Will Essendon win the Flag ?

[SirJimi05]

Dead right but you keep going on about the last game like it means something

so is the past relevant or not????

Pretty sure that Essendon defeating Carlton this year is relevant to a discussion about who will win the flag this year. Don't you?

Of course the win this year means something. It could be the difference between Essendon making the 8, or not. Could be the difference between Carlton finishing top 2, or 4th.

Any talk about last year, 2000, or 1995 is completely irrelevant and nothing but petty trolling.

 

[Dwight Schrute]

Essendon in 2012 remind me of Richmond in 05

A great start to the season, with everyone (at least externally) saying they've turned the corner

Only time will tell if it ends the same

Oh dear I hope not...
Difference being is that we made the 8 last year.

 

[SirJimi05]

14 wins, 8 losses, 5th on the ladder, lose a semi final to collingwood, west coast, hawthorn or carlton.

I have us around the same spot but I very much doubt any of the teams you listed will be finishing 8th in the ladder, just quietly.

 

[The Speaker]

I have us around the same spot but I very much doubt any of the teams you listed will be finishing 8th in the ladder, just quietly.

He said semi, not elimination.

 

[Macca18]

"Essendon always trail off as the season grows older so they realistically may only win 2 more games for the rest of the season and not even make the finals, let alone be in contention for a flag." - Fingers crossed this line of thinking continues.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

Dons won't keep it up. Once the opposition begin payback time and lay those 'accidental' and 'clumsy' tackles the unsociable footy that the dons are currently playing will begin to wane and so will the results.

haha it's cute you think they aren't already trying to be physical with Essendon. They're just being beaten at it.

 

[SirJimi05]

He said semi, not elimination.

Ahh so he did. I'd take that. Would set us up nicely for 2013.

 

[themarkedman72]

i still feel the bombers need another really strong key forward to win a flag.

Daniher is going to be that guy. Could win one in 2-4 years.

 

[pazza]

Dons won't keep it up. Once the opposition begin payback time and lay those 'accidental' and 'clumsy' tackles the unsociable footy that the dons are currently playing will begin to wane and so will the results.

WTF???
Hard tackling, gut running and great spread from defence is unsociable footy? It's up to everyone else to match and better our intensity.

People seem to be conveniently forgetting that Essendon's body size is a huge contributor to how we are playing. We are now as big as Geelong, Hawthorn or Collingwood in the respective torsos of the players.

 

[AussieFTW]

i still feel the bombers need another really strong key forward to win a flag.

Daniher is going to be that guy. Could win one in 2-4 years.

I don't know - I mean the Pies won the flag without any really stong key forwards didn't they??

Crameri and Hurley are looking really good, but are getting a lot of support from everyone else on the list, basically..

And if Hurley comes back from injury and stays uninjured the Dons may really start turning it on.

If they have a chance to win the flag this year they should go for it, next season could shape very differently.

 

[The Speaker]

I don't know - I mean the Pies won the flag without any really stong key forwards didn't they?

Depends whether you rate Cloke.

 

[Number 10]

I don't know - I mean the Pies won the flag without any really stong key forwards didn't they??

Crameri and Hurley are looking really good, but are getting a lot of support from everyone else on the list, basically..

And if Hurley comes back from injury and stays uninjured the Dons may really start turning it on.

If they have a chance to win the flag this year they should go for it, next season could shape very differently.

Cloke no good huh? A better example would be Geelong in 07 & 09. Mooney was a big forward but he was shit. They did however have 2 of some of, if not the best half forwards ever in chapman and Johnson, which essendon and most other teams don't have.

 

[The King!]

6-1 ... Imagine if they get their best 22 on the park ..

 

[fishardansin]

Pretty sure that Essendon defeating Carlton this year is relevant to a discussion about who will win the flag this year. Don't you?

Of course the win this year means something. It could be the difference between Essendon making the 8, or not. Could be the difference between Carlton finishing top 2, or 4th.

Any talk about last year, 2000, or 1995 is completely irrelevant and nothing but petty trolling.

I disagree that talk about last year is irrelevant. Both teams have pretty much the same players. Of course current form is more important.

The Carlton supporters have a point about our performance in the finals last year. Our midseason slump was clearly on the back of a long injury list that included KPPs and the two best mids. In the finals there wasn't so many missing, no more than Carlton. It was a pathetic effort and one the club should be very embarrassed about.

