Essendon - OUR game for 2010.

[robsey24 0]

Mmmm...yeah that's a reasonable point of view. Well put....but I think the sooner the better that they start to play together it will be more a benefit.

After i posted that i started to think twice, although that is what i believe, i also think jurrah needs the game time as well. Hopefully they play and learn together to become one of the greatest forward duos in the game!

[Red Sox 2]

After i posted that i started to think twice, although that is what i believe, i also think jurrah needs the game time as well. Hopefully they play and learn together to become one of the greatest forward duos in the game!

Nah don't second guess yourself....reckon it is very valid and it has been good to see Watts steadily improve. I think your right that Jurrah might need some more time, Gotch said as much in his VFL review. But he also added how he pretty much tore the game apart! What to do?!!

[Steamin Demon 401]

We are a better team than them, If we bring the Stkilda game plus Jurrah on Sunday we will win.

[robsey24 0]

Nah don't second guess yourself....reckon it is very valid and it has been good to see Watts steadily improve. I think your right that Jurrah might need some more time, Gotch said as much in his VFL review. But he also added how he pretty much tore the game apart! What to do?!!

True. Well as much as it would be good to get him in the side, maybe he should play in the VFL till he can string a full game together, get some good fitness. Then hopefully his first game will be at the G maybe when we play sydney? It will be great to see him get a good bag of games before seasons end.

[Roost It 1,434]

2 things

1. Jurrah needs to play

2. I'm leaving if we run out in the white guernsey

[robsey24 0]

2 things

1. Jurrah needs to play

2. I'm leaving if we run out in the white guernsey

It's our home game, there should be no reason as to why we should wear our white guernseys, do essendon have an away strip that differs largely to their home strip?

[Red Sox 2]

The less said about the white the better.....just don't like it.

Essendon only have that larger red sash as an away, not sure if they will go with that. They are the only team I have some difficulty distinguishing at times when we play them.

Now that I think about it I can't actually remember the last time we played Essendon as the home side?!!!

There's a question - when was our last home game against Essendon? I know we have played them at the 'G but as the home side?

Surely we wouldn't be made to wear the white as the home side? Maybe they should be made to come up with an insipid white jumper to wear against us?

[Hellaintabadplacetobe 4,297]

Can't agree more.

Early on I tipped that Liam Jurrah would return in Round 15 and he should - with Fletcher, Pears and Hooker out, we could potentially kick a big score.

Hille wont play either. We`re a chance, no doubt, but we can`t rely on opposition outs to get us over the line. Remember R1 against Hawthorn. They had half a team out and buried us something shockn!

[45HG 1,559]

Round 1 2005 I believe

[robsey24 0]

Surely we wouldn't be made to wear the white as the home side? Maybe they should be made to come up with an insipid white jumper to wear against us?

As you would all know, it has happened time and time again with North Melbourne when they play collingwood. It's ridiculous that not everyteam has an away jumper that is completely different to the home jumper.

[45HG 1,559]

Schwabby has said we'll be wearing the home jumper

[e25 5]

I dont think I meant it that way.

Knights made some grand statements of the importance of the next 4 weeks. They fell badly at the first hurdle. If they fall again they will have the blow torch on them internally and externally for not standing up towards the business end of the season.

My comment on their possible rebound is not to think they will be easy touch. If we are on our game we should be able to account for Essendon even if Essendon go hard for 4 quarters. But its the "if" word.....

Its also a good chance for us to overcome the slow starts.

I think Knights is guilty of having his charges look too far ahead instead of concentrating on the game infront of him.

To talk about the next month indicates they saw their next game as a gimme, as they will the game against us.

He basically gave his players permission to take thief eyes off the ball and look further ahead.

-- there's a reason coaches usually stick to clichés like "one week at a time."

I think we're a big chance to run over the top them.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

I think Knights is guilty of having his charges look too far ahead instead of concentrating on the game infront of him.

To talk about the next month indicates they saw their next game as a gimme, as they will the game against us.

He basically gave his players permission to take thief eyes off the ball and look further ahead.

