Speculation about changes for Dream Time v The Tigs

Even if we win It wont be season defining. We know we are capable of high quality football - we are just not consistent putting it together.
We still need to win a few on the trot. get back in the 8 and beat a top 8 team without their stars missing.

Ball use more than anything.

When we’re under pressure, the spot up marks at half forward drop off and we revert to bad habits: high and long floaters.

Preview: Tigers v Dons

Where and when: MCG, Saturday, May 25, 7.25pm AEST

Last time they met : MCG, round 22, 2018: Richmond 12.9 (81) defeated Essendon 11.7 (73)

Missing key midfielders Trent Cotchin, Kane Lambert and Dion Prestia, the Tigers held on to seal a tight win after the Bombers kicked the last four goals of the game. Dustin Martin was Richmond’s best, while Devon Smith led the way for Essendon.

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What it means for Richmond: An opportunity for a surprise top-four berth. Given Richmond’s injury list and the calibre of players on it, few would have expected the Tigers to have won as many games as they have.

What it means for Essendon: A win would go some way to stabilising a topsy-turvy season, levelling the win-loss ledger at five apiece. The Bombers have also lost 10 of their past 12 to the Tigers.

How Richmond wins: Using its multi-pronged attack to its advantage. Richmond’s forward line is starting to really hit its straps, and they could have too many avenues to goal for Essendon to counter.

How Essendon wins: Exploiting Richmond’s lack of height around the ground. Hawthorn looked dangerous while it had two fit rucks playing, both up forward and around the ground.

The stat: Saturday night marks the 15th Dreamtime at the 'G match, with Richmond having won eight games and Essendon saluting on six occasions. Dustin Martin is the only two-time winner of the Yiooken Award for best on ground.

The match-up: Sydney Stack v Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti

An unlikely match-up at the start of the season, but it’s set to be a highly entertaining one. The pair are as tough as nails, with Stack the fourth-highest first-year player in the AFL Player Ratings (516th overall), while the Bomber is rated 82nd overall.

It’s a big week for: John Worsfold

It’s been a strange season for Essendon, recording wins over Melbourne, Brisbane, North Melbourne and Fremantle interspersed with disappointing losses. Knocking off a confident Richmond side would be a real feather and a step towards being a legitimate finals contender.

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McEvoy going down early hurt the Hawks in game but not sure it made that much difference in the end? Tiges going in with a weakened/inexperienced ruck should hurt them. Gee, you’d think with all their outs there’d be a tipping point but they just keep, keeping on. Are they doing a Collingwood of 2018 with all their injuries? It seems that way?

In the last 5, Richmond have accounted for Swans, Dees, Freo and Hawks (all struggling) and lost to the Dogs who were switched on that day with Naughton dominating the air and scoreboard.

This is Essendon’s best chance at beating the Tiges but the question remains… are they good enough / do they have the system to take advantage?

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One of Francis’s very good games was against the Tigers last year where his marking was brilliant and saved many forward forays.

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This is so true it hurts

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They got thumped by the dogs.
They’re a good side, but they’re gettable.

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As someone posted earlier we have more talented players.

But they have far superior structures, and work ethic.

If we bring 100% intensity and the coaches have a well sorted plan. We can win. Anything short of that and it will cop a flogging.

Changes dependent on weather and structures.

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More importantly, they have a game plan that’s proven to work and to which, therefore, the players 100% believe in.

We do not - Worsfold is still trying to get all the forwards to race up the ground and the race back to F50 as we are moving through the midfield. It has failed repeatedly against tight opposition. We haven’t kicked more than 10 goals in a game now in 4 weeks against such tight opposition.

I wasn’t at the game against Freo but, based on all other games I’ve seen many of our turnovers coming off high HB and the midfield going forward are due to the player, with ball in hand, not having a forward leading at him - instead no one is in position or they are running away from the ball carrier expecting him to kick it 60m+ to thier advantage some how.

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Richmond do have a well drilled game plan, and it did deliver them a flag, but it also cost them a prelim final last season.

