Preview Collingwood vs Essendon, ANZAC Day @ Melbourne Cricket Ground, 2:40PM

[Bombers36]

OUT: Daniher, Hardingham, Ashby
IN: Bellchambers, Winderlich, Goddard

Goddard to play full forward. We need more from Zakka & Melksham, and Carlisle is much better than he showed against the Saints. I haven't lost the faith - YET....!!!

Fletch Hurley Baguley
Hibberd Hooker Gleeson
J.Merrett Watson Melksham
Zakka Carlisle Stanton
Winders Goddard Chapman

Ryder Myers Hocking

Bench from: Heppell Jetta Bellchambers
SUB: Howlett

 

[rines]

Why the need to drop our BEST CONTESTED MARKER this season??

JD is LEADING the contested marks.. and yet he gets dropped.. ffs I just don't get it..

 

[eth-dog]

As well as dropping our leading goalkicker this season.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

In: Goddard, Winderlich, Ambrose
Out: Jetta, Melksham, Howlett


B: Baguley - Hurley - Fletcher
HB: Hibberd - Hooker - Gleeson
C: Stanton - Watson - Merrett
HF: Ambrose - Daniher - Chapman
F: Winderlich - Carlisle - Hardingham
R: Ryder - Hocking - Heppell
I: Myers - Goddard - Zaharakis
S: Ashby

E: Aylett - Melksham - Howlett

 

[BomberFan355]

Is Ambrose available?

 

[Yoda_]

Have a feeling TBC will play. If so, JD plays as well..

Would allow our structure to be maintained if TBC can't sustain a whole game

 

[Yoda_]

In: Goddard, Winderlich, Ambrose
Out: Jetta, Melksham, Howlett

E: Aylett - Melksham - Howlett

Don't be at all surprised to see this bloke debut on Friday after a clear BOG on Good Friday

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Is Ambrose available?

I bloody well hope so.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Don't be at all surprised to see this bloke debut on Friday after a clear BOG on Good Friday

I would have put him as sub, but Ashby impressed and earned another crack.

Howlett pretty stiff as well.

 

[rines]

Collingwood aren't a super fast team.. especially in defence, so I think we can carry the three talls.

I think TBell must come in. Need a big marking target up there to drag at least 1 tall off JD.

For mine:
In: Goddard, Winderlich, TBell
Out: Jetta, Howlett, Hardingham


B: Baguley - Hurley - Fletcher
HB: Hibberd - Hooker - Gleeson
C: Stanton - Watson - Merrett
HF: Goddard - Daniher - Chapman
F: Winderlich - Carlisle - Zaka
R: Ryder - Hocking - Heppell
I: TBell, Myers, Melksham
S: Ashby

If it isn't working with 3 talls.. we know Ashby can play small.. so make the switch at half time.

 

[Yoda_]

I would have put him as sub, but Ashby impressed and earned another crack.

Howlett pretty stiff as well.

Ashby and Aylett seem to be similar type of accumulators. One on the outside (Ashby) the other an inside ball winner (Aylett).

Would see Aylett start on the bench and Ashby as the sub after doing a reasonable job again.

Wonder if Zac MErret comes back into the equation after another good display in the VFL? (I personally would't but 26 possessions, a goal and several tackles suggest he may be better served in the AFL).

 

[Yoda_]

Bit of a left field suggestion but lets throw Bags onto the ball for a quarter and just throw himself at Pendlebury, Swan, Beams etc.

His attack on the ball is second to none and would actually help out Jobe inside.

(edit. seriously doubt it would happen but the other bloke who performed inside on Saty night was moved to half back for the middle quarters of the game)

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Ashby and Aylett seem to be similar type of accumulators. One on the outside (Ashby) the other an inside ball winner (Aylett).

Would see Aylett start on the bench and Ashby as the sub after doing a reasonable job again.

Wonder if Zac MErret comes back into the equation after another good display in the VFL? (I personally would't but 26 possessions, a goal and several tackles suggest he may be better served in the AFL).

