Top 4 in 2010?

[EFL Boy]

1. Season 2009 is still going.
2. 2010 is out of the question next year. We have improved out of sight this year, but we are not consistant enough and we don't have the correct and well developed list at this stage. 2011 is when I can see us pushing for Top 4.

 

[BomberGal]

TOP 4? LOL!

Next year's ladder will look like this

1. St Kilda
2. Hawthorn (yes, they will bounce back, and bounce back hard... worst affected team for injuries)
3. Adelaide
4. Collingwood
5. Geelong
6. WBD
7. Brisbane
8. Carlton/Essendon with WCE pushing for a spot as well.

Lol top 4

You're kidding yourself if you think Hawthorn will finish 2nd. No depth. Injuries are not the reason they fell from Premiers to 9th. They play unsustainable football, as they demonstrated against us on the weekend.

The thing that you have assumed is that all of those teams will continue to improve and none will have shocker seasons or bad injuries. If we have our best side in we can definitely at least push for it. We beat three of your top four there this year, and challenged Adelaide for awhile. I don't think we'll make the top four, probably, but if we improve we should finish higher than 8th.

 

[Malifice]

TOP 4? LOL!

Next year's ladder will look like this

1. St Kilda
2. Hawthorn (yes, they will bounce back, and bounce back hard... worst affected team for injuries)
3. Adelaide
4. Collingwood
5. Geelong
6. WBD
7. Brisbane
8. Carlton/Essendon with WCE pushing for a spot as well.

Lol top 4

Reckon we'll (Carlton) go backwards next year?

I dont think so.

Got mine as something like this:

1 Geelong
2 Adelaide
3 St Kilda
4 Collingwood
5 Carlton
6 Hawthorn
7 Bulldogs
8 Brisbane

9 Essendon
10 WCE
11 Roos
12 Melbourne
13 Sydney
14 Port
15 Fremantle
16 Richmond

Id be prepared to swap Adelaide for Geelong as minor premiers should the Crows win the flag/ Make the GF this year (which they are a good chance of doing).

 

[EFL Boy]

Reckon we'll (Essendon) go backwards next year?

I don't think so.

 

[DaSawx]

Reckon the 8 will be exactly the same as this bar Hawthorn like 99% of BF posters? I don't thinks so.

Teams will rise and fall.

And to add to the OP, McVeigh and Welsh could certainly contribute more next year also.

 

[Rack Watts]

5-8th, we will improve but not top 4. Other teams will also improve remember.

 

[retroparty]

I think we will finish 6th.

Should be able to win about 11 Melbourne games + a couple on the road.

Really need to improve our interstate record before we can become top 4 material.

 

[Godzke]

You're kidding yourself if you think Hawthorn will finish 2nd. No depth. Injuries are not the reason they fell from Premiers to 9th. They play unsustainable football, as they demonstrated against us on the weekend.

The thing that you have assumed is that all of those teams will continue to improve and none will have shocker seasons or bad injuries. If we have our best side in we can definitely at least push for it. We beat three of your top four there this year, and challenged Adelaide for awhile. I don't think we'll make the top four, probably, but if we improve we should finish higher than 8th.

/facepalm

Think about what you just said. ANY TEAM including essendon can have injuries, therefore if you're going to create a potential top 8 you have to assume a level playing field for injuries.

Any top 8 you make has to assume that. You're just going to assume they're injury list will be as bad as this years? Why don't we assume the same with our list?

What's this unstainable football rubbish? Because they dropped off in the second half when they only had two on the bench? Because they're missing their best and fittest players? Because a lot of the blokes running out there didn't have preseasons?

**** I hate Hawthorn almost as much as Carlton but I'm not bias in analysing their fortunes or ours. They might not finish 2nd, but they won't finish below 5th assuming they don't have as bad a run with injuries as they did this year. An assumption you have to make with all teams.

Reckon we'll (Carlton) go backwards next year?

I dont think so.

Got mine as something like this:

1 Geelong
2 Adelaide
3 St Kilda
4 Collingwood
5 Carlton
6 Hawthorn
7 Bulldogs
8 Brisbane

9 Essendon
10 WCE
11 Roos
12 Melbourne
13 Sydney
14 Port
15 Fremantle
16 Richmond

Id be prepared to swap Adelaide for Geelong as minor premiers should the Crows win the flag/ Make the GF this year (which they are a good chance of doing).

Lions and Blues will be around the same mark but I'd still have the WBD as winning 1-2 more games than the Blues.

I believe the Hawks will be better than you as well, if not by much.

 

[hateitorlovett13]

Reckon we'll (Carlton) go backwards next year?

I dont think so.

