Essendon's competitiveness in 2016

[mfcrox]

They will snag a couple of wins. I look at Melbourne's list in 2012, and that had 25+ blokes on the list that aren't even on an AFL list now... and even with that rabble we still pinched able to steal 4 wins that year (although 3 were against GC and GWS).

I'd tip 3-4 wins, because despite being guttered I still reckon their list is better than ours was in 2012.

 

[pinot]

Essendon finished bottom four and 12 of their senior hardened players are ripped out of the squad and you expect them to win a game...the optimism is fantastic!

 

[le dominateur]

If their opposition is a bottom 5 or 6 team from last year who get 3 or 4 injuries during the game, then the Bombers may be able to jag a win, otherwise 0 wins it is.

 

[Thrawn]

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.

Played them only once.

We would have beaten them too if we were more accurate. Lots of behinds kicked that day.

They won't win a game. This isn't just a struggling club down on form with a poor list. It's something much worse.

 

[SterlingArcher]

People comparing them to just ordinary rubbish sides of the past are looking at this a little skewed. As some have suggested, this is an already sh*t side having 12 of it's most important players removed not long before the season starts. If Hawthorn or Sydney lost 12 of their most important players they'd be rubbish but you'd say they'd still snag maybe 3-4 wins - this is an already crap side.

Comparing them to GC & GWS is absolutely reasonable. They were youngest sides ever IIRC. Essendon will probably just match that or be slightly more experienced.

 

[SterlingArcher]

They will snag a couple of wins. I look at Melbourne's list in 2012, and that had 25+ blokes on the list that aren't even on an AFL list now... and even with that rabble we still pinched able to steal 4 wins that year (although 3 were against GC and GWS).

I'd tip 3-4 wins, because despite being guttered I still reckon their list is better than ours was in 2012.

Agree with this. We snuck 3 wins this year too despite injuries to half our midfield etc. teams find ways to get a couple

 

[Thrawn]

Comparing them to GC & GWS is absolutely reasonable. They were youngest sides ever IIRC. Essendon will probably just match that or be slightly more experienced.

It is not reasonable to compare them to those clubs at all.

The major difference is that these teams had full preseasons and some time to gel together.

Essendon? All these top up players are going to drop in late Jan/early Feb, being far behind any team's preparations. They will be starting any kind of gameplan, club fitness regimes, etc from scratch and on the eve of the preseason competition. They will only be starting to gel together. It'll be a team selected at the last moment, and not planned with a heavy influx of young, raw talent.

 

[Barry_Badrinath]

I think everyone needs to keep in mind that the Bombers team, that has already lost 12 players, will continue to have injuries thought the year.

 

[Armitage_Shanks]

Producers of Goddard's film are furiously searching for an accomplished Director of Horror films.

 

[Thrawn]

I think everyone needs to keep in mind that the Bombers team, that has already lost 12 players, will continue to have injuries thought the year.

Especially if they practically have no pre-season.

Especially if some of the players have been away from the game for a long time

 

[Roylion]

Fitzroy won 10 games in both 1992-1993 with players of the quality of Alistair Lynch, Paul Roos, Paul Broderick, Matthew Armstrong, Michael Gale, Ross Lyon, Brett Stephens, John Blakey, Mark Zanotti, Richard Osborne, Darren Whieldon and Paul Abbott. There were others as well.

By 1995 all of the above 12 were gone (another experienced player Jimmy Wynd left at the end of 1995) and despite having some young talent such as Brad Boyd, Chris Johnson

Chris Johnson

Age

50

Ht

180cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.7

4star

K

8.6

3star

HB

5.1

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

2.0

4star

No current season stats available

D

9.0

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

2.0

2star

M

3.2

4star

T

1.4

4star

, Jarrod Molloy, John Barker, Matthew Primus

Matthew Primus

Age

51

Ht

198cm

Wt

109kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.5

3star

K

6.3

2star

HB

6.2

4star

HO

16.7

5star

No current season stats available

D

12.6

4star

K

6.2

3star

HB

6.4

4star

HO

13.8

5star

, Rowan Warfe

Rowan Warfe

Age

49

Ht

190cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.1

3star

K

6.1

2star

HB

5.1

4star

HO

0.1

3star

No current season stats available

D

11.4

3star

K

4.2

2star

HB

7.2

5star

HO

0.0

1star

and Matthew Dent, Fitzroy won two games in 1995 and one in 1996.

