good side when on song and particularly hard to beat in Perth. Any team that has Pavlich, Sandilands, Haselby has to be given some respect.

It's not about the result Daytripper. It's about the way we went about our football. It was soft.

 

[daffo]

Soft bunch of over hyped down hill skiers.
As soon as sides play us man on man we fall apart an no one is prepared to run hard to make a difference.
I hope we loose next week so we save ourselves the humiliation of being belted out of the finals in week 1.
Piss poor Bombers.

Going to Perth twice in a month is a tough gig. Why would you want us not to make finals? Don't you think missing them after the chances we've had would be more humiliating?

 

[redandblackbomba]

Lets not get to carried away, a week is a long time in football, we just dont travel well for some reason, it has to be attitude i mean collingwood have no problems when they travel. The older guys need to lead Mcveigh, Welsh, Mcphee etc we are a chance next week but will have to travel week 1 of the finals as Adelaide will roll carlton. Do we want to make finals?

 

[Seb78]

Soft bunch of over hyped down hill skiers.
As soon as sides play us man on man we fall apart an no one is prepared to run hard to make a difference.
I hope we loose next week so we save ourselves the humiliation of being belted out of the finals in week 1.
Piss poor Bombers.

Agreed! You are 100% spot on Ant, we are over hyped and overrated, we are no where near a good side yet and there are players in that side who have been carried all season, I wont mention names as over sensitive flogs on this site might start having a sook, but the sooner we all wake up to this harsh reality the better for everyone. Untill we manage to put some consistent efforts in week in week out I wont be convinced. The 2 or 3 assy wins we had this year against the good sides just doesn't cut it for me, if you cant back it up against an ordinary side the week after it all counts for sh!t.....

 

[table tennis]

For those critisisng Prizza, fair dinkum, you are mad.

He was clearly our best player yesterday, Agree, it was a terrible game and we were soft and everything else. But there were two blokes that could walk off the ground with heads held high. Dyson and Priz.

For a bloke that is new to a game plan, coming back from a Knee Reco, he has been outstanding. Not just good. But he has been in our best players at least half the weeks of the season.

I think Freo deserved some credit, And we might aswell finish 9th, purely as were not ready.

Last week took us two steps forward, this week takes us one back. lets see how we go this week and determine which direction this young Essendon side is heading.

 

[Thrust]

Prismall shudders at the thought of contact.

No way, he's a tough in an under midfielder.

 

[Pevers-Legend]

No way, he's a tough in an under midfielder.

I hope you are joking.

He is a squib of the highest order. Watching him you can see why he couldn't crack Geelongs midfield.

He is lazy, handball mad and squibs nearly every contest.

I would like to see him with another pre-season, but he has a lot of flaws in his game he needs to work on.

 

[Kong]

Tbh.. apart from the Anzac Day comeback we have folded like a pack of cards in too many games under Knights.

There does not seem to be any steel or resolve in the club. The round 22 humiliation was disgraceful last year as are losses to bottom 4 sides this year.

It's almost as if it's game,set and match once a side gets on top or a run on.

Agree to a certain extent.

One thing that has worried me is that under Knights our mentality isn't strong enough; we cannot get up two weeks in a row, and not through lack of ability. Knights is open about this, but I'm yet to see a press conference where he has really put the acid on the players; yesterday it was mostly "we'll need to improve a lot if we're going to beat Hawthorn".

I really want to see him rip through players for not putting their head over the ball, or not getting to a contest to help out a team mate etc.

However regarding your last comment, last week against the Saints showed this to be untrue. As did both Carlton games, the Brisbane game (save for the last 30 seconds), ANZAC day, both Richmond games (although we left it far too late in the return match).

For me, it's not that the players give up once the opposition gets away, it could almost be in the opposite direction; they seem to only really get up once the odds are against them. Both Carlton games, the Saints, ANZAC and Hawks games all showed that our players respond when 'backed into a corner', yet cannot seem to get themselves up for 'gimme' games against Fremantle, North, Richmond (until the last quarter), West Coast, and even the Adelaide game which they should've had wrapped up.

It's all part of being an immature side; one would assume that the mental side of the game will develop as their bodies do. I just hope Knights drives this point home really hard over the pre-season. You come to play every single game, not just the ones you think you need to.

 

[table tennis]

I hope you are joking.

He is a squib of the highest order. Watching him you can see why he couldn't crack Geelongs midfield.

He is lazy, handball mad and squibs nearly every contest.

I would like to see him with another pre-season, but he has a lot of flaws in his game he needs to work on.

Thank you, go to a game and watch, you obvously have NFI. Gets the ball in congested places, that is the reason why he is handball mad.

