Where and when: MCG, Friday April 5, 7.50pm AEDT
Last time they met: Marvel Stadium, round six, 2018: Essendon 10.12 (72) lost to Melbourne 16.12 (108)
Bayley Fritsch, Charlie Spargo and Mitch Hannan combined for eight goals as Max Gawn ran riot in the ruck. Both sides were coming off short breaks after Anzac Day and Anzac Eve fixtures, but Melbourne got the upper hand early with seven goals to one in the opening term.
What it means for Melbourne: At 0-2, Melbourne’s slow start to the season is worrying. The Demons need to find form and quickly before the season slips away from their grasp.
What it means for Essendon: After a calamitous beginning to the season, the Bombers’ confidence has been severely dented. The pressure is well and truly on coach John Worsfold and his team to deliver. There are no more excuses.
How Melbourne wins: Convert 72 inside 50s into more than six goals. Efficiency going inside 50 will be a key focus area for Melbourne on the training track this week after the drubbing in Geelong.
How Essendon wins: Match Melbourne for contested possessions and limit their effectiveness going inside 50 from a defensive point of view. Their small forwards also need to lift their own rate and start trapping the ball inside 50.
The stat: Melbourne has started the season with a win-loss record of 0-2 36 times in club history. The Demons have only made the finals once (2006) from that position.
The match-up: Max Gawn v Tom Bellchambers
Gawn is ranked at No.7 in the Schick AFL Player Ratings based on his form across the past two seasons, although his latest form is nowhere near comparable to that. Bellchambers, the 10th-ranked ruckman in the AFL, has also struggled in Essendon’s first two games.
It’s a big week for: John Worsfold
The Bombers coach is under a great deal of pressure after his side’s horrendous start to the 2019 season. Getting a win on the board is vital, but rediscovering the brand of football they played at the back-end of last season is the starting point.
Big call: Three goals apiece to Tom McDonald and Sam Weideman to lead the Demons to their first victory of the season.
Mottsy’s Tip: Melbourne by 40
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Ridley late in for Myers for the Bombers. No changes for the Dees. Hopefully ppl didn’t trade him out. PA thinks the Dees by 39.
There will be some kicking themselves. Got to love SuperCoach
Literally pulled the trigger at 6.30… I hate Supercoach
Hahaha pmsl. Funny stuff
Re: My previous letter (in Last minute queries)
CC: Whoosa
Dear Mr Ridley
You have one hour remaining. Consider this your final warning! My finger hovers wearily over the trade button…….
Your Sincerely a frustrated supercoacher
Re: My previous letter
CC: Whoosa
Damn your cunning Mr Ridley!
Changing your mind as I commented. How very wise of you to be a late in. Till we tussle again
Your Sincerely a slightly less frustrated supercoacher
Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaark.
Went Ridley to Scrimshaw. If Scrimshaw plays at Box Hill, I’m going to……………………………………..
Do something bad. The cat looks good..shame to wake him up.
Scrimshaw is in. The cat is safe!
Yeah but he’s picked at Box Hill
Nothing to worry about Wighty that’s because he was listed on the extended bench. Every player on the extended bench is listed in the VFL teams. Once the teams are finalised then the vfl teams remove the four players who’ve been selected.
AFL clubs name players from there extended benches on there VFL team sheets so if they don’t get named the friday evening they are all good to play VFL… Scrim was named at 5 oclock in hawks 22 so disregard his name on the boxhill lineup
Reckon that cat would think, christ another footy season , here we go again!!
He’s 11…used to it.
Mind you all, I wouldnt have LDU without the trade.
I went Ridley to Rozee yesterday, I have no patience. I’ll never forget the Newman scenario when he was a late in on a Sunday.Everybody had him as their loophole captain and were swearing up a storm as they were locked out of everything else. He then went on to score 150+ and eveyone was like whaaaaat?
That was a SC classic !!
Classic for some. 🙁
I had him on the bench, and lost that round by 50 odd points!
Yeah a gave it to a mate for that, but he ended up beating me by about 15 points so I ended up copping it big time
Lol, hated it so much, think he was in then out a few games and I had enough so I traded him, thinking haha suckers when he was named. Bloody 150 points later lol.
Well I guess it could be worse than trading Ridley to Moore.
