Essendons Strengths & Weaknesses

[Captain_Knowall]

As i'm sure most people would have stated their major weakness is the lack of pace through the midifield, and their quicker players don't get enough of the ball.

Their better players are getting old and they don't seem to have much talent coming through.

Strengths, gee i'm clutching at straws here, perhaps their ruck department and their cheer squad?

 

[SirJimi05]

L.Davis is listed as 178cm and 79kgs.......that is small in my book.

That is an absolute tank in my book.

You are now using height as the underlining factor because you know you were wrong with the skinny claim.

Yes Davis is short but he does not have a small physique. He is built like a brick sh1thouse.

Winderlich is not small.

Houli is a tank.

Jetta has put on a heap of weight.

Davey and Dempsey are small.

You have no idea.

 

[DynamoUltra]

I don't get it. Essendon fans ask for what other people think and then they start an argument with everything they don't agree with...

 

[Lance Uppercut]

Yeah, Essendon aint slow anymore....but IMO being fast doesn't mean they will all of a sudden become a great team.

when they're slow, they're hacks.

when they inject pace, they're hacks.

Have I got it this time?

 

[Lance Uppercut]

I don't get it. Essendon fans ask for what other people think and then they start an argument with everything they don't agree with...

fancy that, on a footy forum too!

 

[Kim Chambers]

The reason I created this thread was to get an idea of how outsiders rate Essendon compared to Essendon supporters because alot of people seem to think we will be right down the bottom again and i tend to disagree.

I'd like to get an outsiders point of view/opinion on what Essendon Strengths & Weaknesses are. I'd like to know what are our strengths & weaknesses as a team in regards to (off the top of my head):
*Postions: Forward, midfield ect (not individuals, as a section),
*Attributes: Whether it be speed, disposal, strength ect,
*Gameplan/Style: Chip it around to much, Too defensive ect
*The List: Aging, Too in-experienced ect
*And just anything like that that makes a good/bad AFL team you can add aswell.

Strength - Off field

Weakness - On field

 

[Jumpin' Jimmy]

Essendon's biggest weakness is they have no real strengths

 

[Kim Chambers]

Essendon's biggest weakness is they have no real strengths

I wouldn't agree with that.

Apart from the fact you have to cook them yourself, they do a great hamsteak in the Essendon Club next door to the ground.

 

[citizen-erased]

Strengths
One that hasn't been mentioned i think, but leadership and culture.
Say all you will about Lloyd, he is a good capt. for the club. Imposing, senior, and puts the club ahead of the individual.

Culture is another one. We have overachieved to no end in the past 5 years.

The ladder may not show it, but other than 06, we were winning games and beating teams well ahead of out skill level. I put it down to the culture built up over the past 2 decades.

Forward line. 60+ goals from each of our tall forwards in 07 with "the worst midfield in the afl." Lucas' efforts to go and get the ball push it forward at all times changed the dimension of our game and won us a lot of goals.
Lloyd in 08 should improve in his second year back. Needs to stop hitting the deck and start chasing the spilt ball though.

Pressure. Not sure where we rank, but our tackling pressure in 07 was sensational. Won us a lot of games. We need more commitment out of the guys who are as fast as Davey.

Weaknesses
Ruck. Hille had a great 06, but a poor 07. Needs to be the marshall in the middle. His height and agility in 06 impressed me. didnt ruck great, but as long as he doesnt get killed in the actual ball up, he would only be behind Cox, Goodes and McIntosh as the best mobile ruck based on that form of 06. We need it back. Laycock has been improving as well, so 08 will be interesting to see how this long neglected facet of our game comes along

Skill. From back to forward. We have maybe 4 or 5 players who use the ball well under pressure.
McVeigh would top the list. Watson, Fletcher and Lucas would be next. And the next best would be Houli who hasnt played much. Need to get the carry and delivery skills right.

FB. Isnt too much of a hassle in most games, but against guys like Riewoldt, Brown, Fevola and Franklin we havent got in one player, the height, speed and defensive capabilities to match up on them. Johns is an obvious candidate as he is quick and strong enough to match them. But has not got the experience in the position to solve the problem immediately.

Grey areas
The coaches. All new this year except O'Donnell. Knights would probably rate 7-8/10 so far though.
Not so sure we couldnt have picked up King or Trav Johnstone as short term solutions to 2 of our 3 most crucial areas of need.

Hird. Not his skill or leadership, but his ability to impose his will on the game. Lucas is similar in his ability to do something amazing in a quick patch and turn the game on its head, but he was helped a lot by hirds ability to do that in the middle.

