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The Positives - no negatives.

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efcboy

efcboy

Brownlow Medallist
Veteran 10k Posts
Oct 2, 2007
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Essendon
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Showing some ticker to come back in 2nd half interstate after terrible 1st half. Didn't get the result but fought it out to the last minute in the last half. The bombers of previous years would have lied down completely but at least they had a go at it.

Courtney Dempsey having a good game and coming through unscathed - his skills are pretty good and hits the targets most of the time. Got better as the game went on and shows he will be extremely valuable as a winger/hbf in 2009.

Henry Slattery was pretty solid in defence and showed he does have some attack to his game as well being handy going forward on multiple occasions.

Jason Laycock - stood up in the last quarter taking some decent marks, laying some tackles and more importantly kicking the goals. Obviously we need more of this but it was refreshing to see what he know he can do.

Heath Hocking - when moved into the centre in 2nd half did some good clearance work and moved well. Showed he can form a part of midfield rotations in 2009.
 
I reckon you have most of them covered. :thumbsu:

Ryder was good today as well and Lonergan just keeps getting better and better. Geez he's a tough little nut.
Lovett's run and carry was pivotal for us getting back into the contest and what about Leroy, doesn't get much of it but all he needs is 1/2 a chance to hurt you on the scoreboard.
 
Great to see a few of our maligned players contribute.

Dyson - worked hard all day

Slattery - Good game his last month has been very good (I was pretty harsh on Henry early this year and I am happy that he has shown a lot of improvement)

Big Laycock - Had a great last quarter

I also thought the first game back of Dempsey was very good, looking forward to seeing a fit Dempsey and Hocking on 09.

Also Gussy did very well, he must have one of the best sets of hands for a small player I have seen.
 

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  • Paddy Ryder held up really well at CHB, espeically in the first half
  • Leroy's two great goals
  • Laycock improving and kicking 3 (could've easily had a couple more)
  • Dempsey's poise and kicking on both feet
  • Slattery was very good and is adding an attacking part to his game
 
  • Dempsey was a little rusty but was fantastic considering his long lay off
  • Laycock showed something
  • Ryder was just massive, basically didn't do anything wrong all day
  • Lovett responded to a poor first half
  • Lonergan was great
  • Slattery did really well
 
Both sides were undermanned, and I guess the home crowd advantage was always going to favour them.

Thought our young kids showed a bit of heart in the second half after looking a little out of it in the first.

The positives I can see are we'll get a few HANDY players back next week, we're back at home and there will be a special milestone or two next week to look forward too.

Another positive is I don't think the umpiring could of been worse than it was today.
 
Andrew Welsh maintained his form, 26 disposals and one of the few who put his head over the ball. Watson (30 Disposals) deserves a mention also because he was another great player who was prepared to dig deep when everybody was looking for the easy possessions.

Didn't mention any others because everyone else has sung the praises of the likes of Dempsey, Ryder, Slats etc.
 
Dustin Fletcher was awesome. Without him we would've lost by 70 points. Was under fire in the 3rd quarter but kept it together for the team and gave us a chance in the last.
 
retroparty said:
Dustin Fletcher was awesome. Without him we would've lost by 70 points. Was under fire in the 3rd quarter but kept it together for the team and gave us a chance in the last.
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How good were his 3 spoils in 20 seconds (3rd qrt), what a legend. :)
 
i think we know now that next year is where we make our charge. likes of sydney and hawthorn will be too strong this year anyway even if we did make finals
 
The Dustbin said:
How good were his 3 spoils in 20 seconds (3rd qrt), what a legend. :)
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He is a champion, a gun, a great. No superlative does him justice. The number of times he crashed the pack and spoiled was amazing and then to collect the ball and pinpoint a 60m pass. The best Scarlett can do is a 15m handball. :p
 

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efcboy said:
Showing some ticker to come back in 2nd half interstate after terrible 1st half. Didn't get the result but fought it out to the last minute in the last half. The bombers of previous years would have lied down completely but at least they had a go at it.

Courtney Dempsey having a good game and coming through unscathed - his skills are pretty good and hits the targets most of the time. Got better as the game went on and shows he will be extremely valuable as a winger/hbf in 2009.

Henry Slattery was pretty solid in defence and showed he does have some attack to his game as well being handy going forward on multiple occasions.

Jason Laycock - stood up in the last quarter taking some decent marks, laying some tackles and more importantly kicking the goals. Obviously we need more of this but it was refreshing to see what he know he can do.