Clearances are no longer the key stat in footy, but I think we should have a clear advantage in that area. The Pies showed last year that genuine dominance out of the middle can rattle even the most battle hardened defensive setups.

We will have the best ruckman on the ground and should be aiming to smash them out of the middle and send the ball deep to Smack/Joe.

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Are we going to win a flag this year?
No - we are not.

So for me, whatever gets us closer to operating at our best and getting closer to reaching the summit, the better.

So…missing about 4 or 5 goals then.

Tigers are easily gettable.

I have zero confidence that we can do it. If we go after them hard and expose their defensive lines by running out of defence or hitting 30m short targets and instantly playing on then we should smash them. We have the pace and forwards to do it.

I would be playing stringer in the traditional chf role, I think his pace and skills could really be a weapon from the defensive zone lines of Richmond as a 30m pass from HB to a roaming free stringer who could turn and explode to a long f50 entry.

Keep Joe D deep behind their defensive line. And Tippa in between. Francis and Joe could alternate between being an outlet on the wing and playing from 30-40 metres from goal.

Tigers love to press up and cheat forward with hacks, taps and knock ons, so if we don’t hold our defensive structure back and move up too far we will get burnt on the turnover or stoppage loss every time. We should be playing McKenna, Saad and McNeice all in that deep defensive area. We need to combat their defensive pressure by having the ability to burst and long to outlet kicks on the wings or an attacking one through the centre when it’s open.

Even with all the tactics in our bag I think against Richmond it’s as much about attitude and intensity as anything. We match it we should win, we bring it and beat them at their intensity game we will destroy them. We are off even a fraction we will loose.

I think Shiel is going to go nuts on sat night. 30 Disp, 3 goals and 800+ metres gained.

Are we going to make the finals this year?
Are we going to win a final?

If we dont win the flag who does?

Rather than reflecting on our losses why dont we look at our wins and see what the difference was.
To me it was midfield dominance - especially shiel centre clearances and Marking key forwards.

Vs Dees - Zaharakis 31, Shiel 31, Heppell 27 (Merrett 26 was tagged, Goals McKernan 4, Stringer 4 Tippa 4) And Dees defensive unit was stuffed - no May and Lever helped. Won 1st quarter
vs Lions Merrett 35, Zaka 30 Shiel 28 (Goals Tippa 7, Brown 3) Fast ball movement to forwardline key and great start from centre clearnaces won 1st quarter
vs North Merrett 39 Shiel 35 Heppell 32 - North didnt tag and won smashed them in the middle.
won first quarter Goals Fantasia 4 Brown 3
vs Freo - Merrett 35, Zaharakis 32 Shiel 25 - Goals Tippa 3 Shiel 2 lost first qtr but was close and a low scoring slog. but our better players still got a lot of ball.

Collingwood Geelong Sydney - Zaharakis had less than 20 disposals and we lost

If Zaharkias get 30 or more disposals we win
If Merrett gets 35 or more disposals we win
If Tippa kicks a goal we win
If we win the first quarter > we win

it all is probably mental too - if we start well we are switched on and in for a good game.
If not essington turn up.

Get the game played on our terms,
Belly to shiel to daniher
pile on goals early.

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The tigers will be missing…

Best back
Best forward,
1st ruck
2nd ruck,
2nd best mid/Captain
Best HBF (Maybe 2nd best)

It just needs to be a W.

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We are missing best forward
All our tall forwards are underdone
Last years b&f
Our kids protector is protecting kids in the VFL

I anticipate a L.

If we are to beat Richmond we have to get off to a good start and break them early. It is near impossible to beat them when needing to come back from at least 3-4 goals down. they will eventually break you. MUST be switched on from the first bounce and not give up early goals. We had a great dress rehearsal last week beating a defensive Freo side. Despite being decimated with injuries this team is still the real deal. Have to win if we are serious about taking on the big boys of the comp

says a lot if we dont get the W

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Exactly!!!

WTF, I knew it was bad but FFS Essendon.

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