What now for Essendon?

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And I think we need a couple of years around the bottom in order to rejuvenate the list. But it's a fine line.

No argument, you don't do a Melbourne

Right now though, Cooney, chappy,gwilt, winderlich are all providing meh to the team at best, but depriving a kid from a spot to show their wares. Even Fletch, who has been enormous, needs to make way imo unless injury requires him out there
 
Jan 3, 2012
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At seasons end, you could easily be looking at 13 retirements and delistings (not including trades), and that's without going nuts

That is nearly a third of your list gone in one year, and thanks to the likely retirements a massive chunk of your experience

Like it or not, no matter how many times you say "we are Essington and we don't bottom out", when you move on a third of your list in one off season in what is supposed the be the crappiest draft in years, you're bottoming out

nice avatar
 

Jesse Custer

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No argument, you don't do a Melbourne

Right now though, Cooney, chappy,gwilt, winderlich are all providing meh to the team at best, but depriving a kid from a spot to show their wares. Even Fletch, who has been enormous, needs to make way imo unless injury requires him out there
Pears as well. Time to move on Stanton. Things can change but I think the senior core is done.
 

STFU Donnie

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It's all part of Goddard's movie script.

The greatest coach on earth and his team get unjustly accused of implementing a supplements program as being drugs cheats just because they didn't have the proper procedural checks and balances in place.
The big bad wolf "AFL" then bans the Messiah and as just reward for such an indignation the Bombers board in it's 'confucius' like wisdom re-signs the Messiah and extends his contract.
The saga goes on and on and on and on and on and on and eventually the crushing weight of the worst injustice in sport is the total indignation of the players eventually succumbing to the pressure and capitulate to the team that finished dead last the previous year.
But in it's finest hour the club will rise from the ashes, like the phoenix, and will conquer all taking away premiership after premiership and the all mighty will be standing at the top of world looking down upon all as his mastery is evident for all to see.
The last scene will be a 95 year old Hird standing there with a white robe with long flowing white beard and holding a staff made from melted down premiership cups, as the masses are kneeling at his feet worshipping a now obvious demi-god.

It's a pity Cecil B. de Mille is no longer with us.

BTW, I don't often genuinely LOL, but your profile piccie hit the spot.
 
Pears as well. Time to move on Stanton.

Absolutely

I counted 13, but that included Watson. Looking at him he just looks like a guy doing it because he has to now, and I personally suspect hell hang them up at years end (combination of body and the commitment needed).
 

STFU Donnie

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I think they will sit on their hands and do nothing until the WADA issue is finalised. They had the best chance to sack HIRD nine months ago and took the soft option. The board now want him to sack him but they don't have the "power and strength" to do it for fear of getting booted themselves.
He won't resign either as he believes and knows he is bigger than the club.
As such the club will continue to rot to the core.

Serious question is when will the AFL say "enough is enough" and bring in their own administration?
 

STFU Donnie

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I have an idea ...now this might seem mad

But here goes

James should get on the phone to Thomson and say I want you in the box with me ......

In fact how it will work for the remainder of 2015 is that I will be in the bid and you'll be man on the boundary and vice versa

Essentially we will co coach the team for the remainder of 2015 .....

Yes it would've sign of hey I'm not up to it ....or it could be sold us hey we are struggling and I need help

Thomson is very very smart operator ...Hird isn't

I reckon Hird could learn a lot from Thomson in 9 games and hit the ground running in 2016

It's either sack him now or get him some help so he can be fast tracked in his developement for 2016

Now I know it won't happen so don't bash me for this post .....but clearly what he's doing isn't working and clearly they won't sack him, so if your not going to sack him then get help for him instead

I think this move would win back some fan base also ...explain it clearly to the media the purpose and what the plan is with Thomson involved on match days

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result

You've got to change something and doing something radical would be my thinking

If your not going to fire someone then it's your duty to help ....

Mark Thomson would maybe help ......Hird needs help or sack ?

a) After how he was treated last year, and
b) his recent comments re Hird's future, I suspect his answer would consist of two words, one of which would be "off".
 

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would you invest with him?
Not bloody likely, but then I wouldn't invest with most of those Wall street types, maybe he will make a career of suing everyone, or write a book, if he revealed all it would sell like hot cakes.

You know how it is people like Hird always land on their feet, he could live off donations from his loyal supporters as to some of them he will always be the scapegoat in this.
 
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There's definitely something darker about this. Little has already wanted to get rid of Hird. The AFL wants to get rid of Hird. Hird has litigation on his mind. Has been prepping to maximize his out take, making it entirely about Hird and not about what's best for anyone else (certainly not the players, who now show they have no intention of playing for him). His former man at arms Thompson threw him under the bus. The Brissy Lions players threw him under the bus and showed him up as a liar.

Yet the great man clings on!

His fingernails are proving to be very long indeed.

What did Thomson say about Hird though? I must have missed this.
 

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