Matchday - Dees v Ess

[Jaded No More 68,944]

Allowing them to kick 6 of the last 7 was a disgrace.

A real let down on what would have been a great thrashing of the Scum. I sadly remember them coming back from 48 pts down in the LAST quarter to beat us so a chance to bury them has gone begging. Very poor.

When the heat was on we were clearly the better side on the park. But there clearances were a big concern for mine.

Absolutely. That last quarter really put a sour note on the game.

There was no reason for us to let them kick on like that. We had a full bench and seemed to be running well.

Yet somehow it all went to shite once Dunn fluffed a kick to Bennell in the goal square who, instead of slotting it through, did a 360 degree turn and kicked it over his head out on the full. Then Jamar came off and we let the seagulls take our place on the field.

If I was Bailey I'd be pretty furious with that last quarter effort. A top team does not lack the sort of killer instinct that we seem to, and in the end it made Essendon look better than they were, and took away a lot of our good work early on.

[Red Sox 2]

You have low standards.

And what are you standards exactly Ewok?

You obviously rated every key position player a dud because they all take time and if cannot see some of the class Jack as shown the past 3 games you are obviously not at the games...you can't be!

[Dannyz 2,760]

Absolutely. That last quarter really put a sour note on the game.

There was no reason for us to let them kick on like that. We had a full bench and seemed to be running well.

Yet somehow it all went to shite once Dunn fluffed a kick to Bennell in the goal square who, instead of slotting it through, did a 360 degree turn and kicked it over his head out on the full. Then Jamar came off and we let the seagulls take our place on the field.

If I was Bailey I'd be pretty furious with that last quarter effort. A top team does not lack the sort of killer instinct that we seem to, and in the end it made Essendon look better than they were, and took away a lot of our good work early on.

Please, please do not find a way to bring Dunn's performance down whilst you continue to praise the weak, well out of his depth Jack Watts, who 80% of the time looks like he belongs on a school football pitch.

Edited July 11, 2010 by Dannyz

[Dannyz 2,760]

Just a really dumb post. You list Johnstone and McLean as your favourite players....figures!

Which tells you what exactly?

[Jaded No More 68,944]

Please, please do not find a way to bring Dunn's performance down whilst you continue to praise the weak, well out of his depth Jack Watts, who 80% of the time looks like he belongs on a school football pitch.

This was not a crack at Dunn, just a mere observation that that passage of play was the last real crack we had all quarter.

I think Bennell was the one who stuffed up that contest though. He should have turned and slotted it straight through. Dunn did the right thing by passing it on (mind you, a clean handball would have made life easier for Bennell, rather than a ground dribble).

Gees some people are sensitive souls. Love that you defend Dunn when I didn't say anything negative about him, yet take a swipe at Watts. Pot. Kettle. Black

[Lil_red_fire_engine 11,177]

I think it was the last 6 of 7 ... could have been, should have been, a 10 goal win. Very lax, and very disappointing.

I'm not sure exactly how bad Essendon are - nor do I know how good we are.

Given normal inconsistencies, our next four games may be indicative: Fremantle (in WA); Sydney (MCG; Brisbane (Gabba) and Richmond (MCG).

I left the game with 5 minutes to go such was my disgust with the lack of effort and lairising in the last quarter. We should have won by 40+ points but our last quarter ruined what should have been an enjoyable win.

Watts kicked one and had a hand in two today. Pressured more than what I had previously noted and laid a nice hit on Davey. I struggle to understand what people expect of the kid. For mine he is progressing well.

Edited July 11, 2010 by big_red_fire_engine

[agent_orange 0]

Yeah, see, now you're getting a case of the rose-coloured glasses again. Watts kicked one goal from a non-free. He made ok position a few times, maybe laid a tackle or two that were ok, but he was beaten on the day. Not humiliated, certainly, but beaten. One thing he certainly wasn't, was "good."

Some of his work was very good today. Do people just measure possesions?

Wouldn't say he was beaten. Needs to be more selfish. Twice he should have gone for goal instead of trying to pass it off.

[jayceebee31 761]

I am 16,000km away and still hungover in Germany, but they just look "on" today.

Enjoy yourself pal- we will win 2 or 3 more before the end of the year,I hope..

[Old Gregg 1]

I left the game with 5 minutes to go such was my disgust with the lack of effort and lairising in the last quarter. We should have won by 40+ points but our last quarter ruined what should have been an enjoyable win.

Really? 5 minutes of junk time goals to Essendon was enough to counteract the enjoyment of singing the song for the first time in weeks?