-- there's a reason coaches usually stick to clichés like "one week at a time."

I think we're a big chance to run over the top them.

You've got it completely wrong.

He spoke of each element in the next month being important. There was no indication of Essendon taking this game as a gimme particularly given their recent form. And a game at AAMI is never ever a gimmme.

He gave the impression that he was priming his players for a big effort in Adelaide. And they squibbed it. Ultimately the performance of the team comes down to the Coach. But the players cant be excused.

We are a chance to win. But it depends on alot of things include both MFCs and Bombers attitude on the game

[No16 1]

Schwabby has said we'll be wearing the home jumper

When was this said?

Great news if true...

[Ash35 425]

Both teams should see this as a very winnable game.

But I favour Melbourne at the moment. We (Essendon) don't function very well when Hille is out of the team. Fletcher and Pears being out hurts, but not as much as Hille.

It could be the first game in AFL history that both teams play one short. That is if Essendon pick Quinn and Melbourne select Spencer.

I like the heat Essendon is copping so far this week. History shows that clubs respond when they take a beating in the media after sub standard performances.

Should be an interesting game.

[beelzebub 23,390]

Have been giving this game some thought. The OP does spell it out quite rightly. We are a conundrum at good old MFC. Much talent, much ability, much potential and lot of inconsistency from players who ought to be a lot more stable in efforts than they are delivering. We got ravage by a Crows outfit that decided to draw a line on their own beach and say enoughs enough from thi smoment on we will play to our potential , we will compete we will fight. What a diference thats made. First us and then the hapless Bombers.

Prior to this season many pundits would have placed Essendon far far above the lowly reforming Demons, though stangely ex Bomber Stategist in Chief Sheedy might not have been so keen to do that. All in all we werent meant to get to ofar off the bootom this year with even our own Coach sugesting almost as much. 6 wins doesnt get you too far up and we're only 1 and a half away from that 'achievement' already. We are though capable of much more as on any given day when playing well we can and do take it up to the better sides.

We must now draw our line in the sand. we must not retreat from our destiny. We can not only win this Saturday , we must and we must do it decisively.

Elements to that cause:

For too many weeks too many of our better players have lowered their guard somewhat. The need to get their backs up and not shirk the responsibilites they have taken on.

Davey needs to turn it up. A servicable game simply isnt enough from this elite player. Aaron, you made the deal , youre taking the money...deliver son. Stop letting the niggling of others constrain your game, beat them and you can do it. Let a little brotherly rivalry prod you into competition. I dont mean to pick on himper se but his is a prodigious talent and all to often we see the economy version. If we are to be a power once more we need to abandon the good enough is good enough attitude and strive to beter each week. Striving and achieving are indeed two different things but if you dont set the bar higher you will go backwards and thats exactly what it appears to this observer.

Confidence is the difference often between desire and delivering. Young Watts I think is turning that corner. Last week was a bit of a break out game for him and this week on home soil with some decent help I think he might just "arrive". IDoes history repeat ? Often strangely enough. Last year with great fanfare ,what can only be described as wonder in football terms, saw the much antcipated debut of the Warlpiri Warrior. It was against Essendon and so I feel this ought to provide an omen portending to our futurea and re-happen. Bring in the Jurrah !!! Dilute the opposition, divide and concur. Liam has that happy knack of lifting and encouraging those team mates around him. Is it a little bit of red dirt magic ? who knows, who cares...it just seems to manifest.

Sylvia must be champing at the bit to stamp himself again on a game. He ought to have regained confidence in his toe from last week and be salivating at the prospect of returning to the G. He does play better there. Early in the year Bail showed a bit of dash and class and with Grimes out I think his efforts ought to be rewarded. Whilst we prefer the corridor Rohan can use the wings well and this option ought to be employed when were getting bogged down or stymied through the middle. its a swing/pivotal approach. When youre getting doen inthe guts move it around the flanks and damage teh scoreboard that way, this will re open the corridor and so you can choose your route according to opportunity not simple blind instruction.

