Finals next year?

[boms]

9th.

Will be in amongst right up until August, but, will just fall short. 2009 looks set to be a big year.

9th?? lol. Hirdy and Sheedy gone, New young coach and 1 bloody young team. Its gonna be a development year and i reckon we will finsh around 12th-14th

 

[Smyth94]

We finished 13th last year with two of our best three players (Lucas and Fletcher) having AA seasons, the other Lloyd having a solid but not spectacular season (60+ goals).

Even with the above players playing almost as good as they ever have, and the improvement of Ryder, Winda, Watson, Slatts and Nash to name a few, we still couldn't make the finals.

If we're going to make the finals next season players like McPhee, Lovett, NLM, Davey all have to have huge seasons coupled with our younger players chipping in.

...I forgot to mention McVeigh, he had a fantastic season last year and needs to back it up again.

 

[Darealrath]

2 games out this year
Question is, will the loss of Hird and Sheedy outweigh the improvement we expect from the kids who've played a few games?

As good as both of them were and how much I loved them I wouldn't be surprised if we had a sort of Ewing theory* happen next season.

We'd need a bit to go right for us to make the 8 but I think we could sneak in. We have a lot more quality than we're given credit for IMO.

* http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=1193711

 

[bomberstomake8]

2 games out this year
Question is, will the loss of Hird and Sheedy outweigh the improvement we expect from the kids who've played a few games?

People are over estimating the value of sheedy imo... he was a great coach no doubt about it but last year he had lost it imo.. played almost every player on our team out of position and tried to employ the wrong style of play for our team.. imo he had a pretty bad coaching year last year, knights will do better in his first year then sheedy did in his last imo...


hird is going to be a huge loss no doubt about it, its just a question whether or not we have another player who can lift when its important

 

[Slattery_20]

Question.....what happens ifhille gets injured....2 bad ruckmen
What happens if lucas and lloyd get injured.....average at best forward line
What happens if fletcher gets injured.
And i dont know if you know but fletcher has said this is his last year.......in 2 years from now these players leave: Lloyd Lucas Fletcher Michael
this isnt ment to be a mean post but i think your season will be decided on injuries
if 1 or 2 key players get injured you could well come last.... if most of your key players stay fit..you may well make a play for the 8... sam with blues.....infact im sure the team with the most injuries between essendon richmond carlton melbourne adelaide and a few other teams will decide who gets the spoon and who makes the finals

Is that why he came out and said he had two years left, and signed a contract to that effect? Prat.
All I'll say about our forward line is this: Lloyd Lucas Davey Welsh
That's 4 decent forwards. If Lucas or Lloyd get injured, in comes CJ who'll have a smaller - but still decent - impact. Then Gumbie & Neagle, who're not that far away. If Davey gets injured like last year, we're knackered

Do some research mate
Obviously if every team has 15 injuries they're gone. But our forward line is plenty deep

 

[Napier_Street]

Question.....what happens ifhille gets injured....2 bad ruckmen
What happens if lucas and lloyd get injured.....average at best forward line
What happens if fletcher gets injured.
And i dont know if you know but fletcher has said this is his last year.......in 2 years from now these players leave: Lloyd Lucas Fletcher Michael
this isnt ment to be a mean post but i think your season will be decided on injuries
if 1 or 2 key players get injured you could well come last.... if most of your key players stay fit..you may well make a play for the 8... sam with blues.....infact im sure the team with the most injuries between essendon richmond carlton melbourne adelaide and a few other teams will decide who gets the spoon and who makes the finals

I know you are trying to mount a sensible argument. Problem is, its not sensible.

You take out the top 3 players from any team and they will be exposed.

The question is, what are the chances of success with all guns up and firing?

In Essendon's case, they have a pretty decent spine with a batch of up and coming mid-fielders.

And by the way, Essendon 2006 was 2nd in the AFL for clearances so perhaps the negative mid-field perceptions are not quite warranted.

The key is Defence - if Essendon tightens up in this area it will fnish Top 8

 

[Slattery_20]

As good as both of them were and how much I loved them I wouldn't be surprised if we had a sort of Ewing theory* happen next season.

We'd need a bit to go right for us to make the 8 but I think we could sneak in. We have a lot more quality than we're given credit for IMO.

