R6 Essendon v Collingwood (ANZAC Day)

[BenDoolan]

Well, here we go. A real test. Personally, I think we’ll get hammered. Their midfield is a beast - Sidebottom, Pendlebury, Treloar, Beams, Grundy, Adams / De Goey.

Z. Merrett, Heppell, Shiel and McGrath will need to play the games of their lives.

3 changes for me;

OUT: B. Ham, J. Ridley, M. Baguley

IN: D. Zaharakis, A. Francis, D. Smith

[nudder12]

Agree with the prediction but not the changes.
They'll play a one-on-one game which we've never found a way to counter, slow us down, and reduce us to kicking backwards/sideways looking for the open player to launch us forward.
My changes: Out: Ham & Baguley. In: Zaharakis & Smith.

[Windy Hille]

I think we’re in for a good chance. As long as we play an attacking style of play.

Agree with those changes. Franger must come in if fit. Put him on De Goey. Ridley stuff, but we must play our best 22.

[Windy_Hill]

Huh....why all the love for Collingwood.

I think we are every chance if keep to our recent form. They have a 2 man forward line and a non existent back line.

Yeah good luck to them.

Merrett, Shiel, Heppell, McGrath, Smith, Zaharakis, Parish, Myers can hold their own against the Pies mids......provided they turn up.

And therein lies the issue...which Essendon will turn up

[grassy1]

We Must!

Just Win Baby!

[nudder12]

Huh....why all the love for Collingwood.

I think we are every chance if keep to our recent form. They have a 2 man forward line and a non existent back line.

Yeah good luck to them.

Merrett, Shiel, Heppell, McGrath, Smith, Zaharakis, Parish, Myers can hold their own against the Pies mids......provided they turn up.

And therein lies the issue...which Essendon will turn up

We're a chance if we play our best, but I think it's a question of if we're allowed to play our best.
As for their 2 man forward line, I don't know who you mean, but Degoey, Elliott, Stephenson & Mihocek are 4 that come to mind quickly that can cause us damage in a hurry.
And their backline is pretty tight as well.
They're a very good side at the moment.

[Windy_Hill]

Huh....why all the love for Collingwood.

I think we are every chance if keep to our recent form. They have a 2 man forward line and a non existent back line.

Yeah good luck to them.

Merrett, Shiel, Heppell, McGrath, Smith, Zaharakis, Parish, Myers can hold their own against the Pies mids......provided they turn up.

And therein lies the issue...which Essendon will turn up

We're a chance if we play our best, but I think it's a question of if we're allowed to play our best.
As for their 2 man forward line, I don't know who you mean, but Degoey, Elliott, Stephenson & Mihocek are 4 that come to mind quickly that can cause us damage in a hurry.
And their backline is pretty tight as well.
They're a very good side at the moment.

Stephenson and Mihocek.....oh puhlease. Degoey has moments. Elliot is as hot and cold as bath water. I would not rate their forward line in the top 8 . Their midfield is their weapon. Which is my point. Match them there and you will win the game.

They are a good team but I would take inspiration from the Eagles....Collingwood cannot match them in defence or attack. So if they are beaten in the midfield, which the Eagles are able to do....then Collingwood inevitably lose.

[Rover99]

Huh....why all the love for Collingwood.

I think we are every chance if keep to our recent form. They have a 2 man forward line and a non existent back line.

Yeah good luck to them.

Merrett, Shiel, Heppell, McGrath, Smith, Zaharakis, Parish, Myers can hold their own against the Pies mids......provided they turn up.

And therein lies the issue...which Essendon will turn up

We're a chance if we play our best, but I think it's a question of if we're allowed to play our best.
As for their 2 man forward line, I don't know who you mean, but Degoey, Elliott, Stephenson & Mihocek are 4 that come to mind quickly that can cause us damage in a hurry.
And their backline is pretty tight as well.
They're a very good side at the moment.

Stephenson and Mihocek.....oh puhlease. Degoey has moments. Elliot is as hot and cold as bath water. I would not rate their forward line in the top 8 . Their midfield is their weapon. Which is my point. Match them there and you will win the game.

They are a good team but I would take inspiration from the Eagles....Collingwood cannot match them in defence or attack. So if they are beaten in the midfield, which the Eagles are able to do....then Collingwood inevitably lose.

[Rover99]

Their mids came out of the centre at The Gabba on Thursday night like express trains flattering Lions left and right. By the end of Q1 they wers totally demoralized and were caught flat-footed all over the ground. And that was on their home Territory with all their fans behind them. If our present squad is still fit after Friday night and Smith and Francis come back lookin for a game then we've got a chance..Pies have the recent history of the clash working for them butI think we will also get a boost from our 2 convincing wins at the G. That hasn't been the case in recent years, coming into ANZAC Day. I think last year we were in the worst mental state I've for many a year.

[BenDoolan]

Huh....why all the love for Collingwood.

I think we are every chance if keep to our recent form. They have a 2 man forward line and a non existent back line.

Yeah good luck to them.

Merrett, Shiel, Heppell, McGrath, Smith, Zaharakis, Parish, Myers can hold their own against the Pies mids......provided they turn up.

And therein lies the issue...which Essendon will turn up

IIRC, didnt’t you say our players weren’t AFL standard and that anyone who comes into our system, we turn them into worse players?

