Essendon game for an Essendon viewpoint

[Armoooo]

Exactly MM.

St Kilda play a different type of zone, we play a zone where we hunt in packs and apply a full field pressure, other teams such as hawthorn and Adelaide on the weekend apply a zone where they simply take up space os they can easily be ran through.

IMO what is the biggest strength to our gameplan is the fact that the only way to beat it is with hard running and EXCELLENT disposal, and these are the two first things to go when confronted by our pressure.

I've been trying hard to keep a lid on it all season, I still am, but as arrogant as this may sound Essendon can't win this match, but St Kilda CAN lose it.

If Essendon are to be a chance it is more likely to be from our end not applying the same intensity that they have been recently.

Go one on one against Riewoldt and he will kick 10, he needs to be doubled and tripled team at every opportunity, Hooker might have been able to beat him in the one on one's but Riewoldt is in a different level this year, Franklin is struggling fitness wise and is carrying a bit of excess weight where as Roo is as in shape as ever.

What will be important to Essendon is to take every chance you can get, especially early.

Against Collingwood they had our backs against the wall early, they were killing our run out of defence, they were making us have silly turn overs and the ball was just pouring back into our defensive 50, however lucky for us there were no Medhursts, Didaks or Davis' there to capitolise on it, so if Essendon are to win they will need to be very efficent and they will need to have a back up plan in place for if St Kilda do get a bit of a run happening, we have shown this year that we can blow games wide open in a single quarter with results like 6,7 or 8 goals to none in a quarter.

[Thinline]

Agree Armooo.

They can't win it. We can lose it.

But even a B game from St Kilda would achieve a 30 point win IMO.

Not that i'd settle for that.

Seen too many shellackings (?) dished out by powerful Bombers teams - one in 2000, my first year in Melbourne, when somehow Tony Delaney (nice fella that he was and all) made our best 22 - still makes me cringe.

I want a ten goal plus never headed win where tackles stick and Essendon are made to EARN every single bit of pill.

Nothing less will satisfy my unquenchable thirst for drubbings.

BTW Franklin isn't fat. He just has a lazy, slow midfield...Rioli can't do it all, Hawkers...

[InkerSaint]

I've been trying hard to keep a lid on it all season, I still am, but as arrogant as this may sound Essendon can't win this match, but St Kilda CAN lose it.

If Essendon are to be a chance it is more likely to be from our end not applying the same intensity that they have been recently.

And that doesn't look likely either, going by BJ's comments yesterday:

Asked just what areas the Saints had to work on, Goddard said the team’s renowned intense pressure could have lifted.

“I think we got beaten in contested footy. Tackling was a little bit down but I think in the second quarter we were in the positive for contested footy so you could probably say our tackles were down because we had the footy first,â€

[Saints43]

Anyway, let's hope there's a decent contest.

I don't. I ******* hate those ******* *****.

[BAM! (shhhh)]

It will be interesting to see if Essendon's much vaunted pacy free-flowing game style actually works if the opposition actually attacks the ball carrier rather than zoning off him?

Hawthorn zoned off and the ball-carrier was able to run unimpeded and deliver without any pressure.

That is not the way we have approached all games this season.

Interesting that it took this many posts to come up - this is where I think this game will be won and lost, and I suspect/hope St Kilda ought to be able to give Essendon a reality check.

Hawthorn on Friday reminded me of St Kilda in '07. An undermanned and much changed team so busy with formations that they all too often ignored both opposition players and the ball... for a running team like Essendon, that's a huge gift, and they took full advantage.

There are 2 big differences in teh St Kilda zone:
1) From a setup perspective, the midfield/onballers don't set up as far forward, and the wings and backs push up much more. The Saints forward pressure doesn't rely on chase (Rioli) nearly as much either to force the kick to a defensive contest. They push all of Reiwoldt, Milne and Kosi into positions that cover the man back trying to either force the ball wide (ala hawthorn) or invite the run up the middle.
2) The tackling pressure from St Kilda is at half forward rather than either in the middle or on the half back line. St Kilda will rebound aggressively, but their dominance has been in keeping the ball in the other teams half for long periods of the game.

As Essendon have been playing high risk handball through their back half, a lot will come down to their composure. Players like Lovett can theoretically do a lot of damage if they can break through with speed... however I suspect that where Essendon saw the upside to the risk v Hawthorn, they may observe it coming unstuck against the Saints - if this is the case, expect another big St Kilda victory.

Matchups wise, while respect must be paid to Essendon, man for man, I just don't see them at St Kilda's level at this stage. Watson's in career best (basically means he's in one of his patches where he can dispose of the ball - interesting to see how he performs under the tackling pressure the Saints have been putting on, if he can keep up his recent play, one would think he'll keep up the form throughout the year and he's arrived) and Lovett's going to be the fastest man on the ground. Lloyd-Dawson will be interesting, but the Bombers will need to win a lot of clearances and/or break the zone enough to both get enough and make their inside 50s count against a very good Saints defense.

Got to say that defensively, I don't really get the wraps Hooker received. As a back, you give up 5 goals, you lose. Period. Not getting smashed in every contest showed potential, but it would take a lot of rebound to make up for 5 goals the other way. Kudos to Pears I guess, but to really work, they need to both get on top of their opponents.

I think Armooo said it best, it's the Saints game to lose - which is no insult to Essendon as that's just where the Saints are at for the time being against anyone but Geelong (I'll feel safer saying it post-Hawthorn, but right now the Hawks are not the same team that won the '08 flag)... however, I will be very interested to see as IMO Essendon are playing the epitome of the modern offensive game, and playing exactly the best way to take on the Saints.

Looking forward to it.

[EB]

Pretty sure Brisbane and Port have given the Bomber's a reality check this year (if you could call it that)

I'm also interested to find out where Houli's been this season? I noticed he was playing the other night but that was only his second game? He was one of Essendon's better players last year.

Got told to go back to the VFL and learn how to man up

[stinger]

Anyway, let's hope there's a decent contest.

I don't. I ******* hate those ******* *****.

i reckon a good game is one where we are 10 goals in front at three quarter time....then i can relax and enjoy the footy in the last quarter.......

[saint patrick]

Anyway, let's hope there's a decent contest.

I don't. I ******* hate those ******* *****.

i reckon a good game is one where we are 10 goals in front at three quarter time....then i can relax and enjoy the footy in the last quarter.......

Agree with that.. 60 points and I feel no stress ...40 or 50 points I still feel on edge...old scars that are slow to heal...a premiership...just one would remove them forever

[Pazza]

Didn't know Ball and J.Watson were best mates. How do they know each other?

Goes back to their school days..and both have been seen together at various times..including at Toorak Park last year on thew day of the Dream Team/victoria match.

Essendon are the biggest surprise packet of the season.

J.Watson has been immense this season - one of the smartest players running around for mine. Ryder has the potential to be in the top 10 players in the comp while Monfries and Stanton are both very good players.

Will be a very exciting side in the years ahead and it will be fun watching those players continue to develop.

However, we're a different gravy at the moment and should win.

I'm also interested to find out where Houli's been this season? I noticed he was playing the other night but that was only his second game? He was one of Essendon's better players last year.

Been mentioned about having to work on his defensive efforts. Has done this at Bendigo so far and returned to the senior side on the back of those efforts.