Roast Essendon in no mans land

[ItsAllAboutMe]

97 days since Essendon have won a game

By opening round it will 287 days since Essendon have won a game.

 

[theprospector]

Used to hate Essendon.

Now I just feel sorry for them Shane Heard

 

[bzparkes]

97 days since Essendon have won a game

By opening round it will 287 days since Essendon have won a game.

 

[JackFlash]

This is the worst i have ever known Essendon to be, even the drug scandal ban side was better than this. Having grown up in the area, played in the Essendon District Football League, went to school there, had mates who were mad supporters and seen them play at Windy Hill many times even when my team wasn't playing, i have always had a soft spot and great respect for them, but since they have left Windy hill as their base of operations and training centre the wheels have fallen right off. This is more than a Premiership drought, the soul of the Bombers has been taken from them, it's no longer the club that was once feared throughout the football world. The problem is, i don't think they know it has changed so much? The AFL will be worried too, they have 85,000 members and probably could hit over 100,000 if they were doing well. 13 clubs broke their all-time membership record – Collingwood, Carlton, Geelong, Hawthorn, Adelaide, Sydney, Port Adelaide, Brisbane, Western Bulldogs, Fremantle, St Kilda, GWS GIANTS and Gold Coast in 2024. This year's figures will be released in September, notice no Essendon mentioned anywhere? Dillon has some Dons problems.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

This is the worst i have ever known Essendon to be, even the drug scandal ban side was better than this. Having grown up in the area, played in the Essendon District Football League, went to school there, had mates who were mad supporters and seen them play at Windy Hill many times even when my team wasn't playing, i have always had a soft spot and great respect for them, but since they have left Windy hill as their base of operations and training centre the wheels have fallen right off. This is more than a Premiership drought, the soul of the Bombers has been taken from them, it's no longer the club that was once feared throughout the football world. The problem is, i don't think they know it has changed so much? The AFL will be worried too, they have 85,000 members and probably could hit over 100,000 if they were doing well. 13 clubs broke their all-time membership record – Collingwood, Carlton, Geelong, Hawthorn, Adelaide, Sydney, Port Adelaide, Brisbane, Western Bulldogs, Fremantle, St Kilda, GWS GIANTS and Gold Coast in 2024. This year's figures will be released in September, notice no Essendon mentioned anywhere? Dillon has some Dons problems.

I feel nothing anymore watching Essendon just an empty shell of a club. We are just a place holder and the butt of jokes.

I don't attend games anymore don't see the point it's a waste of my time and money

 

[Donflicted]

This is the worst i have ever known Essendon to be, even the drug scandal ban side was better than this. Having grown up in the area, played in the Essendon District Football League, went to school there, had mates who were mad supporters and seen them play at Windy Hill many times even when my team wasn't playing, i have always had a soft spot and great respect for them, but since they have left Windy hill as their base of operations and training centre the wheels have fallen right off. This is more than a Premiership drought, the soul of the Bombers has been taken from them, it's no longer the club that was once feared throughout the football world. The problem is, i don't think they know it has changed so much? The AFL will be worried too, they have 85,000 members and probably could hit over 100,000 if they were doing well. 13 clubs broke their all-time membership record – Collingwood, Carlton, Geelong, Hawthorn, Adelaide, Sydney, Port Adelaide, Brisbane, Western Bulldogs, Fremantle, St Kilda, GWS GIANTS and Gold Coast in 2024. This year's figures will be released in September, notice no Essendon mentioned anywhere? Dillon has some Dons problems.

Understand what you are saying but to keep it short

There has been lots of issues deeper then the list at the club for so long it is going to take time to adjust and get it right but yes the list is also an issue

 

[Warwick]

I wouldn't go for Reid and I would exclusively go to the draft for the next couple of the years and only trade in guys on the right age bracket that come cheaply and fill a role.

? Doesn’t everyone do / want to do this??

 

[Nuggs Bunny]

? Doesn’t everyone do / want to do this??

