King Richard vs "King" James

[Crave]

Ive been living out of melboune for 13 years.So u can imagine my joy wen i got put onto BF and was able to get 13 years of Essendon talk off my chest. My wife is happy i don't try to start up footy conversations with her as much this year.

I am proud of the fact that i brought her over from the dark side and convinced her to go from Collingwood to Bomberland.It was no easy job.1993 season helped a lot

You should be paying her a wage...doesnt she do all your typing?

 

[Longy413]

Sorry, but I have to bring up.....that goal against Geelong, bit hard to contain yourself??

That was f_cking unreal. I was in disbelief when he kicked that.

It was strange, when he got the ball I thought, goal.
But when he actually kicked it, I was stunned.

It was like that goal he kicked Anzac Day 2005 at half-time. After he missed, but got given another shot after the siren. You always knew he was going to kick it, but I was still in shock when he did.

 

[Shane Hird]

F---k 24 hey! U would have been toddler wen watson was in full flight.


Those days at Windy Hill in 84'85' were like magic.

Just thousands of Essendon supporters packed in and just expecting to destroy who ever we played that day.

And Watson was the star. Like Hird, all the crowd really wanted was for timmy to get the ball. He was so quick and like Robert harvey,never got caught in a tackle.Just shugged them off with powerful twists and turns.

He was God to me at 10-11-13 years of age.Him and Merv. That long hair blowing in the wind as they ran. F--king great memories.

 

[Shane Hird]

You should be paying her a wage...doesnt she do all your typing?

LOL yes she did type one thread a few weeks ago. One off.

I am f--ing crap at typing.

 

[Crave]

That was f_cking unreal. I was in disbelief when he kicked that.

It was strange, when he got the ball I thought, goal.
But when he actually kicked it, I was stunned.

It was like that goal he kicked Anzac Day 2005 at half-time. After he missed, but got given another shot after the siren. You always knew he was going to kick it, but I was still in shock when he did.

I still get goosebumps after that run against the Cats in the centennial year...where he delivered it to Bewick deep in the pocket...

 

[Crave]

LOL yes she did type one thread a few weeks ago. One off.

I am f--ing crap at typing.

That was good value. F'ing funny!!

 

[Shane Hird]

Its my greatest footy regret not seeing a lot of games these past 10 years.But lucky for me,in Qld, i got to see just about every Dons game since 93 on tv.

And in 93', just a few games in to the season, i was talking to my father on the ph about Hird. i told him "hes sh-t,he doesn't run and he's always got his hands on his hips puffing and blowing.But he is a good mark."

i didnt rate him at the time. How wrong i was!

 

[Darealrath]

24?!?!

Back on topic. I'm 23 so i didn't see Watson, T.D, Madden etc at anywhere near there peak but there's no way i'd put Lloyd ahead of Hird. Lloyd and Fletcher about even, maybe Lloyd just in front. But Hird's just too good, he just dominates and influences games more consistently than anyone i've seen.

24?!?!

 

[Longy413]

Yep, and that's probably why I rate Hird higher.

I went to the footy every week as probably a 3 year old onwards. Even though I was young I've still got great memories of Windy Hill. I've obviously seen a lot of tapes from the 80's and value the opinion of my family, most of whom rate Hird as the best they've seen. Apart from those that saw Reynolds, Coleman etc. And even some of them say Hutchison was the best of the lot.

 

[Shane Hird]

Rember what D--k said at the Champions of Essendon award nght?


He was so sick, but as all ways, he insisted that Hutchison was the better player and that he was in his wake. All the old timers rate Hutchison as the best all round footballer. Played till he was 35 i think.

 

[Shane Hird]

My favorite footy story of all is about Hutchison.

The team, when playing at the MCG in the 40's, used to catch the train from Essendon down to the city,thru Flinders st, and on to Jolimont station.

Hutchy used to get off at Flinders st and run the rest of the way to the MCG along the road for a warm up.Then do about 5 laps or so around the MGC,just inside the boundry,for more warm ups before the bounce!

A freak of Nature he must have been.

 

[Shane Hird]

And D---k Reynolds explaining his pre match breakfast routine.

"All i have,is a cup of beef tea and two poached eggs. Thats pretty much all i need"

Classic.

 

[Crave]

Well, I was lucky enough to see the greats Watson, Madden and TD play at Windy Hill...im only 32 so Windy Hill was a regular haunt for us back in the day. Never forget the field invasion after we'd finally hit the front against the Dees and managed to win by 18 pts. I think it might have been Garry Lyon who had a shot at goal after the siren and had about 5000 people on the mark and another 10000 on the goal line just in case...
Also managed to see Wanganeen in his infancy, Heard making his comeback (and the story of his craft of mutting together speedballs (boxing) and attributing them to his new found speed in tagging opponents.
Was also there at the infamous 'sock tying' game against the Eagles from memory, not to mention the top of the table clash against the Eagles on a dreadful day when we finished with 15 fit men and only went down by 7 points.

