The Bendigo Alignment

[Darealrath]

IIRC we've signed with them until 2009. This concerns me.

With all the restructuring that is taking place and the youth development focus that Knights is talking about I feel we are missing out here.

2 main reasons for this:

1. The distance.
2. The lack of total control in playing our young blokes where and how we want them.

There is also a third reason - the local Essendon community would appreciate regularly seeing VFL footy - but that's a bit irrelevant to this discussion.

Geelong have shown how it can be done successfully. Not that I think it won them the flag but I'm guessing it makes things a lot easier for them.

Collingwood have now jumped on board and I'd expect they'll make a success of it.

It might cost us a bit more but I think it would definately be worth going it alone as soon as the current arrangement is up, if not sooner.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

I agree completely. Bendigo is, quite frankly, a dump, and not many people are willing to go there. On the other hand, I live within walking distance of Windy Hill, and would love to see some of the kids play.

Also, being able to play the players how Knighter would play them in the seniors, rather than how the Bendigo coach wants them to, will boost their development, and ultimately, our onfield performance.

 

[Myka]

IIRC we've signed with them until 2009. This concerns me.

With all the restructuring that is taking place and the youth development focus that Knights is talking about I feel we are missing out here.

2 main reasons for this:

1. The distance.
2. The lack of total control in playing our young blokes where and how we want them.

There is also a third reason - the local Essendon community would appreciate regularly seeing VFL footy - but that's a bit irrelevant to this discussion.

Geelong have shown how it can be done successfully. Not that I think it won them the flag but I'm guessing it makes things a lot easier for them.

Collingwood have now jumped on board and I'd expect they'll make a success of it.

It might cost us a bit more but I think it would definately be worth going it alone as soon as the current arrangement is up, if not sooner.

1. the reason why your with bendigo is that you need players, and support. the cost is less with a allignment.
2. essendon has full control over where there players play. the coach of the team is an essendon employee,

there is only 6 or 7 games in bendigo out of 20 rounds add it up and there is at least7to 8 more rounds in melbourne, the bendigo players would and will play at windy hill gr8 facilities but if you want to see them travel to port melb and willy its only 20 mins max
to get a little u have to give i little

 

[B-Bomber]

Not to mention the in built support it creates a "home away from home" similar to what Hawthorn and North have without the giving away of Home AFL games. I study with some people from Bendigo and support for the bombers is pretty strong there.

 

[Myka]

I agree completely. Bendigo is, quite frankly, a dump, and not many people are willing to go there. On the other hand, I live within walking distance of Windy Hill, and would love to see some of the kids play.

Also, being able to play the players how Knighter would play them in the seniors, rather than how the Bendigo coach wants them to, will boost their development, and ultimately, our onfield performance.

where will the coach from bendigo come from? have a think ? as part of the allingment it has to be an ESSENDON employment if its like last time the development coach wat more could u want? if you watched the games last year who was played out of possie? i'd say suck it up and travel a bit! theres 10-12 games in melb? travel to them! bendigo players travel at least 10 times a year to melb when bombers go down think it was 6 times last year?

 

[Ben the Gooner]

where will the coach from bendigo come from? have a think ? as part of the allingment it has to be an ESSENDON employment if its like last time the development coach wat more could u want? if you watched the games last year who was played out of possie? i'd say suck it up and travel a bit! theres 10-12 games in melb? travel to them! bendigo players travel at least 10 times a year to melb when bombers go down think it was 6 times last year?

I realise that, but he has a responsibility to Bendigo as well. He has to give 110% to win the game, and sometimes that involves playing players in positions that they won't play at Essendon.

On the other hand, an Essendon reserves side exists solely to prepare the next 22 for the inevitable call-ups, so that they can be the best they can for Essendon, not Bendigo.

And money is not an issue to us. We can afford to pay the permanent reserve players.

 

[Myka]

I realise that, but he has a responsibility to Bendigo as well. He has to give 110% to win the game, and sometimes that involves playing players in positions that they won't play at Essendon.

On the other hand, an Essendon reserves side exists solely to prepare the next 22 for the inevitable call-ups, so that they can be the best they can for Essendon, not Bendigo.

