Wake up Dons! Season is slipping by...

Howard Moon

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Thread starter #1



an article full of worrying trends

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/wake-up-dons-season-is-slipping-by-20120723-22knf.html

Stats:

Essendon conceded more than 100 points in just two of its first 13 games; then twice in its past three matches
Kicking efficiency differential and disposal efficiency differential, which compares the percentage efficiency of the team directly with its week-by-week opponent.
Essendon is 18th in both categories from round 10-17. It is butchering the football. Yet it was third and sixth in those two categories from rounds one to nine.

From rounds one to nine the Bombers were second in the competition for clearances by differential; from round 10 onwards they have plummeted to 14th
Essendon has lost 74 player-matches to soft tissues this year, by comparison with Geelong's 18
Essendon has won nine last quarters in 2012, just one more than this time last year
hmmm last year all over again or can we buck it?
 

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#2
New fitness program. Although the openness of the year looked like an opportunity that's not the case. So be it.

Anything that isn't an improvement on last year is obviously going to be a disappointment, but I think it's all part and parcel of what the coaching staff are trying to do.
 

Mercurial89

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#4
Thompson didn't seem to be too worried last night, gave the impression we were having a heavy training load and looking to kick start again soon.
That's what I don't understand. Now I'm no expert on fitness but surely when you are approaching a ridiculously tough block of games like we were, having a heavy training load during two of them (cats & saints) while also going interstate and right before we play hawks and Adelaide over there is just asking to be spanked all over the park.

In one aspect I think good there is a reason for us being so sluggish but on the other hand I feel like the club might have wanted to secure a good spot in the 8 before this where as now in the next two weeks we could find ourselves leapfrogged by north. If we come out Friday and hit our early season form I'll eat these words but I wouldn't have thought we were at the stage where we can just switch on good form.
 

Howard Moon

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Thompson didn't seem to be too worried last night, gave the impression we were having a heavy training load and looking to kick start again soon.
in all honesty...... when was the last time you saw Thompson look worried?

He'd be a good poker player... i always look for signs of him being worried or upset on a Monday but he is always exactley the same. It usually gives me a sense of hope but now im beginning to think that even if he was worried we would never know.
 

Red Black and Blue

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#8
How many good teams over the last few years have wavered come this time? I remember thinking Geelong, St.Kilda, Collingwood in particular looked vulnerable during their successful periods, yet had enough class to get them over the line on a couple of occasions before coming good in the last few rounds.

Obviously we aren't at their level, but we are trying to follow a similar blueprint. Its not time for panic stations, just need to refocus and get back to basics.
 

Darealrath

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#9
There definitely is a feeling of deja vu but if we can re group and knock off North, Richmond and Carlton we'll have done pretty well all things considered and earnt a spot in the finals. Pinch another and we'll get a home final in week 1 which would be massive for this club.

Have to add that it's nice having the media on our back this week.
 

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Eleven 38

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#12
Just need to make finals, then anything could happen with this team.
I agree, i said it straight after the game on friday night, we just need to get the 2-3 wins to make finals and/or finish top 6. and while we should have a huge crack at winning every game, we should be really gearing around the Carlton, Richmond and North games. Grab atleast 2 of those and and im still confident we will win one of Pies Hawks and Crows games, we always beat top 4 teams and they are who we have left!
 

Mr Mojo Risin

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#13
That's what I don't understand. Now I'm no expert on fitness but surely when you are approaching a ridiculously tough block of games like we were, having a heavy training load during two of them (cats & saints) while also going interstate and right before we play hawks and Adelaide over there is just asking to be spanked all over the park.

In one aspect I think good there is a reason for us being so sluggish but on the other hand I feel like the club might have wanted to secure a good spot in the 8 before this where as now in the next two weeks we could find ourselves leapfrogged by north. If we come out Friday and hit our early season form I'll eat these words but I wouldn't have thought we were at the stage where we can just switch on good form.
I believe the thinking and reasoning by TRB is that there is not much point making finals unless you can do something worthwhile in the finals.

Therefore the training load needs to be heavy now to keep the players' bodies in good shape should they make the finals. However you are right, with the difficult remainder of our fixture to come it is a risk. I guess there is an added meaning to the term risk and reward.

If they are indeed in a current heavy training period and thinking this way, then I'm on board.
 

Mercurial89

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#14
I believe the thinking and reasoning by TRB is that there is not much point making finals unless you can do something worthwhile in the finals.

Therefore the training load needs to be heavy now to keep the players' bodies in good shape should they make the finals. However you are right, with the difficult remainder of our fixture to come it is a risk. I guess there is an added meaning to the term risk and reward.

If they are indeed in a current heavy training period and thinking this way, then I'm on board.
Yeah its not that i don't agree, who am i to disagree with the experts. Just from an outsider perspective why push a list that is already decimated with injury, from the reports that are coming out, the players aren't recovering from games fully and are just getting sorer. Heaping even more training loads on top of them just seems to be asking for trouble.
 

ant555

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#15
Yeah its not that i don't agree, who am i to disagree with the experts. Just from an outsider perspective why push a list that is already decimated with injury, from the reports that are coming out, the players aren't recovering from games fully and are just getting sorer. Heaping even more training loads on top of them just seems to be asking for trouble.
Short term maybe but they have looked at building the side up over 2 or 3 season and have never said anything about finishing positions other than improving each season in certain areas.
One would say if they do miss the finals then you could question the improvement but in the bigger picture they will have built up and years worth of heavy training blocks and will have seen over 2 season who will handle the load and who will not.
At the moment they are pretty much working on what can happen probably next year but certainly 2014 and 2015.
 

dnbassador

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#16
Do you think all the media these days has made all us bomber fans expect to much to early from players we have a young squad and its only the beginning thiers been games this year we have been unstoppable is just a glimpse in whats to come.

How many years were Geelong and Brisbane together for before they Fired like they did?
 
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