Will Essendon win the Flag ?

[froars]

Should hopefully maybe make top 4 but really have to do better at keeping the foot on the throat against average to poor teams like north, tigers and port

OMG lmao!

 

[bombermick]

Someone asked earlier this year if Daniel Jackson was the worst 100-gamer going around. Ricky Dyson's name came up (along with Brock McLean's). Davey is doing his job. Lovett-Murray had an impact. These players are military mediocre and have proven it over long careers.

Of course you have some very good and underrated players as well. Generally solid bodies too, which helped to sweep us aside in the first half.

Dyson has been mediocre, at best. No idea what's happened to make him turn the corner.
Davey started his career very well, but has been shocking the last 3-4 years. He's somehow rediscovered his magic. Richmond had the best 2-3 players on the ground, but it was our bottom 6 that won us the game.

 

[mytym]

- Geelong's in 07 started with the prelim of 04 and Semi of 05.
- Collingwood of 10 started with prelim's in 07 and 09 and a Semi in 08.
- West Coast in 06 had the GF the year before.
- Sydney in 05 had the prelim of 03.
- Port of 04 had the prelims of 01, 02 and 03.
- Brisbane in 01 had the prelim of 99.
- Essendon of 00 had the prelim of 99.
- Crows of 97 had the prelim of 93.
- Kangas of 96 had the 94 and 95 prelims.
- Carlton of 95 blew the double chance in 94.
- Bombers in 93 had the 90 GF.
- Eagles of 92 had the 91 GF.

Whilst I agree with your premise, these two are poor examples. I would have them in the "Hawthorn 2008" category as a reinforcement to why Essendon will win the flag.

Regardless of the comeback last night, Essendon's 1st half against a Richmond side that was up-and-about was superb. I don't think any other team would've beaten them in that 1st half. If they play like that, they will win the flag.

Will they play like that? Next year maybe, but this year I doubt it. At this stage last year they were definite top 4 material but predicatably fell away in the 2nd half. This year I expect they may keep it up a little longer, until R15-18 perhaps and next year they may be ready to keep it up all season long.

Just on last night:
Richmond were good enough to take advantage of Essendon's complacency in the second half, likewise Essendon were good enough to take advantage of Richmond's wastefulness in front of goal, in particular from Dustin Martin and the repeated hesitation of Nahas.

All in all, I think both sets of fans should be satisfied with last nights game. Unfortunately for Richmond, I think the result means curtains for 2012 despite being the equal or prehaps even the superior of some other sides that are above them.

 

[yeee_haaaa!!!!!]

Ess have a long, long way to go defensively . They allowed the tigers 66 inside 50's last night. It was clear to any neutral watching that the only thing that cost the tiges a comfortable win last night was their lack of composure inside 50. Ess are up and about early and good luck to them, but try will be cannon fodder for the big guns in big finals this year

 

[Ron The Bear]

OK I didn't realise he was referring to our bottom 5 type players. I thought he was taking a snipe at our unheralded types. The ones that Bigfooty think are shit, but are actually pretty good players.

It's because the team has a blue-collar ethic. Few flashy pin-up types for the media to latch onto.

 

[Doggies 06]

Ess have a long, long way to go defensively . They allowed the tigers 66 inside 50's last night. It was clear to any neutral watching that the only thing that cost the tiges a comfortable win last night was their lack of composure inside 50. Ess are up and about early and good luck to them, but try will be cannon fodder for the big guns in big finals this year

Essendon have improved out of sight.

But still a year or 2 away

 

[The Fact]

OMG lmao!

Why it's true it's not like port, north and tigers are good sides. Don't u think top 4 sides should smashing bottom 10 sides. Or are tigers the best 3 and 5 side for a long time. I must say though they have been brave but that's just not good enough I guess.

 

[Tassieboy]

OMG lmao!

That was not very insightful. Please go on; we're all waiting in anticipation.

 

[romeoh]

Bombers are looking very good and likely to be amongst it at the important time this year and certainly next year and so forth. Am a great believer in finals experience however, and that still may tell against them this year. So next year is more likely for mine, but good luck to them and they are great to watch and i wish them well. ( also did think they started to look a bit tired in the game last night?)

 

[mantis]

You don't win premierships in May or June or July. Hird and Thompson have both indicated that they pushed the side very hard in the off season so is it that surprising they have done this well early in the season?

Its a well known fact that some side enter the season fitter than others who have planned to peak not in round 4>5 but later in the year. This takes nothing away from what the Essendon have achieved so far but come round 20 we will know who's in with a hot chance, who has improved, who have had injuries ruin their year and who have alot of work to do.

To say any team "will win" the flag after 8 rounds is just silly talk. How was Collingwood travelling last year after 8 rounds BTW.

Tell that to your fellow Eagle supporter who started this thread, as a troll before our game against you.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Last nights first half and last quarter showed glimpses of how good we can be.

Hurley roaming CHF, Crameri deeper with Ryder floating about. Add Davey and Jetta circling and most defenses will find it hard to stop.

Richmond's defensive structure has been heralded but we ripped it apart in the first half with Grimes out there so no injury excuses please.

We have a fair bit of depth now with Pears, Hibberd, Hille, Myers, Colyer, Reimers all injured or coming back from injury playing VFL.

We don't have the "name" talent but we have some of the biggest brutes in the league in Watson, Hocking, Crameri, Hurley who are hard to stop or can really hurt.

Top 4 is a real possibility and once you put yourself in that position then you are in it to win it. Just hope a player or 2 bobs up in finals and announces themselves.

 

[SirJimi05]

Tell that to your fellow Eagle supporter who started this thread, as a troll before our game against you.

