Essendon 2021

[boncer34]

Well, obviously it's my opinion. That's why I posted it.

I just don't think there's much between clubs these days and things change quickly. The comp has never been more even. There is very little between the best sides and the mid-tier sides and the bottom sides. Geelong are just okay. They're solid enough, but no world beaters, and hey'll probably win the flag.

This time last year, the Swans were a bottom four team. The Bulldogs were 8th and were lucky to play finals.

It's understandable for long-suffering fans to be defeatist. We see that with Melbourne fans at the moment. They should be excited about their premiership chances, but every Dees fan I speak to keeps telling me they won't win...

I'd be shocked if Essendon can't rise a few places next year and finish 5th or 6th

For someone who seemingly mocked Essendon fans for being "up and about" you're more bullish on them than most Essendon fans I know.

 

[Back One Out]

For someone who seemingly mocked Essendon fans for being "up and about" you're more bullish on them than most Essendon fans I know.

Those two things aren't mutually exclusive.

I'm perfectly entitled to mock Essendon fans while conceding they may be finally on the right track.

 

[Inspecta Gadget]

I'm just happy I don't have to bear witness to the John Worsfold game plan anymore.

Can't you people just be happy for me?

 

[pazza]

Everyone seemingly wrote us off pre-season. How many are prepared to eat humble pie?

 

[Red Black and Blue]

I'm just happy I don't have to bear witness to the John Worsfold game plan anymore.

Can't you people just be happy for me?

wait John Worsfold had a game plan?

 

[rumply]

Everyone seemingly wrote us off pre-season. How many are prepared to eat humble pie?

 

[maskmcgee]

They have won 9 and lost 11.

5 or 6 of those by a goal or less. Should be at least 14-6.

 

[La Dispute]

They have won 9 and lost 11. An improvement but the media fapping over them is quite nauseating. They have won the same as Freo and Saints (who's season is apparently a disaster). ONe more than Carlton who have also improved but the coach is about to get sacked, and 2 more than Gold Coast who everyone wants out of the competition.

Lets see another year before we go proclaiming them premiers

Tbh the wins and losses are irrelevant. They’ve been competitive against good teams, and snagged a couple of wins in the process.

Started the year looking to have the worst key position talent in the league, and although they’re still a way off they’re getting good value out of Wright up forward and Stewart in defence.

They’re going through their honeymoon period with Rutten, but nothing to suggest they won’t be competing in finals as early as this year with Gold Coast and Collingwood to come. Their game style is top shelf, and id suggest it’s a sustainable way of playing.

Plus they are brave.

 

[HeathySure]

[

Tbh the wins and losses are irrelevant. They’ve been competitive against good teams, and snagged a couple of wins in the process.

Started the year looking to have the worst key position talent in the league, and although they’re still a way off they’re getting good value out of Wright up forward and Stewart in defence.

They’re going through their honeymoon period with Rutten, but nothing to suggest they won’t be competing in finals as early as this year with Gold Coast and Collingwood to come. Their game style is top shelf, and id suggest it’s a sustainable way of playing.

Plus they are brave.

sure they can play finals. but they aren't winning one, not many years 11 games get you a final though. The only finals team they have beaten are West Coast who are pathetic and The Bulldogs which in all fairness is a good win. They have played the 3 of the bottom 4 teams twice already and the pies are coming.. so thats 8 wins from that lot. They have improved i am not denying that, but spare me that they are a super improver. They need to improve again next year.

5 or 6 of those by a goal or less. Should be at least 14-6.

sure
Every game lost by less than a goal should be counted as a win! lets get the AFL commission onto it!

 

[Golden_6]

Everyone seemingly wrote us off pre-season. How many are prepared to eat humble pie?

To be fair I have a large group of Essendon supporting mates and EVERY one of them had you pegged as a bottom 4 side.

 

[boncer34]

To be fair I have a large group of Essendon supporting mates and EVERY one of them had you pegged as a bottom 4 side.

I did

 

[The Devils Advocate]

What's this ?

Bommies up 'n' about and beating their chests because their team is 9th on the ladder?

How cute.

Or because our insanely young team just beat #1 on the ladder at Marvel where they're usually invincible?

Meanwhile your mob flail about with zero talent on the list, and you've just booted a top 3 all time coach for no reason.

 

[The Devils Advocate]

To be fair I have a large group of Essendon supporting mates and EVERY one of them had you pegged as a bottom 4 side.

Me included, hence the excitement. I thought we would be 15th-17th.

 

[Ambrosia]

Me included, hence the excitement. I thought we would be 15th-17th.

Don’t think ladder is all that important for us still.

What could be a big deal is having all of Laverde, Stewart, Hind, Cox, Perkins, Jones and Wright all look like they’ll be long term players for us plus Durham and Waterman look promising as well. That’s 9 guys.

 

[Dave]

They have played the 3 of the bottom 4 teams twice already and the pies are coming.. so thats 8 wins from that lot.

7 at best

 

[WillHayward]

Everyone seemingly wrote us off pre-season. How many are prepared to eat humble pie?

I'll happily eat some.

Terrific season .
Unearthed plenty.
Seems like a real plan in place now.

