Tigers vs Essendon practice match @ Morwell, Sat 3.30pm

[Smokey]

On the two responses:
Smokey - doesn't it concern you that both teams were close to full strength, and yet they more or less dominated us all day? I can think of a few inclusions that might have improved us (Cousins, Foley, Post) but not that many. We were certainly a lot stronger side than the one who faced Collingwood.Do you think we were holding back,and will transform once the real stuff starts?

Not really RR.  I'm not overly concerned as I just don't rate NAB Cup/practice matches for anything else except seeing what things the younger players can bring to the table.  I've seen too much practice match 'form' over my years to pay any real attention to it - it just rarely stacks up when the real thing gets going.  There are so many factors that alter the dynamics of those games that reality is always the first casualty.  We might play terribly next Thursday night and look like rabble but until then I just have no expectations or fears based on what has been trotted out in the past month.

[RollsRoyce]

I dont know if id agree with being on par with them. We have beaten them a few times, but overall I'd say they have performed a bit better than us.

The have shown improvement over the last two years even with barely a big man available for much of last year.
Crystal ball gazing can make you look silly, but I expect essndon to continue to improve, particualy if they have a fair run with injury.

In terms of going past us in develoment, when knights took over he was the fresh start, new style of play, new roles for some players etc etc.

At that same time we were supposed to be on the cusp, three years into a master coaches grand plan yada yada yada.

So now we are the fresh start, two years and weaker base behind.






[/quote]
Fair enough. I suppose I was just a bit shocked by the ease of their win, and the size of the final margin. It looks like all the prognoses are true, that we Tiger fans are going to have to keep our heads down and our expectations low this year.

[RollsRoyce]

  We might play terribly next Thursday night and look like rabble but until then I just have no expectations or fears based on what has been trotted out in the past month.

I really hope not. I want to beat Carlton so bad, it hurts. Incidentally, do you know the cheeky sods have put their "Do they know what we're cooking?" membership posters up all over Richmond? There's a huge one on the far side of Victoria St (Yeah, I know,technically Abbotsford, Collingwood country.) There's one at the entrance to Victoria Gardens, and it's all covered in spittle . So somebody obviously had the same thought as me. In your wildest dreams, could you imagine us getting away with  putting up our membership posters in Lygon Street? 

[Penelope]

I dont know if id agree with being on par with them. We have beaten them a few times, but overall I'd say they have performed a bit better than us.

The have shown improvement over the last two years even with barely a big man available for much of last year.
Crystal ball gazing can make you look silly, but I expect essndon to continue to improve, particualy if they have a fair run with injury.

In terms of going past us in develoment, when knights took over he was the fresh start, new style of play, new roles for some players etc etc.

At that same time we were supposed to be on the cusp, three years into a master coaches grand plan yada yada yada.

So now we are the fresh start, two years and weaker base behind.

Fair enough. I suppose I was just a bit shocked by the ease of their win, and the size of the final margin. It looks like all the prognoses are true, that we Tiger fans are going to have to keep our heads down and our expectations low this year.

I think a lot of us were, RR. Given our good record against them in recent times many would have expected a better showing and perhaps even a win.
I suppose it shows that history means JS once they run onto the park.

Yeah, keeping expectations low this year is a must, or you'll just bring yourself a big load of hurt.

On the flip side, we could snatch the odd unexpected win, particularly if the enemy think it will just happen for them on the day.  Then we can  

[one-eyed]

From Champion Data's Fantasy Freako email......

Martin had 34 possies  and Nason 16 against Essendon.

Martin has averaged 92 points over his 3 preseason games. He's the highest Tiger in total aggregate with 276 points.

Next best is Lids with 242. Just 5 other Tigers have cracked the 200 - Jackson, Connors, Tambling and Riewoldt from 3 games each and Morton from 4 matches.

Dreamteam points

Martin        110
Jackson       79
Nason         78
Hislop          76
Newman      73
Connors      62
Deledio        62
Tambling      61
Cotchin       54
Riewoldt      52
Edwards      49
Gourdis       49
Polo           49
Nahas         48
Vickery        47
Morton        43
Simmonds    42
Roberts       40
Moore         35
McGuane     34
Thomson     31
Farmer        28
Taylor         19
Browne       11



10 Bombers scored 80 points or more to our 1  .

Just 3 Bombers scored less than 60 points to our 16  .

Stanton scored 173 just by himself. He had 41 disposals and 12 marks 

Going by the stats we simply just didn't get our hands on the footy and keep hold of it.

[WA Tiger]

Well after those stats I hope the hell Cuz plays against the Blues because Martin will have the crap tagged out of him and he needs more support than he was offered in this game.

[Mr Magic]

From Champion Data's Fantasy Freako email......

Martin had 34 possies  and Nason 16 against Essendon.

Martin has averaged 92 points over his 3 preseason games. He's the highest Tiger in total aggregate with 276 points.

Stanton scored 173 just by himself. He had 41 disposals and 12 marks 

Could be wrong but wasn't Dusty matched up directly on Stanton for much of the day?

Good effort from the youngster to gather so many possessions but he's going to have to work on his defensive game a little.

Always room for improvement.

[Penelope]

In what way does he have to work on his defensive game?

[tigersalive]

In what way does he have to work on his defensive game?

Well we couldn't see the game so we don't know right now but Dustin said he was matched up on Stanton for some of the game and if Stanton is getting 41 possessions you can bet you still have something to learn somewhere.

[mightytiges]

In what way does he have to work on his defensive game?

Well we couldn't see the game so we don't know right now but Dustin said he was matched up on Stanton for some of the game and if Stanton is getting 41 possessions you can bet you still have something to learn somewhere.

A lesson in you only keep going offensively head to head playing off your opponent if you're the one causing more damage to the opposition than your opponent is doing to us. Mind you it would've helped if most his teammates could have got their mits on the footy rather than doing stuff all by the look of those stats.