View Full Version : Open letter to Matthew Knights
note: please mods, don't merge this.
An open letter to Matthew Knights, sent to the Essendon Football Club.
Mr Knights,
I write to you today as a disheartened and utterly gutted Essendon member.
We are now 2 and 5 heading into round eight. TWO and FIVE.
You, the players and the club sent a message at the beginning of the year that you no longer wanted to be regarded as a young side, that you were men, competing against other men.
Well as men, competing against other men, you are failing.
The media makes excuses for our performance. We are young, we made the finals with ten wins etc etc. This might make the coach of the club a bit comfortable. With all due respect sir, the last thing I want of an Essendon coach sitting on a 2-5 record is for him to be comfortable.
I understand the fact that due to the manner in which the AFL is run, clubs are expected to rise and fall in an almost rhythmic motion. Premierships, gradual fall, rebuild and rise again.
Two things strike me here:
1) We have been DOWN for far too long. Making the finals on ten wins and getting smashed does NOT count.
2) This is ESSENDON. Regardless of equality policies, we are here to win. If you aren't comfortable with that, you are in the wrong job - go coach Freo or the Dogs.
It was only a three point loss, I get that. But that three point loss was a game we should have won, and now puts us in this position.
Do you have a plan? Do you see a way out?
I want to know what it is. How are we improving?
What I see, frustratingly, is possibly the best ruck combo in the league, a forward line that looks absolutely incredible, the best clearance midfielder in the league, and the best key position defenders in the league.
HOW IN GODS NAME ARE WE LOSING?
I, along with the Essendon fan base need an explanation.
Mr Knights sir, what are you doing to get us to 17?
Kind Regards,
XXXXX XXXXX
(obviously I covered the name for the public forum.)
Frothies Mcveigh
8 May 2010, 18:41
I didnt know Matthew Scarlett, Brian Lake and Lenny Hayes played for us.
DVD Player
8 May 2010, 18:44
I think he meant *In two years time*
King Of The Hille
8 May 2010, 19:10
ThE LOSS WAS NOT MATTHEW KNIGHTS FAULT.
WHY THE **** IS EVERYONE SO OBSESSED WITH BLAMING KNIGHTS.
IF PLAYERS CANT HIT A ****ING TARGET AND HAVE NO INITIATIVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY UPON THEMSELVES HOW THE **** DO YOU WANT US TO WIN.
GTFO YOUR HATE WITH KNIGHTS.
A soft and unacceptable loss.
Stanton - learn how to kick ffs. I love your leg speed, your endeavour, your courage, your endurance ... but a senior footballer must know how to kick before anything else. You positively do my head in.
Hooligan87
8 May 2010, 19:26
I hope you don't mind me posting on your board.
You guys played well today, For some reason the football gods didn't seem to look kindly on you for some reason today.
I think calling for Knight's head is a little premature atm. He's only been in the top job for a few years, give him a little time.
all the best
I hope you don't mind me posting on your board.
You guys played well today, For some reason the football gods didn't seem to look kindly on you for some reason today.
I think calling for Knight's head is a little premature atm. He's only been in the top job for a few years, give him a little time.
all the best
It wasnt the Football Gods - At All.
Two major reasons for our loss
1) Final kick into the 50 - Port was a bit better
2) Port got a better performance from their senior players.
Shane Hird
8 May 2010, 19:38
Jade, just a bit melodramatic there mate.
The ball just didn't bounce our way a number of times today. As the Port bloke said, the footy Gods were not on our side. That shocking bounce in front of Hille when Chad Cornhead swooped and goaled said it all...
We live to fight another day...
To ease the pain, just think of how well our No17 played for a young kid...superstar in the making:thumbsu:
Rocky_Star_Pro
8 May 2010, 20:22
ThE LOSS WAS NOT MATTHEW KNIGHTS FAULT.
WHY THE **** IS EVERYONE SO OBSESSED WITH BLAMING KNIGHTS.
IF PLAYERS CANT HIT A ****ING TARGET AND HAVE NO INITIATIVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY UPON THEMSELVES HOW THE **** DO YOU WANT US TO WIN.
GTFO YOUR HATE WITH KNIGHTS.
This
How is it seriously Knight's fault that players make bad decisions, they fail to hit targets etc. I thought we played good in patches today, it was a shame we couldn't put Port away, but it isn't Knight's fault that Stanton turned the ball over in the dying stages, it isn't Knight's fault that Winderlich didn't go back and shoot and turned it over
Bomber57
8 May 2010, 20:27
ThE LOSS WAS NOT MATTHEW KNIGHTS FAULT.
WHY THE **** IS EVERYONE SO OBSESSED WITH BLAMING KNIGHTS.
IF PLAYERS CANT HIT A ****ING TARGET AND HAVE NO INITIATIVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY UPON THEMSELVES HOW THE **** DO YOU WANT US TO WIN.
GTFO YOUR HATE WITH KNIGHTS.