Heath Hocking - when moved into the centre in 2nd half did some good clearance work and moved well. Showed he can form a part of midfield rotations in 2009.
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As supporters it's very easy to get caught up in the week to week proposition, especially when we are a chance at finals. But in all honesty, we need to have a realistic and broader view of the whole thing and sit back and let nature takes its course with this group...

It would have been great to win, and we really should have won. But we didn't turn up to play and that costs you the game - against any opposition (just ask the Bulldogs). Supporters should certainly not lose heart of get down about what happened today, just as Knighter didn't. He understands where the club is heading and knows today was just a step in the journey of a 4 year plan. A poor first half cost us victory, but let's get some perspective;

The shining light was

Dempsey. The guy has enormous talent and only needs games. He plays like a guy who has played 50 games; Speed, natural movement, takes the game on, takes risks - not bad for a guy playing one of his first games. ONLY injury can stop him becoming a terrific midfielder, half back. Just needs 50 games. He got caught a couple of times today, he will learn that there is a big step up from coasting around at Princess Park in the VFL.

Ryder is obviously a very good player already and will only get better...

Davey will be a good inclusion in 2009.

Houli. Myers, Winderlich, Neagle, Gumbleton, Davey and Reimers - will all be good players. I want to see more of Neagle but he has a spectacular leap, works hard, kicks well and is BIG - that's a good start!

Myers looks a great player and like Dempsey, plays with poise beyond his years. Myers could be as good as a Mc Veigh. I think he will be a great half back or centre in 3 years - like Houli. Reimers will only get better and has already proven to be a terrific attacking player with speed.

Jetta, Pears, Laycock - all show promise. Jetta needs to get more of the ball but I think once he puts on some more weight he will hold well in contests and not get brushed aside as easily - certainly has ability and flair. Monfies is getting better, and will continue to do so as he puts on weight. Laycock, plays appaulingly for 80% of the time but then does 3 things in a game that make you think he could be a very good player. You have to keep trying with Laycock for at least one more year.

Hocking, Daniher and Hislop - Don't know enough, Hocking appears to have something to work with. Would be a bonus if we can get one of these to cement a spot in the team.

What we need is at least one more tall player to compliment Gumbleton, Ryder and perhaps Neagle. Need one more... We also need a ruckmen to back Hille up with Laycock does not work, or takes over from Hille in 5 years time.

If we can fill th above 2 roles, there is no doubt that Essendon will be a very strong team in 4 years. Only injury can stop Myers, Gumbleton, Dempsey and Houli from being very good footballers. Add these 4 players to the current team, and recruit another tall or 2 - then you have what will almost certainly be a very fast, exciting and attacking team to support in 3 - 4 years time.

It will be a good side in 3 years. Ryder starting starting attacking moves with Myers and Houli running off half back. Winderlich, Stanton, Dempsey, Lovett, being fed the ball by Watson and Lonegan. Fast speed and attacking skillful players will penetrating kicks into a forward line with possibly Neagle and Gumbleton taking strong marks. Davey, Jetta and Monfies assisting at the fall of the ball. At the very least, this has the makings of a very exciting and competitive side - possibly a very good one!

We supporters just need to see where Knighter is going with this thing and understand that all this will not happen overnight. We will have slip ups along the way, games where we don't turn up to play like today, games where young kids don't get a kick. We must be patient, the rewards are only 3 years away...
 
dave10 said:
Davey will be a good inclusion in 2009.

Houli. Myers, Winderlich, Neagle, Gumbleton, Davey and Reimers - will all be good players. I want to see more of Neagle but he has a spectacular leap, works hard, kicks well and is BIG - that's a good start!
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I tell you what, those players, along with a fit Scott Lucas & Mark McVeigh would of been the difference between winning and losing today. As well as the game against Richmond.

The Eagles had their own injury problems as well though, on the flip side.
 
