Could Essendon be big improvers

[Karlostj]

And another thing. I believe Essendon recuited poorly this year. With the exception of Gumby they have chosen players who they do not need, nor are capable of building a team around. The battle of the outside, receiving short people will be interesting at Essendon over the next 3-4 years.

Thank goodness they resigned JJ or else they might actually go through a game with donuts in the clearance count.

Watson did alright in clearances this year.....

Given that Essendon choose mainly midfiled type players you seem to be saying that Essendon doesn't need these type of players - is that because Essendon's midfield is already strong?

 

[roly]

they might go up for one year or two and then learn you have to bottom out for a few years then hird will be gone
drafting michael is just sheeds trying to save his job not looking at the big picture long term .....wont win a flag with him

 

[sydney eagle]

Improvers , yes. Why not ? But BIG improvers (as in making the eight and being a challenger for the flag) ? I doubt it.

 

[buggermedumplings]

We always have a good year come Sheed's last year of his contract, may scrape into the finals but that's about it.

We have a great spine on paper though:
Michael, Fletcher, Hird, Lucas, Lloyd...

 

[DaSawx]

they might go up for one year or two and then learn you have to bottom out for a few years then hird will be gone
drafting michael is just sheeds trying to save his job not looking at the big picture long term .....wont win a flag with him

How can he not be looking at the big picture when we've added 16 kids to the list the last 3 years.

You are just one of many who have absolutely no idea about Sheedy and Essendon

 

[Pevers-Legend]

Only if they can win a few early games , including the pre-season...To Mentally get them in the right frame of mind of WINNING. Losing takes your second efforts, your mental thinking away..

All last year, they seemed to stop running here and there and look to the team-mate next to them when something got through..

And Lloyd can't do alll.....Sheedy has got to coach them as a well oiled machine,,,,and Not rely on Individual Performances...like the earlier successful years....He needs to have a look at Neil Craigs book of how to make No Names play or seem to play like Super-Stars....

Get off Big footy with such sensible posts.

But I hope they can...But I doubt it......I think Carlton is the One...to go up.

oh,... no, ...wait you just showed you can continue posting on Big footy with that remark.

 

[daics cousin]

The bombers should be the big improvers next year.they will definately make the 8 .Possibly 7th or 8th position and showcase their midfield first time around for the finals.The top 4 will be out of freo,west coast,sydney,geelong,the bulldogs and collingwood to finish around 5th or 6th.7th and 8th position will be decided between adelaide and the bombers.

 

[Shedmania]

Our best players? Lloyd, Lucas, Johnson? They're all 27, 28. Or do you mean Stanton, Watson, Monfries, McPhee? Who are all 21-23?

I wholehaertedly agree.

There is this myth that occupies every board on this website about Essendon being an old side that is still deteriorating and are years away from improving. This is a completely unresearched position. Essendon are (comparative to many other sides) a young and developing side on the cusp of sustained success.

Here's where its at:

Right now, Essendon have 3 players over the age of 30.

- James Hird (33)
- Dustin Fletcher (31)
- Scott Camporeale (31)

Hird has one more year which is fantastic. I am thrilled i will be able to see him run around the park a few more times. Fletcher, despite being over 30, has openly expressed his desire to continue playing for the football club and while i won't guess at a retirement date here, i think he has a number of years service left. Camporeale may or may not be handy next year and the year after, however, i hardly think his input will be crucial in deciding Essendon's success next year or in the future.

Below that, Essendon has a number of senior footballers who have between 3 and 5 years left in them.

- Jason Johnson (28)
- Mark Johnson (28)
- Mathew Lloyd (28)
- Scott Lucas (29)
- Maybe = Mal Michael (29)

Below that, a bunch of established footballers who, with over 5 years of senior football left in them, will be incredibly important to the future progress of the club.

- David Hille (25)
- Andrew Lovett (24)
- Nathan Lovett-Murray (24)
- Adam McPhee (24)
- Mark McVeigh (25)
- Andrew Welsh (23)

And then, the most important group are the under 23's who are the future of the club. It is in this department that Essendon are (i would argue) deceptively strong.

- Kepler Bradley (21)
- Ricky Dyson (21)
- Courtney Johns (22)
- Jason Laycock (22)
- Andrew Lee (20)
- Angus Monfries (19)
- Jay Nash (21)
- Paddy Ryder (18)
- Brent Stanton (20)
- Jobe Watson (21)
- Jason Winderlich (22)

I have not even mentioned the new draft picks.

