ant555
The Oracle
- Joined
- May 4, 2004
- Posts
- 40,177
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- Location
- lurking in the shadows of the matrix
- AFL Club
- Essendon
- Other Teams
- Penrith Panthers
Essendon v North
Just a bit on the game first. Yet another slow start. They did not really look all that fired up at all and North got full use of the corridor through some lazy midfield zone. There was the odd good patches of play but it was not until the third quarter that they played some good footy.
Skills remain an issue but the use of the ball by foot was a heap better than last week. Most of the turnovers where from kicking to contests because there was a lack of run through the middle and players got themselves in trouble because of the lack of options to kick to.
The real problem here is we don’t work hard enough to create the second receiving option coming out of defence. This leads to us having to kick backwards or give off multiple handballs under pressure. People can say what they want about the game plan but it is this lack of work through the middle and second efforts to provide options which really hurts us. It leads to the stuffing around with the footy because there are limited long options to kick to.
Too many blokes simply walking through the middle of the ground or not making an effort to get to space and make an option. Has been a problem for a few years now.
It appears that half forward could be a problem as well in the second kick option. There seems to be a lack of leads pushing up the ground that can give the players coming out of defence a good option. When McPhee has been playing well he gives a long lead to the wing which gives the defenders an option coming out. the problem is when he is not there we seem to have a distinct lack of leads coming from half forward.
The other problem we have is our zone is often not tight enough. Players in the midfield are happy to sit 5 or 6 meters off and concede a possession to their opponent when they push back rather than tightening the zone a little and cutting off the side ways option or some of the short kick options. There are a few guilty parties including Monfries, Watson, Stanton, Dyson, Nash, McPhee and Lovett.
We leak too many easy possessions through the middle because of it and every time North got a run on it was from a goal where they got an easy run through the middle.
As usual we are still not great at protecting the ball carrier. Handball and block seems to be non existant for a lot of our blokes. It is more of a handball and see if i can get it back for another stat mindset.
As for the game itself it was a good hit out and despite the loss parts of the game where probably the best we have played this pre season.
To start off the guys from the squad of 29 who did not play where Jetta, Zaharakis, Lovett-Murray and Houli.
Neagle. Simply should not be selected for round one. Played behind too often. Lack of second efforts lead to his man running off and getting involved in the play. Has to play 4 or 5 weeks with Bendigo to try and get his match fitness up to anywhere near AFL standard.
Dyson. Was on the bench for the first quarter and was used after Watson went off. Solid game. Got his share of the ball and worked hard. Not too many stuff ups from what I can remember
Watson , was going ok until he got kneed in the back of the head in a marking contest.
Stanton, Usual good work on the offensive side. Definitely improved by the run last week. A lot less fumbles and a few of the marks stuck. Still ordinary defensive wise and was one of the culprits who let his man loose through the middle.
Monfries , same sort of Gus game. Got a few possessions but did not really have an effect on the game. Seems to end up as the lead up forward a lot rather than being a crumbing forward.
Winderlich , ok game but looked to be struggling to push to space a few times and his disposal was a bit scratchy. Keeps going though and got the extended hit out he needed.
Lovett , not as good as his previous few games. Did a few nice things here and there but could have worked a bit harder. Like Stanton he was guilty of concentration lapses in his defensive work.
Lonergan , good game. Went in hard all day.
Demspey , showed good dash again and used the footy heaps better this week. Put his body on the line a few times.
Nash , did not get a run until Myers went of injured. Nothing special. Kicked a good goal, turned a couple over. Usual stuff.
Lloyd , pretty good game. Worked hard up the ground and kicked a few goals.
Hille , we will be in serious trouble without this blokes effort around the ground. Very good again.
Slattery , was ok until he hurt his ankle going hard at a contest late in the second quarter.
Skipworth , very quiet first quarter. Was reasonably good after quarter time but not as good as his first couple of games.
Hurley , did some good stuff. Ran of his man to receive a handball and kick a good 50 meter goal. Reasonable in defence but had his moments of trouble. Ok game.
Myers, had a couple of kicks early but went off with an ankle injury.
Lucas , still looks very scratchy. Struggled to mark most of the night and just looks out of touch. Kept trying hard and had a reasonable hit out. His opponent ran off him a bit as well.
Daniher , tries hard but needs to slow down 5% at times. He attacks the contest or the ball carrier too hard and it leads him to running under the ball or past the player with the ball. Seems to be coming along ok. Has to watch his chip kicks as he can give them too much air.
Davey , better again this week. Looking good for round 1.
Ryder. Not a lot of the ball. Ok in defence but I wish he would concentrate on tightening up on his opponent a bit more. He gets lead to the ball way too often.
Fletcher , good game. Fletch is Fletch. He just keeps on keeping on. Kicked a great 60 meter goal.
McPhee , looked good up forward except he was slightly off line with his kicking. Looked his usual self in defence . He gives you nightmares under pressure. As usual you could not knock his work rate.
Atkinson , came burning out of defence a few times but lack of options to kick to stopped him in his tracks pretty quickly.
Hocking , played everywhere. Spent time on the wing or following Ben Ross early. Played a lot in defence in the second half on a few different guys. Kicked the footy a bit more today and took the game on a couple of times.