 

[Ants]

I disagree that talk about last year is irrelevant. Both teams have pretty much the same players. Of course current form is more important.

The Carlton supporters have a point about our performance in the finals last year. Our midseason slump was clearly on the back of a long injury list that included KPPs and the two best mids. In the finals there wasn't so many missing, no more than Carlton. It was a pathetic effort and one the club should be very embarrassed about.

Wouldn't be the first time a bad loss to Carlton in the finals spurred greater success for us the next year!

 

[Roby]

Man even though I hate Essendon its very clear just how good they are, they have destroyed teams with the injury list the Bombers have its quite scary how good they will be, in my books easily the favs for the flag.

So who comes in from the current outs, and who do you drop from the current team?

 

[rampar]

WTF???
Hard tackling, gut running and great spread from defence is unsociable footy? It's up to everyone else to match and better our intensity.

People seem to be conveniently forgetting that Essendon's body size is a huge contributor to how we are playing. We are now as big as Geelong, Hawthorn or Collingwood in the respective torsos of the players.

I don't reckon they can keep that sort of effort up the entire year. Has to be taxing, most likely explains the injuries. However - Can't argue with the depth, can't argue with the evenness over every line, can't argue with the tactics... dirty or not. No million dollar stars mean you could make a killing come recruiting time and Thompson is a master coach.

 

[JD11]

So who comes in from the current outs, and who do you drop from the current team?

whoever is out of form.

 

[Jade]

So who comes in from the current outs, and who do you drop from the current team?

Well form will dictate that of course.

Hurley and Hibberd are best 22 without question. Whilst it would depend on circumstances at the time, Carlisle and Colyer would be two players under pressure to hold them out.

What is really encouraging, is that as little as three months ago Myers, Hille, McVeigh, Prismall, Winderlich would have all been best 22. They all have to fight for a spot now - that is substantial depth.

 

[DavidCauseARukas]

3 A grade midfielders may not be enough and we don't have the finals experience. Goal is to get a home final and win one first. Not this year and not the next.

 

[The House]

Remember the last time (last year) they were doing this good and then it fell apart? Hopefully it doesn't happen again, but you never know.

This line of thinking cracks me up - I rekon I hear a few times a week that "Essendon fell away last year and it will happen again."

I don't really see any logic to this...it's purely people being hopeful.

Last year Essendon started off well and built up more and more injuries over the first half a dozen weeks, and finally succumbed as of about round 9ish (from memory), and lost 5 in a row.....

....however, the injury list reduced, and Essendon went on to win 6 of the last 9 during the season (despite most insisting they were shot).

This common perception that the dons fell in a heap after a good start, seems to completely ignore the fact that they bounced back pretty well once they got a few players back.

This year however is a completely different story as Essendon have had a bad run with injury from the start, yet keep winning. I'm not sure the comparisons are apt at all.

i still feel the bombers need another really strong key forward to win a flag.

Daniher is going to be that guy. Could win one in 2-4 years.

You mean like Hurley??

 

[macdaddio]

This was the Weagles players that were missing on Saturday againts the Bumbers..

West Coast
Nic Naitanui (hamstring tightness) test
Mark Le Cras (knee) season
Mark Nicoski (hamstring) 6 weeks
Josh Kennedy (ankle) 10 weeks
Bradd Dalziell (knee) 4 weeks
Andrew Embley (shoulder) 8 weeks
Adam Selwood (hand) test
Matt Priddis (concussion) test

If they had of beaten them with these guys in the side then yes they could as well win the flag...but as it was they beat a very depleted Weagles....

 

[Lance Uppercut]

nice work scoop

 

[The King!]

If they win the flag will Hird get the credit he deserves?

 

[Tassieboy]

This was the Weagles players that were missing on Saturday againts the Bumbers..

West Coast
Nic Naitanui (hamstring tightness) test
Mark Le Cras (knee) season
Mark Nicoski (hamstring) 6 weeks
Josh Kennedy (ankle) 10 weeks
Bradd Dalziell (knee) 4 weeks
Andrew Embley (shoulder) 8 weeks
Adam Selwood (hand) test
Matt Priddis (concussion) test

If they had of beaten them with these guys in the side then yes they could as well win the flag...but as it was they beat a very depleted Weagles....

Can only belt what's put in front of you.