Essendon 2017

[Milanista28]

Can't be judging Essendon's season just yet. Even though we have already had a successful year, it isn't over yet.

We're a good chance to win 4 finals this year.

8 Finals if you include VFL.

 

[Doss]

3 of your best players are about to retire.

• Watson is no longer one of our best players, he's barely in the best 22 now actually. Retiring
• Stanton has played seven games this year and none since Round 10 or 11. Will retire
• Hocking has played one game all year. Will retire
• Goddard is playing on next year. Not retiring
• Kelly, I will give you, he is a champ and could play on and will be a loss. Retiring

So three of our best players retiring? Nope.

 

[Teeko]

The ages are for the 22's on the field, not the list. Have heard that Essendon is chasing Jarrad McVeigh, which is a surprise to me. Would've thought easing a younger player into that role makes more sense, unless the club feels it's close. Dea's probably not the answer but Tuohy's doing a job at Geelong. Those players aren't so scarce that McVeigh should be an option.

BTW Essendon was comfortably the second-oldest team last weekend, average age 26.00. With West Coast set to hack and slash, if Essendon doesn't refresh the 22 they're likely to be the oldest team in 2018. And that means they must be in contention for the flag.

Where did you get those stats from? According to Footywire, Essendon had the 7th highest average age and 9th highest average games played last round.

 

[Topkent]

If they could fine a couple inside midfielders they will top 4 next year

 

[Ron The Bear]

Where did you get those stats from? According to Footywire, Essendon had the 7th highest average age and 9th highest average games played last round.

Apologies, you're right, it was 25.23 this round. I was at work and didn't have my updated database installed. The figures quoted apply to R21.

 

[andrewb]

Apologies, you're right, it was 25.23 this round. I was at work and didn't have my updated database installed. The figures quoted apply to R21.

Mean means nothing. You want the median

 

[Ron The Bear]

Mean means nothing. You want the median

I've analysed medians in the past and they're less meaningful, but I'm not about to enter that debate again.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

In B4 we lose to Freo.

 

[pazza]

It's been fun but frustrating year.

At best, the side is entertaining, fast and free flowing.
At worst, the quality of disposal and lack of centre clearances has killed us.

Finishing 8th would be about right. And given the possible finals opponents:

We smashed Port
Only lost to Sydney in the last few seconds
Lost to Richmond by under 20 points in the Dreamtime game.

Overall happy, but, this is a warm-up for the next 5 years.

 

[Sector 7G]

Positives
Young players coming on further: ZMerrett, Fantasia, AMT, Daniher, McKenna, Gleeson, McGrath
Some Banned players coming back and playing good footy: Hurley, Heppell,Hooker

Negatives
Some young players not coming on: Francis, Laverde (injury excuse), Langford, JMerrett, Redman, Morgan
Draftees (McGrath aside) not getting 1st exposure, which is probably more of a Coaching issue playing under performing formerly banned players.
Banned mid aged players coming back and being poor: Colyer, Myers
Unconvincing game plan reminiscent of Matt Knights.

Going to make finals so gets a pass. Some of the negatives could still turn around.

 

[Ron The Bear]

Unconvincing game plan reminiscent of Matt Knights.

Didn't want to start trouble but I'm glad someone tabled it.

 

[Ambrosia]

Positives
Young players coming on further: ZMerrett, Fantasia, AMT, Daniher, McKenna, Gleeson, McGrath
Some Banned players coming back and playing good footy: Hurley, Heppell,Hooker

Negatives
Some young players not coming on: Francis, Laverde (injury excuse), Langford, JMerrett, Redman, Morgan
Draftees (McGrath aside) not getting 1st exposure, which is probably more of a Coaching issue playing under performing formerly banned players.
Banned mid aged players coming back and being poor: Colyer, Myers
Unconvincing game plan reminiscent of Matt Knights.

Going to make finals so gets a pass. Some of the negatives could still turn around.

Fairly balanced assessment but I think our defensive let downs aren't really due to game plan and more due to our extremely weak midfield.

