Always Right Match Committee Vs Essendon Round 7 2020

[1eyedog]

This is why I think Bruce gets a leave pass for last week. To me he seemed to be working really hard against insurmountable odds.

Still he fronted up and continued to try and hit packs.

The bar is set very low for him isn't it.

[DOG GOD]

If we go in with our slow fwd line again this week, the likes of McKenna and Saad will kill us.

[GVGjr]

Yet he played ok the previous week.

It's a conundrum for sure. I'm a big fan but he was just so poor I'm not sure he did enough to keep his spot

[GVGjr]

Dropping Schache now would set him back too far imo. If fit he needs a month of footy in decent conditions and certainly more than 50% game time.

He's played some solid games for us in the past but he's floundering atm so we need to bring in the 4-6 week rule and find out what we've got.

A point well made. A good sign to see how committed we are with him

[1eyedog]

Our forward line without Naughton and Lloyd / Dickson is really impotent. Wallis is ok there sometimes but it lacks any venom and with no genuine small forward and a raft of midfield players rotating through there we really rely on our midfield to dominate stoppages, not turn the ball over and score. It's a big ask with a small margin for error. Likewise our defence. If our forwards can't score the onus is on the defence to ensure the opposition cannot score either. It's a high risk game plan and it is what it is based on the players available.

Man I'd love a Papley or a Martin. Would make a big difference. Time to give Flea a chance in the other forward pocket opposite West. What do we have to lose?

[EasternWest]

The bar is set very low for him isn't it.

No. What a crap comment.

What would you have had him do?

He had two options in that abysmal game: continue to try and impact contests or drop his bundle.

Which would you rather?

[Axe Man]

Selection may be compromised off the short week.

Personally it is an easy choice Crozier for Butler.

However we need more forward and I support this week as the time to give Jordan Sweet his chance.

I would drop Schache for Sweet and play English more forward as the relief ruck.

Sweet will toughen our resolve around the stoppage and cannot possibly provide less than Schache effort last week.
It also lessens the burden on English.

Man is this horse still being flogged?

How will taking English away from the ruck and away from the excellent work he does around and behind the ball help us? He was good once again last week, was much better than Pittonet around the ground and roughly broke even in the ruck. He may offer something forward but I fail to see how it would outweigh how good he is whilst playing in the ruck as essentially an extra midfielder that pushes back to help the defence.

It's strange that Bevo has copped plenty of flak on here for seemingly playing players away from their best position, yet we keep on wanting to do exactly that with English.

[1eyedog]

No. What a crap comment.

What would you have had him do?

He had two options in that abysmal game: continue to try and impact contests or drop his bundle.

Which would you rather?

Of course he's going to jump at the ball when it's kicked on his head. It's hard to see what is unfolding on the telly but I did not see one lead from him all match and if he's not going to lead at least create space by drawing Weitering out of the contest to provide opportunities for our smalls.

I mean maybe he was told pre-game just to create a contest and that would be enough but he's an experienced player (113 games 28 yo) and we should expect more.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Our problems are mostly addressed with players playing smarter and applying more consistent effort.

If our forward line is flooded, we need our small forwards to be smarter and not all fly for the mark but to wait at the drop of the ball for the crumb (i know we have all been banging on about this for years but sadly nothing has changed in this regard). If not first to it, make it like you life depends on it to tackle the player who does get it first. Obviously the finishing and goalsense needs talent, but we rarely get to that stage as the ball is more often than not gathered by the opposition.

Again if our forward line is flooded, our defensive line should not push up too high. We should have a fairly safe last line of defense a bit further back and have our half backs push up a bit and apply a bit of pressure. If most of the opposition players are flooding our 50 we should have enough defensive coverage to make a wall just beyond our 50m line and keep sending the ball back in or at least trap them with our last line of defense giving them no options to progress the ball forward. All that takes is a bit of concentration and effort.

[1eyedog]

Our problems are mostly addressed with players playing smarter and applying more consistent effort.

If our forward line is flooded, we need our small forwards to be smarter and not all fly for the mark but to wait at the drop of the ball for the crumb (i know we have all been banging on about this for years but sadly nothing has changed in this regard). If not first to it, make it like you life depends on it to tackle the player who does get it first. Obviously the finishing and goalsense needs talent, but we rarely get to that stage as the ball is more often than not gathered by the opposition.

