Anzac Day. Pies v. Dons.

[Dark Beanie]

Training is always 'open'.

Usual schedule is training Tuesday & Thursday.
It may change this week due to ANZAC day but I didn't see them training yesterday when I went past.

[Haff]

Sorry all. I’m really confident of a pies win in a canter. That usually means we’re gonna get pumped. This is why I generally take a glass have empty view of Collingwood.

I may have also said after the Brisbane game we’d win 10 in a row from here.

[Larry]

Thanks DB
What time is it normally on Tuesday I might just try my luck.

[David]

I’ll put my hand up as confident of a win (for once). Won’t be easy but we should be good enough, particularly now we have some momentum and form on our side.

[lazzadesilva]

[Gerry Cooper]

^^^^^

I think we are a mostly superior team across each line to them. However it will depend on whether Good Collingwood or Bad Collingwood turn up and for how long.

[LaurieHolden]

Safe to say most posters wouldn't have watched many Essendon games in great detail, more so going on the seasons or tipping results to date.
It's to be seen if they can play 4 quarters of intense ANZAC day football, however I'm in no doubt Brad Scott will use this as a statement game for contested football and a mark of gaining a regular starting spot in their 22. I can see this match being a real head over the ball contest.
If Bytel gets a call-up for us I won't be surprised. Having another big frame alternating through the middle might be required.
On that front, Dylan Shiel is likely to gain a recall for the Dons after 24 disposals, eight clearances, four tackles in a narrow away loss to Southport.
They've got a good B grade list that bats pretty deep, perhaps lacking consistent A grade talent to give them the extra edge, but I don't think they'll be just turning up for the pre-game entertainment either.

[piedys]

Okay, so what's the usual winning sequence for ANZAC Day over the years?
We win three on the trot, then we drop one?
Since 2005:
Pies 2006/2007/2008; dopers 2009 [just].
Pies 2010/2011/2012; dopers 2013
Pies 2014/2015/2016; dopers 2017
Pies 2018/2019/2020* [abandoned]; dopers 2021
Pies 2022/2023/...

Does that W/L ratio read correctly to the stats gurus here?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anzac_Day_match

[dalyc]

^^ From what I saw in the VFL on the weekend, Bytel is not near best 23 at the moment regardless of his size.

[Charlie Oneeye]

Looking at Essendons results so far this year, nothing outstanding. Watching some parts of their games, just par for course.

Sometimes you look a million $ if the opp lets you, but go to water against a well honed team.

If we play anywhere like the last 3 qrts on Sat, they are no chance.

[Skids]

Pies to pull away in the last and win by 34 points.

Bobby will win another medal.

[What'sinaname]

[K]

[Magpietothemax]

Complacency must be banished!!
We have played only 3/4 game so far this year (ie the last three quarters of the game against PA) which we can truly say fully reflects our premiership form of 2023.
We have yet to prove that we can consistently bring this to the table.
Essendon is much improved in many respects compared to last year. Peter Wright is available for selection this week, which adds to our defensive tasks.
In our last game, WHE turned the clock back to 2018, but we can't assume that -now aged 30 - he can do that regularly.
Harrison Jones is demonstrating that he has the capabilities of becoming a champion (I wish we had tried to prise him out of hte Bombers last year, when he was offered only a 1 year contract).
To win this game, we will need to bring absolutely the same level of pressure that we did against PA.
Essendon's loss to PA I believe is no reflection of their actual playing level.
We need to make sure we hit the ground running.
A start like we made last week would be catastrophic.

[Magpietothemax]

Think we will make Steele or Pendles the sub, and McInnes playing in the 22. Otherwise unchanged.