Analysis Why are we s**t?

[TheGrizz]

It’s an approach that the club abandoned in 2020 in favour of a draft-driven rebuild. Since then we've brought in

Wright - cost a fourth rounder and has been a superb trade
Caldwell - 20yo with 11 games to his name
Hind - cost a fourth rounder and an immediate replacement for Saad/McKenna
Cox - National draft
Perkins - National draft
Reid - National draft
Eyre - NGA
Brand - NGA
Durham - MSD
Kelly - FA
Hobbs - National draft
Lord - National draft
McDonagh - National draft
Voss - Rookie
Wanganeen - Supp selection
Martin - Supp selection

So tbf, they have totally switched paths.

This.

And we can expect at least another couple of years of this recruiting strategy before we change. I wouldn't be surprised if some names that fans consider 'untouchables are allowed to explore their options for more picks.

 

[brain taylor]

I would be surprised if the club sees players like Guelfi, Smith, Stewart, Zerk-Thatcher etc as long term viable options and a part of our next successful team.

guelfi should get to stick around for a while just by virtue of being one of the only blokes who does anything when he doesn't have the ball.

 

[bomberlegend2007]

To get out of being this shit, you also need luck. I’m talking being really shit but being lucky with it, Petracca fall in your lap luck, Walsh fall in your lap luck, a King here a king there. You don’t want to be shit this year as Brisbane take the no.1 player available as a father/son. We pick shit years to be shit with apologies to poor old Andy mcgrath.

I’m praying that Hobbs is that player that’s fallen into our laps.

 

[Mercurial89]

Why are we shit ? our number one ball winner is well this

Overweight?

 

[Dave]

Having said that, Freo had at least that many 20 or under

They had 3.

 

[Alberto_Magnifico]

Remember Goddard and the pretzels? Do we currently have anyone playing with that much passion?
Even Merrett who is probably one of the more fierce competitors didn't show much interest before he got injured.
Must be a dream job to get drafted by Essendon these days, rock up, get a decent salary, no accountability, just show enough to get a fat contract extension then slide back into mediocrity.

 

[BomberManU]

Don't think I've seen this much media scrutiny, for on-field stuff, before. People must have been used to us being mid-table and irrelevant, but seeing as we showed a bit last season but have not delivered this season, the pressure is on.

 

[Ati Tude]

Don't think I've seen this much media scrutiny, for on-field stuff, before. People must have been used to us being mid-table and irrelevant, but seeing as we showed a bit last season but have not delivered this season, the pressure is on.

Yeah, but it is also that there are so many nuffies in the media that need to find something to say and there probably isnt enough other stuff going on. Pies and Blues arent terrible for a change so cant pile onto them. Same with Hawks. No one cares about Kangas to keep writing about how bad they are and Melb media dont care about how bad Eagles, Port and Suns are. Or GWS. If GWS was a big Melb club, the media would be right into them. Ess still carries a stench from the saga and non Ess supporters like to read about how bad we are going. Without Eddie around to make stupid comments and if Kennett keeps his mouth shut for a week, it is really down to Essendon and umpiring.

 

[Chief Hopper]

We aren't that bad.
As other's have mentioned, we are down a few of our best players.
We have a young team.
We have faced 3 of the top 4 teams in a row and a Freo team on red hot form.

Any young group of players aren't going to be mentally strong to bounce back week after week facing the best.
Faced with all of the above and we will slowly turn it around during the season.

 

[Hak94]

I would be surprised if the club sees players like Guelfi, Smith, Stewart, Zerk-Thatcher etc as long term viable options and a part of our next successful team.

I don't like directing hate at anyone but, sorry.... what are we as supporters not seeing when BZT takes the field each week that everyone inside the club is seeing both on gameday and also at training during the week? Because, how is he being selected in the team each week for anything bar his height to match up on either the opps best KPF or second KPF? Have we not seen enough from him that clearly shows he literally does nothing of substance when on the field. I couldn't tell you a single time that I've watched him play and list a game where I've thought "ok, maybe he has some potential here.... I can see it now" but literally.... nothing comes to mind! I feel like we are not ruthless enough with selection and just play players for the sake of it. And before anyone comes for me with things about depth and also needing to cover that position of a player being able to run with a tall forward.... BZT literally fails at that when he plays so what is the harm in playing someone else? It's becoming a bit of joke now, I feel like as a supporter whenever I see him play that I'm being taken the micky out of me and it's not nice at all to constantly see a player that clearly isn't up to it being given a game just..... because!

