Our Premiership Window

[Foxx]

I would like to know the supporters views on how our club is sitting in relation to winning a premiership.

Do you think we are entering our window in the next 2-3 years? Or when do you see it opening?
What final ingredients are we missing?
Do you think that we just didn't quite get it right and we will miss the boat?

I know a lot of it will be negative but lets analyse it and give it a real honest evaluation here.

 

[VelvetSledge]

I thought it was this year until 2017, now I think it'll be 2015-2017.

We're missing a forward line. When was the last time we had a player kick over 50 goals in a season? We're missing that one key forward who can just put teams to the sword. I believe that Daniher can do it, but just not yet.

Don't think we've missed the boat, but GCS and GWS will both be forces very very soon.

 

[Doss]

We're missing a forward line. When was the last time we had a player kick over 50 goals in a season?

Lloyd in 2008.

 

[Rack Watts]

I miss Monfries.

 

[Kaiser Powser]

I miss Monfries.

He'd be handy, but not the solution.

 

[eth-dog]

If we get 15+ games from Bellchambers, Daniher, Chapman and Winderlich next season, we can get 4 blokes with 30+ goals/year. Our forward structure is diabolical, but it can be fixed if we get a recognized gun forward coach and the ability to get a hard leading CHF (which could be Ambrose)

 

[Kakkle]

Let's win a final first, then we'll talk.

 

[Yoda_]

We need a 70 goal partnership from Joe,Carlisle, TBC to have a crack IMHO.

Even the so called Midfield premier back in 2006 had 65 goals from Quinetn Lynch, 29 from Adam Hunter and another 17 (from 14 games) from Ashley Hansen.

Once our KPF's are settled and dominating. watch out

 

[Paul_Barnard]

Sorry to ruin the party, but I fear by the time Daniher is our true forward who is capable of kicking massive bags and putting a team to the sword, GWS/GC will already be unstoppable.
Jobe and Goddard (clearly our current best 2 players), have probably only got maximum 2 more years of having A grade output within our team.
Assuming GWS/GC are the going to be the forces they are meant to be, I really think this year should and next should be our years, which illustrates how massive not playing finals last year was.
Judging the way this season is going we are clearly off the pace with the top 3 in terms of consistency.
In saying that, Essendon now has a core of 8-10 players reaching the 110 game mark which traditionally is the foundation needed to make an assault on a flag.
Hopefully we can find a few gems or get significant improvement within the list and that will help us reach the next level while our aging champs are still in the team.

 

[lamaros]

I don't believe in such things as 'Premiership windows'. It's a crap and counter-productive term.

Play to get better all the time. Play to win all the time. Who knows when it will click. Don't set upper limits.

 

[Yoda_]

I don't believe in such things as 'Premiership windows'. It's a crap and counter-productive term.

Play to get better all the time. Play to win all the time. Who knows when it will click. Don't set upper limits.

Have to agree with this. Is much the media publicity as is 'valentines day' and 'mothers day'. If you love them enough you don't wait for a special day to show them this. Similarly, If your good enough to win a premiership, you do it. Look at Hawthorn08.

 

[FedEXFalls]

The talk of any potential premiership window can begin when we win a final. We haven't even competed in one since 2004. And things aren't even that great when you do win a final (see Carlton).

"But we made finals in!!!!"
- 2009 (96 point loss)
- 2011 (62 point loss)
- 2013 (awkward silence)

The club has been a basket case for what, 10 years? And the icing on that cake was put on last year.

We still have a bunch of potential curve balls coming our way this year with how things turn out when ASADA finally pull their finger out and when Hird returns to the club. Add that to the fact that we are still trying to gain any sort of momentum this year and things could fall apart pretty quickly.

I want to be all positive but when I take a real look at the club I see that we are well and truly still in the woods. Premiership shouldn't even be thought about right now... Should be hoping for a decent on field return this year, with hopefully at least respectfully losing a final.. ASADA to give us the all clear and for Hird to make a smooth return to the club.

 

[daffo]

I agree. We need to get into the finals first then we should start thinking flags.

 

[BrunoV]

I'd like to see some of the footy Bomber is promising before committing to a view either way. I also agree with lamaros but think that the questions of whether what we have looks capable of winning a flag is worth discussing.

I tend to think that the current team is a bit of a false dawn (which might sound odd given that we haven't won a match again a decent team after June but there is plenty of expectation around the place) and that it is not just Daniher we are waiting for but probably 3 to 5 young smalls and mid-sized players.

We're too heavily stacked with player's whose decision making and skill level do not hold up under pressure and guys who do not work hard for long enough. I'm also concerned that the best 22 was something put together for an era of football that the league has moved on from (Hawthorn is setting the pace with extreme running capacity of players who are basically "box to box", it is not just the development and use of Smith and Hill but the recruitment of Hartung too).

