Peptides! The *Essendrug Dopers: come smell the bull****! -PART 2

[Whats a Battle]

They spent pick 1 on a bog average back pocket.

I reckon we did better with the second last pick in the very same draft, than they did with the first pick.

 

[Yardie]

I reckon we did better with the second last pick in the very same draft, than they did with the first pick.

I'd say four of the last five are better......

 

[Whats a Battle]

I'd say four of the last five are better......

View attachment 2498135

Actually that's an absolutely stacked back end. In a draft that included Sam Petrevski-Seton at 6.

 

[Dewnior]

It's started.

"Development club", in the sense that players want out in order to develop?

"Player development"? They don't even know what those words mean.

They should be using words like "asylum" or "jail" to more accurately describe it.

 

[Brishawk]

Sorry guys im late to the party but this was me when i saw the news

 

[Rushed_Behind]

Is this official?

If he has been named, this is going to be so divisive.

A good 50%+ of their supporters despise Merrett for his output since they used pick 1 on him.

Personally I think his attitude and leadership is top tier, he just unfortunately is a B, maybe B+ at best player which leaves you being much maligned in the supporter base when you went at pick 1.

Nick Maxwell premiership captain.

Richie Vandenburg.

There’s others that don’t necessarily have the greatest talent on the list but doesn’t make them incapable of providing the best leadership.

 

[MrPremiership]

Nick Maxwell premiership captain.

Richie Vandenburg.

There’s others that don’t necessarily have the greatest talent on the list but doesn’t make them incapable of providing the best leadership.

I agree with your sentiment. Especially for rebuilding clubs, the captain doesn't need to be their best player
Tough on Maxwell though, he was AA in 2009

 

[Yardie]

I agree with your sentiment. Especially for rebuilding clubs, the captain doesn't need to be their best player
Tough on Maxwell though, he was AA in 2009

Richie was AA in the line in the sand game......

 

[HedgeFund]

I agree with your sentiment. Especially for rebuilding clubs, the captain doesn't need to be their best player
Tough on Maxwell though, he was AA in 2009

Agreed.

I get the point of this thread (bagging the Bombers without zero objectivity) but McGrath was named the AFLPA best first year player in 2017.

He also made the AFL 22under22 four years’ straight, being captain in 2020.

He hasn’t become an elite talent since then but he’s clearly a walk up start in their side - the right choice for them at present.

Unless you watch Essendon games consistently, I fail to see how you can logically criticise their choice

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Agreed.

I get the point of those thread (bagging the Bombers without zero objectivity) but McGrath was named the AFLPA best first year player in 2017.

He also made the AFL 22under22 four years’ straight, being captain in 2020.

He hasn’t become an elite talent since then but he’s clearly a walk up start in their side - the right choice for them at present.

Unless you watch Essendon games consistently, I fail to see how you can logically criticise their choice

He’s a Bog average back pocket but they burnt pick 1 on, and it’s bloody funny that you would even mention the 22 under 22 team which is fan voted.

 

[HedgeFund]

He’s a Bog average back pocket but they burnt pick 1 on, and it’s bloody funny that you would even mention the 22 under 22 team which is fan voted.

No funnier that you criticising an opposition player simply because he’s been chosen as their captain for 2026.

Seems petty to me.

I genuinely thought you were better than that.

Apparently I was wrong.

PS: if fans’ opinions are irrelevant, why are you moderating a board which is all about fans opinions?

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

No funnier that you criticising an opposition player simply because he’s been chosen as their captain for 2026.

Seems petty to me.

I genuinely thought you were better than that.

Apparently I was wrong.

PS: if fans’ opinions are irrelevant, why are you moderating a board which is all about fans opinions?

 

[grumbleguts]

No funnier that you criticising an opposition player simply because he’s been chosen as their captain for 2026.

Seems petty to me.

I genuinely thought you were better than that.

Apparently I was wrong.

PS: if fans’ opinions are irrelevant, why are you moderating a board which is all about fans opinions?

Nothing you just said changes the fact that "He’s a Bog average back pocket but they burnt pick 1 on, and it’s bloody funny that you would even mention the 22 under 22 team which is fan voted."

 

[Leather Poisoning]

I mean off the top of my head he's behind at a bare minimum

Dimma/Impey
Quaynot/Maynard
Bowie
Guthrie
Idun
Starcevich
Vlaustin
Powell

Could probably rattle off another 5-6 if I really gave it some serious thought.

He's in the same realm as Lachie Bramble/Caleb Daniel/Luke McDonald.

There's not a single coach in the league that things "oh god we have to lock down on McGrath and/or accept our small forwards will be shut down"

Bog average.

Good bloke tho

 

[FB19]

No funnier that you criticising an opposition player simply because he’s been chosen as their captain for 2026.

Seems petty to me.

I genuinely thought you were better than that.

Apparently I was wrong.

PS: if fans’ opinions are irrelevant, why are you moderating a board which is all about fans opinions?

