PREGAME: Rd 18 vs Essendon

[rpfc 28,895]

16 minutes ago, Nasher said:

Even if absolutely nothing else good happens this year, I hope we rip Essendon a new one to the point where the entire football world calls them out for the pretenders they are, and their rancid, smug fans realise that this is yet another false dawn and that they’re still as irrelevant as ever.

Please?

I don’t think they’ve suffered enough yet.

You make a really good argument... you've twisted my arm - I also hope they fall out of the 8 and suffer further indignity.

[Jibroni 5,035]

Just realised this is a MFC home game. Hopefully we can get some good conditions and a big turnout as I see a large Bomber cohort arriving for this one.

[layzie 34,326]

I'm really upset that Essendon had their only half decent win of the season yet still seem entrenched in the top 4. Nothing would please me more than to tear them a new one next week!

[binman 44,513]

2 hours ago, whatwhat say what said:

no, that's mcvee

having mcvee and amw will be fantastic for years to come i hope; two small defenders who can both lock down and provide rebound run

If AMW can take the quality small forwards like Cody weightman and Bobby Hill, Mcvee is freed up to play higher up the ground, where his beautiful kicking and elite decision making can be even more damaging.

Edited July 7, 2024 by binman

[Pennant St Dee 13,389]

1 hour ago, beelzebub said:

What did Disco do today that warrants dropping.  Certainly showed more acumen than the replacement you suggest.

I don’t think he did anything wrong, but I think Goody will go with Petty who has been on the improve and is a stronger contested mark IMO. He’ll take the main tall defender McKay. Tough at AFL level but I think that’s the call Goodwin will make, or with the Essendon forward line he may throw one of them down back, which IMO would be a mistake given the way we moved the footy today

[Wodjathefirst 2,667]

1 hour ago, Jibroni said:

Just realised this is a MFC home game. Hopefully we can get some good conditions and a big turnout as I see a large Bomber cohort arriving for this one.

Neale Daniher’s comment comes to mind- ‘after all that is said and done , more is said than done’ (or words to that effect).

I hope plenty of us turn up. It is undoubtedly the best most tangible way that we the supporters can actually help our team on game day.  Home game, home crowd advantage.
If you can, be there loud and proud!

It would ‘urinate’ me off if we were vastly outnumbered on the day.  

[deanox 10,045]

4 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

Zach Merrett is so huge for Essendon, the question is can we get by with some combination of Viney and Sparrow on him, or do we need to specifically go with ANB (post centre bounce).

And if we go with ANB who can we rotate as the 3rd winger? Probably has to be Sparrow again if not taking a risk and going with Kolt.

I also think both Howes and Marty Hore will come in to consideration for AMW.

AMW is a big time talent but he's defensively at sea at times and we just lack height down back with AMW, Bowey, McVee, Salem as the 4 flankers.

For an Essendon forward line that has Peter Wright, potentially 2 rucks and/or Caddy, Harry Jones, Langford and Stringer we could do with a back pocket with some height.

 

3 hours ago, Binmans PA said:

AMW's ground ball game is how you beat that Essendon forward line though. Rely on May, TMac, Lever and a floating Max to get the job done in the air, and let the little guys who are good at ground level run hard off them. AMW and McVee are very good at that.

Hoping Bowser can add to what they bring with his pace and his kicking. Needs some continuity though.

Salem, the extra senior head behind the ball.

You may well be right that we are worried about their aerial threats. I think we have to back our three key defenders to get the job done though.

 

1 hour ago, binman said:

If AMW can take the quality small forwards like Cody weightman and Bobby Hill, Mcvee is freed up to play higher up the ground, where his beautiful kicking and elite decision making can be even more damaging.

Just a note that AMW lined up on Waterman, and Darling a few times today, particularly in the last quarter. I didn't see him lose a contest to either but doesn't mean he would have coped one out.

This was when we only had 2 of May, Lever and TMac on field, but WCE had Waterman, Darling and Allen forward.

 

[YesitwasaWin4theAges 6,766]

4 hours ago, Binmans PA said:

Quicker than Wheels, I reckon. 

Don't want to disrespect the great man (Wheels) both have quite a bit of toe, but they move so much alike, it's quite scary.

[SPC 3,571]

What is the feeling on Max, does he get up for this game? If he does, do we bring in Fullerton to combat Essendons 2 ruck lineup? 
I hate having JVR rucking, Turner looked ok in that role for a few bounces yesterday but Draper will kill him.

[Ted Lasso 19,549]

2 minutes ago, SPC said:

What is the feeling on Max, does he get up for this game? If he does, do we bring in Fullerton to combat Essendons 2 ruck lineup? 
I hate having JVR rucking, Turner looked ok in that role for a few bounces yesterday but Draper will kill him.

I think it might be time for Verrell or Fullerton to come in, i'd say Max will battle through any pain he's in, but if Goldy and Draiper both play it's a massive job to ruck one out against two very very handy and very different rucks 

[Sideshow Bob 2,462]

[censored] I hate Essendon

[Lucifers Hero 40,509]

Merrett is their linkman, their heart and soul, their playmaker.  Stopping him will limit their kick-to-kick game around the boundary.  Also, he has a lethal left foot so deny him that side.

Stop Merrett will stop Essendon.

Edited July 7, 2024 by Lucifers Hero

[Deemania since 56 6,763]

25 minutes ago, SPC said:

What is the feeling on Max, does he get up for this game? If he does, do we bring in Fullerton to combat Essendons 2 ruck lineup? 
I hate having JVR rucking, Turner looked ok in that role for a few bounces yesterday but Draper will kill him.

We have to maximise the in-game rest that big Max needs, these days. At centre bounces, he is great; he is now even greater dropping back for (so many) intercept marks and additionally, the occasional forward hot-spot opportunities to put another six points on the scoreboard.

