Essendon: The Plan

[Kong]

so as all of us fellow essendon supporters know, we are in the midsts of a rebuilding phase. in an ideal world, we will be ready for our next flag tilt by about 2011, during lloyd, lucas and fletcher's final years, with neagle, gumbleton and pears ready to replace them.

emphasise ideal. the other realistic possibility, and probability, is that when the new Gold Coast team is introduced, we will still be rebuilding and be up for a number of high draft picks, yet miss out on most of these due to the introduction of this team.

so, what do we do?
my opinion is that at the end of this year, we have to have a MASSIVE clean-out of players, trading for as many draft picks we can get for what is supposed to be a very strong draft, and hope to build from the '05, '06, '07 and '08 drafts for the core of our team, as well a what picks we can get thereafter.

but this would require a massive leap of faith, and a massive turnover of current players.

any thoughts? what players could go to what clubs for what round picks etc.. or is this the wrong path to take?

i really find this interesting... but that could just be me

 

[The_Young_Gun]

Knighta just needs a good years worth to work on our current players with the new gameplan and to get the feel of been a coach....

This will be our last decent draft for a while so I'm guessing there will be a lot of scouting by our coaches coming towards the end of the year.

We'll be getting about 4 guys out of this draft I reaken.

A few rookie's as well.

And maybe a rookie elevation....

(Prediction: 4 delisted players, a retiree and 2 rookies gone)

 

[raskolnikov]

 

[Willow76]

I dont think we are that far away we have had a heap of injuries if we were at full strength we would have no doubt beaten the Bulldogs and the saints a massive injury that Knighta mentioned on the weekend is Hocking I had really high hopes for him this year ad it looks asthough he will miss the year. I saw him last year in the twos kick 4 goals and get 14 possies in a quarter and he doesnt shirk the issue goes very hard at it. Add him and McVeigh and Lonergan to the midfield and we have the grunt to complement our runners.

i also cant understand why we havent promoted off the rookie list with Lucas down Dean Dick impressed me yesterday is hard quick and skilled could be worth a look, the same cant be said for Myers or Magin on yesterdays pefomance sadly.

hislop had a good return from injury and may come back and Daniher looked great up forward but struggled in defence continually turning it over when he had it.

 

[Windas_Magic]

I dont think we are that far away we have had a heap of injuries if we were at full strength we would have no doubt beaten the Bulldogs and the saints a massive injury that Knighta mentioned on the weekend is Hocking I had really high hopes for him this year ad it looks asthough he will miss the year. I saw him last year in the twos kick 4 goals and get 14 possies in a quarter and he doesnt shirk the issue goes very hard at it. Add him and McVeigh and Lonergan to the midfield and we have the grunt to complement our runners.

i also cant understand why we havent promoted off the rookie list with Lucas down Dean Dick impressed me yesterday is hard quick and skilled could be worth a look, the same cant be said for Myers or Magin on yesterdays pefomance sadly.

hislop had a good return from injury and may come back and Daniher looked great up forward but struggled in defence continually turning it over when he had it.

Dick has talent but his work rate is questionable and his consistency is also an issue. Bit of a hot and cold player, looked all out of sorts in the NAB Cup, as did CHartes

 

[Kong]

i just re-read this and realised this was kind of, well... rubbish. the gist of it is (or was supposed to be), do we trade (if we can) upto 10 players away for draft picks, and absolutely load up in this year's draft? or do we just do as we'd normally do, and turnover about 4 or 5 players, and hope that we'll naturally progess? the gold coast conundrum could leave a major hole in our squad in years to come.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

The smart clubs will use the Gold Coast for them rather than against them, by trading players who could play a role in a new team for inflated prices.

 

[loopy_cam]

The smart clubs will use the Gold Coast for them rather than against them, by trading players who could play a role in a new team for inflated prices.

Courtney Johns.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

The smart clubs will use the Gold Coast for them rather than against them, by trading players who could play a role in a new team for inflated prices.

Courtney Johns.

Wrong!!

 

[fatgutz]

we need to sack list manager and recruiter! and Peter wanka Jackson!

 

[loopy_cam]

Wrong!!

But he's the Messiah.

 

[loopy_cam]

we need to sack list manager and recruiter! and Peter wanka Jackson!

I don't think so. Look at the 05/06 drafts. If the 07s turn out good and we have one more good one we'll be back on track.

 

[fatgutz]

Keep Loyd but reduce his pay, put fletcher up forward when he comes back and leave him there all day! Give Ryder ago and persist with Micheal! cos he should be scrapt at the end of this year! And bugger off Johns! Sack J johnson and try and get back Mark Johnson. that was a piss poor trade! cheers! give Knighter ago, but piss off Jackson so knighter can run his team!