Friday night poll
TU – Feel the feels for those who ditched Ridley before final teams.
TD – Nope. If you don’t follow simple SC rules like waiting for final teams before trading then you need to cop what cometh.
I held off trading Ridley early. But I’m at work and have had to take a break specifically to check teams and make necessary adjustments. Life would certainly be easier if it were the old 1 lockout per round
Second that, working had to make the call. Went rozie, wanted someone to get to 300k asap.
Some of us dont have that luxury ALL week end. Sometimes its “make the trade or miss out”. For whatever reason.
What would a nurse in ICU do at 5pm today if they have a SC team ?
Wait til final teams come out at 6:20pm. 😉
I’m sure the guy lying on the bed just having suffered a cardiac arrest would be impressed
He’s probably a SC coach which is why he had a cardiac arrest…….he’ll understand……M.
Twas a joke Wighty. No offense meant!
Its cool roo…. So was my response.
Had a cardiac arrest myself four years ago. Really shouldnt be here but for teo fireys on the tram.
If he had ridley he would be right
It shows newman can go big 125 plus this week against swans would be nice
Is hore to Burgess worth a trade?
T/u yes
T/d no
Last second thoughts! Opens up DPP with Moore. Thanks guys
Thinking similar to get Rozee.
TU – Rozee, worth it
TD – Rozee, not worth it
Only if you trade him for ridley
Bahahahahahahahaha!!!!! Tempted. Might put the C on him too.
At 7:49pm i decided a warm body is better than a dead body and ditched Hore for Rozee.
Would love to see TMac go large for the TECHteam. Think he might be a nice pod now 😉
I kept him – can’t trade out too many premos even in Tech.
18 at half time not looking so flash though…
Punted him from my tech team first week and glad I did
23 at full time…. should drop in price nicely. I’ll be watching his form over the next few weeks with great interest.
Impartial game for me , but seems to be over umpired!
I dont barrack for either team these umpires are totally shhhhhhhiiiiittttt riuned what was once a great game
I don’t like bagging on the umpires either but when did ‘any contact’ equal ‘illegal contact’. Some of these frees……fair dinkum………
I love my footy but if this no contact rule continues the game is stuffed. Old timers would be having a chuckle.
The games Stuffed bring back the game we once loved afl
Yep sure am…….. insurance companies rule.
Correction: The umps made an ugly game even uglier in the first quarter. Some AMT class improved matters slightly!
Lift oliver mannnnnnn
he’s back to getting some ‘nice’favourite scores from CD it seems already … not really sure he has ‘truly earnt’ his score thus far … but sitting on 35 already with 2 kicks and 7 HBs at only 66% DE … 6CP’s – not sure he has actually got all of those stats though …
Nice rev up! It worked!
Petracca seriously needs to reinvent himself, he just looks too bulky and slow. What’s his ideal position?
VFL bench.
Gee that comment aged poorly, Petracca and the Dees have lifted magnificently!
Thinking the same thing, the stings gone out and the games come back to him.Bombers with 2 injured on the bench. Uphill struggle from here. Hmmmm, anyone else you want me to put the anti-moz on?
His been unreal this quarter
Zac Clarke – couple of useless plays there costing bombers … ignored two unmarked players and missed shot, then gets outmarked in def by someone half his size not really trying to mark the ball at all – two goal turn around just from him!! Get the big hook out and get him off!!
here come the Dees and Bombers have fallen apart …
VC on big Maxy is looking like paying off. Have had some poor luck with captaincy picks the last two weeks (not horrible, just middle of the road) but hopefully the big fella can make up for it.