The middle.
Not the best, but im not sure its the worst. The skills arent as sharp as they could be, but we find the ball enough for it to count, and our pressure on the ball in 07 was excellent. we just need a better attack structure from hb to hf. We lost anzac day because Shaw didnt have to be accountable to his forward opponent.

i dont think we will spoon 08, as much as i would like to see it happen for the sake of the future (Natanui would be a god-send for Essendon).
That said, the finals will be a tough ask. not because we are that bad, but because the top 8 will be hot real estate this year. There are perhaps 3 teams who i think will struggle for wins in 08. the rest will contest quite hotly for the top 8.

 

[Longy413]

Well there you go, aint been monitoring playing weights of essendon players over the summer. In 07 i reckon he was a lightweight dasher.

You're wrong.

What height/weight measurements are you using for Bartel? Perhaps he has put on 5kg of muscle over the pre-season too?

Perhaps he has, it still means the Winderlich isn't undersized.
Unless of course you mean to say Bartel was undersized in 2007.

Id compare Winderlich to B.Johnson from the woods as a bloke who likes to get the ball run and carry it over a line.

Johnson runs from behind, Winderlich doesn't.

Small, undersized.....same thing to me

Undersized implies they are too small to perform the role they are required to.
Winderlich isn't, Davis isn't.


You're sinking.

 

[cs61]

On the Bombers speed....or the perception they don't have any.

I think poor footskills and poor fitness was more a problem that actual speed the last few years. They got run over in the last quarter many times, and turned the ball over a lot. When a side turns the ball over a lot, you lack confidence which means you move the ball slowly which makes the whole side look slow. I don't think this is as much do to with leg-speed, which why I think it is slightly over-rated in the modern game, even though it is a very handy attribute to have, its not the be all and end all of what makes the team slow.

We were considered very slow in 2005, but since we've improved our kicking efficiency, and fitness through our fitness guru, we now run sides off their feet because we run all day, and because we used the ball very well coming out of defense and through the middle. So we ran a lot of sides of their feet last year, yet our midfield consists of Hodge, Mitchell, Lewis, Sewell, McGlynn, Crawford, Bateman.... not too many lightning quick players, but all quick movers of the ball and a couple of dashers.

Essendon lack quality mids.

Give me a midfielder like Hodge and Mitchell anyday, before someone who can 100 metres quicker than anyone in the comp, but can't use the ball.

Brisbane looked an incredibly quick side when they were in their prime a few years back, because they just didn't make mistakes and played direct.

They yes, the Bombers midfield is poor and lacks efficiency, but its not because their mids lack leg speed, but because they aren't many good midfielders in there (no offense).

Back on topic:

Strengths:

Obviously their forward line, Lucas and Lloyd and one of the best forward prospects of his age in Gumbleton. Break even in the midfield and they are a chance every time, but that is a lot easier than it sounds given their midfield.

Weakness:

When Stanton and Watson are currently your best midfielders you are struggling in that department. Not that I don't rate them, its just an A grade midfield, would have them rounding out the 4th or 5th best players (I'm talking the Geelongs, and West Coasts of recent times) so its a worry.

Not sure on:

Not sold on the defense. Was under the pump last year a lot. Fletcher is still quality, but Michael I think is past it a little (didn't watch him a lot, but games I saw he struggled so correct me if I'm wrong Bomber fans). Ryder is quality, but too early to ask to take key positions. Wished we grabbed him in that draft.

Can't comment on: Young players.... don't know much about any except for Ryder and Gumbleton who are quality. No point in discussing the rest because I honestly don't know anything except for the fact there are some early selections there in decent drafts that Bomber fans are expecting good things from.

Summary:

Could be worse, obviously problem is still the second tiered group, and reliance on senior guys. I like some players, midfield is a massive problem and they went tall again in the draft I believe, and defense seems to be getting older.

Still may surprise if unknown youngsters come on, and they keep their mint players on the park. They'll play hard and back themselves, and take many teams on, but ultimately wont bother the real challengers.

 

[Longy413]

They got run over in the last quarter many times

You might want to check that, our last quarters were pretty good the last two years.

 

[cs61]

You might want to check that, our last quarters were pretty good the last two years.

Fair enough, buts it easy to pick something out of a long post, but I think the gist of what I said was correct.

 

[Schmick]

Fair enough, buts it easy to pick something out of a long post, but I think the gist of what I said was correct.