- Scott Gumbleton (18) = Freak
- Tom Hislop (18) = 184cm, 86kg, played senior footy and many reckon he is as 'ready-made' for AFL as any 18yo can be.
- Leroy Jetta (18) = excitement machine.
- Alwyn Davey (22) = again, said to be ready-made and ready to go.
- Bachar Houli (18) = Lot to like about this kid.
- Kyle Reimers (19) = view to the future.

Nor have i mentioned the plethora of players who compose the 'squad players' on the list - Bolton, Cole, Dempsey, Heffernan, Peverill, Slattery etc. All of whom have senior football experience and can be very handy when injuries/drop in form hits.

So where are the bombers at?

The loss of Hird and Fletcher in the near future will hurt. However, they are not in danger of losing their core of Johnson, Johnson, Lloyd and Lucas for about 3 years. By that time, the next leaders of the club (Hille, McPhee, Welsh, McVeigh, Lovett, Lovett-Murray etc.) will be ready to lead the side as the veterans of the club. Most importantly, the young kids (including Monfires, Watson, Stanton, Ryder, Gumbleton, Bradley, Johns etc.) are on the cusp of maturing into a special bunch of footballers.

So, with the injection of Lloyd, Gumbleton, and (hopefully) Michael into the side next year and the reemergence of McPhee, J Johnson and a number of other players who struggled with injury and form last year...Essendon should be a vastly improved side next year. It is a balanced side. It is not as 'top-heavy' with older players as some may think. I would argue Essendon's best 10 players are well spread between the ages of 20 and 33.

More importantly, despite the plethora of doubters on these boards, the years following the 2007 look even more promising for the future of the club. Those predicting the continued fall of the EFC need to reexamine their beliefs. The future is bright....and it starts right now.

 

[nesko_25]

FB: M.Johnson Michael Fletcher
HB: Lovett-Murray Lucas Welsh
C: McVeigh Campo McPhee
HF: Stanton Johns Monfries
F: Lovett Lloyd Hird
R: Hille J.Johnson Watson

Rest of the list- Bolten, Bradley, Cole, Davey, Dempsey, Dyson, Gumbleton, Heffernan, Hilsop, Houli, Jetta, Laycock, Lee, Lonergan, Nash, Neagle, Peverill, Ramanauskus, Reimers, Ryder, Slattery, Winderlich

Not a bad list at all.

 

[DaSawx]

You can't leave out Dempsey and Slattery from the list of future players, both look to be extremely handy players

 

[nesko_25]

Thanks to Shedmania's post I've been able to do the average age using all the ages present and guess what its 23.3 is the average age. (not included- Bolton, Cole, Dempsey, Heffernan, Peverill, Slattery)

 

[King_Of_Ling]

Well done shedmainia, that is best post on this thread. Makes most of the non-believers look a tad silly. Cheers.

 

[stugots]

great post shedmania, amazing how quickly a list can change, happy weve got a good group of young talent there now & of course as with last season if & when a few of the older brigade start to wobble, there will be a youngin ready & waiting to take his spot.

 

[essendonflag07]

And another thing. I believe Essendon recuited poorly this year. With the exception of Gumby they have chosen players who they do not need, nor are capable of building a team around. The battle of the outside, receiving short people will be interesting at Essendon over the next 3-4 years.

Thank goodness they resigned JJ or else they might actually go through a game with donuts in the clearance count.

we Need more pace in the team we got that in this draft.
and I think you could build a team around players like davey and jetta.

Are You a bit jelous ? they aint in your team

 

[don4eva]

Hawthorn did not draft Michael because they did not think a new player to the club deserved special treatment with training duties.

Make of it what you will.

What makes you think we care what Hawthorn think.

 

[don4eva]

And another thing. I believe Essendon recuited poorly this year.

Of course you do.

With the exception of Gumby they have chosen players who they do not need, nor are capable of building a team around. The battle of the outside, receiving short people will be interesting at Essendon over the next 3-4 years.

We've lacked speed over the past few years, we rectified that in this draft.

Thank goodness they resigned JJ or else they might actually go through a game with donuts in the clearance count.

You should watch Watson play once in a while.
Hislop, our newest recruit is said to be a lot like JJ except quicker and better skills.

