Analysis When the fog lifts

[Bunk Moreland]

While things can turn around quickly with luck & a few changes here and there, you do realise it isn't going to happen immediately?

Let's click our fingers and everything will be good and we will be the best again. We are the almighty Essendon Football Club and we demand to be the best, everyone bow down.

Get a grip. Being angry and demanding things now is not going to change a ******* thing, we have screwed up royally as a club and it could be another 5, 10, 20 years of mediocrity. Wake up to yourself pal.

I don’t think it all needs to “happen” right now… I think people just want to see a plan, a strategy. Football supporters are remarkably patient if they can see where you’re heading.

The thing is, clubs are loath to verbalise this because they get savaged in the media. “We’re in our window, we’re having a crack”… “We’re rebuilding, we won’t play finals for three years”… clubs don’t say that stuff.

So plans are communicated through action.

Our list actions are all over the place, and have been for a decade. We always seem to have a bob each way. We don’t bottom out. We don’t become good enough to contend.

It’s time to sit back and take stock. And we need a fresh approach with a list management team.

10 + years of this s**t.

 

[Oraaaaazio]

Are we 'pals'? News to me.

Demanding things change now is often the way that any change occurs, in many forums, on many issues.

The condescending tone of your post is not lost on me, yet unlike yourself I have in the quoted post, and in many others offered an idea on HOW those changes need to occur. I did not run with the boorish statement of 'just be better because we are Essendon'.

So don't tell me to 'wake up to myself' - at least not when your own post indicates a heavy serving of close minded rubbish.

Don't get too upset about it, we don't have to be pals if you don't want

You did make a few suggestions, well done on that... then you ended with a tantrum about how you expect it all now. It's just not going to happen. I wouldn't say expecting things to take time was closed minded rubbish, I'd think it was being realistic. I've been wrong before though.

 

[bombadeer]

I'm looking forward to having the WASAGA removed as an excuse for piss poor performances (on and off the field).

 

[The Prosecutor]

only one team can win a flag every year....

even if 10 teams do EVERYTHING right, in reguards to coaching, game plan, list managment... everything..

there will still be 9 of those teams that fail... even after doing everythign right. What kind of game is this! that you may not be successful even if you didn nothing wrong?!

Winning a flag isnt easy, and it isnt our god given right to win one just because we are Essendon and we have won 16 before.

Ofcourse i hate where we are and whats happening but im still a realist about it. If my team can come out each week and make me proud, im a satisfied supporter. If they can give me the hope that a flag is possible, thats also a requirement, but i know that the likleyhood of winning one is pretty low year to year. 18 seagulls are fighting over one chip. Thats why winning one is so special. Lower your expectations from it being a necessity to it being an extra special reward.

Just make me proud bombers, fight like winners.

At the moment im not even getting this.

And up to six teams win a final every year - we haven't won one in what will be likely 11 season now...

 

[eth-dog]

I don’t think it all needs to “happen” right now… I think people just want to see a plan, a strategy. Football supporters are remarkably patient if they can see where you’re heading.

The thing is, clubs are loath to verbalise this because they get savaged in the media. “We’re in our window, we’re having a crack”… “We’re rebuilding, we won’t play finals for three years”… clubs don’t say that stuff.

So plans are communicated through action.

Our list actions are all over the place, and have been for a decade. We always seem to have a bob each way. We don’t bottom out. We don’t become good enough to contend.

It’s time to sit back and take stock. And we need a fresh approach with a list management team.

10 + years of this s**t.

I don't think this is the answer.

The list manager's job is to identify and recruit players based on what the coach of the team wants, and where the coach thinks the side is at. The problem here again is with the coaches of the past 10 years: Knights and Hird.

 

[Oraaaaazio]

I don’t think it all needs to “happen” right now… I think people just want to see a plan, a strategy. Football supporters are remarkably patient if they can see where you’re heading.

The thing is, clubs are loath to verbalise this because they get savaged in the media. “We’re in our window, we’re having a crack”… “We’re rebuilding, we won’t play finals for three years”… clubs don’t say that stuff.

So plans are communicated through action.

Our list actions are all over the place, and have been for a decade. We always seem to have a bob each way. We don’t bottom out. We don’t become good enough to contend.

It’s time to sit back and take stock. And we need a fresh approach with a list management team.

10 + years of this s**t.