Got mine as something like this:

1 Geelong
2 Adelaide
3 St Kilda
4 Collingwood
5 Carlton
6 Hawthorn
7 Bulldogs
8 Brisbane

9 Essendon
10 WCE
11 Roos
12 Melbourne
13 Sydney
14 Port
15 Fremantle
16 Richmond

Id be prepared to swap Adelaide for Geelong as minor premiers should the Crows win the flag/ Make the GF this year (which they are a good chance of doing).

You'll remain a spineless team who is solely reliant on Judd and Fevola. Fevola will not improve any more, and will be downhill from here. Your midfield may get a bit better, but not much, and as always, you will have a group of players who contribute very little. That being said, you're good enough to consistently finish around 5th for the next few years.

We will improve with time.

 

[Bombermania]

The OP has a good point had we defeated North, Richmond, Fremantle, West Coast and got the four points against Brisbane then this year we would have finished top four and we could still make the top four in 2009 but next year is a different kittle of fish.

I would be surprised if Hawthorn missed the eight next season for while they had a poor season for on paper they have a top team with one gun forward and several other good forwards plus a good mid-field.

I expect Collingwood will continue to improve, the Western Bulldogs will be up there and if they pick up a Barry Hall or can develop a forward then they will only be more dangerous.

St Kilda and Geelong will be interesting, Geelong have been up there for a few years and the question is will they start to fad or will they find a way to re cement themselves at the top which is what i expect them to do.

Brisbane, Adelaide and Carlton will continue to improve as their youngest mature; this brings me to the Essendon Football Club.

On paper i would expect a top eight finish but this is a tough game and a lot can happen but we still have areas that cause me some concern, the forward line can be dysfunctional, we still give away too many goals from turn over’s and on many occasions we over use the handball this is mostly across the half back line caused by a lack of movement from our forward line.

I reckon we are still a good ten goals behind the top four sides; sure we beat Collingwood and St Kilda but we also lost to North Melbourne so yes we can make the top four but we need to improve quite a bit.

 

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

I don't quite think you have the quality YET to make the 4... It depends on how your kids develop and then maybe you could look at it in 2 or 3 years... Carlton are ahead of you and they will struggle to make top 4 next year. No doubting you have some exciting kids but they will need 50 to 100 games under their belt and will need to develop right for you to have a serious impact and premiership tilt in the next 3 years.. Good luck tonight though

 

[lethal03]

TOP 4? LOL!

Next year's ladder will look like this

1. St Kilda
2. Hawthorn (yes, they will bounce back, and bounce back hard... worst affected team for injuries)
3. Adelaide
4. Collingwood
5. Geelong
6. WBD
7. Brisbane
8. Carlton/Essendon with WCE pushing for a spot as well.

Lol top 4

If I said that I would be rated delusional

 

[warney7]

I hope tonight showed the extreme optimists where we actually are.

 

[damochandler]

we are still mile's away from being a top 4 contender.

 

[Macca18]

I really hate threads like this one the day of a game, especially a big game.

Destined for total failure.

And for the record - no.

Hmm yep Macca18 - nice observation. Not helpful - we'll get there eventually... but unrealistic expectations are NOT helpful.

Bottom 4 perhaps..

And yes this thread was always going to be a magnet to these sorts of knobs (above) after such a performance. Not forgetting though that the 'Mighty Blues' were embarrassed TWICE by the Crows this year - and only 6 days ago to the tune of 72 points IN Melbourne. The 2-0 record of Essendon against Carlton this year also speaks volumes.

 

[dapto]

The OP has a good point had we defeated North, Richmond, Fremantle, West Coast and got the four points against Brisbane then this year we would have finished top four and we could still make the top four in 2009 but next year is a different kittle of fish.

What I dislike most about posts like these is apart from the font, there is a myopic vision that those teams on their day were there to be 'wronged' or necessarily sub par. We lost to them by being underprepared. Under psyched. They also had 'stuff' on the line and just rose to the day.

And we lost those games badly.

The fact is too, we were ridiculously luckily to beat Collingwood Anzac day. Fabulously luckily in one of the Carlton wins, got the Saints in a gear change, never looked like beating the dogs and always thought we were the goods for big games when it is four points every week. We won some great game but also we just lost the others by not being as similarly pysched. Whose fault is that? No change going to happen there.

We have been terrible interstate for too many years to mention. We have little or nothing to hang our hat on with our 'new' two prong forward line in Neagle plus 'one' or either the perenial coming of the Gumby. Lax in respecting the virtues of ruck stocks and the supporting of the ball winners who need them and neglient in grooming our fleet of B grade midfielders to really compete by giving too many of them handy contracts undeservedly.

