Essendon's competitiveness in 2016

[banzai]

I think they will get one somewhere, it probably has to be early in the season though before the kids get tired. They wouldn't want to have a bad run of injuries.

 

[TheKanga]

I don't buy into the belief they will even beat Carlton.
I think Carlton will be much better this season under their new coach.

 

[clivenator26]

The best chance will be a bottom based team hit with injuries, in terrible conditions late in the year. I can't see them winning one game and pity the fans of the team that do get rolled (please don't be us, we had Fitzroy beat us in their only/last win in 96).

Carlton, Brisbane in Melbourne would be about the only sniff I give them.

 

[Kreuuuzeurns]

An already bottom 4 side with 12 of its best players taken out. As well as Carlisle and Chappy.

Not looking good at all, but I still think they will snag a win somewhere. Shit teams always pull out something. Just hope it doesn't happen against us.

 

[Barry_Badrinath]

Essendon only beat Carlton by 21 with Carlton kicking 11.18. Take out 12 of their best players (plus Carlisle) and Carlton start firm favourites.

Edit: only played them once

 

[TheKanga]

If anyone does lose to them it will be like when Port Adelaide lost to Gold Coast

 

[Janus]

Every few years a really bad team comes along ad everyone says they won't win a game.

Sydney in the early 90's, Fitzroy mid 90's, Freo early 00's, Carlton then Richmond mid 2000's, GC and GWS at inception, etc.

I love making bets that these teams will win a game whilst everyone points to a fixture and asks how? (It's often not against another really crap team either).

Fact is, every side (no matter how bad) always manage to snag a win or two (usually 3-4).

Essendon will be no different.

This is where the money is. I reckon they'll only be a 2 goal worse side than Carlton and a 4 goal worse side than Brisbane. Quite easy to turn that around if the other two have injuries etc. at the right time.

 

[i am a logo]

They'll do no worse than GWS in 2012 or Fitzroy in 1996. Lots of record breaking defeats and one or two hard fought victories.

 

[DrEvil_]

It’s very, very difficult to see where they’re going to lose a game.

 

[cyril4brownlow]

They will easily finish last with 0 wins. No doubt in my mind.

 

[Doss]

Essendon only beat Carlton by 21 and 3 points in their 2 games this year. Take out 12 of their best players (plus Carlisle) and Carlton start firm favourites.

We played Carlton once last year, the 21 point win. We beat the Pies by three points in Round 23.

I think we'll probably snag 2-3 wins, that's it.

 

[Linda Lovelace]

People have to remember injuries as a factor too. When a team is already destroyed like this, they basically need a golden run with injury to be remotely competitive. Daniher remaining on the park is a must, they simply won't be able to kick a winning score without him. Any win has to be a Ross Lyon style dog fight other than against Carlton, who also have no forward line.

I think Essendon will pinch a couple of wins but don't see it vs Carlton, as Carlton will set themselves for those games under a new coach desperately needing wins. The core 4 Carlton mid group of Kreuzer, Murphy, Cripps and Gibbs, as awful as the rest of the team is, still trounces the remaining bomber midfield of Leuenberger, Goddard, Cooney and Zaharakis. The wins will be against Melbourne because Melbourne and a team or two caught completely napping.

 

[Randomizor]

No team has gone winless since Fitzroy 1964. Sure, this situation is unprecedented but like all teams declared 'worse since Fitzroy', there's always a chance to jag one.

Freo 2001 went 17 straight winless until they got one on the finals-bound Hawks at Etihad, I doubt anyone gave them a chance that day either.

Still, wouldn't surprise me to see a dozen 10 goal hammerings to this side. These are 12 senior players lost for the whole year,.

There were 4 times last year they lost by 10 goals or more. I understand that was under the direction of one of the worst coaches in recent memory, but to suggest they will somehow not completely fall apart with 12 core players removed is crazy. I guess what I'm saying is your dozen 10 goal hammering estimate is on the conservative side.

 

[SBYM]

Ok so they play Carlton twice, that's two.

Now I'm lost.

Why so mean? Carlton fans have souls too, you know...

I don't think they will win any.

Once you lose your spirit you are gone.

They will be the hollow club next year.

This.

