Who will be better in 2025? Saints, Demons or Bombers

[jdstorm]

Essendon rebuilding? They've been 'rebuilding' for the last decade. That nonsense is supposed to work on delusional club members, not opposition supporters.

They are not as young as the misleading average list age stat suggests. Only Collingwood, Geelong, Brisbane and Sydney had a more experienced actual playing list last year. They only debuted two new players while four experienced recruits played - that's generally not how a rebuild works.

They have dropped their relative average age down because they got rid of some older list cloggers who have already been replaced and replaced them with draftees. Getting rid of a fat, undisciplined Stringer doesn't mean you are 'rebuilding'.

They will have plenty of experience and will have no excuses if Brad Scott can't move up the ladder with a relatively talented list.

Yeah we have. When you hire dodgy builders things don’t get done so well.

Thankfully they are gone now.

I agree the list has some talent sprinkled through but what it lacks is balance and reliable depth.

For instance our projected forward line is Draper Caddy Langford Perkins Gresham Kako

Only Caddy and Kako are young, Langford has been there abouts AA. But Draper, Perkins and Gresham aren’t exactly reliable performers. Drapers barely played FF after being moved there last year cause he’s a rubbish ruck. Perkins a former top 10 pick who spent some time in the VFL due to a lack of form and Gresham who saints didn’t want.

Best case scenario that’s a decent group. With Peter Wright and Guelfi as depth

It’s also only got a history of not being very good. So that’s its most likely outcome.

Our midfield being good hinges on Tsatas having a breakout year and might still be too small.

Backline has the most talent/depth but also might rely heavily on Andy McGrath maintaining a season of good ball use. And if injuries hit a bunch of first year HBs

 

[HirdsTheWord]

not us.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

Yeah we have. When you hire dodgy builders things don’t get done so well.

Thankfully they are gone now.

I agree the list has some talent sprinkled through but what it lacks is balance and reliable depth.

For instance our projected forward line is Draper Caddy Langford Perkins Gresham Kako

Only Caddy and Kako are young, Langford has been there abouts AA. But Draper, Perkins and Gresham aren’t exactly reliable performers. Drapers barely played FF after being moved there last year cause he’s a rubbish ruck. Perkins a former top 10 pick who spent some time in the VFL due to a lack of form and Gresham who saints didn’t want.

Best case scenario that’s a decent group. With Peter Wright and Guelfi as depth

It’s also only got a history of not being very good. So that’s its most likely outcome.

Our midfield being good hinges on Tsatas having a breakout year and might still be too small.

Backline has the most talent/depth but also might rely heavily on Andy McGrath maintaining a season of good ball use. And if injuries hit a bunch of first year HBs

lol

our backline relies on much more than that.

it relies on Zach Reid and Jordan Ridley not being perennially injured. Which to date would be long odds at best.

Our Backline with and without Ridley is as black and white as i have ever seen a backline.

he is in, we are good, he is out we are woeful.

 

[jdstorm]

lol

our backline relies on much more than that.

it relies on Zach Reid and Jordan Ridley not being perennially injured. Which to date would be long odds at best.

Our Backline with and without Ridley is as black and white as i have ever seen a backline.

he is in, we are good, he is out we are woeful.

I’m not as worried about Reid/Ridley being injured. I’m bullish on Hayes as the 2nd tall and think Prior/Cox are acceptable/competent Medium defenders.

I think where our defence struggles is generating momentum. Ridley is also our defensive QB and when he’s out we don’t have a decent user back there.

We’re currently trialling Sheil there to pair with McGrath and possibly Roberts in this critical role but yeah I’m not overly confident in any of those players playing that position effectively.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

I’m not as worried about Reid/Ridley being injured. I’m bullish on Hayes as the 2nd tall and think Prior/Cox are acceptable/competent Medium defenders.

I think where our defence struggles is generating momentum. Ridley is also our defensive QB and when he’s out we don’t have a decent user back there.

We’re currently trialling Sheil there to pair with McGrath and possibly Roberts in this critical role but yeah I’m not overly confident in any of those players playing that position effectively.

