Gather round 2024 and review

[Heffsgirl]

Meek

[Chris_1993]

No, he plays for Hawthorn.

[robmur13]

After Plan A failed as Port piled the goals in the 2nd. quarter, where was Plan B or Plan C or Plan D etc. Only 2 Essendon players last night, Merrett and Martin would have made the Port team. Our players are incapable of playing at Port’s current level. Port looked a very competent team, 50% better than Essendon. There are no excuses for that very poor performance - handball mad, poor kicking to another Essendon player. Totally beaten all over the ground. Dogs, Crows, Pies next three games. Yuk and more Yuk. Percentage was totally destroyed.

[Sniggles]

In 2021 after we lost to Port by 10 goals at Adelaide Oval I commented that we were at the stage in our development where we would lose to Port at Adelaide Oval by 10 goals.

Three years later and we lose to Port at Adelaide Oval by 11 goals…

[Bully]

@Pintar

Year one, game one GWS put Toby Green in the forward line. Hasn’t been moved in 10 years. They have players who are pillars and new draftees know their place and their role when they come in. All a new player has to do is get out of green, Whitfield and Taylors way and do all they can to support the Pillars.

I know injuries are a thing but logically Essendon should be playing Caddy, Daveys, Tsatas and at least trying Roberts or Hayes. The best will weeded out and become pillars, The next draftees will be given equal opportunities until a team is formed.

Toby Green started as a high possession getting midfielder at the giants from memory.

The giants v suns comparison is a good one though, because it indicates exactly where our issues have been.

The Giants went after hard nosed players with a good frame to build size on, with good foot skills. The suns went for flashy lighter framed players with high athletic upside.

I watch a lot of the suns, they are extremely similar to us. Basically what I’m saying is, the drafting philosophy to build a strong core has been wrong at Essendon for a long time. You build the strong core off strong hard nosed contested ball players, then add the cream later. Both Essendon and the suns went the opposite route and it’s ■■■■■■ us for 20 years and them for 13 years.

[Nocturnal]

The smashing we had to have.

With a poor preseason, then a few weeks of attacking the footy and getting all edge like. This was the wake up call our side needed early in the season. I got the sense that people were trying to throw lipstick on a pig when describing our preseason games. Lots of ‘it’s pre season’ excuses. And the ensuing lift in performance was encouraging that the pig was better looking that we first thought. We were even being lauded for the start of establishing a brand of footy.

Buuut.

A complete crumble under pressure from one of the top sides has shown just how far we have to go. I’ve been banging on for a while that our baseline is too low and last night you could see us revert back to type. We can get up for a period, but we can’t lift the floor in standards and performance anywhere near enough.

Throw in a complete disaster of injury management and prevention overhaul at the end of last season and what little hope we have of having a best 22 out there has evaporated.

This bring the club back to how we ended the last season, and what needs to continue, a grind to lift standards and intensity and fix things. Not one of flash in the pan few weeks then crumble. Long way to go before we are a good side.

[SplitRound]

@barnz

once again we’re posed with the question, what is our footballing identity?

Middle manager with quotes from The Art Of War on his walls who hasn’t had a promotion in fifteen years but insists it’s just because he’s so important to the company.

[chogby]

@barnz

once again we’re posed with the question, what is our footballing identity?

Microsoft Edge

[The_Ant]

We actually matchup ok against other sides but Port is our nightmare matchup.
Just so quick which is our biggest deficiency.
We have speed in Tsatas and perhaps we should have taken a chance on him.
Losing Duz and no Shiel hurt us. But still it’s an area we lack.

[The_Ant]

Also a stitch up by the AFL to give us Port for gather round. ■■■■■.

[alex.f.94]

@souchy

This club really needs to grow a set of balls

Balls? I think that’s the problem. Too many rusted on old men leading the club still. Get some fkg women in there to tell some home truths to these flogs and tell them to clean the place out with a fkg vengeance.

[em2009]

How is it a stitch up? Someone has to play them.

[em2009]

Sign me up

[andrewb]

@The_Ant

We actually matchup ok against other sides but Port is our nightmare matchup.
Just so quick which is our biggest deficiency.
We have speed in Tsatas and perhaps we should have taken a chance on him.
Losing Duz and no Shiel hurt us. But still it’s an area we lack.

I’m sure port supporters are spewing that Hinkley demoted Wines to the wing to get more midfield exposure for JHF, Butters and Rozee right now.

[The_Ant]

Of course. But outside a few teams it’s always going to be a bloodbath. We drew the short straw.

[James98]

Rather play them in Gather Round instead of having to travel there 3 times possibly

[em2009]

We draw the short straw because we’re crap. Haha

[Scorpio]

Me too!

[barnz]

the list es caca

[Finding_Nino]

Have the showdown that shoud be the center piece of gather round imo