Why are Essendon so bad?

[Jeffrey]

I thought I would do a bit of research to try and find out what has made Essendon so bad because 6 years ago they were the best team in the league.. So the first thing I did was look at their record since their great 2000 season.

So I broke down theie last 130 games into 10 game blocks to look for any patterns. Here are Essendon's results for the last 130 games broken into 10 game blocks.

9-1 90% win
6-4 60%
7-3 70%
5.5-4.5 55%
7-3 70%
5-5 50%
7-3 70%
8-2 80%
---------- What happenned here to cause such a turn around in form?
4-6 40%
4-6 40%
4-6 40%
2-8 20%
2.5-7.5 25%

The results seem to indicate that something significant occured 50 games ago as before 50 games ago the Bombers NEVER won LESS than 5 games in any block of ten games. Yet in the last 50 games the bombers have NEVER won MORE than 4 games in any 10 game block.

So what happenned 50 games ago?

Well I went to the AFL website and they said the bombers played Hawthorn and had an easy win with no significant injuries. No clues there. But then I went and looked at some newspapers from the time and apparently this was the game where the "tough guy" image of Essendon was destroyed and they were shown to be nothing but cheap shot artists who couldn't actualy fight. This is the day where the rest of the league started laughing at Essendon and refused to take them seriously. Statistics show that the bombers never recovered from this game that destroyed their reputation.

 

[ManWithNoName]

What makes us bad? Simple:

Lack of physical pressure-6 years ago we made the opposition earn the ball, now they break tackles with little effort. Also we don't chase.

We don't back ourselves enough.

And our senior players aren't giving 100% every week.

 

[Jeffrey]

What makes us bad? Simple:

Lack of physical pressure

Exactly my point. Essendon used to intimidate teams phyically but Hawthorn showed the rest of the league that they weren't geuinely tough, and that whilst Essendon were happy to come into packs late with elbows, knees, eye gouges and sqirrel grips, when it came down to business they were as weak as water. THis was contrary to Sheedy's marketting of players like Soloman and Johnson as genuine tough guys.

I just thought it was interesting to see how much their record slipped when you took away the intimidation factor. In the 20 games before the Hawthorn game they won 15, in the 20 games after, they won just 8.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Exactly my point. Essendon used to intimidate teams phyically but Hawthorn showed the rest of the league that they weren't geuinely tough, and that whilst Essendon were happy to come into packs late with elbows, knees, eye gouges and sqirrel grips, when it came down to business they were as weak as water. THis was contrary to Sheedy's marketting of players like Soloman and Johnson as genuine tough guys.

I just thought it was interesting to see how much their record slipped when you took away the intimidation factor.

We miss Wallis and Hardwick. While Wallis wasn't the most talented player, he'd make you earn the ball. As would Hardwick. Since Hardwick left in 2002 we've gone down ever since. That's not a coincedence.

 

[windyhill]

My number one reason is too many seasons of kicking around 6th/7th/8th. Going nowhere fast. There are other reasons , but this is the main one

 

[rhino49]

I thought I would do a bit of research to try and find out what has made Essendon so bad because 6 years ago they were the best team in the league.. So the first thing I did was look at their record since their great 2000 season.

So I broke down theie last 130 games into 10 game blocks to look for any patterns. Here are Essendon's results for the last 130 games broken into 10 game blocks.

9-1 90% win
6-4 60%
7-3 70%
5.5-4.5 55%
7-3 70%
5-5 50%
7-3 70%
8-2 80%
---------- What happenned here to cause such a turn around in form?
4-6 40%
4-6 40%
4-6 40%
2-8 20%
2.5-7.5 25%

The results seem to indicate that something significant occured 50 games ago as before 50 games ago the Bombers NEVER won LESS than 5 games in any block of ten games. Yet in the last 50 games the bombers have NEVER won MORE than 4 games in any 10 game block.

So what happenned 50 games ago?

Well I went to the AFL website and they said the bombers played Hawthorn and had an easy win with no significant injuries. No clues there. But then I went and looked at some newspapers from the time and apparently this was the game where the "tough guy" image of Essendon was destroyed and they were shown to be nothing but cheap shot artists who couldn't actualy fight. This is the day where the rest of the league started laughing at Essendon and refused to take them seriously. Statistics show that the bombers never recovered from this game that destroyed their reputation.

the meaning of irony, i dawks fan talking about a team that is bad.

i was going to do the same thing about the hawks but to do it from 92 would have taken far too long, and anybody that would do something like this cleary has no life.

