Analysis Why are we s**t?

[Squeaky]

2016 was one of my most enjoyable years watching football, the EFC supporters turned up each and every week to cheer on a bunch of underdogs that played with passion and effort. Not many clubs would have come through that period as strong as Essendon did, and it was all off the back of the strength of the supporters and their love for the club.

Good post Owen. Me too - I thought I'd hate it but it was OK.
Some of the close losses (St Kilda & GWS in particular) were awesome games and you knew we were probably going down but couldn't look away...

Those top ups played with effort - all they had.
Since then we are sadly lacking in that area (or it just looks like it)

 

[owen87]

Good post Owen. Me too - I thought I'd hate it but it was OK.
Some of the close losses (St Kilda & GWS in particular) were awesome games and you knew we were probably going down but couldn't look away...

Those top ups played with effort - all they had.
Since then we are sadly lacking in that area (or it just looks like it)

I remember that North game where the losing side was cheered off. You knew they'd given everything that day, and the supporters were behind the team because of it.

 

[owen87]

Fun fact,

North and Wet Toasts 2022 was worse than Essendon’s 2016


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Carlton 2018 (I think) was also worse.

 

[Happyskeret]

I'd suggest we didn't actually lose our identity, and instead tried to keep going with the old one (big club, Sheeds, throw money at problems to make them go away) in an age where that s**t no longer worked.

I agree the rot set in before the saga and they tried to rectify it but the pendulum swang to hard the other way when we went though our “whatever it takes” stage which I don’t have to explain. Then in computer terms we went into safe mode.

 

[ant555]

I agree the rot set in before the saga and they tried to rectify it but the pendulum swang to hard the other way when we went though our “whatever it takes” stage which I don’t have to explain. Then in computer terms we went into safe mode.

Certainly did. Stuff like the in the early 2000's when other clubs had 3 or 4 full time recruiting staff we had one full time , Dodoro and he was not even full time at that as he was also doing stuff for Sheedy and had an AFL match day role. The other thing was the Bendigo alignment in the VFL which was simply to save around $300k a season and the Bendigo side of things was a Mickey Mouse operation with no real sponsorship other than a few local businesses .

 

[Happyskeret]

Certainly did. Stuff like the in the early 2000's when other clubs had 3 or 4 full time recruiting staff we had one full time , Dodoro and he was not even full time at that as he was also doing stuff for Sheedy and had an AFL match day role. The other thing was the Bendigo alignment in the VFL which was simply to save around $300k a season and the Bendigo side of things was a Mickey Mouse operation with no real sponsorship other than a few local businesses .

Yep totally agree the only good thing that happened from that in a footy sense was getting Crameri which led to Merret other than that not much.

 

[ghostdog]

We are shite because
our players are not ruthless competitors consistently. I believe there is still a culture of discontent since wada
we do not have any strong leaders. There are good blokes but no leaders
our player development has been diabolical. ridley has gone backwards, perkins, Reid and Cox show glimpses but that is all, Hobbs not played in dead games, McGrath has not improved and is a b grader at best bryan no forward craft
sheedy, dodoro and Harvey have too much influence and need to go. Sheeds derailed any chance we had to get Clarkson, Harvey is not owed a damn thing in 2023 and dodoro has never been a key component of a successful footy club though he has held a position of power for over 15 years
we have a s**t vfl program
we have dropped the ball with our indigenous programs
we have not retained players we should have
we made a coaching appointment without any due process
we had the chance and did not draft Joel Selwood
a ceo who made many bad appointments
a supporter base that lacks genuine passion- great at whingeing not great at supporting- collingwood have us beat
we have an arrogance that is unfounded our success was last century
we lack any capture the imagination type players- tippa was one - Draper maybe however we have none that young people can truly embrace- collingwood have the Caicos brother, ginnivan, quay or and Elliot who all play with flair
our team selection has been rubbish- Martin Gleeson selected in a final then delisted, Hobbs treated questionably, players played who were clearly out of form or past their used by date.
ineffectual and passive club presidents

we need to get the coaching and ceo appointments right
we need to dump dodoro and harvey
we need to nail this draft
we need to set up a strong indigenous program
we need to play a hard nosed, attacking game of football that is based on accountability, effort and hard running
we need to move on from the period of 1900 to 2000 that was last century and means not a damn thing now

Other than losing Dreamtime every year, what do you point to as far as our indigenous program's failings?
As far as I know, the players still visit the Tiwis each year to run programs, we were very supportive of Walla when he needed to return, we gave Mozzie space when he wasn't sure about what he wanted going forward, we still promote The Long Walk each year. This looks fairly substantial on the outside. What are you thinking of that's missing or falling apart?

 

[Lore]

Other than losing Dreamtime every year, what do you point to as far as our indigenous program's failings?
As far as I know, the players still visit the Tiwis each year to run programs, we were very supportive of Walla when he needed to return, we gave Mozzie space when he wasn't sure about what he wanted going forward, we still promote The Long Walk each year. This looks fairly substantial on the outside. What are you thinking of that's missing or falling apart?

They haven’t been to the Tiwis for a few years and there was a whole thing with Nova Peris too. The guy organising it was let go during Covid I think.

