Smyth94
Norm Smith Medallist
Not denying that....
But the intensity and the skill level was not there.
When you have been beaten, it has been badly.
Geelong 99, Dogs 30, Saints 36 and Collingwood 73.
McPhee, Lloyd Michael and Fletcher are not going to get any better. They are all in there twilight.
Not much coming through. If you are reliant on blokes like Johns etc to come in and revive the team, you are badly mistaken. Essendon play an exciting brand of footy at times, but need some real quality to rebuild the list.
Do you honestly believe that this side has the making of a top 8 side? That you can really have a tilt at a flag?
Ryder, Davies, Houli, Reimers, Lovett, Hille, Welsh Nash and McVeigh. Real quality. These players must form the nucleus of the side for the next 5 years.
Watson? Is he good enough?
I am not bashing Essendon, far from it. But look at the list. It is not good. The side needs building and you haVe to go back to move forward as I stated. No point finishing 8-12. You miss out on the real quality in the draft. Knights should be looking at playing the kids now and see who will be apart of the long term future.
I hate it when people say that "the list isn't good" what if Gumbleton becomes a quality CHF? What if Neagle becomes a quality Forward/Defender, what if Houli, Myers, Hislop and Jetta become quality on-ballers? Then the list looks pretty good doesn't it? Same list mind you.
The point is we have been drafting our replacements for players like Fletcher, Michael, Lloyd, Lucas for the past 2 years and will continue to do so this year and next. We have been rebuilding for the past 2 years it takes time. Sheedy left a lot of crud on our list that Knights had to get rid of and still has to get rid of - you can't wipe the slate clean in one season.
As for Watson is he good enough? Definitely. He doesn't have the skills of an Andrew Lovett granted, but what he does do is bring other players (such as Lovett) into the game by winning the contested footy. IMO he needs to be managed better.