heard this on the SEN the other day....
MCG first qtr scores for Essendon 2014
round 3 ess 6.3 vs car 0.3 W
round 6 ess 5.4 vs coll 0.3 L
round 11 ess 4.4 vs rich 0.1 W
round 13 ess 2.4 vs mel 0.3 L
total
ess 17.15 vs opp 0.10
Struth
Love a good "struth" thrown into the conversation.
Our game plan is built around playing at the MCG, if we can only stretch it out for more than 1 quarter per game. Especially the 2nd quarter.
THE BAD
While the defence has improved, the points for is at its lowest since 1971 averaging just 81 per game – ranked 15th. Once inside 50 they goal 22.2% of the time – ranked 16th. They have taken the seventh most mark inside 50, but at ground level they have won 70 fewer groundball-gets than the opposition defence – ranked 18th.
Hard to blame the forwardline after the Melbourne game, considering the delivery from up the field was delivered perfectly to melbourne defenders more often than not.
Yes the forwardline is an issue, but the biggest issue is still the midfield, with dumb footballers with bad decision making, esp under pressure.
IT shouldn't have needed another melbourne loss to make anyone realise that quantity will never make up for quality. And yes we've been doing it well before the ASADA bullshit happened, so that is merely a convienent excuse for people who need to feel warm and fuzzy that things will turn around, sometime in the future.
Rohan Connelly made a good point, our on field issues of a dis-functional forward line is not something new and cant be blamed because of the off field.
To this end I bring up the game v Sydney in 2012, where we had the most inside 50s ever for a team that lost a game. Also on the weekend was the the biggest differential in inside 50s (+34) in which a team has lost a game.
Our on field issues have been there to see for ages, its nothing new, hence why we havnt won a final since 2004 which is damning considering we are one of the richest clubs.
Negative I know, but where are we going as a club, are we content treading water and not facing up to the reality of the inconsistency which has stunted our growth in the past few years
The game we just played against the Dees just topped the Swans game.
Its the new world record for inside 50's whilst still losing the match.
Scotty Lucas pointed out that Essendon hold the all time 1,2 and 3 podium positions for this:
1. Ess v Dees 2014
2. Ess v Swans 2012
3. Ess v Dogs 2000 - the only game we lost that year when Chris Grant kicked the goal to win with a few seconds on the clock.
I would kill for Gunston in our side.
The really damning element is in a lot of games we have either had only one or two talls. Yet we're 18th when it hits the ground.THE BAD
While the defence has improved, the points for is at its lowest since 1971 averaging just 81 per game – ranked 15th. Once inside 50 they goal 22.2% of the time – ranked 16th. They have taken the seventh most mark inside 50, but at ground level they have won 70 fewer groundball-gets than the opposition defence – ranked 18th.
The midfield was fine last year. For the the first 13 weeks we were lauded for our high DE/precision passing/great ball movement. The midfield not only looked fine, it looked strong.Hard to blame the forwardline after the Melbourne game, considering the delivery from up the field was delivered perfectly to melbourne defenders more often than not.
Yes the forwardline is an issue, but the biggest issue is still the midfield, with dumb footballers with bad decision making, esp under pressure.
IT shouldn't have needed another melbourne loss to make anyone realise that quantity will never make up for quality. And yes we've been doing it well before the ASADA bullshit happened, so that is merely a convienent excuse for people who need to feel warm and fuzzy that things will turn around, sometime in the future.
The really damning element is in a lot of games we have either had only one or two talls. Yet we're 18th when it hits the ground.THE BAD
While the defence has improved, the points for is at its lowest since 1971 averaging just 81 per game – ranked 15th. Once inside 50 they goal 22.2% of the time – ranked 16th. They have taken the seventh most mark inside 50, but at ground level they have won 70 fewer groundball-gets than the opposition defence – ranked 18th.The midfield was fine last year. For the the first 13 weeks we were lauded for our high DE/precision passing/great ball movement. The midfield not only looked fine, it looked strong.Hard to blame the forwardline after the Melbourne game, considering the delivery from up the field was delivered perfectly to melbourne defenders more often than not.
Yes the forwardline is an issue, but the biggest issue is still the midfield, with dumb footballers with bad decision making, esp under pressure.
IT shouldn't have needed another melbourne loss to make anyone realise that quantity will never make up for quality. And yes we've been doing it well before the ASADA bullshit happened, so that is merely a convienent excuse for people who need to feel warm and fuzzy that things will turn around, sometime in the future.
I don't know what the hell happened, but why this has fallen away so badly in 12 months is staggering.
I don't remember us being lauded for high DE/precision passing, as even in some of our early wins and the 3 losses. We wont alot of the stats, however the same problem, that the delivery forward was just pathetic.
Why it's fallen away dramatically ? teams know how to set up against us. They can allow us to control as much play around the ground as we like, cos all they have to do is either start with a spare or two down back, and get their players to flood back whenever we have the ball. Then when we actually have to go forward we hit a wall of opposition players, panic then bomb it long and blindly.
It really isn't rocket sceience on how to beat us. Some days we can overcome it, if the opposition isn't as skilled as the top teams. Other times we don't go in with the right mindset and even teams with ■■■■ players and skill can roll us.
