My Round 15 Preview and Prediction

[Superunknown 4,062]

We don't have a What they're saying down at Windy Hill thread and wasn't sure if I should start one.

• Must bring in Snelling. Give him a role to tag Salem. So much of Melbourne’s ball movement goes through him. Hooker needs to be better than what he showed today; May will give him a bath otherwise. Stringer will probably get tagged by Hibberd. Can see Oliver and Petracca v Merrett and parish unfolding with not much defensive attention. Hope Draper is able to back up today’s superb performance. Hope the Dees give Weideman another game, and either Laverde or Francis can give him a towelling up. Give Redman the job on Fritsch. Great test against the Dees on Saturday.
• Send these snooty twats to the ski fields.
• Playing Melbourne is a great opportunity to see where we’re really at. I’m looking forward to it.
• They’re the top of the ladder team at virtually full strength (minus Tomlinson?). I’m pretty sure they’ll get Viney back this week. They’re also fresh off the bye vs us on 6 day break coming back from Tassie (not that it’s a huge trip at all).
• We can win one, or even both [Ed other being Geelong next round]. Melbourne are more likely, and l see signs of the beginnings of their brittle self doubt emerging. It is a common affliction every season, and is very apparent when the ski season opens.
• We’re so winning this match.
• No bombing forward otherwise May and Lever will have a field day interceptingLow/scrubber type kicks when entering forward
• I don’t rate Melbourne. I think we are a huge chance
• I just worry about their midfield contested beasts that will push Merrett and Parish to the side
• Melbourne still have it in them to completely Essington their season. I’d love for us to get the ball rolling.
• Melbourne are slowly showing signs of going full Melbourne… it’s winnable but need to be cleaner than tonight.
• I back us in Pies were able to beat them
• We always think we’re a chance against the Dees.We got close last year and we were rubbish.I’m looking at this game as a free hit. No expectations. Just try and protect the %.
• The problem we will potentially have against Melbourne is how well they are defending the field when not in possession.
• If Melbourne can so easily stop the Bulldogs from playing their preferred game, how are we going to go ?
• Personally, I don’t rate Melbourne as a Flag Favourite. Would have four other teams ahead of them on that count. Take out May and Lever’s influence and they will struggle. A lot of Dollar Shop forwards should not bother our defenders and we can match their mids even with the likes of Shiel, McGrath and Caldwell missing.
• I’m usually quite lid-off but we are probably kidding ourselves to think we can win this one. I think we’ll do ourselves proud with effort and we might even go close, but more likely there will be a couple of periods where they score a few quick ones against us and we just can’t recover.

[BDA 22,288]

With rest i hope we can shake off the collingwood disappointment and reassert ourselves. We've responded well to challenges this year so i expect the win but if we're complacent or off the pace we're in trouble.

We're 11-2. I still believe. 4-5 goal win for the Dees.

[Fork 'em 6,940]

1 hour ago, Superunknown said:

We don't have a What they're saying down at Windy Hill thread and wasn't sure if I should start one.

• Must bring in Snelling. Give him a role to tag Salem. So much of Melbourne’s ball movement goes through him. Hooker needs to be better than what he showed today; May will give him a bath otherwise. Stringer will probably get tagged by Hibberd. Can see Oliver and Petracca v Merrett and parish unfolding with not much defensive attention. Hope Draper is able to back up today’s superb performance. Hope the Dees give Weideman another game, and either Laverde or Francis can give him a towelling up. Give Redman the job on Fritsch. Great test against the Dees on Saturday.
• Send these snooty twats to the ski fields.
• Playing Melbourne is a great opportunity to see where we’re really at. I’m looking forward to it.
• They’re the top of the ladder team at virtually full strength (minus Tomlinson?). I’m pretty sure they’ll get Viney back this week. They’re also fresh off the bye vs us on 6 day break coming back from Tassie (not that it’s a huge trip at all).
• We can win one, or even both [Ed other being Geelong next round]. Melbourne are more likely, and l see signs of the beginnings of their brittle self doubt emerging. It is a common affliction every season, and is very apparent when the ski season opens.
• We’re so winning this match.
• No bombing forward otherwise May and Lever will have a field day interceptingLow/scrubber type kicks when entering forward
• I don’t rate Melbourne. I think we are a huge chance
• I just worry about their midfield contested beasts that will push Merrett and Parish to the side
• Melbourne still have it in them to completely Essington their season. I’d love for us to get the ball rolling.
• Melbourne are slowly showing signs of going full Melbourne… it’s winnable but need to be cleaner than tonight.
• I back us in Pies were able to beat them
• We always think we’re a chance against the Dees.We got close last year and we were rubbish.I’m looking at this game as a free hit. No expectations. Just try and protect the %.
• The problem we will potentially have against Melbourne is how well they are defending the field when not in possession.
• If Melbourne can so easily stop the Bulldogs from playing their preferred game, how are we going to go ?
• Personally, I don’t rate Melbourne as a Flag Favourite. Would have four other teams ahead of them on that count. Take out May and Lever’s influence and they will struggle. A lot of Dollar Shop forwards should not bother our defenders and we can match their mids even with the likes of Shiel, McGrath and Caldwell missing.
• I’m usually quite lid-off but we are probably kidding ourselves to think we can win this one. I think we’ll do ourselves proud with effort and we might even go close, but more likely there will be a couple of periods where they score a few quick ones against us and we just can’t recover.

Of course you should start one.
Love those threads.
A few opinion here we need to stamp out if we're serious.
The oppositions supporters see it and so will the opposition players.
We've gotta have these lower teams beaten mentally before we even run onto the ground.


