Preview Round 2: Brisbane vs Essendon, 'Gabba, Saturday 01/04/17, 7:25 AEDT

[bombreys]

Zaha took some short steps and Langford didn't get involved as much as we and he might have liked, but they'll play again I think.

Gleeson was fine. Dunno what game you guys were watching.

I get sticking up for players, but he pretty poor.

Of his 14 kicks, I'd like to see how many were marked by Essendon players. And while he might have taken two-odd (?) intercept marks, he did a lot of ball watching and not a lot of chasing.

Again, I get sticking up for him, but this wasn't his best game.

 

[Mootsy]

I'd be bringing in Hocking for a tag.

 

[eth-dog]

I get sticking up for players, but he pretty poor.

Of his 14 kicks, I'd like to see how many were marked by Essendon players. And while he might have taken two-odd (?) intercept marks, he did a lot of ball watching and not a lot of chasing.

Again, I get sticking up for him, but this wasn't his best game.

Well he made 4 clangers, three of which were FA. People say he cost 3-4 goals from disposal errors which is blatantly untrue, because if that were the case he'd have 7 clangers instead of the 4.

He also had some pretty important defensive saves the other night (made a block on Puopolo to let Hurley touch that ball on the line, slid and saved another in the third) as well which saved our arses. He took 4 intercept marks IIRC (two in the first quarter, two in the last) and had some pretty important runs through the middle.

Yes, he made some poor mistakes, mostly in the second quarter. However so did many others.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

I'd be bringing in Hocking for a tag.

Apparently he played poor in the VFL but yeah I would bring him in for a tagging role. From all reports Howlett had a good game so I wont be surprised if he comes in.

 

[Dons4days]

Probably no change.

Gleeson, Zaharkis and Langford will want to perform this week though.

I thought Zaharakis was better than people are giving him credit for. Set up a couple of nice goals with savvy play.

I'd be very disappointed if we weren't 3-0 after round 3. The Brisbane and Carlton games are the ones we need to be winning though historically we've let ourselves down in these sort of matches.

 

[Killer79]

I'd be bringing in Hocking for a tag.

No offence but that is madness. We have a midfield that can go head to head, a gameplan that relies on dash and dare through the middle. Hocking doesn't fit that mould unfortunately, and until our gameplan is proven to be unsuccessful and needs changing, Hocking should stay in the VFL.

We are in a great position here with an early win against a side rated better than us, we should be only dropping blokes if they have at least two poor games in a row and there is a replacement in the VFL who has had two great games in a row. Green, Zaka, Langford get actually coached this week to fix their issues from round one and they change them for round 2 and play better, if they don't THEN we look at replacements.

For example I'm not a Mckernan fan but even if Luenberger and Bellchambers were 100% for this game I'd be happy to see them both in the VFL.

Depth is an important cog in a successful team but so is stability, give players a chance to prove themselves at both levels.

 

[Fatcat08]

I agree with this. We're not that good... yet.
It will be hard for some of the boys to get up for the 2nd game - it was a huge build up & the coaches need to be wary of a drop off in application/energy.
They have some good mids running around in Beams & Rocky and if Harris Andrews is allowed to do his job like last week, goals from the key forwards might be hard to come by. The little blokes will have to do a lot of work again.
I'd expect that Zach Merrett gets tagged (Mitch Robinson) cos it was his vision & pinpoint kicking that split Hawthorn open - it won't go unnoticed by Fagan.

Robinson has been moved into the forward line as a defensive forward who relieves in the midfield this season. We haven't played a tagger all pre-season or in game one so I doubt we'll be seeing one this game. Don't think its fagan's style TBH, we've seen guys with average disposal by foot moved into our forward half for the most part and getting better ball users (a relative term when talking about our side) behind the ball and in the midfield.

 

[eDPS]

Apparently he played poor in the VFL but yeah I would bring him in for a tagging role. From all reports Howlett had a good game so I wont be surprised if he comes in.

The tagging role seems dead to me, clubs are backing in their own midfields

 

[Fatcat08]

Brisbane's win over GCS covered up a huge gap in inside 50s.
Inside 50s: Brisbane 42, Gold Coast 74.
Essendon really just need to take their chances in the fwd half.

While there were a lot, the figure alone does us a bit of a disservice. We applied good pressure to their ball carriers through the midfield which resulted in them putting up a lot of high bombs or quick badly directed kicks that we mopped up pretty easily on a lot of occasions, with Harris Andrews using his Dustin Fletcher gadget like arms to good affect.