Buy low, sell high! That's my motto

 

[JackFlash]

Understand what you are saying but to keep it short

There has been lots of issues deeper then the list at the club for so long it is going to take time to adjust and get it right but yes the list is also an issue

I was chatting to an old friend today who is a huge Bombers fan and he doesn't go anymore, he's had enough and i could tell he was almost in tears, his voice was breaking up as he talked to me. He has had his heart ripped out of one his favourite things in life, i didn't know what to say! I follow Geelong and if we ever won up at Windy Hill it was like winning the Grand Final, 95% of my fellow school kids all grew up barracking for Essendon, i was on my own going to the footy with friends, the Bombers were always a football powerhouse and i shuddered every time we played there. The AFL are playing a very dangerous game as Essendon, Carlton and Richmond are all languishing in the bottom half of the table and don't look like rising anytime soon. Collectively their supporters base is enormous!

 

[Outtatym]

I feel nothing anymore watching Essendon just an empty shell of a club. We are just a place holder and the butt of jokes.

I don't attend games anymore don't see the point it's a waste of my time and money

Ha, god help you if Essendon become completely non competitive for years ala North & WC.
Atleast Essendon have one a few games.

 

[jdstorm]

We’re basically 1 year into a complete cultural reset as we move into the professional era about 20 years after everyone else.

We’ve found 4-6 decent players who should have long careers the past two years (caddy, Roberts, Kako, Clarke, Johnson, may)

Add another 4 decent picks (2 firsts 2 seconds) plus 2 academy players

It’s starting to look like a list with stable foundations even if it’s early

 

[Mat Mann]

The AFL are playing a very dangerous game as Essendon, Carlton and Richmond are all languishing in the bottom half of the table and don't look like rising anytime soon. Collectively their supporters base is enormous!

so the AFL should give them a leg up?

They already get a huge fixture advantage over some of the other bottom 8 perennials, some maybe deserved, but not all.

I don't want to sound bitter, but why should North/Saints fans be any less deserving of success/competitiveness?
Ess/Blue have made the same bad decisions as say North/Saints/WC, what makes their need superior?

Richmond has been down for a nanosecond after 3 premierhips. If they are down for another 5 then they will still say it was worth it.

AFL has done enough screwing of the competition. Maybe if they fix the issues, Essendon, Blues and every other club struggling to rise can find their own way in a quicker timeframe.

Wish Essendon luck with the rebuild, but the AFL needs to stop meddling with clubs' ability to operate in a fair and equalised competition.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

The AFL are playing a very dangerous game as Essendon, Carlton and Richmond are all languishing in the bottom half of the table and don't look like rising anytime soon.

Not sure what game it is that the AFL are playing??

 

[JackFlash]

Not sure what game it is that the AFL are playing??

They are playing a game and placing all bets on the new teams and interstate clubs. It must be killing them that West Coast are in such dire straits? They need to be very careful how they go about this, those former top clubs probably account for close to 500,000 fans or maybe more Australia wide?

 

[JackFlash]

so the AFL should give them a leg up?

They already get a huge fixture advantage over some of the other bottom 8 perennials, some maybe deserved, but not all.

I don't want to sound bitter, but why should North/Saints fans be any less deserving of success/competitiveness?
Ess/Blue have made the same bad decisions as say North/Saints/WC, what makes their need superior?

Richmond has been down for a nanosecond after 3 premierhips. If they are down for another 5 then they will still say it was worth it.

AFL has done enough screwing of the competition. Maybe if they fix the issues, Essendon, Blues and every other club struggling to rise can find their own way in a quicker timeframe.

Wish Essendon luck with the rebuild, but the AFL needs to stop meddling with clubs' ability to operate in a fair and equalised competition.

No leg up required, but for the sake of the competition and the enormous following these clubs have throughout Australia, the AFL need a stronger Carlton, Essendon and Richmond. Every team has its down times, but we don't want to lose interest from hundreds of thousands of fans?

 

[Orfullrules]

No leg up required, but for the sake of the competition and the enormous following these clubs have throughout Australia, the AFL need a stronger Carlton, Essendon and Richmond. Every team has its down times, but we don't want to lose interest from hundreds of thousands of fans?

Should be a spokesperson for afl. All about $$$$. Well trained puppy dog.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

First time in our history we’ve actually committed to a proper rebuild.

Exacerbated by a shocking year of injuries.

We’ll be fine!

 

[King Patty]

First time in our history we’ve actually committed to a proper rebuild.

Exacerbated by a shocking year of injuries.

