Thanks for saying sorry.
But don’t think it is rubbish to plan to play a side that matches up better for Hawthorn than Geelong, given it was only a JLT match and the last opportunity to get backline chemistry going.
He may have failed the test, but if he is considered the best match for one of Hawthorn’s smalls he will play and that will be very different from the Menzel experience.
One of my favourite players, always gonna tough gig against the Hawks with their quality smalls
Played well
■■■■ JLT form, that’s the bags we all love.
He was brilliant.
We are a fickle bunch.
Excellent game Baggers.
He was poor early on for mine but by the end of the game, he looked like the Baggers we have become accustom to the past 3-4 seasons.
Took some great dukes and opened up the play for us.
Que? I thought he was one of our best in the first half.
And yes, I am officially sorry, Bags.
How could we have ever doubted him.?
O ye, of little faith
Agree he was poor early but made up for it in spades latter in the game. Very very good game
Was really really good, and he had a haircut. Great stuff all round
Sorry Bags. Shouldn’t have doubted you.
Ditto
No surprise a haircut has taken him back to gun status.
I had my doubts in the pre-season, but I thought he was one of our best down back all night. Looked to have gained an extra step too from previously, great match.
I would not have played him. I was wrong!
How unheralded Mark Baguley shut down Cyril Rioli in emotional Essendon win over HawthornBen Waterworth
March 26, 2017 12:07am
BEN WATERWORTH@bjwaterworth
Source: FOX SPORTSMANY defenders would quiver in their boots about the prospect of playing on Cyril Rioli.
But a clear pre-game plan — and a little in-game class and luck — helped Mark Baguley shut down the game’s most dangerous forward in one of the Essendon defender’s finest games of his career to date.
Baguley completely blanketed Rioli at the MCG on Saturday night in one of the most unheralded individual efforts of the Bombers’ emotional 25-point win over Hawthorn.
Not only was Rioli restricted to just one goal for the night, he finished the night with a miserly eight disposals — the lowest count of any player on the ground.
Baguley revealed that he was told on Wednesday that he would be playing “a fair chunk of the game” on Rioli.
And the research he put in prior to Saturday night’s clash, as well as his natural footy smarts, paid dividends for him and coach John Worsfold.
“Cyril’s a great player, so you’ve just got to do your best against him to try and limit his opportunities,” Baguley told foxfooty.com.au.
“It’s hard because he pretty much doesn’t have any weaknesses. He’s a good mark for his size, he’s quick and he’s got good skills.
“I just tried to stay goal-side of him, corral him as much as I could to limit his opportunity and pressure him when he’s got the ball.”
By his own admission, Baguley is a defence-first defender — a trademark that has helped him develop into the club’s best small backman.
But on Saturday night, it was his offence and ability to read the play that was just as valuable as his defensive work, finishing with 17 disposals, eight marks (two contested) and, most importantly, a game-high nine intercept possessions.
“I want to try and shut down the forward first, but I found myself in a few attacking positions,” Baguley said.
“I just backed myself when I got the chance.”
While Baguley’s efforts were crucial, Rioli was clearly hampered by a cork suffered during the middle stages of the first term.
Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said the injury “probably impacted (Cyril’s) game, unfortunately”.
“We don’t see Cyril as quiet as that very often,” Clarkson said post-match.
“I don’t want to make excuses for him. Whilst he was out there playing, he was OK to participate and compete, but he copped a knock that meant he probably wasn’t as effective as what he could normally be.”
Clarkson was confident Rioli would be fit to take on Adelaide at the MCG next week, as he played out the game with “not significant enough discomfort to leave the ground and not participate”.
While it was a significant night for the six players returning from doping bans, Baguley was also playing his first game back from a lengthy stint on the sidelines.
Baguley wasn’t one of the infamous 34 past and present players, but a serious knee injury suffered in Round 11 last year consequently sidelined him for the rest of the 2016 season.
So Saturday night’s victory was just as special for Baguley as it was for any other returning Bomber.
“I hadn’t played in a win in nearly a year,” Baguley said.
“It’s just good to play footy as a footy club again and no more supplements saga hanging over our head,” Baguley said.
For Baguley and his Bombers, the next seven days allows the club to return to routine.
The long build-up has finished, the Round 1 game has been played and the points have been awarded.
Now, as Baguley puts it, the Bombers can return to normality and focus on taking on the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba without any burdens and little hype.
“The season goes on, so we don’t want to rest on a Round 1 win,” Baguley said.
“We want to go up to Brisbane, play like we did (on Saturday night), put in a four-quarter effort and play in a win.”
Never doubted him. The guy has been immense for us in defence over the years. Onya Bags!
■■■■ JLT 3rd game made me nervous for him in R1, but holy ■■■■ he was excellent in the first half. Marking, diving, negating cyril/puops deep in their fwd 50. This guy was just trolling in the JLT series and turned up in the season proper. He just showed us why he is the number 1 small defender for us. I have a little bit of egg on my face.
Probably near best on ground for us in that first quarter, and definitely our best defender in that first half. Positioning, pace and work under pressure were all great. Didn’t even notice Rioli after an few touches. Wuld say he’d feature well in the B&F count for this match.
JL what??? should never have doubted him.