First let me say that we were playing a team that for all intents and purposes wasn’t a finals standard team. They got there because seemingly everyone else fell over and couldn’t take their chances while Essendon did in Round 22. However credit to them for getting there and they certainly had a first quarter that showed they came to play.
I thought our first quarter was really underwhelming, we turned the ball over too often and they hurt us on the rebound and time and time again seemed to create loose men on the wing. Our tackles weren’t sticking and so often they had loose men in their forward line, not sure how it happened but it seemed like 1 or 2 guys found themselves free every time they went inside forward 50. Towards the end of the quarter the possession count was 30 in favour of Essendon and in many ways we did well to be in front. At least we fought our way through a slow start and went to the break ahead.
From then on it was all one way traffic; we absolutely dominated proceedings and played sensational, direct football.
Our players are always picking the right option; we know when to switch play and when to link up by hand. Again our use of the handball was a feature and our ability to run them off their feet from quarter time onwards. We seem to have no concerns about putting players into apparent danger by hand so long as we have numbers nearby that we can release and then get our run going. Our forward line functioned well after the first break and Tippett was a huge factor up forward presenting such a strong target.
Already excited for next week but the standard of opposition will be a million times better than it was tonight. Not sure who I’d prefer to face, the Saints who would come into the game having lost 3 of 4 matches or the Pies who I think we have a better chance of winning. Either way the odds will be against us as how often does a team outside the 4 even make a Preliminary Final? Not often. However this team has won 4 in a row, is full of confidence and is playing amazing attacking football.
Lastly, hats off to the crowd, 50k is a terrific result. Great atmosphere and the 19th man had quite a few assists.
Player review:
McLeod: Winding back the clock! Doesn’t he love September! Once he gets a sniff of finals footy he lifts his game a few notches and wasn’t he absolutely superb tonight. It’s been a pleasure watching his career and the past 2 months have been some of McLeod’s very best, ever! BOG tonight, well either him or Vince. What a legend.
Otten: Loved his game. Took the game on, took a few solid marks, made the right decisions, had a successful first final.
Rutten: Not sure his opponents managed a kick.
Vince: How good is this guy? Wow, I’m shocked at what a complete footballer he’s become. Now a contested footy winning machine as well as being a super dangerous outside player. How about some of those spearing passes into the forward line? Has 10+ contested possessions, drilled a goal, had nearly 30 touches in a night where he was targeted all night. Gun.
Symes: Didn’t think it was his best night actually, coughed up a goal with a poor bit of indecision in the third term. However as usual he went in extremely hard and took a couple of strong grabs so it was another solid performance.
Reilly: CLASS. ‘Only’ had 18 touches but would’ve surely been at near 100% for disposal efficiency. Every time he touched the ball he made the right decision. What a superb user of the ball he is and surely any doubt about his spot in the side (even questioned by me) should be quashed now.
Burton: Got to admit I thought he looked real rusty in the first half and he was struggling to run at full pace and his chasing in particular was being exposed. However in the second half he looked more dangerous and took some wonderful contested marks and ended up with 3 goals, can’t complain about that. Quiet last week, better tonight, next week he should be hitting top form.
Knights: Extremely quiet first term; don’t think he had a touch. However he really lifted thereafter and had 17 touches, 5 marks and 3 goals in another strong performance from the forward line with the occasional run on the wing. His first goal was a gem, only 5 minutes prior he had a shot from the exact same spot and came up short so he had his sighter and drilled the next. The second was another ripper, 50 out on a tight angle and one that goes against a left footer but he got beautiful reserve swing. Hopefully he won’t be in any trouble for a kneeing incident, slight brain fade.
Mackay: Started slowly and had an uncharacteristic turnover in the first term which eventually resulted in a goal. First half was ineffective but his second half was outstanding. Finished with 19 possessions and a lovely goal in the last from a great half volley pick up. Love watching him play.
Johncock: How he didn’t make All-Australian is beyond me, he is an absolute gun! How good was that play in the third quarter where he beat his opponent and then fisted the ball to a teammate. We went down the other end and I think scored a goal. He’s a ripper.
