VelvetSledge
Moderator
- May 24, 2007
- 17,854
- 36,705
- AFL Club
- Essendon
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- Liverpool FC, Melbourne Storm
- Moderator
- #1
ESSENDON BOMBERS
The whole “leaving it late” thing is going to take months, if not years, off my life.
Of all teams, the struggling Gold Coast put up one hell of a fight against an undermanned Bombers outfit, and nearly came away with the win.
Once again, ludicrous umpiring blighted the game with a clear goal to David Zaharakis missed after an umpire simply didn’t pay it (nor review it), as well as numerous GC passes not making the required 15m to deem a mark legal. Let’s not even mention the front on contact to Langford.
Once again, Mr Essendon himself in Cale Hooker, was the saviour. A bullet-like Walla pass found Hooker in the forward 50, and as we’re so used to, he put it straight through the middle to win the game.
This was stamped on with an outstanding performance from Jake Stringer; the powerful mid/forward booted a long bomb from the centre square to seal the deal not 10 seconds after Hooker’s effort.
This was our fifth straight win, and we’re now locked into 7th, two wins clear from the struggling Adelaide.
We very clearly missed Conor McKenna’s run off halfback.
Shaun McKernan was again a key pillar up forward, roosting 4 goals, including an extremely special effort on the run from outside 50 in the 3rd term.
Dylan Shiel and Zach Merrett stood up in the absence of Dyson Heppell, with the former kicking what could be considered to be a solid contender for Goal of the Year after a wild hack out of mid-air.
While we’re excellent at using the “Get Out Of Jail Free” card, we really need to stop getting ourself into these positions.
Mitch Brown was a hell of a pick up. What an unbelieveably hard worker.
We’ve won our last four matches with scores of 76, 86, 96, and now 106.
GOLD COAST SUNS 15.6 96 def. By ESSENDON BOMBERS 16.10 106
BEST: McKernan, Shiel, Redman, Merrett, Stringer, McGrath
GOALS: McKernan 4, Stringer 4, Brown 3, Parish, Shiel, Langford, McGrath, Hooker
INJURIES: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
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PORT ADELAIDE POWER
Big oof. So close, yet so far, poor old Port continued the Adelaide teams’ misery with a 1 point loss to GWS after trailing almost all night.
Port are playing for their season now; they’re 3 games behind us and now it seems as though their coaching team are messing about with their selection, attempting to find the right mix.
Robbie Gray is one of the most underrated players outside of South Australia – if he played for a Melbourne team he would be everywhere.
Travis Boak is having what could be considered a career-best season this year. He nailed 40 touches and seven clearances, which has brought his season average possessions to an incredible 32.
Justin Westhoff battled valiantly in being used as a key defender, but fell it was Port’s wastefulness in front of goal which ultimately proved their undoing.
Port are under immense pressure now; they have only a few weeks left to get their season back on track, and you could almost write them off if they lose to us today.
PORT ADELAIDE 7.13 55 def. By GWS GIANTS 8.8 56
BEST: Boak, R. Gray, Rockliff, Westhoff, Houston, Bonner
GOALS: R. Gray 3, Howard 2, S. Gray, Rozee
INJURIES: Nil
REPORTS: Nil
ESSENDON EMERGENCIES
Michael Hartley, David Myers, Brayden Ham, Jayden Laverde
PORT ADELAIDE EMERGENCIES
Dougal Howard, Kane Farrell, Trent McKenzie, Sam Mayes
------
ESSENDON INS: Orazio Fantasia, Conor McKenna
ESSENDON OUTS: Jayden Laverde, Ben McNiece (Both Omit)
PORT ADELAIDE INS: Charlie Dixon, Peter Ladhams, Todd Marshall
PORT ADELAIDE OUTS: Scott Lycett, Dougal Howard, Joel Garner (what)
The expected changes at Essendon really, with the frankly not quite up to AFL level Ben McNiece being dropped back to the twos. Joining him is Jayden Laverde, who while not looking out of place at AFL level, simply isn't hitting the scoreboard enough to warrant a place over the electric small forward Orazio Fantasia, who is returning from a hip complaint. Alongside him is the returning Irishman, Conor McKenna, who is back in the country following his brother's wedding.
Port and crazy Kern dropped a selection bombshell, with Scott Lycett being dumped this week in favour of the young Peter Ladhams and the broken Paddy Ryder. The worst name in the AFL, Dougal Howard, joins him on the sidelines, as does Joel Garner. Coming into the Port side is Charlie Dixon, the aforementioned Peter Ladhams, and young gun Todd Marshall.
ESSENDON BOMBERS – #25 – JAKE STRINGER
The man, the myth, the legend. Stringer has come from a place where people criticized him for being too inconsistent, being a shit bloke off the field, being a crap team mate, to now being regarded as one of the most dynamic impact players in the league. He does things that don’t seem possible, and does them regularly. His impact on last week’s win against the Gold Coast from only 14 touches can not be understated. He booted four goals in incredible positions, and his immense strength in the contest is looking like it will be made for September. We haven’t been in a position where we will be able to have a big body with the sort of freakish impact he can have at the coal face for a while, and seeing the Package in finals action will be a real treat to our long-suffering fans.
ESSENDON BOMBERS – #26 – CALE HOOKER
No need to even talk about Cale. He just does incredible things, and saves our arses more often than not. He will, no doubt, be in consideration for induction as an Essendon Legend, and the veteran swingman has overcome numerous injury concerns to continuously be our hero. Just go find the endings to these matches, and you'll appreciate him even more.
