Preview Round 7: Essendon vs Collingwood, MCG, Anzac Day, 25/04/24 @ 3:20 PM

[Don Won]

Draper has to cost us the game before we learn our lesson, does he? Near miss wasn't enough?

What are you talking about. He won us the game, they get that ball kick a goal and….

 

[andleanback]

If Scott thinks Draper will respond by playing him and giving him that responsibility, fine.

Reading that article was far from conclusive though.

He hasn’t responded in 4 weeks

 

[dank420_]

He hasn’t responded in 4 weeks

He hasn't been on top of his game, no. But he hasn't been a complete liability for the entire month.

 

[andleanback]

He hasn't been on top of his game, no. But he hasn't been a complete liability for the entire month.

Was a complete liability against port and the dogs

 

[dank420_]

Was a complete liability against port and the dogs

He was fine against the dogs and wasn't alone against Port.

My point is that Scott has a game he point to, to actually show the biggest showboat in the league his flaws.
He could drop him, obviously, but it's not the only way to skin the cat.

 

[andleanback]

He was fine against the dogs and wasn't alone against Port.

My point is that Scott has a game he point to, to actually show the biggest showboat in the league his flaws.
He could drop him, obviously, but it's not the only way to skin the cat.

It’s not just about draper being horribly out of form though. It’s about team structure 2 rucks plus wright, jones, Langford and stringer we are suddenly way too tall and slow in the front half.
Structurally we are hav even much better defending ball movement and transition with more smalls in the side adding forward pressure.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

I told ya'll that Draper would not be dropped.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

This is supposed to be a wet game, so I think Draper definitely comes out unless he switches with Tsatas and takes the sub vest.

Now the pies are back, a good competing 4Q effort is probably the goal though if we start well, we can win.

What?! Draper is better suited to the wet than the dry (he will get away with all sorts of clumsiness in the wet that will no doubt damage a few Pie players).

 

[Saint]

Gee, it's a big game coming up. I'm not expecting a lot, but it would be a great time to get a win over them.

 

[supportyourteam]

He was fine against the dogs and wasn't alone against Port.

My point is that Scott has a game he point to, to actually show the biggest showboat in the league his flaws.
He could drop him, obviously, but it's not the only way to skin the cat.

Playing the Magpies. Not the Cats

 

[dank420_]

It’s not just about draper being horribly out of form though. It’s about team structure 2 rucks plus wright, jones, Langford and stringer we are suddenly way too tall and slow in the front half.
Structurally we are hav even much better defending ball movement and transition with more smalls in the side adding forward pressure.

I know. I was talking about Draper because the coach has already named him.

 

[eth-dog]

Dry game would be ideal. Their defence will match up against our forwards well, really need Langford and Stringer to keep Maynard and Howe occupied.

McKay is good enough to quell Cox/Cameron for the most part but Mihocek has a good record against Lav so might need to change that.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

The Bombers could well go in with talls Wright and Harry Jones in attack alongside medium forwards Kyle Langford and Jake Stringer plus two ruckmen in Todd Goldstein and Sam Draper, who Scott confirmed would retain his place.

"No, he's in," Scott said of Draper. "It's more a matter of how we shuffle ... he's a vital member of our team."

When asked whether retaining both ruckman and adding an extra tall was on the table for Thursday's match, Scott said: "Yeah, definitely".

"I should know better than to look at the weather forecast in Melbourne a week out. It just keeps changing all the time. So that'll come into play as well in terms of what we do there.

"This is a bit of an art this week in terms of what can it look like, how do we want to structure up. But I can tell you, I'm extremely pleased to have that option available."

Wright has missed the past four games due to a suspension for rough conduct, but Scott is confident there is a silver lining to come from his time on the sidelines.

"He's done a power of work," Scott said.

"He's always impressed me with his professionalism, but he's approached this block as almost like a mini pre-season block.

"I doubt there's a better-prepared player going into this round of football than Peter Wright.

"He's just worked extremely hard, been able to work on all elements of his game and he's obviously in peak condition going in.

"So that doesn't guarantee performance, but in terms of his prep, he's ready to go."

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Sounds like Draper and Wright are playing so I can only imagine Goldy will miss

 

[andleanback]

Dry game would be ideal. Their defence will match up against our forwards well, really need Langford and Stringer to keep Maynard and Howe occupied.

McKay is good enough to quell Cox/Cameron for the most part but Mihocek has a good record against Lav so might need to change that.