And money is not an issue to us. We can afford to pay the permanent reserve players.

your wrong if you can give me an example i will shut up but the allinment is set up to develop the essendon players if they win essendon dnt care and they shouldn, the team due to say knighter last year puts player like remmiers in positions like they would in the ones if they are up 4 contention, the players if they want to win a game that get player out of position are players who wouldnt matter where they played ala kepler and johns
mate stop winging bout travelling 1.5hours to see up and coming essendon players, or travel to the melb and listen to the feed back from other people untill there is something else
i know essendon are happy with the allignment which means that they could keep going no reason not to they get there own way.
come watch the games in melbourne if you dont want to use the fuel and see how many people com watch the game get behind them and see how much better place is then melb i should know ive lived in both and reckon bendigo is way ahead of melb, purly for the fact there is much better people in bendigo and a goo place to relax ever been there or just assuming its a whole cos it doesn have 2 million ppl there

 

[Ben the Gooner]

your wrong if you can give me an example i will shut up but the allinment is set up to develop the essendon players if they win essendon dnt care and they shouldn, the team due to say knighter last year puts player like remmiers in positions like they would in the ones if they are up 4 contention, the players if they want to win a game that get player out of position are players who wouldnt matter where they played ala kepler and johns
mate stop winging bout travelling 1.5hours to see up and coming essendon players, or travel to the melb and listen to the feed back from other people untill there is something else
i know essendon are happy with the allignment which means that they could keep going no reason not to they get there own way.
come watch the games in melbourne if you dont want to use the fuel and see how many people com watch the game get behind them and see how much better place is then melb i should know ive lived in both and reckon bendigo is way ahead of melb, purly for the fact there is much better people in bendigo and a goo place to relax ever been there or just assuming its a whole cos it doesn have 2 million ppl there

C'mon mate, use punctuation. That was bloody hard to read.

You make some good points, however.

Bendigo exists as a club itself, and its primary aim is to win games of football. This is incredibly difficult to do when the players are half amateurs, who don't get paid enough to drive 1.5hrs to training, and the other half are professionals who need to train with the senior team, and can't train in the opposite direction. This makes playing very difficult, as I'm sure anyone who has played a season with a bunch of strangers will attest to.

The difficulty in playing negates the benefits which come from playing regular matches. So much of the time will be spent learning to read your teammates' play, that a lot of it will be wasted. Normally this understanding would come from training, but as I said before that can't happen.

I don't see enough VFL games to comment, but from what I hear, Kepler Bradley was played as the main key forward last year. That is clearly not his position. Although he did very well, the Essendon Football Club would've gained the most if Neagle was at FF, Gumbleton at CHF, and Bradley as the HFF.

As to me travelling to Bendigo, I would if I had a car, a license, and wasn't 16 years old.

I have been to Bendigo, and it'll never compare to Melbourne, but that's by the by.

 

[Myka]

C'mon mate, use punctuation. That was bloody hard to read.

You make some good points, however.

Bendigo exists as a club itself, and its primary aim is to win games of football. This is incredibly difficult to do when the players are half amateurs, who don't get paid enough to drive 1.5hrs to training, and the other half are professionals who need to train with the senior team, and can't train in the opposite direction. This makes playing very difficult, as I'm sure anyone who has played a season with a bunch of strangers will attest to.

The difficulty in playing negates the benefits which come from playing regular matches. So much of the time will be spent learning to read your teammates' play, that a lot of it will be wasted. Normally this understanding would come from training, but as I said before that can't happen.

I don't see enough VFL games to comment, but from what I hear, Kepler Bradley was played as the main key forward last year. That is clearly not his position. Although he did very well, the Essendon Football Club would've gained the most if Neagle was at FF, Gumbleton at CHF, and Bradley as the HFF.

As to me travelling to Bendigo, I would if I had a car, a license, and wasn't 16 years old.