You can tell it’s the off season when we are arguing amongst ourselves about the merit (pun intended) of Andy McGrath.

 

[Atch]

Nick Maxwell premiership captain.

Richie Vandenburg.

There’s others that don’t necessarily have the greatest talent on the list but doesn’t make them incapable of providing the best leadership.

Unpopular opinion but I really rated Maxwell as a player, excellent third tall defender, great footy brain and strong leader who told it like it was, like hodgey/Mitchell.
Vandenberg, for all he's limits as a player, cracked in as hard as anyone at a time when we needed our players to start doing it.
McGrath I'm pretty sure was close to being delisted a few years ago cause he was constantly butchering the ball.

 

[Whats a Battle]

He’s a Bog average back pocket but they burnt pick 1 on, and it’s bloody funny that you would even mention the 22 under 22 team which is fan voted.

Such a Dodoro selection. Love it.

 

[Dewnior]

McGrath I'm pretty sure was close to being delisted a few years ago cause he was constantly butchering the ball.

It was negative metres gained I think.

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

View attachment 2497660
Essendon's all talk, no action, continues again.

"Zac will be welcomed back with open arms and he's a professional, his leadership will be integral for us moving forward".

Next minute, kicked out of the leadership group.

Oh yeah, this is going to end well.

Pure grandstanding to be vindictive to us plain and simple. Now getting his punishment for daring to ask for a trade to us by getting demoted completely. No doubt he will toe the company line and say it was a "mutual agreement for the good of the team". Crickets from the media too like it doesn't matter.

 

[Rushed_Behind]

I agree with your sentiment. Especially for rebuilding clubs, the captain doesn't need to be their best player
Tough on Maxwell though, he was AA in 2009

It was more making the point that although valuable and plays his role in the team well wouldn’t have been from the outside in the top 5/6 players but maybe first picked Thursday night.

I thought he was a good player also but Cloke, Sidebottom, pendles, Didak, swan, daisy just some that would be judged better/more dynamic

 

[QuietB]

Agreed.

I get the point of this thread (bagging the Bombers without zero objectivity) but McGrath was named the AFLPA best first year player in 2017.

He also made the AFL 22under22 four years’ straight, being captain in 2020.

He hasn’t become an elite talent since then but he’s clearly a walk up start in their side - the right choice for them at present.

Unless you watch Essendon games consistently, I fail to see how you can logically criticise their choice

He is going to be a 200 gamer - that is a win.

It is not a great draft either. Tom Stewart was the best IMO and good luck finding him unless you are a Geelong coach who knew him.

 

[5minutes_of_Dew]

Agreed.

I get the point of this thread (bagging the Bombers without zero objectivity) but McGrath was named the AFLPA best first year player in 2017.

He also made the AFL 22under22 four years’ straight, being captain in 2020.

He hasn’t become an elite talent since then but he’s clearly a walk up start in their side - the right choice for them at present.

Unless you watch Essendon games consistently, I fail to see how you can logically criticise their choice

He's a player who carried all the hopes and expectations of a floundering club and has been underwhelming since.

I'd compare the pressure put on him to how Hawthorn looked to Crawf in our lean years and Crawf won a brownlow and just turned it on year after year.

McGrath is just a classic victim of going at pick 1, like plenty of others.

I think his character is exceptional but he's just marginally better than average (if that) which for a pick one is a complete draft bust.

 

[5minutes_of_Dew]

Richie was AA in the line in the sand game......

Best lawn mower pull starter going round....

 

[marklar]

McGrath is just a classic victim of going at pick 1, like plenty of others.

I think his character is exceptional but he's just marginally better than average (if that) which for a pick one is a complete draft bust.

He's had nowhere near the scrutiny of being pick 1 like Jack Watts, JHF, JUH or Harley Reid have, even Patton, Boyd or Scully didn't get off lightly.

I have no doubt he is a fine young gentleman on and off the field, but everyone seems to have conveniently forgotten to apply the same #1 pick scrutiny that so many others received.

 

[HedgeFund]

He's had nowhere near the scrutiny of being pick 1 like Jack Watts, JHF, JUH or Harley Reid have, even Patton, Boyd or Scully didn't get off lightly.

I have no doubt he is a fine young gentleman on and off the field, but everyone seems to have conveniently forgotten to apply the same #1 pick scrutiny that so many others received.

Yes - because it’s nigh on a criminal offence to be selected #1 in a draft and not turn into an absolute elite player.

I genuinely don’t get it.

He was never going to be delisted (that’s complete rubbish), and barring injuries, he will play 300 games, which is more than most guys selected at number 1 in a draft.

He himself was absolutely shocked to get selected at number 1 as he knew he wasn’t the most naturally talented.

He was chosen due to his intelligence, character and Robert Shaw’s recommendation (as his school coach) of his leadership qualities.

That’s why he is now their captain.

I wish him well.