Your 1st point> LOSS WAS NOT MATTHEW KNIGHTS FAULT
Senior coach must always take the blame
2nd point> WHY THE **** IS EVERYONE SO OBSESSED WITH BLAMING KNIGHTS
Because he is the worst coach in the league
3rd point> IF PLAYERS CANT HIT A ****ING TARGET AND HAVE NO INITIATIVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY UPON THEMSELVES HOW THE **** DO YOU WANT US TO WIN.
It is the coaches responsibility to make sure the the players do hit targets and take RESPONSIBILITY for their actions.
4th point> GTFO YOUR HATE WITH KNIGHTS
All the KNIGHTS LOVERS SHOULD wake TFU and smell the roses, he is a loser. :thumbsu:
King Of The Hille
8 May 2010, 20:34
Your 1st point> LOSS WAS NOT MATTHEW KNIGHTS FAULT
Senior coach must always take the blame
2nd point> WHY THE **** IS EVERYONE SO OBSESSED WITH BLAMING KNIGHTS
Because he is the worst coach in the league
3rd point> IF PLAYERS CANT HIT A ****ING TARGET AND HAVE NO INITIATIVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY UPON THEMSELVES HOW THE **** DO YOU WANT US TO WIN.
It is the coaches responsibility to make sure the the players do hit targets and take RESPONSIBILITY for their actions.
4th point> GTFO YOUR HATE WITH KNIGHTS
All the KNIGHTS LOVERS SHOULD wake TFU and smell the roses, he is a loser. :thumbsu:
http://www.gifsoup.com/imager.php?id=187993 (http://www.gifsoup.com/view/187993/facepalm.html) GIFSoup (http://www.gifsoup.com/)
Wahooti Fandango
8 May 2010, 20:35
Your 1st point> LOSS WAS NOT MATTHEW KNIGHTS FAULT
Senior coach must always take the blame
2nd point> WHY THE **** IS EVERYONE SO OBSESSED WITH BLAMING KNIGHTS
Because he is the worst coach in the league
3rd point> IF PLAYERS CANT HIT A ****ING TARGET AND HAVE NO INITIATIVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY UPON THEMSELVES HOW THE **** DO YOU WANT US TO WIN.
It is the coaches responsibility to make sure the the players do hit targets and take RESPONSIBILITY for their actions.
4th point> GTFO YOUR HATE WITH KNIGHTS
All the KNIGHTS LOVERS SHOULD wake TFU and smell the roses, he is a loser. :thumbsu:
Your head seems to be crammed up Bart Simpson's arse if that is your logic.
Frothies Mcveigh
8 May 2010, 20:38
Thats the sort of idiotic comments that I would expect to hear from a Richmond supporter, not an Essendon one.
The Great Barry Besanko
8 May 2010, 22:56
Jade, just a bit melodramatic there mate.
A bit of sense amongst one horrendous thread. Some supporters need to grow the **** up!!
Knight Ryders
8 May 2010, 23:05
The tackle count and contested possessions would suggest otherwise.
If an Essendon supporter is happy, or even worse, content with where we are now, then I don't think you can be called an Essendon supporter.
If you are happy with a 'good show' and a good effort, happy with the endeavour, then seriously, piss off and go barrack for a lesser side.
I am a member, and I am TIRED of this.
It is NOT good enough that our coach be given leeway.
He has coached for three years, what, WHAT do we have to show for it?
ENOUGH!!
I want wins, I want them now and I don't want anymore bullshit excuses from our coach, players or fans.
If you are Essendon then this is totally bloody unacceptable.
The Great Barry Besanko
8 May 2010, 23:40
If an Essendon supporter is happy, or even worse, content with where we are now, then I don't think you can be called an Essendon supporter.
If you are happy with a 'good show' and a good effort, happy with the endeavour, then seriously, piss off and go barrack for a lesser side.
I am a member, and I am TIRED of this.
It is NOT good enough that our coach be given leeway.
He has coached for three years, what, WHAT do we have to show for it?
ENOUGH!!
I want wins, I want them now and I don't want anymore bullshit excuses from our coach, players or fans.
If you are Essendon then this is totally bloody unacceptable.
No one's happy about the loss you knob. Suck it in and acknowledge whether you like it or not, we're a young team. Mouthing off in some pathetic hissy fit is not going to help.
Frothies Mcveigh
9 May 2010, 00:01
^^^ This ^^^
This
How is it seriously Knight's fault that players make bad decisions, they fail to hit targets etc. I thought we played good in patches today, it was a shame we couldn't put Port away, but it isn't Knight's fault that Stanton turned the ball over in the dying stages, it isn't Knight's fault that Winderlich didn't go back and shoot and turned it over
A good coach wont let it happen as often. Skill errors happen in all games whether you are Geelong all the way down to Richmond. The difference between the top sides like Geelong, Doggies, Pies and Saints is that it doesn't happen all that often. Our Disposal has been consistently appalling for a while now, so what can we do about it. We cant sack every player on our list, someone needs to be accountable, whole point about being a coach is to teach, educate and inspire your group and IMO not much has changed in 3 years we have not improved much at all. I don't hate Knights, I'm sure he is a great bloke and would be a fantastic assistant or development coach, but does he have it tactically to be a senior coach?? All signs are pointing to no atm. Business is business nothing personal but something needs to be done before things get worse.