 

[Ari]

Who knows what 2007 will bring.

None the less, it does look promising.... but let's keep a lid on it.

Don't need Essendon supporters getting Roids now do we?

 

[shiva25]

Of course you do.

We've lacked speed over the past few years, we rectified that in this draft.

You should watch Watson play once in a while.
Hislop, our newest recruit is said to be a lot like JJ except quicker and better skills.

Your responses are laughable to say the least.Youve got the slowest midfield in the afl

 

[Jex]

Your responses are laughable to say the least.Youve got the slowest midfield in the afl

Mal Michael will add some speed to our midfield

 

[don4eva]

Your responses are laughable to say the least.Youve got the slowest midfield in the afl

Dyson, Lovett, Winderlich, Dempsey, now Jetta and Davey.

 

[DaSawx]

Doesn't mean it's not effective. Speed, overrated.

Sydney aren't overly quick, yet they almost went back to back.

 

[Jex]

And another thing. I believe Essendon recuited poorly this year. With the exception of Gumby they have chosen players who they do not need, nor are capable of building a team around. The battle of the outside, receiving short people will be interesting at Essendon over the next 3-4 years.

Thank goodness they resigned JJ or else they might actually go through a game with donuts in the clearance count.

If a club gets Houli outside the top 10 he will be the new Dal Santo...

What did Dal Santo go about 18 or so?

And this, on Collingwood’s drafting…

If I was in charge I would have picked 5 mids, because you would have got 2 or 3 years worth of drafts in one hit, because almost no one was picking them.

Think about this...

8. David Armitage
10. Leroy Jetta
28. Cayton Collard
44. Gary Moss
63. Calib Mourish

Just a thought.

So IYHO, we picked up 2 top 10 quality players (well outside the top 10)…plus Gumbleton, a player that suits our needs, not to mention Hislop (a genuine inside mid with size)...but yeah we drafted poorly. Haha, you suck!

 

[Bluebear]

IMHO:
Purely and simply Essendon's plight comes down to the fitness of its senior players.
Hird, Fletcher, Hille and Lloyd need to stay injury free for the year for them to give the finals a shake. They don't have the mids to hurt other teams and when Sheedy's little "save my career" crap is over the stars will be gone, he will have inflated them to being a bottom of the top 8 side, and they'll miss some good young kids in the future.

Will Hird play more than 10 games?
Will Lloyd's hammy stand up to match conditions, and will he have the same pace off the mark with someone on his tail?
Will Fletcher finally break his own leg trying to trip someone? (= Karma)
If Hille gets injured who will ruck?
Will Campo's year warrant another contract - watch your Hammies Scott!

Finish 6-10 and miss the best of a shallow draft.
Hird, Fletcher, and Campo retire/delisted, and Michael sacked for being bored.

 

[DaSawx]

How is making the finals for a young team a bad thing? We miss out on draft picks? Who friggin cares. Our young players would be getting finals experince and a winning mentality. Who cares if you get 5 straight #1 picks, if they don't know how to win or ever learn how to cope in finals atmosphere they'll never win a flag.

 

[Jex]

IMHO:
Purely and simply Essendon's plight comes down to the fitness of its senior players.
Hird, Fletcher, Hille and Lloyd need to stay injury free for the year for them to give the finals a shake. They don't have the mids to hurt other teams and when Sheedy's little "save my career" crap is over the stars will be gone, he will have inflated them to being a bottom of the top 8 side, and they'll miss some good young kids in the future.

Will Hird play more than 10 games?
Will Lloyd's hammy stand up to match conditions, and will he have the same pace off the mark with someone on his tail?
Will Fletcher finally break his own leg trying to trip someone? (= Karma)
If Hille gets injured who will ruck?
Will Campo's year warrant another contract - watch your Hammies Scott!

Finish 6-10 and miss the best of a shallow draft.
Hird, Fletcher, and Campo retire/delisted, and Michael sacked for being bored.

Think Fev bashing someone or being bashed by someone at a pub is more of a worry than Lloyd's hamstrings.

Think Carlton's ruck depth after Ackland is more of a worry than ours after Hille (Laycock, Ryder or even Bradley are better than McLaren).

Think Hird is just a likely to play 10+ games as Dancing Queen Kouta.

People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. People who barrack for Carlton should shut the **** up.