Bandwagon Time...

[Bombertastic]

I'm just jumping on the Essendon band wagon period. At the start I wasn't impressed in getting Knights but I've opened my mind up.

I hear supporters of other teams have a go at our list but I think it's great. Young and built for the future. We drafted well and when I look down the list it's much better then last year. By quite a margin.

 

[Windas_Magic]

ON: Laycock: Showed some great signs this year and will hopefully become our no.1 ruckman. Love his tapwork and solid marks in defence.
Winderlich: Hard runner with great pace who really stod up this year
Nash: Only played 11 games but thought he showed some promising signs on the HBF. Hopefully can get a full season next year and push more into the midfield along with Monfries

 

[Slattery_20]

I disagree that it would be a bad mistake if Dyson does nothing given Johnson's departure.

Mark Johnson has one year of football left in my opinion. The game seemed to go past him last season and it's not like he had a lot of excuses.

In releasing Johnson we gave up the opportunity to have a 30 year old running around playing average football. In Dyson we might have a player for the next 5-10 years if he can get his potenital together.

If Dyson does nothing this year, the only thing we've given up is an extra pick in next year's draft, an extra pick in this year's draft or some salary cap room. The first of those options could potentially be a loss, but I don't think we stand to massively lose out on the gamble and there's a possibility that we could really win out.

Anyway, what's done is done, and it's time to get behind him. According to Knights and O'Donnell, he's doing everything he can to play to the best of his ability next season, and we can't ask for anything more than that.

All true
Still, on balance, I'd rather him have signed a one year deal only
Hopefully we can get more of those explosive runs away from a pack out of him this year. The crowd lifts when that happens, & it often produces a goal. If we can see that 15-20 times a year instead of 1-2, he'll be a good player. There just might be a niche for him on the forward flank

oh and on: Hocking

 

[Slattery_20]

I'll third that. Although I don't agree that he can't improve. If the skills shortage can only be addressed by replacing those with bad skills, then we have serious problems - i.e. replacing the entire list. I can only hope that there is indeed an issue with our preparation in that area, and that MK is fixing this. Looking forward to 25+ high quality disposals from pevs each week.

My bandwagons are a bit more intangable ...
ON: An across the board skills improvement.
The much alluded to "running game".

OFF: Creaming over how good our list is, before it has achieved ANYTHING. Reminds me of Richmond supporters talking about Richo - he's soooo athletic, he's soooo tall and muscley. People, it's time to start cracking skulls.

Hear heckin'g hear

 

[cAsEy_18]

I'm definatly different.

ON
Ricky Dyson = Watch him prove everyone wrong, enough potential to be a star of the game and i reckon he'll prove it this year
Heath Hocking = This guy already showed at the end of last year what a great player he could be, watch him follow it through.
Courtney Dempsey = More potential than anyone i've ever seen.
And of course, little Alwyn.

Off
Probably JJ is the only one that springs to mind, been one of my favourite players of the past decade or so, hope he has a great year @ Bendigo, and thats no disrespect to him @ all, he just wont get a game under Knights' new system but i seriously hope he dominates down there.

 

[Windas_Magic]

I'm definatly different.

ON
Ricky Dyson = Watch him prove everyone wrong, enough potential to be a star of the game and i reckon he'll prove it this year
Heath Hocking = This guy already showed at the end of last year what a great player he could be, watch him follow it through.
Courtney Dempsey = More potential than anyone i've ever seen.
And of course, little Alwyn.

Off
Probably JJ is the only one that springs to mind, been one of my favourite players of the past decade or so, hope he has a great year @ Bendigo, and thats no disrespect to him @ all, he just wont get a game under Knights' new system but i seriously hope he dominates down there.

Thats a big call but i hope ur right, well just have to wait and see

 

[iluvessendon]

On: All the new draftees, Paddy Ryder, Alwyn Davey, Leroy Jetta, Courtenay Dempsey
Off: Dyson (I hope he proves me wrong), Pev (ditto), JJ (ditto), Johns

 

[kelvinb]

On: Laycock - Will finish top 10 in b&f this year, deliver on his potential and probably win our most improved. Will spend more time alternating on the ball and resting in the forward line.
Off: Pev - He's better than most think but if he gets nearly as many votes next year (he finished 8th!) our new young midfield rotation wont be getting the gametime id be liking. Either there must be quite a few injuries or the kids (hocking, bachar, dempsey, hislop) arent stepping up quick enough.

 

[Amazing Bombers]

On -All but the below especially Davey.
Off- Dyson , Pev , JJ , Johns

 

[raskolnikov]

On: Gus Monfries, Al Davey, Paddy Ryder, Jetta, Woosha, Gumby
Off: McPhee - was my favourite player a couple of years ago but has slipped into mediocrity. I would be delighted to see him back to AA form next season.

 

[Spikey]

Bump

Nash, Laycock, Neagle, Reimers and Nat-Rat

Magin and Pears have now joined the Bandwagon...