JVR is the best choice in these interim moments to have a run in the ruck, producing some good tap wins over a variety of opposition pelican droppings who normally conduct a licence to maim big Max in abject ways to challenge his authority - without umpire interference in such acts (umpires must think Max is fair game for illegal contact simply because he is so effective over other ruckmen in relative terms).

Fullerton, or even an occasional pirouette by Turner may well assist in the ruck production line to ease the bruising that Max encounters across a whole game, and free him to play more minutes in the '...no-one can outmark me, legally...' targeted and defensive intercept roles. Turner, additionally, uses his body and frame well - very well - in the blocking 'stop the bastard' intercept, entanglement or hindrance. With our new-blood theme, it is probably time to insert Fullerton into the fray to release the beast that Max's overall game contains, including the appropriate recuperation considerations that mount across a game to alleviate the slogging commitment that he contributes to the mighty MFC.

[Young Angus 850]

AMW surely stays, looks at home at top level.

Disco should stay too he has looked great, and much more dynamic than Petty ever does lately.  I want Petty to get back to form, but he just doesn't look at the top of his game at the moment and honestly the team looked more reliable without him yesterday, surely the coaches saw that too.  

Just hope Max is 100% okay, that's a worry.

[Red But Mostly Blue 4,558]

Beating the Bombers is a critical part of my ongoing mental health plan. 

Seriously though, it’s a big game. I did not think we were travelling well a few weeks ago, not that it’s a revelatory insight given the outcomes, more that I wasn’t sure if we could turn it around with enough time to spice up the finals. I saw that against the lions then against the Eagles, who despite a pretty poor team this year, we owed them. 

Anyway, point is I think we enter this game with good form and importantly, some spark. Would be good to see the boys come out on fire early with that intense pressure we have seen in the last few games. A win would be huge for the Freo game and generally for our finals bid. We’re missing Trac but if we can get Rivdog continue his good work, and Kolt, Roo, Windsor et al, the kids believe (guided by our leaders playing out of their skins), anything is possible come finals, but for now it’s the bombers. 

FWIW I don’t rate them and we should beat them. They’re a top 4 side and I know you can only beat who you play, which they have done, largely. But we can cover them. BUT they, like any other team we play, MUST be respected, and the game played for a whole 4 quarters. If we do, we win.

Only change I see is likely Petty for Turner, probably. He has his knockers and it’s fair to say it’s been a very poor year, but I thought he had improved over his last two weeks. A good or even a v good petty will be important for us as we move forward.

 Let’s go!! 🔥

 

[BScotti 178]

surely if Max needs an in game rest and we want JVR to stay as a fwd then we need 2nd ruck.  It is the reason we traded for Fullerton.  However if we dont use him soon it will be too late in the season to test it.

Out - Turner,  Woewodin

In - Petty, Fullerton

[ElDiablo14 5,036]

9 hours ago, Wodjathefirst said:

Neale Daniher’s comment comes to mind- ‘after all that is said and done , more is said than done’ (or words to that effect).

I hope plenty of us turn up. It is undoubtedly the best most tangible way that we the supporters can actually help our team on game day.  Home game, home crowd advantage.
If you can, be there loud and proud!

It would ‘urinate’ me off if we were vastly outnumbered on the day.  

We should take each and every game from here as a finals-like game, it's basically win or go home situation now.

[FTB 298]

Gawn in doubt for this match with his ankle. Pulled up worse than expected and he’s on crutches today.

[At the break of Gawn 4,460]

 

[OhMyDees 1,834]

Doomed now

[Little Goffy 14,750]

I'm not going to say this too loudly, but I'm starting to think it is time to give Sparrow a spell at Casey.

Started the season 'just adequate' but has slipped from that level as the season wore on. Hasn't got past 16 possessions in about 8 weeks, and hasn't had much impact when he does get it. Unless there's some potent defensive running and genius positioning going on - which I've seen no evidence of - then I think we can do better. I also think that Sparrow can and should take the opportunity to really dominate a few VFL clearance games and set himself to come back in with a much more assertive attitude ready for the late season and finals.

Essendon's pretty nimble mids group would also suggest a little extra speed is a good idea, too.

Maybe Sparrow out and Brown & Woewodin to share the sub minutes?

[jane02 3,778]

Radio reporting Max on crutches and in a moon boot this morning 😬

Edited July 8, 2024 by jane02
Edit

[adonski 12,903]

7 minutes ago, Little Goffy said:

I'm not going to say this too loudly, but I'm starting to think it is time to give Sparrow a spell at Casey.

Started the season 'just adequate' but has slipped from that level as the season wore on. Hasn't got past 16 possessions in about 8 weeks, and hasn't had much impact when he does get it. Unless there's some potent defensive running and genius positioning going on - which I've seen no evidence of - then I think we can do better. I also think that Sparrow can and should take the opportunity to really dominate a few VFL clearance games and set himself to come back in with a much more assertive attitude ready for the late season and finals.

Essendon's pretty nimble mids group would also suggest a little extra speed is a good idea, too.

Maybe Sparrow out and Brown & Woewodin to share the sub minutes?

I am President of the Trade/Delist/Drop Sparrow fan club but even I acknowledge we don't really have the midfield depth not to play him this season unfortunately

[Billy 2,563]

5 minutes ago, adonski said:

I am President of the Trade/Delist/Drop Sparrow fan club but even I acknowledge we don't really have the midfield depth not to play him this season unfortunately

Do you think he’s playing a negating/tagging role or just not getting? Hard to tell on the TV

[adonski 12,903]

3 minutes ago, Billy said:

Do you think he’s playing a negating/tagging role or just not getting? Hard to tell on the TV

I reckon he's just no good at footy, Billy