The game was close enough that it could have gone either way. The lead was changing so much that Essendon could just as well have been in front. Sure Jobe and Stanton made mistakes, players do that every game. I don't see anyone complaining about the umpiring mistake with the off hands mark that Davey didn't really take.
We will get nowhere with Matthew Knights in charge. Get it into your thick heads. How can you not apportion some blame to the coach.
Prismall.....
Atkinson.....
Would any other coach give these guys games?
essendon2008
9 May 2010, 02:53
Your 1st point> LOSS WAS NOT MATTHEW KNIGHTS FAULT
Senior coach must always take the blame
2nd point> WHY THE **** IS EVERYONE SO OBSESSED WITH BLAMING KNIGHTS
Because he is the worst coach in the league
3rd point> IF PLAYERS CANT HIT A ****ING TARGET AND HAVE NO INITIATIVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY UPON THEMSELVES HOW THE **** DO YOU WANT US TO WIN.
It is the coaches responsibility to make sure the the players do hit targets and take RESPONSIBILITY for their actions.
4th point> GTFO YOUR HATE WITH KNIGHTS
All the KNIGHTS LOVERS SHOULD wake TFU and smell the roses, he is a loser. :thumbsu:
Don't worry about providing some evidence to why you think Knights is the worst coach in the league, just go ahead and call him a loser. Really productive. I'm surprised you can even put a sentence together with the perceived intelligence you provide.
dirtywhitepacker
9 May 2010, 04:25
The people in the know, the one's with all the knowledge of the inner sanctum, have given Knights the support to coach this team. In a period of transition (which is what we're going through) there are going to be inconsistencies.
We have lost key players through the last four seasons, Lloyd, Lucas, Lovett, McPhee, Johnson and Johnson, and Peverill to name a few. The list Knights inherited was quite messed up age wise with very few quality players in the middle-aged tier.
I don't think Essendon fans listening to the ravaging media and jumping on Knights' back is going to help this club move forward in the direction it should. Knights is an ESSENDON coach, support him like he is an Essendon man. The same goes with the rest of the coaching staff. They are busting a gut for this club, doing their best. It is too soon to say their best isn't good enough just yet.
Be patient, criticise when it's due, but don't eat our own.
forwardflanker
9 May 2010, 07:59
op is seriously overating the current playing list. A coach is only as good as his cattle and atm no coach is going to turn this current Essendon side into a contender, or maybe even into a top 8 side. IF you guys want to point the finger, look to your recruiters. Whilst you have a few young guys who look to be good future prospects you have many more blokes who just arent up to scratch, and in all likelyhood never will be.
Knight Ryders
9 May 2010, 08:20
After the Collingwood game, I was wondering where Knights was going with our list. What has happened since has been an improvement, no doubt at it. I was really ****ed off yesterday at losing, but the bottom line is the players brought the effort and pressure required. Where we fell down was players backing themselves in to win and the fact that Port had a few more class finishers than ourselves. Knights wasn't the problem yesterday, it was our senior to mid tier players. It's up to them to grab the group by the scruff of the neck when we are in a position to win, not the coach.
If we keep laying 80+ tackles and winning the contested possessions, we will win more games than we lose for the rest of the year. Knights has the team playing hard contested football, which was the mocker on him and our team. As someone else said, we were a kick away from a "roast" to a "toast". It's just hard to stomach a loss under a goal.
Shane Hird
9 May 2010, 08:57
If an Essendon supporter is happy, or even worse, content with where we are now, then I don't think you can be called an Essendon supporter.
If you are happy with a 'good show' and a good effort, happy with the endeavour, then seriously, piss off and go barrack for a lesser side.
I am a member, and I am TIRED of this.
It is NOT good enough that our coach be given leeway.
He has coached for three years, what, WHAT do we have to show for it?
ENOUGH!!
I want wins, I want them now and I don't want anymore bullshit excuses from our coach, players or fans.
If you are Essendon then this is totally bloody unacceptable.
Were you stamping your feet and holding your breath when you wrote this?
It's not going to happen any time soon- being a top 6 side, so why just not accept it and make your life a whole lot better....
The Donners
9 May 2010, 09:06
ThE LOSS WAS NOT MATTHEW KNIGHTS FAULT.
WHY THE **** IS EVERYONE SO OBSESSED WITH BLAMING KNIGHTS.
IF PLAYERS CANT HIT A ****ING TARGET AND HAVE NO INITIATIVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY UPON THEMSELVES HOW THE **** DO YOU WANT US TO WIN.
GTFO YOUR HATE WITH KNIGHTS.
Knights is involved in drafting the players, training the players and picking the team.
Get on us next week, we give st kilda all sorts of problems.
Pears
Hooker
Melksham
Gumbleton
Hurley
Find me a better young spine to build a team around, just be patient kids as not one of those guys has played 50 games yet.
Get on us next week, we give st kilda all sorts of problems.
Pears
Hooker
Melksham
Gumbleton
Hurley
Find me a better young spine to build a team around, just be patient kids as not one of those guys has played 50 games yet.
