Dr. Gonzo

On form you would drop Kozzie before Spargo, Spargo has been pretty consistent all year but was off yesterday. Kozzie has the potential to rip a game open but hasn't looked it in the last 3 games. Is it form? Or is he tiring after a sub-optimal preseason?

Yeah after watching the replay this morning he was better than I thought but his errors just stood out to me. He probably offers more than Sparrow at this stage so I'd drop Sparrow for Brown. Watching from the Southern Stand sometimes things that happen on the members side get missed which is why I like watching the replay even if we lose.

I watched the replay this morning as well and agree it was bloody frustrating because I genuinely think we were the better team for 3 quarters. They broke the game open in the 2nd quarter with 4 goals to 2 and we couldn't reel it in because our efficiency going forward was pathetic. Ben Brown will definitely straighten us up, so many kicks went deep in the first quarter and were just swept up by Haynes, Davis etc because we had no one there to compete. So many wasted attacks and obviously the last quarter was a debacle with Max, Rivers, Petracca all kicking the belly of the ball when trying snap, Petracca mjssing Gawn on a lead, Hunt failing to hit up Gawn in the goal square etc The start of the 3rd we came out with intent and stuffed up chance after chance, TMac missed an easy oass to Kozzie, Petracca misses a sitter, Fritsch misses a relatively easy snap. We should have been back on top after the first 5-10 minutes of the 3rd but had only 1 goal for our efforts, they then went down and kicked two quick ones to get the margin back out to 4 goals. Petracca's miss in particular was inexcusable, 30 out directly in front, a few minutes after half time. We've been saying all year failure to take advantage of our shots for goal will bite us in the [censored] and yesterday it did. I think it is clear from watching the replay that we are desoerately in need of a key forward (as many here said after last week) and I think if we had Brown in we probably win.

Harmes frustrated me yesterday, got caught on his left and held up momentum, handballed other teammates into trouble and dropped a couple of easy marks.

I thought that might be the case as well but a Goodwin comment in one of his pressers this week seemed to indicate this wasnt the case. Seems we're just in a bad form slump unfortunately.

Out - one of Harmes/Sparrow/Viney (in that order) In - Brown

Conversely every time we did get the clearance our guys were under immense pressure, handballing backwards, handballing into pressure etc

Fritsch was being scragged every time we went forward as well, particularly in the final quarter. Can't blame the umpires when we turn in that dross though (we are not Essendon supporters after all)

Their job is to pressure and harass so to make sure the oppo has no clear exits from our 50. Can't remember when it was but at one stage today (I think it was in the 3rd) we had 2 tackles inside 50 to their 7. 2! That is unacceptable, if we don't mark it forward we need to pressure and harass to keep it in or make the oppo defense kick dump kicks that we can chop off. I don't think any of them will get dropped but it is a huge reason why we aren't the team we were earlier in the year.

They are a good side who couldn't beat North or the Hawks in the last couple of weeks. It seemed as though our players weren't up for it today, either turned up expecting the win or just didn't want to work hard enough. Smashed around the clearances, lazy on forward half pressure, shanked some easy opportunities for goal and panicked in the last quarter when we had momentum but just continually blazed away. Hunt was frustrating getting caught three times but at least he was trying to create something - I was far more frustrated with Max trying to snap it around the corner from 50 out on the boundary and having another wayward blaze away at goal. You are our captain FFS show some composure when the rest are losing their heads. Settle down and spot up a target or chip it around til one presents. We just played lazy all day and I could forgive it if its a one off but we've played this way since the Lions game - we were lucky to get away with it last week. If it weren't for May and Lever we would be losing comfortably each week. It would frustrate me no end seeing the players up the field continue to stuff up the good work.

James Harmes - NO LEFT FOOT ?

Dr Who would love this thread haha

Why can't they play Ess/Adel on FNF? I know they want a TNF game but FNF is still the prime timeslot for the week that should be showcasing the best game.

They did play there in 2017 and the stink they made especially Caro its unlikely they'll be playing there again in the next few decades. The thing is it's not just the fact they don't have to go there but by those club's not going there it means club's like us, Dogs, North and the non-Vic club's get sent down there every season. Same as Tassie.

They're marking rather than their goal kicking, the Hawks seemed to be outnaeking then all over the ground and especially up forward.

Just put your own name and number if it comes to it I'm sure you can pass on the details at a later time.

Exactly, what an absolute joke we should be Friday night, we are game of the round. Essendon really give me the [censored].

Didn't even realise how many he'd had when I posted it, was more looking at his silk delivering inside 50.

Lewis Taylor beat Marcus Bontempelli for it a few years ago. Surely it's based on the season and not potential.

He is so good below his knees it more than makes up for his marking ability which I have no doubt will come.

I always think of this when I see him, I think it's the eyes

Any chance we can lure Touk Miller from the Sun's?

It's been happening all year and drives me berserk. It's only downfield if it's "after" the kick.

Also Hawthorns tall forwards gave GWS all sorts of problems last week. I agree I'm really surprised they didn't bring Brown in for a run of games to see how he goes, the real problem was who you drop for him.

Which bay are you in?