AFL Autopsy Smashed by port

[MiguelM]

Based on our performance over recent years we don't get better towards the end of the season, which doesn't bode well.

Yeah, fallen off the cliff early this year!

 

[Nifft]

That's based on what? You're just making shit up there.

No, we turned sown a shit offer. It was pick 13, 23 and probably 23 again for a bona fide star of the game. Saying 3 firsts is disingenuous at best.

I don't disagree with you about the offer, but keeping Merrett after he took a dump on our front doorstep was a bad move. It's had a negative affect on our culture, if that's even possible at this point. And our "best player" just doesn't care any more, so what does that impress upon our younger players?

I don't know how they could've got more for Merrett but they should've tried. Maybe they could've told his manager that the Hawk's offer was too thin and Merrett should consider other teams instead of just Hawks. Leaving it to the last minute and then having a staring competition with Hawthorn after what Merrett and his manager did was stupid.

 

[eth-dog]

I don't disagree with you about the offer, but keeping Merrett after he took a dump on our front doorstep was a bad move. It's had a negative affect on our culture, if that's even possible at this point. And our "best player" just doesn't care any more, so what does that impress upon our younger players?

I don't know how they could've got more for Merrett but they should've tried. Maybe they could've told his manager that the Hawk's offer was too thin and Merrett should consider other teams instead of just Hawks. Leaving it to the last minute and then having a staring competition with Hawthorn after what Merrett and his manager did was stupid.

We did. It's well reported that we did.

Hawthorne dragged their feet. It's not our fault they made a shit offer at the 11th hour.

 

[Nifft]

We did. It's well reported that we did.

Hawthorne dragged their feet. It's not our fault they made a shit offer at the 11th hour.

I thought Welsh came out and said there's no way Merrett's getting traded, he's a required player and is staying no matter what.

In hindsight (I know that's easy), we should've came out right at the start of the trade week and said Merrett's on the table, who has the best offer. We need picks in the top ten and/or very good players. At least that would've telegraphed to Hawthorne that their offer wouldn't be good enough, or maybe got a better offer from someone else.

 

[jdstorm]

I thought Welsh came out and said there's no way Merrett's getting traded, he's a required player and is staying no matter what.

In hindsight (I know that's easy), we should've came out right at the start of the trade week and said Merrett's on the table, who has the best offer. We need picks in the top ten and/or very good players. At least that would've telegraphed to Hawthorne that their offer wouldn't be good enough, or maybe got a better offer from someone else.

Of the top 10 actual picks 4 were academy/FS players and Essendon had 2 of the other 6

The other two were held by West coast and Richmond. And they were 1,2,3,4 in the open draft.

Pretty hard to get a deal done for one of those picks as teams like to keep those picks

 

[Squeaky]

Kako, Caddy, Jonhson, and Roberts all good. Nguyen good in patches. HEA was not in the action much, but when he was stuff happened. Blakiston also did some nice things. It's the old brigade that was dogshit.

Always is...

 

[Nifft]

Of the top 10 actual picks 4 were academy/FS players and Essendon had 2 of the other 6

The other two were held by West coast and Richmond. And they were 1,2,3,4 in the open draft.

Pretty hard to get a deal done for one of those picks as teams like to keep those picks

And what's the alternative? We end up with a player who just doesn't want to be here. Like what happened with Joe.

We could've looked at all possibilities including other clubs and future picks or players. Saying he's on the table from the very start if the right deal can be found might've meant Merrett and his manager wouldn't have gone scorched earth. And if we were open to a trade we could've had an agreement up front that if a deal cannot be found that he'd have to stay, so it wouldn't be a painful as it is now.

 

[jdstorm]

And what's the alternative? We end up with a player who just doesn't want to be here. Like what happened with Joe.

We could've looked at all possibilities including other clubs and future picks or players. Saying he's on the table from the very start if the right deal can be found might've meant Merrett and his manager wouldn't have gone scorched earth. And if we were open to a trade we could've had an agreement up front that if a deal cannot be found that he'd have to stay, so it wouldn't be a painful as it is now.

