Essendon's Depth

[Longy413]

Doesnt matter if they were high draft picks or not.They still showed something to suggest they would be good players.I am not saying Dyson & Stanton have to win games of footy for you but they just dont have anything in their games to suggest they will be good players and Watson who has been there slightly longer is in the same boat.

How many times have you seen them play?
In his first season Coughlan got 22 disposals in 5 games.

Stanton and Bradley both got more of the ball last season than the likes of Walker who most believe will be a genuine gun. Dyson had 8 possessions in the last quarter on Sunday, in a shorter than normal quarter that isn't bad going. Watson helped turn a final, he performed in the biggest game of his career, also had a hand in three goals on Sunday.

 

[Sheik Mathious]

1. Jason Johnson
2. Adam Ramanauskas
3. Damien Peverill
4. Justin Murphy
5. Mark McVeigh
6. Dean Rioli

Hird, Stanton, Dyson, Welsh, McPhee, Solomon, Alvey will no doubt all spend some time in there as well.

And your happy with that??

 

[Longy413]

And your happy with that??

Not overly. It's not going to win us a Premiership, but it's good enough to keep us more than competitive. I think it's an improvement, but still not oustanding. We at least have more depth in the midfield this season.

Last year Ramanauskas and Rioli were injured, I have no doubt they can be top line midfielders.

Hird speaks for himself, Solomon, Alvey and McPhee has proven they can make an impact in the middle and that gives us something to work with. Stanton and Dyson are obviously still kids but the more time they play in there the more they will grow.

At least this season we have a good mix in there. Jason Johnson and Peverill are proven ball winners. Murphy and McVeigh have quality foot skills (as does Dyson). Rama can break the lines and Dean Rioli is all silk. James Hird is James Hird and Dean Solomon is coming off his best season ever (where he played mostly in the middle).

 

[shiva25]

How many times have you seen them play?
In his first season Coughlan got 22 disposals in 5 games.

Stanton and Bradley both got more of the ball last season than the likes of Walker who most believe will be a genuine gun. Dyson had 8 possessions in the last quarter on Sunday, in a shorter than normal quarter that isn't bad going. Watson helped turn a final, he performed in the biggest game of his career, also had a hand in three goals on Sunday.

If you judge players on how many possessions they get then your a bigger fool than i thought.I prefer to judge players on quality of possessions not quantity.Dyson may have had 8 possessions in the last quarter on the weekend but by then the sting was well and truly out of the game.What did he do earlier in the game when the heat was on?

 

[Jaymin]

1. Jason Johnson
2. Adam Ramanauskas
3. Damien Peverill
4. Justin Murphy
5. Mark McVeigh
6. Dean Rioli

Hird, Stanton, Dyson, Welsh, McPhee, Solomon, Alvey will no doubt all spend some time in there as well.

Oh my god! Thats the same midfield that got us into a semi final last year!

 

[Longy413]

If you judge players on how many possessions they get then your a bigger fool than i thought.I prefer to judge players on quality of possessions not quantity.Dyson may have had 8 possessions in the last quarter on the weekend but by then the sting was well and truly out of the game.What did he do earlier in the game when the heat was on?

Ah, so you didn't watch the game. Because if you did you would have known that for other than five minutes in the third Dyson was on the bench.

I wasn't judging these players solely on possessions, just highlighting a very simple football golden rule. They can find the footy.

You're the one comparing these kids to some of the best young talent to come into the competition. Judd, Cooney, Goddard, Ball are freaks. They were ready when they were drafted, thats why they were taken so high. These kids need time, we knew that when we drafted them. They played their first game on Sunday in conditions that meant they were prime midfielders. They took on some of the competitions best in Camporeale and Stevens and did a pretty good job. They didn't beat them, they didn't win the game, but they had a crack, they fought hard, the won the ball and did some nice things with it. That's exactly what we are looking for.

 

[Sheik Mathious]

Not overly. It's not going to win us a Premiership, but it's good enough to keep us more than competitive. I think it's an improvement, but still not oustanding. We at least have more depth in the midfield this season.

Last year Ramanauskas and Rioli were injured, I have no doubt they can be top line midfielders.

Hird speaks for himself, Solomon, Alvey and McPhee has proven they can make an impact in the middle and that gives us something to work with. Stanton and Dyson are obviously still kids but the more time they play in there the more they will grow.

At least this season we have a good mix in there. Jason Johnson and Peverill are proven ball winners. Murphy and McVeigh have quality foot skills (as does Dyson). Rama can break the lines and Dean Rioli is all silk. James Hird is James Hird and Dean Solomon is coming off his best season ever (where he played mostly in the middle).

And if your happy with that, then you don't really have a problem.

However...

Jason Johnson - Ball Winner. Very good football who only problem is that he can't do it all. (The midfield work that is)

Adam Ramanauskas - Been tried with limited success - Maybe?

Damien Peverill - Ball Winner with Questionable skills

Justin Murphy - Sheepdog

Mark McVeigh - Back Pocket that needs to become a midfielder. Yet to show that he can or will

Dean Rioli - Not sure who this one is? Spends far too much time off the ground

James Hird - Thank Christ for Jimmy! Legend

Brent Stanton - Not Yet. Great Pace but to say that he will have an impact in the midfield in 2005 is wishful thinking.

