I'd like some help understanding a play in the second quarter where McDonnald-Tipungwuti ran through the protected zone after Clarry had taken a mark (not following a player), and then doubled back as soon as the umpire called play on to tackle Clarry (still in the protected zone, behind the mark). About 6m away from the umpire in plain view. Why wasn't this 50m?

17 minutes ago, In Harmes Way said:

I'd like some help understanding a play in the second quarter where McDonnald-Tipungwuti ran through the protected zone after Clarry had taken a mark (not following a player), and then doubled back as soon as the umpire called play on to tackle Clarry (still in the protected zone, behind the mark). About 6m away from the umpire in plain view. Why wasn't this 50m?

The Essendon fans have managed to slowly work out one of the defining principles of this season, which is also the answer to your question. The umpiring is [censored] hopeless.

The extra step the Dons fans haven't made, and probably never will, is that the umpiring is [censored] hopeless for all teams.

On 6/26/2021 at 10:57 PM, CYB said:

Yes we have defensive system which is great and allowed us to strangle and absorb pressure. That is what won us the game again. No doubt. However if we are off just one percent , we’ll we have seen what happens there. 

If you saw the Dons stoppage and contest setups a lot of their players were outside and allowed them to walk out of the contest too easily. You need to torch sides that take such an aggressive setup yet we did not. Do that against a potent forward line like the Eagles, Port or Geelong and no system will save you. 

Happy with 12-2 but we have a really tough draw coming up and need to start finding some good form to take into finals. 

Our form in the last month is comfortably beating two of the other three teams in the top 4, beating probably the hottest  and most hyped team in the league and a disappointing loss. It’s pretty good form, to be fair. 

I am pleased to see Gawn receiving some accolades for the way he played on Saturday night.

https://www.afl.com.au/video/639149/winning-like-a-car-out-of-control-a-21yo-treating-rivals-like-schoolboys?videoId=639149&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1624845343001

Go to around the 6 minute mark and Lloyd and Barrett are effusive in their praise for the big fellas game.  At the ground I thought he was excellent but none of the main media outlets had him in the best.  I love Lloyd's comparison of Gawn to Naitanui.

On 6/27/2021 at 2:43 PM, layzie said:

But did they pay arm chop Redleg? The commentary I was listening to suggested that. 

The commentators generally wouldn't know what day it was. 

5 hours ago, Pollyanna said:

Titus

https://www.titusoreily.com/afl/the-monday-knee-jerk-reaction-afl-round-fifteen2021

Essendon (57) v Umpires (68)

The Bombers were cruising towards an enormous victory in this one, until the AFL hierarchy, who have been long involved in a conspiracy to destroy the Essendon Football Club, told the umpires to make sure Melbourne won.

I read the whole article. So funny. Thank you for posting. ?

4 hours ago, Undeeterred said:

Our form in the last month is comfortably beating two of the other three teams in the top 4, beating probably the hottest  and most hyped team in the league and a disappointing loss. It’s pretty good form, to be fair. 

I think my blood pressure would disagree with the use of your word "comfortable". We haven't really comfortably beaten anybody this year. Even against the Hawks it was a close affair until the last quarter. 

If we could improve our forward 50 game, then we will become quite a feared opposition for many years.

On 6/26/2021 at 10:12 PM, Ollie fan said:

I’ll have to think of it this way. We played better than Geelong did, or Richmond did, or Sydney did…

...and as much as I hate to say it, the bummers are on the improve, they aren't that bad and more than capable of knocking off the top sides on their night.

1 hour ago, CYB said:

I think my blood pressure would disagree with the use of your word "comfortable". We haven't really comfortably beaten anybody this year. Even against the Hawks it was a close affair until the last quarter. 

If we could improve our forward 50 game, then we will become quite a feared opposition for many years.

We were 6.5 to 2.2 against the Dogs in the first quarter, and from then on the Dogs never got closer than 14 points.

From halfway through the first quarter on ANZAC Eve onwards we were the dominant side and Richmond never, not once, looked like getting back into the game.

We were four goals up on Fremantle at quarter time and aside from five minutes in the third quarter where they kicked two goals in a row, that margin sat at around the 20-point mark for three quarters.

And we've only been behind in the fourth quarter for one quarter (Collingwood) and 40 seconds (Adelaide).