In terms of Essendon’s needs there’s two viable alternatives

1 is a package built around a best 22 player or two that we value

The other is a package built around future picks.

option 1 build around a best 22 player or two (similar to the Curnow trade).

However that was impossible as after Essendon’s injury run last season no outside players trusted EFC with their bodies.

The only viable option last season was a package built around bulk future picks.

The Other challenge was Zac who was allegedly only open to Melbourne clubs with a chance to win. That’s a pretty short list and most were saving their future picks for Zac Butters

 

[Squeaky]

I don't disagree with you about the offer, but keeping Merrett after he took a dump on our front doorstep was a bad move. It's had a negative affect on our culture, if that's even possible at this point. And our "best player" just doesn't care any more, so what does that impress upon our younger players?

I don't know how they could've got more for Merrett but they should've tried. Maybe they could've told his manager that the Hawk's offer was too thin and Merrett should consider other teams instead of just Hawks. Leaving it to the last minute and then having a staring competition with Hawthorn after what Merrett and his manager did was stupid.

That was the strategy I think - just getting us to cave in.
I am glad we didn't.

 

[Nifft]

That was the strategy I think - just getting us to cave in.
I am glad we didn't.

I'm glad we didn't cave as well as that Hawthorne offer was terrible, but I think we went in with the wrong strategy from the start. It would've been worth exploring all options from the start before it got nasty.

 

[faible]

I'm glad we didn't cave as well as that Hawthorne offer was terrible, but I think we went in with the wrong strategy from the start. It would've been worth exploring all options from the start before it got nasty.

For a player like Merrett with the currency and salary he'd command, there was no real viable late options.

He was only going to agree to go to a contender, probably not outside of Victoria. Most of the clubs that fit the bill wouldn't have the cap space, and even if we offered to pay a chunk of his contract, that limited number of sides still needed to have suitable currency to get a deal done.

Likely he's turfed his manager because he was poorly advised. Trying to come out very late in the piece with no backup plan and no guarantee whatsoever from the Hawks that they'd offer what was likely to be asked was bad business.

 

[jdstorm]

And what's the alternative? We end up with a player who just doesn't want to be here. Like what happened with Joe.

We could've looked at all possibilities including other clubs and future picks or players. Saying he's on the table from the very start if the right deal can be found might've meant Merrett and his manager wouldn't have gone scorched earth. And if we were open to a trade we could've had an agreement up front that if a deal cannot be found that he'd have to stay, so it wouldn't be a painful as it is now.

The alternative is Zac being willing to move interstate.

He chose EFC and Melbourne over Adelaide/Sydney so that’s on him

 

[Nifft]

In terms of Essendon’s needs there’s two viable alternatives

1 is a package built around a best 22 player or two that we value

The other is a package built around future picks.

option 1 build around a best 22 player or two (similar to the Curnow trade).

However that was impossible as after Essendon’s injury run last season no outside players trusted EFC with their bodies.

The only viable option last season was a package built around bulk future picks.

The Other challenge was Zac who was allegedly only open to Melbourne clubs with a chance to win. That’s a pretty short list and most were saving their future picks for Zac Butters

Most people agree we should've traded Joe. I don't think it's been a good thing to keep Merrett at the club. In fact I think it's been more harmful than good.

I don't know if anything would've changed if we'd been more amiable to trading Zac from the very start, but holding onto Zac has been a net negative. As bad as that Hawthorne deal was, it'd be interesting to look into a parallel universe where the deal was done and see if it ended up an overall positive outcome for the playing group compared to what we have now.

 

[jdstorm]

Most people agree we should've traded Joe. I don't think it's been a good thing to keep Merrett at the club. In fact I think it's been more harmful than good.

I don't know if anything would've changed if we'd been more amiable to trading Zac from the very start, but holding onto Zac has been a net negative. As bad as that Hawthorne deal was, it'd be interesting to look into a parallel universe where the deal was done and see if it ended up an overall positive outcome for the playing group compared to what we have now.

Look the Joe deal probably should have been done in hindsight.

