Opinion Champions of Essendon Revisited

[Howard Moon]

 

[Howard Moon]

can i just say - after watching that vision above - ive had a thought.

Look at Watson, nailing goals from outside 50, from angles, on both his left side and right side like its natural...

Back in the 80s and prior, it was expected, you needed to use both sides of your body, and if you couldn’t, you worked on it - hard until you could. I still remember at training we used to work tirelessly on our opposite side - it was something that was part of the game, a part of the footballers skill set. But sadly it seems like just a relic of times past now.

People say players in this era are elite, at the top of the skill tree from any time in the game’s history, they work harder for longer on their game, but do they, really?

It seems now if you don’t have a wrong side, that’s OK, you can use a banana, or dribble a goal, or twist and turn until you get to your preferred side, or go backwards to a less desirable option. Anything that requires you not to use your non preferred side. Commentators fap over players who kick a banana a goal, or dribble a goal, oh what skill!! But, is it? What takes more skill? To make something harder than it needs to be, or to use your opposite side and make it regulation?

In this era when the game is trying to dot its i's and cross its t’s to every extreme, in a time when 1% can make a difference between a flag or not, I am very surprised clubs don’t work more diligently on opposite a sides of the body – I’m surprised clubs allow players to be one sided. A team full of two sided players would have a distinct advantage.

Back in the day you rarely knew players for being one sided, now its common knowledge who is and who isn’t, and the point is it immediately puts you at a disadvantage to your direct opponent, or zone opponent because they already know which side you are going to so they can begin to corral or shut you down.

Think of it, Sam Mitchell, Greg Williams, always known for their time in traffic - yet are slow as treacle, can they bend time? No, of course they can’t - Cleary part of it is because their opponent subconsciously has to stay off them a little because they don’t know which side they are going to - they can’t immediately head to one side to shut them down, there is no default defense tactic to fall to because they have the entire compass range they can dispose from.

I think in this day and age of teams scrapping to find that 1% advantage over other teams, trying supplements regimes, trying high altitudes training, trying anything they can for that edge this may be a way for a club to gain that % edge on the competition that may only require training a particular skill.

Being two sided isn’t something that you either have or you don’t – it’s a skill that can be perfected no matter who you are, which means hard work can make a difference. I’m not saying every player would end up as proficient as Sam Mitchell, but they don’t have to be, just knowing that you are able to execute the skill if required is enough to have your opponent guessing and on the back foot just slightly.
I understand that players are so proficient now at banana kicks and dribble goals that it seems the norm, they spend hours practicing it, but would the same amount of hours dedicated to wrong side play bring a greater all round result. Is it worth clubs revisiting the long lost skill of two sided players?

 

[Doss]

Watson was a deadset freak.

 

[ant555]

Agree with everything Shaw says, in particular S.Madden, he was unbelievable.

Yep and i did not have to change the number on my duffle coat for many , many years

He was a super player and even in today's game he would be regarded as an absolute champion. Super tap ruckman, very good marking and around the ground player who could take a big grab forward and kick goals. Would be on $1,000,000 if he was playing now.

 

[Runk]

Watson was a deadset freak.

Watching him was just a wonderful experience. The whole crowd cheered so hard for Tim. He was a much loved favourite son. Same for Madden. I was very lucky to have seen them both. Magic

 

[Doss]

I have the faintest memories of Timmy from 1993-94.

None of TD or Madden, though- 1992 was pre-football interest days for me.

 

[darrenbewick#8]

Good to have Buttsworth in there at 12 too. My old butcher was telling me he saw him take some ridiculous number of marks in a game for West Perth once. 37 or something.

Yeah right! 37 marks ..did your butcher also tell you his opponent was midget puopolo

 

[Doss]

Yeah right! 37 marks ..did your butcher also tell you his oppo

It's an outrageous number but Alex Duncan took 33 marks for Carlton in 1927. So it's not totally out of the question.

 

[tesla1962]

Watching him was just a wonderful experience. The whole crowd cheered so hard for Tim. He was a much loved favourite son. Same for Madden. I was very lucky to have seen them both. Magic

Agree, it was a great time to watch footy but I reckon none of them created as much anticipation or excitement as the big fish did in 1984 before he did his knee.
That was an incredible time for EFC supporters. I think it must have been the closest thing to the John Coleman years.

 

[Run and carry]

I know its just all opinion but its nonsensical to be comparing past champions alongside those in the more present day. It is just a completely different game. Zones, running patterns, professionalism, speed.

Coleman may not have had the tank to run out a full game these days. Who knows? Other past champions from all clubs might not make the grade these days because their kicking technique wouldn't hold up in the present game.

When you've got James Hird being compared to a past champ who was still using the drop kick it seems a bit silly.

 

[Runk]

Agree, it was a great time to watch footy but I reckon none of them created as much anticipation or excitement as the big fish did in 1984 before he did his knee.
That was an incredible time for EFC supporters. I think it must have been the closest thing to the John Coleman years.

Agreed. I think the older fans saw another Coleman in Fish and the excitement grew and grew. Until the knee of course.

 

[Runk]

I have the faintest memories of Timmy from 1993-94.

None of TD or Madden, though- 1992 was pre-football interest days for me.

From memory By 92 both Td and Madden were playing reserves footy and helping the kids coming through. I think they won the reserves that year?!? Anyway their playing days caught up to them fairly quickly after 1990.