 

[rumply]

We're talking about Essendon. Carlton are a different case in point. Do you know why it took Richmond 35 Years?

I'll give you a brief synopsis: The arse fell out of the club after losing the '82 GF to Carlton. Captain, Vice-Captain and Deputy Vice-Captain all left the club. Engaged in trade wars with Collingwood in the mid '80s which left the club broke and rattling tins in 1990. Sacked Northey in '95 after looking like doing something. Where Richmond is today started in the late 2000's with the appointment of Gary March as president. Got the right people in, cleared the debt, the players were the last piece of the jigsaw. It doesn't happen overnight. Took Richmond 10 years to win a flag after righting the ship.

Essendon's drug saga was a decade ago. They've paid their dues. They've cleared the deck, assembled a competent coaching team and look to have drafted some very good young talent which you could build a team around. I can see shades of my mob in todays Bombers. Essendon is a massive Victorian club and I expect them to play finals this year and consolidate in the coming years. Would love to play them in a high stakes final at the 'G if we can ever get back there. The place would rock.

Tbh the wins and losses are irrelevant. They’ve been competitive against good teams, and snagged a couple of wins in the process.

Started the year looking to have the worst key position talent in the league, and although they’re still a way off they’re getting good value out of Wright up forward and Stewart in defence.

They’re going through their honeymoon period with Rutten, but nothing to suggest they won’t be competing in finals as early as this year with Gold Coast and Collingwood to come. Their game style is top shelf, and id suggest it’s a sustainable way of playing.

Plus they are brave.

 

[The Devils Advocate]

I'll wait until you've been cleared by WADA.

This isn't the Obsessed with Essendon thread on your main board.
Rent is free in your heads.

 

[The Devils Advocate]

Seems like a real plan in place now.

This there appears to be an alignment between head office and coaching/development for the first time since Sheedy.
Truck reminds me of Kevin Stefanski in the NFL, a player's coach, culture and system are his game. Next man up mentality has been refreshing.

 

[Ants]

Essendon love to knee cap their upward momentum by making bad list management decisions in an effort to get better in the short term.

2021 off-season will be a good test case to see if we have actually turned a corner in that area.

Got any examples other than Shiel?

......
sure they can play finals. but they aren't winning one, not many years 11 games get you a final though. The only finals team they have beaten are West Coast who are pathetic and The Bulldogs which in all fairness is a good win. They have played the 3 of the bottom 4 teams twice already and the pies are coming.. so thats 8 wins from that lot. They have improved i am not denying that, but spare me that they are a super improver. They need to improve again next year.


sure
Every game lost by less than a goal should be counted as a win! lets get the AFL commission onto it!

Um, 2 of the bottom 4, plus Collingwood to come. The other 2 are against (likely) top 8 teams (Sydney & GWS). We also lost to Hawthorn.

Against that admittedly good side of the draw, we've played interstate 9 times (will be 10 after this weekend, plus 1 where it was Vic but we flew back in the night before) and have only played 7 games at the home stadiums of our choice.

So some bad to offset that good. There is a strong argument that the living out of suitcases has impacted a few players, such as Francis and Walla.

To be fair I have a large group of Essendon supporting mates and EVERY one of them had you pegged as a bottom 4 side.

I didn't.

At the Hawthorn game I told the fellow EFC fan next to me I can't believe we're losing to a bottom 4 side. He said what did he think we are? I said bottom 5!

 

[Ambrosia]

Got any examples other than Shiel?

Ones that stick out off the top of my head are the Cooney trade and not doing the Daniher deal with Sydney. I also feel like our team selection at times when we clearly aren’t good enough to be contending for the top 4 has been geared to trying to achieve short term goals rather than developing the talent on the list.

Also think we’ve been super kind to our senior players letting the play on for extra years when realistically they are cooked.

 

[Oliver09]

Ones that stick out off the top of my head are the Cooney trade and not doing the Daniher deal with Sydney. I also feel like our team selection at times when we clearly aren’t good enough to be contending for the top 4 has been geared to trying to achieve short term goals rather than developing the talent on the list.

Also think we’ve been super kind to our senior players letting the play on for extra years when realistically they are cooked.

Cooley trade I agree with you, Daniher I think we did the right thing trying to keep him. If Sydney were serious they should've offered the pick they had, not trying to to get Carlton involved.

As for the older players getting extra years we're nearly at the end of that period. Hooker was great up until the bye but has fallen away big time, he will retire. Hurley has a year left on his contract, hopefully he retires as well though. He was poor last year and after missing this year with his health issues I can't see him making any sort of impact this year. Hopefully his contract can be paid outside the cap. Heppell has another 2 years to go, by 2023 this could be a bad contract for the club but he'll be the last of the saga affected players, our salary cap position should be pretty good by then.

 

[BringFevBack2021]

Essendon have done amazing even if they don’t make the finals from here. Everyone is jealous of how well they’ve done this year, given the expectation that they’d slide and struggle to win a game. Bravo!

 

[Chairman Zia]

I dunno about any cloud over essendon but they just need to look at st kilda this year...

 

[Chairman Zia]

Everyone seemingly wrote us off pre-season. How many are prepared to eat humble pie?

see st kilda, 2020 -> 2021....things can happen over the season.