Essendon v Melbourne Pre-Match Discussion

[paddyl90]

Thank God the bye is over!!!!

Time to hit the second half of the year with a refreshed mindset and outlook to attack the next 13 games hard! Glad we have the Demons this week coming off the bye should there be any "bye fatigue" if you would call it that... teams have come off it very sloppy and lazy. Melbourne barely have a full team to choose from so I'm 99.95% confident of a win at least... how much is the question really.

Ins - Hurley? Watson? wonder where they are injury wise?
Outs - ??? you tell me ha.

A lot of players need to start pulling their fingers out and do something or else they should be sent to Bendigo. Ryder particularly...will never happen probably....is the biggest on my list to improve he has been very disappointing so far. Crameri I hope regains his top form again would love to see him kick a bag Friday Night. Will we persist with the 3 talls?? Haven't checked the weather conditions but regardless of that it's time to abandon it I think, well if not this week, soon. Perhaps Melbourne's lack of height could be exploited. But if the forward line is set up as poorly as it was against Richmond then there could be a slight worry. Others things...hope Stanton got his head together over the bye, hoping Heppell, Lonergan, Howlett, Zaharakis keep up the good form shown prior to the break but overall a more solid team effort. We should absolutely belt the Dees but you can't guarantee anything as always but we haven't really played outstanding football since Round 3 v St Kilda, deliberately excluding GC game, so want to see that polished football return. We've been lucky to get away with some games.

Looking forward to an Essendon home game on a Friday Night at the MCG!!! As it should be! Really excited for our first Friday Night match this year and expecting a decent Essendon crowd to cheer the boys on.

Essendon by 44

[Windy_Hill]

To be honest, I believe the post bye period is going to be tough. Despite the rest, I feel that the guys have just taken their foot off the gas in recent weeks. Early season bolters have come back to earth a little and long term injuries will mean less pressure on the best 22 to perform as there will not be quite the same fight for places

As far as Melbourne game goes, I am not sure if either Watson or Hurley will be ready?

I reckon it may be time to give Colyer a starting 22 role. It may also be time to go back to the 2 ruckman option and give Belly a break.

Final decision will come down to the condition of the 2 aforementioned injured players

[Gimps]

I wached these clowns on Friday night. They are pathetic. If we lose to them we might as well board up Windy Hill and give the game away.

Bombers by at least 6 goals +

[j-mac31]

I'd have Colyer in and hope Watson and Hurley are back.
Drop Stanton and Davey.

I don't think the 3 rucks is working - Ryder isn't playing great and I think the whole team did better earlier on with just the 2 anyway. Perhaps this could be a good week to get it all going smoothly though, given Melbourne have a lot of injuries and are not going well.

[jimmyc1985]

Melbourne will be better for the fact they get a few midfielders back this week (Trengove, potentially Scully, potentially Davey) - funny to think that 2 20-year olds in Trengove and Scully will make them much harder around the ball, but they will in the case of Melbourne.

There's no need to play 3 rucks this week and i would drop Ryder - we only had 3 rucks initially because all 3 of Hille, Ryder and Bellchambers were playing well and deserved to be in the team, but in Paddy's case this is no longer true. I would move NLM to sub, drop Davey and bring in Watson - i assume Hurley isn't going to play and the coaching staff won't drop Ryder.

[Mrs Mercuri]

Cosidering that Melb only have Martin and Newton to play ruck, it could be a good week to play only the 2 big men... i still think Ryder is too dangerous to drop out of the side, especially if Hurley isnt available.

I have a feeling that Prismall will play this week, missed Bendigos game on the weekend.

[bomberdonnie]

I wached these clowns on Friday night. They are pathetic. If we lose to them we might as well board up Windy Hill and give the game away.

Bombers by at least 6 goals +

Agreed but in saying that they are a f****** yo-yo team and have week to week ups and downs so dont be surprised of the stick it to us this week

[Windy_Hill]

Yep, just look at Richmond, flog us then go down to Port by a lot. I wouldnt discount Melbourne at all and I genuinely fear that we are not playing with the same intensity as was the case in the first 5 weeks.

This is a big test for the coaching panel

[rockhole]

Melbourne's Davey gone for 6 weeks

[BenDoolan]

LOL, we will flog 'em.

[paddyl90]

Hurley said he won't play and Jobe said he was unlikely so rest them up for the trip to Perth! Talking to Crameri asked him to keep up his good form haha and he said "we'll smash them early etc" bagging the Dees! Was funny! Hope we do!

[hop]

Typical that all the discussion after last weeks round is on Melbourne this week and their pathetic performance against Carlton.

Evidently a couple of Carlton players (Mitch Robinson being one) have said publicly that Melbourne are weak at the contest and down-hill skiiers - Pot Kettle Black.

Still - expect more intensity from them Friday night - without Jobe - this could be another Richmond debacle.

[Jazz_84]

can't wait to get back to the G, feels like forever since i've been to a game (Lions @ Gabba)

think we'll win by at least 30 but 4 points is 4 points, wonder if Carlton said what they said because we are fighting with them for a top 4 spot....

be very good if Myers can get in the middle this week, see him pin point a few kicks to a nice lead

Colyer in the 25 at this stage

[j-mac31]

Colyer in the 25 at this stage

Good/based on...

Trengove back for them and perhaps Scully too. That'll make them tougher straight away.

[Jazz_84]

Colyer in the 25 at this stage

Good/based on...

Trengove back for them and perhaps Scully too. That'll make them tougher straight away.

talking to him last night, he said he can't go away for the weekend like the rest of the VFL players having the bye cause he might be required

[robrulz5]

We should win and win comfortably, the fact that we are coming off the bye shouldn't even be mentioned. We are better at Melbourne in every facet of the game so no excuses.

[Windy_Hill]

Watson to be named but considered an unlikely starter. Am happy to take our chances without Jobe in order to have him ship shape for the remainder of the year

[Jazz_84]

he looked good at training yesterday but given the length of the game being the problem, might play a half then sub him out but they probably wont do that because that will mean the club have taken a risk and they arn't going to do that with anyone this year, especially him

can't wait till the teams are announced later today, will mean we are back in business

[Mrs Mercuri]

Bit of a risk for the Dees bringing Scully back so early... would have thought he would need a bit more match fitness in the VFL... a couple of debutants in the Dees side works in our favour as well. They have a younger side on the park than us this week...

If we dont beat them by 6+ goals I would be a little disappointed...

[Royza]

As long as we don't use the ball as bad as we did against ninthmond, this should be a comfortable win.
We got nothing out of Reimers & Davey, so Colyer & Browne don't have to do much to improve our last effort.