I am, less so Reid because who knows if he is good or rubbish, never seen the bloke play enough but our backline with and without Ridley is stark.

 

[Toump Ass]

Being lumped in with junk like saints and bombers what a fall from grace for the once-mighty Melbourne Demons.

 

[CCurnow3votes]

Being lumped in with junk like saints and bombers what a fall from grace for the once-mighty Melbourne Demons.

Agreed!

It’s recency bias.

Too much quality on the Melb list to sit at this level.

Bottom half of the 8 for mine.

Heads will roll if the Deed miss the 8.

 

[Linda Lovelace]

Yeah we have. When you hire dodgy builders things don’t get done so well.

Thankfully they are gone now.

I agree the list has some talent sprinkled through but what it lacks is balance and reliable depth.

For instance our projected forward line is Draper Caddy Langford Perkins Gresham Kako

Only Caddy and Kako are young, Langford has been there abouts AA. But Draper, Perkins and Gresham aren’t exactly reliable performers. Drapers barely played FF after being moved there last year cause he’s a rubbish ruck. Perkins a former top 10 pick who spent some time in the VFL due to a lack of form and Gresham who saints didn’t want.

Best case scenario that’s a decent group. With Peter Wright and Guelfi as depth

It’s also only got a history of not being very good. So that’s its most likely outcome.

Our midfield being good hinges on Tsatas having a breakout year and might still be too small.

Backline has the most talent/depth but also might rely heavily on Andy McGrath maintaining a season of good ball use. And if injuries hit a bunch of first year HBs

I'm not saying Essendon is perfect or that its forward line in particular won't be unsettled. I'm just saying that it's not in a rebuild - a word that has been abused nearly beyond all meaning, but certainly does not apply to Essendon's current situation.

 

[Gavin Excell]

I’m not as worried about Reid/Ridley being injured. I’m bullish on Hayes as the 2nd tall and think Prior/Cox are acceptable/competent Medium defenders.

I think where our defence struggles is generating momentum. Ridley is also our defensive QB and when he’s out we don’t have a decent user back there.

We’re currently trialling Sheil there to pair with McGrath and possibly Roberts in this critical role but yeah I’m not overly confident in any of those players playing that position effectively.

Yikes Nik Cox

 

[TheUnicorn]

I am, less so Reid because who knows if he is good or rubbish, never seen the bloke play enough but our backline with and without Ridley is stark.

Well he's injured now

 

[HirdsTheWord]

Well he's injured now

did i jinx it?

 

[TheUnicorn]

did i jinx it?

He's just not made of the right stardust

 

[markm106]

Injuries at this time of year like the saints have is pretty dire. These guys end up playing catch up. Gonna be tough for them especially if you get anymore injuries.

 

[Holy Hunter Clark]

Saints not having much luck on injury front this pre season it seems

Haven't for 3 years now

On Pixel 7 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Juddernaut08]

Yeah we have. When you hire dodgy builders things don’t get done so well.

Thankfully they are gone now.

I agree the list has some talent sprinkled through but what it lacks is balance and reliable depth.

For instance our projected forward line is Draper Caddy Langford Perkins Gresham Kako

Only Caddy and Kako are young, Langford has been there abouts AA. But Draper, Perkins and Gresham aren’t exactly reliable performers. Drapers barely played FF after being moved there last year cause he’s a rubbish ruck. Perkins a former top 10 pick who spent some time in the VFL due to a lack of form and Gresham who saints didn’t want.

Best case scenario that’s a decent group. With Peter Wright and Guelfi as depth

It’s also only got a history of not being very good. So that’s its most likely outcome.

Our midfield being good hinges on Tsatas having a breakout year and might still be too small.

Backline has the most talent/depth but also might rely heavily on Andy McGrath maintaining a season of good ball use. And if injuries hit a bunch of first year HBs

7665 days of rebuilding

 

[jdstorm]

7665 days of rebuilding

Yup. Pretty much.

Hope to see everyone at our big 21st party this year