Sides are always going to score easily when the oppositions midfield is both poor at winning the clearances and pressuring the ball. Sure we could compensate by playing a more defensive brand of footy but its hard to criticise the coach for playing to our strength which is quite clearly our forward line.

 

[Sector 7G]

Fairly balanced assessment but I think our defensive let downs aren't really due to game plan and more due to our extremely weak midfield.

Sides are always going to score easily when the oppositions midfield is both poor at winning the clearances and pressuring the ball.

While true to an extent if you compare to the Blues, whose midfield is also weak but set up to defend, and are slow to attack, whereas the Bombers are quick to set up to attack when the ball is in dispute.

I am of the school of thought that it is better to learn to defend first and add attacking layers as the team improves a opposed to the other way round.

 

[Runk]

Positives
Young players coming on further: ZMerrett, Fantasia, AMT, Daniher, McKenna, Gleeson, McGrath
Some Banned players coming back and playing good footy: Hurley, Heppell,Hooker

Negatives
Some young players not coming on: Francis, Laverde (injury excuse), Langford, JMerrett, Redman, Morgan
Draftees (McGrath aside) not getting 1st exposure, which is probably more of a Coaching issue playing under performing formerly banned players.
Banned mid aged players coming back and being poor: Colyer, Myers
Unconvincing game plan reminiscent of Matt Knights.

Going to make finals so gets a pass. Some of the negatives could still turn around.

I'll only draw on the highlighted bit and say, all of these guys are two to third year players, outside of Merrett and are developing.
Francis has to get fit and we knew that going into the draft with his selection.
Laverde as you said has simply been hampered by some really really unlucky injuries & the good thing about him is that it didn't take that long for him to get back in the best 22.
Langford is being groomed as an inside midfielder & was given opportunities early in the season but needed to go back and learn that craft. He'll be best 22 next year imo. The kid's rig is getting bigger and he's a confidence player.
Merrett had his chance but will be lucky to be on a list next year. Possibly rookied.
Redman, another kid who looks to being groomed off the half back line. Jury still out but is showing hardness and good disposal skills. Time will tell.
Morgan has been hampered badly with hamstring issues and now simply seems to have missed far too much footy. Will possibly be rookied but doubtful.

The thing with all of these guys is Bomber fans simply have to be patient. Not everyone is a McGrath or Curnow or Oliver and can fit straight in.
Development of youth on your list isn't a negative imo.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

Fairly balanced assessment but I think our defensive let downs aren't really due to game plan and more due to our extremely weak midfield.

Sides are always going to score easily when the oppositions midfield is both poor at winning the clearances and pressuring the ball. Sure we could compensate by playing a more defensive brand of footy but its hard to criticise the coach for playing to our strength which is quite clearly our forward line.

Nah mate it's playing the ridiculous game plan that is essentially the same as top of the table Adelaide.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Worsfold is an average coach. Under achieved with the very talented list at West Coast.

 

[Ambrosia]

While true to an extent if you compare to the Blues, whose midfield is also weak but set up to defend, and are slow to attack, whereas the Bombers are quick to set up to attack when the ball is in dispute.

I am of the school of thought that it is better to learn to defend first and add attacking layers as the team improves a opposed to the other way round.

The Blues also have the worst forward line in the comp. Not really comparing apples with apples here.

 

[Sector 7G]

Nah mate it's playing the ridiculous game plan that is essentially the same as top of the table Adelaide.

Except Adelaide defend and have one of the lowest pts against in the league

 

[Sector 7G]

I'll only draw on the highlighted bit and say, all of these guys are two to third year players, outside of Merrett and are developing.
Francis has to get fit and we knew that going into the draft with his selection.
Laverde as you said has simply been hampered by some really really unlucky injuries & the good thing about him is that it didn't take that long for him to get back in the best 22.
Langford is being groomed as an inside midfielder & was given opportunities early in the season but needed to go back and learn that craft. He'll be best 22 next year imo. The kid's rig is getting bigger and he's a confidence player.
Merrett had his chance but will be lucky to be on a list next year. Possibly rookied.
Redman, another kid who looks to being groomed off the half back line. Jury still out but is showing hardness and good disposal skills. Time will tell.
Morgan has been hampered badly with hamstring issues and now simply seems to have missed far too much footy. Will possibly be rookied but doubtful.