Half Time scores:
Demons 61 lead Bombers 54
Melbourne Demons: 10.1.61
Max Gawn 78
Angus Brayshaw 59
Christian Petracca 53
Christian Salem 47
Joshua Wagner 47
Clayton Oliver 46
Jack Viney 44
Corey Wagner 44
James Harmes 43
Jayden Hunt 41
Jay Lockhart 38
Jake Melksham 37
Sam Frost 36
Alex Neal-Bullen +4 35
Nathan Jones 31
Sam Weideman 31
Neville Jetta 28
Michael Hibberd 27
Bayley Fritsch 26
Kade Kolodjashnij 25
Tom McDonald 19
Oscar McDonald 11
Essendon Bombers: 8.6.54
Conor McKenna 67
Zach Merrett 61
Shaun McKernan* 57
Dyson Heppell 56
Orazio Fantasia 55
A. M-Tipungwuti 54
Darcy Parish 48
Dylan Shiel 47
David Zaharakis 46
Jake Stringer 36
Patrick Ambrose +3 35
Matt Guelfi 35
Zac Clarke 33
Jordan Ridley 33
Aaron Francis 31
Michael Hurley 30
Adam Saad 28
Devon Smith 26
Andrew McGrath 24
Tom Bellchambers 21
Mark Baguley 21
Kobe Mutch 1
Just a lazy 81 for SuperMax in the first half, he’s baaaack
The downward spiral continues for Zerrett, only 61 at halftime…
Poor kid……washed up at 23……never a chance again to regain that old form…..ever……
Hey Chillo, is that a joke? 61 a half could be 122 for the game, not bad..But if the bombers come back Zerrett should lift. Just worried about these 3 injuries
12 possesions for merrett and not much influence on game, better get him in asap
Ah. Feeling vindicated started and holding Gawn and Grundy.
Week a long time in footy. Glad I pushed so hard for grawndy all pre season.
I know he’s had a couple of clangers, but Shiel has been Bombers best by far. Harsh scoring by CD I reckon
Watching the game on TV and Tippa is on fire!!!
And I’m a Dees fan. What he is doing tonight is incredible to see!
Jeez the Bombers are fast, good to see 🙂
3 Qtr time scores
Bombers Lead 96 to 75
Melbourne Demons: 12.3.75
Max Gawn 93
Angus Brayshaw 85
Clayton Oliver 73
Christian Petracca 67
Christian Salem 65
Jack Viney 63
Bayley Fritsch 63
Joshua Wagner 61
Jayden Hunt 59
Sam Weideman 59
Corey Wagner 55
Sam Frost 55
Neville Jetta 55
James Harmes 53
Nathan Jones 49
Jake Melksham 43
Jay Lockhart 41
Alex Neal-Bullen 38
Kade Kolodjashnij 29
Michael Hibberd 25
Tom McDonald 24
Oscar McDonald 22
Essendon Bombers: 15.6.96
Dyson Heppell 112
Conor McKenna 95
David Zaharakis 89
Zach Merrett 87
A. M-Tipungwuti 81
Devon Smith 78
Orazio Fantasia 74
Shaun McKernan* 72
Darcy Parish 70
Dylan Shiel 68
Jake Stringer 59
Mark Baguley 58
Aaron Francis 56
Andrew McGrath 52
Michael Hurley 51
Jordan Ridley 45
Patrick Ambrose 44
Matt Guelfi 40
Zac Clarke 38
Adam Saad 37
Tom Bellchambers 31
Clarke looks like absolutely ass
Dees are shit again, and the natural order is restored.
looks like D’s are going to be this years sliders
Back to the draft. At least Hawks, Geelong & Sydney have shown that early picks are the key to ongoing success.
Is that a typo? Are or aren’t?
dodgy scoring happening ATM – watching lives scores through FF Oliver on 93 and free against – his score has remained on 93 even though is showed -3 … suss!!
now dropped to 92 … hmmm
Must say, even though a bombers fan, some very suspect umpiring in this game … both ways, but think bombers have gotten the better of the calls …
That was one of the worst umpiring performances i have ever seen, ever and who do they answer to , nobody, disgraceful.
No i don’t barrack for melb.
yeah mate … wasn’t a good look for sure …
how much $$ did you loose
Don’t bet peanut
its not a perfect science , is just a someone watching the game & scoring what they see
Edit: ignore that, I thought you were saying something else.
