Autopsy Round 1, 2017: Ess v Haw, **Ess supporters read the OP** Ban Hammer will be wielded with impunity

[SSSSSS]

Hartung - Just hasn't progressed since his first year. If anything he's gone backwards. Very hesitant with ball in hand. Getting chased down by Daniher is damning.

Schoey - Started well. Should have clunked the marks but he buttered up and made up for his early mistakes with great attack on the ground. Second half he was non-existent.

Frawley + Gibbo - Both got absolutely smashed today. Frawley more so than Gibbo. Gibson losing his feet too much the past two years. He ain't quick on his feet and he's a hell of a lot slower when he's off it.

Duryea - Had a mare.

Burgoyne - the most unclean Burgoyne I've ever seen. Even the best have bad games.

Shiels - Started like a house on fire. Not much after that but he's making the space for Mitchell with his bodywork.

Langford - Same old. Outstanding when the ball is there to be won. Not so much when he's already won it. Tried his heart out though so can't fault him there. Seems he might be hitting top form again which is promising to see.

Sicily - Next to useless. No point trying to antagonize the opposition if you can't back it up on the field. Would prefer seeing him up forward as he seems lost.

Poppy - Just seemed to be an almost game from Poppy. Could have almost broke the game apart but too many clumsy errors. Did some great things but he had a first half to forget.

McEvoy, Roughy, Smith and Tom Mitchell the positives.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

The way I saw it Essendon won their 18 month long grand final, we are warming up and adapting a new game plan, we were always going to lose.
Good thing with a rebuild is we are always going to win some and lose some and when we win it's gonna feel great. The last 4 years we have become accustomed to winning games. Now it's going to be 50/50 which actually adds to the excitement of watching games and not knowing if we will win.

This is a good post.

 

[abe8009]

How was the morality of the bombers supporters. They booed the Hawks when running out, taking shots at goal and pretty much every opportunity. Makes sense for a team returning from a drug ban ?!?

 

[The Jet From Poowong]

After tonight, I don't think I know what the rules are anymore. I used to think when someone takes on a tackler and doesn't hand pass or kick it, they would get penalised for holding the ball. Somewhere this has changed. Drastically.

The rules are a shambles

 

[Gralin]

Sorry. At all times Burton was his direct opponent. May have got lost in the contest... may have ended up elsewhere but Brett Eddy was the bloke Ryan Burton walked to the side of each time the ball was in stoppage.
Ryan can play as a rebounding half back.
He just not have a defenders mindset.

i agree he's an attacking player

 

[Hawthorn United]

I commented about this before the match. The whole scenario was similar to round 1 1991 where Adelaide were playing for their credibility, the Hawks were simply kicking off a new season. They played as if it was a Grand Final.

Essendon were playing for their lives tonight. They won't be able to sustain it. The Hawks were simply kicking off the season. I wouldn't worry about tonight's loss all that much. Our season starts next week.

So last week it was, "Pre-season form means nothing. We don't take things serious until Round 1", to now "Round 2 is where it starts".

The pre-season thing makes sense when you're established and a settled side. We are not one of those, with the changes we made in the offseason. We are yet to show anything resembling a decent side during the pre-season and now Round 1.

We won't win the Premiership this year, and those at HQ wouldn't expect that either, otherwise we'd hang onto Mitchell and Lewis for another year.

I would have been content to finish outside the 8, get a good draft pick and reload for 2019 and beyond. However, we don't have our first rounder for this year, so I'm hoping we make finals.

It's no longer than same Hawthorn side of 2012-2016. That era is over. It's time for a new era and Clarkson has already commenced building it.

 

[Goats]

Kade Stewart should have played tonight.

This. As a supporter it's so frustrating when a quality kid, who has earned his spot in the team isn't selected.

 

[Breustiful]

I would have been content to finish outside the 8, get a good draft pick and reload for 2019 and beyond. However, we don't have our first rounder for this year, so I'm hoping we make finals.

I've got bad news for you.

 

[Kil Phearns]

We played possibly our most experienced available side (sans Hodge), and that didn't cut it against a bog ordinary side. So I hope we start throwing the likes of Brand (when fit), Stewart, Miles, Lovell, and Burton in the deep end, because it's obviously a rebuilding/"resetting" year which we have no draft picks to look forward to at the end of.

 

[Hotham Hawk]

The rusty gears post on the game day thread - nail, head. Shouldn't lose heart just yet, round 1 can be a bit hit and miss anyway.

I watched the game with a few Essendon supporters tonight and one of them had a dig at the Hawks for suspending Hodge during a home and away game yet letting him play during the finals after being caught over the limit. A bit rich after everything that's happened at the bombers but whatever.