* We can win one, or even both [Ed other being Geelong next round]. Melbourne are more likely, and l see signs of the beginnings of their brittle self doubt emerging. It is a common affliction every season, and is very apparent when the ski season opens.

* Melbourne still have it in them to completely Essington their season. I’d love for us to get the ball rolling.

* Melbourne are slowly showing signs of going full Melbourne… it’s winnable but need to be cleaner than tonight.

* We always think we’re a chance against the Dees.

 

[DubDee 24,438]

We need to bring aggression on Saturday night and we should win easily

Merrett and Parish are 5"10'. they don't have much midfield depth after that

Trac, Oliver, Gawn, Viney, Harmes need to physically dominate the midfield and we can brush them aside.

Some rain doesn't hurt us either. make it more scrapy with more stoppages and Clarry/Viney will mop up

[DubDee 24,438]

No Francis or Hurley down back they look light on.  Ridley is very good but not much quality aside from him. 

Hawks had 23 scoring shots last week which should have been enough to beat them if they kicked straight

T Mac, Frizz and Kozzi should have a day out

[Graeme Yeats' Mullet 6,722]

I said to mates that $3.80 for Collingwood was way overs...

$4.00 Essendon is further overs!

Hedge you emotions people!! (Gamble responsibly)

[Dees2014 2,377]

On 6/21/2021 at 9:31 PM, DubDee said:

We badly needed a mental and physical break. Especially the midfield, young blokes and Gawny. Lockdown impacts everyone, even footballers

Bombers will come out firing but over the four quarters we will be too strong at the G. Our midfield is far better and out defence will be too good.

Demons by 32pts

Yes, l think back playing on the G will be decisive. We never play well at the SCG, so back on our home turf will get us really fired up, especially with our talisman Jack V returning. 
 

Dees by 40 points!

[bobby1554 1,233]

20 hours ago, Fork 'em said:

Must win game.
If we get rolled by this mob I'm gettin' off the forken bandwagon.
Must reassert ourselves pronto.

Yep, me too. Our season is on the line here. Lose this and we won’t finish top 4

[leave it to deever 17,462]

Lets be honest by all accounts we should bury this mob.

But I think after the last game there is a little concern especially around our fwd line.

I think we play better under pressure and will account for them but I dont think we will bury them. That only comes with a side with power forwards.

Edited June 24, 2021 by leave it to deever

[Bay Riffin 1,454]

On 6/21/2021 at 11:00 PM, CYB said:

Danger Mr Robinson Danger.

This mob have one of the quickest ball movement and transition in the comp. it is also our weakness because it doesn’t allow us to setup defensively.

We will need to be switched on to take the 4 points here or prepare yourselves for another disappointing outing.

 

disagree, forward running teams like Essendon play into our hands. They can play on at their own peril. Pies were extremely patient against us, which is not Essendons MO. 

[John Crow Batty 8,786]

I feel like a cat thats not worried by the pit bull but petrified of the mouse. 

[Guest]

This game will tell us what we need to know. The question confronting us is: Are the Crows and Pies games a hiccup ala Carlton in 1995 or part of a more worrying trend?

I like the dare to experiment with a smaller forward line although it goes against my instincts. Culturally, it's not a bad call either. You get in based on your merits and you get dropped based on your body of work. I think BBB was given the rough end of the pineapple based on the three games he got, but I reckon if he isn't getting into the team based on a body of work, it could send the wrong message. I personally believe he should be given a run of 4 to 5 games, but I can understand the other side of the argument.

Viney coming back is SORELY needed. While Tracc and Clarry are big boys, they are also ball winners. Jack can get plenty of the pill himself if required, but I see his role as a Cameron Ling style player. That is the bloke who pushes the other opposition mids away from the contest, brings the physical heat and organizes the troops. Organization and voice seem to be great in the backline, but at the risk of annoying @binman?, I think our midfield organization and delivery was pretty substandard in our two losses.

Essendon will be bloody tough, and I wouldn't be surprised if we got rolled. They are at least 3 years away from challenging for anything resembling top 4, but there is an enthusiasm that I have seen in so many young teams around the mid year break. They are playing well with their mates and under a cleanskin coach with a fresh philosophy and in front of a supporter base, that has been fed mediocrity, bad decisions, insularity and unwarranted hubris since 2007 and is now rediscovering it's voice. This momentum with young kids doesn't often last till the pointy end of the season simply because of fatigue. However, these teams are bloody dangerous and I put Essendon in that category.

I'd say a 6 point win to us, and I'm being generous. We will want to be switched on. Separate your feelings for their overly confident supporters from the young and buzzing team they have on the ground. 

[Superunknown 4,062]

22 minutes ago, Colin B. Flaubert said:

This game will tell us what we need to know. The question confronting us is: Are the Crows and Pies games a hiccup ala Carlton in 1995 or part of a more worrying trend?

I lik

 

Snip, good precis! Like I said, the Essendon w/l odds are quite long, and the line is most attractive, with a hedge of +30 or +40 for the MFC.

[Winners at last 5,158]

$3.90 odds on Sportsbet. Very juicy odds ... seem like 'overs' to me. 

[leave it to deever 17,462]

Im confident after the Pies game, we will come with full intent and make a statement tonight.

[old55 22,842]

On 6/21/2021 at 9:05 PM, Dr.D said:

Collingwood was very concerning. Pretty terrible efforts all across the field. Backmen killed, midfield murdered and forwards missing. 
 

Essendon by 37

For someone who loves to pump his own tyres about how often he's right you sure get a lot wrong. D for Dud?