3 things learned from Rd19 vs Essendon 2023

[D Mitchell]

1. Bruce is not a defender

2. Kharmis isn't the answer, whatever the question

3. Naughton, Cody and JUH could form the best forward line in the league, if we can find 3 other forwards to play with them and deliver the ball better

1. Agree, wasted in defence. He was brought to the Club with a role in mind that appears to have now disappeared.
2. Maybe yes, maybe no. Bev's ruckmen are in the VFL unless handy around the ground. Last night's win a revival of the tall-mid-2nd-ruck ?
3. 3rd win in 8 ? hubris ? Let's see.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

1. Poulter has a future. Easy to forget he's still only 20 and it can't be easy coming into an AFL program midway through the season and having to adapt on and off field. I get being with Footscray makes it an easier transition but he's started really well. Runs well, good endurance, composed, handles it well and kicks it well. With a preseason and more confidence I am hopeful he can become a good winger.

2. Marras improvement is really going unnoticed. Consistently getting 3-5 looks at goal a game, 11+ possessions a game in the last 9 weeks, great hands. At this rate of improvement, he can be one of the best forwards in the comp as soon as next year.

3. We do seem to consistently best the teams below us (mostly) but fall to the sides above us (mostly). Whether we can bridge the gap remains to be seen.

[macca]

1. Poulter has a future. Easy to forget he's still only 20 and it can't be easy coming into an AFL program midway through the season and having to adapt on and off field. I get being with Footscray makes it an easier transition but he's started really well. Runs well, good endurance, composed, handles it well and kicks it well. With a preseason and more confidence I am hopeful he can become a good winger.

2. Marras improvement is really going unnoticed. Consistently getting 3-5 looks at goal a game, 11+ possessions a game in the last 9 weeks, great hands. At this rate of improvement, he can be one of the best forwards in the comp as soon as next year.

3. We do seem to consistently best the teams below us (mostly) but fall to the sides above us (mostly). Whether we can bridge the gap remains to be seen.

Great observations. After game interview , JUH did mention that he just needs to improve his kicking accuracy and he can get a bag k. I really like how he is demanding the ball now .

Better teams would have not allowed us to get back in the team with a 3 goal start like in the first quarter. Scoor , the coach , mentioned his young players look tired, or maybe they just soft???

[AshMac]

1 Anthony Scott is quietly becoming an important and reliable player

2 the forward line is starting to look functional - Cody doesn?t jump at everything anymore, Jamarra and Naughton not competing w each other in the air. Some more composure on the kick in and a couple of other regulars and they?ll be a great unit

3 longer term midfield depth and key defenders are the big gaps in our list

[ratsmac]

I learned

1. Bont was just taking the piss. Jogs from D50 to f50 grabs the ball one hand out of a pack, sells a dummy, snaps a goal. It's like shelling peas for the great man. And that's just one piece of play

2. No one can stop Libba when he's in that sort of mood. Riley West knows it too, that's why he passed it to Libba while he is still on the ground!

3. Naughts is going to be licking his lips in seasons to come because the number 1 key defender will be going to Marra. Marra's potential is quickly becoming reality right before our eyes. Once he sorts out his kicking radar he'll be the best in the comp before too long. Marra, Naughts and Flea are showing good signs of chemistry between them. A genuine crumber like K Pickett or Liam Ryan type would be number one on my wish list

[EasternWest]

3. Naughts is going to be licking his lips in seasons to come because the number 1 key defender will be going to Marra. Marra's potential is quickly becoming reality right before our eyes. Once he sorts out his kicking radar he'll be the best in the comp before too long. Marra, Naughts and Flea are showing good signs of chemistry between them. A genuine crumber like K Pickett or Liam Ryan type would be number one on my wish list

It's a good point. If their trajectories continue the same way we could have two absolute gun forwards in peak form at the same time. That's terrifying.

[azabob]

It's a good point. If their trajectories continue the same way we could have two absolute gun forwards in peak form at the same time. That's terrifying.

Well, if you want the Franklin and Roughead experience and not the McKay and Curnow you best get on the bandwagon of hitting the draft for young midfield talent.
We need to start now and not in a couple of years time.

