The Season that was - 2009

[Skeeta Olly]

In a season that contained ups, downs, big hits and hissy fits, we saw stars being born and stars retire. We saw that Goal, we saw that Bump and we saw that win. We saw finals.

We also saw the heart break story of Gumbleton and the less heart break story of Laycock. But we saw players such as Hurley and Zaharakis star. From out marking players on debut to kicking winning goals, it was a season to remember.

I thought this would be a good idea for people to look back on the 2009 season by posting pictures and videos of our favorite moments and favourite players.

I'll start off...

No doubt was ANZAC day the best win of the season in my eyes, but the best game I was able to attend would have to be Round 22 against Hawthorn.

The game was stale up to half time, Essendon were down and it didn't look good. Lloyd was struggling and their forward line was causing us trouble. I remember telling my mates that if we didn't stamp our mark on the game early on, we wouldn't win.

The ball went up and I caught a player out of the corner of my eye running into the pack and bang, the game erupted. Sewell was out and the stadium exploded with emotion. I remember the game moving onto the MCC wing, and the stand erupted into abuse directed and Lloyd. I screamed out You ****ing legend, Lloyd, instantly becoming an enemy of surrounding Hawthorn fans.

Not only was this a great win, but the young Bombers stood up, unlike Hawthorn. They took the game on and I knew that these players bled Red and Black (at the time).

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[OzBomber]

http://www.essendonfc.com.au/images/09/r05-gsp-10.jpg
He goes short... It's a mark... To Zaharakis...
http://www.essendonfc.com.au/images/09/r05-gsp-63.jpg
ZAHARAKIS!!!!!! HAS KICKED THE GOAL! THE BOMBERS ARE IN FRONT AT THE G.

Best game I will ever go to. Those last 3 minutes will be forever etched in my memory. The burtsting run from Lovett. The out on the full from Davis and then the goal from Dyson which showed were were a chance. The sliding mark from Monfries. Jetta stuffing up completely, the Zaharakis goal the feeling of the stands shaking and the deafening noise of the crowd. Then hardly being able to hear the siren and just going absolutely nuts. Then the young Collingwood fan right next to me balling his eyes out and the old guy standing next to me who was devastated tapping on my shoulder and saying well done. Just amazing.

[BIGFELLA11]

Top review Olly remember being at the hawks game round 22 and the old man and i were telling Knights how to coach sure enough he made the moves after half time and we turned it on

[Tailypo]

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*The opening goal of that video, when Atkinson put us in front. Up until then we'd be a goal away, then 2, then a goal, then 2.

*Hurley. It seemed like every time the ball went near the forward line it would end up in his hands, either kicking or setting up a goal. That 55m goal on his left :heart:.



http://images.3aw.com.au/2009/08/16/682109/bombers424.jpg


*That sickening feeling as we kept missing shots and the Saints clawed their way back, culminating in Riewoldt's mark. The elation as he missed it.


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*All of our wins against traditional rivals when we went in underdogs, especially when we won by large margins like Hawthorn Round 7 and Carlton Round 13.

[Ben the Gooner]

http://www.essendonfc.com.au/images/09/rd20_celebration2.jpg

[OzBomber]

Would've been all that much sweeter of we won the flag. Still awesome though that we protected our streak.

[Colin D'Cops]

Best game I will ever go to. Those last 3 minutes will be forever etched in my memory...Just amazing.

Agree 100%. That ANZAC match was pretty damn special, won't escape my memory that's for sure. The crowd was buzzing, players celebrating, Collingwood fans were leaving with a disgruntled look; fantastic! :thumbsu:

[BIGFELLA11]

Quarters commentary is great

[Godzke]

ANZAC Day was a downer for me. I played club footy starting at 11:40am and finishing soon after 2:00pm. My best mate, who is a Pies supporter and who recently got dumped by his girlfriend, dislocated his shoulder badly in the match and went to hospital. Decided to round to his house and watch the game, but because of recent events the mood was much much more sombre than it usually is for us on ANZAC Day. Needless to say, when Zaka kicked that goal I just sat there and said "oh. cool goal. bad luck".

Mateship has its low moments sometimes but that's just how it is.

Great year though. Beat all the clubs we really wanted to beat in terms of rivalry, even if it meant losing the second time to Richmond and Collingwood. Hawks and Blues was fkn awesome.

[teak]

ANZAC day for me was the best I have ever witnessed live, and I may never witness a better game.
Started the day with a dawn service, went to an RSL for breakfast/morning tea. Then got to the game with 2 mates in seats on the 50m line on the boundary. I will never forget the minute of silence, when the entire 90000 strong crowd went into complete silence. Amazing that such a day is given such respect. In previous years I have been near dickwads that talked on their mobiles through it, but this years was great.
Then the game. What a finish! I saw a few Essendon supporters leaving when the rain started to come down [and we were a few goals down]. But when we came back from dead... Zaka's goal will always stay with me.
What made it even better was that there were some pretty vocal Pies supporters around us who were singing their song with about 5 min left. The were not too happy by the end though.