Why wouldnt he kick when he can? he has great kicking skills.

 

[tim_saints]

Why are you guys soft? You hve Jobe Watson great contested possesion player.

 

[AFaiL]

Sorry guys buy 7 days ago you were going mental on how good yuo are, 1 loss and you turn on your team?

young teams struggle to travel, simple.

don't put such high expectations on them.

you'll flog the hawks this week and you'll be back on the wagon again.

 

[marcuz]

No way, he's a tough in an under midfielder.

Not even close.

he picks and chooses when to go, hitting in hard should be a non-negotiable. There is hope though as Ricky Dyson has shown hardness at the contest can be learnt.

 

[table tennis]

Not even close.

he picks and chooses when to go, hitting in hard should be a non-negotiable. There is hope though as Ricky Dyson has shown hardness at the contest can be learnt.

So if your told to be the release player and make sure your an option from the bottom of the pack, then what do you do?

Before people start criticising players about picking and choosing who is at the bottom of packs, know that there are specific roles that each player has. I.e Watson is a great inside releaser. Prismall is a Release player.

You dont get to AFL Level, if you have picked and chosen when to go. You especially dont get picked at senior level.

Dyson's role has changed since Knights has taken over. He is more suited to the role that Knights has him in, and he is developing nicely.

Over the last 4-6 Weeks, Prismall has been our most consistent midfielder.

Yet we have a bad week, and we throw the baby out with the bathwater.

 

[marcuz]

So if your told to be the release player and make sure your an option from the bottom of the pack, then what do you do?

Before people start criticising players about picking and choosing who is at the bottom of packs, know that there are specific roles that each player has. I.e Watson is a great inside releaser. Prismall is a Release player.

So every contest is around a stoppage or pack? You do realise two blokes can fight alone for a footy. have a look at his effort on the wing in the first quarter where he jogged after a loose ball and lost it to a freo player trailing him by 10 metres. Just one example.

You dont get to AFL Level, if you have picked and chosen when to go. You especially dont get picked at senior level.

More rubbish

Damian Cupido
Shane Harvey
Jordan mcMahon....

Dyson's role has changed since Knights has taken over. He is more suited to the role that Knights has him in, and he is developing nicely.

What has somebody's role got to do with attitude and their ability to impact a contest?

Over the last 4-6 Weeks, Prismall has been our most consistent midfielder.

Yet we have a bad week, and we throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Prismall has been good value at times, i don't think i questioned that. I just think he needs to hit in hard when he has to. I'm not expecting him to be glenn archer but when its his turn to win the footy then make sure you want it more than your opponant.

 

[TheDon35]

I can't believe that Prismall is bearing the brunt of the criticism here. he's a bloody good player that's performed well above expectations for where he's come from. He was even one of our better players yesterday though would be excused for having a down game.

Plenty more blokes that are heading toward football limbo in Welsh and McVeigh - based on their recent form and stages of their careers.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Plenty more blokes that are heading toward football limbo in Welsh and McVeigh - based on their recent form and stages of their careers.

Welsh has exactly the same excuse you used for Prismall - a complete lack of a fitness base due to a serious leg injury.

What's good for the goose...

 

[The Donners]

Agree to a certain extent.

One thing that has worried me is that under Knights our mentality isn't strong enough; we cannot get up two weeks in a row, and not through lack of ability. Knights is open about this, but I'm yet to see a press conference where he has really put the acid on the players; yesterday it was mostly "we'll need to improve a lot if we're going to beat Hawthorn".

I really want to see him rip through players for not putting their head over the ball, or not getting to a contest to help out a team mate etc.

You want to see a young Kevin Sheedy? So do I! Rip through them!!!

Talk soft to the players and they'll play soft! Harden the F up boys!!!

 

[Bomber57]

WTF, I said 4 months ago that we were soft and had FA of a game plan, then got canned for it big time by a lot of people here FFS now the end of the season is all but here people start seeing the light.

Even if we do beat the Hawks and make the finals we are sill 3/4 years at least away from being a good side and challenging for a top 4 spot.

 

[DaSawx]

I'm not gonna read the whole thread, but I will say a couple of things.

8 days ago we attacked the ball with ferociousness, didn't give the Saints an inch and have played quite a few games this year with high intensity.

Yes, yesterday we were soft (obviously), but I can't generalise the team as soft.

It may be an excuse, it may not, but the fact is we are a young team and at one stage were winning some games with the youngest Bomber team ever recorded, the fact is we need to learn to be more consistent. We are too up, down, up, down and can hopefully get better as the team grows together.