Again if our forward line is flooded, our defensive line should not push up too high. We should have a fairly safe last line of defense a bit further back and have our half backs push up a bit and apply a bit of pressure. If most of the opposition players are flooding our 50 we should have enough defensive coverage to make a wall just beyond our 50m line and keep sending the ball back in or at least trap them with our last line of defense giving them no options to progress the ball forward. All that takes is a bit of concentration and effort.

But isn't this the key component of a high press? Lock the ball inside F50 with an extra in there meaning one defender short if the ball comes out? I hate the high defensive press there is no margin for error it's too high risk for me. If the opposition somehow wins the ball they can set up through -1 in defence with good kickers and fast ball movement.

Martin, Betts and even plodders like Gibbons feasted on it and other teams have in the past too. I want to see us take a more traditional set up and stop guarding grass especially deep in D50 as you say.

[Bulldog Joe]

Man is this horse still being flogged?

How will taking English away from the ruck and away from the excellent work he does around and behind the ball help us? He was good once again last week, was much better than Pittonet around the ground and roughly broke even in the ruck. He may offer something forward but I fail to see how it would outweigh how good he is whilst playing in the ruck as essentially an extra midfielder that pushes back to help the defence.

It's strange that Bevo has copped plenty of flak on here for seemingly playing players away from their best position, yet we keep on wanting to do exactly that with English.

Well I am not one who has been flogging that horse, but this week I see an opportunity.

We have come off a short week and we have another short week ahead with a Thursday game against Gold Coast.

We also can't run Timmy into the ground.

Essendon have a journeyman ruck and giving Sweet a run will show us where he is at. It also relieves English of the impact of rucking full time and may help him cope with 3 games in 11 days that is our schedule.

[Grantysghost]

But isn't this the key component of a high press? Lock the ball inside F50 with an extra in there meaning one defender short if the ball comes out? I hate the high defensive press there is no margin for error it's too high risk for me. If the opposition somehow wins the ball they can set up through -1 in defence with good kickers and fast ball movement.

Martin, Betts and even plodders like Gibbons feasted on it and other teams have in the past too. I want to see us take a more traditional set up and stop guarding grass especially deep in D50 as you say.

One thing we are lacking I see with this game plan is players that can kick goals from outside 50. Suckling is probably the only one, I think thats what separates him as a defender. They dump kick it out due to forward pressure you have a few guys that can kick like him it doubles down on the strategy. Daniel Rich is another with the capability.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

But isn't this the key component of a high press? Lock the ball inside F50 with an extra in there meaning one defender short if the ball comes out? I hate the high defensive press there is no margin for error it's too high risk for me. If the opposition somehow wins the ball they can set up through -1 in defence with good kickers and fast ball movement.

Martin, Betts and even plodders like Gibbons feasted on it and other teams have in the past too. I want to see us take a more traditional set up and stop guarding grass especially deep in D50 as you say.

I guess its dependant on how many players they have back. We should always maintain a +1 and like you said, stay close to the man and not guard grass. I don't see the absolute importance to match them in numbers in such a small space in our forward 50. Chances are the ball spills and it's a scrap to get the ball. If you block the outlets they will have trouble bringing the ball out. We did a very good job of this in our 2016 season. We just haven't got the balance right as often since then. Lack of leadership/experience might be a reason. I'm sure Morris was key to this down back, then you've got Boyd and Picken through the middle.

[bornadog]

Weightman to debut

[Axe Man]

Well I am not one who has been flogging that horse, but this week I see an opportunity.

We have come off a short week and we have another short week ahead with a Thursday game against Gold Coast.

We also can't run Timmy into the ground.

Essendon have a journeyman ruck and giving Sweet a run will show us where he is at. It also relieves English of the impact of rucking full time and may help him cope with 3 games in 11 days that is our schedule.

That's why I was concerned that you had been indoctrinated as well - is there some cool-aid being distributed?

I've got no idea who may need a rest or who may need to manage their loads as they say. I'll leave that up to the medicos. What I am confident on is that we will be poorer for English not playing in the ruck.