We have been lucky with the back line. Pears has been massive and Hurley terrific where ever placed.

But too many others have been as inspirational as Knights. Good one week, lucky or not the next. Matchwinner Zaharakis gets little or no mention, rightly for fading. Jetta has little to inspire. Myers needs to be the man and hope is all we have there. Hocking, Slattery, Dyson, Atkinson, Skipworth are hold their own, holding water,..... just biding time. They will be delisted; notin 2009 but sooner than later.

They/we are not top four material. Yet.

Lloyd is needed next year just to be there. Watson needs a ruck man and the club better ruck stocks moving through. Our defense is deceptively poor in that defense is all round the ground and the midfielders have not been responsive enough. They have failed or Knights has failed them.

Greater discipline and consistency is needed to get us to the finals 2010 not just singular acts by the one or two.

I bet my Bf life for the bombers to make the finals this year. Bombermania, I do not suggest you throw caution to the wind on another board for a top four spot for the bombers in a similar bet just yet for 2010. We have some work to do.

Still and the other Slattery may be some of the spark to help us but not for finals and if we don't soundly reconsider our skills next year, it could be as disappointing as the previous. Knights has got to come to grips with soem basics and hopefully doesn't roger himself and the club in the process.

But against the competition, just now, it is a fantasy four for those that subscribe Essendon into the top four next year.

Knights is on the injury list 2009 going into 2010.

 

[essendon2008]

It might initially seem feasible to say we could make top 4 next year if everything goes well. Then you just need to think what teams would we be above.

I find it difficult to be above Geelong, St Kilda, Adelaide, Collingwood and Hawthorn.

However, having said that, i would not at all be surprised if we did make it. I have learnt more than ever this season not to write off the EFC until it is completely over.

 

[Bombermania]

What I dislike most about posts like these is apart from the font, there is a myopic vision that those teams on their day were there to be 'wronged' or necessarily sub par. We lost to them by being underprepared. Under psyched. They also had 'stuff' on the line and just rose to the day.

And we lost those games badly.

The fact is too, we were ridiculously luckily to beat Collingwood Anzac day. Fabulously luckily in one of the Carlton wins, got the Saints in a gear change, never looked like beating the dogs and always thought we were the goods for big games when it is four points every week. We won some great game but also we just lost the others by not being as similarly pysched. Whose fault is that? No change going to happen there.

We have been terrible interstate for too many years to mention. We have little or nothing to hang our hat on with our 'new' two prong forward line in Neagle plus 'one' or either the perenial coming of the Gumby. Lax in respecting the virtues of ruck stocks and the supporting of the ball winners who need them and neglient in grooming our fleet of B grade midfielders to really compete by giving too many of them handy contracts undeservedly.

We have been lucky with the back line. Pears has been massive and Hurley terrific where ever placed.

But too many others have been as inspirational as Knights. Good one week, lucky or not the next. Matchwinner Zaharakis gets little or no mention, rightly for fading. Jetta has little to inspire. Myers needs to be the man and hope is all we have there. Hocking, Slattery, Dyson, Atkinson, Skipworth are hold their own, holding water,..... just biding time. They will be delisted; notin 2009 but sooner than later.

They/we are not top four material. Yet.

Lloyd is needed next year just to be there. Watson needs a ruck man and the club better ruck stocks moving through. Our defense is deceptively poor in that defense is all round the ground and the midfielders have not been responsive enough. They have failed or Knights has failed them.

Greater discipline and consistency is needed to get us to the finals 2010 not just singular acts by the one or two.

I bet my Bf life for the bombers to make the finals this year. Bombermania, I do not suggest you throw caution to the wind on another board for a top four spot for the bombers in a similar bet just yet for 2010. We have some work to do.

Still and the other Slattery may be some of the spark to help us but not for finals and if we don't soundly reconsider our skills next year, it could be as disappointing as the previous. Knights has got to come to grips with soem basics and hopefully doesn't roger himself and the club in the process.

But against the competition, just now, it is a fantasy four for those that subscribe Essendon into the top four next year.

Knights is on the injury list 2009 going into 2010.

Sorry about the font, i wrote the post in Word to ensure minimal spelling errors.

In fairness to clubs like Richmond, North, Fremantlew and West Coast, they out played us but sutting down our run.

Clubs like Hawthorn and St Kilda due on part to their own style of play didn't focus as much on shutting Essendon's run down.

The win over Collingwood was in some ways lucky and sure we caught St Kilda on an off day and they could have won the game after the siren.

I feel we are a fair way from the top four and as we saw tonight we lack deph, our forward line did not work, Adelaide were just way too big, strong and quick.

