The last piece of the puzzle is composure - especially entering the forward line. Fix that and we are top 6.
It just blows my mind that we haven’t been able to address it for 10 + years.
8 Likes
You can’t expect a full list all the time. We are still relatively light on for injuries, so it’s no use making excuses about who we missed.
It’s a team thing. You need to kick it better and hit targets more. The best teams don’t turn it over by foot, and hit targets even when the target is not necessarily free, just by placing it to his advantage and weighting the kick.
We are not at that level.
We only look good when we run and gun it in to open space. When that doesn’t happen, we are very average.
3 Likes
Why did they want people to stand like it was the national anthem?
12 Likes
I’m going to watch the 2nd when I get home
Tick …under real pressure.
It will come, … we have taken steps in the right direction.
1 Like
“We are just too easy to score against”
We have the same issues we’ve had for however long.
We can’t defend and unless we are on a fast break we can’t enter our forward line with any system.
4 Likes
The way we develop players is becoming a serious concern.
There is perhaps two players on our entire list that was drafted to us and have reached their potential, Heppell and Hooker. Outside of that we have drafted talented players and developed them into inconsistent, mentally fragile, journeymen.
Merrett has all the skills to be a superstar but is getting worse, Zaharakis never made it after early promise, McGrath, while I like and it’s early, has shown he has talent far beyond what he consistently produces. Daniher is a star one week and missing the next, Francis is struggling to get consistency, Hurley is a solid player but again has been inconsistent throughout his career. Langford is… Langford, Laverde is in the same boat. Can even throw Myers into the mix, turning more into a mid 30’s-40’s journeyman than the top 10 pick - and these are just the guys still on the list.
This isn’t to say these players are always bad, but none have hit their best on a consistent basis and often go missing or chase cheap kicks. The reason I’ve named them is they are the core, “we’ve found one here” types that just haven’t taken the step up.
It’s become increasingly obvious as we bring in new recruits and the intensity that they play at is far beyond what we’re used to seeing.
Shiel, Devon Smith, Stringer, Saad, while have an off game every now and then, are for more consistent and developed than our home grown talent. They play with an intensity that just doesn’t seem to exist in players that haven’t spent time at another club on our list. ■■■■, I’d throw Goddard in there before we Essingtonned him up.
The most obvious problem with this is games like today where we fail to show up. For a “big club” we often no-show our big games and mentally go into games in awe of our opponents rather than believing we are a top side.
Bit over it to be honest.
56 Likes
I feel like we underestimated Guthrie.
4 Likes
We are very much a front running side.
Apply enough pressure,and it goes along way at beating us, our skills when the pressure is on are just second rate.
Big test today, and was a big letdown
6 Likes
I think they played well and we played poorly, but a fair chunk of our poor game was from their shutting us down.
Even considering that we had enough chances to be there at the end. Francis, Langford and a few dropped chances in the crumb were killers.
I am pre madonna
4 Likes
Our coaching box don’t even bother to shuffle the deck chairs on the Titanic.
Iceberg!!!
Umm… let’s just keep doing what we’re doing. Steady as she goes!!!
3 Likes
Was there any danger of our forwards leading towards the ball and not play behind their man?
16 Likes
But we will have happy clappers telling us we were beaten by a better team
Losing should never be accepted
1 Like
Such a mentally fragile club. Have a honourable loss against a good club, we think we’re not far off it and then go out and play like things will just happen for us. Same as the off season, built up as a top four side, come out lazy and uncommitted, like we have the top 4 spot wrapt up already.
When things get tough on field, we crumble. It’s interesting that the players that tend to stand up are ones brought in from other clubs, Stringer, Sheil, Saad. Our homegrown players are front running sulks. We need a cultural kick up the ■■■■.
14 Likes
They have all been doing that all year. Back when our forward line was unbeatable, they all lead correctly and decoyed brilliantly. Now they have no idea. Whoever is the current forwardline coach has no idea and Skip needs to go back there.
1 Like
It’s great that Essendon put this on display pretty much week in week out and think that being barely passable is good enough.
Such a losing culture is ingrained in this joint.
3 Likes
Putrid forward line.
2 Likes
This is always the case even when we are playing well. No one will lead to create space.
eg Smith came around the outer wing with 2 bounces in the 3rd qtr and you could see he was looking for someone to lead and give him an option, and no-one did. He ended up kicking long with his left to a contest where our forward (Parish I think) was side by side with is man wrestling for position. How can you kick to advantage if no-one will lead?
Every time Kelly gets in those positions, he gets a lead and hits the target. Throw in Pendlebury, Sidebottom…any of the leading onballers. Their team mates know they will hit the target and they lead knowing what is coming.
2 Likes