Past Craig Bird - Bye Bye Birdie, traded 2015, to Essendon

[MickyG]

Yeah, he's got some time on his side. The only issue is he's at Essendon. It'll take them a decade to get over this IMO. They certainly aren't a "club of choice" at the moment and now they have to throw their youngest developing players to the lions and make them play senior level way too early and with little to no senior leadership to guide them. They will either surprise everyone and rise to the challenge or they will fail and potentially their development will be stunted or damaged. A parallel could be drawn with guys like Watts, who are thrown in too young with little support.

For Birdy specifically, he'll establish himself along with Goddard as the core players in the side. Daniher, Leuy, Merrett, Baguley, Goddard, Dempsey, Bird, Zaha. That's the core of the club for this year. I reckon that's comparable to Carlton and possibly Stk atm so not wooden spoon certainties but not good. At least he'll get lots of game time and ability to shine.....

If he can improve on his 2012 form over the next two years he could be a good pick up for a club in the 'window'.

 

[tizzay7]

Yeah, he's got some time on his side. The only issue is he's at Essendon. It'll take them a decade to get over this IMO. They certainly aren't a "club of choice" at the moment and now they have to throw their youngest developing players to the lions and make them play senior level way too early and with little to no senior leadership to guide them. They will either surprise everyone and rise to the challenge or they will fail and potentially their development will be stunted or damaged. A parallel could be drawn with guys like Watts, who are thrown in too young with little support.

For Birdy specifically, he'll establish himself along with Goddard as the core players in the side. Daniher, Leuy, Merrett, Baguley, Goddard, Dempsey, Bird, Zaha. That's the core of the club for this year. I reckon that's comparable to Carlton and possibly Stk atm so not wooden spoon certainties but not good. At least he'll get lots of game time and ability to shine.....

Also cooney gwilt and to a lesser extent mckernan as senior core members.

 

[boncer34]

Has been delisted. Seriously under utilised at Essendon.

 

[The King!]

well that brownlow may not happen

 

[BloodySwan]

well that brownlow may not happen

Gold Coast would do well to pick him up.

 

[RUNVS]

Has been delisted. Seriously under utilised at Essendon.

I wonder why though. I saw him play a game in 2017 and he was perfectly servicable. He wasn't a star but he definitely fit in the team.

 

[RUNVS]

Gold Coast would do well to pick him up.

I think so too. He is reliable and is a very good role player.

 

[BloodySwan]

I think so too. He is reliable and is a very good role player.

Reliable role player, solid grunt work, can play as a tagger as well, trains real hard, has a relationship with Dew already.

I think Port could also do with his services (they lack some grunt at times)

 

[swansfan51]

What a fall from grace - from "keeping Mitchell in the NEAFL" to mediocre delisted footballer in 2 years

 

[doona]

Gold Coast would do well to pick him up.

I think he is pointless for GC. I think he will find a spot in the VFL/WAFL/etc... if he still wants to play at that level.

Gold Coasts midfield next year will have a lot better players than him in the rotation Barlow/Weller/Lyon/Hall/Hanley/Rosa/Fiorini/Miller/Brodie/Rischitelli/Bowes/etc......... They have a lot better depth than needing Bird.

GC midfield won't be the best midfield in the competition, but, they would be wasting their time putting games into Bird.

When rebuilding, why waste time with someone like Bird?

 

[BloodySwan]

I think he is pointless for GC. I think he will find a spot in the VFL/WAFL/etc... if he still wants to play at that level.

Gold Coasts midfield next year will have a lot better players than him in the rotation Barlow/Weller/Lyon/Hall/Hanley/Rosa/Fiorini/Miller/Brodie/Rischitelli/Bowes/etc......... They have a lot better depth than needing Bird.

GC midfield won't be the best midfield in the competition, but, they would be wasting their time putting games into Bird.

When rebuilding, why waste time with someone like Bird?

GC as a whole have lacked leaders. They've got a bunch of talent but not too many players who lead through training and are generals around the ground through structures, tagging, etc. Bird did all this at the Swans. That's why I'd bring him at the Sun's

 

[doona]

GC as a whole have lacked leaders. They've got a bunch of talent but not too many players who lead through training and are generals around the ground through structures, tagging, etc. Bird did all this at the Swans. That's why I'd bring him at the Sun's

What evidence do you have that players like Barlow, Lyon, Hanley, Weller, Rosa, Rischitelli, etc.... don't train well as experienced players to the draftees?

 

[Tedeski]

Good luck to Craig Bird. Finishes as a Swan premiership player.
Good contributor for us in the middle.

 

[brad cooper]

What a fall from grace - from "keeping Mitchell in the NEAFL" to mediocre delisted footballer in 2 years

Mediocre footballer? Played 157 games. Didn't you base your whole Kinnear Beatson vs the average recruiter on games played? Surely this then must contradict that.

 

[swansfan51]

Mediocre footballer? Played 157 games. Didn't you base your whole Kinnear Beatson vs the average recruiter on games played? Surely this then must contradict that.

Being delisted from a team like * suggests he is currently mediocre, notwithstanding anything he has done previously. Surely you can separate the two

 

[The Swans Blog]

Wasn't quite quick enough when he did play and certainly not quick enough for the modern game. Essendon's game plan had no room for him.

Maybe he'll get a chance in the delisted window, but will always remember him as a 2012 premiership player.

 

[Cadsky]

Can hold his head high knowing he finished up with something most players don't have and never will, a premiership medal

 

[Tedeski]

Mediocre footballer? Played 157 games. Didn't you base your whole Kinnear Beatson vs the average recruiter on games played? Surely this then must contradict that.

Craig Bird was every bit as important to our 2012 premiership as Ben Matthews was to our 2005 premiership. Players that perform to perfection the role asked of them by their coaches can never be described as mediocre.

Life must suck when it's instinctive to throw an insult first.

Yeah, yeah! I'll support how I want to & they'll support how they want to.
Default comment.

 

[Tedeski]

Wasn't quite quick enough when he did play and certainly not quick enough for the modern game. Essendon's game plan had no room for him.
Maybe he'll get a chance in the delisted window, but will always remember him as a 2012 premiership player.

I can assure you he would have done better than most of that midfield group that were torn new arseholes in the first final against us.
Bird would have got his hands dirty in a final that's for sure.

 

[SlingshotFooty]

He did what was needed for his role. He had a great goal in a NAB cup game...I can't remember against, who...just that it was great. I'll try and find it!

 

[SlingshotFooty]

Here it is!

 

[The Swans Blog]

I can assure you he would have done better than most of that midfield group that were torn new arseholes in the first final against us.
Bird would have got his hands dirty in a final that's for sure.

That might be so. Essendon's game plan was built on speed of movement and ball. Watson and Bird most definitely did not fit the mould, and now they're both gone.

 

[MF]

Has been delisted. Seriously under utilised at Essendon.

What happened? He was never a world beater but really should have carved out a regular spot in a team in need of inside grunt.

 

[MF]

What a fall from grace - from "keeping Mitchell in the NEAFL" to mediocre delisted footballer in 2 years

If Mitchell retires without a premiership medal (as most players do) then Bird might be kind enough to let him come over and polish his.

 

[J_Moore]

Here it is!

That collection of players - Shaw, Richards, Naismith, Goodes, Bird, Heeney, Towers - feels very odd. Two different eras.