Firstly, let me in all seriousness congratulate North for playing finals this year. This thread is not to kick them while they are down.
What I want to explore is the value of making the finals when you are clearly not a competitor and not up to the grade of the other teams in the elite placings.
As an Essendon supporter I speak with some authority. Last year we did what North did. We made it, and got absolutely smashed. It also happened in 09, but the circumstances were somewhat different as we could barely field a team due to injuries.
North, however, had their absolute best team in today, and got walloped. What is the value of making finals?
Firstly, let me state my opinion. I believe that making the finals is NEVER a bad thing, even if you get battered. Why? Because I believe you learn first-hand how far off it you are, and you get a rude lesson what's required to be successful in the crucible of finals. Despite the last 2 months, I believe Essendon are substantially better for having experienced where they need to be.
It's worth nothing, though, that Essendon were roundly castigated for making the finals last year and being flogged. Specifically, many North Melbourne supporters had a very firm opinion that we had hurt ourselves by making it and being badly beaten. That it would "mentally scar" us. That they, as a team, didn't even value making the finals nor want to be there unless they had a team that could win the whole damn thing, or at least go deep. This was a widely espoused opinion by a lot of North supporters for a long time, and one that I personally found risible.
As an adjunct, is North's game-plan fatally flawed, as many believed it would not hold up to the blowtorch of finals, as was profoundly illustrated today? Will today's result cause some heartburn in the North brainstrust and will they have to completely re-jig their game?
So my question is this: what value does the BigFooty community place on a team making the finals who are clearly classes off it. And, specifically, what do North supporters think, now that it is their team who has eaten it? Will it scar them mentally, or will they be a better team for having a ringside seat on what's required to be successful?
What I want to explore is the value of making the finals when you are clearly not a competitor and not up to the grade of the other teams in the elite placings.
As an Essendon supporter I speak with some authority. Last year we did what North did. We made it, and got absolutely smashed. It also happened in 09, but the circumstances were somewhat different as we could barely field a team due to injuries.
North, however, had their absolute best team in today, and got walloped. What is the value of making finals?
Firstly, let me state my opinion. I believe that making the finals is NEVER a bad thing, even if you get battered. Why? Because I believe you learn first-hand how far off it you are, and you get a rude lesson what's required to be successful in the crucible of finals. Despite the last 2 months, I believe Essendon are substantially better for having experienced where they need to be.
It's worth nothing, though, that Essendon were roundly castigated for making the finals last year and being flogged. Specifically, many North Melbourne supporters had a very firm opinion that we had hurt ourselves by making it and being badly beaten. That it would "mentally scar" us. That they, as a team, didn't even value making the finals nor want to be there unless they had a team that could win the whole damn thing, or at least go deep. This was a widely espoused opinion by a lot of North supporters for a long time, and one that I personally found risible.
As an adjunct, is North's game-plan fatally flawed, as many believed it would not hold up to the blowtorch of finals, as was profoundly illustrated today? Will today's result cause some heartburn in the North brainstrust and will they have to completely re-jig their game?
So my question is this: what value does the BigFooty community place on a team making the finals who are clearly classes off it. And, specifically, what do North supporters think, now that it is their team who has eaten it? Will it scar them mentally, or will they be a better team for having a ringside seat on what's required to be successful?