A great win today, I thought we controlled the match from start to finish, with the exception of 10 mins in the 3rd and last quarters. At the end of the day - a win's a win, and percentage is irrelevant given our extra 2 points.

[45HG 1,539]

Says it all. The umpires gave us half a dozen goals, they played appallingly at times, and couldn't kick straight all day. Had any one of those three things gone the other way, we'd have lost I reckon.

Yeah, see, now you're getting a case of the rose-coloured glasses again. Watts kicked one goal from a non-free. He made ok position a few times, maybe laid a tackle or two that were ok, but he was beaten on the day. Not humiliated, certainly, but beaten. One thing he certainly wasn't, was "good."

And where'd you watch the game from today?

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

Some of his work was very good today. Do people just measure possesions?

No. But stats, when properly analysed, can tell you a few things. For example, he was very good last week, and not coincidentally, he had 18 touches. It's my feeling that a player like Watts, with his sensational disposal, would be a punishing and elite player if he could average 20+ touches a game one day, not necessarily playing deep. He may have contributed with a few 1%ers today, but I'd like to see him be the one winning, possessing, running with and delivering the ball.

But put stats aside. Today he played much of the game deep in the forward line, with good service from his team-mates, with hardly any good defenders playing for the bombers. Given his abilities, I expected a few marks inside fifty taken with authority, and a couple of goals at least. I've seen 10-stat games that have been central to the outcome of a match. Particularly from forwards and negating defenders. Fev only needs 8 kicks in deep to put away a side, for example. Watts game was not one of these high-impact 10 possession games.

I'm not here to give him a hard time. I've defended him a lot from the "gimme-gimme-gimme-now-now-now" crowd. But there's also another crowd who gush over the smallest play. I felt like one of them when he broke away from two opponents and looked like he was going to drill one from the pocket. But I was reminded that perhaps I should give him more time when he shanked that shot on goal and was handed the softest free of the game (which is saying something).

There's posters who prefer to focus on one play, and decide on a player's worth based on that passage alone. I like players who accumulate as well as do the impressive things. I know Watts has it in him, and I have a lot of confidence he'll get there. But he's not there yet. The bombers game was his best chance yet, given the opposition, and he probably produced a bit less than I expected.

Wouldn't say he was beaten. Needs to be more selfish. Twice he should have gone for goal instead of trying to pass it off.

Hmmm. You may be right about him not being beaten. That may have been a bit harsh. But to me (and we're splitting hairs here), saying a player was "good" means they beat their opponent, at least in the case of a forward/backman. I don't think he did anything today that would have made the opposition coaches or players get worried, when it came to matchups.

And where'd you watch the game from today?

Olympic stand. Why do you ask?

[Western Demon 0]

Consider this objectively: if Jack Watts wasn't a #1 pick, and wasn't accompanied by countless media pages of hype, would you have noticed him ?

I will assume football analysts know what they're talking about, and he's a potential key position star.

For the time-being, he is slow by foot and slow by mind and lacks skills in and around stoppages; he lacks confidence in contested marks and his kicking (long or short) is "ordinary".

A commentator today called him a "schoolboy", which is right - so therefore I'd let him run with the big boys as much as possible: dropping him will only give him a false sense of confidence: he need to find a yard, and needs to contest the ball against harder, more skilled players.

But in truth I cannot see his "potential". Then again - I had despaired of Jamar just a year or two ago, but have been proven wrong. I'd love to be wrong again.

[heartbeatstrue 57]

Consider this objectively: if Jack Watts wasn't a #1 pick, and wasn't accompanied by countless media pages of hype, would you have noticed him ?

Yes he looks the most awkward player when he gets caught with the ball... got away with it yesterday but he'll have to learn to bluff his way out of those moments or the ump's will ping him every time.

[Lil_red_fire_engine 11,177]

Really? 5 minutes of junk time goals to Essendon was enough to counteract the enjoyment of singing the song for the first time in weeks?

A great win today, I thought we controlled the match from start to finish, with the exception of 10 mins in the 3rd and last quarters. At the end of the day - a win's a win, and percentage is irrelevant given our extra 2 points.

Today was not a great win. You are obviously more easily satisfied than I. Whilst we deliver tripe like we did in the last 15 minutes we will not develop into a top team. 6 of the last 7 goals against, no chasing, no manning up, lairish displays of disposal, it was ego driven self preservation at its best.

At the end of the day a win is not win. If as Green says we are not focussed on making finals but about earning respect then they could have done that in spades by absolutely burying a side rather than taking the foot off the pedal.

