The way forward

Filthy · Post by **Filthy** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 10:08 am

Watching yesterdays "Football" apart from the crap game plan of the Crows and the skill that Eagles used to break it down in the most adverse of circumstances, several things really struck me.

- The body shapes of all of the players. Very strong upper bodies to break tackles and 1500m like builds from the waste down. Strong quads and calf muscles to run and run all day. So for the likes of Dyson, Ryder, Dempsey and a lot of the 70% of our list 23 and under, into the Gym boys and out onto the track and get the miles into your leags and get that heart rate up to have the ability to run all day.

- The Crows have missed their window. They have maybe 6 outstanding players and the rest are well disciplined to a certain rugby style of running down the ground in waves after flooding back. WCE beat them with skill under pressure and breaking down their walls with heaps of possession style footy with hand and foot...a la Richmond but better to watch...deny them the use of the aget.

- They have missed their window because have a look at the age of their list. We are heavy in young end and they are heavy in the older end. They are going to have a shit load of retirements 07/08 and what have they got coming through?

So I firmly believe if we can emulate the WCE game plan, run the lines at speed, keep possession and improve disposal, (OK we don't have Kerr, Judd and Cousins but we can make up for that in having about 6-8 rotating through the middle) and get the ball quickly into our forward line at its strongest which is better than the Eagles ie Lloyd vs Lynch, Lucas vs Hanson, Hird vs Fletcher (what a gutless front runner), Lovey vs?, Johns vs?, Gus vs?...look out.

Sartorius · Post by **Sartorius** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 12:44 pm

Good post Filthy.

I too hope we emulate the WCE plan. It is also a lot better to watch, and suits our upcoming midfield.

Windy_Hill · Post by **Windy_Hill** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 1:11 pm

Filth, do you really think they have missed their window. Under Ayres, it was closing fast anyway. Neil has kind of propped it open with a stick but thats about it.

Filthy · Post by **Filthy** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 2:37 pm

Windy_Hill wrote:Filth, do you really think they have missed their window. Under Ayres, it was closing fast anyway. Neil has kind of propped it open with a stick but thats about it.

They're bloody old Windy. Hell Roo & Hart played against us in 93 PF!! Clarke, Edwards and so on....they're not spring chickens mate.

Rossoneri · Post by **Rossoneri** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 2:50 pm

I dont think they have missed their window, but it is closing fast.

How old is goodwin, McLeod, Roo, Hart, Edwards and co?

EDIT: Basset 30, Clarke 33 (Hudson isnt much chop, Biglands is ok), Edwards 30, Goodwin 30, McLeod 30, Roo 31, Welsh is 28 but has had alot of injuries.

Hentschel wont be back next year with his serious knee injury either. Time is running out quick.

gringo · Post by **gringo** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 12:01 pm

Well said mate!!! Hence my contention about Watson being no use to us (due to his lack of speed and footskills) which everyone bagged, makes more sense than ever!

We need to start getting real about our slow players at Essendon. Anyone who thinks there is room for slow players with no footskills in competitive midfields in the AFL is just kidding themselves.

Sartorius · Post by **Sartorius** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 12:41 pm

Gringo you are kidding yourself. All well and good having speedy players, but they need to get the all from the clearances, and not very often can you get the ball while sprinting at a clearance. Players such as Jobe are vital for clearances.

Look at players such as west and mitchell. Both are critical to the team structure, despite being slow, they can read the play, get the ball and feed it out, allowing for the quicker players to be able to run the style filthy is talking about. Jobe reads the ball in clearances second best at the club after Hirdy.

gringo · Post by **gringo** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 1:46 pm

Filthy, in my excitement at seeing another golden opportunity to highlight Watson's inability to progress in the modern game, I forgot to read the rest of your post!

1) "I firmly believe we can emulate the WCE gameplan".

I completely agree with you Filthy. I also think we could send out the players to emulate a pig having sex with El Segundo or pretend they are accorns growing into oak trees.

We don't have one player in our midfield that would hold down a position in the West Coast midfield (with the exception of Hird when he plays there) or even a spot on the bench. Their game plan requires quick players with good skills and bodies strong enough to break tackles. Could you imagine Winderlich or Dyson or Stanton trying to break a tackle? Or Watson or JJ or Pev trying to run past defenders? As for rotating players "making up for" not having the likes of Judd, Cousins and Kerr - that's just non-sensical. All that means is we would have semi-buggered crap instead of completely buggered crap running around in the middle.

So yes, we could emulate the gameplan. Only problem is, no one will recognise it.

Doctor Fish · Post by **Doctor Fish** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 2:14 am

gringo wrote:
We don't have one player in our midfield that would hold down a position in the West Coast midfield...

Not many clubs do...

