Review R2: The Good, Bad and Ugly vs. Essendon

[Scorpus]

They sacked Rutten for missing the finals in his second year, after making them in his first.

Some pretty big double standards applying to Scott Bard

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They also think they're rebuilding while trotting out Dylan Shiel in defense and taking Ben McKay (on the worst contract in the AFL) and Jade Gresham as free agents.

They aren't rebuilding, they're just shit. They need a proper, genuine cleanout and rebuild

 

[Samcro24]

Equal 5th favourite. Dawson equal 3rd favourite for the Brownlow

The lid has flown all the way to Timbuktu

St Kilda currently thrashing geelong confirming them as a powerhouse, we should be premiership favourites

 

[spenze]

Probably something I will note from this game and last is how good Crouch has been. I wondered if there was going to be a role going forward due to his limits as a footballer.

I was wrong, he is in beast mode, having the right people around him has allowed him to play to his strengths and become a real weapon

 

[1970crow]

No idea

I just saw 10 and though heck surely have f been that short in eons

Yeh, no idea what we started at. Some of the reduction would be purely due to having 2 wins and the %. Looking forward to Suns game.

 

[cleanhands]

Probably something I will note from this game and last is how good Crouch has been. I wondered if there was going to be a role going forward due to his limits as a footballer.

I was wrong, he is in beast mode, having the right people around him has allowed him to play to his strengths and become a real weapon

Was going to happen

 

[spenze]

St Kilda currently thrashing geelong confirming them as a powerhouse, we should be premiership favourites

Oh jeez, they are, go you Sainters

 

[Shifty Crow]

Excellent win against poor opposition. Clinically destroyed them and the game was done at half time. Essendon came back to kick some junk time stuff late but no real concerns over the Dons' score

Nicks' challenge from here will be to transfer this momentum into games against better sides. IMO we are playing three of the bottom five teams in the first three rounds

Let’s not forget Hawthorn struggled at times against this poor opposition

We apparently played a poor opposition last week who are giving it to Geelong atm




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[imagifED]

Went to the game as a bandwagoner.
Loved how we used the full width of the MCG with precision kicking and marking, and how fit we were.
Sat pretty much right in front for the Rachele and Rankine goals.
Essendon fans do not like Harry Mckay.

 

[Shifty Crow]

Good
2-0
Winning at G
Our fire power up forward
Midfield mix
Goal kicking efficiency


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[pjcrows]

Essendon fans do not like Harry Mckay.

Wait until they see his brother.

 

[imagifED]

Wait until they see his brother.

Ah mistake haha.

 

[Pea Nut]

They also think they're rebuilding while trotting out Dylan Shiel in defense and taking Ben McKay (on the worst contract in the AFL) and Jade Gresham as free agents.

They aren't rebuilding, they're just shit. They need a proper, genuine cleanout and rebuild

I have been reading Essendon's post game thread. Most there are not under the illusion that they are re-building, they are well aware of the quagmire that they currently find themselves in. If the club are not as self aware as the random guys and girls posting on a footy forum, then it's no wonder they have been as shit for as long as they have. Posts absolutely scathing of Dodoro and the lack of talent on the list.

 

[LiquidCrow]

Another great win!

Loving the attacking game style. We’re not bombing it in Hail Mary like and and with another big spread of goalkickers (11 or 12?) for the second week running makes us hard to stop in a shootout. So next round I wouldn’t be surprised if North go the full flood, which will be another test to overcome.

Another thing I really liked was ANB’s goal just before the first quarter siren. They’d just kicked the last 2 goals to come within 9 points, but we worked harder to snaffle one just before the break.

The only thing ugly was their Draper’s side-on set shot kicking.

 

[budget]

Bad and Ugly. Reilly O'Brien. What an absolute POTATO !!!

Yes not good and had some forgettable moments as well.


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[n4sir]

Loved how we used the full width of the MCG with precision kicking and marking, and how fit we were.

You noticed that too? When was the last time we did that?

 

[CrowBloke]

Essendon came back to kick some junk time stuff late but no real concerns over the Dons' score

I loved watching us hammer them today. Loved the free-flowing, high-scoring game.
"Loved" is an understatement. I was joyous. Ecstatic. Memories of 2017 (not Round 6 or the GF, lol) flooded back.
Good: the win at that Vic-favouring paddock.
Better: the BIG win, a hiding.
Best: Our mids and forwards who will improve as the new blokes assimilate further and after they play more together.
That's a scary thought for oppo teams whose Coaches will be working hard to figure out how to overcome them.
BUT
It's not often a team will kick 100 on the MCG and lose (especially not by 61 points).
Defensively-better Top-6 sides with better skills/awareness will not let us kick 25.11 and if they kick 100, more likely than not they will beat us.
Our defence today gifted them at least 5 soft goals from poor decisions or straight out skill failures. Keane, at least 2 of those.
Nicks et al have got to tighten up our defence, kicking out after a point and short-kicking in our D50 --- in fact, our mids and centre line are so strong I'd be happy if they bombed long out of defence (deep to wings or centre), chaotically to empty space or a one-on-one, rather than handballing or kicking short directly to oppo players for cheap, gimme goals.
Best of all: we have plenty of time to get the defence right/tighter. Someone's gotta have a word to Keane, to tighten up and make better decisions.