It is a lonely bandwagon but the right bandwagon.

[jeemak]

Well, if you want the Franklin and Roughead experience and not the McKay and Curnow you best get on the bandwagon of hitting the draft for young midfield talent.
We need to start now and not in a couple of years time.

It is a lonely bandwagon but the right bandwagon.

You've never mentioned anything of the sort to date.

[jeemak]

Not hearing any plaudits in the media for how well we've handled JUH over the journey, and I'm unlikely to. However, holding him back and making getting a senior game difficult for him at times has grounded him, and it seems he's aware that talent alone isn't going to get him where he needs to get to.

He's developing extremely well.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Not hearing any plaudits in the media for how well we've handled JUH over the journey, and I'm unlikely to. However, holding him back and making getting a senior game difficult for him at times has grounded him, and it seems he's aware that talent alone isn't going to get him where he needs to get to.

He's developing extremely well.

I know G has mentioned this several times, but the impact covid had on Jamarra's draft would have been big.

First they didn't play u18s. Then their first season in the afl was pretty much canned with no vfl/proper training. That's a huge setback.

To see him performing at this level now is very encouraging. I hope his upward trajectory continues and he and Naughton start causing real headaches for opposition defences. Add in Flea and hopefully Darcy (and maybe even Croft!), recruit a genuine crumbing forward and we've got a forward line for a long while.....just need the mids to go with it. Never thought I'd say that about the dogs.

[AshMac]

Well, if you want the Franklin and Roughead experience and not the McKay and Curnow you best get on the bandwagon of hitting the draft for young midfield talent.
We need to start now and not in a couple of years time.

It is a lonely bandwagon but the right bandwagon.

100% agree. Midfield depth is my biggest concern with our list.

After that a solid 10 year KPD - don?t know if that?s busslinger or not because I haven?t seen him play yet.

And after that a small, crumbing forward

[azabob]

Not hearing any plaudits in the media for how well we've handled JUH over the journey, and I'm unlikely to. However, holding him back and making getting a senior game difficult for him at times has grounded him, and it seems he's aware that talent alone isn't going to get him where he needs to get to.

He's developing extremely well.

I've heard plaudits in passing but don't expect anyone admitting they were wrong. Just a quick oh yeah, Beveridge handled him well.

[Mofra]

1. Anyone who has a problem with our Footscray program has NFI. Gardner is our best KPD until Jones returns, Scott is versatile, and Poulter shows signs of becoming a best 22 player (even if he is one-sided)

2. It is now 6,898 days since 4 September 2004 which means we all should party on 4 November 2023, marking 7,000 days since Essendon last won a final.

3. Even in a terrible team performance, Ridley stood out for Essendon. We desperately need to trade for, or develop, a bona fide intercepting defender. In modern football the position is more important than a ruckman (and I hate typing that). We have to throw Busslinger to the wolves and give him a taste ASAP to see if he can play the role next year.

[Mantis]

1. Anyone who has a problem with our Footscray program has NFI. Gardner is our best KPD until Jones returns, Scott is versatile, and Poulter shows signs of becoming a best 22 player (even if he is one-sided)

2. It is now 6,898 days since 4 September 2004 which means we all should party on 4 November 2023, marking 7,000 days since Essendon last won a final.

3. Even in a terrible team performance, Ridley stood out for Essendon. We desperately need to trade for, or develop, a bona fide intercepting defender. In modern football the position is more important than a ruckman (and I hate typing that). We have to throw Busslinger to the wolves and give him a taste ASAP to see if he can play the role next year.

1/ I have never heard anyone shit-can our VFL program.

3/ I would like to think we have a couple developing in Buss and JOD, and really think Richards (who is already our best interceptor) can take his game to a further level moving forward.

[hujsh]

1/ I have never heard anyone shit-can our VFL program.

3/ I would like to think we have a couple developing in Buss and JOD, and really think Richards (who is already our best interceptor) can take his game to a further level moving forward.

Maybe the recruiting players from the VFL program? Personally I have no issue with taking players from it (though we seem to be reluctant to look outside it recently) but would prefer if we moved on the players that don't work faster (eg Hayes/McComb). Funnily it almost seems our mid season picks are working better than our rookie picks