No you cant
8 Likes
So much this.
For the grumblers today, despite facing North playing pretty good footy today, and a few things working against us, take a look at Northâs games at Marvel this year.
Only one team kept them to a lower score than us this year, by 1 point.
I think every Marvel game this year, North has got out to a 2-3 goal lead in the first quarter. Why did anyone think they werenât going to do the same today?
That âonly 40 pointâ win, is a 160% game, as they only scored 66.
And donât forget. Last year, we won by 9 points in a nail biter.
North came out with their 3 top young mids working well today. They threw large numbers around the ball. To their credit, they are one of the few teams we werenât able to run over the top of in the last quarter. But they certainly had the best of the umpiring today as well.
This was a good professional win that Essington would probably come close to losing, or lose, where several things were stacked against us.
After watching some of the best in the comp look wobbly this week, how can anyone complain about a 40 point win against a firing North on their home deck?
18 Likes
Dees are getting pantsed by the Eagles.
A 40 point win is good.
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I was watching him closely, and from the moment he took the mark, he nominated that he was not only going to take the shot, he was indeed going to kick the goal, which he duly did. He regularly performs the improbable with nonchalant ease, his confidence in his own ability bordered on arrogance. Then he kicked and delivered.
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Now that Melbourne lost, we are firmly in the top 5.
I mean, that was great.
But he also sprayed an U/16âs snap from 30 directly in front.
I never said he doesnât have two golden disposals per game.
To counteract my gloomer win, just spent 10 mins going through the ladder predictor and turns out we win the premiership.
19 Likes
2024 R 10.
Got back from the game about an hour ago and it has taken me that long to warm up. I am still processing what we saw today. The gulf in class between the two teams today was obvious from the outset. What Norf lacked in composure they tried hard to make up in effort. They got off to a flying start like GWS did last week. They were given an armchair ride early on thanks to the dominance of Xerri in the ruck, over Goldy who was comprehensively outpointed. As a direct result LDU and co. dominated clearances which had the added benefit of making us look slow as well as ineffectual. It took some 15 minutes for Essendon to respond and when they did, they showed that the gulf in class was obvious, and we took a lead at quarter time that was more a result of forward efficiency than it was any sort of dominance.
The second quarter revealed more of the Norf game plan, they went into full damage control. Rather than try and win it looked like they were trying to limit our ability to hit the scoreboard. Enter 2MP who began to find space, stick marks, kick goals and also take some time in the ruck. He was ably assisted by Guelfi who had suddenly become a goal kicking machine. Thank goodness they were on task today as Langers had trampoline hands, and couldnât stick his marks. In the centre the absence of Parish was being felt, as Norf put more time and pressure on Durham and Merrett was quiet, but surprised with a long range goal. Our margin at half time was an accurate reflection of the state of play. The main question was how long could Norf stand up, as Essendon looked primed to find another gear after half time.
In the third quarter Essendon finally found the on switch. Norf had no answer to 2MP who was having a field day. In the centre Stringer starting his hands on the ball and the Norf dominance was negated. Guelfi was still looking dangerous and the Norf defenders were being led a merry dance. Their answer was more dour defence, while down back Laverde, Heppell and Kelly were keeping their forwards in check. As a result we started getting better entries into the F50 and looking for 2MP with well weighted passes. Wright was also leading well and getting good separation on his direct opponent, which was in contrast to the first half where he was attempting to mark in packs, without success. To be fair in the first half he was leading too far under the ball, but managed to halve most contests. Norf allowed him and Guelfi to get off the chain a little as they put most of their energy and effort into negating Langers, who often had his arms chopped or was getting little pushes in the back. It looked a bit like Langers was used as a decoy today to draw the heat that allowed 2MP to get off the chain. Certainly the Norf defence did not pay big Pete sufficient respect. Which brings me to the chumps. They were bloody woeful. It looks very much like other Blitzers have said today, that the HTB and throwing the ball free kicks have become an endangered species. Time and again Norf players just absorbed tackles, confident that they would not give away a free.
The last quarter was something of a let down. We should have buried them but didnât. Just why that was l donât know, l suspect it was a result of a bit of a let down from the pressure game of last week. Teams canât play at that level every week, and every team/match is different. Another let down was the continued poor form of Davey. He offers us very little in terms of pressure and Shiel was just as bad. Clean up our disposal going into the F50, bank the 4 points and move on to next week.
24 Likes
Good to see you btw Capân
1 Like
Overall happy to get the win with rumours of illness and the late outs against a team that generally rocks up like they are playing a grand final against us.
