this week vs Carlton

[Jeremias]

hi all

interested in hearing ure opinions on ure side this week...ins and outs as well

not being bias i reckon we will beat u by around 20 points...with lloyd out and i would expect lucas to be double teamed, i cant see you kicking enough goals, especially if fev and lance fire.

opinions please

 

[Sports Capital]

No Essendon foward line. No Carlton backline. Should be interesting.

 

[bozza]

Will be your typical Carlton-Essendon scrappy, low scoring and very defensive contest IMO. With Zantuck playing I think we will be better than last week. Provides with another option, forward or back.

Whilst I don't think Sheeds will do it, I'd have Zantuck on Fevola (played well on him before from memory, Blues fans may be able to help out here), Bradley on Whitnall and stick Fletch in the goal square up forward. I'd also play Richards, and have him as the 3rd tall up forward too. IMO this will give Carlton plenty to think about, probably plenty of trouble. It means that a few of their medium sized players who are their better ball carriers (ie Sporn) could have to play tall on some of Essendon's key forwards.

I do think though that at this point of the season, Carlton's on-ballers are in better shape than Essendon's, with Jason Johnson, McPhee and Ramanauskas all looking under-done last week. They will have their work cut out against Stevens, Camporeale (kills us every year), etc etc.

Whilst I think the weather factor with the Bombers is usually a bit overrated, this week it is important. If it rains, the Bombers makeshift forwards are less influential, whilst Carlton's fitter and more hardened balll-winners (and carriers) will be able to exert their influence in a stronger manner.

Essendon by 10 points.

 

[Disco Clarky]

If LLoyd were playing Id tip this one to go down to the wire. I sincerely hope Im wrong but cant see Essendon getting up at this stage of the year. Even during the past few seasons where Essendon have been in far better shape than the Bombers the Blues have troubled Essendon.

Their midfield always seems to cut us up as well as Lappin and even Houlihan seems to get plenty of it against us. The forecast is for 30 degrees so dont think it'll rain. If the Dons are to win I think both Lucas and Hird need to contribute on the scoreboard. I also think that with our current lack of firepower perhaps Murphy needs an extended stint on the half forward line.

As far as matchups go need to keep Fletcher on Fev, Bolton to get first crack at Whitnall ( I know Kepler was good last week but think Whitnall will be too smart and too big for him not that Bolton will be much smarter but he must try to run off him and push him up the ground). Essendons major problem will be in midfield, tag Stevens with Peverell and and have Campo go head to head with JJ and take our chances. Who will Carlton play on Hird? Bombers must start well and keep scoreboard ticking over.

 

[Longy413]

30 degrees on Friday. Weather won't be a factor.

Fletcher up forward is a good idea. But if Deluca, Fevola, Waite and Whitnall all go forward then Fletch will have to go back.

I'd play Watson ahead of Richards. Ted was handy in the VFL on Saturday but only played just over a half. Jobe has that extra bit of class that we can certainly do with. That extra football brain could be hand.y

 

[bozza]

30 degrees on Friday. Weather won't be a factor.

Fletcher up forward is a good idea. But if Deluca, Fevola, Waite and Whitnall all go forward then Fletch will have to go back.

I'd play Watson ahead of Richards. Ted was handy in the VFL on Saturday but only played just over a half. Jobe has that extra bit of class that we can certainly do with. That extra football brain could be hand.y

A fellow poster suggested Watson to me last night as well. Have to say Watson would be the way to go. Jobe has done well playing as a 3rd tall before.

How tall is Waite?

 

[Longy413]

A fellow poster suggested Watson to me last night as well. Have to say Watson would be the way to go. Jobe has done well playing as a 3rd tall before.

How tall is Waite?

Waite is 192cm.
I guess the thing Richards has over Watson is that he can go forward and back. Jobe just isn't quick enough to play in the back half.

I think you'll probably find that Lovett-Murray will get a game ahead of both of them if he is fit, which judging on training form he is. LM has only missed on week of footy (last week) throughout the pre-season and has been impressive off half-back and we all saw he can make an impact up forward last season. Jobe and Ted probably need to string a couple of solid games together.

 

[bibi01]

bannister should get first crack at hird, if not will be sporn

 

[Pevers-Legend]

Watson is now 192cm but can get it at ground level - we need him in the forward line. Bring in the bear and Thomas as well - puss off Haynes, Bullen and Henno.

