Analysis The Rebuild Of Essendon And North Melbourne And Their Future Prospects

[Elmer_Judd]

“Massive mistake taking Phillips”

It’s a bold statement. Definitive. No room for discussion.

It’s also incredibly early. One year in making a definitive statement on a kid that missed a year of footy, not the best pre season. And was actually good, earning praise from commentators for his good play. And averaging more possessions in his first year than Simpkin, LDU. Often only playing 60% game time.

Phillips could conceivably play 250 games of afl football as a zippy inside mid, with a highly effective short passing game. That’s what he looks like becoming, no? He’s also tough, professional, and passionate about his new home at Arden st.

Given Thilthorpe was gone and JUH unavailable to us, he was the obvious selection imo.

Phillips is gonna to be a seriously good player.

North made the right call there.

 

[Elmer_Judd]

You set a high bar. Lucas would be 4th all time on your goal kicking list and he kicked most of them from CHF

Always thought Scotty Lucas was underrated throughout his career (except by Essendon fans)
I hate the Bombers with all the heat of a 1000 Suns, but credit where credit is due.

 

[the big lebowski]

Phillips is gonna to be a seriously good player.

North made the right call there.

Absolutely no doubt in my mind either.

I would have taken Thilthorpe ahead of him, and I would say DGB would have been close in my mind, with our lack of young defenders but I was so pleasantly surprised when we called out WAP.

 

[Psicosis]

Thomas was an absolute stud in the back third of the year. Went at about 22 touches, 4 clearances, 7.5 score involvements including 1.2 goals and an assist a game. Was as dynamic a prospect as any in the comp during that period.

LDU went at 23 touches and 5.2 clearances over the same period.

Phillips could be an absolute failure and it not effect the dominance of the midfield.

Many would have classed Thomas a failure at the end of his second year. Funny how some of these guys take time.

 

[Psicosis]

No signs their midfield is improving either.

Understand you're likely trolling & thought I'd weed through the garbage and isolate this line specifically.

Between Round 12 & 20 North were the #1 Centre Bounce side in the competition.

LDU:

Simpkin:

Thomas:

Stephenson:

 

[the big lebowski]

Understand you're likely trolling & thought I'd weed through the garbage and isolate this line specifically.

Between Round 12 & 20 North were the #1 Centre Bounce side in the competition.

LDU:

Simpkin:

Thomas:

Stephenson:

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Haha obviously it was a terrible troll attempt but it’s still good to extend a smackdown every now and then.

 

[Psicosis]

Haha obviously it was a terrible troll attempt but it’s still good to extend a smackdown every now and then.

 

[Number37]

You set a high bar. Lucas would be 4th all time on your goal kicking list and he kicked most of them from CHF

The definition of superstar sets the bar.
It has nothing to do with my list of all time goal kickers.

By your definition, most AFL players are superstars.
Jason Johnson superstar, come on, you can't be serious?

 

[Ambrosia]

The definition of superstar sets the bar.
It has nothing to do with my list of all time goal kickers.

By your definition, most AFL players are superstars.
Jason Johnson superstar, come on, you can't be serious?

It’s all subjective though. I agree neither Lucas or Johnson fall into that category to me as I think of superstars as top 5-10 players in the comp over multiple seasons.

Scotty Lucas was the best CHB in the comp at one stage. Whilst Johnson was AA and won our B&F in 2001 when we were a power house so I’m sure to some people that is superstar status. Both are club legends

 

[Number37]

It’s all subjective though. I agree neither Lucas or Johnson fall into that category to me as I think of superstars as top 5-10 players in the comp over multiple seasons.

Scotty Lucas was the best CHB in the comp at one stage. Whilst Johnson was AA and won our B&F in 2001 when we were a power house so I’m sure to some people that is superstar status. Both are club legends

If you said 'remember that bloke that played CHF for the Bombers in the early 00's?' would non-Bombers fans instantly recognise the player as Scott Lucas? I wouldn't think so, some would, some would take a few moments and get there eventually, some would still be bemused after 5 minutes.

If you said 'remember that bloke that played CHF for the Kangas in the 90's?', almost any AFL fan would immediately recognise the player as Carey.


Of course all those players listed are club legends, nearly every ex-player morphs into a club legend, eventually.
There is a difference between club legend and superstar.

 

[Free Agent]

I think both clubs have bright futures and no doubt that they will be competing for the premiership in a few years.

Kangas have a decent group of young players. Noble has done some good things.

I can see what they are doing. Make no mistake both these climbs are on the rise. I can see the potential in their list.

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[Yoda_]

That is fun.

Who was the last #1 pick that was alive to see North win a GF?

Mediocre clubs celebrate mediocre results mate.

We’re not even in the top 3 for premiership droughts


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[Yoda_]

Really unfair on him he has to wear the number 1 pick tag just because Essendon stuffed up that draft and took him over Taranto and McLuggage, both far superior players.

Tbh, McGrath is a second rounder in a really strong draft like 2018.

How do you sleep at night?