 

[Mercy Seat]

I thought we played ok! Excited about the year ahead.

We've essentially ripped out our engine and re-jigged the whole thing completely. First game in 16 years without Mitch-Lew-Hodge. Not to be taken lightly.

Tonight showed there's a lot to work with. Sure, we were very rusty, but I think it will take some time to readjust, and once we do, there's a shitload of talent still in that side to work with. Essendon played their grand final tonight, I never expected us to win. But the fact we were close and played some solid bursts gave me enough reason to keep the faith in Clarko and co. Fascinating season ahead.

 

[grumbleguts]

I've got bad news for you.

Did you even read his entire post before replying?

 

[Hawthorn United]

I've got bad news for you.

Did you read the next sentence?

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

 

[realhawk]

I thinks that's 6 losses from our last 7 games, 3 losses in a row at the MCG, the only win comming from a jack Fitzpatrick fluke goal against an injury depleted collingwood late last year, the wheels have fallen off. Time for Clarko to get more hands on , forget the bullshit university junkets in the off season, forget delegating practice matches to other coach, get back to basics , stop trying to complicate the game plan, just do the basic exceptionally well. Sicily useless in defence, gunstan wasted on the wing, Burgoyne to stay in the middle, ridiculous to not play Hodge. The decision making at the club is becoming Richmond like. Rant over

 

[SSSSSS]

Please Stewart and or Miles in next week. Need some youthful exuberance and pace.

 

[realhawk]

& when Hartung did try & run Daniher caught him! noy sure what Billy offers any more

Unfortunately billy is more suited to be playing the round ball game, do the melbourne victory have any players available to do a trade swap?

 

[Kuuz]

Eh, first game of the season. Lets get some runs on the board before people start mass-lynching half the team.

Some of the reactions like Doc is worse than Miles is a bit ridiculous. Yes Doc's form is down, but saying outright that he's worse than someone who has still not broken into the team is a bit odd. Breathe.

I am honestly just chuffed that JOM played and got through a game unscathed. Two months ago, the prospect of him appearing for the first time by Round 4 was seen as a deadset miracle.

Finally, patience people. We lost our most gifted playmaker we have seen in sometime in Mitchell. It will take a while for us to replace his creative influence. Our mid engine has had a massive revamp and so we need time for JOM and Mitch to adjust to the Hawks system. Further, people saying we should have passed on JOM and kept Mitchell is just idiocy. He is 34. Even if he plays a standout season, his days are numbered. Cannot keep playing him until he's 102 (wish we could though ).

Would be good if we dropped a tall and rewarded Stewart with a game. But he will get back in no doubt

 

[Breustiful]

Did you even read his entire post before replying?

Did you read the next sentence?

shit.

 

[Kinghts 24]

Not sure you can re-build on the run with such a lack of early draft picks on the list. Sydney had the benefit of the academy and Geelong were dragged along by Dangerfield, but will continue their downward slide this year.
I wonder whether we should have taken the Kangaroos approach at the end of last year (albeit not their media / PR team) and said farewell to Gibson and possibly even Burgoyne, and recognized we don't have the the depth to repair on the run. Problem now is we don't have the depth or the draft picks....and risk getting stuck in the bottom half of the eight, and not really competing for the flag.

 

[Buttonsticher]

Carlton have a daisy we have a doc. If Schoey in defense is the answer we're in more poo than a Werribee duck! I'm going to reserve judgement to after next weeks game.

 

[westhawk]

A really disappointing start to the year. Only a few can hold their head up after that performance. The main part that annoyed me the most though, was not seeing Gunston and Sicily up forward. Opposition coaches must love it when those 2 are not played forward.

 

[SSSSSS]

Our goal kicking has become a worry the past 7 or so games when it normally had been our strength. Kick straight in the 3rd quarter and we could have killed their momentum and put them to rest. Kick straight early in the fourth quarter and we could have put the pressure back on them.

They took their chances. We fluffed them. JOM and Vickery missed 4 sitters between them.

 

[daniel23]

sick of this flexibility shit its not new it doesnt surprise the opposition anymore , play our players to there stengths gunston and sicily fwd being the obvious ones

 

[lickmerocks]

Who what why thought it would be a good idea to take our best and most creative and accurate forward in Gunston and try and turn him into a running player up on the wing?

Gibbo is a big worry. Falls over at every opportunity now.

Cannot have Schoey Vickers and Big Rough all inside 50.

In Hodge Stewart Burton
Out- Gibson Duryea Schoenmakers.

 

[tige19]

Didnt he score 116? Mcevoy 106?

Yeah he was scaled up 22 points from after the game