Toast What was your favourite 'false dawn'?

[katana]

So another season down the gurgler time to turn to the important stuff.

Yes, we've been dogshit for 20 years, but there has been some glimmers along the way. What was your favourite moment where you thought, we've got it this time!

For example: 2009 defeating Carlton in April, Hirdy wrote that article about the Blues having 'the new Fab 4' and we beat them in a thriller. Carlton were a young hype team and we rolled them with a young side! Bound for greatness!

Another: 2010, we had a slow start, played the top 4 Bulldogs on a Friday night, we got it done in what I remember felt like a really professional, controlled way, I could see great things. I was 15 at the time. We pulled our season back to 5-5 (or something) and were coming into form to hit the second half of the season hard. Here we go. We've learnt from the '09 elimination final flogging.

Anyway, what are some other great moments in Essendon mediocrity?

 

[doug85]

I really enjoyed how Bigfooty decided we’d crushed the 2006 draft. What a FUBAR that was

 

[dank420_]

Not guilty verdicts a relief for Watson, players, Essendon

Essendon captain Jobe Watson has expressed relief and anger following the not guilty verdicts handed down by the AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal.

www.abc.net.au

 

[eth-dog]

Hire coming in initially

 

[thebigboy]

Rd 1 2006. Just crushed the reigning premiers, star full forward dominates & legally could buy a beer at the footy for the first time. Little did I know, my footy supporting life was only going to cause me great grief for the next 17 + years.

 

[doug85]

After 2017 when we had a 23 year old AA CHF, made finals and drafted Saad, Stringer and Smith.

That ******* fell apart quick smart

 

[Mikevk123]

2012-2014 we looked a decent side. Had some talent. Daniher, Ryder, Hibberd, Hurley, Hooker, Goddard, Carlisle, Watson, Young Zaharakis, Heppell, Crameri.

2017-18 we looked fabulous for parts.

Merrett, Goddard, McGrath, Daniher, Smith, Hurley, Hooker, Tippa, Fantasia, Heppell, Saad, Watson, Stringer, Mckeena, Parish.

 

[Pweter]

In round 15 2011, 2 future stars called Travis Colyer

33

Travis Colyer

Age

32

Ht

173cm

Wt

74kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.8

4star

K

9.1

4star

HB

5.7

4star

M

3.4

3star

T

2.4

4star

G

0.6

4star

D

9.5

2star

K

6.7

3star

HB

2.8

2star

M

1.8

2star

T

1.3

2star

G

0.3

3star

D

16.8

4star

K

9.0

4star

HB

7.8

5star

M

2.2

3star

T

3.2

5star

G

0.0

1star

and Jake Melksham

18

Jake Melksham

Age

32

Ht

186cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.2

2star

K

5.8

2star

HB

3.3

3star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.2

3star

G

0.8

4star

D

9.2

2star

K

5.8

2star

HB

3.3

2star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.2

2star

G

0.8

4star

D

9.2

3star

K

5.6

3star

HB

3.6

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

1.2

3star

G

0.8

4star

led a young and inexperienced Essendon team to an upset victory over 2010 prelim finalists and eventual 2011 premiers Geelong.

Oh boy, the future is bright. Strap yourself in guys here we go!

 

[VelvetSledge]

2013.

One of my favourite years being a supporter right up until the ASADA s**t really started to go against us and we finished with a whimper, before being dumped from finals anyway

 

[Pweter]

2013.

One of my favourite years being a supporter right up until the ASADA s**t really started to go against us and we finished with a whimper, before being dumped from finals anyway

Dimebag

I'm sure it's been ages but how long has he been your avatar? I only just noticed

 

[cAsEy_18]

2013.

One of my favourite years being a supporter right up until the ASADA s**t really started to go against us and we finished with a whimper, before being dumped from finals anyway

Yep, amazing year. The two wins in Perth standout as real "* the world, we're in this together" type of spirit and backbone that has been missing for a long, long time.

A not-as-exciting/memorable moment, but the back2back weeks in Rutten's first year where we beat West Coast, and took the lead early in the final quarter against Richmond (before collapsing) felt like the first genuine "This feels a bit different" moment for quite a while.

 

[cAsEy_18]

On a more down note, I remember Hurley having that 2nd half in the last round against Hawthorn in 2009 to get us in the finals. Great game, but my other memory is many Essendon fans being loud and boisterous, running and screaming down the aisles in the last quarter when we had it won yelling "We're finally back! It's been a long time, but we're finally back where we belong in the finals!" and things to that affect.