This. Providing they all last the GC-GWS period, in 3-4 years time they are likely to be our best players.
bomberfan101
9 May 2010, 09:39
I would agree, we are moving forwards..if you cannot see that then you are clearly only looking at the win/loss ratio. Yes, last year we made the finals - with 10.5 wins, but this season we are actually playing better imo.
Same kind of results as last year:
We have lost against top 4 sides in Geelong, Freo and Collingwood.
We have beaten (imo) 2 of the bottom 8 teams in Carlton and Hawthorn
We have lost away from home - west Coast
Only really bad loss has come from being beaten by Port yesterday - and they are actually playing well this year.
Wait until we play teams like Richmond, Melbourne, Adelaide, North, Sydney and Brisbane to compare our season and see how Knights is doing!
I think we are about 30-40 games away from being really competitive against top teams, nothing to do with Knights, but to do with experience and playing together as a team.
mark1881
9 May 2010, 09:45
OP...you are the sort of supporter I can't stand. If we'd kicked one more goal yesterday you'd be yapping on about the positives whilst glossing over these negatives.
When this letter arrives at Essendon, they'll do what they do with all the other junk they receive from spuds like you, straight into the trash.
Knights can't stop Watson from taking a bounce through the centre and getting caught.
Knights can't control Winderlich giving the ball off 40 out from goal.
Knights can't control Hille's up and down form.
etc
etc....
What he can control and encourage is passion and effort and going by the contested possessions and tackle count, he's had them cherry ripe for most of the year. Our player's poor skill execution can't be blamed on Knights. I agree that he has had some poor coaching moments but you can't blame him for eveything, the players must take responsibility too.
I would agree, we are moving forwards..if you cannot see that then you are clearly only looking at the win/loss ratio. Yes, last year we made the finals - with 10.5 wins, but this season we are actually playing better imo.
Same kind of results as last year:
We have lost against top 4 sides in Geelong, Freo and Collingwood.
We have beaten (imo) 2 of the bottom 8 teams in Carlton and Hawthorn
We have lost away from home - west Coast
Only really bad loss has come from being beaten by Port yesterday - and they are actually playing well this year.
Wait until we play teams like Richmond, Melbourne, Adelaide, North, Sydney and Brisbane to compare our season and see how Knights is doing!
I think we are about 30-40 games away from being really competitive against top teams, nothing to do with Knights, but to do with experience and playing together as a team.
As in the flying, top of the ladder Sydney that we play at the SCG? :o
WeAreEssendon
9 May 2010, 09:56
I would agree, we are moving forwards..if you cannot see that then you are clearly only looking at the win/loss ratio. Yes, last year we made the finals - with 10.5 wins, but this season we are actually playing better imo.
Very strange post. We are playing better this year even though we are 2-5. :confused: We've looked pretty soft for most of the year. The last 2 weeks have been better but they've been against an ordinary Hawks outfit and a Port side that will struggle to win another game interstate.
You need to ask why we are playing more committed and spirited football at round 7 and not the first 5. The goose is cooked at 2-5 and we have one winning game in the next 5. That will bring us to 3-9.
We have a pretty good second half of the season but the way we are playing and improvement from other sides then we can only safely say Richmond and WC here are 80-20 chances of wins and the rest we'll start as underdogs.
^I haven't though it through too much so this argument will probably fall down...sometimes you have to take a step back to go two steps forward.
Last year we were being smashed in contested ball and clearence stats. This year we have won those stats more than we have lost. We have also had 100 tackles two weeks in a row now.
Contested ball and tackling are the cornerstones on which successful teams are built. The struggle all year has been to recapture the attacking instincts that served us well last year.
Once we strike the balance between the two sides of our play we will snap into gear.
Remember that it was only round 7. Finals look a long way off but we could win 9 games for the rest of the season. We'd end up with more wins than last year.
Ludwig van Bertstare
9 May 2010, 10:07
I'm still trying to figure out how this loss can be blamed on Knights.
Very strange post. We are playing better this year even though we are 2-5. :confused: We've looked pretty soft for most of the year. The last 2 weeks have been better but they've been against an ordinary Hawks outfit and a Port side that will struggle to win another game interstate.
You need to ask why we are playing more committed and spirited football at round 7 and not the first 5. The goose is cooked at 2-5 and we have one winning game in the next 5. That will bring us to 3-9.
We have a pretty good second half of the season but the way we are playing and improvement from other sides then we can only safely say Richmond and WC here are 80-20 chances of wins and the rest we'll start as underdogs.
This.
Why has it taken until now (when the season is basically over) for us to play good football? There are no excuses, it is not like we had many injuries or can't get our best 22 on the park.
Again we have people overestimating the performance of Port Adelaide yesterday, the same as Hawthorn, the same as Geelong. Port Adelaide won't win too many more games in Melbourne, they were pretty bad at the contested ball and we almost won every match up around the ground. Yet, we still failed to win.
Why? Were we unlucky? No, when you're three goals up half way through the third quarter and have an oppurunity to put the opposition away you grasp that oppurtunity. You don't let Port kick three of the EASIEST goals in a row to bring them back on level terms. Then come the last quarter to win the game do we back ourselves? No. Ok so we're not backing ourselves to win the game so what are we doing? Are we trying to defend the game? Are we playing with any desperation and intensity? No. We are just sitting back and watching Port Adelaide take the game away from us.