Fitzroy also tried to inject some more experience, such as the likes of Jeff Hogg, John McCarthy, Martin Pike

Martin Pike

Age

53

Ht

189cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

D/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.2

4star

K

9.6

4star

HB

4.5

3star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.8

4star

No current season stats available

D

12.4

4star

K

6.8

3star

HB

5.6

4star

M

2.6

3star

T

0.6

3star

, Doug Hawkins, Darren Holmes, Steven Stretch and Mick Dwyer but it made little difference .For various reasons, most (Pike the exception) weren't up to standard. Most of the top up / supplementary players that Essenpdn will get will, in the end, also either not up to AFL standard or fringe players at best, no matter what their experience.

As such, I really can't see Essendon winning anymore than about 2-3 games. Losing 12 of your best players at once and factoring in the usual wear and tear of the season (injury etc) will be significant. Fitzroy didn't have the talent or depth to win more than three games in 1995-96. Neither will Essendon in 2016.

 

[A Swallow]

Comparing them to GC & GWS is absolutely reasonable. They were youngest sides ever IIRC. Essendon will probably just match that or be slightly more experienced.

They may be slightly more experienced age wise, but talent wise it's not even close. Their team will be 3/4 players who can't get a game on any list.

 

[Pessimistic]

Don't even have freo with crazy rossy at home, so unless r6 v carlton, may not compute.

Hawks game suggests the 160pt loss in 1992 may be exceeded

 

[Ambrosia]

I would usually agree with you but this is a very extraordinary case. This is a bottom 4 team that went 2-12 to finish the season losing 12 of their best players.

Essendon already played much of 2015 without Watson, Myers, Hocking, Colyer and Bellchambers.

So our 2016 side is pretty much our back half of 2015 side minus Hurley, Hooker, Heppell, Hibberd,Stanton, Carlisle, Howlett and Melksam. With the additions Bird and Luenberger.

 

[Ron The Bear]

What style of game will they play - totally negative and lose 90-30? Or all-out attack and lose 180-90? That will be intriguing in itself, especially after criticism of their failure to kick goals last year.

 

[Ambrosia]

What style of game will they play - totally negative and lose 90-30? Or all-out attack and lose 180-90? That will be intriguing in itself, especially after criticism of their failure to kick goals last year.

I'm expecting us to try and score on the counter attack as our midfield is going to struggle to win the ball out of the middle and we will have speed on our side with all the young midfielders/flankers.

 

[dazbroncos]

Sleep on them at your peril. You think its automatic points but if you have a bad day look out.

GFC thought the Melbourne game at KP last year was a walk in and got their arse handed to them - in Boris' 300th… shitfull effort...

Also, those 22 at the Dons that are playing have a year to audition for the rest of the league at the highest level. They might not win many but they will win some - and the chance these blokes will get is their dream shot… They will be playing for keeps IMO.

Go Catters

 

[dazbroncos]

I wonder if Keanu Reeves got the call to be a Replacement?

Go Catters

 

[rippersnipper]

They'll probably beat us tbh

 

[Chookaradley]

Can you see the fear in my eyes!. Yes they will win games!

 

[The 747]

What style of game will they play - totally negative and lose 90-30? Or all-out attack and lose 180-90? That will be intriguing in itself, especially after criticism of their failure to kick goals last year.

I am not sure they will be able to kick 15 goals against an AFL side regardless of tactics. Forwardline was horrible last year, add less supply and skilled delivery, and less targets to hit going forward. Plus their only forward can't kick.

 

[Fletched]

We weren't that bad in the nab challenge last year with a much worse team

 

[kazzooka]

Take 12 of Hawthorns best 20 or so out and they finish bottom. Essendon are starting at bottom 4 and have lost 12 senior players plus Carlisle and Melksham from last year. So from last years best 22 they have lost 13-14 players (Melksham apparently fringe). Will really struggle to Win a game and you couldn't possibly tip them going into any of the games, but there will probably be 1 or 2 games where everything goes right for them and the opposition are undermanned and under performing and they might nab a win, always seems to happen.

 

[The Sultan]

how many Friday night games do Essendon have this year... be nice to see someone other than carlton get smashed on "showpiece night"

(edit)
just had a look at the fixture

@ Port Friday 8 Apr
Hawks Friday 10 Jun
@ WCE Thursday 30 Jun

plus ANZAC and Dream Time games...

 

[Jeremias]

Almost impossible to say at this stage but I'd be very surprised if they didn't win a game at some stage.

Obviously 2016 will be a very difficult year for the club - expect them to be anchored to (or close to) the bottom of the ladder for the whole year. Having said that I don't think the year is or will be treated as a complete write-off. For mine there is still enough quality there to trouble some sides and win a couple of games.

Despite all that......they'd want to avoid injuries to senior players. They'll have virtually no depth this year - important senior players missing games through injury is the absolute last thing they'll want to see and could result in some disastrous scorelines.

My guess is they'll win 3-4 games in 2016. Just cross every part of my body that none of those come against Carlton because we'll never hear the end of it.