This. It's amazing (or not) how many people seem to miss the part where just about every Essendon supporter has said that they will most likely not win the flag.

West Coast troll started thread to deflect from his team (he was shitting himself about losing to us), yet the Bigfooty brigade latch onto it.

 

[SirJimi05]

OMG lmao!

He is saying Essendon have put themselves into a position to finish top 4, but won't, if they cannot go for the kill against average sides.

Which part is so funny to you?

 

[hayes]

Should probably be flag favourites right now. They're playing amazing football at the moment, just a matter of being able to keep it up.

When did Jetta become so bloody good?

 

[Ancient Tiger]

Last nights first half and last quarter showed glimpses of how good we can be.

Hurley roaming CHF, Crameri deeper with Ryder floating about. Add Davey and Jetta circling and most defenses will find it hard to stop.

Richmond's defensive structure has been heralded but we ripped it apart in the first half with Grimes out there so no injury excuses please.

We have a fair bit of depth now with Pears, Hibberd, Hille, Myers, Colyer, Reimers all injured or coming back from injury playing VFL.

We don't have the "name" talent but we have some of the biggest brutes in the league in Watson, Hocking, Crameri, Hurley who are hard to stop or can really hurt.


Top 4 is a real possibility and once you put yourself in that position then you are in it to win it. Just hope a player or 2 bobs up in finals and announces themselves.

What a lot of crock!

Our back line isn't heralded. It is young undersized and developing. It will develop further when we have a good tall (196cm+) back added. You guys got all the centre breaks in the first half so there was undue pressure on our backs.

When our gun midfield got on top of your two very good players (Watson, Stanton), your back line was made to look very pedestrian and that was even before your best player down there (Fletcher) got injured.

We are not that far away from you and you know it. I think we even have more upside as our best mids are much younger than your best and so will only get better whilst yours have probably already peaked.

 

[Macca18]

Read an article in the Herald Sun during the week about how Richmond had their best defensive numbers since the late 1960s, conceding just under 80 points a game.

48 inside 50s last night still conceded 19.14 for the Bombers. Hmm.

 

[SirJimi05]

What a lot of crock!

Our back line isn't heralded. It is young undersized and developing. It will develop further when we have a good tall (196cm+) back added. You guys got all the centre breaks in the first half so there was undue pressure on our backs.

When our gun midfield got on top of your two very good players (Watson, Stanton), your back line was made to look very pedestrian and that was even before your best player down there (Fletcher) got injured.

We are not that far away from you and you know it. I think we even have more upside as our best mids are much younger than your best and so will only get better whilst yours have probably already peaked.

Our back line looked pedestrian? Our back line was the reason we won the game, mate.

Our mids have peaked? What a lot of crock.

 

[Ancient Tiger]

Our back line looked pedestrian? Our back line was the reason we won the game, mate.

Our mids have peaked? What a lot of crock.

I said your best mids have peaked, not all of them. Please go back to school and learn to read.

And yes, in the second half we scored at will. Unfortunately we played badly as we kicked badly. It had nothing to do with your defence. We shot ourselves in the foot. So yes, they did look pedestrian in the second half!

 

[Ancient Tiger]

Read an article in the Herald Sun during the week about how Richmond had their best defensive numbers since the late 1960s, conceding just under 80 points a game.

48 inside 50s last night still conceded 19.14 for the Bombers. Hmm.

Our best player this year has been Grimes by a mile down back. Unfortunately he went down relatively early. If he hadn't it may have been a different story, who knows?

 

[Dwight Schrute]

What a lot of crock!

Our back line isn't heralded. It is young undersized and developing. It will develop further when we have a good tall (196cm+) back added. You guys got all the centre breaks in the first half so there was undue pressure on our backs.

When our gun midfield got on top of your two very good players (Watson, Stanton), your back line was made to look very pedestrian and that was even before your best player down there (Fletcher) got injured.

We are not that far away from you and you know it. I think we even have more upside as our best mids are much younger than your best and so will only get better whilst yours have probably already peaked.

Are you an idiot?
You start defending your backline and saying you only leaked goals because the ball was there so much and then go on to say our backline is pedestrian even though the ball was in there more in the second half than what it was in ours in the first half.

33 scores from 48 I50's says it all
Compared to 34 scoring shots from 66(IIRC) I50's

 

[Ancient Tiger]

Are you an idiot?
You start defending your backline and saying you only leaked goals because the ball was there so much and then go on to say our backline is pedestrian even though the ball was in there more in the second half than what it was in ours in the first half.

33 scores from 48 I50's says it all
Compared to 34 scoring shots from 66(IIRC) I50's

So we had more scoring shots and almost half a dozen of yours were gifted by the umpires!

 

[Rocky_Star_Pro]

So we had more scoring shots and almost half a dozen of yours were gifted by the umpires!

 

[Macca18]

Our best player this year has been Grimes by a mile down back. Unfortunately he went down relatively early. If he hadn't it may have been a different story, who knows?

Yes. He went down when you were trailing by 5 goals. But whatever.

 

[The Fact]

Tigers best 3 and 5 side ever I think so. Two of those wins against gaints of the league namely port power and the mighty dees. So yeah tigers are flying lol

 

[SirJimi05]

And yes, in the second half we scored at will. Unfortunately we played badly as we kicked badly. It had nothing to do with your defence. We shot ourselves in the foot. So yes, they did look pedestrian in the second half!

Are you fair dinkum? I suggest you watch the game again. All your goals came from mids. Our defense stood up under immense pressure and won us the game.

what was it, 66 inside 50's for a combined 5 goals from all your forwards. Yep, our defenders were pedestrian.