You can look to blame Winderlich for passing off, or Monfries for missing an easy set shot. I don't buy into that. What I see is a team that didn't want to win in the last quarter and that is most disappointing for me.
OP...you are the sort of supporter I can't stand. If we'd kicked one more goal yesterday you'd be yapping on about the positives whilst glossing over these negatives.
When this letter arrives at Essendon, they'll do what they do with all the other junk they receive from spuds like you, straight into the trash.
Knights can't stop Watson from taking a bounce through the centre and getting caught.
Knights can't control Winderlich giving the ball off 40 out from goal.
Knights can't control Hille's up and down form.
etc
etc....
What he can control and encourage is passion and effort and going by the contested possessions and tackle count, he's had them cherry ripe for most of the year. Our player's poor skill execution can't be blamed on Knights. I agree that he has had some poor coaching moments but you can't blame him for eveything, the players must take responsibility too.
exactly. the only thing ill add is that Knights should improve on his reaction to opposition coaches' moves. although yesterday i believe he reacted fairly well. (particularly to taking cornes out of the game after q1
I'm still trying to figure out how this loss can be blamed on Knights.
Because he told the players to fumble the ball all day and miss targets.
Because he told the players to fumble the ball all day and miss targets.
Because he tells the players to handball when in trouble & this skill is something we don't have the players to pull off. Its plain to see that Knights has us handballing at all cost. This comes undone continually & we turn it over far far far to often by hand in dangerous spots. Knights' gameplan allows oppositions easy access to their goals & we don't have anything that resembles a good defensive structure. Going forward we pull all our numbers into the overpossesing gameplan so we don't have options when we get it forward. Even when we do have forward opportunities again we have too many player unwilling to take their oportunities & we handball to often inside fwd 50. These are all areas that Knights is responsible for & he is failing.
The_Young_Gun
9 May 2010, 17:32
HOW IN GODS NAME ARE WE LOSING?
Its Because we suck....
Knight Ryders
9 May 2010, 18:14
Because he tells the players to handball when in trouble & this skill is something we don't have the players to pull off. Its plain to see that Knights has us handballing at all cost. This comes undone continually & we turn it over far far far to often by hand in dangerous spots. Knights' gameplan allows oppositions easy access to their goals & we don't have anything that resembles a good defensive structure. Going forward we pull all our numbers into the overpossesing gameplan so we don't have options when we get it forward. Even when we do have forward opportunities again we have too many player unwilling to take their oportunities & we handball to often inside fwd 50. These are all areas that Knights is responsible for & he is failing.
Have you watched every team play against Collingwood since we played them? They've done exactly as we did. The pressure of the opposition causes the handball frenzy and turnovers - we had 105 tackles yesterday, but Port still had 90. This means it was a high pressure game.
I'll blame Knights where necessary, but I think he has improved our team since the Collingwood game. Also, if you win contested possessions and tackles, you'd just about assured to win games. I'll say this again, if we keep this up, we'll win more games than we will lose until the end of the year. This is a huge positive for us atm.
Have you watched every team play against Collingwood since we played them? They've done exactly as we did. The pressure of the opposition causes the handball frenzy and turnovers - we had 105 tackles yesterday, but Port still had 90. This means it was a high pressure game.
I'll blame Knights where necessary, but I think he has improved our team since the Collingwood game. Also, if you win contested possessions and tackles, you'd just about assured to win games. I'll say this again, if we keep this up, we'll win more games than we will lose until the end of the year. This is a huge positive for us atm.
Collingwood has won their last 4 games by 10 goals.
james_omahoney
9 May 2010, 20:11
Apparently if you win the tackles and contested possessions then you have an 85% chance of winning. We slipped into the other 15% on Saturday, which is hard to swallow, but also encouraging that we put ourselves in the right position.
stay true
9 May 2010, 20:18
Apparently if you win the tackles and contested possessions then you have an 85% chance of winning. We slipped into the other 15% on Saturday, which is hard to swallow, but also encouraging that we put ourselves in the right position.
Yeah, we really haven't had a problem winning the ball this year, it's our disposal and accuracy in front of goal that has cost us dearly. Port to their credit kept themselves in the game in the 3rd quarter with their insane accuracy, and they were 15.2 at one stage in the 4th quarter. There is no better example of why taking your chances is so important.
There's something about teams from Adelaide and Etihad.:(
Knight Ryders
9 May 2010, 21:18
Apparently if you win the tackles and contested possessions then you have an 85% chance of winning. We slipped into the other 15% on Saturday, which is hard to swallow, but also encouraging that we put ourselves in the right position.
Bitterly. Even more so that it was our senior players that could have sealed it. Watson gets run down, Winders doesn't take the shot, Monfries misses from 15 metres out, Hille gets destroyed in the ruck....Brogan takes over, Ebert smacks one from outside 50, Motlop marks and goals from outside 50.
Ben the Gooner
9 May 2010, 21:39
Spot on, j_om. That's why I'm still ****ed off. We threw away a game which was ours.
james_omahoney
9 May 2010, 21:56
Yeah it hurts. Sort of feels like the Adelaide game last year. Should have nailed both.
