This is like the Sydney game.

So many on here were fearful going in. Now that we've won, so many are criticising the win.

Someone said we're being "picked apart". Which is just the most ridiculously bad take from this game you could have. We conceded 8.9.57, so that's 17 scoring shots. That's the second least Essendon's had all season (their lowest was 6.9 against Brisbane) and it's their second lowest score all year (again, Brisbane their lowest).

The main reason this game was close was our forward half inefficiency in the first and third quarters. Had we converted our inside 50s and time in forward half when we were on top, we'd have won by more. Which is a frustrating concept, but one mainly within our control. If TMac, Fritsch and/or Harmes kick even one of their set shot misses late in the third, the oomph could easily have gone out of it for Essendon.

This wasn't our defence, which yet again stood up on the wide expanses of the G. Lever and May were outstanding, just exceptional again. Hunt took AMT out of the game and Salem was strong and rebounded. If you weren't at the game I don't know if it was clear but Brayshaw was brilliant on his wing (as was Langdon but I'm sure he was noticeable on TV). Brayshaw's two-way running was phenomenal.

Oliver's lift in the second quarter helped get us going, and Gawn gave Draper a complete bath in the ruck.

Clearly though the delivery inside 50 and the forwards themselves need work. I felt for most of the game we needed another tall forward. I'm sure we were high on forward half pressure acts but for much of the game I felt we were crying out for someone else to offer a marking option, particularly when TMac was up the ground. 

On the umpiring - the overwhelming majority of the decisions I'm seeing complaints about online, and heard complaints about at the ground, were correct. Stringer hit Jordon in the head late in the second. Harmes didn't have prior and attempted to kick it late in the fourth (which is not HTB). 

These are important wins. They're built off system, and we know it works because 12 times this year our opponent has struggled to score, and that includes the four highest scoring sides other than us we've played (the Dogs, Brisbane, Essendon and Sydney).

Oh, and it's so satisfying beating that mob.

10 minutes ago, layzie said:

And have minimum 3 showers 

I live with Essendon and Carlton supporters. What is the recommendation. They are pretty good blokes tho I must admit. They like the Dees as their second team.

40 minutes ago, Skuit said:

Haven't checked the records but in my mind Jack has always been a bit slow out of the blocks post-injury. 

And it felt like the least influence that Clarry and Trac have had in a game this year in combination. 

I'm convinced that those boys are our best throuple heading into the pointy end though. Let it flow. 

Clarry was the best man on the ground for me, but I'm probably biased. And Petracca kicked two brilliant goals when no one else, from either side, could hit the side of a barn.

Our midfield needs a lot of work. We were beaten time and time again in centre clearances. We're meant to have one of the best midfields in the comp, and were well beaten IMV. Luckily our defence held strong, our back 7 all played brilliantly tonight and Brayshaw was sensational on the wing. Anyway bank the win Demons and move on to GWS. 

Also...can someone please show Pickett how to kick a bloody set shot on goal! he misses week in week out! 

3 minutes ago, 4_Kent_Watts said:

I live with Essendon and Carlton supporters. What is the recommendation. They are pretty good blokes tho I must admit. They like the Dees as their second team.

Well, that will be just lovely for them that they won't have to play us again until next year....

We got it done, scraped and fought.

First quarter nerves again. Inaccurate and unable to get a good score from inside 50 and the dominant amount of time in forward half.

They hurt us on there efficiency in the first.

Thought they were going to beat us playing through the central corridors but we did something to fix it up in the 2nd half.

Maxy taking marks early.

Hunty working his defensive skill, creating links and run was a big improver. 

Some of Sparrows handballs to break lines and ability to stand up in tackles was beautiful. His kicking continues to improve, on the way to being elite.

Viney improves our ability to win clearances. 

Oliver has a great footy brain. Knows where everyone is. A little cute at times but his steps into space and a couple of stab passes, wow. Always in the heat of the action.

Salem and Langdon are back to their best after their injury lay offs.

May and Lever, courageous and determined. 

Nulified so many of their prime players. Though a couple got plenty of ball.

Plenty of runners swarming, helping out our defence and stretching their defenders. 

Good coaching.  

Would like to see BBB out there.

When our Hollywood comes off we look great, though when it doesn't, ooof. Would rather it stay simple.

Our defensive structures really seem to throw the opponents off. Very difficult to move the ball quickly and they can't bomb it.

 

Edited June 26, 20213 yr by kev martin

44 minutes ago, Jaded said:

Look I’ll never watch the highlight reel. But I’ll remember fondly crushing Essendon’s finals hope and staying top of the ladder. 

I'm just about to watch the replay to enjoy the salty melts. Hate that club and very happy to beat them.

41 minutes ago, Jaded said:

Essendon played slow footy and pushed players back because they knew in an open contest we would destroy them. Mediocre teams will do that against us because they can’t beat us another way. But good teams won’t play this defensive garbage. The games against Richmond Dogs and Brisbane were just good contested one on one footy. And we won them all. 

Not sure I agree with this. Essendon tried to run and gun off half back at every opportunity. IMO we let them do it too often, but when we choked them up and made them go long down the line, they had no real answer and struggled to score.

In the final term, we really covered the corridor well from slower play. But they killed us on the outside tonight and yet we still beat them. Such brilliant signs.

43 minutes ago, Graeme Yeats' Mullet said:

I thought Nate Jones didn't do a lot wrong in his 302nd game...