I have been to Bendigo, and it'll never compare to Melbourne, but that's by the by.

mate for my puncuation comes from being on a pc all my life sorry that you cant read short hand
if your 16 u may not understand senoir footy or VFL or the way AFL trades
ok for ur placements of players one Neagle was injured most of the year Kepler played at CHF playing as another HFF gumbleton when played, played at CHF, another point the players that were playing senoirs, bout 6 or 7 trained with essendon and most people who play senoirs get to know the players pretty well.so that aint a problem
if you dont watch the vfl games mate dont comment, you can comment when u watch games, if u watched them you would see that those blokes played in the right possie, mate dont say anything if you dont know the full story sorry to put u down but u need to know the full story, i know players dont train at the level that afl players do but why would they get payed bout 1% of afl players
mate research what bendigo does and have a look when they can im sure being a VCE student you should know that it is hard, imagine having a full time job or full time uni student and play VFL, yet some VFL players are better then AFL players,
come to training one time find out how hard it is to balance footy with uni, essendon is happy with the allignment. if you understand how it works u might think different. ulitmatly essendon control bendigo trade as a different company. the alingment will stay cos they control
onfield have i think if they have an essendon coach wat do u think he would be looking out for bendigo or essendon ??????????

bout bendigo if your only 16 you wouldnt understand, shopping aint everything mate night life is good people are good dont have as much arrogant ppl like melb nor do u have as bad drivers again a thing you wouldnt know ive been to alot a places around aus and around the world aqnd bendigo is one of the best places.

 

[Darealrath]

Bendigo exists as a club itself, and its primary aim is to win games of football. This is incredibly difficult to do when the players are half amateurs, who don't get paid enough to drive 1.5hrs to training, and the other half are professionals who need to train with the senior team, and can't train in the opposite direction. This makes playing very difficult, as I'm sure anyone who has played a season with a bunch of strangers will attest to.

This is what I'm talking about. Going it alone would solve it. Solving it would aid our young players development. Aiding our young players development will help us win. We're missing out.

 

[Myka]

This is what I'm talking about. Going it alone would solve it. Solving it would aid our young players development. Aiding our young players development will help us win. We're missing out.

do you watch VFL? the same sort of players that will top up will be exactly the same players who already play with em ?

yes they do trade as different clubs but like i said its an essendon coach so wat would an essendon coach look at for bendigo or the club he gets the checks from?

 

[boncer34]

I agree completely. Bendigo is, quite frankly, a dump, and not many people are willing to go there. On the other hand, I live within walking distance of Windy Hill, and would love to see some of the kids play.

Also, being able to play the players how Knighter would play them in the seniors, rather than how the Bendigo coach wants them to, will boost their development, and ultimately, our onfield performance.

C'mon mate, use punctuation. That was bloody hard to read.

You make some good points, however.

Bendigo exists as a club itself, and its primary aim is to win games of football. This is incredibly difficult to do when the players are half amateurs, who don't get paid enough to drive 1.5hrs to training, and the other half are professionals who need to train with the senior team, and can't train in the opposite direction. This makes playing very difficult, as I'm sure anyone who has played a season with a bunch of strangers will attest to.

The difficulty in playing negates the benefits which come from playing regular matches. So much of the time will be spent learning to read your teammates' play, that a lot of it will be wasted. Normally this understanding would come from training, but as I said before that can't happen.

I don't see enough VFL games to comment, but from what I hear, Kepler Bradley was played as the main key forward last year. That is clearly not his position. Although he did very well, the Essendon Football Club would've gained the most if Neagle was at FF, Gumbleton at CHF, and Bradley as the HFF.

As to me travelling to Bendigo, I would if I had a car, a license, and wasn't 16 years old.

I have been to Bendigo, and it'll never compare to Melbourne, but that's by the by.

Brilliant a city cant compare to Melbourne so its a "dump." Is that how you classify every city in Australia outside of Melbourne and Sydney?



As for the point in issue I think its good because it provides quite a strong "second" base for the Essendon Football Club. The support down here for the Bombers is extremely strong and its not just from Bendigo itself. The surrounding area are also firmly behind the Bombers because going past Bendigo there isn't many "professional" sporting clubs. So a lot of people enjoy supporting the Bombers.

