Game Chat – Essendon v St Kilda

Written by Motts on March 30 2019

Where and when: Marvel Stadium, Saturday March 30, 4.35pm AEDT

Last time they met: Docklands Stadium (now Marvel Stadium), round 21, 2018. Essendon 18.14 (122) defeated St Kilda 11.13 (79)

An injury-hit Essendon continued their late rally for a top-eight spot with a comfortable win over the Saints. Devon Smith was crucial in his side’s Friday night victory.

What it means for Essendon: Despite it only being round two, there is a lot riding on this game for the Bombers after last week’s disastrous season-opening loss to Greater Western Sydney. A defeat would really put the heat on the club early in the year.

What it means for St Kilda: The Saints weren’t convincing in their one-point win over Gold Coast last week, but to back it up against Essendon would provide some breathing space for a club few expect to perform strongly this year.

How Essendon wins: The Bombers need their midfield to lift after last week’s ineffectual performance. Essendon was smashed out of the middle last week, losing centre clearances 12-6, and were behind the eightball from there.

How St Kilda wins: Their best footy against Gold Coast came in the first half when their forward-half pressure was up, so maintain that for longer against Essendon and they’ll be in the fight.

The stat: The Bombers won’t want to go into round three winless. The last time Essendon lost its first two games of the season but still made the finals was in 2004 (also the year the Bombers last won a final).

The match-up: Michael Hurley v Josh Bruce

The AFL Player Ratings ranks Hurley as Essendon’s best defender and Bruce as St Kilda’s best forward, so it’s likely to be an important contest in the context of the clash. Particularly with Cale Hooker out with injury, it will likely be Hurley’s responsibility to hold Bruce.

It’s a big week for: Zach Merrett

The star Bombers midfielder, who has an All Australian jumper and best and fairest already on his CV, was among the key players to really struggle last week against the Giants. He managed only 16 disposals in the defeat and had little influence, and Essendon needs more from him to fire.

Big call: Michael Hurley to give away a free kick as the siren blows to end the game with the Dons ahead by 1. Jack Billings to calmly slot through the clincher from 40m out on a 45 degree angle.

Mottsy’s Tip: St Kilda by 5

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49 thoughts on “Game Chat – Essendon v St Kilda”

  1. Trade Greene to Wilkie, allowing me to bench Collins. Greene clearly a mistake and don’t trust Giants with injuries.

    TU: Do it
    TD: Hold Greene, play Collins on field

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  2. NO LATE CHANGES

    FINAL INTERCHANGES
    Essendon: Darcy Parish, Kyle Langford, Dylan Shiel, Matt Guelfi
    St Kilda: Jack Steven, Luke Dunstan, Blake Acres, Callum Wilkie

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        1. I cringed when they resigned him. He’s done nothing for the club barring the first free hit year. Get someone hungry and innovative.

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  3. I’m not watching the game right now, but so far the Bombers’ top stats getters are all defenders…. not good signs for them.

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    1. with 5 minutes left in the 1st quarter, it showed that Saints have the last 10 inside 50’s and have had the ball 70% in their fwd half

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  4. yeh tippa just tried to dive for a free kick 15 out infront & cost em a goal , raises q’s about the coaching

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      1. Big call! They played horrendous but only lost by 10 points. If they start playing mediocre, or even just bad, does that mean the team that beat them will be spooners.?

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  5. Funniest joke I heard all pre season was when somebody here called Zach Merrett a fallen premo and potential keeper, pmsl. He’s softer than a wet tissue and has had a single decent season in his whole career.

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    1. Two good seasons. Three if you take out the first part of last year.

      But yes, right now his spot in my team is becoming quite tenuous.

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    2. He’s twice been a Top 8 MID and is only 23 years of age. The season isn’t even two weeks old, these comments won’t age well…….

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      1. Quite possibly the best call of the season by Schwarz. He has also had an interrupted pre season, is getting tagged and his team is playing like rubbish. 108 is not to bad

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    1. My main problem is that, when an essendon game is coming up I can’t think of any reason to get excited about it. As has been pointed out WHAT DO WE STAND FOR?
      I’m happy to be a team that has no defining qualities, so long as that’s what we’re about and uses it as an advantage to be adaptable. But were just a mess.

