Essendon 2021

[HeathySure]

We could quite as easily split our 4 losses to Swans & Giants, 1 of which was our home game switched to a neutral venue.

The 11 point loss to the Demons could easily have been a win.
We've only been opened up by Port & Bris on their grounds, and the Cats put a gap on us late at GMHBA.

As has been mentioned by other posters, we played interstate more than any other Victorian team.

Sure, we may receive a tougher draw next year, but may only need marginal incremental improvement to achieve the same wins or better.

fact is you didn't split the games against the good sides you lost. I dont think interstate games against neutral sides really is significant. You have caught a lot of sides at their lowest ebb, especially towards the end of the season and the only 2 sides who you played twice in the finals were GWS and Sydney who also both missed the finals last year and copped an easy draw.

No doubt you have improved. but you play Geelong and Brisbane twice instead of us and North and you finish 12th

 

[cobra land]

fact is you didn't split the games against the good sides you lost. I dont think interstate games against neutral sides really is significant. You have caught a lot of sides at their lowest ebb, especially towards the end of the season and the only 2 sides who you played twice in the finals were GWS and Sydney who also both missed the finals last year and copped an easy draw.

No doubt you have improved. but you play Geelong and Brisbane twice instead of us and North and you finish 12th

And if my auntie had balls she'd be my uncle...

 

[Dave]

No doubt you have improved. but you play Geelong and Brisbane twice instead of us and North and you finish 12th

Except that the second match would have been our home game against both of them. Not a given we'd have lost them.

 

[HeathySure]

Except that the second match would have been our home game against both of them. Not a given we'd have lost them.

evidence suggests you most likely would

 

[Call Me Cake]

I have already posted this but you guys need reminding
Bombers win this year
round 3 St kilda - finishing position 10th - traveling very ordinary at the time
Round 6 Collingwood 17th
Round 9 - Freo 11th
Round 10 - Norf - 18th
Round 11 - West Coast 9th - when they started being terrible
Round 14 Hawthorn 14th
Round 17 Adelaide 15th
Round 18 - Norf 18th
Round 21 Bulldogs 5th when they started falling off a cliff
Round 22 - Gold coast 16th
Round 23 - Collingwood 17th

Congrats on your season guys. but don't think this year is a defining year, lets see how you go next year with a harder draw (and none of this we lost a few games by less than 2 goals. every side has)

You can only beat who is in front of you. And a lot of those teams that we beat - we were expected to finish under prior to the season. Let that sink in.

And you can't always go on who beat who as an indicator of form - for example, Hawthorn beat 5 top 8 teams this year and lost to 4 - whereas Geelong and the Bulldogs beat 4 top 8 teams and lost to 5. Port and Brisbane are both tied on 4 wins, 4 losses. Does that mean Hawthorn are better than all of these sides? Of course not. Because anyone with a brain knows that the key factor of true improvement is - make sure you beat those below you/who you're expected to beat first (and be consistent about it).

West Coast was in the 8 when we beat them, and were in the 8 for long periods of the season. And a lot of the top 8 teams, we were still very competitive against.



All of you knew who we were playing before the season began. No one looked at that fixture and said we'd finish on the wins we've had. In fact, everyone predicted us finishing below you guys.

No one is expecting us to win a flag this year - playing in the finals in your first year of your rebuild, win or lose, is an amazing achievement, especially when you were predicted to languish at the bottom. And that's what finals, when you're not expected to win the flag, is all about. It's about being amongst it. If we win, great, if we lose or get smashed, bottle it up and let it make you better. And let the rest, liked you, cry about it.

Enjoy your salt.

 

[Call Me Cake]

didn’t expect us to get there kudos to the players and coaching staff

For me the best indication of improvement is that we've focused on beating the teams we're expected to beat and those below us first, and we've done it consistently.

The Essendon of old would have dropped many of them - and buttered it up by pointing to the odd 2 or 4 teams in the 8 that we've pipped (but never actually going anywhere) - like the Hawks of today.

 

[HeathySure]

You can only beat who is in front of you. And a lot of those teams that we beat - we were expected to finish under prior to the season. Let that sink in.