2015 Round 2 vs Hawthorn
2017 Round 20 vs Carlton
2018 Round 1 vs Adelaide
2019 Round 15 vs GWS
2019 Round 19 vs Gold Coast
PORT ADELAIDE - #50 – CAM SUTCLIFFE
It seems as though the entirety of the Port fanbase dislike this selection immensely, and I’m a little confused. Is he that bad? I didn’t think he was that rough of a player at Freo, but apparently his three games for Port since being signed during the mid-season draft haven’t exactly amounted to much hope from the Port fans.
I’m curious, any Port fans who read this.. Why is he that bad?
PORT ADELAIDE - #4 – PADDY RYDER
I just want people to stop suggesting that we try to get him back. Tommy Bellchambers is fine for now, and we have big Sam Draper coming back next year, who is one of the most gifted athletes that’s walked through our doors in some years. And now, we have people suggesting that we try to sign a bloke who walked out on us, limited our bargaining power, and messed us around. He now has one leg left, is nowhere near the player he once was, and... he’s kept his spot instead of Lycett?
Kern pls.
Just quietly, I'm going to abandon this section of the thread.
There's too much negativity posted about players on social medias and I don't need to add to it.
The winner was Israel Folau for being a hate-filled bible-thumping ****wit, though.
Again, sorry for no rant this week. Finding myself a little short on time as I'm scurrying to get life ready for the baby who should arrive any day.
The reason there was no thread last week is because we thought she was on her way, but... Alas, I still wait!
Normal service might possibly return next week?
- VS
ROUND 23, 2018
Adelaide Oval
24/8/2018
PORT ADELAIDE POWER 13.11 89
def by
ESSENDON BOMBERS 17.9 111
---------
ESSENDON BEST: Smith, Merrett, Francis, Goddard, Heppell
ESSENDON GOALS: Brown, Langford, Laverde 3, Zaharakis, Heppell, McDonald-Tipungwuti 2, Myers, Baguley
PORT ADELAIDE BEST: Wingard, Polec, Boak, Wines, Westhoff
PORT ADELAIDE GOALS: Westhoff 5, Ebert 2, Ryder, Boak, R. Gray, Polec, Frampton, Farrell
---------
CHANGES SINCE THEN
ESSENDON OUTS: Smith, Goddard, Heppell, Hurley, Laverde, Myers, Colyer, Baguley, Leuenberger
ESSENDON INS: Redman, Gleeson, Ambrose, Fantasia, Snelling, McKernan, Z. Clarke, D. Clarke, Shiel
PORT ADELAIDE OUTS: Wingard, Polec, Wines, Pittard, Motlop, Ebert, Watts, Lienert, Farrell, Howard, Neade, Frampton, Hombsch
PORT ADELAIDE INS: Ladhams, Rozee, Dixon, Duursma, Rockliff, Amon, Hartlett, Clurey, Bonner, Sutcliffe, Broadbent, Butters, Marshall
MELBOURNE:
TV: FOX Footy (LIVE at 1.30pm AEST), Kayo Sports (LIVE at 1.30pm AEST)
RADIO: Triple M, 3AW, ABC
MOBILE: AFL Live Official App with LIVE Pass (Unmetered on Telstra Mobile Network)
SYDNEY:
TV: FOX Footy (LIVE at 1.30pm AEST), Kayo Sports (LIVE at 1.30pm AEST)
RADIO: -
MOBILE: AFL Live Official App with LIVE Pass (Unmetered on Telstra Mobile Network)
ADELAIDE:
TV: Channel 7 (4.00pm ACST - 165min Time Delay lolwtf), FOX Footy (LIVE at 1.00pm ACST), Kayo Sports (LIVE at 1.00pm ACST)
RADIO: Triple M, FIVEaa, ABC
MOBILE: AFL Live Official App with LIVE Pass (Unmetered on Telstra Mobile Network)
PERTH:
TV: FOX Footy (LIVE at 11.30am AEST), Kayo Sports (LIVE at 11.30am AEST)
RADIO: Triple M DAB+, ABC
MOBILE: AFL Live Official App with LIVE Pass (Unmetered on Telstra Mobile Network)
BRISBANE:
TV: FOX Footy (LIVE at 1.30pm AEST), Kayo Sports (LIVE at 1.30pm AEST)
RADIO: -
MOBILE: AFL Live Official App with LIVE Pass (Unmetered on Telstra Mobile Network)
TASMANIA:
TV: FOX Footy (LIVE at 1.30pm AEST), Kayo Sports (LIVE at 1.30pm AEST)
RADIO: Triple M, AFL Nation, ABC
MOBILE: AFL Live Official App with LIVE Pass (Unmetered on Telstra Mobile Network)
DARWIN:
TV: Channel 7 (4.00pm ACST - 165min Time Delay lolwtfagain), FOX Footy (LIVE at 1.00pm ACST), Kayo Sports (LIVE at 1.00pm ACST)
RADIO: ABC
MOBILE: AFL Live Official App with LIVE Pass (Unmetered on Telstra Mobile Network)
Good sweet lord we like leaving it late. We’ve won the past 3 against Port now, and they don’t like playing us at Marvel. This is a golden chance to completely cement our spot in the finals now, and if our form is anything to go off, we should be able to win this one. The challenge will be having the result beyond doubt a little earlier than with 10 seconds to go.
Bombers by 32.