That was 2009. 5 years after 2004, and we thought that was a long time

 

[Kong]

Not guilty verdicts a relief for Watson, players, Essendon

Essendon captain Jobe Watson has expressed relief and anger following the not guilty verdicts handed down by the AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal.

www.abc.net.au

The moment I emotionally checked out, yet to return.

edit: whoops, I meant when WADA announced that they were challenging. I think I realised I had nothing left in the tank.

 

[VelvetSledge]

Dimebag

I'm sure it's been ages but how long has he been your avatar? I only just noticed

Only a few months! Went back and re-learnt the whole Cowboys From Hell album on guitar and really forgot just how amazing he was

 

[brutus76]

there's a couple

2006 - round 1 knock off premiers Sydney then lost 14 IN A ROW

2012 - we were flying at 11-4 after 15 rounds and lost the last 7 IN A ROW and missed the finals

 

[Stopher]

2012

 

[Nicholas61]

As strange as it sounds 2000

I thought that team was going to win several premierships - apart from Long and Bewick who were already past their prime all our guns had years ahead. Watching our midfield get torched by West Coast at Subi in 2002 I knew we didn't have the running power to match them and a couple of other interstate teams when they got going.

 

[katana]

Half-time of the elimination final 2014. We were crushing them. This is it. Ten long years. Controlling the game, too powerful around the ball, dictating the tempo. We are doing this in a final. Now, it's real. Playing with the permutations of the finals predictor. Bomber knows exactly what he's doing. He's been here before.

What's a semi-final feel like? Hell, what does a prelim feel like?

Drew Petrie

Drew Petrie

Age

41

Ht

197cm

Wt

101kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.3

3star

K

8.6

3star

HB

3.7

3star

M

5.4

5star

T

2.7

4star

G

1.3

5star

No current season stats available

D

5.2

2star

K

4.0

2star

HB

1.2

2star

M

1.6

2star

T

1.8

4star

G

0.0

1star

does some weird punching thing in the air and I drink for the next 36 hours.

 

[katana]

In round 15 2011, 2 future stars called Travis Colyer and Jake Melksham led a young and inexperienced Essendon team to an upset victory over 2010 prelim finalists and eventual 2011 premiers Geelong.

after 5 losses on-the-trot was it? hirdy. gonna take us to the promised land. we've got a young daniher coming in this year too! they reckon he's the best player in the draft, but we get him father-son!

 

[Nicholas61]

after 5 losses on-the-trot was it? hirdy. gonna take us to the promised land. we've got a young daniher coming in this year too! they reckon he's the best player in the draft, but we get him father-son!

Yep. They (an anonymous newspaper source) saying JD is worth two number 1 picks. "Grabs it at the highest point".

Remember one of his early games against GWS was marking it like Wayne Carey. Then we went on the unpredictable painful ride.

 

[Runk]

I can't say I've enjoyed any of them.

 

[BuffDog]

I was pretty happy at half time of the 2014 Elim Final

 

[Red Black and Blue]

2018. Driven by Devon Smith

5

Devon Smith

Age

30

Ht

176cm

Wt

78kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.8

5star

K

11.1

4star

HB

7.8

5star

M

3.3

3star

T

5.3

5star

G

0.9

4star

D

16.3

4star

K

9.1

4star

HB

7.1

4star

M

2.3

2star

T

5.0

5star

G

0.6

4star

D

15.6

4star

K

9.2

4star

HB

6.4

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

4.0

5star

G

0.2

3star

's record setting tackle pressure, from round 9 we only lost 4 games. 2 to top of the table Richmond, 1 to 3rd placed Collingwood and 1 to 4th place Hawthorn. The last three losses of the season by a combined 24 points. Wins over 4 top 8 teams in that run including 2nd place West Coast. When the home and away season ended we were in top 4 form, we finished 11th.

Off season we spend two first rounders on Shiel and in May Smith reinjures his knee and the rest is history.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

That game where ch 7 kept going on about how the Weapon had done such a sterling job and kept focusing on him.

 

[Zach Package]

Definitely Hird being cajoled into taking the coaching job, us getting an ice addict to mentor him and the end result being Hird being bullied into a suicide attempt and the Weapon's wife being reduced to tears.