The stats for both sides were actually fairly even. The issue for us is we were trapped in their fwd half for far too much of the game.
Our players did not handle the pressure well nor put enough pressure back themselves.
I think we made a mistake going in so tall in defence. And many of our players were down (Zerrett and Zaka were tagged) and others had next to no impact.
Freo as one of their players said in post match were stung into action after Port belted them, their intensity & pressure suffocated us and meant we had no fluency fwd.
So many dropped marks in defence unacceptable though. Cost us time and time again. Even Hurls and Hep did so.
Lots to work on
If there is any positive. We played like utter trash and were up against it all game & only lost by 3goals.
Winning away always very difficult, Freo too good for us tonight.
I am sorry but Tippa was embarrassing tonight. Playing midfield and simply not defending at all! How many marks does Hartley almost take??? Like last week he was terrible! Sorry Kyle you are not going to make it! Daniher that was simply not standard! Devon Smith you were awesome and tried your guts out. We need to find some players quickly. Taberner again I canât believe it! We are simply average.
Iâm absolutely fed up with our inability to handle an extra man in defence. One on one we are almost unstoppable but whenever the opposition has a loose back we bomb it long or quick kick without looking. Itâs a disturbing trend.
Maybe we have a few players who drink their own bath water. Fkn disappointing, but weâve been dropping ones like this for over a decade so not that surprised.
Out-coached for sure too and thatâs fkn sad. They worked our forwardline out with ease.
I really want to believe we have turned the corner and things are changing but Iâm yet to see anything to convince me. If we had, tonight is just a not negotiable win.
Smith had a crack⌠probably one of very few that can hold his head high⌠Mckenna in that boat too.
If you canât see that some of that loss was on the coaches⌠then I donât know what game you are watched. Lyons put on a masterclass and we had no answers⌠we donât make a single noteworthy change all game. We are just throwing money away flying Woosha over there⌠I doubt he even watches the game.
Same â â â â but different year⌠you play a loose man back and it kills EFC every single time. We literally have no plan B⌠Our forwardline can get shut down very easily if you play hard, aggressive footy through the middle and apply pressure to the ball carrier.
because every â â â â â â â year you get happy clapping idiots going on about how essendon is changed, then they â â â â â â â try to lord it over you when â â â â like this happens and you buy into their blind zealous faith on the miniscule chance it happens only for the team to continue portraying the club you love as a â â â â â â â pissant.
By the way can Goddard please stop kicking to the opposition in the corridor. Dyson you always try hard but that dropped mark and free kick give away to Matera! Finally, tell why how Fyfe stands alone on one side of the ball up when they have Sandilands who is likely to win the ruck contest. They get the clearance of course!