Also, yes, Heppell has had a solid two week patch, with Sundays game clearly being his best for the year but I think it's only showing in his ability around the ground that he maybe has this year and possibly next in him. You only need to watch the five games thus far to see that he gets lost in the play a lot of the time and really has any speed he once had to keep up with the play. I love everything he has given to the club but it's not at all helping anyone by him playing bar his leadership. Again, I hate saying that because he's been an absolute weapon for the club since he was drafted but it's clear that run of injuries he had did a number on his body and he hasn't been the same player since.

Some other things worth noting, Cox needs to 100% be told "this is the position you're playing" and settled there. It's doing nothing for his confidence as a player and he looks a shell compared to what we saw last year. Is it a case of some second year blues and finally realising what it takes to be an AFL player? Maybe. But even then I still think we'd be getting more out of him then we are. Stop throwing him around positions and just settle the damn guy. His height really makes me think we should trial him up forward given we may still be without Jones for at least another 1-3 weeks, if that. Even then, there is no way Jones will be completely match fit and firing from the get-go. If not, then chuck him down back in replace of BZT to take the opps best or 2nd best tall with Reid still looking way off any kind of senior level/AFL game time.

 

[nipst@r]

I don't like directing hate at anyone but, sorry.... what are we as supporters not seeing when BZT takes the field each week that everyone inside the club is seeing both on gameday and also at training during the week? Because, how is he being selected in the team each week for anything bar his height to match up on either the opps best KPF or second KPF? Have we not seen enough from him that clearly shows he literally does nothing of substance when on the field. I couldn't tell you a single time that I've watched him play and list a game where I've thought "ok, maybe he has some potential here.... I can see it now" but literally.... nothing comes to mind! I feel like we are not ruthless enough with selection and just play players for the sake of it. And before anyone comes for me with things about depth and also needing to cover that position of a player being able to run with a tall forward.... BZT literally fails at that when he plays so what is the harm in playing someone else? It's becoming a bit of joke now, I feel like as a supporter whenever I see him play that I'm being taken the micky out of me and it's not nice at all to constantly see a player that clearly isn't up to it being given a game just..... because!

Also, yes, Heppell has had a solid two week patch, with Sundays game clearly being his best for the year but I think it's only showing in his ability around the ground that he maybe has this year and possibly next in him. You only need to watch the five games thus far to see that he gets lost in the play a lot of the time and really has any speed he once had to keep up with the play. I love everything he has given to the club but it's not at all helping anyone by him playing bar his leadership. Again, I hate saying that because he's been an absolute weapon for the club since he was drafted but it's clear that run of injuries he had did a number on his body and he hasn't been the same player since.

Some other things worth noting, Cox needs to 100% be told "this is the position you're playing" and settled there. It's doing nothing for his confidence as a player and he looks a shell compared to what we saw last year. Is it a case of some second year blues and finally realising what it takes to be an AFL player? Maybe. But even then I still think we'd be getting more out of him then we are. Stop throwing him around positions and just settle the damn guy. His height really makes me think we should trial him up forward given we may still be without Jones for at least another 1-3 weeks, if that. Even then, there is no way Jones will be completely match fit and firing from the get-go. If not, then chuck him down back in replace of BZT to take the opps best or 2nd best tall with Reid still looking way off any kind of senior level/AFL game time.

I've seen zerk show signs at vfl level, dominate vfl games but in the 20 odd afl games he hasn't shown it. Not swapping him onto taberner on the weekend, even though zerk was playing okay showed me the coaches don't rate him to ever be better than average, so not sure why he is getting games and still on the list. I'd give Reid a crack. Don't know/think Reid is as far off as ppl think as he has more class than all our defenders bar Ridley. And we know we kept Ridley in the vfl at least half a season too long. Also taberner kicked 7 on us so really how much worse can it get

 

[nipst@r]

I don't like directing hate at anyone but, sorry.... what are we as supporters not seeing when BZT takes the field each week that everyone inside the club is seeing both on gameday and also at training during the week? Because, how is he being selected in the team each week for anything bar his height to match up on either the opps best KPF or second KPF? Have we not seen enough from him that clearly shows he literally does nothing of substance when on the field. I couldn't tell you a single time that I've watched him play and list a game where I've thought "ok, maybe he has some potential here.... I can see it now" but literally.... nothing comes to mind! I feel like we are not ruthless enough with selection and just play players for the sake of it. And before anyone comes for me with things about depth and also needing to cover that position of a player being able to run with a tall forward.... BZT literally fails at that when he plays so what is the harm in playing someone else? It's becoming a bit of joke now, I feel like as a supporter whenever I see him play that I'm being taken the micky out of me and it's not nice at all to constantly see a player that clearly isn't up to it being given a game just..... because!

