2009 big improvers thread

[Thrust]

whoa! it's here!

So who will improve majorly and who will stagnate and end up being delisted, this is the prediction thread.

Improvers:
Myers - I think the most likely to win the RS from Essendon.

Ryder - I expect his first 6 weeks to be sensational then drop off a bit but still be very good

Lonergan - Gun, Could become our second best midfielder after Mcveigh (if he has a very good year). More likely that he will just continue to improve.

Unsure:
Stants, has the potential but needs to start sheparding etc.

Gumby, 2 years on the sidelines now hopefully he can just get on the field

Dempsey, 3 years on the sidelines now hopefully he can just get on the field

Mcphee - will probably just continue to be average.

Stagnate:
Dyson - Severely limited footballer

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Mcphee - will probably just continue to be average.

Stopped reading here. Your credibility just got shot.

 

[cAsEy_18]

Stopped reading here. Your credibility just got shot.

Likewise, except for our few guns like Lloyd, McVeigh Hille etc... i think McPhee is one of our teams most important players. Is just so versitile, and is not just able to play in those positions, but able to be very important to the side in those positions.

 

[Thrust]

Stopped reading here. Your credibility just got shot.

Maybe I set the bar too high, in 2004 and 2005 (despite injury) he was close to my favourite player and was superb. I still see him in Essendons best 22 and he can fill a need. I thought he was excellent on Rob Murphy this year, average means average not bad. I just don't think he will get back to his prior form or get worse but there is a chance of either.

 

[Hurley Bird]

I think its McPhee and Stanton that need to be the big improvers. They both have massive potential and are very important to our side, however this year I think they were shadows of themselves from 2007. What do you guys think? McPhee played more in the forward line this year than he has before, which I didn't like. As soon as he moved to the back line, I saw the old McPhee coming back. That's just what I thought. Please set me straight if im wrong.

 

[daffo]

Hopefully Myers will increase his match fitness with a full preseason under his belt. Neagle could be another big improver.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Fair enough, but McPhee was a long way from average.

When we had some other talls in the forward line (shock horror), he was effectively playing on a HBF, and would outmark him every time. It's very effective, given his engine.

 

[Spikey]

Andy Lee.

It won't be here but he should still improve!

 

[essendon2008]

Andy Lee.

It won't be here but he should still improve!

Reckon he'll be playing AFL next year?

 

[Hurley Bird]

Reckon he'll be playing AFL next year?

Yeh, Fremantle will pick him up...

 

[VelvetSledge]

IMPROVERS:

Paddy Ryder- Gains the respect from other clubs which he deserves.
Adam McPhee- 5 goals in Round 1
Scott Gumbleton- ACTUALLY PLAYS in Round 1-22... And wins Rising Star =)

 

[Smyth94]

Here is my list of main improvers:

1. Jason Winderlich

• After a season ruined by injury, Licha will be burning to get out on the park in '09. In '07 he displayed all the qualities to become a very good player - skill, pace, endurance and work ethic. He needs to add robustness to his repertoire in 2009. If things can fall his way I'm expecting him to blow a lot of his doubters out of the water, and become the genuine classy midfielder Essendon have been crying out for.

2. Mark McVeigh

• Injury free he has the quality to become one of the better on-ballers in the league

3. Paddy Ryder

• Is one or two pre-seasons away from becoming a force at CHB, a couple more kilo's and he will be a monster.

Assorted young players
Tayte Pears - will be looking to cement a spot in Essendon's 22
Scott Gumbleton - will be looking to cement a spot in Essendon's 22
David Myers - will be looking to cement a spot in Essendon's 22
Jay Neagle - needs to stay injury, if so will cause defenders headaches
Courtenay Dempsey - again, needs to stay injury free

My main improver is Winderlich, the rest of our list is very young so we can only expect the natural improvement that comes with experience in the firsts.

 

[Hirdman]

Neagle - Will kick 30 goals including one bag of 6 that will make us all cream our pants.

Atkinson - Will take the much needed small defensive post, he's speed, agility and strength will be crucial to our back 6.

