I was doing some writing for a friend and i came up with this critisism would be nice as long as it is constructive.
Dear Readers,
Another season roll’s around in the AFL and again the questions who where and when are being asked. This will tell you a little about Essendon’s chances.
The Current bomber squad is one of the younger in the competition around 3 or 4th in fact, but it still relies very heavily on its star trio Hird Lloyd and Fletcher. Of the three injury riddled stars only Lloyd in likely to continue playing long into the foreseeable future. When all 3 of these stars play the Don’s look a real premiership contender, as all areas of their game have a true leader. But due to many reasons Dustin Fletcher’s bad back, bad ankles and his “undisciplined play” sees him spend around 5-10 games a season out. Hird on the other hand is one of the true champions of the competition capable of winning a game of his own efforts as he did in round 5 against Collingwood on Anzac day and against Carlton in a rough and tumble match, where he came out after half time and got 15 possessions and 2 goals in the quarter to lift Essendon in a critical match to their ability to make the final 8, unfortunately for bomber fans he spends around half the season nursing injuries into games and being out injured entirely.
Essendon’s Keys.
Scott Lucas: Essendon’s young gun Scott Lucas is fast becoming one the competitions finest Centre Half Backs, he was unlucky to miss out on AA selection in 2003 and is set to improve as he becomes more accustomed to his new position. For Essendon to kick on in 2004 he need to play a full year in the back line to make up for the lack Key position backs.
Mathew Lloyd: Essendon’s main path to scoring has won the Colemen Medal 3 times kicked 93 goals this year and is the premier full forward in the game at the moment, needs to continue to produce results.
David Hille: Possibly the most important player to Essendon next year, his continued improvement is a major key to Essendon’s ability to move the ball from the centre. When on song he is up with the best and gives great service to his midfielders, but he has be known to go missing in games. The Addition of Mathew Allen and the further improvement of Laycock along with pick 6 in the national draft Bradley should help to ease his load. But he will still be expected to do up to 80% of the Teams rockwork in 2004.
The Johnson’s and Solomon: The Tough division, Essendon’s ability to physically intimidate sides is a key to the Sheedy coaching method, without Wallis or Hardwick it is up to the tough nuts in Mark and Jason Johnson along with Solomon to physically get into the opposition, when they do the team lifts around them, as happened against West Coast when continued physical pressure instigated by Solomon and company led to Essendon being able to walk away victor’s without stars Fletcher Hird Pevrill Misiti or Ramanauskas. They have to be able to lift in 2004 to make Essendon a Fearsome side to oppose. The pressure will be right on Solomon after his trade week debacle so he will have to be at his best all through the season.
The Backline: The Dons full backline will mostly likely consist of Fletcher McVeigh Sam Hunt, Andrew Welsh, Shaun Wellmen, Adam Mcphee, Scott Lucas and Mark Johnson. For Essendon to get anywhere in 2004 either Sam Hunt or Dustin Fletcher has to be at full back there aren’t many other options since the departure of Danny Jacobs to the Hawks during the 2003 trading period. McVeigh after only agreeing to a 1 year contract (possibly so he can be traded to Sydney to play with his brother Jarrod) is the real Niche player to Essendon’s back line his tagging ability makes him perfect for match up’s like Medhurst Milne and Metera as well as giving great run from the backline. On the Half back flanks Essendon have an abundance of talent, in Dean Solomon Shaun Wellmen Andrew Welsh and Adam Mcphee along with Dean Rioli and Mark Mecuri playing cameos. With the current rotation pattern their aren’t any real problems for Essendon along the backline as long as Scott Lucas is playing well. The only players capable of fulfilling Lucas’s role are Mark Bolton and Aaron Henemen, neither a all that flash although Henemen hasn’t been given the time to develop he required. As he was thrust in as a backup ruck men to David Hille in 2003.
