Preview Essendon vs Melbourne - Saturday, April 6 - MCG (unchanged side from Adelaide game)

[The Jet]

To be honest, these are games we should be winning quite well. We are a fair bit better side than the same time last year with the extra 12 months up our sleeves. But in saying that, I'd be pleased with a 30 point win. Melbourne is the type of club (like other low poor clubs) that lose games early just like their current reputation shows.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Need to get of to a flyer at least 5 or 6 goals up in the 1st Melbourne will have no hope of winning if this happens,it was only our shit foot skills and no pressure on the scoreboard that kept Melbourne in it.

 

[HerculesRockefeller]

I've been putting those in for the past 2 years?

sorry just thought sports bet had gotten to you with fistfuls of dollars.
but SRS wasn't having a crack at you. More a crack at the invasion of gambling into every crevice of society.

 

[eth-dog]

sorry just thought sports bet had gotten to you with fistfuls of dollars.
but SRS wasn't having a crack at you. More a crack at the invasion of gambling into every crevice of society.

Haha I wish

 

[Beerfish]

We need to be careful of the Brad Green effect.. one of these current blokes who normally does nothing will pipe up and try to kick 5 or 6 goals. We have to be ready for it and STOP THEM.

If we can do that it should be us by plenty.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

We need to be careful of the Brad Green effect.. one of these current blokes who normally does nothing will pipe up and try to kick 5 or 6 goals. We have to be ready for it and STOP THEM.

If we can do that it should be us by plenty.

Among the biggest campaigners in footballing history.

 

[Lord Nicholson]

I would argue that the Demons showed more fight and pluck in 2011, and were just plain smarter when it came to the conditions in 2012.

We were coming off wins both times, and by all rights were equipped to win both games, especially when you consider how dismal the Melbourne side has been for the last two years on the whole. I think it's damning that we were the only non-expansion side to succumb to them in 2012, and if memory serves one of only two Victorian sides to fall to them in 2011.

What I would take out of round 1 in regards to this is that the systems appear to have improved, the logic and on-the-spot thinking of the players has taken a turn for the better (and it absolutely had to), and it's mixed with the right level of frenetic desperation. I don't know how sustainable that is, and the Football Park performance might be the outlier, but unlike last year, I think we've set the standard right off the bat. Whereas in 2012, while everyone has ranted and raved about how great we were and how far we fell, only two or three performances were genuinely satisfactory, and none of them were comprehensive.

If that standard can be either improved on or sustained, we should be able to account for Melbourne easily. Going on past form from Hird's tenure though, and given the circumstances surrounding the club, that's as big an "if" as any.

Furthermore... I can't remember a side that has changed so dramatically in terms of players from one season to another than Melbourne from 2012 to 2013. It seems as if half the side has been culled from elsewhere. I honestly have no idea what to expect. I don't think they do either.

 

[lamaros]

I would argue that the Demons showed more fight and pluck in 2011, and were just plain smarter when it came to the conditions in 2012.

Not kicking points = smarter? Yes.

Not kicking points = playing the conditions? No.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Also, Sellar is ahead of Pedersen at this stage.

 

[Lord Nicholson]

Not kicking points = smarter? Yes.

Not kicking points = playing the conditions? No.

I haven't and won't watch that game again, but they seemed to be more cautious and methodical going forward, whereas the blaze away/play on mentality came unstuck for us there, and was then extrapolated a month later against St Kilda.

 

[daffo]

We better win.

 

[VelvetSledge]

I would argue that the Demons showed more fight and pluck in 2011, and were just plain smarter when it came to the conditions in 2012.

We were coming off wins both times, and by all rights were equipped to win both games, especially when you consider how dismal the Melbourne side has been for the last two years on the whole. I think it's damning that we were the only non-expansion side to succumb to them in 2012, and if memory serves one of only two Victorian sides to fall to them in 2011.

What I would take out of round 1 in regards to this is that the systems appear to have improved, the logic and on-the-spot thinking of the players has taken a turn for the better (and it absolutely had to), and it's mixed with the right level of frenetic desperation. I don't know how sustainable that is, and the Football Park performance might be the outlier, but unlike last year, I think we've set the standard right off the bat. Whereas in 2012, while everyone has ranted and raved about how great we were and how far we fell, only two or three performances were genuinely satisfactory, and none of them were comprehensive.

If that standard can be either improved on or sustained, we should be able to account for Melbourne easily. Going on past form from Hird's tenure though, and given the circumstances surrounding the club, that's as big an "if" as any.

Furthermore... I can't remember a side that has changed so dramatically in terms of players from one season to another than Melbourne from 2012 to 2013. It seems as if half the side has been culled from elsewhere. I honestly have no idea what to expect. I don't think they do either.

That was written like a 19th century art piece.
And I agree with all that was said.

Kudos, sir.

 

[LocalBomber]

I have never watched this game and never will.
That night something told me we were going to be beaten.
I was not surprised by the result when I looked at my app.

 

[Charliebrow 16]

We need to be careful of the Brad Green effect.. one of these current blokes who normally does nothing will pipe up and try to kick 5 or 6 goals. We have to be ready for it and STOP THEM.

If we can do that it should be us by plenty.

Is Rodan fit? He's the one that usually utilises the "Brad Green Effect" whenever we play a side that he's involved with. Kicks goals and also tears us apart in the midfield.

 

[Phone]

seriously can we stop playing Melbourne at the MCG as one of our MCG home games. what a waste. sort it out already essendon

 

[Doss]

seriously can we stop playing Melbourne at the MCG as one of our MCG home games. what a waste. sort it out already essendon

It would make far more sense, from a crowd maximisation perspective, for this 'home' game to instead be against Hawthorn or Geelong.

 

[Essendonia]

seriously can we stop playing Melbourne at the MCG as one of our MCG home games. what a waste. sort it out already essendon

Agree with this, but don't want to derail!

On the flip side, we should be using it as a practice to play the ground properly in preparation for playing it in finals or the big H & A games. Wouldn't mind a Geelong home match there or Hawks.

 

[Pweter]

Before our main training session next week we need to sit the players down and have them watch the 2012 game against Melbourne. Make it burn, remove all complacency.

IMO the only thing that can beat us against Melbourne is ourselves

 

[Lord Nicholson]

I'd love to play the Cats at the G.

But then I'd love to play most teams at the G.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

I have never watched this game and never will.
That night something told me we were going to be beaten.
I was not surprised by the result when I looked at my app.

Same.
was at the game only took 10 mins of the match to convince me that we were going to lose and we did.

 

[Donakebab]

seriously can we stop playing Melbourne at the MCG as one of our MCG home games. what a waste. sort it out already essendon

It's a crock. Last 2 seasons our 4th MCG home game has been Melbourne, 2010 it was Hawthorn, 2009 Brisbane and back to Melbourne in 2007. Attendance boost aside, this is one of the premium seat matches with an Essendon support AFL membership. Feel kind of ripped of that this is considered a premium game when there are empty seats everywhere which has been the case every year except 2010.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Hawks MCG
Demons Etihad

 

[Essendonia]

I'd love to play the Cats at the G.

But then I'd love to play most teams at the G.

Wish we played all home matches there. All away games too, would be good

 

[fishardansin]

I wonder if the football department chose the Demons at the G over cats or hawks. It is a good way to build up our confidence there!! .... assuming Melbourne don't vastly improve this year or we don't choke again!!

 

[Tassieboy]

I doubt Essendon have anything to do with it.