No chance Shiel plays surely
I don’t really care about players age, I just want to see integrity in selection and rewarding vfl form.
2 injuries to Archie and Setters means Durham and Tsatas are in.
Hayes and Roberts deserve a call up and would be happy to see Lav rested to take on Tex next week
Roberts I’m not sure who would come out. Maybe Menzie on form but team balance might suck a little.
Hind is most impactful as sub and in haply for him to be there for the rest of the season.
Davey boys and Caddy don’t deserve it just yet. Only other person putting their hand up is Bryan, but can’t see BDB changing the ruck setup.
What I’d love to see
Out: Perkins, Setterfield, Menzie, Draper, Goldstein, Laverde.
In: Durham, Tsatas, Roberts, Hayes, Bryan Caddy
B: McGrath, McKay, Redman
HB: Cox, Hayes, Martin
C: Merett, Parish, Duursma
R: Bryan, Hobbs Caldwell
HF: Stringer, Caddy, Durham
F: Gresham, Jones, Langford
IC: Tsatas, Kelly, Heppell, Roberts
Sub: Hind
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Dogs are almost full strength and we are decimated by injury somehow again in round 5.
There is no chance we get within 8 goals.
It will be lambs to the slaughter, no different to the last 10 years against the dogs.
It’s sickening that they’ve literally bullied us for a decade and there is nothing we will do to change it.
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Could mug him in the car park though.
I’m sure we’ve got an outstanding record against the Kangaroos and a few other sh¡tkickers but this made me have a look at our record in the last 10 games against the Dogs and a few others. It’s embarrassing.
Western Bulldogs = 1-9
Port Adelaide = 1-9
Richmond = 1-9
Cats = 2-8
Pies = 3-7 (just 1 of those wins on ANZAC Day)
I get that these teams have generally been better than us but we really do let teams own us.
Thank goodness we finally got a win against a sliding Tigers side last year.
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Robbo says Shiel is the answer . That gives us 2 fast inside mids. Hmm. Tsatas is the future right?
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If Shiel is the answer, WTF is the question?
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Development wise, why not just let Tsatas run with the bont, (has height compared to our mids), and then expose him with his pace.
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lol… Tsatas yes, Shiel no
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Who is currently the only Dylan on Essendon’s AFL list?
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Like it for Development, Bont is so strong. think last time Setters couldn’t contain him
Last few times I’ve watched us play against the dogs, I have left even more depressed. Bont is the complete package, just exceptional in all aspects. What I would give to have a player like him in our side.
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To be fair, supporters of all 17 non-Western Bulldogs teams also long for a Bontempelli.
He’s the most complete footballer in the league. By some distance.
If only Marty Gleeson was able to transition into the midfielder Dodoro saw
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Dees unveiling another debutant despite being absolutely flying:
Absolutely farking depressing that we do not have a draftee from this year or last year playing currently.
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Summary of debuts in 2024
Club AFL debuts
Adelaide 0
Brisbane Lions 0
Carlton 0
Collingwood 1
Essendon 0
Fremantle 1
Geelong 1
Gold Coast 4
Greater Western Sydney 1
Hawthorn 1
Melbourne 2
North Melbourne 3
Port Adelaide 0
Richmond 3
St Kilda 3
Sydney 1
West Coast 2
Western Bulldogs 2
Total 25
What do the teams that haven’t named debutants have in common? Yep, they are good (Adelaide aside).
I don’t think it’s as simplistic as just bring in a debutante
That player would both need to have shown worthy of game ahead of others AND there be opportunity to play for them
In Dees case, Kozzie suspended = opportunity. And been in form, 21 disp 6 tackles in last VFL game - 18 and 6 in previous game, the tackling and pressure standing out.
We have been giving young players a go. See Reid picked over Lav rd1, see Cox picked over Lav when Ridley went out.Jones who has more runs on board / not been injured like Caddy has stepped in for Wright
Roberts definitely putting his name in the mix though. Nobody else really has been, Hayes perhaps. Still needs to be opportunity though. Both might not be far off getting chance
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I take some exception to this though.
There has been two actual VFL games - the AFL players are playing in a team where no one has played together before. Some of those are forwards who rely on there being a semblance of structure, game plan and talent upfield to be able to have an impact.
In other words, they are provided the worst possible environment to put their name forward. Which further entrenches our reliance on ■■■■ senior players.
We are playing literally every fit senior player on the list other than Sam Weiderman. Every single one.
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Nobody can discount our VFL side being average & our injury list is negatively impacting that
But if you are good you can still standout as Archie & Hayes did previous game
Stars are misaligned with Essendon missing Guelfi, Perkins, Reid, Ridley, Setterfield, Shiel and Wright. While the Dogs are only missing Smith. This could get ugly.
Looking at the oppositions F50 entries + number of shots on goal this season:
- Against the Dees (loss) they had 53 entries for 19 shots on goal (9.10)
- Suns (W), 56/25 (18.7)
- Eagles (W), 51/26 (16.10)
- Cats (L), 51/21 (14.7)
Essendon:
- Hawks (W), 51/22 (17.5)
- Swans (L), 56/26 (15.11)
- Saints (W), 53/21 (10.11)
- Port (L), 43/12 (6.6)
Win or lose the Dogs are consistently getting the ball into their F50 50+ times which speaks of their midfield strength. Until the Port game, this was a strength of the Bombers too but given Setterfield and Perkins are missing, the ledger heavily favours the Dogs.
Having said that, the Dogs are letting the opposition into their D50 50+ times, same as Essendon, although Essendon’s numbers are more concerning…
Dogs:
- Dees, 53/29
- Suns, 52/17
- Eagles, 51/15
- Cats, 55/25
Essendon:
- Hawks, 57/28
- Swans, 59/36
- Saints, 51/22
- Port, 63/26
If Essendon can convert their chances (they “should” get the ball in there 50+ times) - efficiency will be critical - they’re a chance. A big if, I know.
4 Likes