Preview Round 23 - Essendon Bombers vs The Greater Western Sydney - Saturday, August 19th - 4:45 pm @ Unsponsored Stadium, NSW

[ant555]

You've ******* lost it. Get a grip

Maybe watch how he is playing and then giver yourself an uppercut as your user name suggests.

 

[Mercurial89]

Maybe watch how he is playing and then giver yourself an uppercut as your user name suggests.

He's a 200cm player who's played sweet FA.
Needs minutes.

 

[ant555]

He's a 200cm player who's played sweet FA.
Needs minutes.

He does but we need standards as well. He is very selective at the moment.

 

[Mercurial89]

He does but we need standards as well. He is very selective at the moment.

He is our future though.
He's not alone on that front of choosing when to go.

The smart thing to do is give him the final two games and coaching. Doesn't need to be dropped because fans aren't happy with his efforts.
Especially when it's obvious that he's not playing instinctively which can show itself as being soft.

 

[ant555]

He is our future though.
He's not alone on that front of choosing when to go.

The smart thing to do is give him the final two games and coaching. Doesn't need to be dropped because fans aren't happy with his efforts.

He is not our future if he keeps playing like he has this year at both levels. I do not care what level of development you are at you need to go when it is your turn. It may not work out and you get beaten because you are not physically ready but you need to make the contest . Compare him to Tsatas who has played two games and is a mile away physically but one is having a crack 100% of the time even though he comes up short physically while the other is doing a few nice things but not always putting himself into a position to have an attempt to impact. I am not asking for him to star crashing in like a maniac. I just want to see him not just lurk out wide where he knows he will not get used and run at the footy. If anyone looks at the behind the goals vison or watches from the top level behind the goals you will see what I am saying. It is why I have sat there the last two weeks. He is actually positioning himself during games where he will not be at the contest. He will not be dropped but I am going to call it out.
Francis was the future as well at one stage.

 

[The Devils Advocate]

Out: any level of care I had left
In: a eerily familiar feeling of misery as spurs kick their campaign off

Lol same for me re: Browns.
And as the Browns season ends, it will almost be time for me to get hypey for another failed Essendon season.

 

[citizen-erased]

Interesting attitude given we’ve won 4 more games than last season and there’s 2 games left (at least).

2 more games
Groan. The past 5 weeks has been underwhelming even in the contest of the season.

Its been better this year, but there are demons that need exorcising at Essendon.

Slip so easily back into predictable mediocrity
Cats and dogs smashing inevitable
A close swans loss inevitable
Letting the clear 2 worst sides in the comp who are routinely smashing by 10 goals plus push us to the wire....in back to back weeks. Inevitable.

 

[MiguelM]

He is not our future if he keeps playing like he has this year at both levels. I do not care what level of development you are at you need to go when it is your turn. It may not work out and you get beaten because you are not physically ready but you need to make the contest . Compare him to Tsatas who has played two games and is a mile away physically but one is having a crack 100% of the time even though he comes up short physically while the other is doing a few nice things but not always putting himself into a position to have an attempt to impact. I am not asking for him to star crashing in like a maniac. I just want to see him not just lurk out wide where he knows he will not get used and run at the footy. If anyone looks at the behind the goals vison or watches from the top level behind the goals you will see what I am saying. It is why I have sat there the last two weeks. He is actually positioning himself during games where he will not be at the contest. He will not be dropped but I am going to call it out.
Francis was the future as well at one stage.

Agree, does a couple of nice things but not enough. Scott's mantra is that they will play kids when they are ready to be best 22 or close to it. He is neither IMO.

We are still a finals chance so I think he misses now.

Would not be surprised if Stringer, Caldwell, Draper ready to go this week. Maybe even held back (dangerous strategy with us!!)

 

[doug85]

2 more games
Groan. The past 5 weeks has been underwhelming even in the contest of the season.

Its been better this year, but there are demons that need exorcising at Essendon.

Slip so easily back into predictable mediocrity
Cats and dogs smashing inevitable
A close swans loss inevitable
Letting the clear 2 worst sides in the comp who are routinely smashing by 10 goals plus push us to the wire....in back to back weeks. Inevitable.

Why are you still posting if you’ve checked out? I hate positivity nazis, but the negativity around here is completely over the top given the season we’ve had. We’ve beaten Melbourne and pushed Collingwood and port all the way. There’s plenty to be positive about. We do have some good youth coming through. Not sure WTF people expected after last season.

 

[Wilson Berger]

Why are you still posting if you’ve checked out? I hate positivity nazis, but the negativity around here is completely over the top given the season we’ve had. We’ve beaten Melbourne and pushed Collingwood and port all the way. There’s plenty to be positive about. We do have some good youth coming through. Not sure WTF people expected after last season.

Couldn't agree more

On SM-A336E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Vindicater]

2 more games
Groan. The past 5 weeks has been underwhelming even in the contest of the season.

Its been better this year, but there are demons that need exorcising at Essendon.

Slip so easily back into predictable mediocrity
Cats and dogs smashing inevitable
A close swans loss inevitable
Letting the clear 2 worst sides in the comp who are routinely smashing by 10 goals plus push us to the wire....in back to back weeks. Inevitable.

While disappointing some context would be nice compared to previous seasons.

Playing one of the least experienced and youngest teams every week.
Missing possibly our two most important players for structure (Draper and Ridley)

The season has been a success and hopefully we can build with another pre-season under Brad after he actually gets to make some decisions re: the list.