 

[Shane Hird]

Well, I was lucky enough to see the greats Watson, Madden and TD play at Windy Hill...im only 32 so Windy Hill was a regular haunt for us back in the day. Never forget the field invasion after we'd finally hit the front against the Dees and managed to win by 18 pts. I think it might have been Garry Lyon who had a shot at goal after the siren and had about 5000 people on the mark and another 10000 on the goal line just in case...
Also managed to see Wanganeen in his infancy, Heard making his comeback (and the story of his craft of mutting together speedballs (boxing) and attributing them to his new found speed in tagging opponents.
Was also there at the infamous 'sock tying' game against the Eagles from memory, not to mention the top of the table clash against the Eagles on a dreadful day when we finished with 15 fit men and only went down by 7 points.

I remember now about shane heard using speed balls.Sheeds said once he was one of the fittest players he had coached back then.

For the record too....Reynolds will always be this clubs shining star of the old days..him and Coleman and Hutchison.

But Hird is the new King. The new face of Essendon.More people now,not just from our club,regard Hird as the face of Essendon. An example of how bomber players should play and conduct them selves off the field.
Hail King James

 

[Crave]

I remember now about shane heard using speed balls.Sheeds said once he was one of the fittest players he had coached back then.

For the record too....Reynolds will always be this clubs shining star of the old days..him and Coleman and Hutchison.

But Hird is the new King. The new face of Essendon.More people now,not just from our club,regard Hird as the face of Essendon. An example of how bomber players should play and conduct them selves off the field.
Hail King James

I agree, Hird and eventually Lloyd will permanently end up in our top 10 of all time..Hird in second spot....I sincerely think if he hadnt had those foot injuries, he wouldve been included in the team of the century..

 

[windyhill]

. Never forget the field invasion after we'd finally hit the front against the Dees and managed to win by 18 pts. I think it might have been Garry Lyon who had a shot at goal after the siren and had about 5000 people on the mark and another 10000 on the goal line just in case...

Stevie Clark had the shot.
(RIP)

 

[Shane Hird]

guuna start this up again cause i was thinking today about Wanganeen.


If he had of stayed at Essendon,we would have won 2-3 extra flags.

He was heading toward Reynolds type devotion from the EFC fans with his sheer skill and talent.he was so young in 93' but he was the star of the team.
never did a thing wrong.Guts,no fear..he would be right next to Hirdy as the King if he hadn't have gone to PA.

 

[Crave]

guuna start this up again cause i was thinking today about Wanganeen.


If he had of stayed at Essendon,we would have won 2-3 extra flags.

He was heading toward Reynolds type devotion from the EFC fans with his sheer skill and talent.he was so young in 93' but he was the star of the team.
never did a thing wrong.Guts,no fear..he would be right next to Hirdy as the King if he hadn't have gone to PA.

At the expense of players like Rioli and Cupido if he'd have remained in his role as a forward...

 

[Longy413]

How good has the number four been to us the last 20 years?

D-Mac ruined it for a while, but Andrews (Ronny was four wasn't he?), Baker, Long, Wanganeen, Salmon and Watson.

 

[kolchak]

All hail king booker

 

[Stargazer]

I think that if hird hadn't missed so many matches when he was in his prime, there could have been a better case for him, however, what he has done has been phenominal.

I would say that it Would Be 1 Renyolds, 2. Hird.

What Renyolds did was unbelieveable and i doubt could be done again, the only one that could do it would be judd.

Please it's REYNOLDS - R-E-Y-N-O-L-D-S.

 

[Stargazer]

How good has the number four been to us the last 20 years?

D-Mac ruined it for a while, but Andrews (Ronny was four wasn't he?), Baker, Long, Wanganeen, Salmon and Watson.

And Col Hebbard in the 50's, and Lindsay McGhie in the 70's.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

guuna start this up again cause i was thinking today about Wanganeen.


If he had of stayed at Essendon,we would have won 2-3 extra flags.

That is spot on, something I've thought a lot about too.

A lot of gnashing of teeth

 

[Shane Hird]

my excuse for spelling Reynolds wrong .Long days and Late nights.That would be the first time in ages i did that to ya D--k,sorry mate

Imagine a back line from 1999 thru to 2001 with wangas.

Hardwick,Solly,Wellman,Fletcher,Wallis,MJ and Gavin Wanganeen.

Nobody would have stoped us.Could have been 1 or 2 extra Cups.easy.

 

[Longy413]

Hard to believe he never won a B&F at the club.

I remember training during 1993 GF week, the crowd went nuts every time Wanganeen went near it. Sheeds was drilling short balls at him with everything he had and Wanganeen was taking every thing one-grab. The crowd was loving it, it was electric.