Ok fair enough, I went off half cocked and didn't really read the last bit of Jade's post properly. I've heard too many EFC fans with the attitude I described lately and assumed that it was about expecting results now, not expecting changes now. Apologies Jade

 

[Zach Package]

It's absolutely remiss of you to leave out Sheedy eth

 

[yaco55]

Correct decisions are made on field in the second half of 2015 and we can be competitive in 2016. And then its matter of chipping away through the draft in 15/16/17.

Under no circumstances should we be trading players unless they meet a clearly identified need - Motlop is one and you could get him for our second rounder and Leunberger as a FA - Nothing should happen these two instances.

The next two years will tell us how good a List Management team we have at EFC.

 

[eth-dog]

It's absolutely remiss of you to leave out Sheedy eth

Eh, at the end of his tenure we were committed to bottoming out.

 

[Jade]

Ok fair enough, I went off half cocked and didn't really read the last bit of Jade's post properly. I've heard too many EFC fans with the attitude I described lately and assumed that it was about expecting results now, not expecting changes now. Apologies Jade

Not necessary, but thank you regardless.

In fairness I could have better worded what was supposed to come off as an emotive post to indicate that I wanted to see ACTION immediately, not RESULTS.

I don't expect us to come out and wipe the floor with top four sides next week, but I do want an immediate change in some of the mind numbingly poor tactical issues we have.

 

[Howard Moon]

And up to six teams win a final every year - we haven't won one in what will be likely 11 season now...

Yep I can accept that, although I still had immense pride for our efforts in the past 3 years and found see a flag chance....so I was content. Now not

 

[TheFrenchCut]

What I'd like us (the club) to do when this over:
- Have some fun
- Oh and maybe recruit a few less half-back flankers, as sexy as they are. Wouldn't mind a crumbing forward who might eventually be able to squeeze into the midfield.

 

[ScrappyCoCo]

The last 5 years of the Sheedy's era was a bit pain full..imo..then all the bitching and moaning during Nights reign, then Asaga under Hird has not made being a Bomber fan the greatest experience. The team under Hirdy has given us faith that they were good with some stella performances and this helped us get through all the off field crap, with us believing we might come out the other side and have a crack at a flag. However, losing Crameri and Ryder, then injuries to key players and having a poor forward line we has resulted in hard times..we all know the results this year which are very disappointing. People have turned on each other a bit and we don't seem as strong and as united.

Personally I am pretty jaded with the EFC and the crap me and my kids copped has taken a lot a toll. I know its not the players fault, but this group represents bad times and memories.

I will probably get shot down for this, but I almost feel like the club almost needs to be totally cleaned out and start again from scratch. I enjoy watching GWS young guns running in packs, taking the game on, just great to watch. Dam, I even enjoy watching the saints more than us! I would love to get 10 or so promising young kids to EFC and watch them develop. Hell, one of my highlights this year was watching our 2s before the main games against the cats. I know we would lose for years, but i don't really care about results at the moment, for example its just been a breath of fresh air watching Zac play this year.

I know I am being unrealistic, but as a fan I am pretty much over the bad times and need something new to relight the flame.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Where is the fog at?

 

[60sbomber]

e w

No.

I've been patient enough.

I expect IMMEDIATE improvement. And if it doesn't come than in twelve months I want the coaching panel gutted and the list turned over in response.

If the current executive and board is incapable of seeing that through they are welcome to piss off as well.

In my opinion, that is just a recipe for disaster.
It is what Richmond of the 80s and Carlton for 30 yrs have done, and it fails to recognise that there are no instant fixes. You don't just throw out the coach, or the list manager, the chairman, the board or anyone else, and expect to replace them with people who can produce an instant fix.
It is naive and counter productive.
You just get revolution and lurching headlong in another direction, often doomed to failure from inexperience.
The blame game and impatience for success need to be tempered with a measure of intelligent analysis and recognition that not all of the current crew need to be pitched.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Where is the fog at?

Right in front of us

 

[Eleven 38]

Eh, at the end of his tenure we were committed to bottoming out.

If we were committed to bottoming out then why didn't we hire a coach that wanted to bottom out?

 

[DapperJong]

If we were committed to bottoming out then why didn't we hire a coach that wanted to bottom out?

I think we had a good opportunity to contend for a flag, but I now think that's passed. Times have changed, that's all. If Hird can realise that then he still might me the man for the job.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

Right in front of us

I can see through it.
I have faith in the coach and the people at the club.
I have faith we'll get the extra 1 or 2 runners we need in the midfield to get us into top 4 contention in the next year or two.
Our side may seem old on paper and list wise but none of the old blokes are contributing to anything meaningful.
This is the kick in the bum we needed playing wise as we've had too many excuses for too long.

