The Non-Essendon Thread V

[Kong]

Tim Watson sitting in the host's seat on HameDay.

Might actually sit through the entire show today.

 

[VelvetSledge]

Very good.

His body is very thick, solid and tight. Show us what you got man.

Inspirational.

Tim Watson sitting in the host's seat on HameDay.

Might actually sit through the entire show today.

The lack of Hamish "Heylookatmyrompingwins" McIntosh in the host seat makes me pleased.

 

[Fa Ce La]

good start for gws. scully having his best game around stoppages already.

 

[Macca18]

COME ON GIANTS!

 

[Fa Ce La]

McDoanld chasing down Jones <3

 

[Macca18]

I hate North (I know, shocking right!?) but a win for them today would be a great result for us.

The Crows will be our top 4 rivals and North aren't going to make the finals (Carlton/Richmond/St Kilda/Fremantle all much bigger chances of sneaking into 8th spot) so to keep the Crows behind us on percentage for the timebeing and EFC staying 3rd on the ladder is a good result.

 

[Kong]

Come on North!

 

[Lord Nicholson]

So, who was it pooh-poohing me for thinking that North were a good chance for no reason in particular?

Mind you, I didn't change my tip. And I've burned my lead by tipping the Dockers. Shameful turn of events.

 

[BrewSmackerVeiny]

Come on North!

Get out.

 

[Kong]

Ah, I don't mind North.

Never did.

Just hate most of their supporters on this site. Losers with an inferiority complex.

 

[Lord Nicholson]

Ah, I don't mind North.

Never did.

Just hate most of their supporters on this site. Losers with an inferiority complex.

Pretty much this.

North are the ultimate non-entity in real life. Any ribbing is due to the floggery and general obsession their BF supporters have with Essendon.

Whenever I come across a North supporter in real life, after I've photographed him or her as evidence I always ask which club they hate most, and it's pretty much Collingwood.

 

[Macca18]

Ah, I don't mind North.

Never did.

Just hate most of their supporters on this site. Losers with an inferiority complex.

True. They will be unbearable for the next few days after beating Adelaide.

Reality check against the Saints likely next week though. Doing us a favour today and keeping us 3rd.

 

[BrewSmackerVeiny]

Ah, I don't mind North.

Never did.

Just hate most of their supporters on this site. Losers with an inferiority complex.

Fair call, I don't hold any hate for other clubs either, except a little for Carlton ever since '99.

 

[Jobe Watson]

Have 'Adelaide Minor Premiership' in a few Brownlow Medal multis.

Come on you Crowbot wonkers, this is a game you should be winning!

 

[yaco55]

Taylor Walker is improving as a player.

Love the way he leads up to the ball carrier - His foot skills are elite - Love to be leading when he has the ball.

 

[SydneyBomber]

Whenever I come across a North supporter in real life, after I've photographed him or her as evidence....

made me almost spit coffee all over the screen, haha

 

[Tas]

So much hate.

 

[Macca18]

So much hate.

11th position... not bad for a side who has barely had an injury all season & was widely thought (by their own supporters) to have the "easiest" fixture in 2012. Plenty of time left for North to sneak back up to 9th though.

 

[Tas]

11th position... not bad for a side who has barely had an injury all season & was widely thought (by their own supporters) to have the "easiest" fixture in 2012. Plenty of time left for North to sneak back up to 9th though.

I thought we would make the finals at the start of the year because we had a big chunk of games against sides who were below us on the ladder last year and we have generally been good at beating the teams below us. That hasn't really panned out that way, not having injuries has been good, the lack of form and confidence not so good.

I think games like the geelong game and todays game show when there is an even contribution we can do okay, the issue is getting that form and confidence.

I don't really care about making finals this year, we are still a fair way off contended, in terms of being a realistic chance to win a final so for me it is more about player development. We could sneak into the finals before we are ready like you did a few years ago and the result would probably be similar. I am more interested in making the finals when the side plays good consistent footy throughout the year.

 

[Lord Nicholson]

I am more interested in making the finals when the side plays good consistent footy throughout the year.

I'm not entirely sure that Scott would consider that as much of a luxury.

NM did however demonstrate the required level of application today. Adelaide just keep getting drawn to the ball... I don't find them overly convincing (even though they'll likely give us a touch-up over there). Straight sets wouldn't surprise me if they make top 4. Tigers may well give them a fright next week as well, in which case heaven help us all.

Speaking of, what a fantastic weekend it's been with the absence of Richmond, Carlton, and Hawthorn from the competition.

 

[Tas]

I'm not entirely sure that Scott would consider that as much of a luxury.

