Preview Footscray vs. Essendon, Docklands, 20/07/2014 @ 4:40PM

[The Dustbin]

Half forward M Bontempelli S Crameri L Hunter
Full forward L Dahlhaus J Stringer N Hrovat

Geez I hope they line up like this. All our mids have to is pressure the ball carrier, Fletch and Cale will clean up their mess ah la last time.

Interchange M Wallis E Wood J Redpath
M Austin

Possibly the worst bench in the league. Austin

 

[Duckworth]

Melksham did a good job on Swan. He's stiff to be dropped.

Hopefully it makes him more hungry and he works even harder.

The next in line would be Jackson Merrett. Merrett is playing an important role in the forward line. Watching the Collingwood game again he put on some fantastic sheppards and really sacrificed his game for the team. He got into some dangerous positions and put on some good forward pressure.

He is playing a different role to Melsham, and while I still feel that Melksham is unlucky, reducing the output of an already injurred player (Swan) is not deserving of of the same accolades.

edit: what Halftimehero said

 

[The Dustbin]

As from the end of round 17.

All good with disposal efficiency, pleasing to see us ranked 1. Whilst CP are not good, below average - need to lift.

Clearly highlights the deficiency in marking the Dogs have, not just inside 50 but overall.

 

[Dolner]

Half forward M Bontempelli S Crameri L Hunter
Full forward L Dahlhaus J Stringer N Hrovat

Geez I hope they line up like this. All our mids have to is pressure the ball carrier, Fletch and Cale will clean up their mess ah la last time.

Interchange M Wallis E Wood J Redpath
M Austin

Possibly the worst bench in the league. Austin

I love the dogs and watch them fairly closely. Austin was poor last week but has been heaps better than Talia or Roberts. I like him.
In relation to the forward line, there's no way they'll line up like that. They'll play Redpath FF and Cram CHF, both of whom will get absolutely pasted by Hooker and Hurley.
I think this game will play out much like last week with us getting beaten in I50's but the defense winning us the game. Then again i suppose that happens most times we win.

 

[Dave]

I love the dogs and watch them fairly closely. Austin was poor last week but has been heaps better than Talia or Roberts. I like him.
In relation to the forward line, there's no way they'll line up like that. They'll play Redpath FF and Cram CHF, both of whom will get absolutely pasted by Hooker and Hurley.
I think this game will play out much like last week with us getting beaten in I50's but the defense winning us the game. Then again i suppose that happens most times we win.

We did?

 

[rumply]

Essendon FC ‏@EssendonFC 1h
Great to see these two back at training this morning.All set for Sunday. #FightForFinals pic.twitter.com/lK4VdgWjuk

 

[hurlygurdy]

As from the end of round 17.

All good with disposal efficiency, pleasing to see us ranked 1. Whilst CP are not good, below average - need to lift.

Clearly highlights the deficiency in marking the Dogs have, not just inside 50 but overall.

Is the CP result representative of our defensive set up? I constantly see the players zoning off the opposition rather than taking them on.

 

[Keystone agony]

A roughly 6 goal win would mean we skip Kangaroos on the ladder and move into 6th spot.

 

[Dolner]

We did?

Don't know what the full time I50 count was but i looked at half time and we were already -10 from memory. Could be wrong.

 

[yaco55]

He was our best inside player against Adelaide.

And he was poor.

 

[ScrappyCoCo]

The next in line would be Jackson Merrett. Merrett is playing an important role in the forward line. Watching the Collingwood game again he put on some fantastic sheppards and really sacrificed his game for the team. He got into some dangerous positions and put on some good forward pressure.

He is playing a different role to Melsham, and while I still feel that Melksham is unlucky, reducing the output of an already injurred player (Swan) is not deserving of of the same accolades.

edit: what Halftimehero said

Perhaps we are giving Jerret and extended run to see if he can regain that form from the first 3 or so games....freshening up Melk at the same time. Sorting out our strongest 22 heading into Sept is what Thompson and co are up to here I think. And yes totally different roles. Which is the more balanced Essendon, with more outside pace, or an extra run with mid?

 

[rines]

I think the key to our set up needs to be the balance of pace. There is no doubt we have looked better with some quicker bodies around the ball in the last few games.. and we know that we have Goddard (average pace) and Watson (Slow) to come back into the mix.

