AFL Autopsy R22: Power out

[Doss]

That game today felt more reminiscent of the bilge we were serving up on a very regular basis in the back half of 2015.

Given the last 20 years Essendon has had, you generally develop a pretty high pain tolerance to these things but today…that was genuinely very, very woeful even by our bad standards. Uncommonly so - with a side that on paper should have been one of our strongest ones for the year.

One of those games where not a single positive could be drawn.

 

[Falcon27]

I think it comes down to the no dickhead recruiting policy continually giving us Dave Myers or Dyson Heppell etc as leaders.
We could have easily drafted Luke Parker or Jack Graham (both players I am on record as saying we should have picked before the draft) but we only seen to draft those types in rookie drafts or mid season so you get average players like Snelling or Geulfi as your leaders but no top end leaders that can pick the side up and carry them when needed.
We really are 100% flat track bullies.

Yep our recruiting policy is really vanilla. What difference a couple of dickheads like Mitch Robinson or SPP would have made over the past couple of years.

Out of interest when did this ‘no dickheads recruiting policy’ start at Essendon? At our peak there were the likes of Vanders, Merrett, Wallis, Barnes and others who were not exactly choir boys.

 

[Schnitzengruben]

Pretty fair assessment. Also recommend watching the First Crack segment about our game on Kayo.

 

[Lore]

 

[ant555]

Yep our recruiting policy is really vanilla. What difference a couple of dickheads like Mitch Robinson or SPP would have made over the past couple of years.

Out of interest when did this ‘no dickheads recruiting policy’ start at Essendon? At our peak there were the likes of Vanders, Merrett, Wallis, Barnes and others who were not exactly choir boys.

around 2006 from memory.

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

The same combo that failed at the start of the year, go figure.

How does the saying go?

If you don’t succeed, fail and fail again?

 

[HirdsTheWord]

about the the big footy bois got a mention.

 

[bacon buster]

I like Rutten, but its been clear at times during the season that the players are playing for themselves, I also get that impression from the attitude from Parish and Andy on their podcast, and while I haven bothered to listen to most editions, however from what I've heard, the attitude is dismissive of criticism and shows a poor level of self-awareness, and this is why the club making a big statement by either delisting a big name or putting a big name up for trade would send a big message, which could backfire or knock some sense into this playing group.

Fair call

I’m not really sure how, if it backfired, it could be worse than now though?

 

[VelvetSledge]

Hm.

We have a bit of work to do.

It’s hard to say where to begin because the whole organisation is a mess from the top down.

A lot of bluster and bravado with absolutely no substance. It’s going to be a very interesting off season.

I see Andrew Welsh

Andrew Welsh

Age

41

Ht

188cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.4

4star

K

9.7

4star

HB

6.7

4star

M

4.6

4star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.6

4star

No current season stats available

D

9.6

3star

K

7.4

3star

HB

2.2

2star

M

4.0

4star

T

3.6

5star

is keen to try and step in. Not sure how he could help but any new mindsets can’t be a bad thing.

 

[Vindicater]

The same combo that failed at the start of the year, go figure.

Parish is the killer for me. Never lays a block.

The amount of times Merrett gets the ball and Parish I in the best place to lay a block but instead asks for the handball receive is the killer. Most of the time he cuts across Merretts kicking angle as well.

 

[eDPS]

Parish is the killer for me. Never lays a block.

The amount of times Merrett gets the ball and Parish I in the best place to lay a block but instead asks for the handball receive is the killer. Most of the time he cuts across Merretts kicking angle as well.

They all do when they are in the middle, it’s every man for himself in our midfield.

 

[Squeaky]

Happy 150th.
What a team, what a club.

 

[Schnitzengruben]

 

[Chief Hopper]

That was an awful game but par of the course from where this team has been this season.
Nick Bryan instead of Phillips was a big miscalculation.

Still, what annoyed me the most was hearing Dwayne Russell commenting about the match.
He talks of Essendon really underperforming like Port this year.
That both teams supporters expected themselves to make the finals.

I honestly thought Dwayne Russell was taking the piss talking about Essendon.

 

[JayJ20]

Could we be thanking Port Adelaide in 5 years? Seems like real change is coming after what was the most embarrassing game since Bulldogs 2019.

 

[Dave]

The ‘pressure’s off, boys!’ downhill-skiing dead rubber special, which costs us draft position, emboldens our happyclapper element who think Ken Hinkley walks on water, and leads David Koch to believe he’s made the right decision in giving him a sixth/ninth/eleventh year.

Like clockwork.

Sad when the only positive we can take from a game is that it might paper over another teams cracks........

 

[Dave]

 

[eDPS]

Losing by 84 points at home against 12th on the ladder might be a new low in the last few years. Needs to be some major changes made coaching, admin and player wise.

Won't happen - don't kid yourself

Well you see…

 

[84859300]

Well you see…

Touche, my good man!

*dips his fedora

 

[eastaugh36]

Not sure if anyone can help here but who was the bearded guy often seen with Rutten on Sunday? I can’t remember seeing him before.

 

[Beerfish]

Not sure if anyone can help here but who was the bearded guy often seen with Rutten on Sunday? I can’t remember seeing him before.

this guy?

 

[citizen-erased]

Not sure if anyone can help here but who was the bearded guy often seen with Rutten on Sunday? I can’t remember seeing him before.

i hope a mate.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

That was an awful game but par of the course from where this team has been this season.
Nick Bryan instead of Phillips was a big miscalculation.

Still, what annoyed me the most was hearing Dwayne Russell commenting about the match.
He talks of Essendon really underperforming like Port this year.
That both teams supporters expected themselves to make the finals.

I honestly thought Dwayne Russell was taking the piss talking about Essendon.

to be fair to him we finished 8th last year.


logically you are supposed to take a step forward, not run and jump back wards.


i personally never expected finals, but what has been dished up this year is far beyond just not making finals. Its a ******* disgrace that this supporter base will no longer accept.

 

[Lore]

Well, the club has successfully deflected attention away from hyperanalysing this lol