Game Day Essendon v. Sydney, Friday 7.40pm @ Marvel Stadium

[Jeffers]

It won't just be if we win or not, but also how we play. If we play like last week but manage to eke out a win that is not a win in my book. We need to play like we did in the first 10 weeks. Without that we are just making up the numbers come finals.

Umm this part of the year is all about winning. Doesn’t matter how or why. If it’s scrappy or if we win by 100. We just win from here on in

 

[RUNVS]

Umm this part of the year is all about winning. Doesn’t matter how or why. If it’s scrappy or if we win by 100. We just win from here on in

I disagree. Winning like we did against Collingwood won't help us come finals. Who cares if we finish top of the table if we are out in straight sets.

 

[JackHiscoxWasFast]

Strike First, Strike Hard, No Mercy.

 

[RUNVS]

Strike First, Strike Hard, No Mercy.

 

[JackHiscoxWasFast]

Finish Them ! Sweep the Leg !

 

[Bloods86]

Good grief snap out of it misery guts

There's a fair amount of truth there.

We can still win though, and form can change, even if some of us think there are additional moves to do it better.

 

[Millky95]

Well at least no one can attempt to elbow Chad in the face this game

But Bombers are going to play dirty if behind but they won't have to be

 

[Wheresbuddy]

I suppose another way to look at it all is just get another win (doesn't matter how) and lock up a top 2 spot. Then we get to the week off, players freshen up, McInerney and Paps come back and we smashed out the finals.

 

[GotTheGoodes]

Swans by 37!

Easy win tonight. Cruising in the 4th... let them kick 6 goals on us in the last as we rest 12 players on the bench for the whole 4th quarter.

Up the bloods!!

 

[JackHiscoxWasFast]

Well at least no one can attempt to elbow Chad in the face this game

But Bombers are going to play dirty if behind but they won't have to be

The flying elbow off the top turnbuckle - was the biggest dog act of the year. Thank goodness it didn’t connect

 

[liz]

Do we get the great swans or the diabolical swans tonight? Sadly there’s no in between for us.

That’s not true. We were only truly awful against the Dogs and Power (and maybe Richmond). Against the Lions, St Kilda and Freo were were more than reasonable except for those goddam awful first quarters (which we also had against teams we comfortably beat).

In some ways maybe it’s not a bad thing to be without Chad. Not from the perspective of being more likely to win (we’re not) but from the sense of whether something awoke in the whole team in that final quarter or whether it was solely the brilliance of Heeney that got us over the line. It wasn’t just that Heeney played a magnificent quarter. On its own that wasn’t enough. He was enabled to do that because other players started running and pressuring again.

We know this team has it in them to play the kind of football that can deliver a flag. But if that’s to happen we need the likes of Lloyd, Florent, Campbell, Jordon and Cunningham to start running the way they were three months ago. They did in the last quarter last week. Will they keep doing it?

(Sadly JMac was one of those who most exemplified the running, and we’ll have to do without him for a little while longer. )

 

[Donza]

Oh thats right.

Its the return of the edge.

Sharpen the mouthguards people.

 

[sataris]

The flying elbow off the top turnbuckle - was the biggest dog act of the year. Thank goodness it didn’t connect

I'm genuinely curious what would have happened if that did connect.

 

[Bloods86]

That’s not true. We were only truly awful against the Dogs and Power (and maybe Richmond). Against the Lions, St Kilda and Freo were were more than reasonable except for those goddam awful first quarters (which we also had against teams we comfortably beat).

Saints wasn't the first quarter. We just capitulated to a poor team, in mediocre form. Certainly a worse performance than Freo, which was worse than Lions which had effort, but some costly ump decisions and poor composure by us going forward in the first (we bring the same effort, we win most games).

 

[TheWhiteRhino]

So, even if it was injury-induced, we've managed to 'rest' Chad, Heeney, Rowbottom, Papley, Rampe, Melican, Mills and McInerney in the second half of the season. Plus Parker is coming off an extended break.

IF everyone is healthy come finals, they should be pretty fresh.

 

[Bloods86]

So, even if it was injury-induced, we've managed to 'rest' Chad, Heeney, Rowbottom, Papley, Rampe, Melican, Mills and McInerney in the second half of the season. Plus Parker is coming off an extended break.

IF everyone is healthy come finals, they should be pretty fresh.

Don't know if I'd consider Paps and McInerney "rested" come finals. They'll be playing catch up.

Mills too, not sure if gassed halfway through the 2nd means he's fresh.

 

[sr20]

That umpiring quartet is terrifying.

I think they've brought in Weidemann to ensure we have to play Blakey on someone dangerous.

Melican, McCartin will have Weidemann and Caddy
Rampe will have Stringer, which means Blakey will probably have to play on Langford.

 

[Bloods86]

That umpiring quartet is terrifying.

I think they've brought in Weidemann to ensure we have to play Blakey on someone dangerous.

Melican, McCartin will have Weidemann and Caddy
Rampe will have Stringer, which means Blakey will probably have to play on Langford.

TMac on Weidemann
Melican on Langford
Rampe on Caddy
Mills on Stringer

Or have Mills on Caddy, Rampe on Stringer.

If Horse refuses to play Mills in defence and Florent or Blakey have to go one-on-one with a decent forward, then it's a coaching issue.

 

[Jeffers]

I'd be scared of Mills vs Stringer. Would have to be Rampe I think. Just hope we can Blakey in an attacking role.
Gulden will need to fire with Chad out. Depending on who is sub, this could be a huge opportunity for Corey to fill the void of Chad with his run and carry.

 

[sr20]

TMac on Weidemann
Melican on Langford
Rampe on Caddy
Mills on Stringer

Or have Mills on Caddy, Rampe on Stringer.

If Horse refuses to play Mills in defence and Florent or Blakey have to go one-on-one with a decent forward, then it's a coaching issue.

Peak Mills would solve the issue, agreed. The Mills we have, not so sure.

 

[Punts]

Be a close one

Our form is very average ( out of 8 stuff ) so wouldn’t surprise me if they knocked us

Let’s just win this the contest and play strong

 

[Bloods86]

Peak Mills would solve the issue, agreed. The Mills we have, not so sure.

Better than Blakey.

Langford didn't really play up forward against the Suns, so that might change. Previous week he kicked a couple but Caddy wasn't as prominent.

So maybe Melican on Langford if he's up forward, Rampe on Stringer, Mills on Caddy is the way to go.

 

[MF]

Good grief snap out of it misery guts

Yeah, at least wait until 3 minutes into the first quarter like the rest of us.

 

[Shane Heard]

Strike First, Strike Hard, No Mercy.

That’s Dylan shiels’ mantra..you know.

Get your own.

 

[rustycrate]

That’s Dylan shiels’ mantra..you know.

Get your own.

Who is Dylan Sheil?