* http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=1193711

Good call. I've noticed that phenomena, but never knew someone'd put a name to it
Bit like Modra maybe? He got injured they won a flag, left & they won another?
I definitely think Hird's absence is over-rated - especially by opposition supporters. As great as he was, there were aspects of his game that killed us

 

[WALKER]

dont think so mate.... looking at about 5 years befor finals imo...

 

[Windas_Magic]

dont think so mate.... looking at about 5 years befor finals imo...

Well that means it will be a while for the blues as the bombers will make the finals before you do.

 

[Burzum]

dont think so mate.... looking at about 5 years befor finals imo...

 

[High Ryder]

Whats with all the influx of Blues supporters on our board really not posting anything of merit. Instead they provide nothing with comments like " Haha your shit lolz". Opposition supporters either provide us with reasons and discussion or just don't post at all.

For what it's worth i think it will be a very interesting season which i expect to be very similar to this year. Lots of highs and lows with an exciting brand of footy being played. Wether or not we make finals or not will be dependant on the seasons of Lovett, Winderlich, Mcveigh, Hille etc.. All those in the middle aged bracket.

 

[Burzum]

To be honest, I don't think we'll do that well this year. 09 is where we really prove ourselves, ie. getting comfortable with Knights' gameplan, and our youngsters improving.

I think our ladder position will be around the 12-16th mark. I really hope I'm wrong though.

 

[ant555]

Question.....what happens ifhille gets injured....2 bad ruckmen
What happens if lucas and lloyd get injured.....average at best forward line
What happens if fletcher gets injured.
And i dont know if you know but fletcher has said this is his last year.......in 2 years from now these players leave: Lloyd Lucas Fletcher Michael
this isnt ment to be a mean post but i think your season will be decided on injuries
if 1 or 2 key players get injured you could well come last.... if most of your key players stay fit..you may well make a play for the 8... sam with blues.....infact im sure the team with the most injuries between essendon richmond carlton melbourne adelaide and a few other teams will decide who gets the spoon and who makes the finals

What if, What if What if. What you have just said applies to all sides. If their key players go down with injury chances are they wont have an impact.

 

[ant555]

dont think so mate.... looking at about 5 years befor finals imo...

God i love in depth reasononng like this

 

[ant555]

As for the original question. No i dont think we will play finals becasue i dont think the midfield will be ready. There has to be changes made. We cant keep using the same blokes we have used over the last three years.
The only way we can play finals is if Knights can get everyone doing the one percenters that have disappeared out of our game over the last 6 years or so and if a few of the young blokes step up in the midfield. Stanton, Watson and Winderlich have to move up a level and a couple out of Monfries, Hocking, Houli , Hislop, Lonergan , and Dempsey have to show they belong.
Lovett has to have more of an impact more often as well.

 

[Shane Hird]

Finals next year for us? Of course!!

I expect us to win a flag against Geelong by 10 goals and watch Knights been carried off the ground on the shoulders of Hille and Laycock with the cup in his hand.

There's no question that this will happen...a dead cert.

 

[warney7]

Theres no doubt that Hird is an AFL Legend and that he was a superior player, but im getting tired of this 'no hird no ess' crap.

Same here.

But his influence was too great to suggest that after his departure, we can climb from 12th into the top 8.

I just can't see it happening!

 

[Gus2Gumby]

As good as both of them were and how much I loved them I wouldn't be surprised if we had a sort of Ewing theory* happen next season.

We'd need a bit to go right for us to make the 8 but I think we could sneak in. We have a lot more quality than we're given credit for IMO.

* http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=1193711

I Like It!

Bill Simmons articles are the best... So true though

The other interesting thing I am excited about is the "a team that misses the 8 always makes the top 4 the next year". I can't find the thread on it, but from memory its been a 17 years straight now.

Who will it be in 2008?

 

[warney7]

Probably StKilda or Fremantle.

