Preview Essendon vs Richmond, Dreamtime @ The 'G, 31/05/2014, 7:45 PM AEST

[Essendonia]

We are in for an epic contest between two powerhouses of 2014! Who will win?

"It's an impossible decision. I'll just have to hope that when I flip the coin it somehow explodes and kills me."

 

[Keystone agony]

Carlisle kept JROO to 2 goals and 8 possessions last year. Ill take that.

 

[Essendonia]

Carlisle kept JROO to 2 goals and 8 possessions last year. Ill take that.

We'd be almost happy if Carlisle won 8 possessions and kicked two goals this year.

 

[AtomicBlonde]

Our indigenous stocks are depleting, we used to field five or six indigenous boys in these games. Down to Ryder and Dempsey.

 

[eth-dog]

Our indigenous stocks are depleting, we used to field five or six indigenous boys in these games. Down to Ryder and Dempsey.

There's a higher % of Aboriginal players on AFL playing lists than the % of Aboriginals in the population actually. Might be starting to reflect society.

 

[lamaros]

There is probably more players from regional areas than there is population too.

Doesn't mean it's a shame that we have fewer indigenous players in the side now.

 

[Essendonia]

Our indigenous stocks are depleting, we used to field five or six indigenous boys in these games. Down to Ryder and Dempsey.

Hopefully we can add a Wanganeen and some Daveys soon!

 

[Zach Package]

or Jake Long

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

This has the hallmarks of an Essendon special. Can we get Reiwoldt, Vickery, Petterd and all the other Tigers back into form during the 1 game?

 

[eth-dog]

This has the hallmarks of an Essendon special. Can we get Carlisle, Melksham, Dempsey and all the other Bombers back into form during the 1 game?

efa

 

[Yoda_]

That's ridiculous. The reality is that every topic is based on the ASADA stuff at the moment.

Playing Richmond has no relevance to ASADA what so ever.

 

[Halftimehero]

This has the hallmarks of an Essendon special. Can we get Reiwoldt, Vickery, Petterd and all the other Tigers back into form during the 1 game?

Doubt Vickery and Petterd will be in the team will they? and the way Jack's going who cares who plays on him, he's shit.

 

[Yoda_]

I would just like to take time out to personally thank the Richmond FC for being such a puissant, weak minded football club that has meekly rolled over in the face of adversary this year.

I would like to thank them for all those harsh losses they've been dealt, the tough times. For continually taking the spotlight off Essendon as we are in a bad spot ourselves. But your football club has talked the talk, but simply put, cannot walk the walk.

So thank you, please, continue on your merry way and be as irrelevant as Bach Houli's contested possession count.

Kind regards


Essendon faithful

 

[hurlygurdy]

Im not sure of the INS and OUTS exactly but this would be my teams verse Richmond

Baguley - Carlisle - Fletcher

Hibberd - Hooker - Dempsey

Stanton - Watson - Zaharakis

Goddard (Resting mid) - Hurley - Chapman

Winderlich - JoeD - Ryder

TBC - Hocking (hard tag) - Heppell

Gleeson, Melksham, Myers
Sub: Z.Merrett


Gleeson - Im not sure if im overrating this kid but hes now had his rest 3/4 last weeks and for me hes best 22 and showed that earlier in the year he also gives us exaclty what we lack ATM and thats run, breaking lines and creativity with polish. At worst he plays as the starting sub but i see him as best 21 for our team.

Hocking - Ive sort of umm and erred about taggers ive sometimes been of the opinion that they just need to stop the opposition best players and sometimes ive weighed up there impact with possessions vs who they are tagging and they need it to be higher than that player to be of a positive to our team. Now ive changed back no longer can we have Hanneberry/Jack getting half tags. He must go to either Deledio or Cotchin and put on a hard tag - id put him to Deledio

Zaharakis - Had a turning point last week and i reckon he will finish off the year as well as anyone if allowed to play his natural game through the midfield. Less time forward and more midfield time for him. Its been hard without Goddard, Winders, Chapman at times this year meaning he has had to go forward more than wed like.

Ryder - I feel he could be our chance to kicking a score. With TBC playing last week it immediately allowed Ryder to look our most dangerous forward. TBC more time in the ruck again up against whatever spud ruck the tigers put up (Hampson/Vickery/Griffiths) and Ryder to take advantage of a potentially deplted for height richmond backline (with astbury out although replaced likely by Grimes).