Maric: Admittedly up against no ruckmen but he had his career high in hit-outs and I liked his influence around the ground. Had some superb taps and went forward to kick a goal and good to see he was pumped! Loving his willingness to run hard from the ruck contest to the wings to make himself an option, his confidence is clearly growing.
Sellar: Continues to develop as a player and I joined in the huge chorus of applause when he went off after a courageous act and then the reception when he came back on. Good to see he got a goal at the end, he deserved it.
Porplyzia: 5 goals from 9 kicks and he also applied 6 tackles, what a little champion.
Tippett: Re-sign him for life please! Probably the most important player in our team, without him our forward line wouldn’t be a shadow of what it is now. 11 possessions, 17 hit-outs and 4 goals. Some tremendous grabs up forward and he pretty much destroyed the somehow AA squad member Fletcher when they went head to head.
Doughty: Slaughtered Watson, another tremendous tagging job.
Dangerfield: The kid is gold and what a fine showing in his first final. In a stat that says it all about Danger, of his 11 possessions 8 were contested. Kicked his customary two goals and had a few clearances when he used his great speed to burst clear of the pack.
Douglas: Absolutely loved his first half and he looked like the player he promised to be in his first year. Kicked two goals and had some wonderful precise field kicks that hit teammates on the chest. Went missing a bit after half time and unfortunately for him, despite his good form would probably be first out for VB.
Stevens: Didn’t do a whole lot but really didn’t need to. A few courageous acts running back with the flight of the ball but I thought his man got away on the lead a bit and he looked a bit slow on occasions.
Thompson: Stats only show 20 touches but I thought he was very good. Strong around the contest and to me provided a real leadership role out there. Thankfully it was only cramped because I thought our chances were diminished with the possibility of him missing next week.
Goodwin: Solid as a rock, didn’t make a poor decision all night and used the ball well when he had it.
Hentschel: Didn’t do a whole lot, in a few ways in a similar boat to Burton. I really liked his chasing and harassing of the opponent though.
Edwards: Better than a 17 possession game would indicate and see Goodwin’s comments.
I thought our first quarter was really underwhelming, we turned the ball over too often and they hurt us on the rebound and time and time again seemed to create loose men on the wing. Our tackles weren’t sticking and so often they had loose men in their forward line, not sure how it happened but it seemed like 1 or 2 guys found themselves free every time they went inside forward 50. Towards the end of the quarter the possession count was 30 in favour of Essendon and in many ways we did well to be in front. At least we fought our way through a slow start and went to the break ahead.
From then on it was all one way traffic; we absolutely dominated proceedings and played sensational, direct football.
Our players are always picking the right option; we know when to switch play and when to link up by hand. Again our use of the handball was a feature and our ability to run them off their feet from quarter time onwards. We seem to have no concerns about putting players into apparent danger by hand so long as we have numbers nearby that we can release and then get our run going. Our forward line functioned well after the first break and Tippett was a huge factor up forward presenting such a strong target. Already excited for next week but the standard of opposition will be a million times better than it was tonight. Not sure who I’d prefer to face, the Saints who would come into the game having lost 3 of 4 matches or the Pies who I think we have a better chance of winning. Either way the odds will be against us as how often does a team outside the 4 even make a Preliminary Final? Not often. However this team has won 4 in a row, is full of confidence and is playing amazing attacking football.
Lastly, hats off to the crowd, 50k is a terrific result. Great atmosphere and the 19th man had quite a few assists.
Player review:
McLeod: Winding back the clock! Doesn’t he love September! Once he gets a sniff of finals footy he lifts his game a few notches and wasn’t he absolutely superb tonight. It’s been a pleasure watching his career and the past 2 months have been some of McLeod’s very best, ever! BOG tonight, well either him or Vince. What a legend.
Otten: Loved his game. Took the game on, took a few solid marks, made the right decisions, had a successful first final.
Rutten: Not sure his opponents managed a kick.
Vince: How good is this guy?
