Round 10 - Essendon v Geelong @ Etihad

[The Final Word]

Hodge would get done for potential to cause injury there

You recall Selwood got done for giving his brother the softest of taps?

 

[citizen-erased]

This. Midfield is horrendous for starters. I keep seeing hacks like Melksham, Howlett, Dempsey in and around the midfield. They are all horrific and abysmal. Trade them all, get whatever you can. Forward line has potential but they need a small forward and a CHF, the other parts are there. Backbone is fine though. Need a ruck man badly.

Myers, Zaka, Hocking, Watson out. Hence we play them.
And we haven't invested in Kav enough to date.

4 starting mids out, 2 of them critical leaders. Add to that Goddard having virtually no impact in recent weeks.
May as well make it 5.
Hawks lost Lewis and Hodge and the following games saw a drop.

We should be playing J.Merrett, Kav, Browne and O'Brien to cover them, but with the season still being alive and coming up against the Cats, it would have been a throw to play Goddard and kids against the cats. The pre-season showed they are still a year or two away from competing. Not sure anyone predicted that blowout.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

After Rd.3, we were touted as a contender.

By who? Drunks at the local pub? Most people had the top 2 from last year as the contenders still plus Freo, and the TAB would have too.

 

[citizen-erased]

Carlisle had his best game for the season after halftime...want to remind me where he played? Oh thats right...down back and in the ruck. Not a forward, never a natural forward.

Thought he was better last week. But i agree he should be played as a defender.

We don't have a second tall forward though.
Maybe we stick Bellchambers in the square, Daniher at CHF and Carlisle, Hurley and Hooker in defence.
But that means Giles coming in as #1 ruck.

 

[citizen-erased]

By who? Drunks at the local pub? Most people had the top 2 from last year as the contenders still plus Freo, and the TAB would have too.

we'd just lost by a kick to one of those teams, and beat the premier.
It was premature, but to say the list is the issue is wrong. Its the effort.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Myers, Zaka, Hocking, Watson out. Hence we play them.
And we haven't invested in Kav enough to date.

4 starting mids out, 2 of them critical leaders. Add to that Goddard having virtually no impact in recent weeks.
May as well make it 5.
Hawks lost Lewis and Hodge and the following games saw a drop.

We should be playing J.Merrett, Kav, Browne and O'Brien to cover them, but with the season still being alive and coming up against the Cats, it would have been a throw to play Goddard and kids against the cats. The pre-season showed they are still a year or two away from competing. Not sure anyone predicted that blowout.

That is the problem, only Watson is the genuine elite midfielder out. Myers is pretty good but you won the clearances...not sure how he is helping when his disposal is iffy too.

There better be a good reason Laverde isn't there for starters...or the fact that Howlett and Melksham somehow jag spots each week. You don't play every kid, but how about try 2-3....they can't be any worse than what Melksham serves up!

Change the forward line too, maybe try Tayte Pears up forward with Daniher.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Thought he was better last week. But i agree he should be played as a defender.

We don't have a second tall forward though.
Maybe we stick Bellchambers in the square, Daniher at CHF and Carlisle, Hurley and Hooker in defence.
But that means Giles coming in as #1 ruck.

Giles can't be any worse than what Bellchambers served up tonight! Of all players (and with plenty of competition) he was WORST ON GROUND! Try Pears up forward, he has scored a few in the reserves.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

we'd just lost by a kick to one of those teams, and beat the premier.
It was premature, but to say the list is the issue is wrong. Its the effort.

The list IS the problem. It is the overrating of the list that has caused Essendon to draft in players like Cooney, Gwilt, etc when you could have easily gone to the draft and picked another 2 players. It was a classic case of thinking your list is a top 4 one, it isn't. Barely a top 8 list (and that is generous)

 

[Richo83]

Myers, Zaka, Hocking, Watson out. Hence we play them.
And we haven't invested in Kav enough to date.

4 starting mids out, 2 of them critical leaders. Add to that Goddard having virtually no impact in recent weeks.
May as well make it 5.
Hawks lost Lewis and Hodge and the following games saw a drop.

We should be playing J.Merrett, Kav, Browne and O'Brien to cover them, but with the season still being alive and coming up against the Cats, it would have been a throw to play Goddard and kids against the cats. The pre-season showed they are still a year or two away from competing. Not sure anyone predicted that blowout.

Hocking is a battler. Myers is constantly injured, Zaharakis has played six games this year, Watson has only missed this game. This has been an issue for a while now. You're not a top four side.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Thought he was better last week. But i agree he should be played as a defender.

We don't have a second tall forward though.

Carlile back, Fletcher or Pears forward

 

[citizen-erased]

Baguley and Hibberd are ordinary players. Watson and Goddard getting old. Heppell is so overrated. Zaharakis is inconsistent. Merrett is improving but young. Myers always injured. Forward line is horrific

Myers is suffering his first injury i can recall. Maybe 2012.
Hibberd was AA last year.
Baguley is a back pocket tag. He does what we need. He isn't gonna be a star, but he does the job pretty well.

Quite happy having Jobe and Goddard out there still.

Forward line is a big issue, but it was positive seeing Fantasia out there tonight.
We need to get Langford in there. And find a forward in the off-season.
And i think we should play Stanton forward a lot more. He has a lot of goal sense and could prolong his career not having to run 100% of the game up and down the ground

Thought Merrett was excellent tonight. Tackles hard, puts the effort in and generally uses the ball well. As a second year player, can't ask for more.

Zaka's inconsistency and Heppell's form this year are issues, but again, I'm seeing a lack of effort being the biggest issue

 

[Percel]

Mark Blicavs ‏@MarkBlicavs 26m26 minutes agoMelbourne, Victoria
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[Whiskers]

You recall Selwood got done for giving his brother the softest of taps?

