Preview Round 21 - Essendon VS Fremantle - MCG - Sunday 4/8/24 - 3:20pm AEST

[mcgrath_truther]

i'd rather have gresh playing instead of menzie. gresh offers something. menzie has no closing speed, bad ball skills, middling everything else.

it's laughable to think that he'd be picked over gresham.

 

[faible]

We had a hard fought win in the VFL where Bryan, Tsatas, Roberts, and Hobbs all played well.

Not sure Hayes or either Davey really did enough to deserve a call-up, but given the chase for finals is realistically done, that might not matter.

I'd be looking to give game-time to a significant number of that cohort over the next month.

Tex probably doesn't get another year, and I don't see that we'd be rushing to keep Weideman (though given Reid and Baldwin's injury history maybe he's a nice break-glass cover for McKay).

Setterfield and Hind both played well and offer a bigger body or leg speed that we're sorely missing right now. Playing Parish without match fitness and Stringer with high CBAs instead of just bringing a fit Setterfield in seems a bit silly really. Our forward pressure sucks, which means our high-press gets exposed way too easily. Hind and/or ADJ have much better leg-speed to maybe help improve that.

 

[Howard Moon]

The plus side of Scott's absolute refusal to make changes is Bryan , Setterfield, Tsatas, Hobbs and previously Shiel seem to have formed a decent understanding together as a midfield unit. So if we do , heaven forbid bring them in, there might be some residue of synergy there

 

[MiguelM]

We had a hard fought win in the VFL where Bryan, Tsatas, Roberts, and Hobbs all played well.

Not sure Hayes or either Davey really did enough to deserve a call-up, but given the chase for finals is realistically done, that might not matter.

I'd be looking to give game-time to a significant number of that cohort over the next month.

Tex probably doesn't get another year, and I don't see that we'd be rushing to keep Weideman (though given Reid and Baldwin's injury history maybe he's a nice break-glass cover for McKay).

Setterfield and Hind both played well and offer a bigger body or leg speed that we're sorely missing right now. Playing Parish without match fitness and Stringer with high CBAs instead of just bringing a fit Setterfield in seems a bit silly really. Our forward pressure sucks, which means our high-press gets exposed way too easily. Hind and/or ADJ have much better leg-speed to maybe help improve that.

Forward pressure is our major problem atm. Most games we have more inside 50s than the opposition but we fail to either take a mark or get near it on the ground. Opposition then waltz it out of there at warp speed with seemingly our whole team going forward including defence, allowing opposition access to goal unhindered.

That is the reason Saints scored amazingly once every 2 entries, every player was free.

Nobody even stays back in the square, that is under 16 stuff.

 

[JayJ20]

Hopefully they come in with that attitude

They'll still beat us with that attitude. We're completely checked out of the season given that finals is gone with our shit percentage and playing the top 3 sides in 4 games.

 

[ant555]

We had a hard fought win in the VFL where Bryan, Tsatas, Roberts, and Hobbs all played well.

Not sure Hayes or either Davey really did enough to deserve a call-up, but given the chase for finals is realistically done, that might not matter.

I'd be looking to give game-time to a significant number of that cohort over the next month.

Tex probably doesn't get another year, and I don't see that we'd be rushing to keep Weideman (though given Reid and Baldwin's injury history maybe he's a nice break-glass cover for McKay).

Setterfield and Hind both played well and offer a bigger body or leg speed that we're sorely missing right now. Playing Parish without match fitness and Stringer with high CBAs instead of just bringing a fit Setterfield in seems a bit silly really. Our forward pressure sucks, which means our high-press gets exposed way too easily. Hind and/or ADJ have much better leg-speed to maybe help improve that.

They played okay. Did what they had to do.
Wiedeman was the best tall but Hayes did not do anything wrong.
Alwyn did not have a lot of the footy but had 5 tackles and plenty of chases.
Jayden only had 1 tackle but he still chased and his effort was really good.
Bryan should play. The need two rucks against Freo.
Roberts did enough. Should play in front of Heppell.
May be hard to get the midfielders in. They will not drop parish now he has played.

 

[Bombers36]

Hoping we see a few changes as follows...

OUT: Perkins, Heppell, Menzie, Ridley
IN: Hobbs, Tsatas, Roberts, Hayes

Team:

Hayes McKay Redman
Martin Lav McGrath
Durham Tsatas Duursma
Shiel Cox Gresham
Langford Caddy 2MP

Draper Caldwell Merrett

Bench: Parish Hobbs Roberts Jones
SUB: Stringer

 

[NoWuckingFurries]

Play Tsatis on ball.

 

[Vindicater]

So had a week to think about the team and who to change and I don't think just swinging the axe for ten changes will do much at all. For sure need some changes but also need to keep some older heads in. In the end I came down to these changes.