I stand by the final comment that i made in my earlier point that we are at least 10 goals behind the top four.

Actually tonight the Crows totally exposed our weakness, all season we have over used the handball, we have lacked leading forwards and missed targets that result in turn overs that resulted in several goals.

 

[essendon2008]

The win over Collingwood was in some ways lucky and sure we caught St Kilda on an off day and they could have won the game after the siren.

Give credit where it is due. When Collingwood looked to have won and started to 'relax', our boys never gave up and scored a great win. Lucky maybe but without the effort right until the end it wouldn't matter how much luck we had.

St Kilda started that game on fire. Do not forget this. They had an 'off day' because we pressured them and found some great form ourselves. We also managed to hold on with a couple of injuries.

A win is a win unless cheating is involved and there was definitely no cheating involved in any AFL game this year.

 

[essendon2008]

So does the 96 point thumping tonight Macca18.

By all means, enjoy your win, you deserve it. But please enjoy it on the ADELAIDE board and do not rub it in to us. It wreaks of poor sportsmanship.

Although the majority of BigFooty users seem to know very little about sportsmanship so maybe it's a lost cause.

 

[Bombermania]

Give credit where it is due. When Collingwood looked to have won and started to 'relax', our boys never gave up and scored a great win. Lucky maybe but without the effort right until the end it wouldn't matter how much luck we had.

St Kilda started that game on fire. Do not forget this. They had an 'off day' because we pressured them and found some great form ourselves. We also managed to hold on with a couple of injuries.

A win is a win unless cheating is involved and there was definitely no cheating involved in any AFL game this year.

I was not suggesting that they were anything but great wins but i was responding to Dapto who made comments about several of our wins and i can see where he is coming from and i partly agree and if we look at that St Kilda game, several of their players had poor second haless, quite possibly their worst for the season due to our run and pressure.

 

[yaco55]

There was a variety of reasons why we lost tonight

- The midfield defensive pressure has dropped away in the last 8 weeks - as evidenced by scores kicked against us.

- Got smashed in the ruck - I doubt that we will see another day when our 3 first choice ruckmen are injured

- Got smashed winning the contested ball tonight

- The forward line performed well tonight considering there was only 32 Forward entries.

- The defence performed poorly * albeit against a polished forward line - The only defender who held his own was Pears.

- Too many valuable players were out injured

 

[banta]

with a full strength side i think we can make a play for the top four next year. we really need to improve our forward line though.

im loving the look of our young backline when hurley moves back there with pears, dempsey, fletcher and whoevever else fills the spots whether it be myers, houli, atkinson, slattery or whoever else, i think it can do the job.

our midfield is also looking better, especially next year when welshy, prismall and winderlich get a full, un-interrupted pre season under their belts, to help jobe, stanton. also, hopefully lovett can get his head right and become an elite player.

our ruck stocks will improve when they all come back from injury.

too many times this season i saw essendon players running through the midfield with the ball, only to have to stop and handpass the ball around due to the lack of forward options presenting across half forward. lucas and lloyd have provided the bulk of essendon's forward focus for the past decade, but with one retired and one close to retirement we need new players to put up their hand and provide the team with key forwards that will kick a winning score.

our small forwards look good, with monfries, zaharakis and davey as well as a few others. the obvious answer is jay neagle and scott gumbleton, do people think we can build a forward line around these boys that can take us to a premiership in the coming years? i hope so, but think we need more from a ryan o'keefe type player across the half forward line to help these young blokes and share the work load. the only player i can see providing that role off the top of my head is adam mcphee, so i think we have work to do.

 

[KingMullet]

I dont think the club can make the top four in 2010. Fingers crossed however the club will be pushing top four in 2011. For 2010 I am hoping that Essendon can still play finals ableit winning more games eg 12-13.

I am hoping that more experience to players such as Neagle (hopefully ~50 games by 2011), Monfries (hopefully ~100 games by 2011), Winderlich (hopefully ~ 100 games by 2011), Zaharakis (hopefully ~50 games by 2011), Hocking (hopefully >50 games by 2011), Pears (hopefully >50 games by 2011), Hooker (hopefully ~50 games by 2011), Hurley (hopefully ~50 games by 2011), Davey (hopefully ~50 games by 2011), Dempsey (hopefully >50 games by 2011) could push the team towards a top 4 spot.

 

[Call Me Cake]

Top 4 in 2010 is too early IMO. A little too silly as well.

I'd be happy with actually winning a final first.

Once we win a final or two, then you can go on about a top 4 spot. 2011 seems like the right time. Top 4-2 in 2012 is what I'll hope for.