Who do you leave out though? I'd already dropped Melksham, Howlett and Jetta, and still couldn't find room.

 

[eth-dog]

Who do you leave out though? I'd already dropped Melksham, Howlett and Jetta, and still couldn't find room.

Will Hocking be right to go?

 

[Donakebab]

Any word on Hocking's hand?

 

[fishardansin]

Nor will Bellchambers be ready this week. I also think that Hardingham gets a repreive and back him in to kick goals if the midfield moves the ball quicker.

Carlisle to back up Ryder in the ruck but to play deep. He is getting lost of half forward. Hardingham also to go deep. Jetta to push up higher. Goddard to play deep and rotate through the middle if Watson has a crack up forward. Winderlich and Chappy to add a lot of smarts to the half forward line that will see good entries making Carlisle/Ryder, Goddard and Hardingham more dangerous. JD to push high and provide options to make their players required to sag back more and hence more options for short passing.

Bombers were looking worse than this leading into round 1 and then came out and played two fantastic games, hard to asses the game against Carlton because they were really crap. I sit right near the fence at docklands so I don't get a great view of structures, but I do get a great sense of run and effort in the contest. Essendon did not push hard to defend around the ball when the Saints had it, were less committed in the contest than the Saints and when we had the ball not enough people were on their bike to provide options. So many of the turnover kicks just looked tired. Saints pushed hard and made those passes that were 1m off the mark into turnovers. The difference between the way the boys looked from round 2 to round 5 at ground level was very stark.

I am convinced that a number of the players are feeling the virus then 30+ heat followed by a 6 day break. I think they will turn it around this week. That doesn't mean they'll win as the pies are playing well right now. Dempsey out is still hurting us a lot. As he and Hibberd have been fantastic as a partnership because you can't have an effective forward line AND stop BOTH of their run. When one is out not only do we lose their ability but the other one's output drops. This really hurts our whole team structure because we have plenty of run through the middle, just that only Zaka and Melksham are close to line breaking and they aren't great at that anyway, so our ball movement is much more easily stagnated. We are also more likely to be exposed out the back without Dempsey's pace so it's harder for our defence to push up as high, so getting back to help is a larger ordeal for the mids.
I'm thinking that while Dempsey is out we push Winderlich down back to play the role that we want Dempsey to. It was good last year as it covered that hole for us and got Winderlich back into form when he'd been struggling a bit. Depending on match ups we could send Hardingham down there so that Hibberd could be pushed into a more offensive role. Hardingham's going onto Thomas in the last quarter of round 1 sealed the game as he completely closed out the only man they had that resembled an attacking option. I personally think that we could plan to play with a number of options down there and rotate through them through the game. Winderlich, Hardingham and Gleeson switching between ends and that leading to Baguely and Hibberd playing different roles.

 

[rines]

Hmmmm maybe stirring up some controversy will get the boys going...

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/thompson-players-at-odds-as-bombers-skid-20140420-zqwyp.html

 

[Scodog10]

Just my take on some of the moves going in to Friday.

Macaffer is likely to go to Heppell in much the same way that Hocking likely goes to Pendles. I can't imagine that we'd sit on Watson with our preference generally toward going head to head with the oppositions best insider.

I'd expect bulk time to be put into Hibberd. From our perspective not allowing him to get dangerous by limiting his possessions to the defensive 50 would be a priority. Whether it's Goldsack or Blair that gets this one I'm unsure, but it's a given.

From there I have no doubt that you'll likewise attempt to nullify Fasolo's influence. Who's the likely man for that role? I'd personally like it to be v Chapman from a developmental perspective (even if he is likely to school him), but it's likely that Toovey goes to Chappy. That probably leaves Zaharakis as the go to man?

Lastly the most intriguing one is Elliott. My fear is Fletcher going to him so I'm hopeful of Baguley getting the job. Which way do you believe it's likely to pan out?