Out: Ridley (inj), Langford (manage) Perkins (omit) Laverde (omit) Gresham (omit)

In: Roberts, Davey Jr, Hobbs, Hayes and Tsatas

Hayes comes in for Laverde and Redman moves to Ridleys role.
Roberts takes Heppells half back position and Heppell moves to sub.
Davey Jr moves to Greshams role and Menzie can play the up the ground role.
Caldwell gets a midfield rest by moving to half forward to replace Langford and Tsatas takes his role.
Stringer does not take any CB and Hobbs takes his and Perkins minutes.

FB: McGrath McKay Cox

CHB: Redman Hayes Roberts

C: Martin Merrett Durham

CHF: Menzie Jones Caldwell

FF: Davey Jr Wright Stringer

R: Draper Durham Parish

Int: Shiel Hobbs Tsatas Caddy

Sub: Heppell

 

[NoWuckingFurries]

My thoughts on the team

 

[Raz Man]

I write this with a heartfelt plea to the team, please fire up Sunday, I know the writing is on the wall, but I am always the optimist and just hope we can turn it around bc I am not sure my heart can deal with another failed season. I have been lucky enough to see three grand final appearances (1990, 1993 & 2000). I am not sure when our next chance will ever come but for some reason I thought we could win a final, let alone make the 8 in the first place! How badly we have fallen in a space of 4 weeks.

 

[thepokey]

Hoping we see a few changes as follows...

OUT: Perkins, Heppell, Menzie, Ridley
IN: Hobbs, Tsatas, Roberts, Hayes

Team:

Hayes McKay Redman
Martin Lav McGrath
Durham Tsatas Duursma
Shiel Cox Gresham
Langford Caddy 2MP

Draper Caldwell Merrett

Bench: Parish Hobbs Roberts Jones
SUB: Stringer

Came here to post exactly this

 

[MisitisGoal]

Stop using Stringer at the centre bounce. Someone else needs to be capable of that job. Stringer's job is goals and forward pressure.

 

[MiguelM]

At least we are not going in as favorites!

 

[Shanghaistu]

At least we are not going in as favorites!

This - we will either pull out a game like we did against the Dogs and put them to the sword, or go down by 90+. I don’t see anything in between

 

[Snake Charmer]

Stop using Stringer at the centre bounce. Someone else needs to be capable of that job. Stringer's job is goals and forward pressure.

If stringer lines up there for the first bounce I’ll probably turn the tv off

 

[MightyDon]

Stop using Stringer at the centre bounce. Someone else needs to be capable of that job. Stringer's job is goals and forward pressure.

Maybe goals but forward pressure LOL

 

[Rick Ross]

I can handle the losses, it’s the hope I can’t stand.

Not because EFC will earn it, but there’s a chance Freo will fly in, poor attitude, kick badly and lose. Been a bit of it going around the top teams recently…

Then we’ll start the cycle again…

 

[southern_crusher]

Goldy and kelly in for some experience and even less pace. Then we can officially name the slowest team in AFL history

 

[Beerfish]

The only way we do this is mass changes with an influx of youthful exuberance that isn't burdened by the shitness we've all had to witness. We don't seem to make lots of changes though so I really can't see how we do this.

 

[quotemokc]

It won't happen but our supporter base needs to straight up not show up to games for the rest of the season.

Let the team see the empty stands and be outnumbered by away team supporters.

Maybe that would wake the club up.

We will support a shit team that tries but not a shit team that gives up.

 

[bombreys]

It won't happen but our supporter base needs to straight up not show up to games for the rest of the season.

Let the team see the empty stands and be outnumbered by away team supporters.

Maybe that would wake the club up.

We will support a shit team that tries but not a shit team that gives up.

Fans are too loyal. We will always show up. And I hate us all for it

 

[ghostdog]

Hopefully they come in with that attitude

It's weird. I always want us to win but in this case it would be a sugar hit. We need to finish the season and revitalise the list.

Of course, it depends on who Scott selects... I'd love to see a couple of debutants start with a win. Hayes and Roberts.

 

[ghostdog]

It won't happen but our supporter base needs to straight up not show up to games for the rest of the season.

Let the team see the empty stands and be outnumbered by away team supporters.

Maybe that would wake the club up.

We will support a shit team that tries but not a shit team that gives up.

Or do show up and start throwing scarves onto the field.

 

[ghostdog]

We had a hard fought win in the VFL where Bryan, Tsatas, Roberts, and Hobbs all played well.

Not sure Hayes or either Davey really did enough to deserve a call-up, but given the chase for finals is realistically done, that might not matter.

I'd be looking to give game-time to a significant number of that cohort over the next month.

Tex probably doesn't get another year, and I don't see that we'd be rushing to keep Weideman (though given Reid and Baldwin's injury history maybe he's a nice break-glass cover for McKay).

Setterfield and Hind both played well and offer a bigger body or leg speed that we're sorely missing right now. Playing Parish without match fitness and Stringer with high CBAs instead of just bringing a fit Setterfield in seems a bit silly really. Our forward pressure sucks, which means our high-press gets exposed way too easily. Hind and/or ADJ have much better leg-speed to maybe help improve that.

He is, and I keep reading that he's playing well as a defender and learning the role well. I look at Rory Lobb this year and think, actually, Weideman probably gets another year at this stage.

Why not play him?