Bombertalk

A lot has been said recently about the problems with the CHB position at Essendon. Plenty have suggested that with Johns fit next season, Lucas should play there. I disagree for two reasons.

1. Lucas is a very good CHF and with Lloyd, Lucas and Johns on the forward line, the team would be very dangerous. I don't know how Johns would go at CHF without Lucas up ther just yet.

2. There was a perfectly viable option on the list this year anyway. Not Bradley, as Sheedy thought, but Lee. He only played 3 quaters in defence for the whole year, but I thought he looked very promising there, especially considering it was his first game. And having seen him in the VFL, I know that he can play good defence and provide run out of the back line. This year was terrible for Essendon, but the biggest mistake made was to not even try a young player at CHB for a good period of time after Bradley was proven hopeless. Hopefully Hansen will be drafted and/or Lee given time there next year.

It's our single biggest problem.
Impossible to win a flag without a minimum good solid reliable player there.
A star would be good but a Kevin Walsh type of the 80's would suffice.
Lucas will never be the answer.
Who is,don't know.

I disagree and think that Lucas should be back at CHB next year. He has proven he can play the position when he won his first F+B at the club at CHB.

Johns should play at FF as Lloyd needs to come out to CHF and really show he can take control of a game in the number one position! Other option is rotate Hird Lloyd Johns through FF CHF.

Nothing will break an opposition flood like a Lucas bomb from the centre to the goal square!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We all know he likes to kick a goal and he can still contribute to the scoreboard from CHB with his kicking ability.

Sheeds should instruct all players to give him the ball anywhere on the ground and pump the thing as long as he can.

Would you run past Lucas and ask for a handball????

Western Red wrote:I disagree and think that Lucas should be back at CHB next year. He has proven he can play the position when he won his first F+B at the club at CHB.

Johns should play at FF as Lloyd needs to come out to CHF and really show he can take control of a game in the number one position! Other option is rotate Hird Lloyd Johns through FF CHF.

Nothing will break an opposition flood like a Lucas bomb from the centre to the goal square!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We all know he likes to kick a goal and he can still contribute to the scoreboard from CHB with his kicking ability.

Sheeds should instruct all players to give him the ball anywhere on the ground and pump the thing as long as he can.

Would you run past Lucas and ask for a handball????

Agree with all you say here Western Red especially the Lucas bombs into the forward line.

Hird, Lloyd, Johns and Lucas would be too top heavy in night games and on rainy days. Lucas at CHB solves that problem whilst allowing us time to find a long term prospect (Lee etc)

can u get on the coaching advisory panel western red...

Ah well good to see we all want attacking attitudes.All for that myself.
But the first requirement of defence is exactly that.And CHB is the first test.
Stop the opposition.Now.
Forget about long bombs.Maybe works on the forward line but no hope on the backline unless you are Dustin Fletcher.
Lucas,no,will never succeed.First requirement is stopping your opponent forget about long bombs,others can do that unless he stays in the forward line which is the only place he's suited.

Rover 7 wrote:Ah well good to see we all want attacking attitudes.All for that myself.
But the first requirement of defence is exactly that.And CHB is the first test.
Stop the opposition.Now.
Forget about long bombs.Maybe works on the forward line but no hope on the backline unless you are Dustin Fletcher.
Lucas,no,will never succeed.First requirement is stopping your opponent forget about long bombs,others can do that unless he stays in the forward line which is the only place he's suited.

R7, I have a lot of respect for you as you have seen many a good day with the EFC. But I believe you are mistaken in your assessment of Scott Lucas at CHB. He did in fact win a B & F playing in that position in 2003. He can play both ends, and that's why Lucas is a terrific player. People have forgotten that with Lucas at CHB, we had the luxury of Fletcher kicking out (at approx 60 metres) with Lucas as the marking target (and usually marked it), then Lucas would drive the ball deep into our forward 50. Not that is a luxury few clubs have. I recall we scored a goal in 11 seconds from a kick out with Fletch and Lucas the driving force, and that was a Subiaco!

The beauty of Lucas at CHB, is that we have an option to switch him up forward when required, and we know how well he can play there! Lucas' defence at CHB is his ability to outmark his opponent, run on and kick long into our attack. The best form of defence is attack, and he does it well.

The idea isn't new, and when it happened last time, it was a great success.

Generally, I have no problems with Lucas at CHB or CHF. He can play both positions well.

However, if we're looking for someone to counter the Brown, Tredrea, Hall types that are currently terrorising most forward lines, is he the answer?

Can anyone name a CHB that is currently playing that regularly beats those types?

