We played (and lost) only at Sandy for the last four years, including the infamous Brown vs Qwilt game. I’m still scarred by that…
In 2013 we played them twice, once at each ground, and comfortably won both times.
houlahan has some hops.
Trying to figure the VFL Site bests. 6 are usually mentioned in tabular form
6 Younan
5 langford,
4 Ridley
3 J Merret
2 Francis
1 Clarke
Then they are listed in reverse order in the match summary.
D. Clarke, A. Francis, J. Merrett, J. Ridley, K. Langford, D. Younan
So the questions are:
Who picks the bests? Are they in order of merit ? If so, is 6 better than 1.
1 is best
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Those VFL bests (1 being the highest) are pretty on point.
Clarke was bog by a mile. Dominated the first half to setup our win.
Francis was the best of a dominant back six, the way they held their line was really impressive.
Ridley third best for mine, and I think will make more of an impact at AFL level than Clarke will in the short term
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Hopefully some of them were there to get a feel for their immediate future
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Was good to see that in the clearances with Clark and Langers it wasnt “Win ball kick ball as far as I can”.
There seemed a little more system where the ball winner would handball to a player out in the open that then hit up a target at half forward… you know… systematically…
Can anyone give me some insight into why we appeared to stop in the 2nd half of the game?
Did we change something?
To be fair, while Sandy did try particularly hard in the last quarter and stopped us running away with the win, they scored just three goals after quarter time.
Checks, urgh: 3.8 vs 6.10 after quarter time.
Lucky that Boyse had a good game, because NewLAV and the “resting” ruckman didn’t worry the scorers.
I think Boyse ended up with 1.5(?) I believe.
If he kicked straighter he could have put it to bed earlier.
That goalsquare miss was particularly amusing.
Boyse kicked two, and had a few goal assists as well.
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The wind wasn’t crazy but I think it definitely impacted the way both sides went about it, with a clear defensive focus without the wind.
The third quarter was definitely Sandi’s, but our backline held up with a little luck from their scoring inefficiency.
The fourth quarter we controlled really well. The scores were close but we never looked in danger. Our backline took full advantage of the wind and Sandi couldn’t get it past our chb line.
As benfti keeps saying, it’s the same gameplan as the ones, they just execute it.
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Feature Request: put the result in the Title after the game?
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And ridley is my boy. I went early on him saying he would be our Carlisle replacement but if he can take another step which I know he will, I think he will come damn close.
All between the ears IMHO.
True
So why the labotomy upon senior selection?
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They have to endure a pregame rev up from Neeld
or maybe the game plan stacks up better in the VFL. We won it on half back, and ran from defence. we also set up a wall outside our forwardline when the ball was down there, dont really see that at afl level…i guess it comes out too quick to do that.
VFL match report: Rd 6
Callum O’Connor May 14, 2018 11:45 AM
Aaron Francis impressed against the Zebras in Essendon’s strong win on Sunday.
Essendon has gone back-to-back for the first time this season, holding out Sandringham by 20 points at Trevor Barker Beach Oval.
The Bombers led for most of the match and got out to a game-high 24-point lead at half-time. The Bombers were at their fleet-footed best in the first half, holding Sandringham scoreless in the second quarter and slamming on 3.6 themselves to open out what turned out to be a decisive buffer.
However, the contest went from freewheeling to a war of attrition in the second half as the Zebras threatened to claw their way back only for a clutch performance from the increasingly maturing Essendon backline to hold them at bay at every turn.
A goal from Danny Younan in the dying stages of the match broke the deadlock and sealed the deal as Essendon came home in an effort of great courage and character, 10.14 (74) to 7.12 (54).
If the game was a beast of two heads, then the Essendon defence was its most consistent facet.
Nick Hind was mercurial as he combined a tagging role on Sandringham’s Jack Lonie with his typical dashing flair. The speedy defender finished with 22 touches and a crucial last-quarter goal when he was given a chance to go forward.
Aaron Francis played well as a defender and was willing to leave his direct opponent and compete in the air while Brandon Zerk-Thatcher, Matt Dea and Mitch Brown were cool under fire all day and took relieving intercept marks in the final quarter. Throw in the equally reliable Michael Hartley, Jordan Ridley and Jamieson Sheahan and the backline did not have a weak link.
Dylan Clarke (36 touches including 24 in the first half), Jackson Merrett (33 touches and a goal), Kyle Langford (25 touches) and Aaron Heppell (23 touches) all had days to remember in an important win for Essendon.
Apart from securing sixth spot on the ladder for the Bombers, the win over the Zebras showed that Dan Jordan’s side has the growing maturity to win against their preferred style.
“I was proud of the guys for the effort and the attitude they brought, I thought they ground it out for four quarters and I was rapt for them to get the result today,” Jordan said after the match.
“When there’s good pressure around the ball, it allows the backs to be assertive and come off. So even though our backs are being assertive and want to come off and give some intercept marking options.
“If there’s no heat around the ball that doesn’t allow that to happen, so it was a really solid team effort.”
Essendon will play Geelong at Windy Hill next Saturday from 12pm.
ESSENDON 4.4 7.10 8.13 10.14 (74)
SANDRINGHAM 4.4 4.4 6.9 7.12 (54)
Best – Clarke, Francis, J. Merrett, Ridley, Langford, Younan
Goals – Boyse 2, Long 2, Younan 2, Houlahan, Hind, J. Merrett, Hocking
More By Callum O’Connor
33? Okay, In: Merrett it is.