Jaded No More

Understatement of the century. Much like time to win a flag, and Jetta is a good player.

At least that superstar Schofield is free to play. His 6 touches will be vital.

Not surprising when you look at how few games he's missed in that time, and how awful a football team we were.

Now for the second most important embarrassing record of them all... smashing those pretenders North Melbourne. I live for the day we beat them. They don't even deserve the name Melbourne in their title!

Will definitely finish top 5 Other contenders at this stage: Oliver, Jetta, Jones, Watts

Tom McDonald is an elite reader of the footy. You can't be a "not so smart" player and be an elite reader of the play. The only downside to Tom is his disposal by foot, which we know goes from acceptable to diabolical. But his decision making is very good, and any player capable of playing forward, ruck and back in the space of 4 weeks, is a smart player!

Who do you think had a less influential game yesterday?

He's easily the worst performing player of the last 2 games for us. If his name wasn't Lewis, we'd be calling for him to be dropped. I find his lack of intensity more disappointing than his iffy ball use to be honest. He is a clever player, and his leadership is great, but gees his chasing and tackling is pretty [censored] poor!

Stretch is the only player with serious future potential on the list. They'd literally slam the door in our face if we offered any of the others. We also don't have a lot of currency if we want to trade future picks, as I think most clubs will bank on us finishing top 8 next year. I would love Lever, and believe we are one KPD away from being a serious premiership threat, but I don't think we have much to trade, and since he isn't a free agent, it could get tricky!

Doesn't lose enough contest one on one to tackle? Still should tackle more, but I think the plan for him is to get ball and attack, rather than play a more shut down role.

I don't care enough about Essendon to know for sure, but all I know is my friend who is a die hard Essendon supporter was devastated to lose him! He said at the time he'll be in our top 5 best players, and I lol'ed and told him to get stuffed because Essendon just want to rip us off. Now every week all I do is curse him for Melksham and thank him for Hibberd. He hates me.

Wagner and OMac play totally different roles, how you can compare the two I don't know. Case in point Wagner was dropped for Salem in the half back attacking flanker role. And they played OMac for some of last season because we knew Dunn and to a certain extent Garland were not in our future plans and we needed to develop some options, and with Frost injured for most of the year, he was our only option. I have great faith in his ability to become a very good solid defender, but he is simply not yet ready to be that great player we need him to be, but the experience he is gaining is great and he is improving. IMO when Max and Hogan are back, Oscar will be the one dropped and dominating some VFL games would actually be great for his confidence, as was yesterday's second half. You haven't suggested who you would drop to make way for Hogan and Gawn?

Firstly we did not play Spencer this weekend because we obviously felt he wasn't ready in terms of fitness. In my opinion that was almost a very costly mistake, as we got smashed in the ruck and at the contest in the first half. It was something like 11 clearances to 2 in the first quarter alone! Secondly we played Oscar and Weids at the start of the year which was obviously a tactic to give them some development time and a taste of AFL but both were subsequently dropped. They were only recalled out of necessity, and I feel the one tall who will make way for the two talls returning, will be Oscar. You wouldn't drop Tom or Frost, and it would be stupid and unfair to drop Pedo, as he gives us a lot up forward and allows Watts to not be the backup ruck to Gawn. Unless we are playing a team with 3 genuine tall forwards, you wouldn't want to carry Tom, Oscar and Frost in the backline. I'd rather an extra runner.

After a facepalm worthy first half, he really lifted his intensity and played a lot better in the second and was instrumental in not just stopping goals but actually creating some forward drive from the back half. We forget how young he is, and realistically he would not be playing AFL if we did not need Tom to ruck and play forward in the absence of both a ruckman and our key forward. Good for him for sticking to the task, despite always being weaker and less experienced than his opponent. Playing in the backline is a tough gig, and he never drops his head, which is a credit to him and our coaching staff. I still think he needs to go back to the VFL when Max and Hogan are back, but this game would give him a lot of confidence. I strongly believe both he and Weids will make it, but they need time and experience and many burgers!

I would, but that would probably be relationship deal breaker, and he's kind of alright. He already knows he has to come to every/all finals, and the kids will be Melbourne supporters. My work here is done.

I'll be there to help. I swear to god we better beat these front runners. For years, they have destroyed us with absolutely no reason. I hate every single one of their players, and their coach. We owe them a massive smashing! I'm even dragging my partner along. Never lost a game when he comes, so I'm doing my bit. He hates me deeply, but it's worth it. Time to smash that embarrassing record!

Needs to work on his contested possessions. Bit weak in this area I feel.

Seems to have lost all the penetration in his kicking. Two examples yesterday were his two shots on goal, one from a set shot and one on the run. They both were horrible shanks and barely made the distance, let alone accuracy. I suspect injuries are hampering him, because he has never been this bad with his kicking. Some of his kicks this year have been diabolical!

Pretty pathetic from Essendon fans to boo any of the players who left after being injected with god knows what. But then again, what more would you expect from a club that is labelling this season a "comeback" as if they are some hero soldiers returning from war, and not a bunch of drug cheaters returning from a suspension!

His brain and hands are twice as fast as anyone I've seen on a footy field. This is why I get so angry when an ump, from 100m away, pings him for throwing!

Yeah pretty ordinary performance not to crack the 30 disposals mark.

He might not be physically quick, but he's mentally very quick. One of those players who finds time and space, and also has superb awareness around the contest. Much like Watts, their basketball background gives them great spacial awareness which makes them able to almost "slow down" the play around them. On an unrelated note, I think people are judging Brayshaw harshly. He was superb in his 1st year and had a rotten run with injuries last season. He is a very talented player and a wonderful ball winner. I think he'll become a mainstay in our best 22 in the very near future. Not every player can do an Oliver. It's completely normal for a young mid to take 3-4 years to really hit their straps, especially when injury has curtailed their development. Just look at Salem, finally injury free and nicely hitting his straps.

Not true. If Gawn was fighting instead of taking the centre bounce, during a close game when we are getting beaten in the midfield, I would have been just as annoyed. It's got nothing to do with Watts as a player. There is no doubt we let our emotions get the better of us last weekend. We gave away silly frees, we have two key players suspended, and we got distracted from the game at times. It's a good learning curve for a young team, and I hope we've learnt from it.

So we all agree Lever is a gun but then we don't want to give up a good player for him in return? Brayshaw for Lever is a fair trade until sentiments get involved

I have no issues with Watts fighting or standing up to teammates, I do have an issue when he does so and as a result misses his primary job which is to go up in the ruck contest. Oliver won the tap sure, but he could have just as easily not won it, or injured himself trying to battle an experienced ruck etc... It's just not the mature thing to do and I have no doubt Goodwin would have had a go at not just him, but everyone else, including Lewis, who got himself suspended for 3 weeks and Hogan for 2, because they can't control their emotions on the field.