Stewart went from our most consistent fwd to our worst, should be kicking bags at the VFL level
Service was little league stuff today though
Anyway⌠weâre back to fourth on the ladder. After tomorrow there will (unless thereâs a draw) be two teams below us on percentage only â luckily one will be 36% behind us, and the other around 20% behind.
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Stewart is a flanker/roaming CHF â weâre playing him more as a FF, and heâs getting swamped rather than running off his man/men.
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Really missed Laverde in todays game, presents really well in the 50-75m range and itâs not really Stewartâs go as he prefers to either play really high on the labels, or deep with a mismatch via being the 3rd tall. We really need to find him someone to take the primary forward mantle off him; I hope Lavender comes on quickly in the back end of the season.
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I hope he makes it, as I enjoy your comments and perspective as a Dad !
Big blokes do take a long time. Some like Paul Salmon can have an immediate impact but he played footy all his life and was a giant in his time. David Hille, TBC and most others donât show consistent form until mid twenties.
And in any case, you have got him out of the house, earning a living, becoming independent in a great working environment. Massive positives for the boys future.
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Not to mention the networking he has access to.
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Playing someone out of there best position. Iâm shocked, I tell you, shocked.
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New LAV has shown quite a lot of improvement already this year. Seems to me his development is coming along ok.
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Good to know that our vfl side can hold and almost beat the mfc.
Seriously whos actually in melbournes side at present seeing half their supposed best 22 were playing yesterday.
Surprised gawn wasnt playing.
Good effort all things considered.
He moves well.
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In the second half of the VFLW/M double-header at RAMS Arena, the Bombers were jumped by the second-placed Demonsâ direct and accurate ball movement in a first quarter that saw them concede three goals to none.
Although the Bombers perpetually improved across the rest of the match, they were unable to ever claim the lead and fell short 6.10 (46) to 8.6 (54).
The wet conditions provided a challenge for both sides, but Casey established an upper hand early. Although ruck Sam Draper had begun a commendable performance that he maintained all day both in the air and through competing at ground level to win an impressive 20 touches, the Demonsâ rovers had all the answers early.
When Jeff Garlett goaled at the fifteen-minute mark of the second quarter, Casey had kicked the first five and was threatening to take the match away from the Bombers.
However, Essendon was able to wrest the match back on even terms by half-time as Alex Boyse, James Stewart and Jackson Merrett goaled in a purple patch.
The sides traded blows in the third quarter as Ben McNiece (21 touches) provided dash through the middle and vice-captain Aaron Heppell began to accumulate run out of the back half.
The Bombers rallied to bring the ball forward and reduce the margin to 10 at the final change. Although Essendon continued to attack in the final 30 minutes, the Demons always held an armâs length lead on the scoreboard and were able to repel and ultimately prevail.
Nick Hind had the most touches for Essendon with 29 while Dylan Clarke (25), Heppell (24) and Jamieson Sheahan (21) also got their hands on the ball across the four quarters. Despite sending a scare through the Bomber camp when he came off the ground after being crunched in the second quarter, Kobe Mutch finished with 20 disposals and ran the game out well.
âWe were just a little bit off, particularly in the first quarter,â coach Dan Jordan said.
âWe were slow with our decisions and our transition, but as the game wore on we fixed that up and gave ourselves enough opportunities. We probably just couldnât convert from our inside-50s.
The loss sees the Bombers slip from third to fourth place on the ladder, but Jordan says his side walked away with plenty of upside at which to look.
âIâm still pretty positive. We were really close â if weâd converted one or two more opportunities, we would have won the game. I thought it was a great contest; two really good sides going at it, the conditions obviously scored for a slower game.â
Essendon will play Richmond in Round 14 at Windy Hill next Sunday in a VFLW/M double header.
ESSENDON 0.2 3.3 5.5 6.10.46
CASEY 3.2 4.6 7.3 8.6.54
GOALS
Essendon â Boyse 2, Stewart, Merrett, Younan, Houlahan
Casey â Stretch 2, Hutchins, Scott, King, Balic, Garlett, Smith
BEST â Mutch, Hind, Merrett, Draper, Heppell, Clarke
By Callum OâConnor
I have only seen a few games on TV but big LAV moves well. Will judge him end next year
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I like that version of the name 
As always, turn down the sound firstâŚ
Long is absolutely miles and miles off it. Would be 5 or 6 of the VFL listed guys ahead of him, never mind the AFL guys.
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Yeah he does a couple of good things that make you think thereâs a footballer in there. He brought the ball down beautifully to crumbers a couple of times. (Which is exactly what you want from talls in conditions like that)
Not exactly good conditions for a big bloke either.
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Stewart had 8 touches, Leueny 7, so i guess they should be playing suburban footy next weekend too?
Sometime i deadset wonder if some of you have seen a game of footy before in your lives.
Only if youâre an idiot.
Bullshit they were the highlights.
VFL are wrong.
Not one shot of Wally in his Essendon jumper!
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Hi, Hind fans!
- Nickâs 24 kicks was league-leading for the round.
- Clarkeâs 18 kicks was also in the top bunch, equal to Bernie Vince.
- No current Essendon players in the top bunch of handballs: youâll have to settle for Morgan, Jolley, and Aylett.
- Coburg had 4 of the top 5 markers for the round. Weird.
- Loony and Draper 6th and 10th for hitouts.
- Younan 4th for goals; the margin to the leader is out to six goals.
- And for those people, Anthony Miles is comfortably leading season clearances.
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