I would put J Merrett into the above average pace bracket (both decision making/running speed) whilst Melksham is in the average range for both (decision making probably in the slow bracket).. so perhaps that is the thinking behind which one makes the best 22 or not..

Our 'problem' is that we have the following players who are average to slow in running pace around the ball:
Hocking
Stanton (elite endurance)
Goddard
Watson (excellent hands and vision, but below average straight line speed)
Myers
Howlett
Chapman (age)
Melksham
Heppell (fast hands, excellent agility but average straight line speed)

Good teams show that you need at least 2 genuine speed 'outside' midfielders/stoppage clearance if you want to be competitive.. so for us that is guys like:
J merrett
Z Merrett
Dempsey
Zaka
Colyer

So I think we have enough inside/outside.. it is just about the balance of team selection each week.

 

[Dave]

Don't know what the full time I50 count was but i looked at half time and we were already -10 from memory. Could be wrong.

Yes, half time we were. Full time we'd evened it up.

 

[rines]

Also I am ****ing shit of this shit Sunday timeslot.. marginally better than Sunday night.. but not by much.. urghhh

 

[Yoda_]

Good summation rines

Goes to show how far along Zac has come along to go past Jake Melksham in the pecking order.

 

[Yoda_]

Also I am ******* shit of this shit Sunday timeslot.. marginally better than Sunday night.. but not by much.. urghhh

Gill McClachlan mentioned the AFL were "experimenting with timeslots" a lot more this year so expect to see a lot more traditional times next year in the fixture.

Something like 5 2:10pm timeslots at the MCG for the year. What a joke

 

[rines]

Gill McClachlan mentioned the AFL were "experimenting with timeslots" a lot more this year so expect to see a lot more traditional times next year in the fixture.

Something like 5 2:10pm timeslots at the MCG for the year. What a joke

I didn't mind the 4.40pm game when it was just for the WA team.. because it was their mid afternoon over there.. and it suited TV.. but starting a game at 4.40 on a Sunday arvo in Melbourne is just plain stupid...

I get the 'experimentation' line.. and the AFL supposedly promising a return to a more sensible fixture.. but I'm just about done with the AFL and their BS..

How the **** can anyone with a family who lives more than 5 minutes from the CBD justify taking them out to a game on Sunday night before school??? If I take my girls to the game.. we don't get home until 8:15pm-8:30pm.. and then you have to get them ready for school and into bed etc etc.. it is just too late.

Way to kill the golden goose your mfruckers

 

[boydsno1]

Also I am ******* shit of this shit Sunday timeslot.. marginally better than Sunday night.. but not by much.. urghhh

Welcome to being a Bulldogs fan. Seem to play it every ****ing week.

 

[juliand]

Jo D will be a late out this afternoon and may miss 3-4 weeks with a hot spot(still don't know what that is)

 

[Doss]

Jo D will be a late out this afternoon and may miss 3-4 weeks with a hot spot(still don't know what that is)

Hmm...not good.

Is Pears still taking his place in the VFL side today, in light of this?

 

[rumply]

Jo D will be a late out this afternoon and may miss 3-4 weeks with a hot spot(still don't know what that is)

EMG

• Nick O'Brien,
• Jake Melksham,
• Cory Dell'Olio

IN

• Brendon Goddard,
• Michael Hibberd

OUT

• Cory Dell'Olio (Omitted),
• Jake Melksham (Omitted)

If Joe out is right I guess O'Brien as a named emergency looks logical replacement.

 

[eth-dog]

Melksham. Play BJ as third tall

 

[loopy_cam]

We'll probably just play Melksham and use Winderlich as the third leading target now that Hibberd's back in defence.

 

[Yoda_]

We'll probably just play Melksham and use Winderlich as the third leading target now that Hibberd's back in defence.

I wouldn't be reverting back to the same tried and tested. Wanting to improve as a side would be looking to the next in line (O'Brien)

 

[pepsi]

Jo D will be a late out this afternoon and may miss 3-4 weeks with a hot spot(still don't know what that is)

Damn. Just as the forward line looked like it was starting to click. Don't like the sound of the hot spot. Presumably it is foot related and if not managed well can lead to more serious long term damage. Hopefully they do everything right in his recovery.

I was feeling really confident about the match today, not as much now.