The Midfield: Next year is a key year in the rebuilding of the bombers midfield since having to sell Justin Blumfield Blake Caracella and Chris Heffernan, while most of the core still remains (Jason Johnson Mark Johnson Hird and Misiti) they are reaching the apex of their careers and are unlikely to get any better. Coming through the ranks are the likes of Bullen Winderlynch Watson and Walsh all with less than 20 games under their belts. Damien Pevrill Adam Ramanauskas and Adam Mcphee are the only “middle aged” players currently in the bombers midfield. For Essendon to do well the youth especially Winderlynch, Watson and Walsh need to be phased in while Hird should spend more time up forward Misiti will slowly fade from view. Pevrill needs to improve on last years results where he spent a lot of time on the bench and was very rarely influential and any key stages of the game. Ramanauskas and Mcphee both look very good for the future but need to step up next year to fill the role as Sheedy phases out the older “baby bomber” generation. In all there is a lot of young talent coming through for the midfield but the age gap will still be a problem as without quick experience for the youth Essendon will be left wanting come injuries during the year.
The Forward line: Essendon’s forward line is one of their strengths, but they lack a second Key position player in this case a Centre Half Forward. Mark Bolton was playing the that role through out the season but played his best football in a tagging role against the likes of Pavlich and Gardiner. Courtney Johns and Jason Laycock lead the current crop of young Key Position players at the Don’s with Courtney Johns expected to begin the season in the key role. Despite the lack of a Key along the half forward line, Essendon’s other Key forwards Mathew Lloyd and Damien Cupido both had great years kicking 93 and 39 goals respectively. They could be expected to continue that into the new year with Lloyd likely to gain his 4th and second consecutive colemen medal. The forward pocket players in Ben Haynes, Mark Mercuri and Joel Reynolds are all classy players but as Mercuri reaches the end of his career Haynes and Reynolds will have to step up to fill the rather large cap left. Reynolds is a class act looked on as a successor to James Hird;s role in Essendon’s midfield and forward lines. While Ben Hyanes is a pure creative forward pocket who performed well late last year to earn promotion from the rookie list.
The Future looks bright for the bombers next year, and while Kevin Sheedy’s men will be looking to finish in the top 4, a top 8 spot may be hard to come by if there are injuries to key players. Despite this 2004 is a rebuilding year for the dons and as such a lot of young players are likely to get game time, as Sheedy looks to find replacements for his fading stars. Prediction 6th.
Dear Readers,
Another season roll’s around in the AFL and again the questions who where and when are being asked. This will tell you a little about Essendon’s chances.
The Current bomber squad is one of the younger in the competition around 3 or 4th in fact, but it still relies very heavily on its star trio Hird Lloyd and Fletcher. Of the three injury riddled stars only Lloyd in likely to continue playing long into the foreseeable future. When all 3 of these stars play the Don’s look a real premiership contender, as all areas of their game have a true leader. But due to many reasons Dustin Fletcher’s bad back, bad ankles and his “undisciplined play” sees him spend around 5-10 games a season out. Hird on the other hand is one of the true champions of the competition capable of winning a game of his own efforts as he did in round 5 against Collingwood on Anzac day and against Carlton in a rough and tumble match, where he came out after half time and got 15 possessions and 2 goals in the quarter to lift Essendon in a critical match to their ability to make the final 8, unfortunately for bomber fans he spends around half the season nursing injuries into games and being out injured entirely.
Essendon’s Keys.
Scott Lucas: Essendon’s young gun Scott Lucas is fast becoming one the competitions finest Centre Half Backs, he was unlucky to miss out on AA selection in 2003 and is set to improve as he becomes more accustomed to his new position. For Essendon to kick on in 2004 he need to play a full year in the back line to make up for the lack Key position backs.
Mathew Lloyd: Essendon’s main path to scoring has won the Colemen Medal 3 times kicked 93 goals this year and is the premier full forward in the game at the moment, needs to continue to produce results.
David Hille: Possibly the most important player to Essendon next year, his continued improvement is a major key to Essendon’s ability to move the ball from the centre. When on song he is up with the best and gives great service to his midfielders, but he has be known to go missing in games. The Addition of Mathew Allen and the further improvement of Laycock along with pick 6 in the national draft Bradley should help to ease his load. But he will still be expected to do up to 80% of the Teams rockwork in 2004.