 

[Darealrath]

the same sort of players that will top up will be exactly the same players who already play with em ?

But they'll be able to train together a lot more regularly which will make a massive difference. You really don't think that will help ? Why do you think the pies are going it alone ?

 

[pazza]

I think I can safely say the Bendigo alignment has actually been stronger for Essendon than most people actually realise.

Anyone here ever been to QEO for a Bendigo game? As a regular visitor, it's a great ground to play on and has proven advantageous when playing either home or away games in Melbourne, because of the shape of the ground meaning a more direct form of play is used in Bendigo matches. and that was certainly the case under Knights as Bendigo coach.

I hear the development argument all the time - but, I use the Kepler Bradley argument as the best case. Played as a permanent CHF. he starred - got the Bendigo B and F and the fact Sheedy rarely if ever played him in that role has ultimately seen Bradley leave the club, looking for opportunities to play as a permanent CHF.

A VFL licence is more than $200000. That's the equivalent of one average player.

 

[Myka]

But they'll be able to train together a lot more regularly which will make a massive difference. You really don't think that will help ? Why do you think the pies are going it alone ?

pies are because they didnt have control of there players unlike essendon
most players already train together or the allignment wasnt working for them

there was cloke geary okeefe skipworth jolly maddern, just to name a few who trained with them the whole year, but its limited to train on what days as it would be if they were alone.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

mate for my puncuation comes from being on a pc all my life sorry that you cant read short hand

You've stereotyped me as a typical 16 year old, but assumed I can't read short hand?

if your 16 u may not understand senoir footy or VFL or the way AFL trades
ok for ur placements of players one Neagle was injured most of the year Kepler played at CHF playing as another HFF gumbleton when played, played at CHF

Perhaps I'm speaking hypothetically here, but the way I see it, Bradley was only ever going to be a third tall, with or without Lloyd and Lucas. Gumby and Neagle are going to be our next Lloyd and Lucas.

However, Bradley is the only one of that trio who has a body that is ready for AFL football, or even VFL at KP. So, if Bendigo were going for the win, they would throw the biggest body (Bradley) into the goalsquare, and bomb it long onto his head. However, an Essendon reserves side would play Neagle out of the square, Gumby at CHF and Bradley at HFF. This set up would ultimately benefit the EFC the most.

, another point the players that were playing senoirs, bout 6 or 7 trained with essendon and most people who play senoirs get to know the players pretty well.so that aint a problem

know players dont train at the level that afl players do but why would they get payed bout 1% of afl players

I think you misunderstood what I was trying to say. I was saying that Bendigo players can't afford to come to Melbourne to train every day, as they get paid so little, and Essendon players train at Windy Hill with the senior team. Therefore, there is little cohesion or team bonding. Having an Essendon-based reserves side would solve that problem.

if you understand how it works u might think different. ulitmatly essendon control bendigo trade as a different company. the alingment will stay cos they control
onfield have i think if they have an essendon coach wat do u think he would be looking out for bendigo or essendon ??????????

Essendon is the coach's priority, for sure, but on the other hand, he still has a major responsibility to Bendigo. If it was and EFC reserves side, the only responsibility would be to the development of players.

bout bendigo if your only 16 you wouldnt understand, shopping aint everything mate night life is good people are good dont have as much arrogant ppl like melb nor do u have as bad drivers again a thing you wouldnt know ive been to alot a places around aus and around the world aqnd bendigo is one of the best places.

The shopping is far from my first criterion when ranking a city. Bendigo is, I'm sure, a nice place to stay for an extended period, but what my initial point was is that there isn't much in Bendigo to attract people there. If a person was tossing up whether to go to a Bendigo game in Bendigo, with the alternative being a night with the boys in Melbourne, it's a pretty straightforward choice (from a fun perspective at least). However, with the games at Windy Hill, the crowds would be much bigger, especially with Essendon members.

Brilliant a city cant compare to Melbourne so its a "dump." Is that how you classify every city in Australia outside of Melbourne and Sydney?

I said it was a dump to start with, then he compared it to Melbourne.