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  6. M. Hurley 37
    J. Bruce 39
    D. Zaharakis 37
    J. Newens 34
    C. McKenna 33
    T. Membrey 33
    D. Shiel 32
    S. Ross 32
    P. Ambrose 31
    L. Dunstan 29
    A. Francis 31
    M. Parker 22
    M. Brown 24
    J. Gresham 22
    T. Bellchambers 21
    C. Wilkie 22
    A. Saad 20
    J. Webster 21
    A. McGrath 19
    J. Geary 21
    J. Stringer 17
    R. Marshall 19
    S. McKernan 16
    J. Billings 18
    Z. Merrett 14
    B. Acres 17
    D. Heppell 13
    D. McKenzie 16
    D. Myers 10
    J. Sinclair 16
    D. Smith 6
    J. Lonie 15
    O. Fantasia 5
    N. Brown 13
    A. McDonald-Tipungwuti 3
    S. Savage 13
    M. Baguley 2
    J. Steele 13
    D. Parish 2
    J. Battle 12
    M. Guelfi 2
    D. Kent 12
    K. Langford 0
    J. Steven 11

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  7. its a pretty simple really , bombers mids & fwds are all waiting to receive the ball , they all need to toughen up around the contested ball , they’re just soft from what im seeing there’s no pride or fight in em

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  8. M. Hurley 67
    J. Gresham 80
    D. Shiel 56
    J. Bruce 65
    D. Smith 52
    R. Marshall 62
    D. Zaharakis 47
    J. Newnes 52
    D. Heppell 47
    J. Webster 44
    A. McGrath 46
    S. Ross 43
    J. Stringer 43
    J. Billings 42
    A. Francis 42
    J. Geary 41
    M. Brown 41
    L. Dunstan 40
    Z. Merrett 40
    M. Parker 39
    C. McKenna 39
    T. Membrey 38
    P. Ambrose 38
    J. Steele 38
    S. McKernan 35
    J. Sinclair 37
    T. Bellchambers 35
    J. Lonie 36
    A. Saad 34
    D. Kent 35
    O. Fantasia 28
    B. Acres 29
    M. Baguley 24
    C. Wilkie 29
    D. Myers 23
    S. Savage 25
    A. McDonald-Tipungwuti 18
    J. Steven 25
    D. Parish 15
    D. McKenzie 23
    M. Guelfi 9
    N. Brown 20
    K. Langford 6
    J. Battle 15

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      1. they need a focal point @ CHF , even if its just to make a contest for their crumbers , someone hard enough to stand in a pack & take the hits , dawes for the pies used to play that roll well a few years ago , didnt mark many but got it down for swanny & beams to crumb @ his feet

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  9. D. Shiel 95
    J. Gresham 90
    A. Saad 92
    J. Sinclair 80
    M. Hurley 89
    R. Marshall 79
    T. Bellchambers 82
    J. Bruce 77
    Z. Merrett 78
    S. Savage 72
    M. Brown 75
    J. Billings 72
    J. Stringer 73
    J. Webster 68
    D. Smith 67
    J. Steele 67
    D. Heppell 65
    M. Parker 60
    A. Francis 63
    J. Newnes 58
    P. Ambrose 61
    J. Geary 58
    A. McGrath 60
    D. Kent 56
    C. McKenna 58
    J. Steven 56
    D. Zaharakis 51
    L. Dunstan 50
    D. Parish 51
    T. Membrey 49
    S. McKernan 50
    N. Brown 48
    D. Myers 42
    J. Battle 46
    O. Fantasia 42
    S. Ross 46
    M. Baguley 36
    J. Lonie 34
    M. Guelfi 34
    B. Acres 34
    K. Langford 25
    C. Wilkie 34
    A. McDonald-Tipungwuti 14
    D. McKenzie 24

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  10. scores b4 scaling

    D. Shiel 115
    J. Gresham 123
    T. Bellchambers 112
    J. Sinclair 117
    Z. Merrett 109
    R. Marshall 106
    A. Saad 105
    J. Steele 102
    M. Hurley 102
    J. Bruce 97
    M. Brown 83
    S. Savage 95
    D. Heppell 82
    M. Parker 89
    P. Ambrose 80
    J. Billings 83
    A. Francis 78
    J. Newnes 79
    J. Stringer 78
    S. Ross 79
    D. Smith 76
    J. Geary 75
    D. Parish 74
    J. Webster 73
    A. McGrath 71
    D. Kent 68
    C. McKenna 67
    J. Steven 66
    S. McKernan 62
    L. Dunstan 58
    D. Zaharakis 60
    B. Acres 55
    D. Myers 56
    N. Browes 54
    O. Fantasia 49
    T. Membrey 54
    K. Langford 47
    J. Battle 43
    M. Guelfi 47
    J. Lonie 40
    M. Baguley 44
    C. Wilkie 36
    A. McDonald-Tipungwuti 20
    D. McKenzie 24

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    1. Wow. Thought Newnesy might’ve scored better than that. And Gresh and Billings. Ah well. Don’t own them, but great signs for Saints.

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  11. Very happy. Haven’t even looked at the SC scores yet. But did give mum-in-law sitting on the other wing a call!! 😉

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  12. A little more composure going I50 and we would have shamed them. They should be embarrassed anyway. That was woeful from the Bombers apart from 10-12 mins in Q3.
    Top of the ladder, for 15mins anyway. Go Blues!

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