That said, Jacara Egan is doing development stuff with our Indigenous players from both AFL and AFLW now, as well as her AFLW player development role, so someone’s doing something.

 

[Ambrosia]

2016 was one of my most enjoyable years watching football, the EFC supporters turned up each and every week to cheer on a bunch of underdogs that played with passion and effort. Not many clubs would have come through that period as strong as Essendon did, and it was all off the back of the strength of the supporters and their love for the club.

I really enjoyed that year as well. My only complaint was it seemed like we got reamed by the umpires every week because we known to be terrible and expected to lose.

 

[ghostdog]

They haven’t been to the Tiwis for a few years and there was a whole thing with Nova Peris too. The guy organising it was let go during Covid I think.

That said, Jacara Egan is doing development stuff with our Indigenous players from both AFL and AFLW now, as well as her AFLW player development role, so someone’s doing something.

I slept on the Nova Peris thing. What happened there?

 

[ghostdog]

They haven’t been to the Tiwis for a few years and there was a whole thing with Nova Peris too. The guy organising it was let go during Covid I think.

That said, Jacara Egan is doing development stuff with our Indigenous players from both AFL and AFLW now, as well as her AFLW player development role, so someone’s doing something.

Sheedy and XC were also supposed to have visited the Tiwis in July.
I actually just read an article saying Sheedy had been adopted and given the name Mantiyupwi, meaning Shark, this year, and that the club has been included now as part of the Tiwi Islands people's family. Sounds like we're still completely invested.

 

[citizen-erased]

I remember that North game where the losing side was cheered off. You knew they'd given everything that day, and the supporters were behind the team because of it.

remember being mocked for applauding the loss by north fans.
they haven't beaten us since

2016 was a good year.
Nothing on ASADA/WADA really
Watching the emergence of Merrett, Fantasia & Daniher, the debuts of Parish & McKenna (kind of), McGovern giving Jamar a chin tap and receiving a proper punch for his efforts. good times.
Goddard was good for us too. I'd have either made him captain after Jobe, or Merrett as a bit of a transition.

Its a shame we didn't hang on to Kelly for longer too. thought he was great to have around the group.

 

[citizen-erased]

I slept on the Nova Peris thing. What happened there?

falling out with Xavier led to her leaving the Long Walk board.
Was made public in the lead up to Dreamtime (same week Tippa retired, Parker fallout, Campbell extension).
It was our shitshow summed up in the microcosm of a single week.

It's something I feel needs a board presence. particularly given we have the NGA rights there. I'd be canvassing the AFL for special consideration to take any kid from the area outside the draft on the premise we build the right, sustainable pathways there....not just for the kids that make it too.
Some of that TV rights money would be well spent invested into the Tiwi community, even if there is no player "return"

 

[ant555]

I slept on the Nova Peris thing. What happened there?

Nova Peris QUITS the Long Walk Foundation due to Essendon chief

The former athlete, who was the first Aboriginal person to win Olympic gold, had played a leading role in the organisation which advocates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[windyhill]

Nova peris would start an argument in an empty room.

 

[ant555]

Long comments on Peris’ resignation over Essendon CEO’s “utter disrespect”

“I was probably a bit blindsided by it."

www.sen.com.au

 

[brutus76]

Not enough two way runners

No balls

No discipline

Midfield strategy/zone/transition/man marking is like Swiss cheese

"Good ol boys" network at board and executive level

Dodo needs a pink slip/jacket - RFK and a team need to handle it not one ego-centric BS artist ****

New fitness and medical team (steal Brisbane's medicos and Greg Swann while you're at it)

Not enough connection, communication or initiatives for supporters (even if they are not members) - I'm not but I'm part of our BigFooty player sponsorshp (and tip in more than a 3 game membership is worth) and I have red & black ink as I love this club

Not enough connection, communication or initiatives for Supporter's groups throughout Australia (FFS even a 30 minute ZOOM with a player would be nice)

 

[ghostdog]

Nova Peris QUITS the Long Walk Foundation due to Essendon chief

The former athlete, who was the first Aboriginal person to win Olympic gold, had played a leading role in the organisation which advocates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people.

www.dailymail.co.uk

I mean, I realise journos pick and choose what to report, but to claim the club acts like they own Aboriginal history, then get upset that they won't help move her statue to the club, seems counter-intuitive. If history belongs to everyone, then keeping the statue publicly available to view in the centre of town is the right thing to do.

I'm not sure exactly what her quibble is based on, but I'm guessing it's not just that.

 

[ant555]

I mean, I realise journos pick and choose what to report, but to claim the club acts like they own Aboriginal history, then get upset that they won't help move her statue to the club, seems counter-intuitive. If history belongs to everyone, then keeping the statue publicly available to view in the centre of town is the right thing to do.

I'm not sure exactly what her quibble is based on, but I'm guessing it's not just that.

There has been a bit going on with it and not just the statue but some issues / disagreements with the AISHoF and how it is run and also the fact the AFL gave us a warning before Covid about neglecting the Tiwi zone and not putting enough effort into it.
I am not really a fan of Nova Peris but there have been a few issues.