I'll never ever forget that.
There will never be a worse suspension in history, but hey according to some, we are protected haha.

 

[citizen-erased]

Carlile back, Fletcher or Pears forward

Fletcher isn't going to play forward.
Pears can. He looks decent at VFL level, but we aren't gonna rush him. It won't be the difference, but it will give us a good option
If he comes on though, it would be a handy pick up

 

[Whiskers]

You think chappy joined bombers to play finals lol? He went there for retirement and got a big pay cheque.

you're right

 

[citizen-erased]

That is the problem, only Watson is the genuine elite midfielder out. Myers is pretty good but you won the clearances...not sure how he is helping when his disposal is iffy too.

There better be a good reason Laverde isn't there for starters...or the fact that Howlett and Melksham somehow jag spots each week. You don't play every kid, but how about try 2-3....they can't be any worse than what Melksham serves up!

Change the forward line too, maybe try Tayte Pears up forward with Daniher.

Laverde is our next elite mid. We aren't going to rush him. I thought he'd be a chance this week but Kav certainly deserved it more and made a good game of it.
Pears is a similar story. Has worked so hard to get back. Isn't going to be rushed.

Heppell should be elite. His form is down from the last years since he debuted. He isn't the only issue.

Melksham is our go to tagger at the moment until Hocking is back.

 

[citizen-erased]

Hocking is a battler. Myers is constantly injured, Zaharakis has played six games this year, Watson has only missed this game. This has been an issue for a while now. You're not a top four side.

Myers missed the back half of 2012 with most of the list.
Played pretty much all of 2013-4.

He is a big loss. Big body, long kicking and strong marking mid and an experienced, senior body in the middle.
On his own it isn't much, but Hocking and Myers out means Watson and Heppell have to play inside. They aren't clearance players.

Kind of pulls a pin on our midfield, and considering we didn't have Kav ready to come in for Myers, we shot ourselves in the foot.

Myers, Kavanagh, Laverde - inside
Watson, Heppell, Goddard - play makers
Zaka, Merrett, Colyer on the outside

Stanton & Cooney to the half forward flanks.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Fletcher isn't going to play forward.
Pears can. He looks decent at VFL level, but we aren't gonna rush him. It won't be the difference, but it will give us a good option
If he comes on though, it would be a handy pick up

Fletcher should be phased out anyway, so play him forward, allow Jake to play back. You may have a chance of retaining him if he is enjoying his footy again. Pears deserves a chance, and give him 6 weeks. The other option is play Ambrose at CHF, Giles in the ruck.

 

[Richo83]

Myers missed the back half of 2012 with most of the list.
Played pretty much all of 2013-4.

He is a big loss. Big body, long kicking and strong marking mid and an experienced, senior body in the middle.
On his own it isn't much, but Hocking and Myers out means Watson and Heppell have to play inside. They aren't clearance players.

Kind of pulls a pin on our midfield, and considering we didn't have Kav ready to come in for Myers, we shot ourselves in the foot.

Myers, Kavanagh, Laverde - inside
Watson, Heppell, Goddard - play makers
Zaka, Merrett, Colyer on the outside

Stanton & Cooney to the half forward flanks.

Watson averaged 5.8 clearances per game last year, Heppell averaged 5.2 clearances per game last year, no other Essendon player averaged above five. In what world isn't Watson a clearance player? Might as well claim that Cotchin and Miles aren't inside mids.

Your argument boils down to saying that you're struggling because you're missing Myers and Hocking. That's either bullcrap or you have no depth.

 

[Wild Bill]

Myers is suffering his first injury i can recall. Maybe 2012.
Hibberd was AA last year.
Baguley is a back pocket tag. He does what we need. He isn't gonna be a star, but he does the job pretty well.

Quite happy having Jobe and Goddard out there still.

Forward line is a big issue, but it was positive seeing Fantasia out there tonight.
We need to get Langford in there. And find a forward in the off-season.
And i think we should play Stanton forward a lot more. He has a lot of goal sense and could prolong his career not having to run 100% of the game up and down the ground

Thought Merrett was excellent tonight. Tackles hard, puts the effort in and generally uses the ball well. As a second year player, can't ask for more.

Zaka's inconsistency and Heppell's form this year are issues, but again, I'm seeing a lack of effort being the biggest issue

Hibberd AA? Didn't even make the squad let alone the team.

 

[JUBJUB]

Jake Melksham would have to be the biggest hack to ever grace a football field. He also happens to be a massive ******.

You do know this guy was playing,don't you ?

 

[citizen-erased]

Giles can't be any worse than what Bellchambers served up tonight! Of all players (and with plenty of competition) he was WORST ON GROUND! Try Pears up forward, he has scored a few in the reserves.

Agree, and its more the lack of making a call on him that is the telling part of that. Giles may be no better or worse, but Bellchambers needs the rocket (see Minson).

 

[citizen-erased]

Hibberd AA? Didn't even make the squad let alone the team.

hmm. thought he made it...never mind

 

[Rich01]

Laverde is our next elite mid. We aren't going to rush him. I thought he'd be a chance this week but Kav certainly deserved it more and made a good game of it.

Thought he was more of a Utilty/forward? His stats in the VFL don't suggest he's getting a heap of the pill.

 

[citizen-erased]

Fletcher should be phased out anyway, so play him forward, allow Jake to play back. You may have a chance of retaining him if he is enjoying his footy again. Pears deserves a chance, and give him 6 weeks. The other option is play Ambrose at CHF, Giles in the ruck.

A chance isn't what is holding Pears back. He has missed years of football. Its a slow track back. If he gets back out there, he will need this year just to get some touch. If he can do that, then does a pre-season, 2016 onwards could see him solve the CHF issue.