Umpires where shocking in parts the holding the ball calls were disgraceful and the ones many wouldnât notice was goldy got blocked a few times in the actual ruck contest with no call from the umpire along with Xerri kept holding Goldieâs wrist.
What i want to see in the next step for us as a club is turn those wins into 60 plus floggings
i even let the automatic predictor have a crack and we finish top 4!
2 Likes
âHappy to be hereâ: Ben McKay enjoying footy again and claims big win over former team
Essendon defender Ben McKay tells JAY CLARK heâs happy to be at the Bombers after seeing eight wins in eight years at the Roos, while recording a big win over his former team.
Essendon star defender Ben McKay says he has rediscovered his love for the game at Tullamarine after trouncing his old club by 40 points at Marvel Stadium.
The Bombers are stalking their first finals win in two decades after surging into the top-two with a second-half goal rush to brush off McKayâs former club.
The loss leaves the winless Roos languishing in last spot as they prepare to take on former No. 1 pick Jason Horne-Francis and the Power in Hobart on Saturday.
McKay, who kept close mate Nick Larkey to one goal on Sunday, said he was loving his fresh start in red and black after just eight wins in 71 matches at North.
The stopper, who caught up with some of his former teammates for a meal together last week, credited defensive coach Ben Jacobs for helping him âget my love back for the gameâ.
âI just think eight years at North, I have always loved my time there, but when you are not winning as many games as you would like it does get tough,â McKay said.
âI feel for the boys across in the other change rooms.
âThey try their hearts out every week and sometimes the results donât come.
âSwapping clubs was an important phase of my life to get re-energised again and get back to enjoying footy again to a degree and enjoying the process again as much as anything.
âBrad (Scott) is huge on that and I am happy to be here.â
McKay has re-established his reputation as one of the best key defenders in the game at Essendon as they attempt to continue the pain for Richmond in the Dreamtime clash at the MCG.
Essendon already has seven wins and a draw for the season, meaning the club may only need five more victories from the remaining 13 matches to secure a finals berth.
The club will tackle Richmond, West Coast and St Kilda as part of the run home and will remain in Victoria for 11 of their last 13 matches.
McKay said Scott has made sure there was little threat of becoming complacent after laying the foundation for a finals berth.
âIt is a platform (for September) isnât it,â McKay said.
âWe take it week by week, but I couldnât be more proud of how Brad disassociates from the ladder, and I have never really seen that before.
âIt is so easy to get caught up in the ladder every now and then but the ability to bring it back to our process and our moment has been brilliant.
âBrad will always bring us back if we get ahead of ourselves.â
It is the first time since 2013 Essendon has been in the top two at Round 10. The club was booted out of the finals series due to the supplement saga and stripped of top draft picks in 2013.
Having re-emerged under second-year coach Scott, McKay said he was âgratefulâ to be playing in âbig games in front of big crowdsâ with another marquee clash in front of a packed house against the Tigers up next.
The backman said it was odd to play against some of his best mates and was âdirtyâ for dropping some early marks in his match-up on Larkey.
âThey werenât edgy or chirpy or anything like that, they were just playing the footy which you would expect,â he said.
âIt was a bit strange, but they were my teammates and I wish them all the best.
âI have so much respect for big âSouvâ he is someone I have kept in contact with. I rate him as one of the top key forwards in the game.
âI couldnât catch a cold in the first half, I dropped about five or six, so maybe I needed some more grippo.
âIt was a good challenge for me to battle with Larks and get involved in the air and offensively as well.â
15 Likes
Crowd genuinely felt like playing an interstate side.
They really are irrelevant
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Yeah we were off, but not drastically off.
Effort without the ball was there which is Scotts non negotiable imho.
And thats where I think our views differ.
It was a horrible game.
That was me who gave him one. But I found it really tough to pick a third best, given the evenness of spread.
And on your point re the ambling around once it leaves his area, might be fair. But one thing Jake has done consistently done this season, is when the ball is in his area, he pressures like a man possessed and works his ass off.
Missed a couple on his left and it was such an even spread after Calders and Wright, but String stood out for me.
3 Likes
Brought it against some useful opponents such as Sydney, Collingwood and GWS.
Today was disappointing. Going on form, if this team manages to win the premiership this year it will be the worst Essendon team of the past twenty three years to win a premiership.
5 Likes
Did not hear any North fans cheer when they ran through the banner it was weird.
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Thatâs great and all. I would also like to see us bring it against a team we donât need to bring it against and run up a big win. Itâs been a long wait.