AFL Autopsy RND 4: Dons Demolished

[sameolds33]

Completely disagree, what benefit does Goldstein provide our future if we play him all year only for him to retire at the end of the year? Surely Bryan starting 2025 with an extra 15-20 games at senior level is better?

I want to expose Bryan to the big dogs, let him get bashed up, see how he responds, build resilience if he doesn't then he's probably not cut out for elite league footy.

Allowing underdone young players to be exposed unnecessarily in a game against a top 4 team benefits no one. If we say, we fielded the best team we could and this was the result it is, as others have said, a reality check without undermining confidence and belief in the team and the process. Much easier for young players to lose heart without veterans to steady the ship.

 

[sameolds33]

It was a good lesson to get and came at a good time. Getting smashed in a facet we thought we were going to be able to hang our hat on for the entire year hopefully deflates a few egos and let’s them know they are on the right track but have a lot of work to do.

This was no where near the level of uncompetitiveness we saw at the end of last year, they put in, they just got mauled for their troubles.

yes, that's what I meant in my first response to your statement about Brad's coaching. I can see why he didn't "save" the game by making those moves. Like Paul Keating said, this was the recession we needed to have.

 

[Zach Package]

yes, that's what I meant in my first response to your statement about Brad's coaching. I can see why he didn't "save" the game by making those moves. Like Paul Keating said, this was the recession we needed to have.

I’d like my cake an to eat it too.

I’d like to see us get taught a massive lesson but for Brad to not just sit there looking like he’s eternally holding in a fart.

 

[sameolds33]

I’d like my cake an to eat it too.

I’d like to see us get taught a massive lesson but for Brad to not just sit there looking like he’s eternally holding in a fart.

fair enough, Cake is always worth eating and having. Not defending Brad at all by the way, just explaining why I thought last night was the Red Wedding.

 

[Call Me Cake]

I still don't think that was characteristic of how we want to play/have been playing so far (particularly when it comes to effort), and every team can have a dreadful day out.

Should probably not take that game as a serious indication of us as a team in the same way we wouldn't consider ourselves a premiership contender if we had of beaten Sydney. Should go both ways and more needs to play out.

 

[Milanista28]

Allowing underdone young players to be exposed unnecessarily in a game against a top 4 team benefits no one. If we say, we fielded the best team we could and this was the result it is, as others have said, a reality check without undermining confidence and belief in the team and the process. Much easier for young players to lose heart without veterans to steady the ship.

I don't think anyone has said to play underdone players, I haven't. I genuinely think Roberts, Hayes, Tsatas and Bryan can play now.

I don't care if they come in and lose their match ups and look lost at times, it's all part of the learning curve.

We don't have to bring all 4 of those guys in 1 week (even though I would) but surely it's getting close to playing these guys more regularly?

 

[yodellinhank]

Both of them where considered burst players.

Sure it wasn't Bust players?

 

[yodellinhank]

Does not change the fact that they screwed themselves by sweeping almost everyone out and Carlton are now only hitting their stride with a coach that preaches culture and a number of FA acquisitions to plug the gaps.

They'll go up and down again, and we'll stay 9-14. Top up a little with Brad's war chest and hang on to the guys who are ingrained into our culture for "leadership" whilst preaching it takes time to change our culture.

 

[sameolds33]

I don't think anyone has said to play underdone players, I haven't. I genuinely think Roberts, Hayes, Tsatas and Bryan can play now.

I don't care if they come in and lose their match ups and look lost at times, it's all part of the learning curve.

We don't have to bring all 4 of those guys in 1 week (even though I would) but surely it's getting close to playing these guys more regularly?

I think Ant has said that Tsatas and Bryan are not ready and need more VFL exposure. I expect that the coaches also think these players are not ready because they haven't been given a game as yet.

So much about elite sport is about sports IQ and confidence combined with natural talent.

I don't know if you've watched the quarterback series but Patrick Mahomes' prep and game day mindset reminded me of the Viking Berserker fighting mentality - the process of mentally getting himself into the positive focus that is necessary for success.

 

[Mootsy]

Good lord, JHF is going to be the next Wayne Carey!!
How the heck did North let him go...anyway.

