WB Game Day V Essendon R7 2020

[Twodogs]

So glad I picked the Bombers game to go to and not the Carlton one.
It's the first time I've been to Metricon; it's a lovely boutique stadium. Great viewing from up on the 2nd level. Can see play at both ends easily. We were perched 65 metres out to the end the Dog's kicked to in the first.

Some observations.
I'm not well versed in the modern positional tactics, so maybe others can explain. But what I saw was that whilst both sides pressed up their defense, we seemed really motivated all game to ensure our last line stretched from either side, were all behind the Essendon opponents, and each were constantly looking to their left and right and adjusting where the stood, very deliberately. With guys glancing and then either stepping back or forward, or to the left or right depending on what the guys around them were doing. We seemed real keen on blocking up the middle.
Almost always, whenever a bomber would try and move behind them, the whole line would adjust, and someone would drop back (often Caleb Daniel) would move 5 or 10 metres behind the Bomber who'd tried to drop behind the line of Dogs.

What was also noticeable was how quickly that defensive line would turn tail and run back when the ball was turned over. They seemed really switched on to maintain whatever structure it was they were seeking to deploy.

I can't remember when it happened, but after a point in time, JJ moved and really worked hard to stick with Saad whenever they had the ball, and when the opportunity presented to get off him when we were attacking.

The one negative thing and maybe helps explain why our forwards seem to make hard work of forward entries. They all seem to get tangled up with each other, and often 2 or three will make leads that converge on each other, and consequently bring with them more opposition players. Previously I thought our main problems were delivery from upfield... I'm not so sure now. Bailey Dale seemed to be constantly impinging on hard leads from other players. Weightman did it a couple of times (understandable- he's new), but Wallis too did it a few times. And when you have both Dale and Wallis doing it, when Bruce in particular was in a strong leading position, it just looks ordinary and not smart.

Macrae, and Libba in particular were so tough last night. Lots of work, they just never stopped moving, and trying to get to as many contests as possible.

Lipinski a couple of times, had more time than he thought, but just didn't show confidence to take a step and assess before getting rid of the ball. A couple of chances ruined by offloading and putting the next bloke under more pressure.

Thanks YHF, it's a great write up. I thought that Bruce got a bit of criticism prior to the St Kilda game when he was doing the team thing and taking his opponent out wide or up the ground and creating some room for Naughton to lead into

[Ozza]

The mighty Bruce Neish played that day. He was never in a losing Bulldogs side that played at Kardinia Park. In fact he never played in a losing Bulldogs team. He must have wondered what all the fuss was about.

I know Bruce. Worked with him for a bit until he retired last year.

[ledge]

https://youtu.be/yC8QzkLeJ3E
Love this

[comrade]

https://youtu.be/yC8QzkLeJ3E
Love this

Really looking forward to this week's.

[merantau]

Thanks YHF. It's great to read your observations. You're our man on the ground in the Sunshine State so expect reports not only from the matches but also training sessions and players performance on the surfboards and golf course.

Thanks for the belly laugh!

[bornadog]

https://youtu.be/yC8QzkLeJ3E
Love this

Very funny Ledge, lots of learning

[merantau]

https://youtu.be/yC8QzkLeJ3E
Love this

Thanks for posting. Classic viewing. Genius editing.

[ledge]

Very funny Ledge, lots of learning

And in 2020 it comes back to haunt them, they learnt xxxx all !

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Essendon FC have a lot to learn.
E.g. get a midfield.

[Bulldog Joe]

Essendon FC have a lot to learn.
E.g. get a midfield.

They need to learn a lot more than that.

How about develop some honesty and integrity.


However, they do have Woosha telling them about all the learnings they are getting.

Message for Woosha

They are getting experience, but it is wasted while you and them refuse to learn.

Long may it continue.

[Happy Days]

They're a club that is totally obsessed with everything about football that is extrinsic to the actual games. They've fried their own brains with this victim attitude where they go totally to water up against the slightest bit of adversity.

