Ok all the drafting and trading is done. We've seen two preseasons under this coaching "group", plus some of this one on bomberTV. We've seen two seasons of team selection and game day moves. On top of this there is room for a bit of reading between the lines from interviews plus thinking back to Thompson's days at Geelong and what Hird said as a "journalist".
How does everyone see Hird and Thompson's vision for the team?
It should be obvious to everyone how Thompson likes a team to play from his time at Geelong. Very simple game plan with the addition of very quick and unpredictable ball movement. The idea that leg speed will be beaten by strong bodies at the contest and good disposal never letting the ball go. Thompson clearly has no respect for the high speed run and gun from the Knights days, nor Norf's attempt to play something similar.
I get the feeling from things said by Thompson and other's from Geelong in 2010 and 2011, once again reading between the lines, that Thompson wanted to tweak the game plan in 2010 though because it was clear to him that Collingwood's press was going to murder them. I think he wanted to introduce more long kicking down the line and return the press to them as well as try to guard their ball movement along the boundary a bit.
I get the feeling that Hird really likes to take control or have a situation that he has more influence over and so because of this wants to make the game plan fairly defensive. He would happily take all flair out of our game to know that he can control the opposition. I seem to remember him talking of the Lyon-Roos game plan more glowingly than any other.
On top of this the club has plenty of remnants both on the list and in their development from the Knights era of his attacking run and gun style. So while they tried to completely suppress that in the first season, until injuries left them no choice late in the season, they dealt with the reality that it was there and decided to embrace it, in small doses, in their second season.
Thinking about their vision like this leaves me less surprised about the PSD selection today. Clearly Hams is no plodder as he showed some toe at different points on his highlight reel. He also showed more courage in the air than Garlett did and his kicking was elite. Obviously highlight reels don't give you a feel for how much they get involved in a game or their ability to read the play and Hams will have to increase his average disposals from 11.5!!!!! .. or whatever it was. Thompson said he's had a huge say in recruitment this year so I think it goes beyond his behaviour and Hams is more like Thompson's vision of a footballer.
So Essendon wants a Geelong style ball movement plus Sydney style pressure around the stoppage plus a press. They have a fair bit of that in place but Hooker and Hardingham on the back half make this very difficult, as their disposal is anything but elite. In fact I'd say that across our whole list there are many players who's disposal can be very questionable under pressure. If they could get a list doing all of that then it should be fairly successful. There is a way to go of course but the disposal bit might be difficult for them!!
When do they see Essendon's "window" open? Not sure but I get the feeling they think there is a chance to open it this year, considering the pick up of Goddard and two mature age draftees, with the hope of climbing through it in the following years.
Anyhow how do youse see the team evolving over the next few years?
How does everyone see Hird and Thompson's vision for the team?
It should be obvious to everyone how Thompson likes a team to play from his time at Geelong. Very simple game plan with the addition of very quick and unpredictable ball movement. The idea that leg speed will be beaten by strong bodies at the contest and good disposal never letting the ball go. Thompson clearly has no respect for the high speed run and gun from the Knights days, nor Norf's attempt to play something similar.
I get the feeling from things said by Thompson and other's from Geelong in 2010 and 2011, once again reading between the lines, that Thompson wanted to tweak the game plan in 2010 though because it was clear to him that Collingwood's press was going to murder them. I think he wanted to introduce more long kicking down the line and return the press to them as well as try to guard their ball movement along the boundary a bit.
I get the feeling that Hird really likes to take control or have a situation that he has more influence over and so because of this wants to make the game plan fairly defensive. He would happily take all flair out of our game to know that he can control the opposition. I seem to remember him talking of the Lyon-Roos game plan more glowingly than any other.
On top of this the club has plenty of remnants both on the list and in their development from the Knights era of his attacking run and gun style. So while they tried to completely suppress that in the first season, until injuries left them no choice late in the season, they dealt with the reality that it was there and decided to embrace it, in small doses, in their second season.
Thinking about their vision like this leaves me less surprised about the PSD selection today. Clearly Hams is no plodder as he showed some toe at different points on his highlight reel. He also showed more courage in the air than Garlett did and his kicking was elite. Obviously highlight reels don't give you a feel for how much they get involved in a game or their ability to read the play and Hams will have to increase his average disposals from 11.5!!!!! .. or whatever it was. Thompson said he's had a huge say in recruitment this year so I think it goes beyond his behaviour and Hams is more like Thompson's vision of a footballer.
So Essendon wants a Geelong style ball movement plus Sydney style pressure around the stoppage plus a press. They have a fair bit of that in place but Hooker and Hardingham on the back half make this very difficult, as their disposal is anything but elite. In fact I'd say that across our whole list there are many players who's disposal can be very questionable under pressure. If they could get a list doing all of that then it should be fairly successful. There is a way to go of course but the disposal bit might be difficult for them!!
When do they see Essendon's "window" open? Not sure but I get the feeling they think there is a chance to open it this year, considering the pick up of Goddard and two mature age draftees, with the hope of climbing through it in the following years.
Anyhow how do youse see the team evolving over the next few years?