I can't name enough players I want out to make up the 3 to 5 spots because there is not one player that deserves to go and there are many contradictions but I have a feeling that we'll need to evolve to keep up with the way the game is actually being played at the top end and it will relegate some of the bigger, slower bodies to the seconds.

 

[Towno78]

Open

 

[Zach Package]

our best is good enough to run with anyone, and the forward half is still a shit box. Sort that out and we could genuinely do big damage.

Plus the core is still young. Hurley/Zaharakis/Carlisle/Myers/Heppell/Melksham/Hooker/Daniher/Hibberd/Merrett et al will likely be the guys who drive the next tilt

 

[kfc1]

I think if we don't win it this year, we definitely can't win it until at least next year

 

[Red Black and Blue]

I don't believe in such things as 'Premiership windows'. It's a crap and counter-productive term.

Play to get better all the time. Play to win all the time. Who knows when it will click. Don't set upper limits.

Spot on. I always cringe when I hear teams (especially Richmond) talk about finals being the goal. Putting your eyes on the prize takes you away from the realities of football. Every year just aim to improve and be the best you can be, premierships are a byproduct of a well run football club.

 

[Maddogm]

our best is good enough to run with anyone, and the forward half is still a shit box. Sort that out and we could genuinely do big damage.

Plus the core is still young. Hurley/Zaharakis/Carlisle/Myers/Heppell/Melksham/Hooker/Daniher/Hibberd/Merrett et al will likely be the guys who drive the next tilt

You forgot Fletch

 

[Foxx]

I think with the current group we would have to win a flag within 2-3 years because after that the likes of Watson Goddard Fletcher Chapman Stanton Winderlich Ryder are all going to be past their prime or retired.

It would be a shame if we missed out because I think this group is almost good enough to win a flag. Its just another key forward and polished defensive midfielder away from a side that is strong enough to go all the way.

If this group did miss out, then it would be a case of building up the next group and seeing if they are good enough.

I think that is what a "premiership window" is - when you set your team up with experienced stars and a great core group.

 

[Eleven 38]

Paddy Ryder won't be past his prime in 3 years.

We may not win a flag in 3 years but it doesn't mean we can't win one in 4-5 or 6 years. We have a lot of young players at the moment, a lot more in the under 25 bracket than 26-28 bracket.

 

[Foxx]

Paddy Ryder won't be past his prime in 3 years.

We may not win a flag in 3 years but it doesn't mean we can't win one in 4-5 or 6 years. We have a lot of young players at the moment, a lot more in the under 25 bracket than 26-28 bracket.

You've missed my point. Suggest you read that post again. And Ryder will be 29, prime is 26-28 but I will agree there.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

I was more optimistic at start of the season but not so now. I think we lack real depth in the mid. At the moment we don't have many injuries and the ins for this week don't fill me with much enthusiasm although Gleeson looks very promising. The loss of draft picks will hurt and GC and GWS are coming fast. Think free agency and luring young players from GC & GWS will be crucial the next few seasons.

 

[fishardansin]

We've missed the boat. It had to be this year or next year. No way we're in front of the Hawks, Swans or Freo in that time, assuming they have a fit list. Essendon, Norf, Carlton and Richmond have been threatening to come for the last few years. They didn't and by 2016 the rot will have set in and the new teams will be winning everything.

What should have been the tail end of our rebuild has been stolen from us by the new teams picking the eyes out of the last 4 drafts. This has meant that all teams are recycling ect to keep the list up and about. Teams like us who were shit to begin are just trying to dig ourselves out of a hole. This is why Geelong and Hawthorn have been able to maintain such a time at the top. Now we're about to be run over.


We will improve. Ambrose and Daniher will make for a good forwardline with TBell, Chappy and Winderlich next year, and assuming healthy list and a smooth transition back to Hird then Essendon will be pushing top four. However, that's it, unless we get lucky with everyone falling over. Then the league becomes a joke for a few years.

I've been saying it for years. These two teams have ruined the comp for over a decade. First by not letting rebuilding teams have a crack at the best talent, then by being so shit they affect a competition with an uneven fixture and finally by dominating the league to the point that everyone else gives up, almost. Then when that domination is over watch their support fade away, like the Lions after their ill gotten premiership run.

 

[blitzer]

We don't have a premiership window until we win a final. Has there been a team in history that has won a premiership after over 10 years of not winning a final. I'm guessing no. I will happily revisit this should we actually make and win a final at the end of the year.

Too many questions marks on our list right now. Not saying we can't get there but a lot of things have to happen first. Also I'm not particularly thinking about the Gold Coast/GWS domination just yet. If and when it happens, it happens we haven't proven we can even hit top 4 yet, so worrying about these so called super teams is not relevant right now.