Preview Round 1: Essendon vs Hawthorne, MCG, Saturday 16/03/24 @ 1:45 PM

[bombreys]

Maybe, but surely they drill down oh his obviously weakness, that caused us to be happy to let him go. His softness and utter aversion to any physical contact. Smash him up a bit and watch him go to water

I know this is a bit of a throw away comment, but Dodo himself said something along the lines of he ‘pleaded with him to stay until the final minute’. Not so sure we were happy to let him go

 

[zigipop]

What are the planned match ups down back - its abit of a head scratcher
Watson - Mcgrath
Moore - Redman
Bruest - Kelly
Ginnivan - Hep

That match up saw Ginni slot 5 and embarrass Heppell for pace in 2022.
10 and a Harlem globetrotter like performance wouldn’t be out of the question if Brad went with that match up. But Hepps is a great warrior of the club so he should be given the opportunity to concede ten every week until he decides he’s done. It’s the Essendon way.

 

[MiguelM]

Was pretty confident until Parish out and no Hobbs. Hopefully Goldy can help give us first use. Will need Stringer in there at times.

Their small forward line worries me. If they get on top we might have to push Kelly back and be forced to put Durham back to the wing really exposing the midfield, lets see.

Would have preferred Hind as sub TBH. Thought he was pretty unlucky considering he was one of the only players trying his guts out when we fell off the cliff last year and has performed well as sub before.

On the plus side, they will struggle with 2MP and hopefully double team him. Langers could have a very good game if this is the case and we look for him..

We have a very different team with Reid, Cox, Jones, McKay, Duursma, Gresh, Goldy, Tsatas so exciting from that point.

Time for Perk, Jones & Cox to grab their chances.

Go Bombers!!

 

[Lore]

Great backline users heppell and Kelly. We would have the worst kicking backline in the league really.

Do you think they’ll play there? Everyone seems to be named in the positions they played last year, rather than where they trained in preseason

 

[andleanback]

Do you think they’ll play there? Everyone seems to be named in the positions they played last year, rather than where they trained in preseason

Where else is heppell playing? Kelly will play wing and half back at stages

 

[Lore]

Where else is heppell playing? Kelly will play wing and half back at stages

I was more thinking that Martin may push back as he has in the summer.

Heppell can man the bench and wear a sub vest

 

[Mootsy]

firstly, we have no parish ,they have no bird, it evens things out.

 

[CBombers17]

How was preseason? Are we ready for this?

 

[ghostdog]

Was pretty confident until Parish out and no Hobbs. Hopefully Goldy can help give us first use. Will need Stringer in there at times.

Their small forward line worries me. If they get on top we might have to push Kelly back and be forced to put Durham back to the wing really exposing the midfield, lets see.

Would have preferred Hind as sub TBH. Thought he was pretty unlucky considering he was one of the only players trying his guts out when we fell off the cliff last year and has performed well as sub before.

On the plus side, they will struggle with 2MP and hopefully double team him. Langers could have a very good game if this is the case and we look for him..

We have a very different team with Reid, Cox, Jones, McKay, Duursma, Gresh, Goldy, Tsatas so exciting from that point.

Time for Perk, Jones & Cox to grab their chances.

Go Bombers!!

Same sentiments bolded.

Another angle is Merrett. He's been moved to the forwardline once before when he was being tagged. Macginnes (sp?) is likely to go to him, so maybe he might go to the backline to help out at some point.

Bottomline is, it feels like our selections are going to result in Brad making positional changes to adapt to them. We're already on the back foot. Dyson out, Hind in would have been preferred.

 

[Lore]

How was preseason? Are we ready for this?

Welcome back. You haven’t missed much; we’ve been melting since match sim vs St Kilda a month ago

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

Not at all confident.

 

[andleanback]

I was more thinking that Martin may push back as he has in the summer.

Heppell can man the bench and wear a sub vest

We can dream

 

[daffo]

IMO we have 5 best 22 out for this game.
(Rids, Parish, Hobbs, Shiel & Draper). That is a lot & will make a huge difference. Rids is close to our most important player.

On the other sides Hawks are missing 3/4 players but we are missing more talent.

We should win and it should be a comfortable one but I'm pretty scared. The aim is a 5+ goal win but I'd take the 4 points no matter what the margin is.

 

[CBombers17]

Welcome back. You haven’t missed much; we’ve been melting since match sim vs St Kilda a month ago

hard to imagine there wouldn't be!

I'm guessing we didn't devastate them peak 2000. It's hard to take but getting easier as the years go by.

 

[Happyskeret]

I’m not that worried. I’m trying to rate Hawthorn but I just can’t plus I don’t want to see Sam Mitchell get his maiden win against us. Campaigner.

 

[DERO]

WE ARE GUNNA SMASH THEM

 

[Keystone agony]

Imagine Caldwell been doing the midfield work a training for track watchers this week?

 

[ghostdog]

Imagine Caldwell been doing the midfield work a training for track watchers this week?

Yessss Jye.

 

[ghostdog]

No Parish and no Hobbs might be a blessing in disguise. I have no doubt Duz will rise to the challenge and I think Calders will too. Goldy should win out in the ruck, and if Setterfield goes well we should have a decent run at stoppage clearances.

Really hoping Tsatas has a strong game and doesn't mung too many kicks.

 

[bennyq]

If dons win, it’ll be at the hands of goldy

 

[VelvetSledge]

Game Day - Round 1 - Essendon v Hawthorn, MCG, Saturday 16/3/24, 1.45pm AEDST

ESSENDON After an utterly dismal performance against the Saints down in Moorabbin, the Bombers put in a much better performance against the Cats down in Alphabet Soup Stadium, Geelong. The Bombers had essentially put the cue in the rack at 3-quarter time after Jordan Ridley suffered another...

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Welcome back to footy, all.

Let the struggle begin.