Ricky Dyson - Not Yet - Kicking needs a lot of work. Behind Stanton

Andrew Welsh - Not Yet - Still learning the game. Should spend most of his time down back.

Adam McPhee - Classy. By having to put him into the midfield only show your lack of depth. Should only go into the midfield as a last resort. Sadly for the Bomber in 2005 that will be required.

Dean Solomon - Been tried with limited success. Better suited down back.

Mark Alvey - Hmmmm? Your not really trying

 

[Sheik Mathious]

Oh my god! Thats the same midfield that got us into a semi final last year!

Close. The midfield that got you into the semi last season was Hird and Johnson. The rest sat along and enjoyed the ride without showing any signs of improvement. (Maybe Peverill)

Let's just hope that Jimmy has another 5 years of football left in him.

Is he eligible for a health care card this season?

 

[parrot]

Funny and a bit sad watching this Essendon guy trying the talk up the Bombers atrocious effort of Sunday. The football world got another little demonstration of their terrible midfield, lack of leg speed and very ordinary collection of younger players. The Blues were up by over 50 at one stage and could easily have extending it further if they didn’t ease off. It’s going to be a long, long year down at Bomber land. Badly overdue for a big cleanout.

 

[Sheik Mathious]

Serious question for all Bomber fans.

Who on your current list is going to be your next champion? Your next Hird if you will? Or your next Lloyd? Or your next Timmy Watson even?

 

[Jaymin]

Close. The midfield that got you into the semi last season was Hird and Johnson. The rest sat along and enjoyed the ride without showing any signs of improvement. (Maybe Peverill)

Fair effort for a midfield of 2 to get a team into a semi final!

Let's just hope that Jimmy has another 5 years of football left in him.

Is he eligible for a health care card this season?

He'll play another 2. By that stage Stanton, Dyson and the likes would have played 30-40 more games and be ready to take over.

 

[Jaymin]

Funny and a bit sad watching this Essendon guy trying the talk up the Bombers atrocious effort of Sunday. The football world got another little demonstration of their terrible midfield, lack of leg speed and very ordinary collection of younger players. The Blues were up by over 50 at one stage and could easily have extending it further if they didn’t ease off. It’s going to be a long, long year down at Bomber land. Badly overdue for a big cleanout.

Can we have some of your recycled hacks to replace them with?

 

[mustapha]

Essendon has no midfield, no defence, a crap forward line (the forward line is the strength therefore it is only crap) and a senile coach yet we will still make the finals like we usually do. When we finish in the lower half of the eight at the end of the year we will have "underachieved" even though we will have struggled with no midfield, no defence, a crap forward line and a senile coach.

 

[Jaymin]

Serious question for all Bomber fans.

Who on your current list is going to be your next champion? Your next Hird if you will? Or your next Lloyd? Or your next Timmy Watson even?

Do you even need to ask that question?

Courtney Johns.

 

[Jaymin]

Essendon has no midfield, no defence, a crap forward line (the forward line is the strength therefore it is only crap) and a senile coach yet we will still make the finals like we usually do. When we finish in the lower half of the eight at the end of the year we will have "underachieved" even though we will have struggled with no midfield, no defence, a crap forward line and a senile coach.

Makes perfect sense to me .

 

[shiva25]

Ah, so you didn't watch the game. Because if you did you would have known that for other than five minutes in the third Dyson was on the bench.

I wasn't judging these players solely on possessions, just highlighting a very simple football golden rule. They can find the footy.

You're the one comparing these kids to some of the best young talent to come into the competition. Judd, Cooney, Goddard, Ball are freaks. They were ready when they were drafted, thats why they were taken so high. These kids need time, we knew that when we drafted them. They played their first game on Sunday in conditions that meant they were prime midfielders. They took on some of the competitions best in Camporeale and Stevens and did a pretty good job. They didn't beat them, they didn't win the game, but they had a crack, they fought hard, the won the ball and did some nice things with it. That's exactly what we are looking for.

Most players at AFL level can find the footy.Thats why they are playing at that level in the first place.Its what they do with the footy is what determines how good they are going to be.The fact that Sheedy chose not to play Dyson earlier in the game when the heat was on suggests that there are doubts about him.You would have thought that if you want to give a kid experience you play him when the heat is on to see how he handles it.

 

[Jaymin]

Most players at AFL level can find the footy.Thats why they are playing at that level in the first place.Its what they do with the footy is what determines how good they are going to be.The fact that Sheedy chose not to play Dyson earlier in the game when the heat was on suggests that there are doubts about him.You would have thought that if you want to give a kid experience you play him when the heat is on to see how he handles it.

And the fact that Lloyd was sitting next to me in the stands uninjured means what?

Shaw has said that in the 4 practice games that we will play every player who is fit will play 2 games. Dyson was going to play that much match time regardless of the situation. He'll most probably get more match time against Richmond this week.

You don't win premierships in February. Shows how starved some of you fans are of success.

 

[Sheik Mathious]

Do you even need to ask that question?

