Smokin
Norm Smith Medallist
It was a bitter pill to swallow last night for a number of reasons -but we went to Bris, played a very inform side, our ball use was terrible and lost by 8 goals. Im not as worried as some other Essendon fans seem to be.
Little things in footy make a huge difference - and last night I was extremely frustrated, and having watched the replay it was the same. Nothing went our way and we had to live with that.
They played well no doubt, both teams can look forward to improvement and the Brisbane trip is over for us this H&A season.
What hurt us, and what I was frustrated about follows:
First quarter - should have capitalised more. Twice we hit the post, and at the other end Voss kicked a rippa. That happens - 2pt difference at qtr time - probably was a quarter played in two halves, them early then we settled the second half and steadied a bit.
Second term - our use of the ball wasnt fantastic, they played a good quarter but a 4 goal difference at half time IMO wasnt the fairest of reflections on the game or that quarter. Notes:
*Wellman gone - with our backline the way it is it hurt and you can say basically we cant cover him. He will be missed.
*Alessio gets us within 2 points - we go into attack again, finally get some run, and Johnson dropps an absolute sitter - uncharacterstic and it gets him in trouble. They clear then a minute later Aka kicks a good goal under pressure. Then scott kicked a good goal straight after. We should have had a shot to get in front - and all of a sudden we are nearly 3 goals down. Gotta take chances like that against a good side.
*Barnard, normally a reliable shot for goal misses from 15m.
*Caracella marks at 50, chips to Mercuri and uncharacteristically drops a relatively easy mark. Had had the sit.
At this stage Blight comments that Essendon is going forward for little result. That has been the basic difference here, possession has been fairly even, but they have taken chances and we havnt.
*We are 3 goals down - Jacobs runs into attack, Lloyd has dropped on Michael, was 20 metres clear behind him at the top of the square - the ball is kicked straight to Michael. Unforgivable. It should have been a 2 goal game here.
*We have the ball in attack, McVeigh takes the ball at 50 with not long at all to go - kicked a shocka out of bounds. They rebound quickly and score a late goal with stung heavily. It should, and quite easily have been a 2 goal game and its four. There is no dobut we had enough of the ball this quarter for it to be closer than 2 goals. We werent as outplayed this quarter as the scoreboard suggests. I wont even mention frees here.
Stats show first half was even in possesion, inside 50, centre breaks etc. Frees were lopsided, but I wont mention them here.
3rd Quarter.
This is where the game was lost.
We dominate early - yet two clear scoring opportunites are taken off us. Both farily ordinary decisions. Hird mark was clearly 15 - taking the ball of Lloyd was sorta Poetic - nothing was going our way then that happens. Frustrating and still I dont see where the free was given against him.
We should not have been 4 goals down for a start - then 2 are taken off us. Scoreboard pressure makes a huge difference, and we just couldnt take a trick. Even if we kick those two, the total game complex changes.
Mercuri chaces the ball in the pocket - I was sitting up this end and Hird was deadset alone in a paddock right in the spot right in front of goal. If Mercuri connects off the ground it is a CERTAIN goal - cant see it on TV but the commentators comment on it. Frustrating.
Scott runs out of defence, tries to break two tackles, gets caught and drops the ball. Nothing.
very deflating.
Instead, they go up forward and Bradshaw kicks a goal and its a 5 and a half goal difference.
This is where I felt gutted, and as a fan basically through in the towel. Player body language indicated they felt similar.
The game was over here no doubt.
They played well no doubt - both teams missed players, I wont mention umpires here, and we didnt do ourselves any favours with some use of the ball and decision making.
We went to the Gabba and they beat us. I have no doubt the scoreboard did not reflect fairly how superior that are/were to us.
We had many players down and our defence was crippled when Wellman went. Sure,they lost Voss a champion, but their midfield can cover him better than our defence can Wellman, I think its fair to say. (Voss is a better play no doubt, but thats not what I am saying).
If we had a bit more luck it would have been a much better contest. Crucial moments didnt go our way, and it hurt us dearly both on the scoreboard, and in that 3rd quarter our players seemed to be frustrated.
We should have lost - but again I dont think the final result was necessarily a fair reflection.
Its amazing the effect certain things can have on a game. The last minutes of the 2nd and the first 10 of the 3rd were so crucial it wasnt funny.
It wasnt our night - congrats to Brisbane for setting the standard this year and being the ones to beat.
I havnt thrown in the towel, nor am I slitting my wrists like some other bomber fans I know.
Having played a fair bit at a high level - when you work hard for no reward and when your not protected with umpiring decision - it deflates you.