Also, yes, Heppell has had a solid two week patch, with Sundays game clearly being his best for the year but I think it's only showing in his ability around the ground that he maybe has this year and possibly next in him. You only need to watch the five games thus far to see that he gets lost in the play a lot of the time and really has any speed he once had to keep up with the play. I love everything he has given to the club but it's not at all helping anyone by him playing bar his leadership. Again, I hate saying that because he's been an absolute weapon for the club since he was drafted but it's clear that run of injuries he had did a number on his body and he hasn't been the same player since.

Some other things worth noting, Cox needs to 100% be told "this is the position you're playing" and settled there. It's doing nothing for his confidence as a player and he looks a shell compared to what we saw last year. Is it a case of some second year blues and finally realising what it takes to be an AFL player? Maybe. But even then I still think we'd be getting more out of him then we are. Stop throwing him around positions and just settle the damn guy. His height really makes me think we should trial him up forward given we may still be without Jones for at least another 1-3 weeks, if that. Even then, there is no way Jones will be completely match fit and firing from the get-go. If not, then chuck him down back in replace of BZT to take the opps best or 2nd best tall with Reid still looking way off any kind of senior level/AFL game time.

I think with cox it is okay to throw him around as it worked okay for Ryder and he seemed to play better last year when thrown in ruck and backline. Just keep pumping games into him and we need to build his confidence and attack on the ball again.

 

[JayDon]

I don't like directing hate at anyone but, sorry.... what are we as supporters not seeing when BZT takes the field each week that everyone inside the club is seeing both on gameday and also at training during the week? Because, how is he being selected in the team each week for anything bar his height to match up on either the opps best KPF or second KPF? Have we not seen enough from him that clearly shows he literally does nothing of substance when on the field. I couldn't tell you a single time that I've watched him play and list a game where I've thought "ok, maybe he has some potential here.... I can see it now" but literally.... nothing comes to mind! I feel like we are not ruthless enough with selection and just play players for the sake of it. And before anyone comes for me with things about depth and also needing to cover that position of a player being able to run with a tall forward.... BZT literally fails at that when he plays so what is the harm in playing someone else? It's becoming a bit of joke now, I feel like as a supporter whenever I see him play that I'm being taken the micky out of me and it's not nice at all to constantly see a player that clearly isn't up to it being given a game just..... because!

Also, yes, Heppell has had a solid two week patch, with Sundays game clearly being his best for the year but I think it's only showing in his ability around the ground that he maybe has this year and possibly next in him. You only need to watch the five games thus far to see that he gets lost in the play a lot of the time and really has any speed he once had to keep up with the play. I love everything he has given to the club but it's not at all helping anyone by him playing bar his leadership. Again, I hate saying that because he's been an absolute weapon for the club since he was drafted but it's clear that run of injuries he had did a number on his body and he hasn't been the same player since.

Some other things worth noting, Cox needs to 100% be told "this is the position you're playing" and settled there. It's doing nothing for his confidence as a player and he looks a shell compared to what we saw last year. Is it a case of some second year blues and finally realising what it takes to be an AFL player? Maybe. But even then I still think we'd be getting more out of him then we are. Stop throwing him around positions and just settle the damn guy. His height really makes me think we should trial him up forward given we may still be without Jones for at least another 1-3 weeks, if that. Even then, there is no way Jones will be completely match fit and firing from the get-go. If not, then chuck him down back in replace of BZT to take the opps best or 2nd best tall with Reid still looking way off any kind of senior level/AFL game time.

He does have a similar look to Fletcher.
Just maybe!?

 

[Mootsy]

Remember Goddard and the pretzels?

these pretzels..are making me thirsty

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

All boils down to depth of quality. Its something we haven't had for a long time.

I've been here debating with folks about the likes of Stanton, Dyson, Hurley, Zaka, Goddard, Smith, Hardingham, Myers, Brown, Hartley, Green, Dea, Bellchambers, Elliot Kavanagh, Shaun E, Gleeson, Kelly, Prismall, Monfries, Neagle, Welsh, Shotgun Williams ffs etc, etc, etc for an eternity. Some of these guys were good players at a stage but its as obvious as the nose on your face when they drop off that cliff.