Courtney Johns.

I already knew that answer. It's like an old joke that you love. Every time you hear the punch line you just can't help but fall on the floor in laughter.

 

[Jaymin]

I already knew that answer. It's like an old joke that you love. Every time you hear the punch line you just can't help but fall on the floor in laughter.

Then why ask the question?

Who's the next Kouta at Carlton?

Eddie Betts? Andrew Walker? Who the hell knows?

 

[Longy413]

Jason Johnson - Ball Winner. Very good football who only problem is that he can't do it all. (The midfield work that is) -
Agreed, don't think he will have to this season however. I have faith in the likes of McVeigh giving him a chop out.

Adam Ramanauskas - Been tried with limited success - Maybe? -
He was fantastic as a Premiership wingman. In 2003, before he got ill he was on fire. Averaging over a goal a game, 20+ possessions. Remember his game against Carlton? 20 odd disposals, 1 goal, 5 behinds. That is the sort of form we are expecting from Rama, that will rank him up there with some of the best.

Damien Peverill - Ball Winner with Questionable skills -
Just needs to feed the likes of Hird, Rama and a few of the kids. Does have questionable skills, but he does his job.

Justin Murphy - Sheepdog -
Was very good in 2004. Goal kicking midfielder was exactly what we needed.

Mark McVeigh - Back Pocket that needs to become a midfielder. Yet to show that he can or will. -
His final series in the middle was very very good. As was his job on Lenny Haynes during the season. He was a midfielder that became a back pocket. He is now finding his feet back where he belongs. Quality foot skills.

Dean Rioli - Not sure who this one is? Spends far too much time off the ground. -
Absolutely agree. It hurts all that Essendon because we know how good he is and can be. At this stage we can only make the presumption he will be on the park.

James Hird - Thank Christ for Jimmy! Legend

Brent Stanton - Not Yet. Great Pace but to say that he will have an impact in the midfield in 2005 is wishful thinking.
Ricky Dyson - Not Yet - Kicking needs a lot of work. Behind Stanton -
We just need them to play 10+ games like they did last year and continue to improve (along with a couple of others). Both had some pretty big games. Stanton against Port, Dyson against Collingwood. If they can come off the bench and have an impact that way, rather than being pure match winners we will be better for it.

Andrew Welsh - Not Yet - Still learning the game. Should spend most of his time down back. -
Adam McPhee - Classy. By having to put him into the midfield only show your lack of depth. Should only go into the midfield as a last resort. Sadly for the Bomber in 2005 that will be required. -
The early indication is that these two will rotate through the midfield. Both are hard at it, have good skills and good pace. They won't spend a great deal of time in there, a quarter a game will be enough to keep the pressure of Hird, Johnson etc.

Dean Solomon - Been tried with limited success. Better suited down back.
- Disagree. Had a lot of success there last season. Had a lot of 20+ games in the midfield and kicked the odd goal. 3rd in our B&F.

Mark Alvey - Hmmmm? Your not really trying
- He was a quality midfielder at the Dogs. Found a lot of the ball and was a proven goal kicker. I think he could be a very good 6th or 7th midfielder. Has very very good foot skills. Last year he was recovering from a knee injury and took him a lot of time to find his feet. His VFL form was good.

Thanks for the honest debate, a rare trait on here.

 

[nonchalance]

Shows how starved some of you fans are of success.

He doesn't actually have that excuse. He's a Lions supporter.
If an idiot wants to base his perception of a player on one preseason match that he saw on TV, let him.

 

[Longy413]

Serious question for all Bomber fans.

Who on your current list is going to be your next champion? Your next Hird if you will? Or your next Lloyd? Or your next Timmy Watson even?

Adam McPhee is our next Tim Watson, Matthew Lloyd is our next Matthew Lloyd, the boy is only 26.

 

[Longy413]

Most players at AFL level can find the footy.Thats why they are playing at that level in the first place.Its what they do with the footy is what determines how good they are going to be.The fact that Sheedy chose not to play Dyson earlier in the game when the heat was on suggests that there are doubts about him.You would have thought that if you want to give a kid experience you play him when the heat is on to see how he handles it.

Because with six players on the bench there are always going to be some that don't get a run. If you think the heat is ever out of an Essendon v Carlton game you are kidding yourself.
You are clutching at some pretty long straws to draw the conclusion that Dyson is going to be no good. Didn't happen to see his first game did you? Or perhaps his game against Collingwood in the second last round last season?

 

[Longy413]

Close. The midfield that got you into the semi last season was Hird and Johnson. The rest sat along and enjoyed the ride without showing any signs of improvement. (Maybe Peverill)

Murphy was our leading possession getting against Melbourne, Solomon third. McVeigh and Mark Johnson also had 20 plus.

Against Geelong Bullen played his best game for the club. McVeigh was outstanding, as was Watson. Murphy once again had 20+ and Rama had a blinder (although mostly at half back).

 

[Milanista]

To say that Dyson or Stanton will not become good players is just wrong. They've shown more then enough to suggest otherwise. They both played 10 plus games in their FIRST year of AFL, which is no easy task. And played finals footy!