The Bombers will desperately try to restart their season against us. We cant allow that to happen. We must use their 'doubt' to our advantage. We know we can start in a decent fashion when we put our minds and bodies to that task. we need to play for four quarters though, something weve failed for most of this year to accomplish. We have equitted ourselves rather well in the champioship quarters but not had the legs to run to the finish.

Calling Scully and Trengove. Its almost unfair to sadlle these with the task of the final baton change but they are our hope here. We simply need to run Essendon ragged, they will falter. Our defence is quite steady an we ought to be able to keep their score. They are struggling , indeed like us ,to maintain scoreboard pressure and they struggle even more to contain it.

We need to have our kicking boots on this week, but I think that maybe a goal haul between Col and Liam on top of previous weeks efforts ought to give us the points.

Go Dees, knock those planes out of the sky

[jnrmac 20,272]

BTW did you notice the negative body language on the coverage today between Bailey and Connolly - during a break in the play with the team under pressure they were sitting next to each other arms crossed and ignoring each other. Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but I would have thought they should have been plotting some moves to turn things around??

The last thing DB needs is Connolly sitting beside him telling him what to do. Chris is not the coach or even a coach. He is the football manager. He is smart enough to let the coach do his job and at the appropriate time make suggestions which I know he does.

[Mad_Melbourne 877]

i am hoping this match our forward line could run riot.

with their defence hampered through suspension and injury we are a chance to have a really good counter attacking game.

i hope this week we will see jack watts break out game, 4 goals, and 22 disposals.

jurrah, dunn, bate and sylvia to cause headaches.

i just dont see us losing this week, but having said that we always seem to not play as well when we should win.

[Choko 493]

i am hoping this match our forward line could run riot.

with their defence hampered through suspension and injury we are a chance to have a really good counter attacking game.

i hope this week we will see jack watts break out game, 4 goals, and 22 disposals.

jurrah, dunn, bate and sylvia to cause headaches.

i just dont see us losing this week, but having said that we always seem to not play as well when we should win.

I agree. I think we will win, and well. And I don't think that very often.

[Mad_Melbourne 877]

I agree. I think we will win, and well. And I don't think that very often.

i felt like this against west coast and north melbourne haha

but i feel better about it now, hopefully we come out wanting to win

[titan_uranus 25,174]

3 keys to beating Essendon:

1 - Stop Ryder. Jamar's last two weeks have probably been his worst for the year. Essendon's good wins this year have almost all featured a good performance from Ryder. We can't let him run around and pick up possessions at will

2 - Rebound through the corridor. Essendon's skills are good but not great. When they turn it over they are as susceptible on the rebound as West Coast. We need to back ourselves and move it fast through the corridor to expose a pretty shite defence (although Fletcher's back).

3 - Win the clearances/contested ball. Watson is good in the clinches but outside of him there's not a lot, with Stanton out of form and Welsh doing a tagging role. If we can win these areas against St Kilda we should do the same against Essendon, and that will hurt them.

Nothing really spectacular there, but I watch a lot of Essendon as half my family supports them and these seem patently clear to me.

[beelzebub 23,390]

You dont need to beat Ryder..just negate his effectiveness by blanketting their link men. Keep a close eye on Watson.( expect that will be Jones's assignment for the week ) Essendon get slopy when put under the pump ( but then so do we) so its a battle of the minds here. Keep them wide. They go to water around the paint coughing up a lot of silly turnovers ( again sounds like some other team I know.lol ) Fletcher will certainly bolster their defence with Slatery out , but then Slats has been crap fo most of the year so no biggee. We will need to drag the ol' man away from the square..Another good reason to introduce Jurrah back into the lineup otherwise Knight's decisions on manups is too easy. McVeigh will be their litmus on the day I feel. Close attention to him required...and dare I say it Bruce might be just the bloke.

Strangley I think they are more worried about us than we them!!!

[Ash35 425]

Fletcher will still be missing this week.

[beelzebub 23,390]

Fletcher will still be missing this week.

Damn shame !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

you got some real problems then

[titan_uranus 25,174]

Fletcher will still be missing this week.

Nice.

If only we had a forward line to take advantage of this...