 

[The Donners]

Dick has talent but his work rate is questionable and his consistency is also an issue. Bit of a hot and cold player, looked all out of sorts in the NAB Cup, as did CHartes

Agree 100%

All we need is another inconsistent performer or two!

 

[The Donners]

Keep Loyd but reduce his pay, put fletcher up forward when he comes back and leave him there all day! Give Ryder ago and persist with Micheal! cos he should be scrapt at the end of this year! And bugger off Johns! Sack J johnson and try and get back Mark Johnson. that was a piss poor trade! cheers! give Knighter ago, but piss off Jackson so knighter can run his team!

He's already on the veteran's list.

 

[Willow76]

Keep Loyd but reduce his pay, put fletcher up forward when he comes back and leave him there all day! Give Ryder ago and persist with Micheal! cos he should be scrapt at the end of this year! And bugger off Johns! Sack J johnson and try and get back Mark Johnson. that was a piss poor trade! cheers! give Knighter ago, but piss off Jackson so knighter can run his team!

Johnno can stay in Freo we need young kids not has beens he was great for us but his best is well and truly behind him the only players any good at Freo now are Palmer and Pav and we wont be getting either

 

[reincarnated]

Heard the West Coasters are getting an independent source to work out whether they should go backwards to go forwards. Meaning whether they should rebuild their list now.

They did pick up Masten, Ebert and Selwood last year, they have a new kid in McKinley kicking goals and another new kid Spangher playing well in defence. They are thinking youth already, after winning the premiership 2 years ago. Maybe they got the Gold Coasters in their mind as well.

It took us like end of last year to atleast think of rebuilding. We left it like 4-5 years too late.

If we are going to finish in the bottom half for the next three years, and we don't get good early picks, it will be a disaster. As you say, Gold Coasters are going to come in and just get all the very talented kids, it's going to be tuff.

If we some how get 3 or 4 picks in the top 15 -20 picks in this year's draft, it will be really handy.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

What people are failing to see is that we've been rebuilding over the past three years.

Look at early picks Ryder, Gumbleton, Jetta, Hislop, Myers, Pears. That's the spine of the team over the next ten years, as well as others drafted recently like Davey, Houli, Reimers, Daniher etc.

 

[Don Gibson]

Whether it's right or wrong (i'm on the trading side btw), who has market value?

I reckon Welsh does.

Laycock does although it leaves us short in ruck options.

Monfries definately (hate to admit it).

i always thought McVeigh would leave to Sydney but want to keep him.

Johns doesnt have any currency.

mcphee not much either.

any others?

 

[MarkMiller93]

TradeBait.

Courtney Johns.
Essendon would be lucky if they could trade him for a half burnt cork.
This thing is a disgrace.

Jason Johnson.
The last couple of years we havn't used him.
everyone thought he was on the way out last year and he's probably played 1-2 games this year so you'd think he's on the way out.

Damien Peverill.
Been omitted a couple of times i think?
past his hay-day.

Courtenay Dempsey.
I think this guy is a star.
but has been on the list for 3-4 years now im pretty sure. and has barely played due to bad hamstrings. Tim Walsh from the dogs had the same situation and he's gone now.

any others?

 

[reincarnated]

Whether it's right or wrong (i'm on the trading side btw), who has market value?

I reckon Welsh does.

Laycock does although it leaves us short in ruck options.

Monfries definately (hate to admit it).

i always thought McVeigh would leave to Sydney but want to keep him.

Johns doesnt have any currency.

mcphee not much either.

any others?

Dyson does, for Fremantle atleast.

Slattery might appeal to the Swans. Just defending and having no attacking born in his body. P.Roos might be secretly in love with him.

 

[BomberAce7]

Re: TradeBait.

Courtney Johns.
Essendon would be lucky if they could trade him for a half burnt cork.
This thing is a disgrace.

Jason Johnson.
The last couple of years we havn't used him.
everyone thought he was on the way out last year and he's probably played 1-2 games this year so you'd think he's on the way out.

Damien Peverill.
Been omitted a couple of times i think?
past his hay-day.

Courtenay Dempsey.
I think this guy is a star.
but has been on the list for 3-4 years now im pretty sure. and has barely played due to bad hamstrings. Tim Walsh from the dogs had the same situation and he's gone now.

any others?

STANTON
Lovett
Lovett-Murray

 

[Windas_Magic]

Re: TradeBait.

It is a little early to predict so we can only make judgements on recent form. We'll have a much better idea at seasons end

 

[Tambu]

Re: TradeBait.

About half the list is trade bait. Serious changes need to be made.

Dempsey is an untouchable IMO. Gotta be a patient with him, but It'll be well worth the wait.