If Rioli is fit, then Winderdud as well.

 

[Stealth bomber]

I'd play Laycock if fit, Cartledge if he's not. Allan can't ruck a whole game by himself and I don't think Bradley or (god forbid) Henneman should be pinch-hitting.

Would consider playing Zantuck forward as well.

 

[Funkalicous]

Bannister normally takes your faster running players like Judd and Buckley, while Sporn is better suited for your smarter players like Hird. Sporn is also a natural defender so he can stay with Hird if he moves forward.

Do you guys actually think Hird will play forward? If we played Kouta in the middle surely Sheedy wouldn't back Pev, JJ and the squib to beat Kouta, Stevens and Campo. Another surprising turn of events is Barnaby French's form in the ruck. Some of it's due to improvement on his behalf but most I reckon is due to the new ruck rules. He's played 5 games in the ruck and hasn't lost yet.

Moving Fletcher up forward would be interesting. It would certainly stretch our defence for height. Though it would make it easier for Whitnall, Fevola and Waite to kick goals aswell. Personally, I think it's up to Sheedy to show some coaching brilliance on Friday. I just think Pagan has more options at this stage.

 

[Longy413]

Bannister normally takes your faster running players like Judd and Buckley, while Sporn is better suited for your smarter players like Hird. Sporn is also a natural defender so he can stay with Hird if he moves forward.

Do you guys actually think Hird will play forward? If we played Kouta in the middle surely Sheedy wouldn't back Pev, JJ and the squib to beat Kouta, Stevens and Campo. Another surprising turn of events is Barnaby French's form in the ruck. Some of it's due to improvement on his behalf but most I reckon is due to the new ruck rules. He's played 5 games in the ruck and hasn't lost yet.

Moving Fletcher up forward would be interesting. It would certainly stretch our defence for height. Though it would make it easier for Whitnall, Fevola and Waite to kick goals aswell. Personally, I think it's up to Sheedy to show some coaching brilliance on Friday. I just think Pagan has more options at this stage.

Cartledge will be our sole ruckman. It's going to be interesting, obviously he is a first game so you can't expect to much of him. However, he does have some great attributes. He is young, fit, strong, good mark and has a very good leap. In theory he should jump all over French, and run him around the ground. He does no when to run forward as well.
However as we all no experience counts for everything in the ruck, so I'm tipping we will lose out there.

Fletcher will play at full back, whether its Waite, Fevola, Whitnall or even Matthew Lappin you play out of the goal square. Zantuck back as well.

Lovett-Murray will probably go forward, with Cupido, Lucas and Bolton. I expect Kouta to line up at CHB, if he goes in the midfield I almost expect Hird and Kouta to go Head to Head.

 

[lmnop]

hey if worse comes to worse and as some have predicted essendon get flogged, us bombers supporters could always leave at half time and watch the end of a suburban footy practise match being played at punt rd at the same time. at least some of essendons younger players will get expeireince however i think the bombers may get a lot closer poeple think even win a close won. suprised sheedy hasnt been pumping us up as the underdogs all week and promoting the game more.

 

[Cooldude]

First and foremost: FFS, Sheeds, stop allowing the likes of Mat Lappin, Camporeale (Can't spell his name) and Houllihan the luxury of not having an opponent 10 metres near them. Everytime we play Carlton nowadays we seem to just allow these blokes to play on their own, and they invariably carve us up

If Sheeds starts to think about being a bit more accountable on those blokes, then we'll beat Carlton.

 

[dougthelegend]

I'm optomistic about this match. Against Carlton - its always low scoring and a scappy affair. If Hird can lead from the front - and we are accountable on players like Lappin, Camporeale and Fevola (Fletch should be able to handle him comfortably) then we should be able to scrape away with a win (then its only 4 more to prove that dumb Caroline Wilson wrong )

Essendon by 2-3 Goals

 

[Diamond_Joe]

bannister should get first crack at hird, if not will be sporn

Gee dont rate Hirdy to high mate, why not chuck eddie betts on him.

 

[Funkalicous]

Gee dont rate Hirdy to high mate, why not chuck eddie betts on him.

Sporn's had success tagging Hird and Bannister is our number 1 tagger. What's the problem?

 

[Cooldude]

Knowing Pagan, he'd put Bannister on Murphy and Sporn on Hird

 

[Pantsless]

Bannister isn't playing.