And you can't always go on who beat who as an indicator of form - for example, Hawthorn beat 5 top 8 teams this year and lost to 4 - whereas Geelong and the Bulldogs beat 4 top 8 teams and lost to 5. Port and Brisbane are both tied on 4 wins, 4 losses. Does that mean Hawthorn are better than all of these sides? Of course not. Because anyone with a brain knows that the key factor of true improvement is - make sure you beat those below you/who you're expected to beat first (and be consistent about it).

West Coast was in the 8 when we beat them, and were in the 8 for long periods of the season. And a lot of the top 8 teams, we were still very competitive against.

View attachment 1214491

All of you knew who we were playing before the season began. No one looked at that fixture and said we'd finish on the wins we've had. In fact, everyone predicted us finishing below you guys.

No one is expecting us to win a flag this year - playing in the finals in your first year of your rebuild, win or lose, is an amazing achievement, especially when you were predicted to languish at the bottom. And that's what finals, when you're not expected to win the flag, is all about. It's about being amongst it. If we win, great, if we lose or get smashed, bottle it up and let it make you better. And let the rest, liked you, cry about it.

Enjoy your salt.

lets revisit this next year

 

[Call Me Cake]

lets revisit this next year

The title is Essendon 2021. Thread is done. You all lost.

/thread

 

[HeathySure]

The title is Essendon 2021. Thread is done. You all lost.

/thread

i like a salty bombers supporter. am bookmarking this for this time next year.

 

[Call Me Cake]

am bookmarking this for this time next year.

Because there's nothing else this season for you guys to look forward to.

/thread

 

[Macca18]

i like a salty bombers supporter. am bookmarking this for this time next year.

Woah! Look out. The big guns are coming out.

 

[HeathySure]

Woah! Look out. The big guns are coming out.

its not like bombers supporters havent over rated their side in the past either

 

[bomberlegend2007]

I have already posted this but you guys need reminding
Bombers win this year
round 3 St kilda - finishing position 10th - traveling very ordinary at the time
Round 6 Collingwood 17th
Round 9 - Freo 11th
Round 10 - Norf - 18th
Round 11 - West Coast 9th - when they started being terrible
Round 14 Hawthorn 14th
Round 17 Adelaide 15th
Round 18 - Norf 18th
Round 21 Bulldogs 5th when they started falling off a cliff
Round 22 - Gold coast 16th
Round 23 - Collingwood 17th

Congrats on your season guys. but don't think this year is a defining year, lets see how you go next year with a harder draw (and none of this we lost a few games by less than 2 goals. every side has)

 

[Call Me Cake]

its not like bombers supporters havent over rated their side in the past either

It must burn you to see how far your team has fallen. I hope it burns for a long time coming.

 

[HeathySure]

It must burn you to see how far your team has fallen, and for how long it will languish. Especially after all of the tilts you've had. Roles have reversed and I love it. I hope it burns for a long time coming.

we are totally shit and will be for a couple of years at least. Doesnt burn me at all, we have won plenty of finals since you last won one... I will take pleasure in the few wins we have in the next few years and enjoy watching the youngsters play.
I got to love all you bombers supporters humility. Its lovely to see especially since i gave you guys credit. You seem to be ignoring important facts though and that might bite you in the bum. We shall see

 

[Macca18]

"But... but... but... wE aRe gETTinG NiCk dAiCoS iN tHe dRaFt"

Let's pin our entire hopes of the future on an untried 18 year old at AFL level.

He could turn out to be the best draftee in the history of the game and it still won't make up for the utter mess around him.

Its lovely to see especially since i gave you guys credit.

Haha! You come into an Essendon thread with the sole intention of bagging us (that's fine) ... but then claim you are giving us "credit". Yeah OK.

 

[bomberlegend2007]

we are totally sh*t and will be for a couple of years at least. Doesnt burn me at all, we have won plenty of finals since you last won one... I will take pleasure in the few wins we have in the next few years and enjoy watching the youngsters play.
I got to love all you bombers supporters humility. Its lovely to see especially since i gave you guys credit. You seem to be ignoring important facts though and that might bite you in the bum. We shall see

In all seriousness, it doesn't separate that opposition supporters have shifted the goalposts throughout the year.

It started with, "worst AFL side Essendon has put together." now it's, "well, you guys have made finals, but you haven't beaten anyone of note."

If you want to be critical of the club, fine. But at least be consistent about it.

 

[Shane Heard]

It’s not our fault that people get their knickers in a twist because their least favourite top 4 powerhouse super club is back on the rise.