Houli & Hislop - Will struggle coming off OP

 

[ant555]

I am not overly confident in Winderlich. Now i know you should not compare mediacl operations but i have had the same operation as Winderlich twice (12 months apart), between L4-L5 and L5-S1 and after. Two years and a couple of quarterzone injections later and it is still not right and i am only working a couple of days a week on limited duties.
Dont want to put a mock on him but the operation does have a bit of a failure rate and he would want to be 200% right before playing footy again as i stuffed my L4-L5 disc up again when i backed into a door handle at work about 8 months after the operation.
The will need to take his injury very slowly.

 

[essendon2008]

Here is my list of main improvers:

2. Mark McVeigh

• Injury free he has the quality to become one of the better on-ballers in the league

Surely McVeigh can't improve anymore? I don't mean he's not very talented, I mean he already plays like he promises. The only thing to improve for him is to play a full season.

 

[Colin D'Cops]

I think Tayte Pears, Courtenay Dempsey & Scott Gumbleton will be the big movers in '09. We thought Dempsey & Gumbleton were mainly going to step up this year, but that didn't eventuate because of injuries. If they can have an injury free preseason, they'll be as keen as mustard to prove their worth. Tayte Pears just naturally progressing, and the couple of games he did play were pretty impressive. He read the ball well and didn't back away from a contest. Hopefully Hocking, Winderlich & Laycock can really make their mark on the competition also, but I'm not real confident.

 

[Smyth94]

Surely McVeigh can't improve anymore? I don't mean he's not very talented, I mean he already plays like he promises. The only thing to improve for him is to play a full season.

That is exactly my point.

Playing a whole season of the quality he showed this year is what will separate him from having a good season to a great season.

 

[BomberFan_23]

i think tom hislop could be a very important player next season with the likes of peverill moving on..knights is moulding him into an
in & under type player..payed close attention to him at u18 championships in 06' and showed a lot of potential! hopefully stays injury free and with a bit of luck add a bit off grunt/toughness to our midfield with the likes of welsh and mcveigh!

 

[Burzum]

I'm hoping Monfries can step up another level, he showed good signs in the second half of the season.

Obviously we want Gumbleton, Neagle and Dempsey to stay fit as they have enormous potential.

I really want to see Lonergan and Reimers next year.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Winderlich if he can keep fit.
Myers to cement himself in the 22.
Slattery ditto.
Stanton to become elite.
Neagle to kick 30+.
Jetta to step up a level, and be more selfish.

And.....*drumroll*

Jason Laycock to prove me right.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Winderlich - if he stays injury free people will be asking on how he got this good.

Hislop - Another kid that can play and he'll show it.

Ryder - Will go up a level again. Will be an elite defender in 09.

 

[addog]

myers, reimers and gumbleton will be the standouts of the young guys next year. Lloyd, lucas and mc veigh will be the best of the older guys. And finally laycock and dyson will probably get worse if its possible.

 

[Sigmund]

i think tom hislop could be a very important player next season with the likes of peverill moving on..knights is moulding him into an
in & under type player..payed close attention to him at u18 championships in 06' and showed a lot of potential! hopefully stays injury free and with a bit of luck add a bit off grunt/toughness to our midfield with the likes of welsh and mcveigh!

Hey Bomberfan --- What is with all the bolding???

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Hey Bomberfan --- What is with all the bolding???

Fixed

 

[cAsEy_18]

Whether we have a good year wins wise or not next season, and whether they are consistent or not, i hope to see from the following players a few games of 3-4 where they just really take it by the scruff of the neck and show what they can do, prove these people wrong saying essendon has no good young talent.
-Reimers
-Lonergan
-Houli
-Ryder
-Gumbleton
-Dempsey
-Myers
-Neagle
-Jetta

They are 9 guys right there that could be something special, and we know that already from what they've shown, not just from hype. I just want to see them all put it together at some stage next season. Can just see a close game where we running over them in the last through Reimers/Houli/Myers staring through the middle, and Gumbleton/Neagle/Jetta finishing it off. These are the main guys that i believe could really shine for us, could really step up to another level and make people say "Gee, essendon's list has got some talent there don't they?"

-Monfries
-Stanton
-Winderlich
-Pears
-Hislop
-Hocking
-Atkinson

These guys are what every clubs needs. Solid performers. The first 3 are already solid but i believe all 3 can step up and all 3 can fit into that top category. THe bottom 4 have a lot of time for improvement in front of them, and if they are good enough to prove that they can make our best 22 next season, i'm looking forward to a real battle for spots. (Barring injuries, ofcourse.)