Strictly speaking, Grant kicked the goal to confirm the win. They won by 11.The game we just played against the Dees just topped the Swans game.
Its the new world record for inside 50's whilst still losing the match.
Scotty Lucas pointed out that Essendon hold the all time 1,2 and 3 podium positions for this:
1. Ess v Dees 2014
2. Ess v Swans 2012
3. Ess v Dogs 2000 - the only game we lost that year when Chris Grant kicked the goal to win with a few seconds on the clock.
Chapman kicked it into our forward line.
We promptly lost the game.
Its been flying back out for a couple of years.
Think people’s analysis is spot on there.
We miss Alwyn and Kommers fwd pressure.
Yes Winders and Chappy offensively are better (on paper) they fall down defensively.
"Lets everybody stand still in the same spot 30m out and then miss the shots we do get" is asking a fair bit of the delivery IMHO. Broke down late in the game but the midfield gave the forwards more than enough chance to kick a winning score.Hard to blame the forwardline after the Melbourne game, considering the delivery from up the field was delivered perfectly to melbourne defenders more often than not.
Yes the forwardline is an issue, but the biggest issue is still the midfield, with dumb footballers with bad decision making, esp under pressure.
IT shouldn't have needed another melbourne loss to make anyone realise that quantity will never make up for quality. And yes we've been doing it well before the ASADA bullshit happened, so that is merely a convienent excuse for people who need to feel warm and fuzzy that things will turn around, sometime in the future.
we can't capitalize on our dominance by applying 'scoreboard pressure'.
Simple as that. We can control an entire game, but until we can get that fkn ball to go between the big sticks we won't often outscore our opposition.
Thanks for the correction DJR. Definitely a rose tinted memory I had there.
Lance - what you say is true but the good news is that a small tweak in confidence can translate that dominance into scoreboard dominance.
Whereas if you were getting pummelled in the inside 50 entries. Its a bit more like a 2 or 3 year rebuild of your midfield to turn that around.
I'd rather be in our position. We've got something we can work with.
Shame we can't seem to get a free run at things from an above the shoulder perspective.
We never put teams away, we get approximately 5-6 goals infront and just switch off and its ******* infuritating to watch.
Thats not just this year, that is a characteristic of this team over the last 10years or more.
The other night you could see it happening. As soon as we got 33 points up. Carlise is kicking out from a point and decides he had to kick to 3 on 1 of a 2 step kick. 2 seconds later Hurely does the same. It was like they had a collective mental explosion that was forcing stupidity out of them.
Not to mention the kicking for goal. I actually thought Bellchambers was going to fall over the way he approached his second shot for goal.
I love us dishing out a good thrashing but they seem so damn rare since 2000.
I remember when we played Gold Coast for the first time, Hirdy said he told them to remember the thrashings they had been on the wrong end of and to now take the opportunity to give one out. I always thought it was interesting that a coach should need to tell them to put the foot on the throat. It should be automatic. Be ruthless no matter who you are playing. In that game I think we lost the second quarter after being up by 99 at quarter time and (only) won by 139.
That game was too close for my liking.
We never put teams away, we get approximately 5-6 goals infront and just switch off and its ******* infuritating to watch.
Thats not just this year, that is a characteristic of this team over the last 10years or more.
The other night you could see it happening. As soon as we got 33 points up. Carlise is kicking out from a point and decides he had to kick to 3 on 1 of a 2 step kick. 2 seconds later Hurely does the same. It was like they had a collective mental explosion that was forcing stupidity out of them.
Not to mention the kicking for goal. I actually thought Bellchambers was going to fall over the way he approached his second shot for goal.
I love us dishing out a good thrashing but they seem so damn rare since 2000.
I remember when we played Gold Coast for the first time, Hirdy said he told them to remember the thrashings they had been on the wrong end of and to now take the opportunity to give one out. I always thought it was interesting that a coach should need to tell them to put the foot on the throat. It should be automatic. Be ruthless no matter who you are playing. In that game I think we lost the second quarter after being up by 99 at quarter time and (only) won by 139.
We never put teams away, we get approximately 5-6 goals infront and just switch off and its ******* infuritating to watch.
Thats not just this year, that is a characteristic of this team over the last 10years or more.
The other night you could see it happening. As soon as we got 33 points up. Carlise is kicking out from a point and decides he had to kick to 3 on 1 of a 2 step kick. 2 seconds later Hurely does the same. It was like they had a collective mental explosion that was forcing stupidity out of them.
Not to mention the kicking for goal. I actually thought Bellchambers was going to fall over the way he approached his second shot for goal.
I love us dishing out a good thrashing but they seem so damn rare since 2000.
I remember when we played Gold Coast for the first time, Hirdy said he told them to remember the thrashings they had been on the wrong end of and to now take the opportunity to give one out. I always thought it was interesting that a coach should need to tell them to put the foot on the throat. It should be automatic. Be ruthless no matter who you are playing. In that game I think we lost the second quarter after being up by 99 at quarter time and (only) won by 139.
Maybe he didn't "need" to say that. But as a coach you're always going to.
And how are you not happy about a 20 odd goal win? Would you have wanted 4x99 = 396 pt win?