Opinion The "Shut Down Jobe & Stanton and We're Goooone" Thread

[Knight Ryders]

Early on in the year we experienced some fantastic form as Stanton got to run free and Jobe couldn't be stopped by any taggers. Apart from last week, Jobe still couldn't be stopped by taggers but it got me thinking. What can Essendon do to remedy the hard tags that our top two midfielders cop? It is clear that they are heads and shoulders above the rest of our midfielders with Zaharakis out for an extended period of time.

1. I was pumped against Fremantle and the 2nd half against Sydney as Myers was given plenty of midfield time and despite Watson being held early and Stanton having less influence than usual, Myers was able to still provide significant drive from the midfield. Enough ******* around with Dave, settle him into the midfield to develop our depth there. We have other options who can go back, we lose too much in the midfield when he's not there.

2. This won't be popular because he's been in terrible form, but Leroy Jetta should be a first rover. He has great poise and agility in the middle of the ground and as shown when he played on ball at the end of 2010, he can accumulate when required (26, 31 possessions). Put the heat right on Jetta to provide the creativity and run missing with Zaka out. Let's see what he's got.

3. Release Hocking into an attacking role. I don't care if we bring in Slattery to tag or Lee (has had to go about it the hard way, will cherish any role he gets), but get Hocking playing as a genuine attacking midfielder. Any * can tag as proven by Raines and Crowley; not every player can find it 25-30 times a game with good penetration. He'd have 10 possies in the first quarter before the opposition would be aware of what was going on.

It's not throw out the baby with the bath water time, but we need to find some other match winners in the midfield. There seems to be some good kids coming through but if we're not careful, we could find ourselves in deep s**t in a few weeks. The midfield is the heart beat of the team and we need some different options, particularly with Zaharakis on the sidelines. Now is the time for some innovation

 

[Red Black and Blue]

We shouldn't be in the situation of Watson and Stanton being tagged out of games, we should be going hard after opposition taggers, physically hurting them at every contest. The way one of their players got stuck into jobe late in the game sickened me, reminiscent of when Hirdy was getting dragged around. No one did a thing. People have been getting on Hockings back for standing up for a team mate, is this what we've become? have all these years of losing made us forget that sometimes doing the team/right thing might cost you time on the sidelines? I'm not saying go out and belt everyone but you have to walk the fine line if you want to send the message.

 

[Lord Nicholson]

We shouldn't be in the situation of Watson and Stanton being tagged out of games, we should be going hard after opposition taggers, physically hurting them at every contest. The way one of their players got stuck into jobe late in the game sickened me, reminiscent of when Hirdy was getting dragged around. No one did a thing. People have been getting on Hockings back for standing up for a team mate, is this what we've become? have all these years of losing made us forget that sometimes doing the team/right thing might cost you time on the sidelines? I'm not saying go out and belt everyone but you have to walk the fine line if you want to send the message.

Surprised that we haven't looked to do this more, especially in light of Lonergan's "clumsiness" on Carrazzo. Although he obviously didn't intend to break the shoulder blade, it was pretty clear it was his intention to hurt, given the towel-up that Carrazzo gave Watson during the EF. This pro-active approach needs to be taken far more often, especially by the likes of Lonergan who can afford to get weeks.

 

[Dwight Schrute]

You could say this for nearly every team in the comp.

 

[Johnny619]

Is that you Robbo?

 

[Pweter]

You can say the same for any midfield that is developing it's depth and game plan. Shut down the best players and the rest struggle.

Look at almost every premiership team. When the midfield guns get tagged others block for them plus others step up. We are not yet blocking very much at all, nor do we have enough stepping up often enough.

I do like the Jetta call though. Play him in the mids for a few weeks to see what happens, let Davey and Dell be the small forwards.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

You could say this for nearly every team in the comp.

I'm probably over dramatizing it, maybe it was just one of those games, but its been a long time since we've put in such a disgusting insipid performance bereft of fight and the will to support your team mates.

 

[Lord Nicholson]

You could say this for nearly every team in the comp.

Yeah, but if you want to be a good side you've got to be less vulnerable than that. Who were the two you would shut down in Geelong's heyday, for instance?

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Winders has to replace Zaka as soon as he's ready.

 

[Loonerty]

I agree. Jobe got violated on Saturday night and nobody did s**t to help.

 

[Dwight Schrute]

Yeah, but if you want to be a good side you've got to be less vulnerable than that. Who were the two you would shut down in Geelong's heyday, for instance?

