P-man

What has Harmes, a player the same age as Neal-Bullen, done in the first two weeks to hold his spot?

Was prepared for the disappointment of ANB not being named. Why would a rubbish team need a player who had 36 possessions and kicked 2 goals? We have James Harmes. Garland gets made part of the leadership group. Dropped by Round 3. It's verging on a comedy act, really.

Roos in his latest interview refers to Dunn "responding well" as well as the importance of picking players in form, which runs contrary to the previous talk of fitness and match ups being the reasons for his non-selection. He'll be a welcome return this week, Dunn is an important player for where the team is at right now.

He can kick. That's a start.

I'm referring to when we didn't have the ball as well. He just trotted around. When talking about a lack pressure that allowed so much uncontested possession, it was due to efforts like that.

Kent is arguably the biggest mystery out of that game. What happened for his output to be SO down? Remember this is the bloke that our captain nominated as THE standout performer in pre-season.

Welcome aboard LME.

Fantastic, informative reports PD and HB. Much appreciated after the weekend gone. Can someone remind me on the status of JKH? He's become something of a ghostly figure.

3. Zaharakis 2. Daniher 1. Z.Merrett This competition is already not fun.

Please god why are we not blooding Frost as the defender he was recruited as? So frustrating that we have an athletic brute that gets dropped after he doesn't cut it as a forward utility when he's a DEFENDER.

The use of "Hell's Bells" at other AFL games is [censored] me. They're playing it at every quarter time break in Swans v Blues. A song that we were looking to make our own for pre-match. It's almost as though they've heard it being played at Melbounre games and thought, "Gee that's a ripper song to rev up a crowd. Let's pinch it. It's only Melbourne using it. No-one will notice." I acknowledge I may be the only one that cares about it.

Through thick and thin.

Surely this is a case of different standards for different players. Vince had 28 disposals at 78%, 7 marks, 4 tackles. Jones had 29 disposals, 8 clearances and 7 inside 50s. Neither were polished but they busted a gut. Of Jetta's 12 disposal game I mostly remember the needless arm across the shoulder when the ball was going through for a point which cost a goal. Temper the love. He didn't have a standout day.

Arguably, but I'm pointing out where some of the deficiencies Steve points out can be addressed by absentees. Even Hunt is a wildcard. He's greased lightning. Just needs to get his kicking sorted.

Yes. It wasn't just us playing poorly. They played wel.

As for our mob, they've learned to compete with most sides. They now need to learn how to cope with the "favourites" tag. They are so accustomed to being the underdog that being anything else seems to overwhelm them.

The annoying thing is that you can absolutely bank on that being Essendon's best performance of the year. They will play like balls next week. Watch it happen.

I don't want to start something. Clearly, some of us react differently to others after a bad loss. Emotional posts are considered drivel. So be it. It's called being human and giving a [censored].

We have additions to contribute to the speed (Stretch), power (Petracca) and disposal skills (Trengove). An underdone Brayshaw didn't help and Salem's role needs to be looked at. He's too good a player to be all but absent yesterday. Once we get our full compliment together on the field, we can put together a decent side. I haven't lost faith in the list build on the back of yesterday. Certainly the effort and cohesion was lacking badly.

Like your work Steve but there was nothing in there that wasn't covered numerous times in the post match. Not sure the uppity attitude is warranted.

If we are 1-5, it would have to be reviwwed. As much as I ascribe to the coaching being a collective effort, if the players respond more positively to Goodwin in the top job, it may be time. The question is loitering: can Roos take us any further forward? Yesterday was alarming in the sense it was such a dramatic step backwards. But it can be rectified.

Respect your opinion highly so what is your justification for keeping Lumumba beyond speed? He makes gobsmackingly bad decisions in traffic and it is just so costly. Seniority and one or two galloping runs with a hack kick forward in a match isn't enough to keep him surely.

The players looked overawed today. Big crowd. Essendon scum trotting out their past greats to rev them up. Going in as favourites alone seems to spook them. Going in as favourites on the big stage was simply too much for the little darlings. Jesus Christ what a shameful performance. They need to be read the riot act this week. The club MUST move past this garbage. I thought we had and I was conned. Yet again.

You could almost pick a name out of a hat for the outs. Lumumba, Harmes and Kent come out. Dunn, ANB and Stretch come in. We'll probably get belted next week regardless so give another two promising youngsters a run. Our back six was totally inept today. Wouldn't mind seeing any of them dropped. i don't like dropping Kent but efforts like today need to have ramifications.

Not after that, no. We simply had to be past those kinds of performances by now. Today was a big test and it was failed in monumental fashion.