 

[Pweter]

I know its just all opinion but its nonsensical to be comparing past champions alongside those in the more present day. It is just a completely different game. Zones, running patterns, professionalism, speed.

Coleman may not have had the tank to run out a full game these days. Who knows? Other past champions from all clubs might not make the grade these days because their kicking technique wouldn't hold up in the present game.

When you've got James Hird being compared to a past champ who was still using the drop kick it seems a bit silly.

The assumption has to be any player would have a similar impact in any other era if afforded the same level (or lack) of training and professionalism. Based on that an elite player from any era should be considered elite in any other era.

Madden was my only footy idol. He was there when I started following footy and the Dons, and by the time he retired I was too old for footy idols.

 

[Doss]

From memory By 92 both Td and Madden were playing reserves footy and helping the kids coming through. I think they won the reserves that year?!? Anyway their playing days caught up to them fairly quickly after 1990.

Basically yeah. TD and Madden both didn't play after Round 11 until Round 24, when Sheeds gave them both a farewell in the last round of the year.

 

[Run and carry]

The assumption has to be any player would have a similar impact in any other era if afforded the same level (or lack) of training and professionalism. Based on that an elite player from any era should be considered elite in any other era.

Madden was my only footy idol. He was there when I started following footy and the Dons, and by the time he retired I was too old for footy idols.

Yeah but I spose thats my point. Way too many assumptions. We are assuming that a past champion, even with training and professionalism,would display the same brilliance in a modern game with all its systems, structures, and speed. Fairly big call.
Its a totally different game now. Apples and oranges. But even though it was a while back now (and the game has evolved since then) we were able to actually see Hird rise above and dominate the modern game so often. So we can rate him. Anyway...

 

[yaco55]

Good post HM - Watson was a better forward than Judd a much better forward - Player likeness today is Dangerfield.

 

[Doss]

Champions adapt.

 

[Darealrath]

He's not wrong about Mercs, either. Fantasia's GWS game brought memories of Mercs' Sydney final flooding back. Wow...

Fantasia reminds me more of Winderlich, in that he always looks in a hurry and is trying to do everything at top speed.

Mercs just made the opposition look silly with the way he found time and space.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Watson was unbelievable, great pace for what was a tall mid back then. I remember one day at Kardinia Park he must have had one of the best first quarters i've seen, kicked (i think) about three but just cut them to pieces. Can't even remember who won that day.

We really missed him when he was out of the side, big reason why '86 turned to shite.

Neale Daniher would have been as good as Hird.

 

[The Bomb]

Soon enough we will have to add Hurley, Hooker and Heppell.
will make things very interesting.

 

[yaco55]

Watson was unbelievable, great pace for what was a tall mid back then. I remember one day at Kardinia Park he must have had one of the best first quarters i've seen, kicked (i think) about three but just cut them to pieces. Can't even remember who won that day.

We really missed him when he was out of the side, big reason why '86 turned to shite.

Neale Daniher would have been as good as Hird.

Reckon that was Watson's best ever game for the club - Carried us over the line that day in a game we should have never won.

 

[Blind Turn]

The more i think back on it - if i were to compare Tim Watson to any modern era player, id have to say he was Chris Judd but with a couple more strings to his bow.

They both were strong ball-winners, mostly outsideish to begin with. They both possessed a combination of explosive speed, acceleration, agility and core strength which few if any players in the league could match; These attributes gave the ability to receive the ball in traffic, then break free from or weave around taggers and opponents. Judds disposal at WCE was good - but i think Watsons was always first class, had the ability as Shaw said to always find the right option. Judd at Carlton lost his zing so became an inside beast - Tim had the ability to play forward wheras Judd didnt have this string. Watson was a great shot at goal from distance on the run, on the angles.. I dont think Judd was elite in this capacity.

They both had that identical burst away from packs, that dashing trait that we all love.

Watson 3 premierships, 4 best and fairests,
Judd 1 premiership, 2 Brownlows, 6 all-australian,

is it a travesty our 6th best player ever at Essendon was never all australian or brownlow medalist? (1989 he was everything but)

Edit: I assume the aa wasnt a thing yet?

i think these two are much closer than the accoladies would suggest.

I have tried to argue that in my time watching (circa 79-80), Watson would be my pick as ruck rover ahead of Judd in my best-of team. And this would be largely on the back of his ability to hit the scoreboard. He was a damaging kick. Judd lacked penetration and goal sense which is a significant difference in our game. Sure, Judd got more of the ball but that doesn't mean that Tim had any less of a driving, inspiring impact from the midfield. I agree that Dangerfield is most like him and if Danger can become a premiership inspiration he might be as good by the end of his career. For what it's worth I rate Watson as the 9th best player I have seen and Judd 15th.

 

[Howard Moon]

I didn't even think of danger! I just considered him way too inside but now you mention it the similarities are there, that burst especially.

 

[Blind Turn]

I didn't even think of danger! I just considered him way too inside but now you mention it the similarities are there, that burst especially.

Tim's one slight draw-back was that he didn't hit the contest as hard as what Danger does or Judd did. Tim held his own in the middle but he didn't have the tenacity to find the ball for first possession. In that regard he relied on Madden's hits to advantage or receiving in traffic and bursting away. He wasn't a purely 'outside' player by any means.

 

[Doss]

That last goal in the entire video, the one against West Coast (will assume it's the 1990 PF)- that reminds me so much of Jobe's sealer against the Pies on Anzac Day in 2013.