Yeah,well rose coloured glasses always get in the way.Fact of of the wonderfull Essendon life.
But no,Scott Lucas is no CHB,never will be and never was.
But who,don't know.
The first step would be stopping the opposition and let the creative players,well,create.
Can't do both at the moment.

I believe within time Kepler Bradley will be a bloody good CHB.

bombercol wrote:I believe within time Kepler Bradley will be a bloody good CHB.

im not so confident but never know

Rover 7 wrote:Yeah,well rose coloured glasses always get in the way.Fact of of the wonderfull Essendon life.
But no,Scott Lucas is no CHB,never will be and never was.
But who,don't know.
The first step would be stopping the opposition and let the creative players,well,create.
Can't do both at the moment.

R7, how does a player win a club B & F in a position where he isn't a success?

Lucas is not a short term, nor long term answer to our issue at CHB. I'd like to see how Lee goes.

I don't agree that Lucas, Lloyd, Johns, Hird is too heavy in the forward line. Hird is going to rotate\at times into the middle whether we like it or not... other than that, teams like St Kilda and Sydney make it work with forward lines like that.

Just leave Lucas in the Forward line PLEASE!

BenDoolan wrote:

Rover 7 wrote:Yeah,well rose coloured glasses always get in the way.Fact of of the wonderfull Essendon life.
But no,Scott Lucas is no CHB,never will be and never was.
But who,don't know.
The first step would be stopping the opposition and let the creative players,well,create.
Can't do both at the moment.

R7, how does a player win a club B & F in a position where he isn't a success?

No one said he wasn't a success, just that he can't quieten quality forwards. Look at Whitnall, plays CHB, gets plenty of goals kicked on him, but is still in his team's best because he gets so much of it hmself. I think Bowden at Richmond is very similar.

On Bradley, he is too slow and speed cannot be taught. He is always too far behind his man and despite bulking up, isn't strong enough either.

j-mac wrote:

BenDoolan wrote:

Rover 7 wrote:Yeah,well rose coloured glasses always get in the way.Fact of of the wonderfull Essendon life.
But no,Scott Lucas is no CHB,never will be and never was.
But who,don't know.
The first step would be stopping the opposition and let the creative players,well,create.
Can't do both at the moment.

R7, how does a player win a club B & F in a position where he isn't a success?

No one said he wasn't a success, just that he can't quieten quality forwards. Look at Whitnall, plays CHB, gets plenty of goals kicked on him, but is still in his team's best because he gets so much of it hmself. I think Bowden at Richmond is very similar.

On Bradley, he is too slow and speed cannot be taught. He is always too far behind his man and despite bulking up, isn't strong enough either.

Actually, R7 stated that Lucas will never succeed at CHB in a previous post. I was simply asking how a player can win a B & F in the very position he says he will never succeed in. I frankly don't care which position Lucas plays, as long as it is for the benefit for the team. Don't be surprised if he is thrown down back next season. I for one won't be surprised or upset, but judging by a few responses in here, there will be a few of you quite annoyed. I could be wrong, but blokes like Kepler Bradley and Andrew Lee better start working over the summer so that they can have a decent impact for us in the back half next season, otherwise, Scotty will have to fill the void.

Is Thornton still on the market?

team wrote:Is Thornton still on the market?

Lets hope not.

I dont see why Lee wasnt given a go. If they decided that Bradley wasnt the answer I dont see why they didnt try Lee. Otherwise what is he doing on the list?

I reckon Scotty should stay at CHF. He creates a headache for the opposition to match up on. Plus CJ is only in his 2nd full season and would be better off playing on the 3rd best opposition defender at this stage.

Also, while hopefully Scotty will be around to see the next Essendon premiership (say 2009) the club needs to find a long-term solution for CHB. Not just creating a hole to plug another.

If theyre not going to give Lee a go next season then I hope theyre going to get Hansen or trade for someone suitable.

Im with Western Red on this one.

Lucus does a great job at CHB, and as long as Lloyd, Hid and Johns are available he is an excellent option.

Face it our weakness is still our midfield and with Lucus's big bombs forward we reduce the impact of our deficiency by kicking it past the midfield into our forward line which at full strength, should be one area we can cause problems.

Lucus can also negate most opponants, although admittedly does have problems with the likes or Brown, Tredrea, Hall etc. But who doesnt?

I repeat a question asked earlier, who is out there that can frequently stop these guys? Let me answer. Apsaluetely no one if the midfield doesnt put pressure on the delivery down there.

Im not one eyed enough to think we can get close to the top 4 teams, but injury free and form perfmitting IMO we are definately a top 8 chance next season.