Imagine if Jones breaks Neitz' record while playing as the medi-sub!

48 minutes ago, layzie said:

That Bronx cheer they did in the second or third quarter when they got a free kick as if the count was heavily lopsided was embarrassing for them I thought.  

On another note I need to be back at the G. Watching an MCG game on tv doesn't sit right for me personally :) 

It was lopsided. It was something like 8 to 2 our way at the time. We got the rub of the green tonight.

15 minutes ago, Caligula's cohort said:

Our midfield needs a lot of work. We were beaten time and time again in centre clearances. We're meant to have one of the best midfields in the comp, and were well beaten IMV. Luckily our defence held strong, our back 7 all played brilliantly tonight and Brayshaw was sensational on the wing. Anyway bank the win Demons and move on to GWS. 

Also...can someone please show Pickett how to kick a bloody set shot on goal! he misses week in week out! 

9-9 actually, and one of theirs was from an unforgivable 6-6-6 free kick we gave them.

We do have one of the best midfields in the comp. But Merrett played a blinder and Parish and Stringer are both in red-hot form, so it's not like our opposition's weak in the middle. Plus Viney was clearly underdone.

Nothing tastes better than Essendon’s tears. 

1 hour ago, Jaded said:

It was ridiculous. I was at the ground and they booed far more than they cheered. 

Half time ground announcer: “Bomber fans cheer your team off”

[censored] Essendon fans: “no we must boo the umpires instead”. 
 

A pathetic bunch. 

The hostility of the Essendon supporters was just as noticeable on TV. If they want Essendon to stop conceding 50m penalties and free kicks, then they should ask their players to be a bit more disciplined on the field. 

5 minutes ago, titan_uranus said:

9-9 actually, and one of theirs was from an unforgivable 6-6-6 free kick we gave them.

We do have one of the best midfields in the comp. But Merrett played a blinder and Parish and Stringer are both in red-hot form, so it's not like our opposition's weak in the middle. Plus Viney was clearly underdone.

Yes the stats indicate that, but from watching the game the Bombers were much better. Nuff said.

I think no matter how good your zone and defensive structure is you're gonna get occasionally picked apart with perfect kicks like that one to Hooker. Our backlinewas sensational, our forwards could have just helped them out a bit. 

Just now, Caligula's cohort said:

Yes the stats indicate that, but from watching the game the Bombers were much better. Nuff said.

You said we were beaten "time and time again" in a stat we broke even in.

We had as many quick centre clearances as they did.

If anything, the disappointment was from stoppage clearances.

6 minutes ago, Hopeful Demon said:

The hostility of the Essendon supporters was just as noticeable on TV. If they want Essendon to stop conceding 50m penalties and free kicks, then they should ask their players to be a bit more disciplined on the field. 

Well that's the thing I noticed how bad it was on TV it was almost deafening to the point where it sounded enhanced. However it's sounding like it was precisely the case at the ground.

Edited June 26, 20213 yr by layzie

Just now, layzie said:

Well that's the thing I noticed how bad it was on TV it was almost deafening to the point where it sounded enhanced. However it's sounding like it was precisely the case.

Yep they were insufferable at the ground.

49 minutes ago, Engorged Onion said:

Here you go,  Parret (Parish/Merret) have 80 odd possessions,  - we don't give an eff...

I thought their two games were far less influential than Oliver's or Petracca's. All of Parish's touches were on the outside and his delivery inside 50 was ordinary IMO.

Parret weren't quite Joel Bowden level high possession, low influence, but they were pretty close.

1 hour ago, layzie said:

Was the booing really that loud? It's easy to turn the mics up 

Yes, louder than any of their cheering. The most unpleasant fans (barring west coast)

30 minutes ago, 4_Kent_Watts said:

I live with Essendon and Carlton supporters. What is the recommendation. They are pretty good blokes tho I must admit. They like the Dees as their second team.

Stick the fire hose at them and give them a good clean!

Nah if they're good blokes then that's all good, just live and let live.

23 minutes ago, A F said:

Clarry was the best man on the ground for me, but I'm probably biased. And Petracca kicked two brilliant goals when no one else, from either side, could hit the side of a barn.

Clarry is almost always best man on, but it's a high relative bar. Didn't grab the scruff when we needed it like vs Adelaide, and Trac wasn't particularly influential, despite his timely goals. They got the job done, but I think there was some teething issues bringing Viney back into the fold. Viney's job nowadays though is in creating the space for those two to shine, and I fully believe that is what will happen. Just get this one under the belt first. 

14 minutes ago, A F said:

It was lopsided. It was something like 8 to 2 our way at the time. We got the rub of the green tonight.

Bronx cheers should be reserved for really lopsided 14-1 counts.

In my day Bronx cheers actually meant something! :p

5 minutes ago, layzie said:

Stick the fire hose at them and give them a good clean!

Nah if they're good blokes then that's all good, just live and let live.

 They never give me the [censored] unlike my Collingfilth boss who's gone on all week. Looking Forward to  Monday. I'm sure his Gob will be sewn  shut losing to Freo today. Mutt.

Edited June 26, 20213 yr by 4_Kent_Watts

can someone tell me what Hunt was thinking with 1 minute to go and being up by 11 he decides to play on and have a kick from 50m (by which he doesn't score). Surely, he should've gone  short to find an option. Even backwards. It was so dumb. We don't need dumb decision makers in our team. Use your brains!