Essendon obviously have made plenty of mistakes and take the majority of the blame for their lack of success. That being said people underestimate how much luck goes into success at footy clubs.
Things like; the timing/criteria of priority pick rules changing, father Son rule changes, free agency rule changes, timing of expansion side entry into the league and the strength of the draft crop when a side bottoms out has a huge impact on teams long term success.
That being said I'd say comparatively well run sides who didn't quite get over the hump for a premiership have more to complain about with those outside of control based factors compared with Essendon and Carlton who have just continually knee capped themselves with poor management over the last 20 or so years.
Things like; the timing/criteria of priority pick rules changing, father Son rule changes, free agency rule changes, timing of expansion side entry into the league and the strength of the draft crop when a side bottoms out has a huge impact on teams long term success.
That being said I'd say comparatively well run sides who didn't quite get over the hump for a premiership have more to complain about with those outside of control based factors compared with Essendon and Carlton who have just continually knee capped themselves with poor management over the last 20 or so years.