Who doesn’t have a good record against laverde at this point

 

[andleanback]

Sounds like Draper and Wright are playing so I can only imagine Goldy will miss

I doubt they would drop goldy for Anzac, when they would’ve sold the day as part of the reason to come.

 

[Cold Sober]

Surely Goldy deserves a shot at playing ANZAC DAY.

 

[Beerfish]

The Bombers could well go in with talls Wright and Harry Jones in attack alongside medium forwards Kyle Langford and Jake Stringer plus two ruckmen in Todd Goldstein and Sam Draper, who Scott confirmed would retain his place.

"No, he's in," Scott said of Draper. "It's more a matter of how we shuffle ... he's a vital member of our team."

When asked whether retaining both ruckman and adding an extra tall was on the table for Thursday's match, Scott said: "Yeah, definitely".

"I should know better than to look at the weather forecast in Melbourne a week out. It just keeps changing all the time. So that'll come into play as well in terms of what we do there.

"This is a bit of an art this week in terms of what can it look like, how do we want to structure up. But I can tell you, I'm extremely pleased to have that option available."

Wright has missed the past four games due to a suspension for rough conduct, but Scott is confident there is a silver lining to come from his time on the sidelines.

"He's done a power of work," Scott said.

"He's always impressed me with his professionalism, but he's approached this block as almost like a mini pre-season block.

"I doubt there's a better-prepared player going into this round of football than Peter Wright.

"He's just worked extremely hard, been able to work on all elements of his game and he's obviously in peak condition going in.

"So that doesn't guarantee performance, but in terms of his prep, he's ready to go."

I was thinking before reading this that maybe Wright doesn't come straight back in but sounds like we're just going in tall.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

Dry game would be ideal. Their defence will match up against our forwards well, really need Langford and Stringer to keep Maynard and Howe occupied.

McKay is good enough to quell Cox/Cameron for the most part but Mihocek has a good record against Lav so might need to change that.

I really rate Mihocek.

 

[MiguelM]

Surely Goldy deserves a shot at playing ANZAC DAY.

He is a lock you would think. Looks like 2 Rucks plus Wright.

Maybe no changes.

I would still have Hayes for Lav.

Re the weather: Only 50% chance of any rain and if there is it is predicted to be <1mm. So basically dry game.

Edit: it is Melbourne so weather could change!

 

[JayJ20]

Forward pressure is crucial against Collingwood because they'll otherwise slice us in transition.

It's a mistake to play all of Wright, Draper and Goldstein.

Collingwood are very much like Sydney in that we often smash them in the midfield for little reward because they can rebound our entries from end-to-end with little defensive pressure.

I don't want another Sydney game where we're overly reliant on scoring from stoppages and centre bounces because we can't keep the ball in our forward half. Generating enough forward half turnovers is the only way to win this.

 

[Vander18]

Forward pressure is crucial against Collingwood because they'll otherwise slice us in transition.

It's a mistake to play all of Wright, Draper and Goldstein.

Collingwood are very much like Sydney in that we often smash them in the midfield for little reward because they can rebound our entries from end-to-end with little defensive pressure.

I don't want another Sydney game where we're overly reliant on scoring from stoppages and centre bounces because we can't keep the ball in our forward half. Generating enough forward half turnovers is the only way to win this.

Can only assume the resting ruck will spend a lot of, if not all, their minutes on the bench. Maybe give Wright a chop out as well when he needs a rest. Cannot have all three on ground at same time - recipe for disaster.

Feels like a wasted selection to me. I don’t really see the value.

 

[MiguelM]

Can only assume the resting ruck will spend a lot of, if not all, their minutes on the bench. Maybe give Wright a chop out as well when he needs a rest. Cannot have all three on ground at same time - recipe for disaster.

Feels like a wasted selection to me. I don’t really see the value.

The question is, who goes out for Wright?

 

[DallasCrane316]

So they’d likely rotate Goldy and Draper on the bench with one being subbed out for a small later in the game.

Jones is a tall but the speed and pressure he’s applying is that of a medium forward really. Particularly with some of his agility with ground ball gets.

 

[Saint]

So they’d likely rotate Goldy and Draper on the bench with one being subbed out for a small later in the game.

Jones is a tall but the speed and pressure he’s applying is that of a medium forward really. Particularly with some of his agility with ground ball gets.

How does the saying go? When the legs get heavy and the fast people get slower, the big fellas are still big fellas.

I think Draper will be a big-game player eventually (god and allah willing we play more big games soon). This is a good one to test who will stand up in f__als.