* you talk absolute vitriol and are allowed to get away with blatant trolling


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[Yoda_]

“Massive mistake taking Phillips”

It’s a bold statement. Definitive. No room for discussion.

It’s also incredibly early. One year in making a definitive statement on a kid that missed a year of footy, not the best pre season. And was actually good, earning praise from commentators for his good play. And averaging more possessions in his first year than Simpkin, LDU. Often only playing 60% game time.

Phillips could conceivably play 250 games of afl football as a zippy inside mid, with a highly effective short passing game. That’s what he looks like becoming, no? He’s also tough, professional, and passionate about his new home at Arden st.

Given Thilthorpe was gone and JUH unavailable to us, he was the obvious selection imo.

You could literally remove Phillips name and Add Andrew McGrath and North supporters would heckle till the blow horn broke


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[Yoda_]

You set a high bar. Lucas would be 4th all time on your goal kicking list and he kicked most of them from CHF

While winning a club best and fairest at CHB also


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[the big lebowski]

You could literally remove Phillips name and Add Andrew McGrath and North supporters would heckle till the blow horn broke


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Other than playing for Essendon and the size of his chin, I have nothing against Andrew McGrath.

 

[craffles]

Why are people still trying to compare Norf and essendon?

We are both at totally different stages.

 

[Bojan KantKick]

Why are people still trying to compare Norf and essendon?

We are both at totally different stages.

It's the off-season and everyone is bored.

 

[B4Bear]

Phillips, Thomas, and LDU would want to improve off the charts for that to happen. At present looks unlikely. Maybe one out of the three could be an A grader in time, but not all three to the extent they dominate midfields. Stephenson is just solid. Simpkin obviously capable of making the grade. Much will depend on Powell, and for all we know Francis-Horne could be back in SA by then. This North Melbourne core - outside of Simpkin, and Powell - looks pretty ordinary. Especially for all the first round picks in recent times. No signs their midfield is improving either. Cunnington pretty much is their midfield. He’s aging.


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Absolutely clueless.

If you think that Phillips and Thomas won't make the grade then you don't do football at all.

 

[craffles]

It's the off-season and everyone is bored.

Good reply, play on.

FWIW I'm very buoyed by North's youth. Some real quality players coming through and if I was a fan I would be excited for the coming years

 

[owen87]

How do you sleep at night?

fu** you talk absolute vitriol and are allowed to get away with blatant trolling


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The thing is, his trolling is low quality even by Bay 13 standards, yet somehow is allowed to run rampant on any Essendon thread on the MB.

 

[Psicosis]

As others have pointed out, Essendon's rebuild is a couple years ahead of Norths IMO.

What is interesting about both rebuilds in regards to early picks, is that Essendon invested heavily in midfielders (Parish, Merrett, Mcgrath, as well as trading in Shiel), before addressing spine over the following drafts (Draper, Jones, Cox, Reid).

North have invested heavily in midfielders (Simpkin, Davies-Uniacke, Thomas, Phillips, Powell) - Will be interesting to see if we go to address the spine over the next couple drafts also.

It's the opposite approach to the traditional "spine first" build.

 

[owen87]

As others have pointed out, Essendon's rebuild is a couple years ahead of Norths IMO.

What is interesting about both rebuilds in regards to early picks, is that Essendon invested heavily in midfielders (Parish, Merrett, Mcgrath, as well as trading in Shiel), before addressing spine over the following drafts (Draper, Jones, Cox, Reid).

North have invested heavily in midfielders (Simpkin, Davies-Uniacke, Thomas, Phillips, Powell) - Will be interesting to see if we go to address the spine over the next couple drafts also.

It's basically the opposite approach to the traditional "spine first" build.

Essendon weren't really rebuilding when they took that group, they had a strong set of KPP's that they'd drafted around / prior to the ASADA suspensions, and were filling midfield holes.

Those KPP's are now mostly gone, and so when we did decide to refresh the list around the ~ U25 cohort, it meant going KPP's first, it also happened that the guys rated around our selections included a couple of KPP sized players in Reid and Cox.

 

[Psicosis]

Essendon weren't really rebuilding when they took that group, they had a strong set of KPP's that they'd drafted around / prior to the ASADA suspensions, and were filling midfield holes.

Those KPP's are now mostly gone, and so when we did decide to refresh the list around the ~ U25 cohort, it meant going KPP's first, it also happened that the guys rated around our selections included a couple of KPP sized players in Reid and Cox.

Understand that they weren't rebuilding at that time. My view on how Essendon have been managed from a list perspective, is that they probably should have rebuilt back then. They're in a fortunate situation that two of their brightest prospects (McGrath & Parish) are 23 & 24 year old midfielders as they started this "refresh"/"restump" whatever we want to call it.

I don't think there is any right or wrong way (although I am a big advocate that the majority of star mids are taken in the first 5 picks, which is my concern with Hawthorns build), I just think it's an interesting comparison & similarity (whether it was intentional or not).

 

[The Warlord]

The thing is, his trolling is low quality even by Bay 13 standards, yet somehow is allowed to run rampant on any Essendon thread on the MB.