Preview Round 5 v Geelong at AO

[Pappagallo]

Let’s assume you wrote off the Sydney game as a loss pre season and ticked off Essendon as a win and call it a draw.

Mate I expected 4-zip!

#glasshalffullofit

 

[ROBBBO]

Can't believe we go in favorites

 

[Chokito]

As long as Menzel is covered reasonably well...

 

[LukeSA]

Can't believe we go in favorites

So a sneaky $20 on Geelong then?

 

[malcheski]

I'm not worried about our ruck situation at all this game. The 2016 edition where Stanley, Smith & Blicavs dominated the stoppages literally cannot happen with the new 3rd man up rule. That game was won by a combo of 1 of the three Geelong rucks going 3rd man over Lobbe (the human embodiment of the inanimate carbon rod that night) resulting in Danger & Selwood roving to a HO advantage of 32... 32!!!

Add in Taylor, Lonergan & Mackie taking 16 uncontested marks across our half forward line its any wonder we put a bloody score on the board that night.

To win, and to win well, we just have to halve the contest IMO. Our forward line is too potent for a depleted Geelong back 6, our midfield, whilst having its work cut out, should match up with Geelong's and our back 6 will be too much for their one dimensional forward line.

 

[Coobk001]

Mate I expected 4-zip!

#glasshalffullofit

I expected we'd be 2-2 by now, I thought we'd lose to Sydney, so the season is tracking alright from that perspective. However there's no doubt that the fact the results are basically panning out the same as last year, is probably the concern. We lose in the dying minutes by less than a goal against Geelong and Bigfooty will spontaneously explode.

 

[LP7_]

I'm not worried about our ruck situation at all this game. The 2016 edition where Stanley, Smith & Blicavs dominated the stoppages literally cannot happen with the new 3rd man up rule. That game was won by a combo of 1 of the three Geelong rucks going 3rd man over Lobbe (the human embodiment of the inanimate carbon rod that night) resulting in Danger & Selwood roving to a HO advantage of 32... 32!!!

Add in Taylor, Lonergan & Mackie taking 16 uncontested marks across our half forward line its any wonder we put a bloody score on the board that night.

To win, and to win well, we just have to halve the contest IMO. Our forward line is too potent for a depleted Geelong back 6, our midfield, whilst having its work cut out, should match up with Geelong's and our back 6 will be too much for their one dimensional forward line.

Yeah good spiel. Remember it well, we were never in it. But I still feel as though Ken can and will be out coached plenty of times again, so Chris Scott may just find a new way to exploit us.

 

[ROBBBO]

So a sneaky $20 on Geelong then?

angry at myself for not doing it last week

 

[TeeKray]

I think the big question mark at the moment surrounds improvement. We had a good season last year but not a great season. We finished 14-8. We beat the poor/average teams easily, struggled to beat the good teams, and went close to winning a final but didn't quite get there. We then went and targeted experienced players from opposition clubs to help fill perceived gaps in our team (roaming tall forward, creative half forward, ball winning midfielder). We nailed all of our targets in trade week and the expectation was that we would improve as a result.

So one month into the season, how is that all looking? Our results and overall performance so far suggests we are tracking about on par with where we were last year. That's not a great result and it's not what the expectation was heading into the season. Sure, it's a long season and there's plenty of time to step it up. But given the fact that we haven't finished top 4 since 2007, it's understandable why supporters are impatient and a touch skeptical.

 

[MrMeaner]

I think the big question mark at the moment surrounds improvement. We had a good season last year but not a great season. We finished 14-8. We beat the poor/average teams easily, struggled to beat the good teams, and went close to winning a final but didn't quite get there. We then went and targeted experienced players from opposition clubs to help fill perceived gaps in our team (roaming tall forward, creative half forward, ball winning midfielder). We nailed all of our targets in trade week and the expectation was that we would improve as a result.

So one month into the season, how is that all looking? Our results and overall performance so far suggests we are tracking about on par with where we were last year. That's not a great result and it's not what the expectation was heading into the season. Sure, it's a long season and there's plenty of time to step it up. But given the fact that we haven't finished top 4 since 2007, it's understandable why supporters are impatient and a touch skeptical.

That's a fair summary. Personally, given how important Ryder is to our structure and that we have no ready-to-go replacement for him, I think we are performing slightly above par. Our recruits have plugged holes but a gaping chasm opened up with Paddy's injury. Hopefully Ryder gets fit soon. If not, let's hope Frampton suddenly becomes ready in Hinkley's eyes.

 

[Chrizzt]

I think the big question mark at the moment surrounds improvement. We had a good season last year but not a great season. We finished 14-8. We beat the poor/average teams easily, struggled to beat the good teams, and went close to winning a final but didn't quite get there. We then went and targeted experienced players from opposition clubs to help fill perceived gaps in our team (roaming tall forward, creative half forward, ball winning midfielder). We nailed all of our targets in trade week and the expectation was that we would improve as a result.