Hurley/Carlisle Switch - Its time otherwise its now or too late. We need to make the move just to see what happens. Otherwise Carlisle may aswell be playing VFL i still think hes probably the better defender last year compared to what Hurley has done this year. Hurley looks unfit and id like to see him forward instead on guys like NROO, Pav, Buddy whos fitness and running ability are making Hurley look stupid. He then gets to a one on one contest and is that knackered that hes just physically pushed aside whereas that should be his strength and is his strength when not fatigued. Id be happy for his puppy fat/plump body to just crash some packs and knock a few of those soft tigers around.

IMO this could be our best side. Howlett is missing but hes struggling and is probably now depth with the likes of Z.Merrett and Gleeson improving so much. J.Merrett just out of form/ suffering due to injury or soreness needs to find form elsewhere. Would like to see him go back to VFL play off a wing or onball and gather 30-40 possessions which he should now have the ability to do.

So i worked out the OUTS and INS

Out: Ambrose, J.Merrett, Aylett
IN: Winderlich, Chapman, Gleeson

I think we have come to a point in the season where the kids are starting to cook through.
I'd love Gleeson to come back in, but given his physical stature he has already played the amount of football you would suspect he is capable of in a single year. Maybe we could get another few games out of him, but it wont be much more than that.
Jackson on the other hand should be more hardened and i hold hope that he has more to give. The couple of weeks off could have him back and firing. It would be a good result if he can make it through another 6 or 7 games.

Zach has played sub a lot this year which no doubt has allowed him to continue to this point. If we start playing him for whole games though, then he will be burnt out all too soon. I would like to see him continued in the sub role for those reasons.
I think the second half of the season will see the revival of Howlett and the reintroduction of NOB. They have the maturity to go the distance and will be crucial to making finals.
If Dal can build some form over the next month or so in the VFL then he could be solid gold for us later on.
Kommer also could be massive for us in the final rounds if he shakes this knee issue.
People need to step back take a breath and realise that this season is really only about to start for real in a few weeks time. We are really only just over a third of the way through this season. We have 13 games to go and no one gives a stuff what happened in April when August comes around.
Injury wise we are looking really good right now, but that can and will change all too soon and it will bring into play a lot of guys that are off the radar right now. I think Pears is out for a month? That still gives him time to work back up to fitness in time for the final 4 rounds plus finals if he is required.

In light of how much time there is to go this season, i'd be happy to persist with Carlisle for another 3 or 4 weeks. Injuries and form will alter the equation over that period regardless. Who's to say he wont be required in backline shortly anyway? I wouldn't mind betting he comes good and is kicking goals, then Hurley and Fletcher get injured and we need him back!
When it comes to team selection, i just wouldn't have a clue now... Just depends on how the young ones are traveling. Wouldn't mind at all if the likes of Gleeson and JD are put on ice in hopes that they can be wheeled out again in August.

 

[Loonerty]

Carlisle kept JROO to 2 goals and 8 possessions last year. Ill take that.

And Hurley has also destroyed him in the past as well.

 

[jmoo wan]

Bomber is trying to keep things calm and create a team energy that can operate without 100% pure adrenaline. If that's the goal he can't get all crazy fired up and go nuts when we lose. He is the perfect coach to teach this team in how to work in a less emotional atmosphere. It's also the correct timing for that lesson not only after the insanity of last year, but also after the hype that Hird brought with him in his efforts to get this playing group up to standard.

If anyone gets sanctioned then we all know that changes everything, but i'm going to go with the novel approach of presuming innocence until proven otherwise.

nice post

 

[Keystone agony]

I think we have come to a point in the season where the kids are starting to cook through.
I'd love Gleeson to come back in, but given his physical stature he has already played the amount of football you would suspect he is capable of in a single year. Maybe we could get another few games out of him, but it wont be much more than that.
Jackson on the other hand should be more hardened and i hold hope that he has more to give. The couple of weeks off could have him back and firing. It would be a good result if he can make it through another 6 or 7 games.