[patoman]

I would bring in smith for Myers... or maybe bags, Zaha for Ham and and prob leave the rest,.. maybe Franca for Rids or Laverde for parish.. but happy if it’s just the two changes! This will undoubtedly be our biggest test of the season so far! We’re a big chance and it will take a big game from our mids as well as everyone else... but this is the most confident I’ve been about our Anzac chances in a while!! Go Bombers!!!

[Windy_Hill]

Huh....why all the love for Collingwood.

I think we are every chance if keep to our recent form. They have a 2 man forward line and a non existent back line.

Yeah good luck to them.

Merrett, Shiel, Heppell, McGrath, Smith, Zaharakis, Parish, Myers can hold their own against the Pies mids......provided they turn up.

And therein lies the issue...which Essendon will turn up

IIRC, didnt’t you say our players weren’t AFL standard and that anyone who comes into our system, we turn them into worse players?

Correct - see Langford and Laverde thread - Parish remains a concern and Francis is again back in the two's - but I am not sure of your point??

Our midfield has been performing well and if they turn up and play with the level of commitment we have seen recently then we are every chance

[BenDoolan]

Huh....why all the love for Collingwood.

I think we are every chance if keep to our recent form. They have a 2 man forward line and a non existent back line.

Yeah good luck to them.

Merrett, Shiel, Heppell, McGrath, Smith, Zaharakis, Parish, Myers can hold their own against the Pies mids......provided they turn up.

And therein lies the issue...which Essendon will turn up

IIRC, didnt’t you say our players weren’t AFL standard and that anyone who comes into our system, we turn them into worse players?

Correct - see Langford and Laverde thread - Parish remains a concern and Francis is again back in the two's - but I am not sure of your point??

Our midfield has been performing well and if they turn up and play with the level of commitment we have seen recently then we are every chance

Surely your optimism isn’t stemming from us beating Melbourne, Brisbane and North?

No doubt, this will be the test of how good we are. Huge stage, tough opponent.

[Rover99]

Love to see the ladder tonight. 'Aints momentarily at the top with four wins. Could take weeks to settle down. Scum at the bottom, dreaming of their first meeting with Essendon.
Just think, if we beat the Pies next week we will have overcome all but one hoodoo. We will have ended our away game losing streak, our 3rd quarter fade, our 27 Point lead jinx, our inability to put losing teams away and our fear of the G. Then only the scum to overcome

[grassy1]

Forgotten already!Hang on,it’s the Aints!

It’s bad enough the Dorkers and Lyon are 3rd,after GWS f***** up today!

Even worse,we put the Aints up there!

[s'dreams]

Definite changes
In: Smith and Zaha
Out: Ham and Ridley (not that they did anything wrong ... just someone must give way)

Considering changes:
Laverde for Baguley (though its hard not to kick 6 goals in a 100 point win and you hardly play in the midfield)
Clarke if fit - Do we really want TBell to shoulder the ruckwork against Grundy and Cox. Prefer Daniher away from the ruck
Langford for Myers ... not sure that Myers adds hugely to the team, but hey that's just me.. Langford's match fitness could be an issue.

[grassy1]

C’mon guys,I know you’re not too impressed with the Number 23,But can you ease up on him a little bit,without giving him a right kicking,please?!

[nudder12]

Huh....why all the love for Collingwood.

I think we are every chance if keep to our recent form. They have a 2 man forward line and a non existent back line.

Yeah good luck to them.

Merrett, Shiel, Heppell, McGrath, Smith, Zaharakis, Parish, Myers can hold their own against the Pies mids......provided they turn up.

And therein lies the issue...which Essendon will turn up

We're a chance if we play our best, but I think it's a question of if we're allowed to play our best.
As for their 2 man forward line, I don't know who you mean, but Degoey, Elliott, Stephenson & Mihocek are 4 that come to mind quickly that can cause us damage in a hurry.
And their backline is pretty tight as well.
They're a very good side at the moment.

Stephenson and Mihocek.....oh puhlease. Degoey has moments. Elliot is as hot and cold as bath water. I would not rate their forward line in the top 8 . Their midfield is their weapon. Which is my point. Match them there and you will win the game.

They are a good team but I would take inspiration from the Eagles....Collingwood cannot match them in defence or attack. So if they are beaten in the midfield, which the Eagles are able to do....then Collingwood inevitably lose.

So, this bottom 8 attack you mention - FYI - they were the 3rd highest scoring team 2018, and currently 2nd highest this year.
And their midfield - this year have 4 players rated higher than any Essendon player, and 7 rated within the top 11 of both teams combined.
Sure, if our midfield beats theirs we are a chance, but it's not going to be a shoe-in.
As I said, we are a chance if we play our best, but we will have to be at our best.
Still wondering who their 2 man forward is that you mentioned?

[BenDoolan]

C’mon guys,I know you’re not too impressed with the Number 23,But can you ease up on him a little bit,without giving him a right kicking,please?!

Did you have any luck when you got on the blower asking him to return to WA?

[grassy1]

Nah,I haven’t seen his old man yet this year.

A good mate of his old man is a regular at our games,so I’ll ask him where Mr Myers Snr has been lately.

Be critical of David if his footy warrants it mate,but try not to stick the boots in if possible,ok?