 

[PhoenixBonez]

Will we bat or bowl first?

Looks like a very green surface, have a bowl I reckon.

 

[Whispering_Jack]

Looks like a very green surface, have a bowl I reckon.

 

[vaughany]

Baguley apparently received a minor injury in the Hawthorn game. If he doesn't get up for the Brisbane game would assume Dea comes in for him?

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[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Baguley apparently received a minor injury in the Hawthorn game. If he doesn't get up for the Brisbane game would assume Dea comes in for him?

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

Cramped up late so wouldn't be surprised.

 

[carnthedons]

 

[Ammo_Lover]

Zaha took some short steps and Langford didn't get involved as much as we and he might have liked, but they'll play again I think.

Gleeson was fine. Dunno what game you guys were watching.

This.
Really liked his game - has found a nice spot for himself back there. Made one bad mistake when he went with his foot but after than that I rated his game - and I havent been a huge fan.
No way he should be dropped.

 

[Ammo_Lover]

Keep playing McKernan and no need to bring in T-Bell at this stage.
Its a long year and Shaun did nothing wrong on Saturday night.
Relax people - strong VFL form will get players in side. Make the players outside the team hungry.
At this stage there should be minimal change - the one I worry about is Langford but even then, keep playing him for now.

 

[Dons4days]

Baguley apparently received a minor injury in the Hawthorn game. If he doesn't get up for the Brisbane game would assume Dea comes in for him?

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Most likely but would much prefer to see McKenna in before Dea. Could be a good couple of weeks for him to be in the team.

 

[Eleven 38]

I'd be bringing in Hocking for a tag.

I wouldn't hold your breath on woosha bringing in a specialist tagger.

 

[Vindicater]

No changes for mine.

How do you kick anyone out after that win.

 

[Capt Hindsight]

While there were a lot, the figure alone does us a bit of a disservice. We applied good pressure to their ball carriers through the midfield which resulted in them putting up a lot of high bombs or quick badly directed kicks that we mopped up pretty easily on a lot of occasions, with Harris Andrews using his Dustin Fletcher gadget like arms to good affect.

Yes the pressure the Lions applied was great and was a major factor in winning the match.
Though by giving up so many inside 50s when eventually the players tire and the pressure drops the opposition starts scoring heavily as GCS did after half time.

 

[yodellinhank]

The tagging role seems dead to me, clubs are backing in their own midfields

I think its more a case of an 18 man zonal defence. If one lone ranger is following his own man around then a gap is found in the zone.

 

[foj1]

Didn't look that way at the ground.

Yes it did

 

[foj1]

If green doesn't get up I would bring howlett in
If the weather forecast is wet I would not be adverse to bringing hocking in for Langford but I think that win deserves loyalty
It would be a nice story for more of the suspended player/s to return

 

[bato]

Yes the pressure the Lions applied was great and was a major factor in winning the match.
Though by giving up so many inside 50s when eventually the players tire and the pressure drops the opposition starts scoring heavily as GCS did after half time.

Basically this. A major reason why we fell apart was the Suns' blistering, unstoppable speed from the likes of Hall, Touk, Saad (jeez he's quick) and a few of their other indigenous talents.

Are Essendon a quick side? I genuinely think that's the only question when it comes to who'll win the match. Probably find that it's one of the biggest ways teams can really beat us up this season. With that being said, I still favour our mids against equally paced mids. From what I've seen of Essendon, and I will very likely be wrong with this view, I don't think they're overly quick bar Merrett and Tippa. I don't think anyone will stop Merrett, so it'll be super important for someone like Zorko to replicate that for us. I think that's achievable.

 

[Loonerty]

Basically this. A major reason why we fell apart was the Suns' blistering, unstoppable speed from the likes of Hall, Touk, Saad (jeez he's quick) and a few of their other indigenous talents.

Are Essendon a quick side? I genuinely think that's the only question when it comes to who'll win the match. Probably find that it's one of the biggest ways teams can really beat us up this season. With that being said, I still favour our mids against equally paced mids. From what I've seen of Essendon, and I will very likely be wrong with this view, I don't think they're overly quick bar Merrett and Tippa. I don't think anyone will stop Merrett, so it'll be super important for someone like Zorko to replicate that for us. I think that's achievable.

Individual player may not be speedy but our ball movement at stages was tearing through Hawthorn's defence on Saturday night.

Fantasia is at least as quick as Merrett, Colyer has jets, McGrath also has pace to burn.