 

[Bombertastic]

I agree completely. Bendigo is, quite frankly, a dump, and not many people are willing to go there. On the other hand, I live within walking distance of Windy Hill, and would love to see some of the kids play.

Also, being able to play the players how Knighter would play them in the seniors, rather than how the Bendigo coach wants them to, will boost their development, and ultimately, our onfield performance.

Hey hey hey, be nice now. I lived for 13 years in Essendon before moving to Bendigo and would never go back. However I'm not about to call Essendon a dump.

Distance is hardly a problem since the Freeway upgrades. Come see a match or two. The town is great and the people are nice. Great ground to watch footy on to at the QEO.

Player movement and training are an issue I'll give you that. I'm not sure what the set up is. There were a few games last year where all but one player in the Bendigo side were either on the full list or rookie I think. It's basically Essendon seconds and not really a club in it's own right anymore. That's ok with me.

Bendigo is now the largest city after Geelong outside Melbourne passing Ballarat with a population of over 100,000. Rich in sporting culture and love their footy with a huge passion. Games are always full and the atmosphere electric.

Not to mention the future players Essendon can get a hold of through the region and lure them to Bomberland.

 

[ant555]

IIRC we've signed with them until 2009. This concerns me.

With all the restructuring that is taking place and the youth development focus that Knights is talking about I feel we are missing out here.

2 main reasons for this:

1. The distance.
2. The lack of total control in playing our young blokes where and how we want them.

There is also a third reason - the local Essendon community would appreciate regularly seeing VFL footy - but that's a bit irrelevant to this discussion.

Geelong have shown how it can be done successfully. Not that I think it won them the flag but I'm guessing it makes things a lot easier for them.

Collingwood have now jumped on board and I'd expect they'll make a success of it.

It might cost us a bit more but I think it would definately be worth going it alone as soon as the current arrangement is up, if not sooner.

To start with has anyone thought the distance can be a posative ? A few times last year the whole team went up a day before the game and stayed as a group similar to a interstate trip. Now i know it is not the same as flying somewhere but all the same it was used as a mini interstate trip to give the young players a similar sort of experience.

Secondly we can play our players where ever we want. Part of the agreement with Bendigo states we pick the coach and we run the on field football side of things. We do have total control of our players so it is a non issue.

 

[ant555]

I agree completely. Bendigo is, quite frankly, a dump, and not many people are willing to go there. On the other hand, I live within walking distance of Windy Hill, and would love to see some of the kids play.

Also, being able to play the players how Knighter would play them in the seniors, rather than how the Bendigo coach wants them to, will boost their development, and ultimately, our onfield performance.

Given Knights will be picking the Bendigo coach personally and attending 70% of the Bendigo games do you really think that the players wont be used in positions that Matty wants them ?
We have always had complete control in this area and will continue to do so simply becasue part of the alignment agreement says we pick the coach and control the onfield issues.

As far as Bendigo being a dump how so ? Bendigo is a great place. What exactly makes it such a dump?

 

[ant555]

I realise that, but he has a responsibility to Bendigo as well. He has to give 110% to win the game, and sometimes that involves playing players in positions that they won't play at Essendon.

On the other hand, an Essendon reserves side exists solely to prepare the next 22 for the inevitable call-ups, so that they can be the best they can for Essendon, not Bendigo.

And money is not an issue to us. We can afford to pay the permanent reserve players.

You have not seen a lot of Bendigo games have you ? The palyers are used in positions Essendon wants them to and in some games it was to the detriment of Bendigo winning games. Situations like starting older players who have been slightly out of form in key positions so that they can get into the game and possibly push for senior selection again. Trying new spots for players so that they can be assesed for similar roles in the future for Essendon. Bendigo have to live with this a bit becasue they know without the alignment they are in big trouble. Cant draw enough quality players and have not got the financial strength to compete with the bigger clubs.

 

[ant555]

Bendigo exists as a club itself, and its primary aim is to win games of football. This is incredibly difficult to do when the players are half amateurs, who don't get paid enough to drive 1.5hrs to training, and the other half are professionals who need to train with the senior team, and can't train in the opposite direction. This makes playing very difficult, as I'm sure anyone who has played a season with a bunch of strangers will attest to.