Yeh it was pretty much. Things you have mentioned such as fitness, disposal ect that are our weakness, Knight is spending alot of time on these areas and if we get them fixed, im confident we will get back to becoming a good side.

 

[Longy413]

Fair enough, buts it easy to pick something out of a long post, but I think the gist of what I said was correct.

Yes, but we have this perception of being unfit and slow.
It was a perception built on our team circa 2002-2005.

A lot has changed since then.

In 2006, despite having a shocking season, we played StKilda into the second half of the year and it was mentioned then that we had won the most last quarters of all clubs.

2007 we won a number of games, coming from behind.

 

[cs61]

Yes, but we have this perception of being unfit and slow.
It was a perception built on our team circa 2002-2005.

A lot has changed since then.

In 2006, despite having a shocking season, we played StKilda into the second half of the year and it was mentioned then that we had won the most last quarters of all clubs.

2007 we won a number of games, coming from behind.

Fair enough

But I think my main point was that Essendon were lacking quality midfielders more so than their pace or fitness, even though I did mention fitness, I think its more quality and skill level.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

2007 we won a number of games, coming from behind.

Many would say that those close wins flattered Essendon.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

Many would say that those close wins flattered Essendon.

How do you rate the GF wins by Sydney and WC over the last few years?

 

[TheCoach]

Many would say that those close wins flattered Essendon.

Thankfully football is played over 4 quarters... 'Many people aren't very clever i guess

 

[doppleganger]

when they're slow, they're hacks.

when they inject pace, they're hacks.

Have I got it this time?

When have i said they were hacks?

Reckon the original poster started the thread just waiting to see somebody trot out the too slow line, so they could rattle off the names of all the quick kids they have drafted.

Im simply fascinated by people talking about fast and slow players....means SFA. Teams that win the ball look fast, teams that chase all day look slow.

It is the most stupid thing after a young player.....it seems that on bigfooty unless ur u20 or a superstar of the league ur a dud. What a load of bollocks.

Essendon's biggest weakness is that they have no middle group, they have aging champions and a bunch of young prospects....and a severe lack of quality in between.

It is this lack of 23-28ish players who are the backbone of teams that will bring Essendon undone IMO.

The younger kids cant cope with a full season of footy.

I also think that the dons have gone too far with their obsession with speed and flashy type players, and will resemble a T.Wallace type team in a few years......they may play some exciting football when on, but will be exposed too often to be a real challenger.

Can continue to knitpick and focus on my 'skinny' terminology if you will.

 

[doppleganger]

Yes, but we have this perception of being unfit and slow.
It was a perception built on our team circa 2002-2005.

Perceptions take a long time to change....usually formed by the football media 'experts' and just filter down. Problem with the 'experts' is that they never predict anything.......take a look at the pre-season predictions, they pretty much just turn out the 07 ladder again.

A lot has changed since then.

Plenty of changes at all clubs......the dons fans hope that the promising kids will come on and produce.......the dons need em to as they are weak in the middle tier.

 

[Tambu]

Essendon's biggest weakness is that they have no middle group, they have aging champions and a bunch of young prospects....and a severe lack of quality in between.

It is this lack of 23-28ish players who are the backbone of teams that will bring Essendon undone IMO.

The younger kids cant cope with a full season of footy.

I also think that the dons have gone too far with their obsession with speed and flashy type players, and will resemble a T.Wallace type team in a few years......they may play some exciting football when on, but will be exposed too often to be a real challenger.

Too far with our obsession with speed and flashy players?

In the last five years Essendon have drafted Watson, Monfries, Slattery, Hislop, Hocking and Reimers. We've also retained Jason Johnson and Peverill.

I think Essendon has a very good mix of players, but like you said, there aren't enough quality players between 23 and 28 years of age.
This is where Stanton, Watson, Winderlich, Nash and Davey come in and need to step it up a notch this year along with Lovett, McPhee and Welsh.

 

[Longy413]

Can continue to knitpick and focus on my 'skinny' terminology if you will.

It's not knitpicking, it's blantantly incorrect.

 

[mango]

very little to worry abt from an essendon point of view, even if knights turns out to be a hack coach.

the main source of essendons problems of recent seasons have been removed, in sheedy et al, much as it hurts me to say it

a young group coming thru with a few aged guns to show them the way. may take a while for the worm to turn, but turn it will.

 

[pacman]

It's not knitpicking, it's blantantly incorrect.

So Longy where is your fast, superior skilled, muscular, fit team going to finish this season? Doesn't seem like you have any excuses because you have tried to shoot down all reasonable opinions and please tell us what weaknesses the Bombers have if any.