Look, things didnt go our way tonight. These two teams are streets ahead of the rest.
Flags arnt won in April.
I anxiously await round 18.
Little things in footy make a huge difference - and last night I was extremely frustrated, and having watched the replay it was the same. Nothing went our way and we had to live with that.
They played well no doubt, both teams can look forward to improvement and the Brisbane trip is over for us this H&A season.
What hurt us, and what I was frustrated about follows:
First quarter - should have capitalised more. Twice we hit the post, and at the other end Voss kicked a rippa. That happens - 2pt difference at qtr time - probably was a quarter played in two halves, them early then we settled the second half and steadied a bit.
Second term - our use of the ball wasnt fantastic, they played a good quarter but a 4 goal difference at half time IMO wasnt the fairest of reflections on the game or that quarter. Notes:
*Wellman gone - with our backline the way it is it hurt and you can say basically we cant cover him. He will be missed.
*Alessio gets us within 2 points - we go into attack again, finally get some run, and Johnson dropps an absolute sitter - uncharacterstic and it gets him in trouble. They clear then a minute later Aka kicks a good goal under pressure. Then scott kicked a good goal straight after. We should have had a shot to get in front - and all of a sudden we are nearly 3 goals down. Gotta take chances like that against a good side.
*Barnard, normally a reliable shot for goal misses from 15m.
*Caracella marks at 50, chips to Mercuri and uncharacteristically drops a relatively easy mark. Had had the sit.
At this stage Blight comments that Essendon is going forward for little result. That has been the basic difference here, possession has been fairly even, but they have taken chances and we havnt.
*We are 3 goals down - Jacobs runs into attack, Lloyd has dropped on Michael, was 20 metres clear behind him at the top of the square - the ball is kicked straight to Michael. Unforgivable. It should have been a 2 goal game here.
*We have the ball in attack, McVeigh takes the ball at 50 with not long at all to go - kicked a shocka out of bounds. They rebound quickly and score a late goal with stung heavily. It should, and quite easily have been a 2 goal game and its four. There is no dobut we had enough of the ball this quarter for it to be closer than 2 goals. We werent as outplayed this quarter as the scoreboard suggests. I wont even mention frees here.
Stats show first half was even in possesion, inside 50, centre breaks etc. Frees were lopsided, but I wont mention them here.
3rd Quarter.
This is where the game was lost.
We dominate early - yet two clear scoring opportunites are taken off us. Both farily ordinary decisions. Hird mark was clearly 15 - taking the ball of Lloyd was sorta Poetic - nothing was going our way then that happens. Frustrating and still I dont see where the free was given against him.
We should not have been 4 goals down for a start - then 2 are taken off us. Scoreboard pressure makes a huge difference, and we just couldnt take a trick. Even if we kick those two, the total game complex changes.
Mercuri chaces the ball in the pocket - I was sitting up this end and Hird was deadset alone in a paddock right in the spot right in front of goal. If Mercuri connects off the ground it is a CERTAIN goal - cant see it on TV but the commentators comment on it. Frustrating.
Scott runs out of defence, tries to break two tackles, gets caught and drops the ball. Nothing.
very deflating.
Instead, they go up forward and Bradshaw kicks a goal and its a 5 and a half goal difference.
This is where I felt gutted, and as a fan basically through in the towel. Player body language indicated they felt similar.
The game was over here no doubt.
They played well no doubt - both teams missed players, I wont mention umpires here, and we didnt do ourselves any favours with some use of the ball and decision making.
We went to the Gabba and they beat us. I have no doubt the scoreboard did not reflect fairly how superior that are/were to us.
We had many players down and our defence was crippled when Wellman went. Sure,they lost Voss a champion, but their midfield can cover him better than our defence can Wellman, I think its fair to say. (Voss is a better play no doubt, but thats not what I am saying).
If we had a bit more luck it would have been a much better contest. Crucial moments didnt go our way, and it hurt us dearly both on the scoreboard, and in that 3rd quarter our players seemed to be frustrated.
We should have lost - but again I dont think the final result was necessarily a fair reflection.
Its amazing the effect certain things can have on a game. The last minutes of the 2nd and the first 10 of the 3rd were so crucial it wasnt funny.
It wasnt our night - congrats to Brisbane for setting the standard this year and being the ones to beat.
I havnt thrown in the towel, nor am I slitting my wrists like some other bomber fans I know.
Having played a fair bit at a high level - when you work hard for no reward and when your not protected with umpiring decision - it deflates you.
Look, things didnt go our way tonight. These two teams are streets ahead of the rest.
Flags arnt won in April.
I anxiously await round 18.