We have never been strong enough as a club to make the truly hard, calculated list decisions to properly refresh the list. Its why we are in this perpetual state of mediocrity. If we have some luck and health we can look like we are on the right track but its a false dawn. A few injuries, a few things don't go right and bam, back to the bottom until we scrap a few wins together with some journeymen and senior players that aren't up to it.

At this point in time we have a decent 6-10, patch quilt and kids. Its not a great list. Anything other than best 22 and it falls way apart. There is no out and out gold from the draft other than Zach Merrett at 26. Parish is a great top 10 pick but other than that we have failed to find enough stars.

We have some promising kids but so does everyone else. Who knows if ours will actually come good.

We just need more better players.

 

[Bjchan13]

Essendon is ranked 18th for contested possession, 17th for clearances, 18th for ground ball gets and 17th for pressure.

 

[Call Me Cake]

It's a simple answer really. No one checks anyone.

There are no checks and balances, no need for accountability because feedback is neither given nor taken. Our captain is a popularity-addict who has no spray in his veins and that habit has trickled down over the years to permeate throughout the youth that has come to the club. You basically end up with a club culture of look at me, let's chill and get by, and don't step on toes. No accountability as long as there are words to tide everyone over.

When you have a culture of not hurting feelings, you have a culture of no accountability, and when you have a culture of no accountability, you have a culture of no pressure on your spot and thus the freedom to do as you wish and collect your check.

It doesn't surprise me that Merrett was once voted out of the leadership group in the past, probably because he saw through all this BS and spoke up - but that doesn't make you popular, of course.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

We aren't that bad.
As other's have mentioned, we are down a few of our best players.
We have a young team.
We have faced 3 of the top 4 teams in a row and a Freo team on red hot form.

Any young group of players aren't going to be mentally strong to bounce back week after week facing the best.
Faced with all of the above and we will slowly turn it around during the season.

you aren’t seeing the wood for the trees mate.

we didn’t lose because we were down players, we lost because the team doesn’t give a shit.

they two are totally different things.

 

[citizen-erased]

It's a simple answer really. No one checks anyone.

There are no checks and balances, no need for accountability because feedback is neither given nor taken. Our captain is a popularity-addict who has no spray in his veins and that habit has trickled down over the years to permeate throughout the youth that has come to the club. You basically end up with a club culture of look at me, let's chill and get by, and don't step on toes. No accountability as long as there are words to tide everyone over.

When you have a culture of not hurting feelings, you have a culture of no accountability, and when you have a culture of no accountability, you have a culture of no pressure on your spot and thus the freedom to do as you wish and collect your check.

It doesn't surprise me that Merrett was once voted out of the leadership group in the past, probably because he saw through all this BS and spoke up - but that doesn't make you popular, of course.

I think what you'd find is the counter balance (some may call it an over-correction) to the preceding years.....'12-'16 chiefly.

We took a "whatever it takes" mantra, hell-bent on results.
And if we're honest, we played our best footy from the last 2 decades in that period from '12-'14 not withstanding the injury crisis at the end of 2012.

I imagine the club has been careful not to put a foot wrong since when it comes to the players and culture around the club.
Possibly, we're still paying for that era and reforging the foundations we'll eventually stand on.

 

[Shanghaistu]

When Ryder had the chance to return to us a few years ago and turned us down because he didn’t like the ‘vibe’ at the club - would be interesting to know more about what that meant - seems media swept it under the carpet at the time?

 

[faible]

When Ryder had the chance to return to us a few years ago and turned us down because he didn’t like the ‘vibe’ at the club - would be interesting to know more about what that meant - seems media swept it under the carpet at the time?

Probably because he left due to cheating on his missus and she said no.

 

[Ati Tude]

Essendon is ranked 18th for contested possession, 17th for clearances, 18th for ground ball gets and 17th for pressure.

I am surprised by that. Surprised we weren't 18th for clearances and pressure as well that is. Of all the stuff that has been said this week around tough draw, injuries, young team etc, it is these stats that depress me the most as it shows we dont put the effort in. I think supporters can handle losing, but they do want to see effort. Those stats of our key mids and Hepp having about 1 tackle each is just awful, whilst Hobbs had 5 tackles on debut. Really need a big response this week.

