Bomber's Midfield

[The Donners]

Which players would you most like to see in the middle for the Dons in 08?

My selections would be: Jetta and Monfries. I think Jetta, even in only a few games showed tremendous foot skills and pace, commodities missing for the most part of 5 years in Essendon's engine room.

I think being able to rest both players in the forward line also creates a lot of versatility, they are both goal kicking midfielders, worth their weight in gold!

 

[sikmoe]

Bachar Houli, Winderlich and Watson.

 

[The Donners]

Bachar Houli, Winderlich and Watson.

Would you have Watson as a ruck-rover/rover or as a centre? IMO he's a little slow to be a premier rover, he has one of the best handpasses in the game and is an excellent reader of the play! He has football smarts and if he can take that extra step, could be a potential leader of the Essendon football club in years to come!

Watson desperately needs to work on his foot skills.

I like the look of Houli a lot! Great call having him on the ball! He's quick and again has a great disposal!

Winderlich... well, runs very hard, he's a tough one, improved out of sight in 07 but not sure whether he could match it with the other midfielders of the competition.

Who do you want in ruck? I would have Laycock, I think Hille has had ample opportunities to stamp his authority on the no. 1 rucking duties and to me he has failed. Could be backup to Laycock, playing predominantly as a forward? Perhaps leaving too many talls at that end of the ground with Lloyd, Lucas and Neagle!

 

[citizen-erased]

Watson, McVeigh, Stants, Winder and Davey, and Bradley and McPhee trialed on the "true" wing positions out wide.
More time to Houli, Slattery and Lovett.
I like Gus and Jetta as forward pocket options. Gus has a great strong body on him and likes a goal and Jettas pace and agility around packs was very handy in the opening games this season.

 

[Andronicus]

yeah i think that jetta is a must when you lack speed, but when you do have a few explosive players in there, then Watson is a must as well to put some brains into the equation.

His head for the game and the pace of guys around him could work wonders.

 

[The Donners]

Watson, McVeigh, Stants, Winder and Davey, and Bradley and McPhee trialed on the "true" wing positions out wide.
More time to Houli, Slattery and Lovett.
I like Gus and Jetta as forward pocket options. Gus has a great strong body on him and likes a goal and Jettas pace and agility around packs was very handy in the opening games this season.

To me Watson and Stanton are same old same old and not working at the present. You think Knighter could elevate them to premier midfielders keeping in mind they are competing against the likes of Judd, Cousins, Ablett, Bartel and Black? I hope so but highly doubt it.

 

[AndyLesPaul]

lets hope jetta does well nxt yr.
can't believe sheedy axed him though. Argh! didn't plaay another game.

 

[The Donners]

lets hope jetta does well nxt yr.
can't believe sheedy axed him though. Argh! didn't plaay another game.

Agreed. Got injured early and didn't get another look in!

I haven't seen enough of Reimers to comment, what does he best fit? From all reports he has star qualities.

 

[Andronicus]

was jetta playing in reserves last year.......over here in the west it seemed to be reported that he wasnt playing due to o.p. I saw him playing a fair bit before he got drafted and he was an absolute gun.

He tore up a few guys i know that have afl aspirations here in the west.

 

[sikmoe]

Who do you want in ruck? I would have Laycock, I think Hille has had ample opportunities to stamp his authority on the no. 1 rucking duties and to me he has failed. Could be backup to Laycock, playing predominantly as a forward? Perhaps leaving too many talls at that end of the ground with Lloyd, Lucas and Neagle!

I agree, Laycock. His better than Hille and Hille's way to slow in my opinion.

 

[The Donners]

I agree, Laycock. His better than Hille and Hille's way to slow in my opinion.

Hille is definitely on the cumbersome side! I liken McIntosh a little to Hile in terms of agility yet in his 1st full season absolutely dominated Hille when we played the Roos! Not a good sign!

Having said that, McIntosh did that to several ruckmen this year!

 

[The Donners]

was jetta playing in reserves last year.......over here in the west it seemed to be reported that he wasnt playing due to o.p. I saw him playing a fair bit before he got drafted and he was an absolute gun.

He tore up a few guys i know that have afl aspirations here in the west.

Was surprised he went so late in the draft! Definite top 10 for mine!

 

[Bombers2000]

To me Watson and Stanton are same old same old and not working at the present. You think Knighter could elevate them to premier midfielders keeping in mind they are competing against the likes of Judd, Cousins, Ablett, Bartel and Black? I hope so but highly doubt it.

Maybe Watson, Jetta, I like McVeigh in the guts. Stanton is a very good midfield player (he wears 24 Smokin Joe Misiti) class written all over it. Monfries also should be in there!!

 

[sikmoe]

Id love to see Mcviegh play more in the middle.