 

[ManWithNoName]

the meaning of irony, i dawks fan talking about a team that is bad.

i was going to do the same thing about the hawks but to do it from 92 would have taken far too long, and anybody that would do something like this cleary has no life.

I was wondering why this should be in Bay 13, you've answered that question for me. Some people are incapable of discussing facts, like the fact Essendon have been terrible this year.

 

[gandaal]

They've always had a fairly weak midfield and they lost their full back and full forward for most of the year. Simple.

 

[thewhippersnapper]

Haha Hawks claiming responsibility for Essendon`s downfall

 

[DynamoUltra]

I tought it was pretty good post too, and to answer Jarryd's question, part of the reason it is in Bay 13 is because when a supporter of one team posts about another, it is generally regarded as a troll, regardless of what the post is actually saying.

 

[Philhawk]

I thought I would do a bit of research to try and find out what has made Essendon so bad because 6 years ago they were the best team in the league.. So the first thing I did was look at their record since their great 2000 season.

So I broke down theie last 130 games into 10 game blocks to look for any patterns. Here are Essendon's results for the last 130 games broken into 10 game blocks.

9-1 90% win
6-4 60%
7-3 70%
5.5-4.5 55%
7-3 70%
5-5 50%
7-3 70%
8-2 80%
---------- What happenned here to cause such a turn around in form?
4-6 40%
4-6 40%
4-6 40%
2-8 20%
2.5-7.5 25%

The results seem to indicate that something significant occured 50 games ago as before 50 games ago the Bombers NEVER won LESS than 5 games in any block of ten games. Yet in the last 50 games the bombers have NEVER won MORE than 4 games in any 10 game block.

So what happenned 50 games ago?

Well I went to the AFL website and they said the bombers played Hawthorn and had an easy win with no significant injuries. No clues there. But then I went and looked at some newspapers from the time and apparently this was the game where the "tough guy" image of Essendon was destroyed and they were shown to be nothing but cheap shot artists who couldn't actualy fight. This is the day where the rest of the league started laughing at Essendon and refused to take them seriously. Statistics show that the bombers never recovered from this game that destroyed their reputation.

They're not mate ...

They'll make comments like this look silly next year I reckon ...

 

[thewhippersnapper]

This is a troll, I don`t give a ****. There is no way in the world anyone with brains can actually claim that Essendon`s downfall is a result of wait for it...HAWTHORN!

 

[ManWithNoName]

In response to you saying it's because of the brawl, I'd say that if it was something like that then it'd be the game the week after. Where Brisbane absolutely smashed us. Even Lloydy admitted that got to the team for a long time.

 

[Jeffrey]

This is a troll, I don`t give a ****. There is no way in the world anyone with brains can actually claim that Essendon`s downfall is a result of wait for it...HAWTHORN!

Its not me that is saying it, mate. It is the statistics.

Sorry that this post is in Bay 13 but I got banned from the main board for posting that Paul Chapman will win the Brownlow.

 

[Jeffrey]

In response to you saying it's because of the brawl, I'd say that if it was something like that then it'd be the game the week after. Where Brisbane absolutely smashed us. Even Lloydy admitted that got to the team for a long time.

I am not saying the brawl tired out Essendon. I am saying that it changed the perception of Essendon amongst the rest of the AFL. There were some teams (including Hawthorn) that they had beaten before the game even started. Not after that game. Every other team approached Essendon diffeently after that game. THe game destroyed the image that Sheedy had built up over the years of a tough football team.

 

[boncer34]

Arrogance. Plain and simple.
For to long we thought we were above everyone else. Well we were.

 

[ManWithNoName]

I am not saying the brawl tired out Essendon. I am saying that it changed the perception of Essendon amongst the rest of the AFL. There were some teams (including Hawthorn) that they had beaten before the game even started. Not after that game. Every other team approached Essendon diffeently after that game. THe game destroyed the image that Sheedy had built up over the years of a tough football team.

The Brisbane game our team with mental scars for a long time. If any game is responsible for us falling down the ladder, it's that one without a doubt.