You’ll just have to suck it up with a big straw and swallow those red and black gulps of goodness.

 

[HeathySure]

In all seriousness, it doesn't separate that opposition supporters have shifted the goalposts throughout the year.

It started with, "worst AFL side Essendon has put together." now it's, "well, you guys have made finals, but you haven't beaten anyone of note."

If you want to be critical of the club, fine. But at least be consistent about it.

i said you have improved and you absolutely have. I would suggest thats mainly the coach making the side fit together much better than Worsfold did and players buying in. But to take the next step you still need a decent tall forward because i am not sure 2 meter peter will stand up against the good sides, Draper and your other youngsters are 2 to 3 years away and other coaches might put more work into your game style and the improving players. I reckon you still need to improve 2 to 3 goals to make the finals next year because you arent going to get it as easy as this year. Not saying it wont happen, just saying you have had a bit of luck this year

 

[emblurr]

Bigfooty posters after Essendon breaks their drought

 

[bltn]

fact is you didn't split the games against the good sides you lost. I dont think interstate games against neutral sides really is significant. You have caught a lot of sides at their lowest ebb, especially towards the end of the season and the only 2 sides who you played twice in the finals were GWS and Sydney who also both missed the finals last year and copped an easy draw.

No doubt you have improved. but you play Geelong and Brisbane twice instead of us and North and you finish 12th

Your initial commentary is all one way, used to drive a narrative.

Case in point, you describe the Bulldogs as on the way down when we played them.
In reality, they came in with good form and on top of the ladder.
They also had Bruce playing the whole game.

WC were also playing much better at the time, evidenced by their rousing win over the Tigers soon after.
You gave us no credit for that win either.

There isn't a whole lot of balance in your post !

 

[Shane Heard]

i said you have improved and you absolutely have. I would suggest thats mainly the coach making the side fit together much better than Worsfold did and players buying in. But to take the next step you still need a decent tall forward because i am not sure 2 meter peter will stand up against the good sides, Draper and your other youngsters are 2 to 3 years away and other coaches might put more work into your game style and the improving players. I reckon you still need to improve 2 to 3 goals to make the finals next year because you arent going to get it as easy as this year. Not saying it wont happen, just saying you have had a bit of luck this year

luck?

you mean bad luck

Draper down, Shiel and Caldwell out

Hoping 3 first year draft picks come good

losing a bunch of winnable games by slim margins and should have at least an extra 16 points on our ladder match total

A lot of bad luck has happened this year for EFC and we’re still in the hunt

That’s the reality

 

[emblurr]

Bigfooty logic

1. If Essendon beat a team above them, then that team was crap and on the way down. It doesn't count.
2. Essendon beat a team below them, then that team was crap anyway. It doesn't count either.
3. If Essendon help knock a team out of the top 4 or top 8, then that team was crap and no longer count as a top 4 or 8 win.

 

[dave10]

Really?

Hawks and Roos would have been in 95% of people's picks (or even 99%). Collingwood and Adelaide in the next few. With Essendon above that. So in the 14th-ish range.

So coming 8th is a good performance. But I would think that if you lose to the Dogs then the mocking for "x-thousand days without a finals win" will continue for another year. Ladder position wont matter.

Win the final and then obviously that goes away.

No issue with that. Essendon have exceeded expectations in all areas and are on a journey. A final in 2021 win, lose or draw is an absolute bonus. Bombers are back!

 

[dave10]

I have already posted this but you guys need reminding
Bombers win this year
round 3 St kilda - finishing position 10th - traveling very ordinary at the time
Round 6 Collingwood 17th
Round 9 - Freo 11th
Round 10 - Norf - 18th
Round 11 - West Coast 9th - when they started being terrible
Round 14 Hawthorn 14th
Round 17 Adelaide 15th
Round 18 - Norf 18th
Round 21 Bulldogs 5th when they started falling off a cliff
Round 22 - Gold coast 16th
Round 23 - Collingwood 17th

Congrats on your season guys. but don't think this year is a defining year, lets see how you go next year with a harder draw (and none of this we lost a few games by less than 2 goals. every side has)

Don’t fall for the media hype. Most Essendon people know where they’re at. They’ve exceeded expectations and are in their way back. There will be ups and downs. Growth isn’t linear. However the list quality is now in place. It’s now just about the journey. A final this years a bonus and great experience thst will hold the club in good stead.