Preview Round 16: Essendon v Geelong - MCG - Country Game Apparently - Saturday 29th June - 7:30pm

[Vindicater]

Hobbs or Shiel need to come in to limit Perkins and Stringers midfield time alittle and get the rotations right.

Out: Menzie and Kelly
In: Hobbs and Gresham

Sub: Hind

 

[joey_jo_jo]

It’s an interesting one - all of our midfielders are actually playing well… yet we haven’t been too crash hot in the clearances overall.

I’d really like to see us dominate Geelong’s midfield. Dangerfield’s still got that burst away from a pack in him, and I love Holmes. But it basically ends there.

Geelong have bullied us with size in the past. If I were them, I’d be tempted to bring in another ruck and play Blicavs around the ball.

weve generally gone alright at centre clearances from a differential perspective but I think sometimes we go too aggressive so if we lose the clearance the opposition have a clear run forward, so its those types of clearance losses that stick in the mind.
With stoppage clearances its a different story, really getting beaten up there at the moment, I reckon thats a personnel issue as havent had Parish/Hobbs in recent weeks so we dont have the extra mid playing on the flanks that can help out at the stoppage.

 

[eth-dog]

Most of their attacking weapons are defenders rather than mids (Holmes, Stewart and Duncan in particular). Our forward pressure needs to be at its best this week, I'm confident that our midfield can beat theirs in its current state.

 

[Happyskeret]

Most of their attacking weapons are defenders rather than mids (Holmes, Stewart and Duncan in particular). Our forward pressure needs to be at its best this week, I'm confident that our midfield can beat theirs in its current state.

I thought that last time but yeah our midfield setup is definitely different from last year.

 

[The Airing of Grievances]

I just saw that Dangerfield is free to play. Throw the whole thing away seriously. On one hand they talk about trying to protect the player's head given the significance of head-related injuries and when the suspensions do come, they can just go to the tribunal and get off. On one occasion it's the result not just the action, on another random occasion, the results dictates the punishment. The whole thing is a confusing mess.

Exactly. He made a great play about how he only pinned one arm and the tribunal ate it up with a spoon. Trouble was the arm he did pin was the only one Walsh could have used to prevent his head hitting the ground. The nature of the tackle was absolutely as dangerous as any that have resulted in suspensions in this and past seasons.

 

[Nifft]

Hobbs or Shiel need to come in to limit Perkins and Stringers midfield time alittle and get the rotations right.

Out: Menzie and Kelly
In: Hobbs and Gresham

Sub: Hind

I'd be surprised if Shiel was selected. It seems he wants out and is just coasting along in the 2s, and the club has been happy just to leave him there so far this year.

 

[Call Me Cake]

Geelong are 5th for turnovers and 2nd for clangers (whereas we are 10th and 11th respectively). If there is any area we need to exploit it's capitalizing on their unforced errors and doing it with speed.

 

[DallasCrane316]

Midweek tackle saying that Conway has a slight injury niggle and won’t play. They said that De Koning will be backed in for the ruck role again this week.

 

[Megabattimus]

Midweek tackle saying that Conway has a slight injury niggle and won’t play. They said that De Koning will be backed in for the ruck role again this week.

Really hope this means we just back in Draper to solo ruck.

On SM-G991B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[DallasCrane316]

Really hope this means we just back in Draper to solo ruck.

On SM-G991B using BigFooty.com mobile app

Scott’s presser was interesting today.

Post game he seemed more resolute on going the ruck combo.

Today he did mention a number of different options too. The fact that Draper pulled up so well and it’s a wet weather game (at this stage anyway) may be a factor.

Scott noting the expected weather conditions makes me think they are leaning towards one ruck with a tall forward as relief.

 

[outersanctum]

Feels like this has been a season full of 'big tests' and this week feels no different. For all of us that have watched the horror late season fade out play out over and over again, there is undoubtedly fear and anxiety around what the next 9 weeks hold. The almost perfect symmetry for last season is glaring. Last year we were just outside top 4.. and arguably had been playing better footy/form.. the stage seemed set for us to finally beat geelong and stamp our credentials. Not only did we lose.. we lost big time. The rest of the season was pretty dismal after that.

Geelong now is not the Geelong that started the season and it is not the same team as the last 15 years of consistent dominance. There is no doubt they are vulnerable but that doesn't make a loss a failure. The real key to this game is how we play, how we approach the contest. If we play like ANZAC day and lose then I can live with that.. if we play like the Port game.. meh not so much.

It is clear that Scott still hasn't found his preferred starting 18 or even our preferred set up. I personally think we are going in a little too top heavy and that is costing us forward pressure. The reality is that you can't play two rucks and three tall forwards (Wright, Jones, Caddy). So I think you either go with 2 rucks and Wright and Jones or ruck Draper solo with the 3 tall forwards. On a wet day you might even consider going solo ruck and Wright and Jones, use Langford as a hybrid and have 3 small forwards. There are two things that really impact the selection decisions.. one being the fitness and form of draper and the other is Langford. When langford is up and about then it looks ok but Langford has been well down on form for the last month and struggling to put pressure on (possibly a niggle).. which makes our forward line look too slow. Drapers inability to kick straight also limits his impact up forward.