Yes and without the alignment with us they cant win at all.Have a look at the history. They need us more than we need them so we get free reign over on field matters.

I don't see enough VFL games to comment, but from what I hear, Kepler Bradley was played as the main key forward last year. That is clearly not his position. Although he did very well, the Essendon Football Club would've gained the most if Neagle was at FF, Gumbleton at CHF, and Bradley as the HFF.

Well you really shouldnt comment on things you havnt seen enough of should you !
To start with when they where fit enough to play Neagle was used at FF and Gumbleton at CHF. This wasnt a lot of games though given Neagle was out for 13 or so weeks and Gumbleton 8 weeks with injury.
Secondly Bradley was used soley as a CHF he was also used in the ruck on the wing and in defence a few times and on top of that you are saying CHF is not his position ? Maybe you had better have some knowledge of the player first before making stupid remarks. As a junior Bradley played as a CHF/winger. It was when he got to us that Sheedy tried to trun him into a defender. Last year for Bendigo Knights returned him to his true postion under the Essendon coaching staffs direction becasue they knew that Bradley playing as a defender was finished.

I have been to Bendigo, and it'll never compare to Melbourne, but that's by the by

Yeah it will never have the traffic, grafiti and millions of ********s to annoy you every day.

 

[Tweezersthegreat]

To put it simply, Collingwood left Willy because Willy are an old and proud club with a strong tradition and like to have a lot of control over what goes on, Collingwood did not like that.
Bendigo on the other hand only entered the comp maybe 5-6 years before joining with Essendon, and as has been put above, need us to be competitive not only on the field but to help balance their finances. They cannot run alone. Therefore we have control over what we do on the field with the players. Because of the fact that Bendigo is a new club to the VFL, without history and needs help to survive the Essendon/Bendigo partnership would go very close to being the most mutually beneficial in the league.

 

[7zark7]

mate for my puncuation comes from being on a pc all my life sorry that you cant read short hand
if your 16 u may not understand senoir footy or VFL or the way AFL trades
ok for ur placements of players one Neagle was injured most of the year Kepler played at CHF playing as another HFF gumbleton when played, played at CHF, another point the players that were playing senoirs, bout 6 or 7 trained with essendon and most people who play senoirs get to know the players pretty well.so that aint a problem
if you dont watch the vfl games mate dont comment, you can comment when u watch games, if u watched them you would see that those blokes played in the right possie, mate dont say anything if you dont know the full story sorry to put u down but u need to know the full story, i know players dont train at the level that afl players do but why would they get payed bout 1% of afl players
mate research what bendigo does and have a look when they can im sure being a VCE student you should know that it is hard, imagine having a full time job or full time uni student and play VFL, yet some VFL players are better then AFL players,
come to training one time find out how hard it is to balance footy with uni, essendon is happy with the allignment. if you understand how it works u might think different. ulitmatly essendon control bendigo trade as a different company. the alingment will stay cos they control
onfield have i think if they have an essendon coach wat do u think he would be looking out for bendigo or essendon ??????????

bout bendigo if your only 16 you wouldnt understand, shopping aint everything mate night life is good people are good dont have as much arrogant ppl like melb nor do u have as bad drivers again a thing you wouldnt know ive been to alot a places around aus and around the world aqnd bendigo is one of the best places.

Dude please use grammer, punctuation and correct spelling. Reading that is painful . You make some good points though.

 

[Myka]

Dude please use grammer, punctuation and correct spelling. Reading that is painful . You make some good points though.

dont read it then!!!!!!! this forum is for commenting on football not my grammer. if you have a constructive thing to say about the allignment say it if not keep your comments to yourself cheers!!!

 

[AJ_2000]

I am very happy with the alliance.

We still play a few home games at Windy Hill to give the locals a chance to watch their side.

You never hear any discontent coming out of the club about coaching or team selection. I would think that we have one of the best if not the best alliance within the VFL.

We call all the shots, it is really the Essendon VFL team playing out of Bendigo.