APart from a need for an extra defender or a ruckmen (which everyclub has needs as well, even geelong) we have the cattle, it is just the matter of effort and the willpower to produce a four-quarter effort against most teams, especially lowly opposition such as West Coast. We had the cattle out there today, just not enough heart for long enough from enoiugh players. It's not the cattle at all. a talentless team can always beat a team full of talent if their work ethic and effort is superior. That's the lesson that we got taught today and what Collingwood was taught by us
 
Positives:


  • Dempsey made it through the match injury-free
  • Hocking found some run in the second half
  • Laycock teased us in stages.... Once again....
  • Lloyd kicked truly in a bad Perth breeze like the champion he is
  • The boys get a few extra weeks holiday this year :D
 
dirtywhitepacker said:
Positives:


  • Dempsey made it through the match injury-free
  • Hocking found some run in the second half
  • Laycock teased us in stages.... Once again....
  • Lloyd kicked truly in a bad Perth breeze like the champion he is
  • The boys get a few extra weeks holiday this year :D
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Does sound silly but this could be a very important factor next year with such a young list and the injuries we've had this year.
 

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Knight Ryders said:
Does sound silly but this could be a very important factor next year with such a young list and the injuries we've had this year.
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Yeah mate, that's what I was getting at. Would've been nice to play finals, but from a realistic point of view, finals are played at a whole new pace, and we would've been gone by the first week most likely if we did make it. Get those injured tired bodies right to go come pre-season and build for an attack on 2009..
 
Would we have even wanted to make the finals?...

Let's face it, what's the point to do it this year?... With Geelong, Hawthorn & the Bulldogs being quite difficult teams to beat this year... it's as if there's no use in finally getting in, cos you know that most likely, these three teams will make it to the end anyway.

I want us to reach our peak when it's needed. I want us to make the finals once Geelong slow down. I want to make the finals ONLY when we have a chance for the flag. This year, we would have been kicked out in the first match... (Although, the only reason to actually WANT Essendon to finish in the finals this year, is because you get to watch them playing MORE games...) however... were a rebuilding team, and that stuff is normal.

We should just concentrate on winning games, for the sake of pumping our boys up... not to make some stupid race that we can't even get the most out of ANYWAY. Leave that for '09... when we actually settle in with our new coach, all our players come back... and teams from this year become a less & less of a threat. Can you imagine how scary we'll be with all our wonderful players, ripe for competition?... - Especially if we maintain a steady average injury rate, which weve done well with in our past 7 games this year. From now on, most of our more experienced boys can have a breather for the next 3 weeks. The young ones can now play each game to the best of their ability without that unwanted "finals" cloud over them. This is a good factor when you jump into the pre-season, because you go in strong & reliable. Instead of getting injured in the first week of the finals & wasting time.

All in all... what's the point of finally entering a pie eating competition, if you can't eat more than 2 pies? - so to speak.

We are a great team, and even in our rebuilding stage, we have the ability to scare people - and that's a positive sign, because it shows things can only get that much sweeter when you're up and running with energy!

Think about it. :thumbsu:
 
Ryder was fantastic, best on IMO and Dempsey getting through ok, would probably have been named in an extended best list.

Lets be honest though there is no way we can have the same injury list in 09 that we have had in 08. Lucus, Macca, Basher, Alwyn, Winder, Neagle, Gumby, Dempsey, Hocking, Hislop and Myers have all miss significant chuncks of this year and will all be great inclusions next year, or course there will be injuries to maybe some of these players maybe some others from the list in 09 but I would hope(trust?) that the list wouldnt be that long and to so many key players!!
 
Call Me Cake said:
Would we have even wanted to make the finals?...

Let's face it, what's the point to do it this year?... With Geelong, Hawthorn & the Bulldogs being quite difficult teams to beat this year... it's as if there's no use in finally getting in, cos you know that most likely, these three teams will make it to the end anyway.
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My thoughts exactly. All we'd be doing is making up the numbers and risking further injuries.

I'm really proud of the effort this year, a year where all and sundry tipped us to win the spoon. Sure it was disappointing to lose to the eagles but the way we fought back from half time showed a lot of heart and character.

Really looking forward to next season. :)
 
Just a point of view from a cats fan here...

Hats off to the bombers this year, could have easliy thrown in the towel like the other teams (port, W.C and melbourne) to get an early pick and keep going with the "youth movement"..

but you kept having a crack all year and are going to win about 9 or 10 games and just miss the finals, great stuff IMO your list is similar to port the eagles and melbourne especially with the injuries youve copped, but you stuck to your guns and played competitive footy, :thumbsu::thumbsu:

and believe me you dont need picks 1 or 2 to win flags...

in 02 Geelong finished 9th, 03 11th, and 06 10th.

We never tanked a year and won every game we could, and we developed a winning culture because of it... looks like you are doing a similar thing

you wont be down for long, well done bombers, i just wish you got up yesterday..
 

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