""You just can’t forget the history and tradition of Hawthorn Football Club – they are a very proud football club and they aren’t simply going to roll over because times are tough. We have to be ready to confront a very committed Hawthorn team,"" Wallis said.
""Statistically everyone thinks we should win but stats count for nothing if your attitude isn’t right. If we don’t come to play or turn in the sort of effort we did in the second half of last week we will get a very rude awakening.""
The Bombers dropped off dramatically after going into the half time break with a 54-point lead against Fremantle last Friday night. Essendon still won comfortably but the statistics told the story. Fremantle went inside 50m 38 times to the Bombers 17 in the second half. The inside 30s were even worse – Fremantle getting there 17 times to Essendon’s pitiful three.
""When you look at those numbers it is hardly surprising that Matthew Lloyd didn’t get a lot of it in the second half. He kicked five when we played direct and smart football in the first half but he suffered as a result of what happened up the field in the second half,"" Wallis said.