 

[cmndstab]

That was pretty good fun to watch!

That's the best our forward line has ever looked. No instances of talls flying against each other, or smalls having to compete in the air against tall defenders. All four of our tall forwards (counting Curtin) are fantastic kicks and all have above-average ground ball ability as well.

Rachele backing up his performance last week with another great match

The midfield got done early on, but fought back into the game well. Peatling was the obvious weakest link in the otherwise dominant midfield, and even then I thought his game was alright. Nothing special, but had some nice moments.

Not concerned about Cumming's lack of ball, it just didn't come his way much today and he wasn't needed.

The backline was great when they were on, and a bit embarrassing when they weren't. A few awful blues, but for the most part solid. Realistically, we've spent all of our decent picks in the midfield and up forward, so we probably need to accept our somewhat workman-like backline. They held their own. I thought Worrell was the pick of the defenders today.

That Rankine goal was just taking the piss. Even going for that goal is probably the wrong decision, haha. But hey, if you're good enough to sink it, then do whatever you like!

Our kicking was excellent. I really liked how we honoured the lead all day. Not only does it encourage players to actually make leads, but it also prevents us from unnecessarily blowing ourselves out with repeat leads for no reward. We have some seriously good kicks on every line, and we're super fit. We might as well take advantage of that!

The AFL seriously needs to look at the new 15m interpretation. They've gone stupid with it. 20m kicks are regularly being called play-on, and often the umpire doesn't even say play-on until after the player has received the ball and then gets mauled. On the other hand, our players have a bad habit of running exactly 15m ahead of a player and then stopping and calling for it. We have to read the room and realise it's a bad idea.

Only early days in the Saints vs Geelong match, but St Kilda are making Geelong look pretty ordinary so far. Maybe they're a better side than we thought?

 

[Crow_68]

Cumming’s lack of possession would have something to do with us favouring our left flank when bringing the ball from defence to attack.

Given the number and quality of our left footers, this is going to happen on occasions.

 

[spenze]

Good

Curtin appears to be unable to be tackled when standing up, he will get bigger and stronger, he will be a scary midfielder in 2-3 years

 

[cleanhands]

Cumming’s lack of possession would have something to do with us favouring our left flank when bringing the ball from defence to attack.

Given the number and quality of our left footers, this is going to happen on occasions.

Jones can’t get away with this

 

[cmndstab]

You'd have to think the likes of Schoenberg, Dowling, Edwards, etc are looking at the way we've played today and thinking that their careers could be over.

Injuries will obviously come at some stage and open up opportunities, but damn, there's not too many holes in our 22 at the moment. And the only players in our best 22 over the age of 30 are Walker (34) and Laird (31).

 

[Apsaalooke]

Have to hand it to Keays. He was very ordinary in the midfield but excelling as a roaming forward so kudos to whichever coach pulled the switch. Similar to Lobbe for the Dogs - a terrible CHF but a great CHB

 

[skittlebrew]

I think an A Grade ruck is now the biggest weakness of this side.

Get through with ROB this year - trade or FA a quality ruck in the off season.

Flag window open.

You don't need a ruck, Brisbane proved this 5 minutes ago with Darcy Fort.

 

[1990crow]

You'd have to think the likes of Schoenberg, Dowling, Edwards, etc are looking at the way we've played today and thinking that their careers could be over.

Injuries will obviously come at some stage and open up opportunities, but damn, there's not too many holes in our 22 at the moment. And the only players in our best 22 over the age of 30 are Walker (34) and Laird (31).

Schoenberg? Yes.
Edwards and Dowling? No way. Theyre still very young and like you say Laird will be gone shortly.
Neale-Bullen won't be around forever.

Even if they become depth players they will get their chances with injury.

 

[BRL121]

Cumming’s lack of possession would have something to do with us favouring our left flank when bringing the ball from defence to attack.

Given the number and quality of our left footers, this is going to happen on occasions.

Nice observation. Yes, all the play seemed to be on the left flanks.