At the break of Gawn

Probably our most frustrating game of the season last year. However, the FD took some vital lessons from that game and it was the last time a team kicked a big score on us in 2018 before the PF (although Geelong scored 100pts exactly against us thanks to Tuohy's last kick).

Saints are rubbish. Have beaten Gold Coast by 1pt, Essendon when they were a shambles, lost to Freo and beat the Hawks on one leg. If we bring the same defensive mindset and contested footy, we should beat them easily.

I’m not sure if we lose tonight we’ll be absolutely done, given our history at the SCG and our history against the Swans. It may bee too insurmountable. However, if we don’t beat the Saints next week then it’ll be absolutely done. I see next week as our most season defining game.

He could always step down as co-captain. Just like how Hannebery stepped down from the leadership team to work on his recovery. Jones could do the same to just focus on his game.

Just finished watching ‘on the couch’. My god our defence is a shambles. The footage was laughable. Some of the decisions made by Froscar, Fritsch etc on when to leave your man and go is just horrific. It’s just too complicated I feel. Lets just go back to a much more simpler structure and the only time you need to leave your man is if your team mate has basically lost the contest and the opposition is running towards you.

Perhaps the “Gold Coast standards” was just an easy excuse for a player that just has a bad attitude around keeping in shape over the off season.

Can we do a straight swap for Gold Coast’s defence or employ their defensive coach?

Pretty interesting stat regarding Lewis.

Watched the second qtr replay on Fox. The only reason we got back in the game and looked better at repelling our defence was due to Essendon’s poor entry from stoppages purely from skill level (mainly from Dylan Shiel). They weren’t even pressured kicks. After the poor entries we were good at transitioning back (we kicked 6 goals straight from the back half). We’re a forward half team so it wasn’t even our brand, but we were just fortunate Shiel can’t kick. Hence, our defence was just as diabolical as ever in that second qtr but it was masked by unforced error entries from Essendon. The defensive positioning of our midfielders at stoppages and even in general play is a complete shambles.

Goody is chatting to SEN at 12.

I still recall PJ’s strong comments on ‘inside Melbourne ‘ after we lost to Hawthorn. It was clear that he knew exactly that it was unacceptable and not what we stood for. We’ve heard nothing from Pert so far.

Brisbane are currently the same odds as us to win the flag this year now.

Who was our defensive coach under Roos?

In: Rawlings out: Chaplin

This absolutely nails it.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2019-premiership-kryptonite-afl-greats-bake-for-dees-duo/news-story/ac8f64114d748d9834cabc82fdca69b5 David King has nailed it with this term. Surely just have to reset the key pillars and drop them.

Our attack was ok tonight. Tmac hindered it at times, just can’t take a grab anymore and looks as slow as Ben Holland. Worst defence in the league right now. It’s just a numbers game for the opposition. Just get it in 50 times and you’ll have about 30 shots on goal. Pretty much will always win a game of footy.

Out Omac and Frost. I don’t care who else. Season is cooked anyway.

We have the worst defence in the league. Every other team defends better than us. Even Carlton’s look much better. All of Paul Roos’ defensive work has pretty much become undone. Serious problems with the personnel. Omac and Frost have got to go.

I reckon Essendon will be more focused on fixing their own game plan than to watch the opposition. That's what I'm hoping for anyway. It'll make for a very average weekend if we lose tonight.

I'm tipping a similar match to last year. Scrappy early but then the Dees will get on top in the second half and we'll win by about 5 goals. Gawn to be BoG.

How can you possibly come to this conclusion? He died of lung cancer, not of a stress-related heart attack.

According to Mark Stevens, Stringer has a sore foot (didn’t partake in the “captain’s run” today) and Zaharakis didn’t partake either. Although some would argue Zaharakis hasn’t partaken in the season full stop.

Been ruled out according to Twitter https://twitter.com/aaronfetter3/status/1112995724956905474?s=21

Last time at the MCG was that disastrous rnd 2 game in 2016 where we lost to their VFL side. But our last actual home game against them was 2010 rnd 15 (beat them by 19 points).