Agree with everything james_omahoney's said.
We will get nowhere with Matthew Knights in charge. Get it into your thick heads. How can you not apportion some blame to the coach.
Prismall.....
Atkinson.....
Would any other coach give these guys games?
stupid comment.
mark thompson selected brent prismall to represent geelong in a final (this was his last match for geelong as he did his knee - ACL). the coach that has led his team to the last 3 grand finals netting 2 premierships has selected prismall in his team! and not just a standard game - selected him in finals football
essendon are 2 wins behind were they should be.
it was always likely we would lose to geelong and we struggle travelling so no surprise losing to eagles. out of collingwood, carlton and hawthorn at the start of the year you'd be happy winning 2/3 of those.
its obviously the losses to freo and port that hurt. to make up for these losses essendon will need to win some matches they were expected to lose.
they can start this week by beating st kilda - they did it last year and without riewoldt the task should be easier. if they can win this week then they are only 1 win behind we're most fans would have predicted/hoped for.
i don't like the excuses and want results as well but is plainly obvious to see that the forwardline has been a work in progress. gumby hadn't played for 2 years, hurley was suspended and these are the two main targets. the good thing is that they have been showing improvement each week.
the midfield was actually quite good in the clearances for most of the game against port. this was pleasing to see and shows that perhaps the midfield is better without welsh? however it was a shame they ran out of legs and made some skill errors late in the game. no doubt knights should be looking into rotation strategies, balance of fitness in the team and be doing some training drills this week to address this.
this week's match against st kilda should be labelled a crunch match which is season defining. i think the club needs all the supporters to get behind the team this week and really cheer them home.
Towno78
10 May 2010, 09:13
note: please mods, don't merge this.
An open letter to Matthew Knights, sent to the Essendon Football Club.
Mr Knights,
I write to you today as a disheartened and utterly gutted Essendon member.
We are now 2 and 5 heading into round eight. TWO and FIVE.
You, the players and the club sent a message at the beginning of the year that you no longer wanted to be regarded as a young side, that you were men, competing against other men.
Well as men, competing against other men, you are failing.
The media makes excuses for our performance. We are young, we made the finals with ten wins etc etc. This might make the coach of the club a bit comfortable. With all due respect sir, the last thing I want of an Essendon coach sitting on a 2-5 record is for him to be comfortable.
I understand the fact that due to the manner in which the AFL is run, clubs are expected to rise and fall in an almost rhythmic motion. Premierships, gradual fall, rebuild and rise again.
Two things strike me here:
1) We have been DOWN for far too long. Making the finals on ten wins and getting smashed does NOT count.
2) This is ESSENDON. Regardless of equality policies, we are here to win. If you aren't comfortable with that, you are in the wrong job - go coach Freo or the Dogs.
It was only a three point loss, I get that. But that three point loss was a game we should have won, and now puts us in this position.
Do you have a plan? Do you see a way out?
I want to know what it is. How are we improving?
What I see, frustratingly, is possibly the best ruck combo in the league, a forward line that looks absolutely incredible, the best clearance midfielder in the league, and the best key position defenders in the league.
HOW IN GODS NAME ARE WE LOSING?
I, along with the Essendon fan base need an explanation.
Mr Knights sir, what are you doing to get us to 17?
Kind Regards,
XXXXX XXXXX
(obviously I covered the name for the public forum.)
- Possibly the best ruck combo in the league? Cox & Naitanui, Sandilands by himself...
- a forward line that looks absolutely incredible? In time I've no doubt we will, but now... I'd hardly say any of our KPFs: Hurley, Gumby or either resting ruckman are capable of dominating games just yet. Not surprisingly, they aren't.
- the best clearance midfielder in the league? Jobe is probably the best in the league here, but not much support, plenty of better clearance midfields in the league
- and the best key position defenders in the league? Now you're really taking it too far. Geelong (Scarlett, Milburn, Mackie, Taylor), St Kilda (Goddard, Gilbert, Fisher, Dawson), Bulldogs (Hargrave, Lake, Morris, Williams) to name a few. Fletcher's a champion, but Hooker/Pears are both still young. Whilst I think they are better now than most at their age, their bodies have a lot of maturing to do, and whilst they do a sterling job back there, they definitely do not match it with the best KPDs in the league just yet.
You're a little dillusional mate.
Slattery_20
10 May 2010, 09:17
If Hille was half the player he was, a) I've been watching the wrong bloke or b) we wouldn't have lost. Cos the big bloke in #19 was coughing up goals every middle contest in the 3rd & last.
Knights' biggest problem - and I'm not sure how much leeway he had - was that he should have shunted Lloyd and Lucas off 3 years ago. We have had a rebuild of the backline, midfield, now we're working on a forward line. End result, we just tread water for 3, 4 years.
jade_00
10 May 2010, 10:56
- Possibly the best ruck combo in the league? Cox & Naitanui, Sandilands by himself...
Hille and Ryder are both A-Grade ruckmen under performing. At the top of their respective games it is a fair comment to make.