NM did however demonstrate the required level of application today. Adelaide just keep getting drawn to the ball... I don't find them overly convincing (even though they'll likely give us a touch-up over there). Straight sets wouldn't surprise me if they make top 4. Tigers may well give them a fright next week as well, in which case heaven help us all.

Speaking of, what a fantastic weekend it's been with the absence of Richmond, Carlton, and Hawthorn from the competition.

I agree, the Crows were pretty much in the same position as us last year, what they have done well this year is have a good contribution across the field, they had too many players down this week and it shows how hard it is to win or even play well when you leave it to too few. I think that has been a major part in Essendon's development as well this year, the contribution is a lot more even across the field.

I still have some concerns about Scott, in terms of match day and team selection issues but I don't think there is a coach that has ever coached that you didn't question to some degree, even successful premiership coaches.

 

[Kong]

I rated Scott up until a few weeks ago.

I still kinda do; a lot of the foundations he's put in are similar to what Hird's done, and what Neeld's trying to do; making contested, clearance football a priority to develop.

To develop "finals footy" first, basically, if I can sound like a wank.

However this year he's reminding me a lot of Matthew Knights. Handball happy footy that, when it comes off, looks great and can hurt even the good sides (see: Geelong and Adelaide games), but simply isn't sustainable, and will often gloss over the deficiencies in the team.

It's the very simple explanation for why today Robbo's asking "WHO IS THE REAL NORTH?!!!" It's exactly what they used to ask about us under Knights.

For North's sake I'm hoping he's just "tweaking" things, because the way they're playing right now isn't going to win them a premiership, or even go close.

Here's hoping for them, that it's just developing a "plan A cum plan B" for when the better plan, doesn't work.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Scott has a terrible plan A, and no plan B. He's full of excuses (wah wah I don't know what we'll do with the sliding rule wah wah umpires wah wah), full of vague moral high horse judgements (pokies are terrible, we don't need them) but there's bugger all substance behind it all.

He seems like a ripper bloke, but he has no idea about coaching. Or if he does, he's doing a great job of hiding from everyone, his players included.

 

[Doss]

I guess the thing is, though, if Scott really is developing a "plan A cum plan B"- wasn't 2010 and maybe 2011 the time for that? North were inconsistent in 2010 but that was Scott's first year and they had been rubbish in 2009, so ultimately, to finish 11-11 and 9th position was excusable.

Such inconsistency come a coach's third year is just puzzling.

 

[GarnerSmash]

I rated Scott up until a few weeks ago.

I still kinda do; a lot of the foundations he's put in are similar to what Hird's done, and what Neeld's trying to do; making contested, clearance football a priority to develop.

To develop "finals footy" first, basically, if I can sound like a wank.

However this year he's reminding me a lot of Matthew Knights. Handball happy footy that, when it comes off, looks great and can hurt even the good sides (see: Geelong and Adelaide games), but simply isn't sustainable, and will often gloss over the deficiencies in the team.

It's the very simple explanation for why today Robbo's asking "WHO IS THE REAL NORTH?!!!" It's exactly what they used to ask about us under Knights.

For North's sake I'm hoping he's just "tweaking" things, because the way they're playing right now isn't going to win them a premiership, or even go close.

Here's hoping for them, that it's just developing a "plan A cum plan B" for when the better plan, doesn't work.

It is a tweaking. We were too focused on winning the contested stuff and just slamming it on the boot in 2011. We had so many forward 50 entries and killed it in the contested count, but the players rarely generated clean inside 50's because we had no run and bashed it forward from the contest. It is obvious that the coaches tried to instill more run and carry into the team over the course of the preseason but in doing so the balance went too far the other way. Even in the NAB cup we were losing the contested ball and over using by hand. Even after a few wins Scott was saying that we were trying to use hands more often to get players free but even so the players were over hand balling. Then the wheels feel off a bit.

In the last three or four games the players have toned down the handball in comparison to the earlier games. Alot of the players who are being given the overlap roles are still learning the caper so they have been inconsistent in their output and consequently the confidence and belief has been down after some draining losses.

Against GC we played OK, but we butchered the thing going forward. We won and the players really took something from just winning a game. Yesterday it was obvious early that the boys were up and about early and they even held off a fightback where previously they would have folded. But most importantly we got the balance right between contested ball, handball and kicking and knowing when to make a break and when the hold it up. North controlled the game yesterday and there was very little frantic run and carry. It was the most complete game I have seen them play for some time. Even the defensive spread was there which is something that was non-existent against the Bulldogs a few weeks ago. The trick will now be to go on with it but the players are learning.