Opinion Is this it? Is this what we've waited almost 20 years for?

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Sep 17, 2003
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Been a long time since I posted, don't know if I'm breaking some rule or duplicating a thread... apologies if so.. but .. people... can you feel it? Are we actually about to do this?

We've had hope in the past.. often unrealistic.. small gains... nothing of real substance... always lacking something.

On the surface, everything seems pretty perfect. Solid in every positon, guns everywhere, with backup, right age bracket, solid reserve side... over competent coaching and buy in from the players, elite facilities, owning drafts and trade periods, somehow made chicken salad out of chick stripe with the penalties from the saga. . Gun recruits, everyone wants to come. I don't know know who my favorite players is. Love em all. Media, and the whole AFL world is buoyant about our prospects

Injuries aside, we should do this right? Right?

As an Essendon supporter, we've all seen them at the best and endured them of their worst and havent' been a consistently premieriship challenging side since 01. That means that there are 17 years olds who haven't experienced the Dons as a successful club.

I'm hoping some of the more astute observers of the game can enlighten me on how the rest of the competition stacks up. Like there are still some gun teams out here right? Who's better? Where do weaknesses assist in our team and game? Will inside ball be a problem? We have a lot to go through there, but not so many big bodies. We have quality ruck options, but will we be able to consistently win first use? I've always liked Zac Clarke too, was jealous that the Dogs had Stringer... Conor McKenna... everyone is a gun... even Mitch Brown and Shaun McKernan wer killing.. . Just total alignment, everything.

How about gameplan? Is our workrate and game IQ positioned to give it our best effort?

I wanna go lid off but precedence scares me. For once, I can't think of a single reason why we can't do this. What do you guys think will be our biggest challenges through the year with the exception of injury. Lets not talk about that.

Go Dons :)
 
Been a long time since I posted, don't know if I'm breaking some rule or duplicating a thread... apologies if so.. but .. people... can you feel it? Are we actually about to do this?

We've had hope in the past.. often unrealistic.. small gains... nothing of real substance... always lacking something.

On the surface, everything seems pretty perfect. Solid in every positon, guns everywhere, with backup, right age bracket, solid reserve side... over competent coaching and buy in from the players, elite facilities, owning drafts and trade periods, somehow made chicken salad out of chick stripe with the penalties from the saga. . Gun recruits, everyone wants to come. I don't know know who my favorite players is. Love em all. Media, and the whole AFL world is buoyant about our prospects

Injuries aside, we should do this right? Right?

As an Essendon supporter, we've all seen them at the best and endured them of their worst and havent' been a consistently premieriship challenging side since 01. That means that there are 17 years olds who haven't experienced the Dons as a successful club.

I'm hoping some of the more astute observers of the game can enlighten me on how the rest of the competition stacks up. Like there are still some gun teams out here right? Who's better? Where do weaknesses assist in our team and game? Will inside ball be a problem? We have a lot to go through there, but not so many big bodies. We have quality ruck options, but will we be able to consistently win first use? I've always liked Zac Clarke too, was jealous that the Dogs had Stringer... Conor McKenna... everyone is a gun... even Mitch Brown and Shaun McKernan wer killing.. . Just total alignment, everything.

How about gameplan? Is our workrate and game IQ positioned to give it our best effort?

I wanna go lid off but precedence scares me. For once, I can't think of a single reason why we can't do this. What do you guys think will be our biggest challenges through the year with the exception of injury. Lets not talk about that.

Go Dons :)
We are a decent side with all the pieces to be competitive, but so are a few other sides, and a few more besides that who think they are but others outside their clubs are more sceptical.

If that’s what we’ve been waiting 20 years for then ya I guess it’s finally arrived. Competitive, competent, 21st century Essendon. Keep the lid well-secured all the same. :)
 
Oct 1, 2006
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Game day coaches' box is iffy. Worry about Woosha's ability to make changes on the run if Plan A isn't working.

Not sure that’s entirely fair, he pretty much made the swingman popular in the mid naughties with Hunter. Maybe he’s just letting the team learn the game plan and style before experimenting too much with it.
 
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Towno78

Premiership Player
Nov 6, 2009
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Been a long time since I posted, don't know if I'm breaking some rule or duplicating a thread... apologies if so.. but .. people... can you feel it? Are we actually about to do this?

We've had hope in the past.. often unrealistic.. small gains... nothing of real substance... always lacking something.

On the surface, everything seems pretty perfect. Solid in every positon, guns everywhere, with backup, right age bracket, solid reserve side... over competent coaching and buy in from the players, elite facilities, owning drafts and trade periods, somehow made chicken salad out of chick stripe with the penalties from the saga. . Gun recruits, everyone wants to come. I don't know know who my favorite players is. Love em all. Media, and the whole AFL world is buoyant about our prospects

Injuries aside, we should do this right? Right?

As an Essendon supporter, we've all seen them at the best and endured them of their worst and havent' been a consistently premieriship challenging side since 01. That means that there are 17 years olds who haven't experienced the Dons as a successful club.

I'm hoping some of the more astute observers of the game can enlighten me on how the rest of the competition stacks up. Like there are still some gun teams out here right? Who's better? Where do weaknesses assist in our team and game? Will inside ball be a problem? We have a lot to go through there, but not so many big bodies. We have quality ruck options, but will we be able to consistently win first use? I've always liked Zac Clarke too, was jealous that the Dogs had Stringer... Conor McKenna... everyone is a gun... even Mitch Brown and Shaun McKernan wer killing.. . Just total alignment, everything.

How about gameplan? Is our workrate and game IQ positioned to give it our best effort?

I wanna go lid off but precedence scares me. For once, I can't think of a single reason why we can't do this. What do you guys think will be our biggest challenges through the year with the exception of injury. Lets not talk about that.

Go Dons :)
We should be thereabouts this year and only get better over the next few.
No reason we can't win, other than there are other very good sides also. Richmond just added Lynch, GWS could click at any time, Melbourne are building an outstanding list, Collingwood also looking quality.
 
Personally I'm looking forward to the threepeat in 2021.

Nah it's a good thread. I was only a wee lad when we were the cream of the crop and its been a long time between drinks. I dont want to jinx anything at all but it feels different, this off season.

Let's hope its for the right reasons.
 

SherbertLemon

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Apr 7, 2013
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Yeah, what does not having won a final in 14 years have to do with our projected performance next year?

Lid off gents.
 

DapperJong

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I fail to see why fans need to rain on other fans parades. If they want to be up and about then let them.

Dude what’s wrong with you? I just wanted to share that info cos I thought you asked me ages ago and I remembered to tell you now
 
Dec 14, 2008
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Game day coaches' box is iffy. Worry about Woosha's ability to make changes on the run if Plan A isn't working.

I hate the old plan a, plan b thing

Going in assuming your plan a will do the job is folly.

I think of it like chess, you may go in with a plan to beat old mate, but the minute he makes 3 moves you need to adjust your plan accordingly, half way through the game you may still be playing in your style, but your plan has become barely recognizable from the one you went in with. Its all fluid. How can a coach have any control of the game if he only looks after his half the players on the field?

tldr; Coaches love saying we are just worrying about our own game, not what the opposition is doing, but in the end I think the best coaches vibe off what the other side is doing, find weakness and expose.
 
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