Anticipatory Chat - Bombers v Budgies - Thursday 21st June at Optus Stadium

We are absolutely done, the damage is done. Whilst I think we might win a few on the way home, stick a fork in our season, test the list out and build for 2019.

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This.

I think 2018 is the reality check we needed for us to move from a ‘good’ team to a ‘great’ team in 2019 (hopefully). We just weren’t quite ready this year with returning and new players (+ injuries). We have the cattle, we just need them to play games together.

I hope we use the rest of the year to test out the list and give runs of games to younger players - if the wins happen, great - if not, at least we’ll have gotten important games into them all.

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Everyone talking finals is relying on the fact that Essendon could be consistent.

Something this club hasn’t managed for 15 years.

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The projections are based on form, up to that point, and makes no prediction about key injuries or changes in form. History is littered with teams that had massive form reversals in the second half of the season ( no doubt in some cases caused in part by injuries) and made the finals, or dropped out with a bad run home.

Sydney last year lost 6 on the trot, were a bottom 4 side until round 8 and made it into 6th spot, In 2016, North was on top of the ladder at round 12 only won 2 more games and dropped to 8th. Norf are the most likely to drop out imo, but Melbourne and Collingwood are fragile.

Barring a full on miracle of biblical proportions, we should start playing kids now.

we surely don’t make the finals, but it would be so awesome to knock off a few of the teams above us and knock them out of contention as well coming in to the latter part of the season.

Absolutely THIS.

We have an opportunity to dent Norths Finals chances.
Return bouts against the Hawks and Magpies will be welcome.

Perhaps we can surprise Port at home and knock them out of Top 4 calculations.

The Sydney/Buddy hoodoo is one we’d like to rectify.
We have a chance at home this time.
We broke our Geelong hoodoo last year, perhaps we can overcome this hurdle as well !

Looking forward to play the Tigers again to see how we adjust to their well structured pressure game.

Plenty of learnings to be had in these last 10 rounds.
Edit…also WCE next game is a huge test.

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Really doesn’t matter if we get beaten or not.

Just keep getting better.

I felt we were on a downward death spiral through to the Carlton game.

Pleasingly we have been pretty consistent since then. Even the Richmond game had positive signs in parts.

Take a few big scalps on the way home and try and repair our status as a destination club.

Finals gone.

Really tough call this year to do that. Too many Melbourne based clubs ahead of us I reckon.

We are so farked next week. Footy is so predictable these days. If the Eagles had won tonight, 12 wins in a row, we are a real chance of an upset against a complacent team.

The fact they lost means we get them at home on the rebound and get absolutely destroyed…sigh

Go man on man on their kick outs and have Francis intercept when Hurn goes long.

Oh man, it’s seriously going to get ugly. Eagles :eagle: on the rebound makes for ugly viewing. Unless of course, they have a mid season form slump but that’s delusional thinking on my part.

Given our weird form, we’ll narrowly win this game. Then lose to St Kilda and Gold Coast.

Rumours that Josh Kennedy will miss

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He was listed with an ankle injury in the game day match report, but hadn’t seen anything further since then.

No Kennedy or Darling would give us a remote chance.

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Sounds weird but I think we play better when teams have their better players in.

GWS - Kelly back and we got up
Geelong - I think Ablett came back. All three of their guns were playing and we won.
Richmond - Houli and Prestia out and got done.
Pies - Had stacks of injuries Anzac day and couldn’t win.
Dees - Were Hogan and Petracca both out that day?

We’re not without a chance if Kennedy and Darling are out - but will need for EVERYTHING to go right, including fair umpiring and injuries.

Tell ‘im he’s dreamin’.

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Hogan played. Petracca didn’t. Maybe they had others out