 

[Nifft]

It's been 20 years.... only 8 more to go.

 

[Happyskeret]

Good lord, JHF is going to be the next Wayne Carey!!
How the heck did North let him go...anyway.

Norf let Carey go because he was a very naughty boy.

 

[ghostdog]

Not in my view.
Did Port allow either blokes to sheep dog contests and be selective about what they would do ? Did their captain have to pull either aside and question their commitment ? And finally did either miss more than half a season before they where drafted and then in their first year ?. No !
The fact Tsatas has been able to do what he has of the preparation he has had shows he same some real ability.
Sometimes blokes just need some VFL time.
Redman played 2 & 3 games in season 1 and 2. Ridley played 3 & 6 games.
If you are wanting to be Essendon Edge then you need to have players attempting to be that. That was the issue with Tsatas. Not that he was no good at it. It was he was not attempting to play the style.

Yeah, in my view I'd be happy to let him develop his ability in seniors.

 

[faible]

Yeah, in my view I'd be happy to let him develop his ability in seniors.

He’s not going to get the midfield minutes in the seniors he would in the VFL.

 

[BomberFan355]

13-30-1 since 2019

Good work, Carlton?

 

[Zach Package]

Good lord, JHF is going to be the next Wayne Carey!!
How the heck did North let him go...anyway.

In that he’ll finish his career in Adelaide with a ridiculous fake tan?

 

[NoWuckingFurries]

'yeah, you'd bleed just to know you're AaalllLIIVVEEE....'

 

[Happyskeret]

Neither JHF nor Butters is particularly quick.

Melbourne doesnt have much speed and neither does Brisbane.

Grunt is a much bigger factor. Last night was just a perfect storm and made the players look slower than they are. We looked much quicker than Hawthorn in the middle in R1 and I'd say they probably have 2 or 3 of the quickest mids consistently playing in the middle in that match. It's very hard to look quick when you're just being pushed off as a launching pad for your opponent.

What I seen was like JHF was riding a bicycle out of the centre. If he is not quick how the hell did he get off the leash like that? I think he did fend off players like Setters but then it was like the afterburners were on.

 

[Godzke]

Why is our Board's GIF game always better when we lose?

 

[mcgrath_truther]

grub behavior

 

[Zach Package]

*

*Moral

 

[Happyskeret]

grub behavior

As soon as I clicked on this before the graphic loaded in I immediately thought it was about Finlayson.

 

[bommer16]

Very disappointing

 

[JayJ20]

I get this is a bit more philosophical than just right and wrong way to do something.
However,
I think you can understand It's a bit much to accept that the only guy who is out of the side for not attacking the footy is the young kid.
That he is the only one that the captain has questioned commitment of.

This side is full of guys who have been around much longer than him who pick and choose when they go. They don't get dropped after a game for it, they are the ones who have not been committed to the AFL lifestyle.

The fact he is a kid with no experience of what is actually required and how to act is why him being the poster boy for hey your not playing the right way you can play 2s, when we have guys who have spent 150 games of being mediocre footballers who have not achieved anything in their careers "leading the club out of this mess" is backwards for a lot of people.

Many people feel youth should lead the way into the future and to be honest in some respects I agree.
In others yes if there is an injury you put the senior guy in for a bit of stability early (the Hep situation).

This is what bothers me. When Merrett publicly showed his frustrations towards Tsatas and when Scott subsequently dropped him, the "setting standards" almost felt like the equivalent of virtue signalling. We all knew last night's game was coming because we know the culture of this team and its mediocre leadership when they feel like things are too hard. Did I see Merrett calling any of the senior players out last night? Nope. Will we see Scott swing the axe? Highly likely not.

So it's pretty much younger players cannot make mistakes with a chance to redeem themselves and senior players can have an average career without consequence.

I guarantee that Essendon will never amount to anything as long as these big losses happen. Every season I will just wait until a big loss. Once it happens, I will rule the whole year out because it proves that when it gets tough, they give up. And finals are more difficult then any H&A game.

 

[bommer16]

I think it’s been said that the current list cannot go next level.
The baby bombers of 93 had great mentors - senior players who were competitive and skilled. Not seeing the same quality at the moment. Recruitment and development just not there consistently to produce a successful team.