Outside of that everything else takes care of itself and boils down to who gets on top through the midfield and provides the best service to their forwards.

 

[fishardansin]

B: Baguley - Hurley - Fletcher
HB: Hibberd - Hooker - Winderlich
C: Stanton - Watson - Merrett
HF: Gleeson - Daniher - Chapman
F: Goddard - Carlisle - Hardingham
R: Ryder - Melksham - Heppell
I: Myers, Zaka , Howlett
S: Jetta

In: Goddard, Winderlich,
Out: Ashby, Hocking

 

[Loonerty]

Just my take on some of the moves going in to Friday.

Macaffer is likely to go to Heppell in much the same way that Hocking likely goes to Pendles. I can't imagine that we'd sit on Watson with our preference generally toward going head to head with the oppositions best insider.

I'd expect bulk time to be put into Hibberd. From our perspective not allowing him to get dangerous by limiting his possessions to the defensive 50 would be a priority. Whether it's Goldsack or Blair that gets this one I'm unsure, but it's a given.

From there I have no doubt that you'll likewise attempt to nullify Fasolo's influence. Who's the likely man for that role? I'd personally like it to be v Chapman from a developmental perspective (even if he is likely to school him), but it's likely that Toovey goes to Chappy. That probably leaves Zaharakis as the go to man?

Lastly the most intriguing one is Elliott. My fear is Fletcher going to him so I'm hopeful of Baguley getting the job. Which way do you believe it's likely to pan out?

Outside of that everything else takes care of itself and boils down to who gets on top through the midfield and provides the best service to their forwards.

Fasolo will either have Howlett or Merrett I'd say, with the other taking Sidebottom. I'd rather Merrett go to Sidebottom.

Baguley will play on Elliott I think. Not sure why you'd be hopeful of that given how well Baguley has been playing though.

 

[fishardansin]

After reading that Goddard probably wont be available and will I will now go with this team:

B: Baguley - Hurley - Fletcher
HB: Hibberd - Hooker - Winderlich
C: Stanton - Watson - Merrett
HF: Gleeson - Daniher - Chapman
F: Jetta - Carlisle - Hardingham
R: Ryder - Hocking - Heppell
I: Myers, Zaka , Melksham
S: Howlett

In: Winderlich
Out: Ashby

 

[Scodog10]

Fasolo will either have Howlett or Merrett I'd say, with the other taking Sidebottom. I'd rather Merrett go to Sidebottom.

Baguley will play on Elliott I think. Not sure why you'd be hopeful of that given how well Baguley has been playing though.

Definitely agree on Baguley he's playing some quality footy it's more so Elliott related than a knock on Baguley in any way.

Elliott plays like a sub 6 foot KPP due to his hands and leap. Fletcher is a better match for him in the air than Baguley and considering Elliott is a mark and kick forward I would much prefer a smaller type on him than a tall.

It's part way why he's kicked 13 this year. There's been 3 teams who have gotten the match up wrong on him and Elliott has cashed in with 10 goals in those matches.

 

[rines]

Shattering that Goddard may not play.. such a big loss. Uncoverable.

 

[calyam]

I heard BJ speak at an Essedonians corporate dinner before the game on Saturday night and he said he ran 5km (via a variety of sprint work) that day, had pulled up fine, and rated himself at around 85 per cent fitness. That might've changed since then but his comments suggest that he'd have to be pretty close to playing.

 

[Bombers36]

OK 2nd go. OUT: Ashby, Howlett IN: BJ, Winders

Daniher stays in - will be much better with Winders & BJ playing alongside him.
Zaharakis plays SUB and comes on in the last quater to kick the winning goal circa 2009

Fletch Hurley Baguley
Hibberd Hooker Heppell
Gleeson Watson Stanton
Chapman Carlisle Jetta
Goddard Daniher Winders

Ryder Myers Hocking

Bench from: J.Merrett Melksham Hardingham
SUB: Zakka