Thank God for that
Was anyone who was at the game annoyed that McNiece (after taking that mark late) didn’t simply look left and hit Hooker with an easy, risk free 20 mtr kick, that would ultimately chew up a further 20 seconds, or more if Hooker then finds another short pass option after it ?
Whilst I knew there was only seconds left and the game was safe, as I had the Foxtel Go going on my phone, the lack of game awareness and Footy IQ annoyed me.
Yer, yer, it didn’t matter this time, but next time there could be 2 minutes left !
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Or maybe he knew there wasn’t two minutes to go because you know that gets screamed and relayed from the bench.
Like to think if there was he would have taken the safest and more time consuming option, but we will ever know so why pick on something so trivial
Everyone will say it was a scrappy game but it was a win we just had to get.
Ross Lyon matches are nearly always going to be like that.
Really we should have won by 4-5 goals if it wasn’t for those disgraceful umpiring decisions at the end.
I feel that after quarter time it was a decent performance given the circumstances.
Onto Richmond now. A good chance to win our next 2 and setup our season!
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Not sure where your confidence is coming from. Play the way we have for the past month on the weekend and we won’t just get beaten by the Tigers, we’ll get absolutely pasted. As for Carlton, we all know how well that’s worked out of late…
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It’s not trivial.
It’s a basic tactic used to exhaust the clock when holding a lead, and a skill that needs to be practiced in game.
Nothing against McNiece as I’m glad he is getting another chance and should certainly play this week.
Still annoyed me though !
I have no faith in any of our players’ set shot kicking besides Walla and Raz.
So painful on Saturday night.
Francis and Walla were the only 2 we kicked from about 12 marks inside 50
It is trivial because he took a very good mark with what 20 seconds to go?
He held it for as long as possible to wind the clock down even more. A tactic commonly used when there is 20-30 seconds left.
If he did with 2 minutes to go, yes I agree he should have used Hooker and you know what, he probably would have. We will never know unless it happens again this week. I think you are getting annoyed at nothing
Our team which now sits 4 and 5
Needs to win the next game to revive
Our hopes for the 8
And we will celebrate
When we eat those poor Tigers alive
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Agreed. But our poor set-shot goal-kicking didn’t help. We’ll need to play many times better to beat Tiges. Let’s hope we do!
The eve of winter
The Tigers sleep and portend
Our glorious Spring
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A haiku in response? Nice!
I really hope some time is set aside this week to practise set shots - hundreds of them.
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Five things we learned: Round nine[Conor Walsh]
In 2019 we will be looking back on five key lessons to take away from every Bombers match, thanks to RMIT.
This time we look into Essendon’s tough seven-point victory over Fremantle at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.
1. Redman is a star in the making
I wrote about Mason Redman in this column a few weeks ago and he certainly hasn’t let me down since then.
This young Bomber has it all; athleticism, composure, skill, football smarts and great class both in the air and on the ground.
Redman made every possession count once again on the weekend, putting his exceptional ability to read the play to great use with 20 disposals, seven marks and six intercept possessions.
Versatile enough to shut down opponents of all shapes and sizes before hurting them on the rebound, the future looks very bright for the 21-year-old.
2. Red and black defensive unit is up with the best
Essendon has clear claim to having one of the top defensive units in the league. The side’s key trio of Michael Hurley, Cale Hooker and Patrick Ambrose have been remarkable this year.
Ambrose is a severely underrated part of the line-up, more often than not taking on the opponent’s most dangerous forward and doing it brilliantly throughout the season. He was dominant again on the weekend and did so covering an equal game-high 14.7km.
His addition to the backline allows his All Australian teammates to flourish. Hurley (23 disposals, nine intercept possessions, seven rebound 50s and seven one percenters) was arguably best on ground against the Dockers, while Hooker (20 disposals, nine one percenters and seven marks) was clinical again.
Add to those big Bombers a terrific brigade of smaller defenders like Adam Saad, Conor McKenna, Redman and Ben McNiece, who are just as good in attack as in defence, and you’ve got one serious unit.
They were great keeping the Dockers to seven goals (including a few late ones due to free kicks) on Saturday after conceding only 11, 13, 10, seven and nine in the preceding five games.
3. Merrett is back to his best
It took star midfielder Zach Merrett a couple of week or two to work into the year after receiving some close attention early in the season, but he has picked up some serious momentum.
He was at his damaging best again on the weekend, picking up 35 disposals, 13 contested possessions and six tackles as he ripped the ball out of the contest for his teammates.
Merrett is now averaging over 30 disposals, 12 contested possessions, six tackles, five inside 50s, five clearances, recapturing the form that saw him named as an All Australian in 2017.
The 23-year-old is a fierce leader you can depend on to give his all week after week and you can see why his teammates look up to him so dearly.
4. Walla is as potent as they get
Few players can completely turn a game on its head in the space of five minutes. Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti is one of them.
It has been well documented that the Bombers are at their best when ‘Walla’ is firing and the small forward had been quiet early in the game.
But 10 minutes into the second term, he simply made things happen. First clearing the ball out of the defensive 50 with a clever pass from the outside of his boot, he put his fitness to the test and bobbed up a minute later inside the forward 50, eventually slotting a classy snap goal to get the Bombers back on the board.
Five minutes later, he kicked another cracker, this time after taking an exceptional contested mark against taller opponent Luke Ryan.
He may have finished the game with just 10 disposals, but he booted three goals and had five score involvements, showing once again that he is one of the best players in the league when it comes to making each possession count.
5. Woosha can change it up
In a rarely-seen move, head coach John Worsfold took it upon himself to coach from the bench against the Dockers, leaving the box and joining the wave of team leaders doing the same this year.
With so many new rules including greater restrictions on the use of runners this year, many coaches have seen the tactic as a way to communicate with their players more effectively.
The league’s most experienced current coach when he emerged on the pine, but Guelfi said it was valuable to have Worsfold by his side.
Whether it had a significantly positive impact on the game and the team as a whole, I can’t answer, but it was interesting to see the coaching panel try something new on the weekend.
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How many goal Joe
Daniher kick? Full, but not
To capacity
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This is a Haiku
About that game of football
W T F
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Care of the haiku generator:
Essendon - A Haiku
by MC
Dismal wintertime
A scratchy essendon win
near the pelican
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I don’t mind this from Woosha. Makes sense given that he’s more of a man manger than a tactician that needs a proper view from the coaches box to scope the oppositions tactics
Umpires - A Haiku
By dambuster
Unfriendly Autumn
A nasty umpire reams
at the Bomber rear ends
A torturous watch
Bombers underwhelm again
Mid table awaits
3 Likes