- a forward line that looks absolutely incredible? In time I've no doubt we will, but now... I'd hardly say any of our KPFs: Hurley, Gumby or either resting ruckman are capable of dominating games just yet. Not surprisingly, they aren't.
Yes thats a fair comment. It is incredibly frustrating watching Hurley kick four goals one week and vanish, or Gumby taking massive contested marks - and then watch our midfield share it around by hand and cough it up at the 70m mark.
- the best clearance midfielder in the league? Jobe is probably the best in the league here, but not much support, plenty of better clearance midfields in the league.
Also a fair comment, but hence my angst at the coach. Watson is severely lacking in support, so here's a few ideas:
- Try Myers as an inside Mid
- Give Houli a few games
- Rotate Zaka through the middle
- Drop McVeigh
Just ideas obviously, but right or wrong its worth giving it a crack instead of persisting with the same method that has us at 2-5.
- and the best key position defenders in the league? Now you're really taking it too far. Geelong (Scarlett, Milburn, Mackie, Taylor), St Kilda (Goddard, Gilbert, Fisher, Dawson), Bulldogs (Hargrave, Lake, Morris, Williams) to name a few. Fletcher's a champion, but Hooker/Pears are both still young. Whilst I think they are better now than most at their age, their bodies have a lot of maturing to do, and whilst they do a sterling job back there, they definitely do not match it with the best KPDs in the league just yet.
My bad, I meant to say best YOUNG KPD in the game.
You're a little dillusional mate.
Maybe, but it appears that 5 years of mediocrity is my tipping point.
Slattery_20
10 May 2010, 11:26
5 years of mediocrity is unfair to Knights. He's not responsible for what went before, and I think that points out just how far you've let your angst and emotion tinge any objectivity.
IMHO the years around 04 were all about accepting the failings on our list, and papering over the cracks just to hang around finals. Knights is pushing kids in there to fit what he wants, but they're just not doing the business as of yet. Young backline, young forward line, mid-range midfield = not quite cutting mustard.
There's no way our biggest flaw is winning the hardball, btw. If anything that's a strong point. Using it, the 2nd/3rd link, is the downfall.
TheDon35
10 May 2010, 11:27
I would agree, we are moving forwards..if you cannot see that then you are clearly only looking at the win/loss ratio. Yes, last year we made the finals - with 10.5 wins, but this season we are actually playing better imo.
Same kind of results as last year:
We have lost against top 4 sides in Geelong, Freo and Collingwood.
We have beaten (imo) 2 of the bottom 8 teams in Carlton and Hawthorn
We have lost away from home - west Coast
Only really bad loss has come from being beaten by Port yesterday - and they are actually playing well this year.
Wait until we play teams like Richmond, Melbourne, Adelaide, North, Sydney and Brisbane to compare our season and see how Knights is doing!
I think we are about 30-40 games away from being really competitive against top teams, nothing to do with Knights, but to do with experience and playing together as a team.
Rubbish.... Utter rubbish:
1, We are not playing better. We are a shabby rabble for the most part. At least we've maintained a competive effort for the past 2 weeks however we are not playing better.
2, Only bad loss came against Port??? Are you all there? West Coast, disgusting, incipid performance. Collingwood, a more spineless performance than the final last year, Freo, gave up on the contest.
3, Knights has had 2 and a half years in the job so is more than ready to be judged on what HIS team IS producing. I maintain that his gameplan is by AFL standards not there. I also think that it's clear to most that he hasn't been successful in galvanising the group as for the most part, we look like an unorganised mess.
As for another 30 or 40 games... that is a huge gamble for the club to take.
Towno78
10 May 2010, 11:31
^
Hang in there mate, points 2, 3 and 4 will develop out of sight in the next 2 years. I have no doubt.
Slattery_20
10 May 2010, 11:32
Freo wasn't *that* bad a performance in retrospect. They're a good side this year.
jade_00
10 May 2010, 11:41
5 years of mediocrity is unfair to Knights. He's not responsible for what went before, and I think that points out just how far you've let your angst and emotion tinge any objectivity.
I'm not blaming Knights for all five years, but pointing out how five years is enough for me.
Absolutely I am letting emotion get in the way of objectivity.
IMHO the years around 04 were all about accepting the failings on our list, and papering over the cracks just to hang around finals. Knights is pushing kids in there to fit what he wants, but they're just not doing the business as of yet. Young backline, young forward line, mid-range midfield = not quite cutting mustard.
Agree with all of that.
There's no way our biggest flaw is winning the hardball, btw. If anything that's a strong point. Using it, the 2nd/3rd link, is the downfall.
I agree, as I said we seem to lose it at that link up just outside forward 50. Very frustrating.
Shane Hird
10 May 2010, 11:50
stupid comment.
mark thompson selected brent prismall to represent geelong in a final (this was his last match for geelong as he did his knee - ACL). the coach that has led his team to the last 3 grand finals netting 2 premierships has selected prismall in his team! and not just a standard game - selected him in finals football
That's irrelevant now. Totally irrelevant.
Did I mention that's irrelevant?
Dear Mr. Knights.
Please tell those Adelaide teams to stop kicking so straight against us.
Port were 15.2 in the 4th quarter. I thought this year was meant to have the worst goal kicking ever?