 

[AndyLesPaul]

well i saw 3 quarters of essendon v west coast at tab (lol)
and reimers scored a pretty cool goal. didn't see him much after that, but he has potential i think
lol

 

[Andronicus]

maybe it was just wa hype but over here they were saying he was def going to go top 10, and more than likely top 5. I spoke to him just before the draft and he said from talking to sheeds and the guys at camp, he really wanted to be a bomber.

Most at draft camp say they want to play under sheedy though.

 

[The Donners]

Maybe Watson, Jetta, I like McVeigh in the guts. Stanton is a very good midfield player (he wears 24 Smokin Joe Misiti) class written all over it. Monfries also should be in there!!

I think Mcveigh has found his niche as the general of our backline. Contrary to popular belief I believe it is he who holds the key to our rebound from defence and not Fletcher or McPhee. Mcveigh's use of the ball is second to none in the Essendon side and I had him rated as our third best player at the club behind Hird and Lloyd... Lucas is very very close!

 

[AndyLesPaul]

ya jetta was playing in reserves , like axed in rnd 4 i think and then injured the groin and had an injury plagued season for rest of year.

 

[The Donners]

maybe it was just wa hype but over here they were saying he was def going to go top 10, and more than likely top 5. I spoke to him just before the draft and he said from talking to sheeds and the guys at camp, he really wanted to be a bomber.

Most at draft camp say they want to play under sheedy though.

He has certainly won me over perthbombersfan! This may sound a little premature but he's a 200-game player at our club, there is something very exciting about him, one of the picks of the draft! His u/18 form aside, his foot skills against the Aboriginal All-Stars was a joy to watch, I can see him delivering the ball lace-up to Lloyd over the latter stages of Lloyd's career, dynamite draft!

 

[Bombers2000]

I think Mcveigh has found his niche as the general of our backline. Contrary to popular belief I believe it is he who holds the key to our rebound from defence and not Fletcher or McPhee. Mcveigh's use of the ball is second to none in the Essendon side and I had him rated as our third best player at the club behind Hird and Lloyd... Lucas is very very close!

Mcveigh has great foot skills yes, and thats why he should be in the midfield every now and then. Your not going to find someone that goes at the pill harder than he does. He can actually hit Lloyd and Lucas on the chest running out the the guts too. A slattery or Welsh can do that from backline!

 

[The Donners]

Mcveigh has great foot skills yes, and thats why he should be in the midfield every now and then. Your not going to find someone that goes at the pill harder than he does. He can actually hit Lloyd and Lucas on the chest running out the the guts too. A slattery or Welsh can do that from backline!

Fantastic post, I think I blew in my pants... Mcveigh clearly can hit Lloyd on the chest! Something we've lacked for 3-4 years, fair?

 

[Andronicus]

you guys seem to know your stuff pretty well.

How does the midfield look for the future? are we as good as i would love to hope we are?

Can someone shed some light on the young brigade that havent played much league footy.

I know about Gumby and jetta from before they were drafted, but how about some of the others? please give me some hope.

 

[The Donners]

you guys seem to know your stuff pretty well.

How does the midfield look for the future? are we as good as i would love to hope we are?

Can someone shed some light on the young brigade that havent played much league footy.

I know about Gumby and jetta from before they were drafted, but how about some of the others? please give me some hope.

Watch out for Neagle. Had we not had the advantage of the old father/son rule in '05 he would've gone top 5! Unbelievable talent, it's not an if it's a when! In the VFL (I realise it's not the same thing) he was our most dominant forward (when he wasn't injured), with an addition of greater weights training he is the Lloyd of the future IMO!

He's been touted as special by the people who know since he began his fledgling career. I rate him to equal or better of any draft pick of ours in the Super draft. It's a big wrap for a one-gamer but I will be my head on the chopping board!!! Still raw, but at 19 will become a premier CHB or CHF!

 

[The Donners]

you guys seem to know your stuff pretty well.

How does the midfield look for the future? are we as good as i would love to hope we are?

Can someone shed some light on the young brigade that havent played much league footy.

I know about Gumby and jetta from before they were drafted, but how about some of the others? please give me some hope.

Overall, last years draft for Essendon was the best in our history of participation in the draft, no doubt! If you look over the history of the last 20 years since it's inception (the draft), no year has had so many a-grade players! When Knights said that our list isn't bad, when Sheedy said our list isn't that bad... if you peel back the rotten eggs that have been taking a ride, you will see a core of players that WILL take us to where we need to be!

 

[Andronicus]

wow.....thats a big wrap.

neagle is a bit of an unknown over here. Where can i find out about reserves form??

Can you fill me in on any others? my hope is rising.

Cheers