Roast Essendon in no mans land

[garlic munchers]

Comprehensively outplayed WC, but couldn't put them away with an injured Waterman and ageing Darling being the key fwd pillars.

Like some of their rangy younger players, but list really isn't a serious finals heavyweight contender.

Gresham meh, Goldstein why?

Like Durham, Martin, Parish, Merrett who with Langford, were the only reason Bombers got over the line against WC.

Wanted Hobbs at the time but not convinced there is an elite ceiling here.

A bigger Langford could be a Coleman contender (like Waterman!), but he's not.

Dockers list leaves it for dead.

 

[BomberBoy123]

Comprehensively outplayed WC, but couldn't put them away with an injured Waterman and ageing Darling being the key fwd pillars.

Like some of their rangy younger players, but list really isn't a serious finals heavyweight contender.

Gresham meh, Goldstein why?

Like Durham, Martin, Parish, Merrett who with Langford, were the only reason Bombers got over the line against WC.

Wanted Hobbs at the time but not convinced there is an elite ceiling here.

A bigger Langford could be a Coleman contender (like Waterman!), but he's not.

Dockers list leaves it for dead.

The same Dockers that lost to the Eagles by 6 goals?

 

[Ambrosia]

Comprehensively outplayed WC, but couldn't put them away with an injured Waterman and ageing Darling being the key fwd pillars.

Like some of their rangy younger players, but list really isn't a serious finals heavyweight contender.

Gresham meh, Goldstein why?

Like Durham, Martin, Parish, Merrett who with Langford, were the only reason Bombers got over the line against WC.

Wanted Hobbs at the time but not convinced there is an elite ceiling here.

A bigger Langford could be a Coleman contender (like Waterman!), but he's not.

Dockers list leaves it for dead.

Think Goldy makes sense for us. Bryan hasn't come on and looks more like a career 3rd ruck atm then someone who is pushing for seniors and it's going to be difficult to attract quality ruckman due to there not being obvious playing time alongside Draper.

The upside of the list hinges on the recent unproven high draft picks (Reid, Caddy, Tsatas) if they don't come on we'll need to hit on some more Martin/Durham types.

Aren't Waterman and Langford the same size?

 

[Philth]

Just out of interest, have you watched Essendon play much this year? Forget about the wins/losses and who they have or haven’t played, how would you say they are actually playing compared to this time last year?

Going very well. This year looks different. They seem to have more confidence.

A decent run with injuries and you could go deep into finals.

 

[mike ross]

Going very well. This year looks different. They seem to have more confidence.

A decent run with injuries and you could go deep into finals.

Agree with the first part.

As for the second part, in my mind and in many Essendon fans minds, that is a long way off at this stage.

 

[carnthedons]

Young team on the rise at the moment. Will have peaks and troughs. Impressive thing for me is doing it without Ridley who has structurally been our most important/best player for a couple of years now. Also looks like our floor has gone up considerably, haven’t had as many awful patches/games to date.

Port game was bad. Every other game this year we’ve at least held our own and mentally shown a degree of resilience I haven’t seen for decades.

4 interstate games with genuine away disadvantage already, 4 games on neutral territory, none where we have a genuine home ground advantage. Beaten the teams around that mid table level, beaten the bad teams, probably should’ve won the pies game, weren’t disgraced against the swans and belted by a white hot port in Adelaide.

Long way to go but the signs have been good in a different way to the past. Grit, resilience, system are all a lot more apparent at the moment.

 

[garlic munchers]

Aren't Waterman and Langford the same size?

That’s the point.

 

[Yoda_]

Friendly reminder that if the very gettable Giants lose to the Bombres tomorrow, Essendon jump to 3rd on the AFL ladder



I for one did not see this at all after 9 rounds

 

[TheUnicorn]

Friendly reminder that if the very gettable Giants lose to the Bombres tomorrow, Essendon jump to 3rd on the AFL ladder



I for one did not see this at all after 9 rounds

Or 9th

 

[NetworkNerd]

Put your hand up if you were sucked in by Essendons form and picked them

 

[boncer34]

Put your hand up if you were sucked in by Essendons form and picked them

Smart man

 

[HirdsTheWord]

Put your hand up if you were sucked in by Essendons form and picked them

no problems

 

[Yoda_]

Or 9th

confirming 3rd my man

 

[btdg]

Essendon are genuinely good this year. The last few years they have quietly gone about recruitinf in veterans to address their weaknesses. The biggest benefit of adding guys like Gresham, Goldstein, Caldwell, Hind, etc isn't that they are match winners, but that they are mature bodied, competent footballers and replace spuds. Throw in some awsome Merrett form and this is a good all round team.

They have an easy fixture and this is a team good enough to lose a final. In fact, if the multitude of other good teams beat each other up enough they might even be good enough to sneak into a position where they can lose two finals - right now, for example, they are third and would right in line to honourably lose twice in the finals!

 

[Xtreme]

Will win the 2024 premiership

 

[boncer34]

Will win the 2024 premiership

 

[Yoda_]

Will win the 2024 premiership

* Finals win confirmed


thanks BigFooty

 

[HotPiesWithSauce]

Is Brad the better coach of the Scott brothers?

 

[bomberlegend2007]

Is Brad the better coach of the Scott brothers?

If he steers Essendon to a flag, 100%.

 

[BomberBoy123]

If he steers Essendon to a flag, 100%.

*when

 

[Beerfish]

 

[fishardansin]

so ... our percentage is now at 98!! Just need to win by 13 points next week to break even!!

 

[jannissary]

Put your hand up if you were sucked in by Essendons form and picked them

rewarded

 

[jannissary]

Is Brad the better coach of the Scott brothers?

difficult to say, both are fantastic coaches but in different environments with different players

 

[Coolangatta]

Essendon are genuinely good this year. The last few years they have quietly gone about recruitinf in veterans to address their weaknesses. The biggest benefit of adding guys like Gresham, Goldstein, Caldwell, Hind, etc isn't that they are match winners, but that they are mature bodied, competent footballers and replace spuds. Throw in some awsome Merrett form and this is a good all round team.

They have an easy fixture and this is a team good enough to lose a final. In fact, if the multitude of other good teams beat each other up enough they might even be good enough to sneak into a position where they can lose two finals - right now, for example, they are third and would right in line to honourably lose twice in the finals!

The Bombers beat Carlton last year and I’d back them in to do it again this year. Your mob has been lucky to win 4 of its 6 games by a whisker this year. Decent but very beatable.