Grandson of a gun

Love the optimism. Doubt we will. The interstate hoodoo is still there. It will only begin to leave once they put in solid 4 quarter efforts on the road. If they do that this week then they are a chance. But Freo on the rebound at Subi on a Sunday arvo doesn't instil me with much confidence. Hope i am wrong!

Wona needs one thing. A PRE-SEASON. Actually, AN INJURY FREE INTENSE PRE-SEASON. If he can train the house down then i have no doubt he will be back to his pre-injury best, and that form would have him in our team for sure. I think playing with LJ is a big motivator for him so hopefully that will also drive him. I think by him playing at Casey he too is learning that past performance will not guarantee his place and he will have to work. All good motivation for him to come back next year fitter and stronger than ever.

Agree the first one wasn't there. The rest were "there" under the technical interpretation and the Essendon players should have realised after the third or fourth that the umpires were onto it. The Demons were smart enough. Perhaps it is payback for all those years that you only had to breath on Lloyd or look at Hird to give away a free. It's all swings and roundabouts.

Agreed. We were never a realistic chance and nor did most of us expect us to be. I just want to see them continue to improve on the game style and aggression. The rest will take care of itself.

Agree he needs to keep showing improvement but he is playing his role well at the moment and nullifying the influences of some of the oppositions bets playmakers (Shaw, Gilbert, Watson).

Yeah i reckon on the inside Bailey would have been seething about the last 10 minutes. He may have given the players a spray too!

He always looks tall and lanky. Maybe he has, maybe the ox has it wrong. It's hard to know definatively. For him in any case i don't think it matters as he is never going to be the towering beast in the middle of the pack taking the grab. He will be the beast flying over the top to take the grab or roving the ball off the ground using his speed and agility.

Yep agree that a beast KPF is needed in the draft. Viney will add another midfield bow. Blease has apparently got pace to burn. Bennel and Davey clearly do. Morton has a mind that moves quicker than anyone else's legs and he will be a gun. If they need more speed they can use some later draft picks on them. The main priority is as i said a big KPF or two.

Just thinking about it further.... Maric was first emergency yesterday and was at the G so didn't get to play with Casey. This would also suggest that he was ahead of Bail in the coaches mind at the moment. I want Bail in there but i wouldn't be surprised if Maric is first based on the above. (He will also have fresh legs for the big Subi ground). After re-considering my earlier post: PJ will stay as a chop out for Jamar. PJ is a fairly good runner (i know he is useless in most other areas) which on the back of Bailey's comments might also save him. Cheney may go out for Bail/Maric MacDonald is boderline although his running ability might help. McKenzie or Jones may go aside for Junior. (With McKenzie the more likely just due to his similar role/attributes).

I said this to the old man as we entered the ground yesterday. Regardless of whether they kick any goals or not, Sylvia and Jurrah command respect and that bodes well for our other forwards. For the first time since Petterd went down we actually looked dangerous up forward. Bailey said as much in his post match comments. The more they play together, the better their understanding and positioning will be. As for the inside 50's, i think it was blown out in the last quarter when the Demons switched off for the last 10 minutes. Essendon had a heap of entries then. I believe when the game was there to be won we were actually in front. but you are right that when we are losing it relates to the midfield and backs not delivering or providing the run required to get it in there (and quick). SO TRUE. Nic Nat has some freakish talents but doesn't do much else aside from a highlight every now and then. As time goes on it is more proof that Watts was the right call!

When we were playing well early in the year, Warnock was an integral part. He got beaten badly a couple of times recently and i reckon was sent back to Casey to get his confidence back and work on some particular aspect of his game. I reckon Bailey is very much aware of Warnock's value and his ability to play on the monster forwards, thus freeing up Frawley and Garland to play on the next two forwards and use their running ability. Make no mistake, he is big, strong, valuable and vital to moving forward.

As someone said above. If for no other reason than as insurance, PJ will stay. Gawn is a few years off being ready and Fitzpatrick likewise (although i believe they will groom him for full forward). Unless they draft a ready made gun ruckman i can't see them getting rid of PJ. He is the lukiest man on the list. If you listen to the way Bailey talks of leadership within the team, i also believe Miller will get another year. He is in the leadership group for a reason. With a team that is still so young i believe like with PJ, they will keep him in case we have another horror run with injuries to forwards. I believe they will promote Mckenzie and probably Spencer. I believe Bruce will retire. Junior will go on another year. McNamara is gone Bell is gone Maric may well then be rookie listed And if they promote Spencer then the 5th might be Cheney (altho he deserves his spot more than some others) (Don't know if they can rookie list him too?).

Yeah stuff em. We have copped our fair share. And the Bombers players should have been a wake up to it after the first 3, 4, 5, 6!!!!!

I agree this is the most likely. Junior is the big question mark and may force Morton aside if they are going to play him.

Me too. BP has nailed it when you look at those lists. Morton will be a really good player for many years.

Wow- i was close. 29 touches. 2 goals. In the best.