 

[Macpie]

A brilliant post and piece of staistical analysis. Dan26 should take note and learn from this. Just out of interest where does the Hird/umpire abuse incident occur in this continuum?. It was another watershed in the erosion of Essendon's powerful persona when they were reduced to this sort of squealing

 

[keepzitreal]

Thats rubbish! Nice try but that is far from the reason. We were goin alright early 04 and dont forget we smashed Hawthorn by 71 points in that game. Up until then we hadnt beat anyone in the top 8 and then when we played brisbane they exposed us for not being a contender. We were a contender on reputation rather than capability.

Also in the time since we have lost Wellman, Misiti, Mercuri, had injury issues with Lloyd, Hird, Rioli, Fletch and delisted a whole bunch of dead wood, which has been replaced with young talent.

We have refreshed our list since then, its got nothing to do with Hawthorn or Richard Vandenburg. And in the one year we will finsish bottom two, to get a Bryce Gibbs or Gumbleton out of it aint a bad return.

Don't worry, next year will be a true indication of where we are at if injuries dont kill us

 

[Shedmania]

You cannot be serious? Do you really think that the fortunes of an entire football club changed with a brawl? How dumb can you possibly be.

If you posted this to simply have a dig at Essendon then i can't beleive you wasted your time looking up all these stats. How sad.

If you actually believe that what you are saying is true than you are probably the most unintelligent poster ever to post on big footy.

Do you honestly believe that Hawthorn, who started the brawl for the most ridiculous reasons, caused Essendon's poor form in the games thereafter?

Bloody hell.

Do you think that losing key footballers to trade and retirement were a factor? How about that fact that other key footballers in 2000 are now 6 years older? Do you think that making the finals 7 or 8 years in a row meaning Essendon didn't get access to very good draft picks was a factor? Or that bad drafting with their limited picks may have hurt? How about trading policies? What about the fact that a number of other teams have simply developed their lists to peak right now while Essendon is on the wane? Doesn't every other team in the competition have to rebuild after a sustained period of finals football? Isn't that the natural cycle the modern game takes now with the current draft/salary cap system? Do you think Essendon need a new coach to reinvigorate the club? Or does the current coach just need to reinvent himself again to cope with the dramatic change to the way the game is played that has happened over the last few years? Maybe it was simply injuries that have hurt Essendon? Or maybe a lack of confidence? Bad form? bad lucK?

Oh hold on....it is none of those things. It was because Essendon were in a brawl that was started by Hawthorn. Thats why Essendon's form hasn't been great over the last 50 games.

Seriously, if you have got enough time on your hands to compile those stupid statistics, maybe you should go and watch a few games of football, maybe read a few insightful opinions on the game and leave the analysis to someone else for a while. Or maybe you should worry about the fortunes of your own team. Your last 15 years have been AWESOME!!!! did you get in a brawl back in the early 1990's that you haven't been able to recover from or something? Surely that is the only way to explain how shi.t you have been.

I hope you get banned from this board as well.

Edited to remove personal abuse

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

You're onto something young jeffrey.
The facts are the facts, ever since the line was drawn in the sand the whole league has had the better of Essendon.
Well done Dermie.

 

[MrAaron]

it is clearly simple, we want the priority pick, so do Carlton.

 

[Jeremias]

the meaning of irony, i dawks fan talking about a team that is bad.

i was going to do the same thing about the hawks but to do it from 92 would have taken far too long, and anybody that would do something like this cleary has no life.

Unsuccessful deflection board

Look at all the Essendon supporters failing to convince us otherwise, and take the blame off their crap team.

 

[spiraldiver]

So much work to prove a non-existent point. There was a game against Brisbane the following week that pretty much started the decline. Up until that game we had been knocking off crappy sides below us on the ladder, including Hawthorn, and sitting pretty in the top four. Brisbane came out and gave us a belting that night and it was huge wake-up call to Essendon that we were just pretenders.

Since then Hawthorn has turned the tables on Essendon, but it's nice to know that between 1998 and 2005 the Hawks never managed to beat us at all. Not once. They've only managed to notch up some wins now we're down the bottom of the ladder, and aren't they letting us know about it.

 

[rhino49]

Unsuccessful deflection board

Look at all the Essendon supporters failing to convince us otherwise, and take the blame off their crap team.

hey i know were are crap, just stating i find it quite comical that a hawks fan blames in on 1 game, u cant honestly believe that, that one game was the beginning of the downfall of the bombers, the reason we are crap is the same reason as everybody elses, poor recuriting etc....


dont kid yourself into believing ONE game was the cause of it all........