Con: not having a FF, CHF, CHB and FB in our side

Pro: midfield did well

PRO
An improved effort, and came close against the best team in the game.
Gibbs
Duigan
Judd, Murph, Simmo
Laidler


CONS
Selection. If you name Bower, he starts. Ridiculous using him as the sub. Watson is not up to it yet.
Hitting the bloody post.
Jeffy's goal kicking. Should have had 4 in the 3rd instead of 1.3
If we put in that effort against WB last week, West Coast and Essendon* we'd be 13 and 3, not 10.5 and 5.5

Pros:
- We got close to the benchmark team in the competition (also see cons)
- Our midfield at least equalled their's
- Juddy was Herculean again (also see cons)
- Simpson, Duigan and Laidler all toughed it out
- Walker kicking a few against a decent side (also see cons)
- Warnock holding his own in the ruck (also see cons)
- Great debut by Twomey
- Despite what the naysayers say, I thought Hendo did alright on one of the best forwards in the comp

Cons:
- How the @#$%&! did we get so close to the benchmark team in the comp??
- Decision-making in crucial situations, or lack thereof.
- With such a short forward line, why bomb it as if we had a Travis Cloke there? It seems logical to play their strength, low and to space. Our lack of key forwards wouldn't be an issue if we we actually played to our strengths.
- Juddy had to do too much. His disposal efficiency was down because everytime he got it he was hounded by 3-4 guys, while his teammates waited for the ball to come out. Too many guys STILL don't put in and support him.
- Watson. IS. NOT. READY. Maybe Austin wold've been a better option, maybe not. But to throw him to the wolves against the best in the comp TWICE is bad management.
- I still think our KPP depth is quite good, especially when you consider the players with senior experience. But it's our management of these guys that's concerning. We always seem to be covering cracks with our talls, and until we can have a settled "spine" I truly can't see us challenging for a flag. I've said before that I hope the club does an extensive review into our fitness dept and specifically how we develop our big guys.
- Walker may have kicked goals, but FFS PLAY IN FRONT. The guy could outrun almost any defender on a lead, yet insists on playing from behind. Stop it!
- Warnock needs some genuine agro. I know he's a stick, but he gets pushed around too easily. But he's not alone.
- We still get pushed around and shit our pants against quality opposition. It's why Hawthorn has the wood on us, and why The Eagles and Dogs had us from the first few minutes. They get a psychological advantage, and it's very difficult to get that ascendency back. Case in point, Leigh Brown gives shit to Watson, not one of our guys sticks up for him. Only Laidler at any stage seemed to give him any encouragement.

_________________
WADA medical director Dr Alan Vernec describes Essendon* FC drug case as biggest scandal in team sport the world of sport has seen. #WC2WB

#GUILTY

Con:

Never looked like winning, nervous and hurried disposal, letting Collingwood mark the ball at will, outsized at both ends of the ground.


Pro:

Only losing by 3 goals to the "team to beat" despite playing like shit.

_________________
"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

Hendo did give him a few words of encouragement & a pat on the head after his kick in went to Daisy [um, the 2nd one ] which was good to see. But agree with you in general, need to stick up for each other out there, especially the kids.

Thought a pro was the general lack of taggers, seemed both teams backed their own to go in and get the ball, not have a Picken or Jackson style holding onto anyone's jumper and being led to the ball in a pure 100% negative role.

During the Eagles game it looked like Judd was wearing a Selwood backpack.

_________________
"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

No BlueBelle, Don is right, no one flew the flag for him. The barrage from Brown continued for what seemed like minutes. From Brown . Could you imagine them having one of their 1st year players treated like that? Until we give it back the same patterns will continue.

Yes he did !!



Um, I did say that I agreed with the original post... but it was also good to see Hendo offer some positive words to him at another stage of the game.

Apologies, your right.
I just remembered that incident and got wound up.

Pros:
Judd was back to his contested possession winning best
Gibbs playeda good game
Walker foaught his way into the game after half time
Twomey showed a bit

Cons:
Kicking for goal
Lack of intesity for large parts of the game
Betts went missing on the big stage again
Matty Watson's continuous stuff ups
Lack of a kick in plan
Lack of Key Position depth

_________________
James Hird and Essendon* FC - #FOREVERDRUGCHEATS

Our inability to kick-in effectively was compounded by our inability to defend theirs.

_________________
"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

All good. Collingwood would NEVER allow that to happen to any of their blokes though, I'm almost glad I missed seeing it happening to Watson..

Probably worried that if they remonstrated with him that it would leave their opponent free.

_________________
WADA medical director Dr Alan Vernec describes Essendon* FC drug case as biggest scandal in team sport the world of sport has seen. #WC2WB

#GUILTY

One con [at the same time a pro for Duigan] that is very frustrating; being too worried your own man will do something, and leaving someone else's to get an uncontested mark/possession/goal. One thing Duigs has bought to the side, very unselfish and will stop anyone, even if it means leaving his bloke to do it.

It's funny but the only guys to stand up to Brown all day was Laidler & Duigen.
We just don't have an enforcer when Waite is out and whether we like it or not we "play bruise free football" when the opposition does have one.

The other thing which was a blast from the horrid past was the inability to kick to the advantage of their team mates. So many times we played to the wrong areas.

Watching the game on the tele, anytime they showed our kick-ins from behind it seemed that every time we were forced to kick to stationary targets. It's no wonder the ball kept coming back. We'd have had a better chance if we kicked it to stationary filth players and our guys run for the spoil.

_________________
WADA medical director Dr Alan Vernec describes Essendon* FC drug case as biggest scandal in team sport the world of sport has seen. #WC2WB

#GUILTY