If Ablett and Bartel both had under 25 possessions even then they would find it hard to win. Every team currently would probably lose if you shut down their 2 best midfielders. But the thing is, that never happened for them, we need to stop it happening. Lets be honest Stants has never really coped with a tag well, so that's where Zaka and Howlett need to step up, and in the future Heppell and Melksham as well.

The day when the likes of Zaharakis and Heppell are tagged ahead of Stanton will see Stanton completely dominate.

 

[Lord Nicholson]

If Ablett and Bartel both had under 25 possessions even then they would find it hard to win.

What about last year, Ablett wasn't there and Bartel averaged 22 touches...?

You've answered the question though, the solution is obviously for the output from others to improve, but that's not very helpful. Assistance needs to be tendered by others, because everyone else will have watched what St Kilda did to Watson with great interest.

 

[Hencho]

The trick is that when we are a genuine contender this thread title will need to read: "The "Shut Down Jobe, Stanton, Heppell, Zaka, Melsham, Kav and Caddy " thread.

Premiership teams have multiple midfielders who can dominate games making it impossible to tag them all. Until these other guys step right up and are fit and firing we won't win a premiership.

 

[Darealrath]

2. This won't be popular because he's been in terrible form, but Leroy Jetta should be a first rover. He has great poise and agility in the middle of the ground and as shown when he played on ball at the end of 2010, he can accumulate when required (26, 31 possessions). Put the heat right on Jetta to provide the creativity and run missing with Zaka out. Let's see what he's got.

Not sure if he should be first rover but he definitely should be rotated through there a lot more than he is currently.

 

[yaco55]

Does this belong in the delusional thread ?

Stanton hasn't been in white hot form the last 6 weeks - Has been solid - Has done Ok against taggers - Stll think he can improve.

Watson played a good game against StKilda - You can't be BOG every week - And the tags have failed miserably for most of the season.

 

[Knight Ryders]

That's harsh Yaco.

I don't think the coaching panel put the same thought into the midfield as thy do with the other areas of the side. We clearly need Myers on ball but he gets flipped at any sign of a mis match. Jetta has shown much more as a pure midfielder than he has over years as a small forward yet he doesn't get a chance to consolidate a spot there where we need creativity and run.

Other sides have already identified that if we shut down Stanton (although it has been exasperated with Zaka out) that we aren't as good with our link up play and it would be fair to say that a lot of coaches will be seeing exactly how the Saints shut down Jobe. Easier said than done but if we are to make finals, make no doubt that Watson and Stanton will be worn closer than a Lycra g-string.

We need greater options being developed now on a consistent basis because the fact is that Howlett, Lonergan, Hocking (as run with player) and Melksham don't win enough possessions even though they have some good traits.

 

[yaco55]

KR

Most teams play one hard tag and rely on team defence.

Shut down Mitchell/Sewell at the Hawks, Pendlebury/Swan at the Pies, Shuey/Kerr at the Eagles, Judd/Murphy at the Blues, Dangerfield/Thompson at Adelaide etc,etc,the midfield will struggle, and be less effective.

 

[Slattery_20]

Stanton basically tagged Broadbent in the 2nd half.
Interesting.

 

[Lord Nicholson]

Stanton basically tagged Broadbent in the 2nd half.
Interesting.

I liked it. A proactive way to get him involved whenever he's struggling to have an impact.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

I want to see him run with Swan in Rd 23.

 

[Lord Nicholson]

I want to see him run with Swan in Rd 23.

Absolutely. Takes a skunk to stop a skunk.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

And god knows whatever we've done to stop the prick in the past hasn't worked.

 

[TheDon35]

Jobe's the one. If he's completely shut down then it's usually a problem. There's enough players with quality to cover Stanton if we're down however I think Stanton becomes a far more damaging player when we are in control and uses his run to more effect. With Hocking, Howlett, Myers, Zaka there's enough genuine second tier quality to cover for Stanton but if both he and Watson are down then we'll likely get done.

 

[The Speaker]

Absolutely agree with releasing Hocking. Of far more use not tagging.

 

[Knight Ryders]

Heppell into the midfield was a positive move, Myers there permanently was another. Heppell looked like a natural in there on Saturday, which is not surprising given the form he had with his TAC side when he moved into the midfield there.

If Jobe gets shut down or restricted, we need to be able to swing him forward for a mismatch in short spurts but still have the basis of a strong midfield. An attacking Hocking, Myers, Heppell and Howlett (on Saturday's form where he took total ownership of the midfield) can allow that to happen.

Positive signs, will want to see it for a while longer though against better midfields.