Wow, I’m shocked at what a complete footballer he’s become. Now a contested footy winning machine as well as being a super dangerous outside player. How about some of those spearing passes into the forward line? Has 10+ contested possessions, drilled a goal, had nearly 30 touches in a night where he was targeted all night. Gun.Symes: Didn’t think it was his best night actually, coughed up a goal with a poor bit of indecision in the third term. However as usual he went in extremely hard and took a couple of strong grabs so it was another solid performance.
Reilly: CLASS.
‘Only’ had 18 touches but would’ve surely been at near 100% for disposal efficiency. Every time he touched the ball he made the right decision. What a superb user of the ball he is and surely any doubt about his spot in the side (even questioned by me) should be quashed now. Burton: Got to admit I thought he looked real rusty in the first half and he was struggling to run at full pace and his chasing in particular was being exposed. However in the second half he looked more dangerous and took some wonderful contested marks and ended up with 3 goals, can’t complain about that. Quiet last week, better tonight, next week he should be hitting top form.
Knights: Extremely quiet first term; don’t think he had a touch. However he really lifted thereafter and had 17 touches, 5 marks and 3 goals in another strong performance from the forward line with the occasional run on the wing. His first goal was a gem, only 5 minutes prior he had a shot from the exact same spot and came up short so he had his sighter and drilled the next. The second was another ripper, 50 out on a tight angle and one that goes against a left footer but he got beautiful reserve swing.
Hopefully he won’t be in any trouble for a kneeing incident, slight brain fade. Mackay: Started slowly and had an uncharacteristic turnover in the first term which eventually resulted in a goal. First half was ineffective but his second half was outstanding. Finished with 19 possessions and a lovely goal in the last from a great half volley pick up. Love watching him play.
Johncock: How he didn’t make All-Australian is beyond me, he is an absolute gun! How good was that play in the third quarter where he beat his opponent and then fisted the ball to a teammate. We went down the other end and I think scored a goal. He’s a ripper.
Maric: Admittedly up against no ruckmen but he had his career high in hit-outs and I liked his influence around the ground. Had some superb taps and went forward to kick a goal and good to see he was pumped! Loving his willingness to run hard from the ruck contest to the wings to make himself an option, his confidence is clearly growing.
Sellar: Continues to develop as a player and I joined in the huge chorus of applause when he went off after a courageous act and then the reception when he came back on. Good to see he got a goal at the end, he deserved it.
Porplyzia: 5 goals from 9 kicks and he also applied 6 tackles, what a little champion.
Tippett: Re-sign him for life please! Probably the most important player in our team, without him our forward line wouldn’t be a shadow of what it is now. 11 possessions, 17 hit-outs and 4 goals. Some tremendous grabs up forward and he pretty much destroyed the somehow AA squad member Fletcher when they went head to head.
Doughty: Slaughtered Watson, another tremendous tagging job.
Dangerfield: The kid is gold and what a fine showing in his first final. In a stat that says it all about Danger, of his 11 possessions 8 were contested. Kicked his customary two goals and had a few clearances when he used his great speed to burst clear of the pack.
Douglas: Absolutely loved his first half and he looked like the player he promised to be in his first year. Kicked two goals and had some wonderful precise field kicks that hit teammates on the chest. Went missing a bit after half time and unfortunately for him, despite his good form would probably be first out for VB.
Stevens: Didn’t do a whole lot but really didn’t need to. A few courageous acts running back with the flight of the ball but I thought his man got away on the lead a bit and he looked a bit slow on occasions.
Thompson: Stats only show 20 touches but I thought he was very good. Strong around the contest and to me provided a real leadership role out there. Thankfully it was only cramped because I thought our chances were diminished with the possibility of him missing next week.
Goodwin: Solid as a rock, didn’t make a poor decision all night and used the ball well when he had it.
Hentschel: Didn’t do a whole lot, in a few ways in a similar boat to Burton. I really liked his chasing and harassing of the opponent though.
Edwards: Better than a 17 possession game would indicate and see Goodwin’s comments.