We’ll be fine!

committed not by choice....we will have to go to the draft. If draper goes to, this draft could play as big a role at our club as the 2015 draft - parish, Francis, Redman, walla or 2020 draft - Cox, Perkins, Reid, plus 2 academy boys.

 

[ItsAllAboutMe]

so the AFL should give them a leg up?

They already get a huge fixture advantage over some of the other bottom 8 perennials, some maybe deserved, but not all.

I don't want to sound bitter, but why should North/Saints fans be any less deserving of success/competitiveness?
Ess/Blue have made the same bad decisions as say North/Saints/WC, what makes their need superior?

Richmond has been down for a nanosecond after 3 premierhips. If they are down for another 5 then they will still say it was worth it.

AFL has done enough screwing of the competition. Maybe if they fix the issues, Essendon, Blues and every other club struggling to rise can find their own way in a quicker timeframe.

Wish Essendon luck with the rebuild, but the AFL needs to stop meddling with clubs' ability to operate in a fair and equalised competition.

Unfortunately, it's a reality that $ makes the world go around.. Essendon & Carlton would traditionally be one of the biggest drawing TV audiences and this year C7 chose not to show our match.. that is a huge concern for the AFL, then throw in the biggest club in the country West Coast being a complete basket case.. Unless the AFL finds a way to make these 3 power clubs relevant again then it will seriously undermine the next TV rights deal and the $ they rely on for AFLW, Tassie and to fund the poorer clubs like St Kilda.

 

[ItsAllAboutMe]

committed not by choice....we will have to go to the draft. If draper goes to, this draft could play as big a role at our club as the 2015 draft - parish, Francis, Redman, walla or 2020 draft - Cox, Perkins, Reid, plus 2 academy boys.

Unfortunately/fortunately from all reports you have picked the wrong draft to have multiple top 10 picks.. a little like 2020.

 

[KeenObserver24]

committed not by choice....we will have to go to the draft. If draper goes to, this draft could play as big a role at our club as the 2015 draft - parish, Francis, Redman, walla or 2020 draft - Cox, Perkins, Reid, plus 2 academy boys.

It was by choice, it started 12 months ago, we moved on older players and went to the draft, it obviously fell away really badly due to an unprecedented injury crisis half way through this year, before that we were 6-4 and tracking ok.

 

[King Patty]

AFL have got what they wanted to some extent.

Collingwood, Hawthorn, Geelong - High drawing Victorian clubs - We are all sick of them but due recent to success they have lots of fans

Northern Teams - GWS, Goldcoast + Brisbane - AFL love this for the TV rights deal as Victorians watch anyway, whereas the Northern states switch off if team is struggling.

Crows - Biggest club in SA AFL Would be happy

Fremantle - They fill out WA stadiums and getting a chance again at first premiership AFL would be happy.


Sure it would be good to remove Hawks, Pies and Cats and have Essendon, Carlton and Saints there instead given lack of success, but all 3 will be in a battle just to make the 8 next year, let alone win games.

Saints are definetly having a crack bringing in players - Dons and Blues likely get weaker if lose Draper and Curnow, so expect another year in the wilderness. Unless some of their younger players surprise.

 

[King Patty]

It was by choice, it started 12 months ago, we moved on older players and went to the draft, it obviously fell away really badly due to an unprecedented injury crisis half way through this year, before that we were 6-4 and tracking ok.

We still were trying to bring in Harley Reid or Starcevich, Ryan....at least now it looks like we might just bring in Zane Duursma and focos on draft. Happy with last year addditions - Clarke, Johnson, Unwin & Kako and trading for this years future first.

Brad hasn't made many hard calls on the list - but maybe this year he does. Or rather Rosa, contract offers to Stringer (last year) and now Laverde may have them seeking opportunities else where, Maybe Hobbs too this year and Shiel parting ways on 99 games.

 

[Gavin Excell]

First time in our history we’ve actually committed to a proper rebuild.

Exacerbated by a shocking year of injuries.

We’ll be fine!

Agree with that
Just need the stones now to carry it through

 

[joey_jo_jo]

Agree with that
Just need the stones now to carry it through

thats always the worry, our Board seems to always blink and make a quick fix decision instead of staying the course.
The thing that gives me a little hope this time is it seems like Scott/Vozzo have done the PR side of things well, unlike previous regimes, and set expectations very low for fans/media so there isnt an expectation of a quick climb up the ladder.