The Merrett deal I think will provide better opportunities this year then what the hawks offered

 

[Nifft]

Look the Joe deal probably should have been done in hindsight.

The Merrett deal I think will provide better opportunities this year then what the hawks offered

Do you think we'll trade Merrett this year? What about the supposed contract extension that we offered?

I wondered if they offered an extension to Merrett to get a gauge on where he's at and if he's going to try to leave again. Either way I think it was stupid to offer him anything more after what happened.

 

[faible]

Do you think we'll trade Merrett this year? What about the supposed contract extension that we offered?

I wondered if they offered an extension to Merrett to get a gauge on where he's at and if he's going to try to leave again. Either way I think it was stupid to offer him anything more after what happened.

I don't mind the extension offer tbh; it forces him to either sign it and shut up or tell them he's leaving early enough to actually make plans.

 

[jdstorm]

Do you think we'll trade Merrett this year? What about the supposed contract extension that we offered?

I wondered if they offered an extension to Merrett to get a gauge on where he's at and if he's going to try to leave again. Either way I think it was stupid to offer him anything more after what happened.

I think there’s a 99% change that Merrett is gone. Maybe higher.

Only way he stays is if Essendon win a final or make top 4. So yeah he’s gone.

I think we get a decent return as teams are all geared up to chase Zac butters/Bailey and whoever doesn’t them will take Merrett as a consolation.

Few different package options.

My bet is we try and load up in the 2027 draft to match our 3 academy players.

If not that 1 very high pick or maybe a KPP that’s ready to break out

 

[Squeaky]

I think there’s a 99% change that Merrett is gone. Maybe higher.

Only way he stays is if Essendon win a final or make top 4. So yeah he’s gone.

I think we get a decent return as teams are all geared up to chase Zac butters/Bailey and whoever doesn’t them will take Merrett as a consolation.

Few different package options.

My bet is we try and load up in the 2027 draft to match our 3 academy players.

If not that 1 very high pick or maybe a KPP that’s ready to break out

Isn't the 2027 draft going to be smashed by Tassie priority?

 

[eth-dog]

Isn't the 2027 draft going to be smashed by Tassie priority?

We need picks for next year regardless to match Koby. And possibly Rodan (though I hope he chooses Port).

 

[jdstorm]

Isn't the 2027 draft going to be smashed by Tassie priority?

We potentially have 3 first round picks via our academy that year. Including a top 5 pick

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

This is so predictable and infuriating.

The significant step in ‘billion-dollar’ class action against the AFL, Cats

The landmark action against the AFL, led by a two-time premiership star and which now involves more than 100 players, took a big step forward on Tuesday.

www.theage.com.au

They'll come out firing against North and then just get over the line, and then go back to not giving a shit for the rest of the season. It's the Essington way.

 

[div12ressie]

I live in adelaide so I jump on every opportunity to watch the bombers play over here. This was the first time I've ever left the game early (3QT), and I've sat through our beltings against Adelaide in the finals etc etc. All I saw were players consistently arguing with each other (langford & merrett), backwards handballing to then bombing it 50m in the air to the opposition. The most uninspiring football ive ever witnessed. Something needs to change ASAP

 

[Old Campaigner]

cbf doing it myself but how do our stats compare to norf or wce at their nadir?

It's one thing for some peanut in the media to lament our pressure rating of 120 or whatever other statistic we suck at, but it's really only meaningful when compared to rebuilding sides of a similar list demographic.

 

[SpeckieMcVeigh]

cbf doing it myself but how do our stats compare to norf or wce at their nadir?

It's one thing for some peanut in the media to lament our pressure rating of 120 or whatever other statistic we suck at, but it's really only meaningful when compared to rebuilding sides of a similar list demographic.

To put things into perspective, the pressure rating we had against Port was the lowest single game rating in the history of the stat, which goes back I think 13 years.

 

[Nifft]

To put things into perspective, the pressure rating we had against Port was the lowest single game rating in the history of the stat, which goes back I think 13 years.

I don't understand the pressure rating. Is it a combination of various stats like tackles, turnovers etc?

Not surprised we were lowest though, we were awful.