We're doing far more comfortably than you think.

On 6/27/2021 at 2:47 PM, layzie said:

I’m tipping Petracca and Gawn were 2 of those you saw? Felt like out the whistle away moments late in the game but they were decent shoves. 

Yep, I think they were.

I'm also getting concerned about how many times our captain gets punched in the back of the head due to faux spoils.

He was down on all fours after copping another one on Saturday night. It happens every game without the whistle ever being blown.

It can't be healthy for him.

1 hour ago, Brownie said:

Yep, I think they were.

I'm also getting concerned about how many times our captain gets punched in the back of the head due to faux spoils.

He was down on all fours after copping another one on Saturday night. It happens every game without the whistle ever being blown.

It can't be healthy for him.

I hope we are putting together some vision and sending it to the AFL for a please explain. It happens every week without a free and yet if you so much as fart next to some players you get a free. 

1 hour ago, Brownie said:

Yep, I think they were.

I'm also getting concerned about how many times our captain gets punched in the back of the head due to faux spoils.

He was down on all fours after copping another one on Saturday night. It happens every game without the whistle ever being blown.

It can't be healthy for him.

with so much focus on concussion symptoms surely this must be looked at. Happens every week! 

17 hours ago, Swooper1987 said:

I am pleased to see Gawn receiving some accolades for the way he played on Saturday night.

https://www.afl.com.au/video/639149/winning-like-a-car-out-of-control-a-21yo-treating-rivals-like-schoolboys?videoId=639149&modal=true&type=video&publishFrom=1624845343001

Go to around the 6 minute mark and Lloyd and Barrett are effusive in their praise for the big fellas game.  At the ground I thought he was excellent but none of the main media outlets had him in the best.  I love Lloyd's comparison of Gawn to Naitanui.

Max was one of the main reasons we won that game - his efforts in the last quarter were fantastic

He is such a great character - we are very very lucky to have Max  

On 6/27/2021 at 2:43 PM, layzie said:

But did they pay arm chop Redleg? The commentary I was listening to suggested that. 

They clearly called out (and signalled) 'High' contact not an arm chop

On 6/28/2021 at 1:02 PM, A F said:

I think our forwardline problems are being overplayed here. Our goalkicking is definitely a problem, but in that third quarter, we should have been 4 or 5 goals up at three quarter time. We lowered the eyes really well going inside and cut them up. But Harmes, Fritsch and McDonald, off the top of my head, all missed or failed to get the distance on regulation kicks at goal from 40-45m.

Kick those goals and the umpiring fades into the background and everyone's talking about how well our smaller forwardline functioned after half time. It was the forwardline after all that had us undefeated earlier in the season.

Instead, we kept them in the game. McDonald kicks those almost every week, so that was unlike him. Harmes kicked one from a slightly closer spot earlier in the game and Fritsch should be nailing his as well.

If we go 4 or 5 goals up at three quarter time, who knows what Essendon do. Maybe we get a couple of easy ones that blows out the lead or we simply lock the game down and win it by 4 or 5 goals.

I went into the match saying if we brought our work rate and focus, we'd win by 4 or 5 goals. We bought the work rate, that was clear from our all field defensive set up without the ball, but we didn't bring the focus with ball use (in the first half), getting sucked in to too many contests in the midfield and getting done on the outside, and we didn't kick straight. Otherwise, it's a regulation Melbourne 2021 win. 

That said, I'm happy to try Brown in the side and I'd be content for it to be at the expense of Fritsch.

Fritsch should nail them? Perhaps if he was kicking from the correct pocket!

He does always seem to be lining up from the wrong pocket for a left footer.

watched the replay.

We held those failed vaccinators to 2 goals per quarter.

we dominated the first quarter but didn’t capitalise on the score board.

Ess had no way through our defence.  It took long bombs by stringer to do anything early.

Kossie needs to keep it simple.  Not every touch has to make Bruce cry.

in the last quarter, our groundball and handling was way down.  Missed many easy opportunities because of this.

Brayshaw was fantastic.  Gawn gets throttled so often, but was really good.

 Too many over the head outlet handballs.  Better cohesion in the middle.

on replay, the result was never in doubt!  Got lots to improve- groundball skills, I 50 delivery and goal kicking.  Was not really that close given the difficulty they had in scoring.