FT scores Bombers defeat Demons 130 to 112
scores below before scaling …
Essendon Bombers: 20.10.130
David Zaharakis 132
Dyson Heppell 126
Zach Merrett 117
Darcy Parish 110
Conor McKenna 106
Shaun McKernan* 103
A. M-Tipungwuti 102
Devon Smith 101
Orazio Fantasia 97
Dylan Shiel 92
Jake Stringer 90
Andrew McGrath 87
Jordan Ridley 65
Aaron Francis 65
Mark Baguley 61
Michael Hurley 59
Adam Saad 54
Zac Clarke 50
Patrick Ambrose 50
Matt Guelfi 49
Tom Bellchambers 47
Melbourne Demons: 18.4.112
Max Gawn 128
Angus Brayshaw 105
Clayton Oliver 94
Sam Weideman 86
Christian Salem 83
James Harmes 82
Jack Viney 82
Jayden Hunt 79
Bayley Fritsch 75
Christian Petracca 75
Joshua Wagner 71
Neville Jetta 71
Corey Wagner 68
Nathan Jones 67
Jake Melksham 59
Sam Frost 59
Jay Lockhart 57
Kade Kolodjashnij 56
Alex Neal-Bullen 40
Michael Hibberd 35
Oscar McDonald 29
Tom McDonald 26
oliver be nice & cheap in a few weeks
The perfect ‘Fallen Premo’……..
Holding TMac in Tech was a mistake.
Wasn’t it?! He looks v slow and should be named ‘the butcher’
rolled his ankle in the 2 nd Q , got a jab in the rooms & toughed it out
Can Melbourne supporters please enlighten me………… Petracca looks great when Melbourne get going, but he goes missing for large chunks of the game. Why does he never get a run in the middle? If only for a few minutes?
he is a hard nut for sure , pretty reliable with ball in hand & reads the play well , but you need very good peripheral vision of whats around you to play in the middle , otherwise you just get cleaned up all the time ,
he seems to me ( personal opinion ) to be more of an old school , straight line player , which would lead me to believe he would have more of a tunnel vision type of awareness
petracca has tools to play forward better than many of his midfield teammates. Hence his lack of midfield time.
Who was the person who continuously said Merrett was a bad supercoach selection? Was tagged for 3 quarters and still managed 26 touches, 7 tackles and 12o points.
Stop doubting him ……
probably me mate , he’s just like dusty , looks great when the team is on but couldn’t be bothered when he has to earn his money
Apparently I should stop pumping him up because he’s on a downward trajectory and no longer SC relevant.
It’s easy to be chirpy when he just scored 120………..all I’m saying is…….he’s still only 23 years old and has already been a Top8 MID over two seasons (and a Top10 scorer overall to highlight his durability). He still has plenty of good football left in him and it would be extremely short-sighted to dismiss him completely for the next 5-8 years.
Watching the game, he barely got out of a jog, looks like the ankle is still troubling him, still working his way to full fitness……
He’s a ball magnet and will always just do his thing. 110 player when fit.
Despite his Rd1 score, I still wish I started him.
100% agree. Im even more talking from a supercoach perspective than a real life point of view as well. When in comes to his actual performance i still think he has a lot of things to improve to ensure that he fully impacts a game.
Was in my team for alot of the pre season however i had to squeeze him out to fit Neale in. But he will be an upgrade target for sure once his fully fit.
Another fallen premium, ripe for picking in few weeks time
So Merritt is posting 100+ when tagged this season. Wonder what the future will bring.
What’s the bet Steve Hocking comes out and does a victory lap tomorrow after tonight’s high-scoring match, claiming credit for it? “How great are my new rules!!!???”
So, I thought I’d get this out there first: I’ll grant that 6-6-6 meant we got a few more goals late in the 4th than we otherwise might have, but it was a high-scoring game all night – and the new rules had nothing to do with that. That was down to both coaches pursuing fast, attacking gameplans. Just like the low scores in most of the other games this year were due to the coaches playing defensive gameplans.
It’s all or nothing, Steve: you either claim credit for ALL the scorelines, high and low, or you admit you had nothing to do with ANY of them.
Every bad decision the AFL have made over the past couple of years has Steve Hockings name attached to it.
To his credit, I think there seems to be better flow, more one on one, less congestions, when some teams used to kill the game and ball in srums. Would love to see the stats on that.
definitely agree – there is far more quick exits out of centre bounces and many more incidences of back to back goals (for either team) as the congested centre square is no longer there … blind freddy can see there is some impact and freeing up of space and players …
Well, call me blind, because I can’t see it. The centre bounces were haven’t been congested since they brought in the centre square in the 70s.
It’s true that scores from centre bounces are up slightly on last year, but with scoring down overall, that just means that scores from general play are down even more than it first seemed.
Hurrah, that’s what I was looking for, what a data! present here at this weblog, thanks admin of this web page.