 

[theboxmike]

I'm in between the complete rebuild mode and let this group have one more crack to see how far they can really go. I'm glad it's not my decision that's for sure.

 

[fishardansin]

I think that should be a thing our club does always. Players can do certain things to be a life member and we could no doubt have our corporate partners parachuting these guys into fulfilling and lucrative careers post football.

Perhaps when a player retires, leaves or is delisted the leadership group will have a hearing with them to say if they're part of that going forward. So for example, Paddy, wanga and McFlee won't qualify but lonergan would.

There should be loyalty credits in such a cut throat industry.

Also with the reticence to sack players after ASAGA around the club this may be just the ticket to change that.

I also think that we should make it clear that we will work out a payoff to all players who were involved in this. Once dust is settled they should sue the club and the club will generously settle out of court.

 

[fishardansin]

Yep understand that, look at which ever way you like, but we still have an aging best 22 which will become massive problem over the next 2-3 years.

We've got a big chunk (50%) of our best 22 who are 27+ years old:
Hocking 27
Dempsey 27
Baguley 28
Gwilt 28
Stanton 29
Cooney 29
Watson 30
Winderlich 30
Goddard 30
Chapman 33
Fletcher 40

Then of the mid aged 20-25 year old best 22 we've got a lot of question marks which will also compound the transition in the next 2-3 years.
Ambrose 23
Melksham 23
Bellchambers 25
Howlett 26

So we've got a lot turn over to happen in our best 22 over the next 2-3 years which will equate to pain in the W/L ratio unfortunately.

I think this is a good post to highlight what I think we should do.

I think we can have a crack next year and start turning over the list at the same time. We have three certain retirees, Steinberg and Pears and a few experienced players there that wouldn't really be that missed.

If our engine room comes back I'd like to see complement that with exciting youth this year. If Langford, Laverde and Fantasia are all playing regularly by the start of next year then we've have a good list turn over, when you add Gleeson, Daniher, Merrett and a few others to the list.

5 draft picks gives us a lot of scope for list change too. Dodoro and Keane have been pretty good late in the draft also.

Then when you look at Melksham, Ambrose Kav, Browne ect we have a lot of room to delist or improve by the end of next year. Not to mention Giles, Gwilt and Cooney.

As crap as our forwardline has been I think with Daniher and the exciting youth coming through we can turn that around quickly. That youth should add to mid class as well. We desperately need Bellchambers to get right or get out.

We can turn it around this year peoples. We can beat Melb and Saints and by that time have everyone back and beat Norf and Port at home. Well be 8-8 and have our tail up.

Then in form we can beat Doggies, GWS, Adelaide here, Suns, Tigers and Pies. 14 wins.

I think we can do it with Fletch and Chappy only playing one more match each. I think we can get games into Langford and Laverde. I think we can trial Ambrose as a tagger and give him a game as a pure half forward.

We can try playing all three KPDs together. We can try McKernan and Carlisle sharing ruck duties.

We can mix it up and hunt our opposition each week. Take that momentum into finals and win one.

Hopefully the losing final will be a real fighting one. We can take that momentum into the off season and still make the 6 changes to our list. Player will train for next year knowing that we'll be making another 6 or so changes at the end of the year again, no matter where we finish.

Even if we don't winas much as that atcthe end of this year we can still win enough to bring real momentum into the off season.

 

[Eleven 38]

I think we had a good opportunity to contend for a flag, but I now think that's passed. Times have changed, that's all. If Hird can realise that then he still might me the man for the job.

I was referring to when we hired knights.

 

[BrunoV]

Correct decisions are made on field in the second half of 2015 and we can be competitive in 2016. And then its matter of chipping away through the draft in 15/16/17.

Under no circumstances should we be trading players unless they meet a clearly identified need - Motlop is one and you could get him for our second rounder and Leunberger as a FA - Nothing should happen these two instances.

The next two years will tell us how good a List Management team we have at EFC.

I just don't want people to lose sight of how close we can be in 2016 if we just accept where we are at for the rest of 2015.

 

[IggypopsTshirt]

When the fog lifts we will have time to assess and realise we are a genuine bottoms 4 list.
Right at this point in time we are the worst side in the competition. There isn't a single side I'd tip us to beat at the moment.