The Johnson’s and Solomon: The Tough division, Essendon’s ability to physically intimidate sides is a key to the Sheedy coaching method, without Wallis or Hardwick it is up to the tough nuts in Mark and Jason Johnson along with Solomon to physically get into the opposition, when they do the team lifts around them, as happened against West Coast when continued physical pressure instigated by Solomon and company led to Essendon being able to walk away victor’s without stars Fletcher Hird Pevrill Misiti or Ramanauskas. They have to be able to lift in 2004 to make Essendon a Fearsome side to oppose. The pressure will be right on Solomon after his trade week debacle so he will have to be at his best all through the season.
The Backline: The Dons full backline will mostly likely consist of Fletcher McVeigh Sam Hunt, Andrew Welsh, Shaun Wellmen, Adam Mcphee, Scott Lucas and Mark Johnson. For Essendon to get anywhere in 2004 either Sam Hunt or Dustin Fletcher has to be at full back there aren’t many other options since the departure of Danny Jacobs to the Hawks during the 2003 trading period. McVeigh after only agreeing to a 1 year contract (possibly so he can be traded to Sydney to play with his brother Jarrod) is the real Niche player to Essendon’s back line his tagging ability makes him perfect for match up’s like Medhurst Milne and Metera as well as giving great run from the backline. On the Half back flanks Essendon have an abundance of talent, in Dean Solomon Shaun Wellmen Andrew Welsh and Adam Mcphee along with Dean Rioli and Mark Mecuri playing cameos. With the current rotation pattern their aren’t any real problems for Essendon along the backline as long as Scott Lucas is playing well. The only players capable of fulfilling Lucas’s role are Mark Bolton and Aaron Henemen, neither a all that flash although Henemen hasn’t been given the time to develop he required. As he was thrust in as a backup ruck men to David Hille in 2003.
The Midfield: Next year is a key year in the rebuilding of the bombers midfield since having to sell Justin Blumfield Blake Caracella and Chris Heffernan, while most of the core still remains (Jason Johnson Mark Johnson Hird and Misiti) they are reaching the apex of their careers and are unlikely to get any better. Coming through the ranks are the likes of Bullen Winderlynch Watson and Walsh all with less than 20 games under their belts. Damien Pevrill Adam Ramanauskas and Adam Mcphee are the only “middle aged” players currently in the bombers midfield. For Essendon to do well the youth especially Winderlynch, Watson and Walsh need to be phased in while Hird should spend more time up forward Misiti will slowly fade from view. Pevrill needs to improve on last years results where he spent a lot of time on the bench and was very rarely influential and any key stages of the game. Ramanauskas and Mcphee both look very good for the future but need to step up next year to fill the role as Sheedy phases out the older “baby bomber” generation. In all there is a lot of young talent coming through for the midfield but the age gap will still be a problem as without quick experience for the youth Essendon will be left wanting come injuries during the year.
The Forward line: Essendon’s forward line is one of their strengths, but they lack a second Key position player in this case a Centre Half Forward. Mark Bolton was playing the that role through out the season but played his best football in a tagging role against the likes of Pavlich and Gardiner. Courtney Johns and Jason Laycock lead the current crop of young Key Position players at the Don’s with Courtney Johns expected to begin the season in the key role. Despite the lack of a Key along the half forward line, Essendon’s other Key forwards Mathew Lloyd and Damien Cupido both had great years kicking 93 and 39 goals respectively. They could be expected to continue that into the new year with Lloyd likely to gain his 4th and second consecutive colemen medal. The forward pocket players in Ben Haynes, Mark Mercuri and Joel Reynolds are all classy players but as Mercuri reaches the end of his career Haynes and Reynolds will have to step up to fill the rather large cap left. Reynolds is a class act looked on as a successor to James Hird;s role in Essendon’s midfield and forward lines. While Ben Hyanes is a pure creative forward pocket who performed well late last year to earn promotion from the rookie list.
The Future looks bright for the bombers next year, and while Kevin Sheedy’s men will be looking to finish in the top 4, a top 8 spot may be hard to come by if there are injuries to key players. Despite this 2004 is a rebuilding year for the dons and as such a lot of young players are likely to get game time, as Sheedy looks to find replacements for his fading stars. Prediction 6th.