Made a couple of errors but was one of a few that seemed to be able to play hard man on man in defence.
Bellchambers, good effort in the ruck and is improving around the ground.
Just a bit on the game first. Yet another slow start. They did not really look all that fired up at all and North got full use of the corridor through some lazy midfield zone. There was the odd good patches of play but it was not until the third quarter that they played some good footy.
Skills remain an issue but the use of the ball by foot was a heap better than last week. Most of the turnovers where from kicking to contests because there was a lack of run through the middle and players got themselves in trouble because of the lack of options to kick to.
The real problem here is we don’t work hard enough to create the second receiving option coming out of defence. This leads to us having to kick backwards or give off multiple handballs under pressure. People can say what they want about the game plan but it is this lack of work through the middle and second efforts to provide options which really hurts us. It leads to the stuffing around with the footy because there are limited long options to kick to.
Too many blokes simply walking through the middle of the ground or not making an effort to get to space and make an option. Has been a problem for a few years now.
It appears that half forward could be a problem as well in the second kick option. There seems to be a lack of leads pushing up the ground that can give the players coming out of defence a good option. When McPhee has been playing well he gives a long lead to the wing which gives the defenders an option coming out. the problem is when he is not there we seem to have a distinct lack of leads coming from half forward.
The other problem we have is our zone is often not tight enough. Players in the midfield are happy to sit 5 or 6 meters off and concede a possession to their opponent when they push back rather than tightening the zone a little and cutting off the side ways option or some of the short kick options. There are a few guilty parties including Monfries, Watson, Stanton, Dyson, Nash, McPhee and Lovett.
We leak too many easy possessions through the middle because of it and every time North got a run on it was from a goal where they got an easy run through the middle.
As usual we are still not great at protecting the ball carrier. Handball and block seems to be non existant for a lot of our blokes. It is more of a handball and see if i can get it back for another stat mindset.
As for the game itself it was a good hit out and despite the loss parts of the game where probably the best we have played this pre season.
To start off the guys from the squad of 29 who did not play where Jetta, Zaharakis, Lovett-Murray and Houli.
Neagle. Simply should not be selected for round one. Played behind too often. Lack of second efforts lead to his man running off and getting involved in the play. Has to play 4 or 5 weeks with Bendigo to try and get his match fitness up to anywhere near AFL standard.
Dyson. Was on the bench for the first quarter and was used after Watson went off. Solid game. Got his share of the ball and worked hard. Not too many stuff ups from what I can remember
Watson , was going ok until he got kneed in the back of the head in a marking contest.
Stanton, Usual good work on the offensive side. Definitely improved by the run last week. A lot less fumbles and a few of the marks stuck. Still ordinary defensive wise and was one of the culprits who let his man loose through the middle.
Monfries , same sort of Gus game. Got a few possessions but did not really have an effect on the game. Seems to end up as the lead up forward a lot rather than being a crumbing forward.
Winderlich , ok game but looked to be struggling to push to space a few times and his disposal was a bit scratchy. Keeps going though and got the extended hit out he needed.
Lovett , not as good as his previous few games. Did a few nice things here and there but could have worked a bit harder. Like Stanton he was guilty of concentration lapses in his defensive work.
Lonergan , good game. Went in hard all day.
Demspey , showed good dash again and used the footy heaps better this week. Put his body on the line a few times.
Nash , did not get a run until Myers went of injured. Nothing special. Kicked a good goal, turned a couple over. Usual stuff.
Lloyd , pretty good game. Worked hard up the ground and kicked a few goals.
Hille , we will be in serious trouble without this blokes effort around the ground. Very good again.
Slattery , was ok until he hurt his ankle going hard at a contest late in the second quarter.
Skipworth , very quiet first quarter. Was reasonably good after quarter time but not as good as his first couple of games.
Hurley , did some good stuff. Ran of his man to receive a handball and kick a good 50 meter goal. Reasonable in defence but had his moments of trouble. Ok game.
Myers, had a couple of kicks early but went off with an ankle injury.
Lucas , still looks very scratchy. Struggled to mark most of the night and just looks out of touch. Kept trying hard and had a reasonable hit out. His opponent ran off him a bit as well.
Daniher , tries hard but needs to slow down 5% at times. He attacks the contest or the ball carrier too hard and it leads him to running under the ball or past the player with the ball. Seems to be coming along ok. Has to watch his chip kicks as he can give them too much air.
Davey , better again this week. Looking good for round 1.
Ryder. Not a lot of the ball. Ok in defence but I wish he would concentrate on tightening up on his opponent a bit more. He gets lead to the ball way too often.
Fletcher , good game. Fletch is Fletch. He just keeps on keeping on. Kicked a great 60 meter goal.
McPhee , looked good up forward except he was slightly off line with his kicking. Looked his usual self in defence . He gives you nightmares under pressure. As usual you could not knock his work rate.
Atkinson , came burning out of defence a few times but lack of options to kick to stopped him in his tracks pretty quickly.
Hocking , played everywhere. Spent time on the wing or following Ben Ross early. Played a lot in defence in the second half on a few different guys. Kicked the footy a bit more today and took the game on a couple of times.
Made a couple of errors but was one of a few that seemed to be able to play hard man on man in defence.
Bellchambers, good effort in the ruck and is improving around the ground.
...they know we're waiting