The thing with all of these guys is Bomber fans simply have to be patient. Not everyone is a McGrath or Curnow or Oliver and can fit straight in.
Development of youth on your list isn't a negative imo.

i did state that this negative could still turn around.

At the start of the season I am sure the EFC supporters were not expecting them to be stars but would have hoped/ expected more from these players. Every year a draftee spends playing vfl the chance of being a bust increases

 

[Sector 7G]

The Blues also have the worst forward line in the comp. Not really comparing apples with apples here.

While that may be true, Blues concede less points per game against than EFC as a result of how they set up, so the point is still valid

 

[Rack Watts]

Positives
Young players coming on further: ZMerrett, Fantasia, AMT, Daniher, McKenna, Gleeson, McGrath
Some Banned players coming back and playing good footy: Hurley, Heppell,Hooker

Negatives
Some young players not coming on: Francis, Laverde (injury excuse), Langford, JMerrett, Redman, Morgan
Draftees (McGrath aside) not getting 1st exposure, which is probably more of a Coaching issue playing under performing formerly banned players.
Banned mid aged players coming back and being poor: Colyer, Myers
Unconvincing game plan reminiscent of Matt Knights.

Going to make finals so gets a pass. Some of the negatives could still turn around.

Not the worst summation. Harsh on Francis and Laverde though.

 

[Runk]

i did state that this negative could still turn around.

At the start of the season I am sure the EFC supporters were not expecting them to be stars but would have hoped/ expected more from these players. Every year a draftee spends playing vfl the chance of being a bust increases

Well I'm not sure I agree with your last sentence there but I totally get what you're saying.

I think across the board we all need to show patience with our draftees. No matter the club. These kids need to be given chances. I'd be more concerned if we had a guy on our list who was say 24 to 26 and still couldn't lock down a spot. I think then you could say 'mate you're just not up to it' and let them go. Merrett is that kind of footballer.

Keep in mind a lot of the guys coming back we're going to fit straight back in. So there's that to contend with also.

I, like a lot of essendon supporters, really feel we have some fantastic youth on our list and the future looks bright. I guess time will tell as to how good but they'll get their chance that's for sure.

Cheers

 

[StillAtLarge]

I think some of Essendon's defensive issues could be resolved if Hooker plays back (yes I know that would likely curtail their attacking threat meaning oppo defenders can sag off and double team joey). Still, I'd be interested to see how Stewart, Daniher, AMT, Fantasia and others fare with that rejig. As it stands I think teams can blaze deep into the bombers' backline without much risk of it being marked by their defenders and in modern footy that is absolute gold.
I know Hooker's had a good year up forward but I feel like they're wasting his talent. Maybe it's just a stop gap thing for 2017 and he'll be shifted back next year...

 

[Falcon27]

Worsfold is an average coach. Under achieved with the very talented list at West Coast.

That argument is crap. He could have easily been a back to back premiership coach, and the messiah Paul Roos would not have been a premiership coach at all. What talent are you talking about and when did he have it at his disposal? If your talking about Cousins, Glass, Judd, Kerr and Cox, they really only played together until the end of 2006. Worsfold started coaching in 2002, Judd's first year, Kerr' and Cox second year, and Glass third year. In his first three years he had them in finals each year with the young 'talented list', and then two consecutive grand finals in 2005 & 2006. They still managed to play finals in 2007 despite Cousins been on absent for most of the year and Judd barely been able to run. By 2008 Judd and Cousins were gone, and the whole club was basically in rebuild.

 

[Ambrosia]

While that may be true, Blues concede less points per game against than EFC as a result of how they set up, so the point is still valid

I just don't see how setting up the way Carlton do and restricting our biggest strength (forward line) would make us better team now or in the future.