Sol · Post by **Sol** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 8:51 am

No One does and no one will. Judd's skillset is unique as they come. Very few players with the run and carry ability he has are also champions at getting the hard ball. Most guys with that pace are purely outside players.

You cant emulate their game plan unless you have the same skillsets at your disposal and it just wont happen.

That is not to say their plan is the only way to win in todays game. Sydney's game plan is poles apart, and their my pick for the GF. I also think with a good coach the saints will also push for the GF with their own style next year.

For us (barring injury of course), we should have strength up forward next year with Lloyd, Lucus, Johns and Hird. Whilst our midfield has some pace and ball magnets, disposal is ou remain weakness. As such with a full forward line I see us playing a long kicking game, bombing into F50 but converting far more frequenlty than last year with the ins we have.

Defense will still be a problem if Bradley doesnt step up. We simply cant draft a ready made CHB even Hanson will take some time.

Gringo, you sure your an essendon supporter? You sound like you prefr to bash the club than support it in any way possible.

I am also convinced that Jobe has shagged your mother with the way you insist on making your point that you think he is no good. We get it mate, you dont like him, but you wont change anyone elses mind about him so give it up.

He will play in our next grad final and maybe even be captain so lets see who out of us gets egg in their face.

Post by **boncer34** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 3:26 pm

gringo wrote: Anyone who thinks there is room for slow players with no footskills in competitive midfields in the AFL is just kidding themselves.

Yeah bloody kidding themselves. After all Scott West is a f****** hack.

Sartorius · Post by **Sartorius** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 5:49 pm

gringo wrote: We don't have one player in our midfield that would hold down a position in the West Coast midfield

Judd, Cousins and Kerr are imo the best three midfielders in the game. So not having a player that would make their midfield is something 15 clubs have in common.

Boyler_Room · Post by **Boyler_Room** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:17 pm

Rossoneri wrote:I dont think they have missed their window, but it is closing fast.

How old is goodwin, McLeod, Roo, Hart, Edwards and co?

EDIT: Basset 30, Clarke 33 (Hudson isnt much chop, Biglands is ok), Edwards 30, Goodwin 30, McLeod 30, Roo 31, Welsh is 28 but has had alot of injuries.

Hentschel wont be back next year with his serious knee injury either. Time is running out quick.

Biglands is having a knee reconstruction next week. I suspect he'll be out for majority of next year. Injured on the weekend. Got his foot caught under Goodwin (I think) and hyperextended his knee as he went over him. Didn't look pretty.

billyduckworth · Post by **billyduckworth** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 9:37 am

Did this cost them the game? It certainly was a factor.

antcl · Post by **antcl** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 6:50 pm

I disagree we should be emulating WCE plan. Their plan is based around no forwards, and a decent defense. Sure, Lynch & Hansen are improving, but will they be able to fit them all under the salary cap?

Sydney's plan is a lot different, and is hardly based on speed at all. I prefer theirs, as it is more realistic. Its based on winning enough ball in the centre so that good forwards will kick enough goals, and their midfield putting enough pressure on that a decent backline will stop enough goals.

We should try and design something similiar. Afterall, who cares how fast WCE are if we keep winning the ball first with in & under style players like Watson, JJ, Lonnergan? And hell, with Dempsey, Dyson and Stanton hopefully we won't be exactly slow coaches anyway.

swoodley · Post by **swoodley** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 6:57 pm

antcl wrote:I disagree we should be emulating WCE plan. Their plan is based around no forwards, and a decent defense. Sure, Lynch & Hansen are improving, but will they be able to fit them all under the salary cap?

Sydney's plan is a lot different, and is hardly based on speed at all. I prefer theirs, as it is more realistic. Its based on winning enough ball in the centre so that good forwards will kick enough goals, and their midfield putting enough pressure on that a decent backline will stop enough goals.

We should try and design something similiar. Afterall, who cares how fast WCE are if we keep winning the ball first with in & under style players like Watson, JJ, Lonnergan? And hell, with Dempsey, Dyson and Stanton hopefully we won't be exactly slow coaches anyway.

And Sydney have been beating West Coast with their game plan

Boyler_Room · Post by **Boyler_Room** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 7:20 pm

You would prefer to see all 18 players from EFC on the park in the defensive 50? I wouldn't.

I hate watching Sydney play. Stoppage, block it up, stop, out of bounds, stoppage, stoppage, stoppage, FLOOD...

I prefer to watch a team play free-flowing footy, and I believe we have a side capable of doing just that. Run and carry, kick long, down the middle, keep the ball moving and playing on whenever possible.

uptick · Post by **uptick** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 8:24 pm

The other big, big plus from Sydneys game plan approach, appears to be a full list to pick from, and that is usually enough to get you into September action on on its own.