 

[greenlight]

credit to the essendon recruiting staff in the past 2 years...myers ,gumby hislop,reimers,jetta,davey,houli,pears,magin,dick,atkinson,chatres,nash,bellchambers,the list goes on and on....best young team to build a powerhouse ive seen since 1993....should be a great ride again im hoping

 

[Ben the Gooner]

| | |
Vv V

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

I will join you on the Cale Hooker bandwagon Ben the Gooner. I am also on the Pears bandwagon.

 

[Schmick]

Do all those people who jumped off the Dyson bandwagon want to jump back on???

 

[SolidTiger]

Now is the time to lay it on the table and make official whose 'bandwagons' you are on and off for the 2008 season...

So in 6-12 months time, when people will inevitably say 'I told you so..!' we have a reference point...

ON:
Matty Knights
I must admit I felt a little empty when the announcement was made... Mainly due to the fact that Thompson and Harvey had been the names we were expecting to hear... However, after reading opinions from other posters and articles on Knighter I am very impressed with what he has to say and his plans for next season.... Very excited!
David Myers
On draft day I was praying to hear Rhys Palmer's name at number 6 even though it seemed certain that Myers was coming here... From the draft previews I had read, Myers was just a tall HBF'er... Not the area I thought we needed to address... However, I have been swayed by some (particularly 'Ryder Is God') and am excited about the role he could play in years to come...
Bachar Houli
I had a couple of Uni classes with Bash back when he was playing with the Jets... Great guy and works really hard... Have no doubts he will step up this year a crack the 22 regularly.

*Also my namesakes Angus Monfries and Scott Gumbleton... The future 'Superstar Duo' of the EFC! I'm driving those Bandwagons!

OFF:
Ricky Dyson
Wasn't impressed when he was given a 2 year deal... Maybe Knights saw something I didn't (bar one or two good, but not great, games)...
Adam Ramanauskas
As much as I respect the bloke... I think he is on the decline... Can't be picked in the 22 based on heart and determination every week... Although a solid pre-season could turn it all around...
Jason Johnson
Only reason he wasn't delisted was because of the 1 year remaining on his contract... Doubt he will get many games in Knight's new fast paced system... Could win the Bendigo B&F...

Although, I hope all those guys prove me wrong...

Matty Knights was my favourite Richmond player before he retired (ironically his last game was against Essendon). I did not think though that he was ready to Coach at senior level and like everyone I was shocked when Essendon named him as coach.

He has shown a lot more than I have expected so far and I hope he does well at Essendon.

It is odd that I find the rivalry against Essendon different than it is against Collingwood or Carlton. Against Collingwood and Carlton the rivalry is like that against a sworn enemy, but with Essendon the rivalry is like that of two siblings. It might have something to do with Essendon hiring Richmonds past players as coach.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Matty Knights was my favourite Richmond player before he retired (ironically his last game was against Essendon). I did not think though that he was ready to Coach at senior level and like everyone I was shocked when Essendon named him as coach.

He has shown a lot more than I have expected so far and I hope he does well at Essendon.

It is odd that I find the rivalry against Essendon different than it is against Collingwood or Carlton. Against Collingwood and Carlton the rivalry is like that against a sworn enemy, but with Essendon the rivalry is like that of two siblings. It might have something to do with Essendon hiring Richmonds past players as coach.

The feelings aren't mutual.

 

[Amazing Bombers]

Do all those people who jumped off the Dyson bandwagon want to jump back on???

I do.

 

[OrangeCutter]

I do.

Geez after Kepler hennaman and bolton he was my new bunny, but i think i also will be jumping back on his bandwagon

 

[Merv]

Do all those people who jumped off the Dyson bandwagon want to jump back on???

I have never been on it and certainly won't be jumping on at this early stage.

Having said that, he has done all that he can to give himself the best chance he can to make it.

He still has a long way to go, but he has taken the first steps in what will hopefully be a turn around season for him.

Needs to improve his disposal a lot but at least he can get the pill now.

 

[acursi08]

I have never been on it and certainly won't be jumping on at this early stage.

Having said that, he has done all that he can to give himself the best chance he can to make it.

He still has a long way to go, but he has taken the first steps in what will hopefully be a turn around season for him.

Needs to improve his disposal a lot but at least he can get the pill now.

If Ricky could get as much of the ball as he did last night in a lot of matches to come, he needs to improve his decision making. All he has to do is look up when he is running with the ball. He hasn’t had much time on the ball so I think that the more time he gets he’ll learn from it. He has a good kick but he always tries to do a low spearing kick into the forward 50. If he gets that out of his head and starts looking up when he has the ball, then I think we might have ourselves a midfielder, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself. Keep it up Ricky

 

[ManWithNoName]

I remain on Ricky Dysons. Plenty and sundry have bagged him but I've stayed on his bandwagon since the beginning. I think this year could be his year.

 

[danzan22]

Im getting on the Houli bandwagon, from the 2 games so far he has looked very impressive and he already has the body to play 20 games a year.

 

[Slattery_20]

Reimers
Hocking
Knights
Give us some fight back

 

[Burzum]

I've been on the Myers and Pears bandwagon prior to them being drafted.