[Harrisonrules 273]

Robert Walls is the worst offender, just blurting out "we're back in this!" on the Bombers comeback in the 3rd quarter. What a nonce.

I think your just frustrated as everyone is when listening on the radio. After the game my bomber friends (Yes I confess I have some - sorry team ) were equally scathing. They hate walls and know he hates them.

I listened to AW as I watched and enjoyed it

Tony Shaw was almost over the top as he praised Melbourne and its depth of players (which he listed) still

playing at Casey or injured. He was suggesting we'd be at the top way before I expect it.

[Jaded No More 68,944]

Today was not a great win. You are obviously more easily satisfied than I. Whilst we deliver tripe like we did in the last 15 minutes we will not develop into a top team. 6 of the last 7 goals against, no chasing, no manning up, lairish displays of disposal, it was ego driven self preservation at its best.

At the end of the day a win is not win. If as Green says we are not focussed on making finals but about earning respect then they could have done that in spades by absolutely burying a side rather than taking the foot off the pedal.

That is 100% spot on.

I couldn't bring myself to cheer or sing the song after the game because I was so disappointed with the last quarter. It was lazy, arrogant and frankly embarrassing to see how we played in that last 15 minutes. It totally ruined what was an otherwise good display of football from the team.

The last time we played 4 quarters of footy we smashed Brisbane. I don't always expect us to smash our opponents, but if we're 51 points up in the last quarter, it is unacceptable to let the opposition cut the margin to 3 goals.

If I was Bailey I'd be pretty bloody furious.

[heartbeatstrue 57]

Two questions.

How important is Grimes to the whole functioning of our back line? I felt yesterday that we missed not just the player, but the leadership he is starting to display down there.

Secondly, has Jurrah always kicked that bad? Someone needs to get him to an Auskick clinic and straighten him out (only joking, fantastic to see him back and a few glimpses of his magic, but his kicking...)

[heartbeatstrue 57]

That is 100% spot on.

I couldn't bring myself to cheer or sing the song after the game because I was so disappointed with the last quarter. It was lazy, arrogant and frankly embarrassing to see how we played in that last 15 minutes. It totally ruined what was an otherwise good display of football from the team.

The galling thing was it gave the wingeing Bomber supporters berhind me something to shout about in the last 10 minutes "no killer instinct... no killer instinct". If I wouldn't have risked my membership I would have snotted him.

[P-man 13,366]

Two questions.

How important is Grimes to the whole functioning of our back line? I felt yesterday that we missed not just the player, but the leadership he is starting to display down there.

Secondly, has Jurrah always kicked that bad? Someone needs to get him to an Auskick clinic and straighten him out (only joking, fantastic to see him back and a few glimpses of his magic, but his kicking...)

His kicking does seem to be the elephant in the room that no-one wants to mention..

I'm sure he'll get it sorted.

Right?

[heartbeatstrue 57]

His kicking does seem to be the elephant in the room that no-one wants to mention..

I'm sure he'll get it sorted.

Right?

If it means he can kick unbelievable goals from the boundary a la Daicos, then we'll live with it.

Just drum into him not to try Davey-type passes to team mates in the forward 50 !

[Red Sox 2]

I think your just frustrated as everyone is when listening on the radio. After the game my bomber friends (Yes I confess I have some - sorry team ) were equally scathing. They hate walls and know he hates them.

I listened to AW as I watched and enjoyed it

Tony Shaw was almost over the top as he praised Melbourne and its depth of players (which he listed) still

playing at Casey or injured. He was suggesting we'd be at the top way before I expect it.

Yeah he gives us a good rap Tony Shaw. Brisbane game on Fox he knew all the young kids by that stage, obviously a smart man?!

Edited July 12, 2010 by Demon Jack 16

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

If I was Bailey I'd be pretty bloody furious.

He didn't seem it in the rooms. The players seemed VERY pleased with themselves.

I've had a change of heart on this topic. How many games have we played against good sides where we're 45 points down at 3/4 time and no hope, then we kick 5 or 6 to 3 in the last quarter and end up maybe scraping inside the 5 goal margin? We did it a LOT last season, and have done it a bit this season. Every time this happened I took nothing from the junk-time goals. I don't think Essendon would have taken anything from this either. With that in mind, I relaxed a bit when I was asked about the game today, and said a win's a win. Would have liked 10 goal margin, but if you'd offered me a 19 point win a week ago, I'd take it. Particularly since we actually weren't all the amazing today.

[heartbeatstrue 57]

Particularly since we actually weren't all the amazing today.

But the umpires were...