Delisted #24: Craig Bird - Not offered a contract for 2018 - 24/10

[DERO]

A bird in the hand is worth two in the blah blah blah.

 

[Capt Hindsight]

Watson is cooked. Bird offers more

I know Watson has been cooked. Still that is what will happen. Club won't drop him to the VFL.
Hopefully the rest helped. He did have 27 disposals and 14 contested possessions (vs North Melbourne at Etihad) after the last rest he had.

 

[Old Campaigner]

We'd be mad to cut him loose with Jobe retiring.

 

[Yoda_]

Absolutely made for VFL finals is this bloke. Had a terrific year with the VFL Bombers. Him and Howlett will be two vital cogs in our midfield today in a spot that will essentially make or break the game today.

Will hope that he can help drag us over the line with a good display and get given an opportunity in the seniors in 2018.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

We'd be mad to cut him loose with Jobe retiring.

yes, lets keep a 28 year old vfl player on the list.

Wow.

 

[Yoda_]

yes, lets keep a 28 year old vfl player on the list.

Wow.

In the end it will be wheter the club wants to insert a relatively unproven kid into the senior mix or a guy like Bird &/or Howlett into the seniors next year that will decide his fate.

With knowing how underdeveloped our inside midfield group is (even Langford has not "come on" in a sense at AFL level), we'd be silly to not have the conversation.

 

[Doss]

yes, lets keep a 28 year old vfl player on the list.

Wow.

If the world was as black and white as you make out we still wouldn't have colour television.

 

[boncer34]

If the world was as black and white as you make out we still wouldn't have colour television.

Nibble nibble

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Bird for Hocking.

 

[Runk]

In the end it will be wheter the club wants to insert a relatively unproven kid into the senior mix or a guy like Bird &/or Howlett into the seniors next year that will decide his fate.

With knowing how underdeveloped our inside midfield group is (even Langford has not "come on" in a sense at AFL level), we'd be silly to not have the conversation.

I'd be happy to keep Bird on the list for another year. Howlett....meh. Gives better depth I guess.

 

[DERO]

Cheap cheap.

 

[boncer34]

Dead set baffling decision.

He's better depth then Jerrett for a start.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

We seem to be getting pretty savage on anybody even slightly older.

 

[Paul_Barnard]

I genuinely disagree with this decision, looked more than serviceable when he played and provides depth in a position we a so limited in.
In saying that have full faith with those responsible for list management currently..

 

[TheGrizz]

We seem to be getting pretty savage on anybody even slightly older.

I imagine that seeing Worsfold has no real emotional connection to essendon pre-2016 then it is easier to move along the champs or older guys that werent in the best 22.

In reality we have had a history of holding onto players too long that werent going to make the team. Its probably a good change, although i would have kept bird over Jerrett.

It does however signal the club is expecting a big step up in the younger guys next year.
Langford, Laverde, Begley etc will have plenty of opportunity.

Be ready fellas.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

Harsh.

 

[quotemokc]

He is 28 and only played 2 games this year.

Always going to be gone.

 

[jsd09]

Dead set baffling decision.

He's better depth then Jerrett for a start.

Him on the list is just an additional player in the way of Langford, Laverde, Mutch, Clarke development. Yes we need inside mids, but giving him game time doesn't solve anything other then make it worse.

Langford/Laverde are fourth year players next year, this is just us confirming that we will be investing fully in these guys and this next wave coming through the games they need to become AFL standard +.

Great decision for mine.

 

[DapperJong]

Him on the list is just an additional player in the way of Langford, Laverde, Mutch, Clarke development. Yes we need inside mids, but giving him game time doesn't solve anything other then make it worse.

Langford/Laverde are fourth year players next year, this is just us confirming that we will be investing fully in these guys and this next wave coming through the games they need to become AFL standard +.

Great decision for mine.

You could post this exact same thing in the Howlett thread.

 

[DERO]

Thought he may have been given another year. He was handy depth.

 

[Capt Hindsight]

Right call. Good to see the club isn't being conservative with list management and will see the younger mids exposed should spots in the 22 open up due to injury or suspension

Thank you for your service Craig Bird. All the best for the future.

 

[boncer34]

Him on the list is just an additional player in the way of Langford, Laverde, Mutch, Clarke development. Yes we need inside mids, but giving him game time doesn't solve anything other then make it worse.

Langford/Laverde are fourth year players next year, this is just us confirming that we will be investing fully in these guys and this next wave coming through the games they need to become AFL standard +.

Great decision for mine.

You do understand what the word depth means yes?

 

[DapperJong]

You do understand what the word depth means yes?

sorry no you should do a podcast on it

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

Maybe we are getting Miles?

 

[Bombermania]

Not surprising but I would have thought that there would be two or three players closer to the exit than Craig Bird, good luck to Birdy for his future.