Opinion Essendon - where are they at?

[jdstorm]

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.

Equalised hahahahahahahaha

Equalisation would be great but the current system is nowhere near that

 

[Irish BlueBagger]

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?

The competition needs a strong Carlton and Essendon no doubt about it. Just because we won a lot in the past doesn't mean that we are entitled to future success though. It has to be earned

The reality is that in a fully professional and national competition, where it requires a lot more than splashing the cash to win flags, both Carlton and Essendon have been found badly wanting in the 21st century.

There's no rocket science behind both clubs woes, to win flags you need to have your player recruitment spot on, hire the right coaches and assistant coaches etc.

Neither club has gotten enough of these decisions right over the past two decades. Collingwood were heading into the abyss in the late 90's as well, until Eddie McGuire came in as president and turned things around.

 

[Orfullrules]

The competition needs a strong Carlton and Essendon no doubt about it. Just because we won a lot in the past doesn't mean that we are entitled to future success though. It has to be earned

The reality is that in a fully professional and national competition, where it requires a lot more than splashing the cash to win flags, both Carlton and Essendon have been found badly wanting in the 21st century.

There's no rocket science behind both clubs woes, to win flags you need to have your player recruitment spot on, hire the right coaches and assistant coaches etc.

Neither club has gotten enough of these decisions right over the past two decades. Collingwood were heading into the abyss in the late 90's as well, until Eddie McGuire came in as president and turned things around.

Players with good skills under pressure. Bombers haven’t had many that can cope with it in years. Even our best user Merrett bombs the ball under pressure. We have the correct nickname.

 

[jdstorm]

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

Nothing will be as bad as 2020 because scouting actually exists in a non covid environment.

Who knows how that draft would have looked like in a more normal juniors environment

 

[Shane Heard]

Used to hate Essendon.

Now I just feel sorry for them Shane Heard

That’s nice dear ..

 

[Shane Heard]

Players with good skills under pressure. Bombers haven’t had many that can cope with it in years. Even our best user Merrett bombs the ball under pressure. We have the correct nickname.

You have no idea what the f you’re talking about ..mate

 

[Orfullrules]

You have no idea what the f you’re talking about ..mate

That’s a compliment coming from you. Angry.

 

[Shane Heard]

That’s a compliment coming from you. Angry.

Too many Essendon supporters are morbidly depressed about the club as a whole and can’t see the forest for the trees.

A good top4 bound league side needs at least 15 players forming a solid unit of teammates who play together consistently throughout the season.

We obviously haven’t had that this year and form and team cohesion goes out the window. More injuries one after another and skills turn to panic..our very own Battle of the Somme.

Nevertheless..we have trialed a multitude of young talent this year and it’s clear we have found 5 or 6 that are more than up to the pace of league footy. We go again next year.

It’s a tough, brutal competition. No use whining about form when you have 10 players running around with 20 games between them..

 

[Orfullrules]

Too many Essendon supporters are morbidly depressed about the club as a whole and can’t see the forest for the trees.

A good top4 bound league side needs at least 15 players forming a solid unit of teammates who play together consistently throughout the season.

We obviously haven’t had that this year and form and team cohesion goes out the window. More injuries one after another and skills turn to panic..our very own Battle of the Somme.

Nevertheless..we have trialed a multitude of young talent this year and it’s clear we have found 5 or 6 that are more than up to the pace of league footy. We go again next year.

It’s a tough, brutal competition. No use whining about form when you have 10 players running around with 20 games between them..

Good summary. We do have a young bunch coming thru together. It’s the older blokes who are the worry. No inspiration coming from Gresham, wright, Shiel, laverde, langers, guielfi, . Lots of questions about 22-25 year olds. We are well behind. Go dons.

 

[Vindicater]

Good summary. We do have a young bunch coming thru together. It’s the older blokes who are the worry. No inspiration coming from Gresham, wright, Shiel, laverde, langers, guielfi, . Lots of questions about 22-25 year olds. We are well behind. Go dons.

Our 20-25 group is okay. It is the post 25 group that lets us down.

20-25 includes Duursma, Martin, Durham, Bryan, May, Caddy, Hayes and Reid.


Under 20 includes Kako, Roberts, Clarke, Vigo and Johnson.

That is 13 guys you can build around although need another 1-2 pure A graders.

 

[KeenObserver24]

Good summary. We do have a young bunch coming thru together. It’s the older blokes who are the worry. No inspiration coming from Gresham, wright, Shiel, laverde, langers, guielfi, . Lots of questions about 22-25 year olds. We are well behind. Go dons.

Most of those blokes you mentioned aren’t in our best side and some are leaving, Langford getting injured really hurt us though, he kicked 94 goals in the previous 2 seasons.

 

[Lore]

Bump. can’t believe this is on the second page

 

[Toffee Lion]

The only team now that hasn't won a final since 2004 with Gold Coast's win.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

 

[HTPunter]

Would love honest thoughts on whether he contributes culturally off field though

Two marks recently for me against him
1) the obvious leaking from his management to journos whilst contracted to say St Kilda were going after him, to get his contract redone
2) saying he’d prefer smaller lists as it’d allow stars to be paid more (as if he doesn’t get paid enough)

On field performances only go so far. Maybe AFL players don’t see this as disrespect but if I was Tom Edwards for example I’d feel like the captain doesn’t respect me after those comments.

Strike 3

 

[nut]

Can we stop giving Essendon advice… they are going fine IMO.

 

[Pistol Night]

Can we stop giving Essendon advice… they are going fine IMO.

 

[Ari]

As a club, we are well past a nice roasting. It's just sad now.

 

[Humblebob]

As a club, we are well past a nice roasting. It's just sad now.

 

[threesixpio]

The only team now that hasn't won a final since 2004 with Gold Coast's win.

 

[threesixpio]

I need more failure. Give me more God for I have suffered (84 and 85).

 

[threesixpio]

I do recall a threepeat during the bombers’ darkest days. Oh Lord, this was a blessing and yet I still hurt. Thou givest a 2025 flag and Merrett for steak knives and I will honour thine love for eternity

 

[3rd Grade Maggy]

Reckon it's time to give that bloke from Port Melbourne a ring. He played a bit for * back in the day I understand.

 

[Vindicater]

Finally going the full rebuild option.



Merret situation is messy and he will go for unders but hopefully it galvanises the younger core and drives them forward. Rosa as a list manager seems competent which is all we need for awhile after the Dodo.



Caddy, Roberts, Lual, Visintini, Kako, Clarke, Johnson and Unwin all look like AFL talent of varying tiers. If we can add another 3-4 from this upcoming draft it will give us an actual core of decent players of the same age for the first time since Sheedy was in charge.

 

[Bipolar Bear]

There might be no legit way back from this for Essendon. Decades more in the doldrums. The culture is beyond cooked. Hawks won a three peat, rebuilt and are contenders again 1/3 of the time it took Essendon to rebuild. All it took was Sam Mitchell to interview one of our players and it's completely crumbled.