At the very least, you would think Port in Adelaide, Geelong, and then Collingwood (who have been good early in the season of late) will make a right mess of them...hopefully breaking said spirit just in time for a Sundee arvo thumping at the hands of Brendan Bolton's resurgent Blues...

Once a few thrashings stack up I'd say they are ****ed...

 

[Forward Press]

There were 4 times last year they lost by 10 goals or more. I understand that was under the direction of one of the worst coaches in recent memory, but to suggest they will somehow not completely fall apart with 12 core players removed is crazy. I guess what I'm saying is your dozen 10 goal hammering estimate is on the conservative side.

It's not like Essendon are playing with 10 on the field at all times. The replacements won't be random Joes plucked off the street.

Still, the top-ups weren't picked for an AFL list for a reason. Maybe we can do an over-under of how many 10 goal losses they'll cop. It'll certainly be interesting (in a morbid kind of way) to see how the virtual Essendon reserves track against AFL sides.

 

[SBYM]

At least the senior players will be around behind the scenes to help out the younger lads, yeah?

 

[Randomizor]

It's not like Essendon are playing with 10 on the field at all times. The replacements won't be random Joes plucked off the street.

Still, the top-ups weren't picked for an AFL list for a reason. Maybe we can do an over-under of how many 10 goal losses they'll cop. It'll certainly be interesting (in a morbid kind of way) to see how the virtual Essendon reserves track against AFL sides.

I'm pretty sure that 80% of their leadership group consisted of the suspended players too. That will have a huge impact regardless of who they top up with.

Would be interesting. How many did GWS/GC cop in their first year? Reckon it will be similar numbers.

 

[Forward Press]

I'm pretty sure that 80% of their leadership group consisted of the suspended players too. That will have a huge impact regardless of who they top up with.

Would be interesting. How many did GWS/GC cop in their first year? Reckon it will be similar numbers.

Yep, these aren't 12 hacks, they are the core. All of them. All-Australians, Brownlow medallists, captains and vice captains and Rising Stars...

GWS - 2 wins, 47%, 5 100 point losses
GC - 3 wins, 53%, 3 100 point losses

iirc from a similar topic a while ago.

 

[Zarrix]

They will easily finish last with 0 wins. No doubt in my mind.

Even the worst teams in the AFL era have managed to snag one win in a season (Sydney 1993 and Fitzroy 1996). I think they will get that somewhere along the way, id be surprised if they win two though.

 

[BOMBERS 4 LIFE!!!!]

At least the senior players will be around behind the scenes to help out the younger lads, yeah?

Nope.

None of the banned players are allowed in the change rooms can only watch a game from the stands as a spectator which is bs imo.

 

[Pusswah]

Not much good but not as bad as people think.

3 or 4 wins.

Yeah I reckon so too, they're not topping up with kids that haven't played much if any senior football yet, they're picking up the best of the rest. It's still a two horse race and teams have shockers now and again. Surely it won't be less than 3 wins.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

People saying that clubs don't go through seasons without a win....well, clubs don't have the majority of the senior players banned for doping either.

Their senior core has been obliterated, and sides who finished in the bottom 4 in 2015 are bound to improve.

Essendon might sneak a win, but I would think they'll be on the end of some huge beltings by the top 12 sides.

 

[Randomizor]

Yep, these aren't 12 hacks, they are the core. All of them. All-Australians, Brownlow medallists, captains and vice captains and Rising Stars...

GWS - 2 wins, 47%, 5 100 point losses
GC - 3 wins, 53%, 3 100 point losses

iirc from a similar topic a while ago.

GWS - 14 60+ point losses
GC - 10 60+ point losses (also one 57 point loss, and one 59 point loss)

On that basis, your dozen figure looks pretty good.

 

[Forward Press]

People saying that clubs don't go through seasons without a win....well, clubs don't have the majority of the senior players banned for doping either.

Their senior core has been obliterated, and sides who finished in the bottom 4 in 2015 are bound to improve.

Essendon might sneak a win, but I would think they'll be on the end of some huge beltings by the top 12 sides.

GWS in their first year had barely any senior players of any repute, and still jagged a couple.

If you want, we can sig-bet on Essendon winning an AFL game in 2016.

 

[SBYM]

I bet they're looking forward to their two trips to Perth in June.