No Longer the Comeback Kings?

[BuffDog]

The Essendon sides I remember were renowned for never giving up and resulted in some famous comebacks such as the 93 prelim and of course the 69 pointer against the Roos.

However it seems this current side have lost that ability

Our largest comebacks this year were against:

RD 18 V North Melbourne 15pts
RD 1 V Hawthorn 13pts
RD 16 V Collingwood 13pts
RD 22 V Gold Coast 13pts
RD 20 V Carlton 12 points

So effectively once we are 3 goals down we are done. Perhaps theres an issue halting momentum or the players simply drop their heads

Conversely we have squandered some big leads including

RD 7 V Fremantle 27pts
RD 15 V Brisbane 27pts
RD 14 V Sydney 19pts
RD 19 V Footscray 19pts
RD 10 V Richmond 18pts

Sydney and Brisbane especially were games we had no right to lose and we also nearly surrended big leads against Geelong and Brisbane away.

Does anyone else see this as a major problem or perhaps just a quirk of the season?

 

[Loonerty]

I don't think comparing to the 2001 and 1993 Essendon sides are the best to compare to.

Also, 19/18 point leads being lost are not that much more than the 15 point comeback.

 

[mike14]

I don't know if you can use two incidents 8 years apart to claim that we were ever the 'comeback kings', but regardless (or irregardless for some of you...) of that; the current side have been together for one season, and was a mix of young footballers and experienced guys coming back after 12 months out of the game (and more than that mentally in lot of cases). It stands to reason that there is a higher possibility that they will be 'overrun' late in games, or not have the fitness required to get over the line.
Looking forward, if the inability to either hold off opponents, or occasionally come from behind a win (especially against teams towards the bottom of the ladder) continues then yes it will become a problem because it simply means we won't get enough wins to make the top 4.

 

[BuffDog]

I was just highlighting the two famous ones but I certainly do recall some epic comebacks recently such as west coast 2014, Fremantle Carlton and west coast 2013 and Adelaide 2011

 

[Towno78]

Tbf we won something like 17/22 first quarters. Hard to come back when you're in front. Agree though, would love to have a side that you feel is always still in the game. Not too far away I hope.

 

[maskmcgee]

everyone knows west coast are the comeback kings

 

[JayJ20]

OP has a point. Something that I've noticed as well. We were able to come back from big margins before the suspensions. We didn't seem to be able to turn the game as much this year.

 

[Bomberbuzz1]

We're one of the worst teams in terms of fitness. There may have been a few games against the bottom teams where we came in with big heads but overall our intent and gameplan were there however we lacked the fitness. I'd be surprised if this cannot be improved. Players coming back from a year off and the younger blokes would have been fatigued from 2016 as more was asked/ required from them. The goal over preseason would be to become the pinnacle of fitness across the league. This may not be achievable but the intent and drive will hopefully be there.

The positive I take from stats provided is that half the games we actually lost we had a 3 goal lead or more at some stage. If we had the fitness and had won those games we would of won more games than any other team. This lead me to the question, why should we focus on come backs when it seems retaining leads is arguably more important?

 

[Howard Moon]

#comebackstory

 

[Howard Moon]

fwiw I think being able to come back is all in the head, the same way as giving away leads is... or losing/winning close games.

I think early each season, if you have a big comeback and win - it gives a belief and it stays with you that year, you seem to still be alive from any position, likewise if you are ahead in a game early in the year then give up a lead and lose... you will be shakey all year in last quarters. like wise with the win or lose tight games.. they all seem to go the same way each year as an early one goes.

 

[The Donners]

The Essendon sides I remember were renowned for never giving up and resulted in some famous comebacks such as the 93 prelim and of course the 69 pointer against the Roos.

However it seems this current side have lost that ability

Our largest comebacks this year were against:

RD 18 V North Melbourne 15pts
RD 1 V Hawthorn 13pts
RD 16 V Collingwood 13pts
RD 22 V Gold Coast 13pts
RD 20 V Carlton 12 points

So effectively once we are 3 goals down we are done. Perhaps theres an issue halting momentum or the players simply drop their heads

Conversely we have squandered some big leads including

RD 7 V Fremantle 27pts
RD 15 V Brisbane 27pts
RD 14 V Sydney 19pts
RD 19 V Footscray 19pts
RD 10 V Richmond 18pts

Sydney and Brisbane especially were games we had no right to lose and we also nearly surrended big leads against Geelong and Brisbane away.

Does anyone else see this as a major problem or perhaps just a quirk of the season?

We simply haven't had the cattle.

 

[Vindicater]

We have not been very good for a long time.

Not very good teams don't really come back.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Bigger issue was surrendering 27 point lead in the 4th qtr at home against the bottom team. Don’t remember is ever having done that before. Think maybe way back in the late 80s early 90s against Dees at Windy Hill..maybe.

Won’t even mention the Sydney game.

 

[GUMBLETRON]

Some time around 2005 Kevin Sheedy's gameplan became rolling into half-time a kick in front then trying to defend that lead for the rest of the game. If you've only just noticed a lack of comebacks you haven't really been paying attention.

 

[Laverde2Smack]

Nah we are the fade out flops..

Sent from my F3115 using Tapatalk

 

[fishardansin]

It came down to the coach. Sheedy often did some crazy things that would make him look silly and would always spin things about Essendon as a positive. Look at him today saying Hird could coach AFL again if he wanted. Sheedy's spirit of always trying things would reset the team and also give them a true belief that the coach thought they weren't done. We have always had a big supporter base too, so if the team got on a roll they'd ride our enthusiasm.

Sheedy's ridiculous optimism also rubbed off on the fan base, because they could often come true. It is why we built a reputation of overrating our list. I know I have only stopped predicting Essendon to make the top 4 with all sincerity since about 2015, lol. He also drove our "difficult to deal with" tag. It is ridiculous that it still hangs around and shows you how slow public opinion and the knowledge of "experts" are to catch up to the facts.

He's still around the club of course, so once the team gets a roll on and there is finally some belief around the club I expect that to become part of our culture again.

 

[Vindicater]

We will still give up big scores regularly as our midfield only runs two ways for half the game.

When they do we build a lead.

When they slack off we lose it.