Funny fact, remember that game against the Crows last year? Where their ridiculous kicking kept them in it? They were 15.2 at the start of the 4th quarter as well. :)
It hurts to lose. But I look at our young backline and think- in time, they won't allow teams to kick 15.2; 10.7 and it's a different ballgame.
The Donners
10 May 2010, 12:22
I'm still trying to figure out how this loss can be blamed on Knights.
Kicks 188
Handballs 224
Son of Whispy
10 May 2010, 13:32
The facts are that we have Matty Knights for another 2 years after this. I don't blame him for everything that has happened.
The points are, when he took over as coach at the end of 2007, he had an absolute champion of the game retire, Lloyd and Lucas at the twilight of their great careers and a list in that was either very young or at the twilight of there careers.
The 1st 2 years of his contract, the club was injury ravaged, therefore not getting valuable game experience into some these younger players.
The midfielders he has inherited aren't elite midfielders and do turn the ball over. The fact is there is nothing will be done about it for the next couple of year because any half decent draft pick there is is going to Gold Coast or West Sydney.
The majority of the list is finally healthy, so we are getting vital experience into our list. If there's no improvement when they all have played 50+ games, then we can say sack Knights and get rid these players who are going to give us nothing.
Until then, we all have to suck it up and be patient and hopefully we can all bask in glory.
And to people who are getting stuck into David Hille. Get off his back. He's 28, a big ruckman and he's coming off a knee reco. He needs at half a year to be back into form. I do remember big blokes in the past don't comeback as quickly from knee reco's than most.
Slattery_20
10 May 2010, 13:34
The facts are that we have Matty Knights for another 2 years after this. I don't blame him for everything that has happened.
We don't necessarily. We've got getout clauses.
And to people who are getting stuck into David Hille. Get off his back. He's 28, a big ruckman and he's coming off a knee reco. He needs at half a year to be back into form. I do remember big blokes in the past don't comeback as quickly from knee reco's than most.
I agree.
Should be allowed to do so.
He's not fit and finding his way back into touch. He's costing us.
machina
10 May 2010, 13:54
If Hille was half the player he was, a) I've been watching the wrong bloke or b) we wouldn't have lost. Cos the big bloke in #19 was coughing up goals every middle contest in the 3rd & last.
Knights' biggest problem - and I'm not sure how much leeway he had - was that he should have shunted Lloyd and Lucas off 3 years ago. We have had a rebuild of the backline, midfield, now we're working on a forward line. End result, we just tread water for 3, 4 years.
When Knights took the job we had Lloyd, Lucas, Gumbleton, Neagle, Johns and Lee as tall forwards. Could you imagine if he had shunted Lloyd and Lucas and we had those guys as our forwards for the last two years?
Slattery_20
10 May 2010, 14:02
We would've been crap. Development of Neagle would have been 10-20 games ahead, would've seen Johns a bit I guess; point is those games we put into Lloyd Lucas retired with them, neither played a final under Knights, so what was the point?
The Donners
10 May 2010, 14:02
When Knights took the job we had Lloyd, Lucas, Gumbleton, Neagle, Johns and Lee as tall forwards. Could you imagine if he had shunted Lloyd and Lucas and we had those guys as our forwards for the last two years?
To play the Devil's advocate here, we didn't win a premiership nor were we going to, now we're behind the 8-ball.
The Donners
10 May 2010, 14:05
We would've been crap. Development of Neagle would have been 10-20 games ahead, would've seen Johns a bit I guess; point is those games we put into Lloyd Lucas retired with them, neither played a final under Knights, so what was the point?
Agreed. If he was trying to maintain the integrity of the EFC by retaining 2 club legends, he failed at that too - according to public perception.
machina
10 May 2010, 14:20
I don't think Neagle has really been kept out of the team because of fierce competition for spots, he's either been injured or crap. We'd be in the same position now, developing Hurley and Gumby.
Slattery_20
10 May 2010, 14:21
But with a pick or a couple of picks.
machina
10 May 2010, 14:30
Well that's partly what I was saying, imagine the response to Knights if he traded out Lloyd and Lucas in his first year, then we have no forward line for two years. I don't think any server in the world could run BB.
Slattery_20
10 May 2010, 14:33
Well that's partly what I was saying, imagine the response to Knights if he traded out Lloyd and Lucas in his first year, then we have no forward line for two years. I don't think any server in the world could run BB.
That's exactly the problem, tho.
Can't - simply cannot - have supporter expectations or opinions running the club. Too long we've let marketability, big names etc run the show over an honest appraisal of where the club is at and what it needs to do to thrive.
machina
10 May 2010, 15:02
I don't think that you can say Knights seems too worried by those expectations though, looking at his handling of a number of players.
I figure he thought they had more years in them, which I did at the time, and could have been part of the resurgence. Lucas did his knee in the first game he played for Knights and it pretty much ended his career there and then. Lloyd seemed to be gradually improving after his hamstring injury. They'd each kicked over 60 goals in 2007 and were still under thirty. Not the worst decision to me anyway.
table tennis
11 May 2010, 15:33
Wow, Printable Toilet paper, who would have thought????