Don't undersell Morton. He is class. His first 2 years were the example of that. Yes he has been down since coming back from injury this year but rest assured this kid can play and his class and poise will be a cornerstone of the Demons for years to come.

I think Todd Viney could lay claim to this too. He just never realised it and kept using his right!!!

Agree Jaded that his skill set is poor but i still believe we need a second true ruckman to chop out Jamar. Dunn was fantastic on Watson and if he has to ruck for 10 minutes then that may give whoever he is tagging the break they need. Likewise it is a waste Sylvia going up because he is so damaging as the link up man. Until Martin gets fit and or Gawn gets right, i think PJ will fill that role.

Watts keeps improving. That's all we want. Period. He also attracts a reasonable defender as does Jurrah which then frees up Green. Think structure people before you start calling for him to be dropped for not taking 12 pack marks and kicking 8 in his 12th game! They were atrocious and it was looking ominous however to his credit he was really good after that and read the ball fantastically well. That needs to now be his baseline performance on which to build. He is learning about the body contact and putting himself in more hard contact situations which is what we want. As far as the running goes, their is nothing wrong with his running, just his confidence to back himself. The perfect example was when he pinched the ball, danced around a couple, made a few quick sprint steps to get space but didn't back himself in to finish the goal- something that will come. Confidence is a wonderful thing. I think one of the biggest thinggs with Bate is that he is a laconic footballer. When he isn't getting the ball he looks slow and disinterested however if you watch closely he is the same way when he is getting it. That's just the way he plays. I still fancy having him there as he provided another good avenue to play through and for the first time in about 12 weeks we actually looked like we had a dangerous forward line today. The man-love for Chip will be widespread and is reaching Grimes proportions!!! Garland was awesome too. Sylvia made them look more potent both forward and on the ball. PJ is PJ. I think we've all seen enough to know that he ain't much but i also believe that Jamar is better for having someone who can relive him for short periods. That extra bit of rest helped him dominate today and meant sylvia wasn't wasted going up for hit outs. I wouldn't be surprised to see Cheney out for Bail next week. we also have to bring Jimmy Mac back in so i see that they will possibly drop MacDonald or "rest" one of the young kids.

Yeh their one on one tackling in the second half dropped off however i thought their gang tackling mentality was back and that was the big thing in the first half- Essendon were always under the pump.

I am more in line with your way of thinking Eth. And people are have mentioned about our lack of another top line big back. While i would love to have it, i would moreso love to have a top quality back 6 unit. Lets say Frawley, Grimes, Garland, Warnock, Bail/Strauss, Cheney/Maric (See my other thread topic re Maric). I think the back group we have is developing along nicely. And our defensive results this year i think are testiment to that. I believe we have a gun midfield group in the making and Viney (provided he wants too) would just add another class mid. Our forwards are where the most development will need to continue and hopefully Fitzpatrick can come on. The thought of Sylvia, Watts, Bate, Jurrah, Fitzpatrick, Petterd gets me firm and then having blokes like Bennell, Tappy, Davey and Sylvia just floating around i almost blew the top off! (PS whatever our draftpick is this year, it needs to be used on another big forward, whatever the risk).

Bartram is in the team because he fulfils a role. Not because he is in our best 22 players. His disposal is poor for AFL standard and he doesn't give us any drive. Now i understand the need for that type of player to lock down opposition gun smalls but perhaps there is another option..... How would Maric go in Bartram's role? Maric is in limbo. He isn't showing enough as a small forward and there are too many other blokes in front of him. Is it time for a radical change? I don't have a great grasp on his skill set however he looks to have a reasonably strong build and he has pace. They are the first two requisites. If he can keep with his opponent and tackle and spoil he comepletes the defensive component. We know he can kick better than Bartram. The only other thing is his marking... Given where Maric is at and Bartram's limitations, i think the move has merits and may just pay off...

Of all the backmen he would be the last to play as a forward. I ask you this. Who does he replace in the forward line? Watts, Bate, Jurrah? The other positions are for running players which you need. I find myself (amazingly so) agreeing with Belzebub and jayceebee. Rivers would be exposed horribly by opposition defences and posters would then be lambasting Bailey for a horrendous coaching move and calling for his immediate sacking. Rivers at his best is great in the backline. Will he get back to his best? Time will tell. Remember that with the return of Jurrah and Sylvia this week opposition coaches now have more headaches. Even if they don't get lots of it or boot a bag, coaches and opposition have to respect them for fear of being ripped apart. This in turn helps Watts, Bate, Green, Bennell and co. Yes we have struggled to kick goals this year but don't underestimate the fact that we had injuries to probably two blokes we could not afford too (Petterd and Jurrah) and the delivery forward has been atrocious at times. I am looking forward to this week to see how we function with a few more marking targets now. I like the look of it and may i even say a forward line of Sylvia, Watts, Bennell Green, Bate, Jurrah has me more than a little firm................

LOL when saw thread. LMFAO when i saw this comment!!!