Changes against the Dons

[HongKongRoo]

Essendon have a tall defense, Ryder and Fletcher are both virtually ruckmen. McPhee and Mal are also relatively tall and good in the air. Bringing Hale in may work against us. What if Brown went out for Trotter or Thomas. Petrie has been providing some great contest in the forward line and even kicking a few himself. Edwards looks terrific up the ground while the crumbers have been devestating. Who cares how big or tall they are, if they can't run away from flash and shagga they will bring them to ground. Watt and Smith can hold the talls in the backline and Gibbo, Firrito and Pratty will take the rest with Arch either Marshalling the defense or providing the contest in the forward line that Brown couldn't when Petrie goes into the ruck.

 

[CrazyQ]

Not exactly sure what that means...

Sorry, meant who are gonna play in those positions.

 

[KingyOrTheKing]

What if Brown went out for Trotter or Thomas.

Not going to happen. He'd have to go touchless for 6 straight weeks for it to happen. Even then....

 

[Z_K]

Trotter strained a hamstring in the NB game.

****.

 

[RED AND BLACK SOLDIER]

You're missing the point. Edwards would run him ragged. In fact I can't think of one person on our current forward line that Michael could keep up with. Last year while at Brisbane he got killed on the lead by Thommo, and he isn't even that fast.

The comments i made were in regards to "Anti Gold Coast" comments, he said just kick it long to Edwards one out with his opponent and edwards will take the contested mark. That's why i made the comment of putting big mal on him. But im not sure who will get Edwards, maybe McPhee if it doesn't disturb his run off half back, not McVeigh, He'll prbably get Grant, maybe M.J will get him, who knows!

 

[Shinboners]

Essendon have a tall defense, Ryder and Fletcher are both virtually ruckmen. McPhee and Mal are also relatively tall and good in the air. Bringing Hale in may work against us.

From what I can gather, it was the running players that have chopped up Essendon in recent weeks.

I would go for a small to medium sized forward line. It would leave Fletcher and Michael without opponents, and Essendon would either have to risk getting run off their feet OR set up a new backline where at least two players would be unsure of their roles. If it works, then Fletcher and/or Michael would have to go to the bench, which reduce's Sheedy's options on the interchanges he can do.

 

[KingyOrTheKing]

From what I can gather, it was the running players that have chopped up Essendon in recent weeks.

I would go for a small to medium sized forward line. It would leave Fletcher and Michael without opponents, and Essendon would either have to risk getting run off their feet OR set up a new backline where at least two players would be unsure of their roles. If it works, then Fletcher and/or Michael would have to go to the bench, which reduce's Sheedy's options on the interchanges he can do.

Fletcher in the forward line? Has happened against us before...

 

[mustapha]

Just apply some pressure in the midfield. We will cough it up with our poor skills under pressure and then you can kick it to your unmarked forwards as most of our running defenders will have committed to running forward in anticipation of someone else kicking it to them. It is that simple. Congratulations in advance.

 

[mark73]

Just apply some pressure in the midfield. We will cough it up with our poor skills under pressure and then you can kick it to your unmarked forwards as most of our running defenders will have committed to running forward in anticipation of someone else kicking it to them. It is that simple. Congratulations in advance.

You aint fooling anyone.

 

[Mr Reliable]

Just apply some pressure in the midfield. We will cough it up with our poor skills under pressure and then you can kick it to your unmarked forwards as most of our running defenders will have committed to running forward in anticipation of someone else kicking it to them. It is that simple. Congratulations in advance.

Is that you Sheeds?

 

[mustapha]

Is that you Sheeds?

You got me

Seriously if you watched any of the Hawthorn game you would have seen this happen. The amount of times that we would give the ball up in the midfield was unbelievable. We would run around like headless chooks until reaching the HBF or the wing where Hawthorn would be given the ball. They could then move the ball quickly into the forward line to Franklin who was on fire.

On the rare occasion that we did get it into the forward fifty (after 50 short chip kicks) Hawthorn would have more than half of their team in defensive fifty because we moved the ball so slowly. When we do get a rare centre clearance we look great. It is very frustrating when you have such great marking targets (Lucas, Lloyd, Johns) but refuse to move the ball quickly to give them a chance.

North have always been hard at the ball and will cause the same problems that Hawthorn did. You will all have a good laugh on Friday night.

 

[The Zebra]

You got me

Seriously if you watched any of the Hawthorn game you would have seen this happen. The amount of times that we would give the ball up in the midfield was unbelievable. We would run around like headless chooks until reaching the HBF or the wing where Hawthorn would be given the ball. They could then move the ball quickly into the forward line to Franklin who was on fire.

On the rare occasion that we did get it into the forward fifty (after 50 short chip kicks) Hawthorn would have more than half of their team in defensive fifty because we moved the ball so slowly. When we do get a rare centre clearance we look great. It is very frustrating when you have such great marking targets (Lucas, Lloyd, Johns) but refuse to move the ball quickly to give them a chance.

North have always been hard at the ball and will cause the same problems that Hawthorn did. You will all have a good laugh on Friday night.

Ban this bloke.
He is setting us up for a fall.

 

[mustapha]

Did you all have a good laugh on Friday night?

 

[Hearts to hearts]

Did you all have a good laugh on Friday night?

On and off. The first minute and the last three minutes were the most fun, most of the time in between I was anxious that Essendon might turn their dominance into goals.

As you seem like a reasonable person, I'll just say that it must be very frustrating for you watching Lucas and Hird playing so well, and a couple of your young guys (and Peverill, to give him his due) busting their arses, and so many slugs around them. Houli justified the hoopla for you guys, good to have that extra to give you a lift on a disappointing night.

From our side, the late change didn't make much difference - Hamish was still worked into the ground rucking, Petrie still helped out wherever he was needed, and the other forwards and mids did almost all the work to kick a winning score. Campbell was kept out of it, Grant kept out for three quarters, Wells was down and out early - but Harris and Swallow were an absolute force, pressuring Essendon and getting quality ball forward for us. Smith stepped up, Firrito continued his excellent form. Overall though, not a great show from our guys - could have gone either way, so we'll take it as a lucky one (to helo make up for a couple of early unlucky losses).