Scotty's cycle has been broken...

[BenDoolan]

The Gumbleton injury is really bad on two fronts;

1. It prevents Gumby gaining valuable and much needed AFL experience; and
2. It prevented Lucas having less focus put on him and more expectation to perform when he isn’t quite 100% right.

If Gumby were kicking around, he would have taken more responsibility in the F50 than what Scotty is expected to provide ATM. Had both of them been available, I would imagine our fortunes would be far different than it is right now.

Such is life.

[robbie67]

Gotta say for the first time ever I'm against Hirdy here.

How many more weeks did we have to persist until he found form? He could be like this until round twelve. It's possible there's some outside factor, ie Mercuri, Wallis, Rioli or Lovett that could be affecting his play ATM, that he needs time off for. We just don't know.

There have been a lot worse footballers than Scott Lucas carried through poor form by this club for much longer than 6 weeks. If this is going to bew how it is from now on, then fair enough. But I wont be pleased if the likes of Monfries, NLM, Slattery etc etc are now given game after game when thier form doesnt warrant it either.

I don't like us dropping a club champion as much as the next bloke, but i take exception to you singling out
Monfries, NLM and Slatts.(slatts in particular, he has a shutdown job to do and does it pretty well).

Scotty is being rested because the club wants him to regain his touch, i have nothing wrong with that. Lucas will smash it playing for Bendigo. When he does he'll be back in the team a lot sooner than thursday night.

Well Tom, you must be easily pleased if you think Slats does a shutdown job pretty well each week. He gives away many goals simply because at this stage he is outclassed by most of his opponets. NLM was good against Collingwood, but was back to his usual "boltonesque" form against Brisbane. Gus is good once every 5 weeks.

I have never heard of resting a bloke so he can find touch before. Do you mean he is playing for Bendigo, against inferior opposition and should find touch there? Guys who have played all of their careers with him, and know a bit about the game (Lloyd and Hird) dont believe he should have been dropped, and feel he needs to play through it. This rubbish that Knights is talking about not wanting to upset our young backline by playing him back there is more than a stretch. If it was that important to him, he would leave Ryder back there and bring in Bellchambers.

By the way, I didnt single anyone out. I named all three of them.

[andrewb]

Well Tom, you must be easily pleased if you think Slats does a shutdown job pretty well each week. He gives away many goals simply because at this stage he is outclassed by most of his opponets.

How many times has Slattery been beaten this year? I thought he'd actually been pretty solid...

[Doctor Fish]

Well Tom, you must be easily pleased if you think Slats does a shutdown job pretty well each week. He gives away many goals simply because at this stage he is outclassed by most of his opponets.

How many times has Slattery been beaten this year? I thought he'd actually been pretty solid...

Same...

[keri]

I think a lot of people are missing the point.

Knighta is breaking the cycle.....in Scott's case, the cycle of mediocrity unusual for Scotty! This is very astute coaching, and shows an understanding of the human mind and how it works and how you can tweak it with subtle changes. Knighta has great affect.

Personally I hope Scott takes the good lady and the kids away for the weekend and just zones out and clears his head.

If it works it'll be great. If it doesn't, has he lost anything other than a week of match fitness? Knights obviously knows Lucas well enough to think he'll take this as an opportunity (or a kick up the arse!) and thinks it'll do the trick.

Let's hope he's right, and Lucas comes back better than ever.

[tom9779]

Well Tom, you must be easily pleased if you think Slats does a shutdown job pretty well each week. He gives away many goals simply because at this stage he is outclassed by most of his opponets. NLM was good against Collingwood, but was back to his usual "boltonesque" form against Brisbane. Gus is good once every 5 weeks.

I have never heard of resting a bloke so he can find touch before. Do you mean he is playing for Bendigo, against inferior opposition and should find touch there? Guys who have played all of their careers with him, and know a bit about the game (Lloyd and Hird) dont believe he should have been dropped, and feel he needs to play through it. This rubbish that Knights is talking about not wanting to upset our young backline by playing him back there is more than a stretch. If it was that important to him, he would leave Ryder back there and bring in Bellchambers.

By the way, I didnt single anyone out. I named all three of them.

for a small defender he does ok. i'd struggle to think of anyone else on the essendon list who would do a better job, and if you could pick a player from another team who would you choose? Slats is not the biggest problem at the moment. However the spine is.

We can't afford big scotty in his current form. Arguably the lack of his output is what really cost us against north, brisbane. If it wasn't for heroics against collingwood as well his name would have been mentioned. He has been given 6 games.

I think Lucas will be back. Prob in 2 weeks. I think he should have a game in the twos, he needs to get his hands on the footy, otherwise take a break.

re: lloydy and hird, of course they do not want to see a fellow champ and teammate relegated, noone does.

[canberrabomber]

Scotty's cycle has been broken....

Conundrum!

If his poor form caused by lack of conditioning, revived his career can be; but if caused by permanent loss of agility/pace, in trouble he is.

Bendigo - poor team in competion far inferior; dubious that playing for them will lead to improvement. Will playing Hawthorn St Kilda and Geelong in current form help either.

Envy Knights I do not.

Hirdy's comments? Hmmm. Giving Lucas more time good for him may be but what is best for Essendon the question is.

End their career in reserves better players have (sadly).

[ealesy]

If his poor form caused by lack of conditioning, revived his career can be; but if caused by permanent loss of agility/pace, in trouble he is.

Hi Yoda!!