So one month into the season, how is that all looking? Our results and overall performance so far suggests we are tracking about on par with where we were last year. That's not a great result and it's not what the expectation was heading into the season. Sure, it's a long season and there's plenty of time to step it up. But given the fact that we haven't finished top 4 since 2007, it's understandable why supporters are impatient and a touch skeptical.

I'd say we're pretty clearly ahead of last year.
Freo have improved a fair bit yet we still annihilated them. Sydney are better and we performed better against them last year (we had more scoring shots than them, unlike last year). Sure Brisbane was disappointing, but at least there's positives in that we were able to hang on and save the game which we haven't been able to do in seasons past. And while the loss to the Dons is annoying, the same type of game happened last year and we were blown off the park, whereas this time we managed to rally and only go down by under 4 goals (and only 2 scoring shots less).

It's hard to read too much at the moment, but I feel pretty confident in saying that our relative form has improved - the Geelong game will certainly tell us a lot more, though.

 

[Greasyrhys]

So a sneaky $20 on Geelong then?

I put $50 on the Bombres & won $110. Might do it again this Saturday

 

[Power freak 2008]

Teams that realize the Essendon only have one gear do all against them. Every man should have played a Sydney type game and not let anyone have space. We just wanted to see a bit of adaptability to our game plan. Slow that team down and they seem to run out of ideas. They don't like a slog which is they way we used to play. I expect us to do better against Geelong.

 

[Power freak 2008]

And of topic here. I think we won't see Matty Broadbent pull on a Power jumper again.

 

[Pappagallo]

I think the big question mark at the moment surrounds improvement. We had a good season last year but not a great season. We finished 14-8. We beat the poor/average teams easily, struggled to beat the good teams, and went close to winning a final but didn't quite get there. We then went and targeted experienced players from opposition clubs to help fill perceived gaps in our team (roaming tall forward, creative half forward, ball winning midfielder). We nailed all of our targets in trade week and the expectation was that we would improve as a result.

So one month into the season, how is that all looking? Our results and overall performance so far suggests we are tracking about on par with where we were last year. That's not a great result and it's not what the expectation was heading into the season. Sure, it's a long season and there's plenty of time to step it up. But given the fact that we haven't finished top 4 since 2007, it's understandable why supporters are impatient and a touch skeptical.

Great post TeeKary.

 

[Doctor Feel]

Great post TeeKary.

T. Kary

 

[tribey]

Lol calm down. Do you honestly think I don’t think we have issues? I’m just finding the constant “I don’t feel like going this week because I’m cracking the sads” stuff a bit tiresome. It’s as bad as the Janus stuff but at the oppposite end of the spectrum.

I saw an Adelaide Oval attendant deliberately drop a ticket at a patron's feet so

 

[Ford Fairlane]

What we will do to Geelong

 

[Pappagallo]

What we will do to Geelong

I really hope that I don’t have to post this after the game.

 

[JimmyBeerCans]

If we lose I'm gonna make love to Pappagallo

 

[Pappagallo]

If we lose I'm gonna make love to Pappagallo

How ‘bout you get on Feelup and Ra Man’s polygamy gambit instead and do your bit for the membership tally. No really I insist.

 

[EskimoPAFC]

I guess the concern over the next few weeks is missing out on banking more of those early winnable games. You know, like the Essendon game.

If you're gonna call Essendon at Etihad without Ryder and Pep winnable, then literally every single game our season is winnable. The term becomes redundant.

What wouldn't be a winnable game? All of our best 22 out playing Richmond at Punt Road?

 

[Ford Fairlane]

I really hope that I don’t have to post this after the game.

View attachment 484915

Looks like you'll be busy

If we lose I'm gonna make love to Pappagallo

 

[Chrizzt]

If you're gonna call Essendon at Etihad without Ryder and Pep winnable, then literally every single game our season is winnable. The term becomes redundant.

What wouldn't be a winnable game? All of our best 22 out playing Richmond at Punt Road?

I generally break the season down into 3 parts: home games, away against (likely) bottom 10 sides, away against (likely) top 8 sides. Any win from the last category is a big bonus. Any genuine top 4 side should be winning at least 1 but ideally 2 or 3 of these games each year.

Essendon are a likely top 8 side - at the very least are a strong contender for top 8. We've already banked 1 from Sydney in Sydney. Hawks in Tas another opportunity, along with - to a lesser extent - WCE in Perth and Bulldogs at MARS.

 

[Pappagallo]

If you're gonna call Essendon at Etihad without Ryder and Pep winnable, then literally every single game our season is winnable. The term becomes redundant.

What wouldn't be a winnable game? All of our best 22 out playing Richmond at Punt Road?

Essendon lost to the Dockers and Bulldogs in the lead up. They were in questionable form at best. I rarely bet but I’m pretty sure we were comfortable favourites going into the match and if that’s accurate then the market thought it was very winnable for us too.

So yeah, not really a stretch.