 

[bomberz08]

Do people expect to see a lot of Hocking or Hislop because if so, do you think theres a spot for Pev? All play similar roles and having a midfield consisting of Hocking, Pev, Hislop, Gus, Watson, Slatts, Stants is just too slow for my liking. Personally, id like to see Hislop get anywhere between 5-15 games as he has had some injury concerns and there are bits of his game he needs to clean up and Hocking around 15-20. I'd like to see Hocking play an almost full season becasue to me, he looks ready. He has a matured body, is good to have in the midfield and has a good tank. Houli is the other one i'd like to see more of as he is a goal-kicking midfielder with a big body and an all round game.
Realisitcally, I think Pev and JJ will be given a full season as they are more experienced players who imo, still have something to offer. The argument with that is, we're probably not gonna win the flag next year (always hopeful!) so whats the point of having JJ and Pev who only have 1-2 years left when we could bleed youngsters. i think this would be the wrong move as a young inexperienced midfield, would get dominated.

stants too slow??? he probably has the best disposal in our side so it doesnt matter that much i mean dyson bagless 3000[sorry i like calling him that] is quick but he causes so many turnovers its like he wants to be on another team....anyway wats with him getting a deal and mj going???

and jj and pev...probably will rotate inbetween bendigo and bombers and maybe get 12 games each but probably wont be on the bombers team together much

 

[bomberz08]

dont think so mate.... looking at about 5 years befor finals imo...

hey johhny 'walker' keep walking back to the carlton board....you may have a quality list and u have done for 2 years but guess wat....potential means nothing compared to skilled players...eg lloyd lucas fletch stants

oh yeah and our list doesnt take forever to be good...eg ryder took 2 y7ears to become a star....allwyn davey played like 14 games and allready he's a brilliant player

bryce gibbs=potential.....to be a dud go back to carlton land where they have wild dreams of winning a flag hahahahaha

 

[Windas_Magic]

stants too slow??? he probably has the best disposal in our side so it doesnt matter that much i mean dyson bagless 3000[sorry i like calling him that] is quick but he causes so many turnovers its like he wants to be on another team....anyway wats with him getting a deal and mj going???

and jj and pev...probably will rotate inbetween bendigo and bombers and maybe get 12 games each but probably wont be on the bombers team together much

Stants isnt overally fast but is renound for running all day.
Stanton has ok disposal, it was looking good before he got injured but late in the season, it was below average. He definetly doenst have the best skills in our side as there are about 5 guys at least who have better foot skills. In saying that, Stants is my equal second favourite player along with Watson (who are just behind Winerlich). I think he could be a future great with the club.
Yes Dyson is quick but i actually think he has great foot-skills. I've seen him a number of times deliver a ball lace out beautifully. I think confidence is his main issue but i still think he needs to do a lot next season if he wants to be 100% safe (i know he got 2 year deal). Although i loved MJ and i wished he could've finished his career at Essendon, i think giving Dyson the deal was probably better as Knights is focusing on younger players and i think he would be playing in the reserves quite a bit anyway. Knight's philosophy is to play the youngsters, and i hope he sticks to that

 

[Longy413]

And i dont know if you know but fletcher has said this is his last year.......in 2 years from now these players leave: Lloyd Lucas Fletcher Michael

Why would Lloyd and Lucas retire at 31?

And why did Fletcher sign for two years if this is his last?

What if, What if What if.

What if Myers becomes the next Judd, Gumby the next Jon Brown, Pears the next Chad Cornes, Bellchambers the next Dean Cox, Dempsey the next Long, Daniher the next Daniher

Or doesn't it work that way?

 

[ant555]

What if Myers becomes the next Judd, Gumby the next Jon Brown, Pears the next Chad Cornes, Bellchambers the next Dean Cox, Dempsey the next Long, Daniher the next Daniher

Or doesn't it work that way?

No when you are talking what ifs and Essendon you can only use the what in negative terms

 

[#1 Dogs Fan]

Impersonally i think Essondon has got a great young up and coming team. I don't think you guys will win the spoon but i don't think you will be a very good team.
The competition these days is very close that almost any team can beat any team on almost any giving day.

I actually rate Essondon High because they have got a impressive Spine and some Kpp i wish we had at the dogs.

The bombers will be a very good team in the first half of the year but might drop of in the second half if their younger players mainly playing in the midfield cant play 22 rounds which i personally think they cant. They will get tired mentally and physically other then that good luck in 08 and I look forward to watching Basher do his thing