Look at their reaction to a couple of umpiring decisions on the weekend. Hooker, one of their "senior" "leader" "good players" spent pretty much the entire first quarter sulking about a touched goal. Smith, their alleged best player, decided to give away multiple 50m penalties once he realised he wasn't going to have a good game. They had the most guys of any team turn up out of shape after the quarantine period by far, yet are apparently just unlucky with all their injuries. They haven't won a final in forever, but were certainties in that year they got kicked out of them by the vindictive and out for blood AFL. It's always everyone else's fault but their own.

In our last two games against them we've had big runs of consecuitve goals against them, and although very funny to see, it isn't exactly a coincidence either. They give up when it gets too hard, and it gets too hard awfully quick.

[merantau]

And in 2020 it comes back to haunt them, they learnt xxxx all !

Woosha should get each player to keep a diary and require that they write an analysis of their performance and inner thoughts after each match. Woosha would do the same for each player.
Then the night before they pick the team Woosha should sit down with each individual to discuss and compare their "learnings". From the game.
This would give Woosha the evidence he needs to establish whether he and the player are on the same page, or even reading the same book.
It would give Woosha invaluable insights into the inner world of his men. Intimate knowledge of their deepest fears, anxieties, ambitions and longings.
Dream diaries are also a potent tool to open up a window to new and previously dismissed (by less insightful football minds as Jack Dyer and Mark Jackson) "learnings".
And finally a team meeting on match day morning where the selected team get together to workshop their "learnings". The butchers paper could be delivered by semi-trailer.
Then after the session it could be pulped, turned into papier mache and moulded into a giant model of a womb and birth canal so that each player could have a re-birth experience and see what they could learn from that.
Just trying to be helpful. Think I'll sign up the Bomber Blitz and post it there. I reckon Woosha might run with it.

[Twodogs]

Woosha should get each player to keep a diary and require that they write an analysis of their performance and inner thoughts after each match. Woosha would do the same for each player.
Then the night before they pick the team Woosha should sit down with each individual to discuss and compare their "learnings". From the game.
This would give Woosha the evidence he needs to establish whether he and the player are on the same page, or even reading the same book.
It would give Woosha invaluable insights into the inner world of his men. Intimate knowledge of their deepest fears, anxieties, ambitions and longings.
Dream diaries are also a potent tool to open up a window to new and previously dismissed (by less insightful football minds as Jack Dyer and Mark Jackson) "learnings".
And finally a team meeting on match day morning where the selected team get together to workshop their "learnings". The butchers paper could be delivered by semi-trailer.
Then after the session it could be pulped, turned into papier mache and moulded into a giant model of a womb and birth canal so that each player could have a re-birth experience and see what they could learn from that.
Just trying to be helpful. Think I'll sign up the Bomber Blitz and post it there. I reckon Woosha might run with it.

Worsfold is a major part of the problem. He knows that he is moving on at season's end no matter what and basically he's phoning it in.

[Bulldog Joe]

Worsfold is a major part of the problem. He knows that he is moving on at season's end no matter what and basically he's phoning it in.

Not sure I totally agree.

Worsfold certainly hasn't helped but he came in after the Hird/Thompson/Dank saga and hasn't been able to fix the problem.

I still think Sheedy is a lot of the problem. He had them back to believing they were above the mere mortals that make up the rest of the league and he encouraged the Hird view of just being better than everyone else and of course rules were simply for those outside the Church of Windy Hill.

Until they actually get some humility, they will flounder.

In a lot of ways they are like Richmond of the 80's and 90's in expecting that they should get everything their way.

They just need another 20 years or so of never winning a final and the next generation of supporters, might just be tolerable.

[merantau]

I read the post-match comments on Bomber Blitz. Those supporters don't hold anything back. They either lash out at anything that moves," clutch at any straw, no matter how flimsy, that will help them from drowning in the sea known as REALITY or, in a some cases face up to the reality that there is still a long way to go.