Is it because of injuries? Or has our focus switched to Collingwood and the finals? Or is it because we are doing extra training in preparation for the finals and this is affecting our fitness short term? Or is it all of the above?

The siren.

I think the major injuries to our bookends; and we might've been getting a bit ahead of ourselves.

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No ones listening till you make a mistake.

It's our annual 2nd half season fade away.

Lost to Coasters when we were a little undermanned without Mitch, Waite etc and Jamo off during the game. Forgive that one, Coasters "due" for a big scalp here and got us on the right day.

Pies are No.1, no biggie.

The Doggies loss the hardest to stomach and the only real surprise amongst this lot, but they were in good nick coming into the game with 3 wins in a row. Etihad venue no help either and they belted us last year, so they had the self belief obviously.

A loss to the Bombers would be unacceptable though.

Because the AFL signed with Virgin Blue.

Virgin Blue provides a quality experience...

The B graders are not playing to the level they were a few weeks back.

Players like Curnow, Russell, Ellard, Carrazzo, Garlett, Betts, Armfield etc have dropped due to injuries or loss in form and confidence.

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You heard it here first!

The Carbon Tax.........!


kindest regards tommi











obviously..............!

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that'siti'mnotchangingthistagain......!

Agree with this also we need more guys helping Judd, Murphy, Robbo and Simpson, I would add that our press is not as effective against the good sides, it seems we are a bit hesitant to take games on and back ourselves against good opposition yet a teams in the bottom six we will press hard and be the enforcer..need to back ourselves no matter who you are playing.

Like someone stated in an another thread, our season starts this week...........

Mainly injuries...

waite, jamison, carazzo, russell - all best 22 players missing through injury
hampson, white, setanta - arguable if best 22 but were entrenched in the 22 prior to injury

mclean - potentially best 22 - injured
houlihan - season ruined by injury

Of those in the current 22
curnow - hasnt been the same since shoulder injury (averaged 24.1 possessions/game earlier in year to 14.25 since shoulder, including 8 last game back)
ellard - hasnt been the same since concussion - gone from averaging 19.1 possessions/game pre-concussion to 12.25 post concussion
bower - multiple quad injuries means lack of fitness
kreuzer - struggling somewhat post-knee (to be expected)

It's Curnow. We haven't been the same side since he got injured and was rushed back for no apparent reason.

The impact was just disguised by the run of cannon fodder games that the Bullants probably would have won.

Players are only a small part of the story.

Have a look at the intensity we showed in the Saints and Swans games and compare it it to our intensity versusthe WCE and Doggies.

Not even close.

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I hope Essendon* folds.

60% between the ears i.e. intensity, 30% injuries, 10% not quite there yet.

Regards Cazzesman

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Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

Not having a FF, CHF, CHB and FB has to be right up there...stop gaps all up the spine!

Fitness is the only logical reason I can see....in the early part of the season we had players out but still performed and ran games out....I reckon we peaked at 3 qtr time of the Sydney game....since then we have been flat and have been struggling to run out games....

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"Truth, for the tyrants, is the most terrible and cruel of all bindings; it is like an incandescent iron falling across their chests. And it is even more agonizing than hot iron, for that only burns the flesh, while truth burns its way into the soul"     — Lauro Aguirre

Injuries to our bookends (Waite, Jamison), and injuries to their possible back ups (Setanta, White)
Long term injuries to Ruck (K man in the 1st half of the season, and Hammer in the 2nd half of the season)
Young key forward options ruined by injuries (Mitchell and Levi)
Young key defenders still a while away from being ready for senior footy (Watson, McCarthy)
Massive drop of in our intensity at the ball and the opposition...
Inability to learn from our mistakes...

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James Hird and Essendon* FC - #FOREVERDRUGCHEATS

I think it runs a little bit deeper. Our players are simply not mentally strong enough.

Why can't we send a message as a football club as a team willing to dig deep when faced with adversity and not make excuses for poor performances. One of these excuses is the "long injury list" crap. How about we gaze upwards one spot on the ladder and see the rhetoric coming out of Hawthorn. Their response to a far greater injury toll is to train harder and back themselves as a football club to cover their losses.

One of the most worrying signs from Saturday wasn't the fact we lost, but that two of our players gave themselves a virtual slap on the back for an "improved effort" in a losing side.

As supporters, we can see this season following the well trodden path of 09 and 10. I'm getting the problematic feeling that the players are seeing this too, and are consequently not willing to dig their @#$%&! heels and avoid the same from happening again.

This game against Essendon* is the first in a number of statement games leading up to the finals. They are the perfect opponent for our 2011 team to begin creating their own history.

You really believe that it is fitness? I think that its mental and definitely injuries have played a part as well. Can't take your best forward and your best backman out of the side and expect to perform at the same high level.

I think that just about covers it

We only lost the WCE and Richmond games "suddenly" in that we'd won the game before. We didn't lose the Collingwood game suddenly - it was part of a streak. Each of those games, we lost for different reasons. There's no conspiracy here!!!

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Never argue with idiots. They drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience!!!

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