Rd 16 v Essendon Bombers @ MCG

**Agent 86** · 2nd July 2022, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by Blood Fever

Spot on summary. I was at the game and to describe us as insipid is ludicrous. Essendon had a real crack and had a 75% conversion rate whilst we were below 50%. Rutten mentioned how they were very fortunate in the 3rd quarter when the ball lived at our end. Some of the reactions on here from the usual suspects are embarrassing.

Have another look at how they kicked 5 goals in 10 minutes in the 2nd quarter. And then look up insipid in the dictionary.

In that patch of play they had something like 20 marks to… er… 0. That’s zero. We fell asleep and the game was mentally lost during that period. Whether we won or lost the game from then on is pretty much irrelevant - it became a 50-50 proposition due to us falling away badly when we were in a position to put them away.

Too often we can look like the better team for 3 quarters and lose it in 15 minute stretch where we concede 5 or 6 goals?

**dejavoodoo44** · 2nd July 2022, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by i'm-uninformed2

As a functional alcoholic and occasional lover of a few other goodies, I’m always in need of intoxicants.

But, I’m a bit frustrated without being as angry as others. We kick straight, we win.

But we continue to learn about our list. Perhaps for the list management thread, but we do have a few gaps to fill.

Yeah, I've only listened to the game on radio, so I don't really want to comment about it too much. The constant behinds were doing my head in, but I don't think it's season over, nor is it cause to sack the coaches, or drop most of the players, etc.

**Swanny40519** · 2nd July 2022, 08:40 PM

Its been the pattern most of this year.. We cannot put in 4 qtr efforts - true we kicked badly in 3rd qtr, but in the 2nd and last qtrs we were not in the game. We were beaten badly in the centre and defence in those qtrs. We were unable to break even in contests and it showed in the final result. We have lost games to teams we should have won with a % boost, but for one reason or another we can find ways to loose those games.

Isn't the old quote true anymore - bad kicking is bad football.

**Blood Fever** · 2nd July 2022, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by Agent 86

Have another look at how they kicked 5 goals in 10 minutes in the 2nd quarter. And then look up insipid in the dictionary.

In that patch of play they had something like 20 marks to… er… 0. That’s zero. We fell asleep and the game was mentally lost during that period. Whether we won or lost the game from then on is pretty much irrelevant - it became a 50-50 proposition due to us falling away badly when we were in a position to put them away.

Too often we can look like the better team for 3 quarters and lose it in 15 minute stretch where we concede 5 or 6 goals?

Agree we took the foot of the pedal a bit early. Also true that we had 20 inside 50s in the third quarter and kicked 2.8. Many easy shots were missed. In the second quarter they did not miss once. Simple game sometimes. All teams get a run on at some stage. If we'd kicked straighter we have a sufficient buffer at 3/4 time regardless of what else happens in the game.

**Agent 86** · 2nd July 2022, 08:42 PM

Originally Posted by dejavoodoo44

Yeah, I've only listened to the game on radio, so I don't really want to comment about it too much. The constant behinds were doing my head in, but I don't think it's season over, nor is it cause to sack the coaches, or drop most of the players, etc.

Yep. And many of our behinds were amongst our better kicks, sadly.

The season ain’t over til it’s over & I’m not even that angry about the result. The footy gods were on their side - they couldn’t miss and we couldn’t hit the side of… well anything.

I am a bit peeved that the vic media will be all over that Parker thing, however, so reckon I’ll not be reading much about the game from down there.

**Maltopia** · 2nd July 2022, 09:01 PM

We lost by 9,

Papley kicked 1.3 and one that missed everything that travelled 30 meters or so. Franklin kicked one OOB on the full, but he played a good game early. There's two goals there that would have gotten us over the line.

**Swannette** · 2nd July 2022, 09:07 PM

Of most concern is that these declines seem to be driven by mental lapses rather than any personnel changes. Why are they turning off? The kicking lapses are a by product of this, then it seems they start to panic and miss through anxiety rather than lack of focus. This was a prime example of the game being played between the ears.

**Agent 86** · 2nd July 2022, 09:21 PM

Originally Posted by Maltopia

We lost by 9,

Papley kicked 1.3 and one that missed everything that travelled 30 meters or so. Franklin kicked one OOB on the full, but he played a good game early. There's two goals there that would have gotten us over the line.

So what? We missed some shots we should’ve got and maybe a few of those could’ve got us over the line.

We conceded 5 goals within 10 minutes (with barely a stat across the whole team) and went from winners to losers in no time. What happens in those (all too frequent) periods? It’s like we’re not there.

**giant** · 2nd July 2022, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by Blood Fever

Spot on summary. I was at the game and to describe us as insipid is ludicrous. Essendon had a real crack and had a 75% conversion rate whilst we were below 50%. Rutten mentioned how they were very fortunate in the 3rd quarter when the ball lived at our end. Some of the reactions on here from the usual suspects are embarrassing.

What's embarrassing is a team with the chance to push for the top 4 losing to the third worst team in the competition, when they should have been 6 goals up early in the second qr.

This could have been a year when we had a silly chance of sneaking a flag. Instead, my gut tells me from here we'll be lucky to make the 8. But it's OK, we're a young team, we'll have another crack next year, right? BS. That's what they said when they choked in the final last year - beginning to think this isn't the group to take us where we want to be.

Deeply deeply disappointing and perhaps ultimately terrifically damaging result.

**barry** · 2nd July 2022, 09:36 PM

We play a lot like Adelaide of 2018

**Markwebbos** · 2nd July 2022, 10:00 PM

I picked a good game bit to watch because I had to work. Really didn’t expect that result and I’m disappointed about yet another missed opportunity.

Our record in milestone games suggests we had little chance of winning.

That and the fact we haven’t beaten Essendon at the MCG since 1923.

We are horribly inconsistent as a club and some of our players (Florent in particular) exemplify that? however some of that is a product of the evenness of the competition. There aren’t many easy wins to be had, it’s much harder to be consistent week in week out.

Has any side NOT had a form slump or lost to a lowly club this year?