Essendon 2021

Wow. You think we'll start with 6 players over 190 cm as part of our back 7? Two of Francis, Hurley, Stewart and Ambrose won't take part of our defensive group, I'd expect Nick Hind to be there and another small, possibly Devon Smith.
Isn't Heppell lining up as a HB rebounder this year? One article recently mentioned it. Hind will play back for sure.
Hurley is in the leadership group so I suspect he plays, Hooker predominantly forward.
 
Apr 23, 2016
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Isn't Heppell lining up as a HB rebounder this year? One article recently mentioned it. Hind will play back for sure.
Hurley is in the leadership group so I suspect he plays, Hooker predominantly forward.

Training reports have had Hurley playing up forward at times. So who knows where the hell anyone is playing.

Probably Heppell at CHB, Hurley at FF and Hooker as a starting midfielder.
 
Training reports have had Hurley playing up forward at times. So who knows where the hell anyone is playing.

Probably Heppell at CHB, Hurley at FF and Hooker as a starting midfielder.
Doesn't work unless that ruckman Dunkley plays too
 
Isn't Heppell lining up as a HB rebounder this year? One article recently mentioned it. Hind will play back for sure.
Hurley is in the leadership group so I suspect he plays, Hooker predominantly forward.
There's speculation about him on a wing, off half back and in the middle.
 
May 6, 2007
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Well according to you playing finals and getting experience in September is a waste of time you’re supposed to go from rebuilding to premiership over night

I would love Essendon to win finals. Be nice obviously. But the whole “Essendon hasn’t won a final in x amount of days/years” is plain stupid built on some obsessive few celebrating another clubs failures.

I mean, by all means, go ahead and ask Geelong would they rather be perennial finalists or would they sell half of there finals appearances for another flag or two?

I know which one most would say.


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Jul 14, 2005
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He was an All Australian. Hard to ever imagine an Essendon player being good but we always seem to produce Rd event footballers and not rely on a very select few.

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One A-grade season doesn't mean much in isolation.

Chad Fletcher and Brodie Smith have also won past AA nods, but aren't elite players.
 
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One A-grade season doesn't mean much in isolation.

Chad Fletcher and Brodie Smith have also won past AA nods, but aren't elite players.

Averages similar Brownlow votes per game as Robbie Gray, Coniglio, Wines, Sidebottom, Ward. Ahead of Murphy, Gibbs, Yeo, Walters, Adams, Whitfield, Mundy & Greene.

Probably safe to say he's been a pretty good player over the stretch, albeit not a top-tier one.
 
Jul 14, 2005
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Averages similar Brownlow votes per game as Robbie Gray, Coniglio, Wines, Sidebottom, Ward. Ahead of Murphy, Gibbs, Yeo, Walters, Adams, Whitfield, Mundy & Greene.

Probably safe to say he's been a pretty good player over the stretch, albeit not a top-tier one.

I wouldn't put many of the players you've listed in the elite bracket either. Gray was for a stretch, and Greene is - the others are all A-graders, but haven't sustained elite form at any period of time.

You asked when was he elite, I gave you facts when he was.

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We have different definitions of elite - sustained top tier performance is my yardstick.
 
May 6, 2007
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I wouldn't put many of the players you've listed in the elite bracket either. Gray was for a stretch, and Greene is - the others are all A-graders, but haven't sustained elite form at any period of time.



We have different definitions of elite - sustained top tier performance is my yardstick.

He had an elite year which culminated in All Australian selection.

You asked, I’ve delivered. Don’t shift the goal posts after the fact


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I wouldn't put many of the players you've listed in the elite bracket either. Gray was for a stretch, and Greene is - the others are all A-graders, but haven't sustained elite form at any period of time.

You can define elite differently if you like, but if you're talking top bracket of players in their position, all of those names would apply. If you want it to mean only the top 1 or 2 then sure, I guess you can say he's not elite because he's not an Ablett / Dangerfield / Martin. But most people aren't using elite that way anyway.
 
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You can define elite differently if you like, but if you're talking top bracket of players in their position, all of those names would apply. If you want it to mean only the top 1 or 2 then sure, I guess you can say he's not elite because he's not an Ablett / Dangerfield / Martin. But most people aren't using elite that way anyway.

Really? I'd be more inclined to think most would define an elite player as someone who's consistently considered in the top few for their position. Martin, Fyfe, Cripps, Dangerfield, Gawn. Not Dyson Heppell.

'A-grade' and 'elite' aren't interchangeable terms, though obviously elite players are A-graders.
 
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Really? I'd be more inclined to think most would define an elite player as someone who's consistently considered in the top few for their position. Martin, Fyfe, Cripps, Dangerfield, Gawn. Not Dyson Heppell.

'A-grade' and 'elite' aren't interchangeable terms, though obviously elite players are A-graders.

I'd say a lot of people use them interchangably, fairly easy to tell based on context.

Martin is an elite player of the competition, Rory Laird is an elite player by position.
 

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Look at every year ever for Hawthorn for umpire treatment.

Even through all the #freekickhawthorn crap we routinely got less frees even when dominating.

For fun take a look at Buddy's for and against at Hawthorn and the Swans. Look at his suspensions too.

As for the other things you are correct. The legacy of Hird and the finals years of Sheedy still exist. Ego and boys club still reign.

Offer the stats you mention up. Don't tell me to go look at them. But yes, the #freekickhawthorn thing was bs. Not quite sure how the issues I raised relate to Hird/Sheedy, but, oh well.
 
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