Other highlights include having "no chance" according to the media against the blues [both times] and the Hawks [first time] and proving them wrong. Also saints game to stop their run and protect our record, and Hawks game to end their season and propel into the finals.

[Godzke]

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NO better youtube out there. :D

[Skeeta Olly]

That goal will mean we'll never see a Bombers supporter leave a game early again ;)

[Kong]

http://www.essendonfc.com.au/images/09/r05-gsp-10.jpgI've always loved seeing mid-tackle/collision photos.

Certainly flatters Zaka there!

[loopy_cam]

http://www.essendonfc.com.au/images/09/090818-lucas-002-l.jpg

A sad, sad day. :(

What a champ.

[HFF_07]

2009 Season. Hm, an interesting one to say the least.

We bid farewell to a couple of old timers, stawlarts to say the least, others may say champions of our great club with Matthew Lloyd and Scott Lucas making way for the betterment of our great club. Allowing the younger Neagle, Gumbleton, Still, Carlisle, Hurley and co to develop into a formiddable core group for us to build success upon.

We finally rid ourself of most of the deadwood hanging off our list with the departures of Jay Nash, John Williams and the talented but list blocking Hayden Skipworth and created room for some very exciting youngsters in Jake Melksham, Jake Carlisle, Troy Colyer and the iconic Anthony Long - Nephew of Essendon great, Michael.

In light of all these daprtures, the Essendon football club also had no choice, but to twist the arm of some certain plkayers and making the tough decisions that had to be made. Bidding farewell to Andrew Lovett in exchange for the talented Mark Williams, let's just see it unfold before we start saying how good and bad this decision was. Whilst the Adam Mcphee saga should have been dealt with a little bit more proffesionaly from Mcphee's management side of things. Instead opting to drag it out and now making him look like a lesser person.

And finally moved on the rookies who were not showing as much as most on here would of liked. The EFC thanked in no uncertain terms for the utmost development of Kade Klemke, Bryce Carrol, Thomas German, and Rhys Magin.

Moving into the football. Essendon had a great year against our rivals. Essendon won 6/8 against our traditional 'big rivals' - Collingwood, Carlton, Richmond, Hawthorn.

Everyone on here can recall the day that Ricky Dyson - one time whipping boy of the EFC Bigfooty community, grew from a boy... to a man.

He came in as a late replacement for Mark Mcveigh and proceeded to play the best game of his career that catapulted him from bit parts player to certain 22 starter.

Or how about the game where we unleashedthe new kid on the block, Tayte Pears to the competition and he did wonders in the back half as an unassuiming defender. Often quelling the influence of the oppositions best key forwards, with his defensive, and offensive role on Brendon Fevola in our second meeting with the Blues.

The list goes on and on. What about the eploitations of a young man named Michael Hurley on a seasoned veteran by the name of Nick Riewoldt in our round 20 upset win against the top of the table St.Kilda. Hurley played like a player that was in his 8th season, not 8th game of AFL football.

As I mentioned, the list goes on and on, we saw an improvement across the board, with standout years from alot of the guys. Most notably.

Jason Winderlich, has proved why the Essendon Football Club has put so much time into his recovery from injuries with a stellar year.

Brent Prismal, has proven why we were stoked with bargain based price for a superstar in the making.

Paddy Ryder, proving to all that he is purely a ruckmen before a defender.

Scott Gumbleton is the missing link in all of our forward troubles.

In the midst of all this euphoria though. We cannot forget the negatives of this year. The round 17 and 18 losses to lowly Richmond and West Coast respectively. We were on a roll, haing won 4 out of our last 6, and with a finals place almost locked away, we were rolled by a Jack Riewoldt led Richmond outfit that showed how pressure is meant to be applied. Whilst the Dockers showed they can still play at home, no matter what their ladder position suggests.

As a club, striving for ambitions of more success. We need to start delivering some knockout blows, and steam roll teams that mean nothing to us. Like the round 4 humiliation against North Melbourne, where their were more clangers in this game than what the whole year may have brought. Or the need for 4 quarter football, especially against quality opposition for example the round 11 match against Adelaide, where we were with them all the way until midway through the third term.

The need for consitency is what is going to make us a force. The need to find a killer blow is certainly another area that we need to work on. And the need to win away from home is just about the most important componenet to forming a powerhouse unit.

Yes we are in a precious situation where we could be anything, and as a young side we will learn to find consistency, and we will learn to find that next gear for that killer punch against teams will tip us over the edge. But the need to win away from home, we, the seeds should be already starting to be sown for this young Essendon football club.

I think that next year will show us alot about where this young side is going. With a win against an Adelaide, or an away victory against a WA side the catalyst for proof of this. The Essendon Football Club is in great shape. Let us just hope that this development continues.

Yours Truly

HFF_07

[Wheelybin]

Heard Lucas has signed with Greenvale EDFL

[Gorkamorka]

The Zaharakis goal against the Pies on ANZAC day, the win against the then undefeated Saints, and the win against the Hawks, to propel us into the finals, and make them the worst defending premiers in recent times, were all sweet.

[centrelink1]

Out of the three, its gotta be Zaharakis goal.