I think the suggestions that Parish doesn't walk back into this team are laughable. I don't find it surprising that both times that parish has been unavailable/coming back from injury we have looked poorer for it. Hobbs and Setterfield can cover aspects and losing all three has hurt our inside pressure and clearance set up. It has to be said that Perkins coasts by on a few great efforts but has largely been poor.

Pace kills Geelong and if we try to go with a 'bomb it long to a tall forwardline' approach.. we WILL lose. That plays right into Geelongs tactics. The way to beat them is by running in waves, creating overlap and spotting up the short target. Eliminate Tom Stewart and nullify Cameron and they struggle through the middle. This is a winnable game and needs to be won if this squad really want to show themselves and the footy world they are different.

I predict Bombers win by 14 after a close game through out.

 

[Squeaky]

Feels like this has been a season full of 'big tests' and this week feels no different. For all of us that have watched the horror late season fade out play out over and over again, there is undoubtedly fear and anxiety around what the next 9 weeks hold. The almost perfect symmetry for last season is glaring. Last year we were just outside top 4.. and arguably had been playing better footy/form.. the stage seemed set for us to finally beat geelong and stamp our credentials. Not only did we lose.. we lost big time. The rest of the season was pretty dismal after that.

Geelong now is not the Geelong that started the season and it is not the same team as the last 15 years of consistent dominance. There is no doubt they are vulnerable but that doesn't make a loss a failure. The real key to this game is how we play, how we approach the contest. If we play like ANZAC day and lose then I can live with that.. if we play like the Port game.. meh not so much.

It is clear that Scott still hasn't found his preferred starting 18 or even our preferred set up. I personally think we are going in a little too top heavy and that is costing us forward pressure. The reality is that you can't play two rucks and three tall forwards (Wright, Jones, Caddy). So I think you either go with 2 rucks and Wright and Jones or ruck Draper solo with the 3 tall forwards. On a wet day you might even consider going solo ruck and Wright and Jones, use Langford as a hybrid and have 3 small forwards. There are two things that really impact the selection decisions.. one being the fitness and form of draper and the other is Langford. When langford is up and about then it looks ok but Langford has been well down on form for the last month and struggling to put pressure on (possibly a niggle).. which makes our forward line look too slow. Drapers inability to kick straight also limits his impact up forward.

I think the suggestions that Parish doesn't walk back into this team are laughable. I don't find it surprising that both times that parish has been unavailable/coming back from injury we have looked poorer for it. Hobbs and Setterfield can cover aspects and losing all three has hurt our inside pressure and clearance set up. It has to be said that Perkins coasts by on a few great efforts but has largely been poor.

Pace kills Geelong and if we try to go with a 'bomb it long to a tall forwardline' approach.. we WILL lose. That plays right into Geelongs tactics. The way to beat them is by running in waves, creating overlap and spotting up the short target. Eliminate Tom Stewart and nullify Cameron and they struggle through the middle. This is a winnable game and needs to be won if this squad really want to show themselves and the footy world they are different.

I predict Bombers win by 14 after a close game through out.

Awesome post - nailed it!
If we play like ANZAC - all good!
If we play like we have played Geelong in the last 5 or 6 years - GFkd!

 

[Milanista28]

No excuses this week, must win! Any loss is a poor result, our turn baby!

 

[Shanghaistu]

I’m thinking about this mathematically compared to how we lined up against them last year -
Ie
Does
(Essendon 2023 + Gresham+duursma+mckay)
versus
(Geelong 2023 - Hawkins ) = 77 points?

If yes, then we win

 

[Nifft]

Is anyone else annoyed Hawkins isn't playing? After he's chewed us up so many times we finally have a full back that can match it with him. And then Hawkins decides to pull a sickie.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

Rain predicted, will be a wet game.

 

[astrowizzle]

Is anyone else annoyed Hawkins isn't playing? After he's chewed us up so many times we finally have a full back that can match it with him. And then Hawkins decides to pull a sickie.

He's faking it.

 

[Nifft]

He's faking it.

I know right. He probably just wants to keep his averages up against us.

 

[Kong]

Rain predicted, will be a wet game.

View attachment 2031599

Still a pervert

Phone

 

[DallasCrane316]

IN - Goldy and Gresham
OUT - Caddy and Menzie.

Per 7 news.

 

[DallasCrane316]

Cats aren’t bringing in another ruck.

So Draper and Goldy vs Sam De Koning.

 

[Megabattimus]

Boo, two rucks, boo.

On SM-G991B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[DallasCrane316]

Boo, two rucks, boo.

On SM-G991B using BigFooty.com mobile app

Wonder if the Scott’s are calling each others bluff.

Stanley an emergency for the Cats.

 

[Hird05]

Don't mind it. Hopefully we destroy them at stoppages

 

[Hird05]

Wonder if the Scott’s are calling each others bluff.

Stanley an emergency for the Cats.

Was last week too