 

[jdstorm]

This team’s was actually pretty good with its best 22 at the start of the year.

But depth and a lack of medium sized players proved a huge issue.

If Setterfield, Draper and Caldwell are ready to go the team should be much better just due to balance.

 

[outersanctum]

Short memories must be the only reason. This year had the potential to be so bad. We have a young list, new coach, new game plan. Then we had a host of HUGE injuries.. do some of you not remember that time that we didn't have up to 4 of our top 5 players between rounds 1-8? Or the fact that our key forward had an injury that meant half a season gone and, to my mind, he hasn't gotten fully over/back to his best yet? Parish on the pine for long chunks. We lost our key ruck (our weakest area). We have had our key defender out for huge chucks. Our captain missed a game on the back of more AFL tinkering. Our midfield 'enforcer' and defensive player in Setters is injured. Our trio of talented young talls, Jones - Reid - Cox have all missed significant time with the first two season ending. Our most experienced forward in Stringer is injured. one of our so called 'prime' midfielders in Shiel is injured. Our star #5 pick missed the first three quarters of the season injured. Even our mid season draft pick up is injured.

We have been HAMMERED by injuries (and yes I think there should be questions asked as to why we are always injured), whilst trying to teach a new game plan.. with new captain and a very very thin senior core.. and we have still managed to put ourselves into the top 10 with a chance to play finals.

I don't get how anyone can be disappointed in this season. Sure it would have been great to come out and thump WCE and Norf and boost our % and feel good about life.. but FFS.. we still won both of those games. We still have 11 wins.. our equal highest in the last 6 years.. with the most inexperienced and youngest list we have had in the same period and that is before you consider the seemingly never ending injury list.

Some of you need to stop and realise where we are at. It was never about this year.. it is about FINALLY taking some steps towards sustained success. The only thing I am unhappy about is that Dudo is still at the club. Other than the recruiting and fitness departments.. I'm bloody ecstatic with how the season has unfolded.

 

[The Airing of Grievances]

Out Cox. Makes Weideman look like Leigh Matthews.

Sadly have to agree with this. Look we should always allow that young fellas need time to develop, particularly lightly framed talls whose development was hampered by the Covid period. But Nic's apparent lack of competitive instincts makes it hard to see a role for him atm. Query whether he can turn that around.

 

[mike14]

This team’s was actually pretty good with its best 22 at the start of the year.

But depth and a lack of medium sized players proved a huge issue.

If Setterfield, Draper and Caldwell are ready to go the team should be much better just due to balance.

Have we ever had our best 22 on the park? I know it's unlikely that your absolute best 22 are ever fully fit at the same time, but not having your FF (although Langford stood up magnificently)and #1 ruck play a single game together makes me think we haven't really seen what our best team can do, or even what it looks like.

 

[Vindicater]

What I want to see

In: Draper, Setterfield and Stringer
Out: Phillips, Kelly and Cox

What I expect to see

In: Snelling
Out: Baldwin

 

[jdstorm]

Have we ever had our best 22 on the park? I know it's unlikely that your absolute best 22 are ever fully fit at the same time, but not having your FF (although Langford stood up magnificently)and #1 ruck play a single game together makes me think we haven't really seen what our best team can do, or even what it looks like.

I think there were a few games where Draper and Wright played together mid season, but at that stage Weid was still in the team and was moved to CHF so Essendon was playing 4 talls rather then 3 which didn’t help.

Not sure how many games they played without Weid together.

Plus by that point the midfield was compromised with no Setterfield so things weren’t going so well.

 

[supportyourteam]

I don't get how anyone can be disappointed in this season. Sure it would have been great to come out and thump WCE and Norf and boost our % and feel good about life.. but FFS.. we still won both of those games. We still have 11 wins.. our equal highest in the last 6 years.. with the most inexperienced and youngest list we have had in the same period and that is before you consider the seemingly never ending injury list.

Lucky with West Coast second time and Richmond. But if the same luck had been there with Port second time and Sydney it would be finals. Loved the season and will be in Jerilderie on Thursday night on the way up. As posted earlier. Have a loose ticket. A wife decided on the trip so had to reticket. Anybody in Sydney or elsewhere can have the spare.

 

[silk]

Preview Thread updated. Enjoy and don't forget to show some love.

 

[DapperDon]

Maybe watch how he is playing and then giver yourself an uppercut as your user name suggests.

You shit can a 21yr old, but praise kelly who did the exact same thing.

You are blind by hatred of Cox for whatever reason.

 

[ant555]

You s**t can a 21yr old, but praise kelly who did the exact same thing.

You are blind by hatred of Cox for whatever reason.

**** off. Kelly has done it once. ****ing once. I have no blind hatred for Cox. I have rated him but I am not going to pump him up if he takes more than ONE soft option in a game. Get a grip.

 

[ant555]

Seriously then chump. Find me more examples of Kelly being soft every week and not attacking the footy.

 

[Nifft]

You've ******* lost it. Get a grip

Pun intended?

 

[mike14]

I think there were a few games where Draper and Wright played together mid season, but at that stage Weid was still in the team and was moved to CHF so Essendon was playing 4 talls rather then 3 which didn’t help.

Not sure how many games they played without Weid together.

Plus by that point the midfield was compromised with no Setterfield so things weren’t going so well.

Looked it up. Wright came back for Carlton, which was the game Draper was subbed out injured in

 

[The Prosecutor]

Well if ever there was a game we'd get a friendly whistle it would be this one.

AFL would love nothing more than having a spot in the finals on the line in our game v Collingwood.