 

[Lore]

When Ryder had the chance to return to us a few years ago and turned us down because he didn’t like the ‘vibe’ at the club - would be interesting to know more about what that meant - seems media swept it under the carpet at the time?

That was at the end of 2019 when we'd just set up or were just about to set up the coaching succession plan, while the club presidency was already in a succession plan.

Shortly thereafter, Hayden Skipworth went to the Pies and told us the day before pre-season started, Leigh Tudor came in as head of development (can call that early signs), and Justin Rodski (some sort of 2IC to the CEO, I forget his title but something to do with corporate sponsorship) moved on as well, taking a promotion at Melbourne Storm – not indicative by itself, the guy is entitled to pursue his career after many years at the club, potentially important because of the strain that then places on the board and the CEO to replace that person, particularly when the board wasn't particularly hands on at that point so the CEO is basically flying solo.

Over the following 12 months, the blowtorch turned on Essendon. The President and the Senior Coach were both officially replaced after the respective succession plans, with Brasher taking over the presidency earlier than originally scheduled and moving on half the board before the season ended, effectively heading off any thought of mutiny at the board elections with Kevin Sheedy taking the 'electable' seat.

The club lost a bunch of games and once finals aspirations had been effectively put to bed, Rutten finally got some degree of influence over the team selections and dropped Hooker, and didn't give Bellchambers a farewell game, which put some noses further out of joint.

4 high profile players obviously left (3 to other clubs, 1 home to Ireland) – the entire AFL world were talking about us for the entire month of the trade period and then some. Those players leaving, and in particular Adam Saad, who had only joined us recently and whom Rutten tried to retain, in turn (officially) triggered an internal review of the football department, the existence of which was highly publicised and some findings released.

That set off another bout of media scrutiny when the GM of Football was not retained, the CEO and GM of List & Recruiting both had their positions scrutinised and their job descriptions reframed, which was evidently extremely necessary given that the GM-Footy and the CEO had been wielding a lot of influence and seemingly overriding the president, the coach and the list management at different points.

Mark Harvey moved sideways into the recruiting department with some sort of part time gig pressing palms with the coteries. He was replaced by Gia, and the new GM-Footy then rearranged everything else in that department, setting up a list and recruiting committee meeting that we know runs monthly with the board's football person, the coach, the GM-list and the GM-footy working together, rather than against one another <- possibly part of his mandate when he won the role was to replicate this process that had been in place at Melbourne. James Kelly was stoppages until the end of the off-season leading into 2021, he quit and wasn't directly replaced afaik. 12 months later Dan Jordan (forwards having taken over from Skipworth a year earlier) was replaced by Dale Tapping.

Half the playing list has since been turned over, basically a raze it all to the ground and rebuild type of situation, with senior players who stayed being asked to play in completely different positions – Hurley Hooker Ambrose forward, Laverde Stewart back, and this year Shiel forward, Merrett McGrath back. The upshot is that the list is currently not well-balanced, there are too many talls and not enough depth in other areas (which is okay if your list priority is 'rebuild the spine' rather than 'more depth in areas we have quality', but as soon as injuries strike, voila!) There has also been considerable effort to rebuild the culture of the club as well, to reconnect with the club's roots at Windy Hill and with past players, as well as all the 150 years memorabilia and documentary stuff.

So yes, the blow torch was on us for a good 4-5 months from the middle of 2020 when the bubble burst through to the National Draft and into the new year when Rutten was being sussed out by the media. We won a reprieve last year by showing some intent, re-signing Merrett who was seriously considering leaving, and having some of the kids come on with a bit of flair, but the start we've had means it didn't last long. I mean yes we did have a shit fixture to start with, we were pretty much always going to be 0-3. And we didn't have a lot of depth so the injuries we copped to key structural pieces like Merrett, Stringer, Langford, Snelling, Jones all have an influence on how well we can cope even against the middle-ranking opponents. So I think losing could have been excused. But lack of effort and intent? Never.

Whatever vibe Ryder was picking up when he toured the place (who knows, maybe he walked in on an argument, or got different stories from different people he talked to) – whatever it was, I don't think he was imagining it.

 

[Inspecta Gadget]

 

[Lore]

Oh, and I forgot to mention a bunch of former players being interviewed on radio in 2020 and having less than good things to say about the club. Which feeds into the point about the board being overhauled and getting Sheedy into the electable spot.