Zach has played sub a lot this year which no doubt has allowed him to continue to this point. If we start playing him for whole games though, then he will be burnt out all too soon. I would like to see him continued in the sub role for those reasons.
I think the second half of the season will see the revival of Howlett and the reintroduction of NOB. They have the maturity to go the distance and will be crucial to making finals.
If Dal can build some form over the next month or so in the VFL then he could be solid gold for us later on.
Kommer also could be massive for us in the final rounds if he shakes this knee issue.
People need to step back take a breath and realise that this season is really only about to start for real in a few weeks time. We are really only just over a third of the way through this season. We have 13 games to go and no one gives a stuff what happened in April when August comes around.
Injury wise we are looking really good right now, but that can and will change all too soon and it will bring into play a lot of guys that are off the radar right now. I think Pears is out for a month? That still gives him time to work back up to fitness in time for the final 4 rounds plus finals if he is required.

In light of how much time there is to go this season, i'd be happy to persist with Carlisle for another 3 or 4 weeks. Injuries and form will alter the equation over that period regardless. Who's to say he wont be required in backline shortly anyway? I wouldn't mind betting he comes good and is kicking goals, then Hurley and Fletcher get injured and we need him back!
When it comes to team selection, i just wouldn't have a clue now... Just depends on how the young ones are traveling. Wouldn't mind at all if the likes of Gleeson and JD are put on ice in hopes that they can be wheeled out again in August.

Dont limit Gleeson as much as hes lighly framed hes been around for a couple of years now. S.Hill, B.Hill didnt exactly have big bodies either but played plenty of games early in there career week in week out.

 

[jmoo wan]

I love the dreamtime match, it is one of my most favourite yearly fixtures and I always go with my Richmond supporting brother. Usually, no matter the current fortunes of each team, it's a good game. And more importantly, no matter which team is more favoured to win, we always know it will be a good game, and more importantly, a great night out at the footy for both of us. I almost gave up on it this year... almost...

But... **** it, it is DREAMTIME AT THE G!! this will be a cracker of a game! the Tigers are in a bad way at the moment, we are struggling for form, but both teams on paper are good with a little bit of great in some areas and this is season on the line stuff for both of us.

so, I don't know where ASADA is at, I don't know what the hell Richmond is going through, but I am going to enjoy this game in the spirit in which Bomber Sheeds intended and tip us by 5.

 

[Keystone agony]

And Hurley has also destroyed him in the past as well.

A while ago now

But if both can shut him down then why not play try and fix our forward line or change our forward line to a guy more proven in that area.

It also helps our structure in that we arent playing 3x200cm guys forward with maybe an ambrose also there aswell.

 

[Loonerty]

A while ago now

But if both can shut him down then why not play try and fix our forward line or change our forward line to a guy more proven in that area.

It also helps our structure in that we arent playing 3x200cm guys forward with maybe an ambrose also there aswell.

Or we can keep our outstanding defence as it has been all year - unchanged.

 

[Keystone agony]

Or we can keep our outstanding defence as it has been all year - unchanged.

You think changing carlisle and hurley will make our defence no longer outstanding. Hurley has been beaten quite often this year

 

[Loonerty]

You think changing carlisle and hurley will make our defence no longer outstanding. Hurley has been beaten quite often this year

I think playing Hurley forward is risking too much. He's played 9 games in a row for the first time in a long time, and this is his best season for a while as well.

 

[yaco55]

I expect that Carlisle will be moved to defence this week and one of Hurley or Hooker will play forward. And I expect JD to be dropped/rested.

 

[rines]

We have the shortest injury list in the AFL right now. If we can't convert that into some wins.. I just don't want to even think about it.

These are the kinds of games we shouldn't be worried about.. it should be like last year.. just expect a big win...

If we don't beat Richmond.. season is almost over... they are really that bad right now.

 

[hurlygurdy]

We have the shortest injury list in the AFL right now. If we can't convert that into some wins.. I just don't want to even think about it.

These are the kinds of games we shouldn't be worried about.. it should be like last year.. just expect a big win...

If we don't beat Richmond.. season is almost over... they are really that bad right now.

Melodramatic punch, i will grant that. Fact is i'm not sure the season is even over for Richmond at this point. They are a good enough team to get a good roll and win 8 of their next 10 and be in the mix. Early season form is nothing very important.