Analysis Why are we s**t?

[katana]

seen guys like Durham and Caldwell become genuine midfielders

'guys like' or just literally those two guys?

 

[Beerfish]

We did win a final in 2004 after all

 

[Old Campaigner]

You keep saying this, but who are the Millennials you're referring to?

Millennials are the generic boogeyman for boomers and conservatives

 

[ghostdog]

How about winning a final before we start worrying about premierships? You didn't "get Sheedy off the board". He helped fix this millenial inspired sh*t show and has moved on. How many Essendon coaches have lasted their contract since Sheedy?

How did Sheedy help fix the shit show?

Was it by publicly lambasting the board after they selected Scott over Hird?

Was it by supporting Dodoro to remain in his role?

...or was it by leaking stories about the club to Robbo?

 

[ghostdog]

Two years is enough time to 'have a look' at players, experiment with positions etc. The back-of-house situation appears to have improved dramatically. Time to get players in their best positions and nail down the game plan. I fully expect that to happen in 2025 and see some big strides being taken. Another more 'professional' pre-season, on top of last years, will make a big difference.

He will have to ensure that he understands the qualities of any new players who come in by having a look at them, too. He'll have to make sure he's playing those players in their best positions and they will also have to develop chemistry with the current group and nail the game plan. We'll also have to be patient while we wait for any draftees to be AFL ready. Obviously, the more draftees we bring in the longer it could take. You may have to accept and expect a dip in performance before we start to spike. I'm looking at '26 - '27, and that's just rising. We're not playing finals until at least '28 I reckon.

 

[BomberManU]

He will have to ensure that he understands the qualities of any new players who come in by having a look at them, too. He'll have to make sure he's playing those players in their best positions and they will also have to develop chemistry with the current group and nail the game plan. We'll also have to be patient while we wait for any draftees to be AFL ready. Obviously, the more draftees we bring in the longer it could take. You may have to accept and expect a dip in performance before we start to spike. I'm looking at '26 - '27, and that's just rising. We're not playing finals until at least '28 I reckon.

Yeah, but new players coming in happens every year. Needs to create a stable environment where players can come in/out without the whole ship sinking. Caddy and Roberts coming in was very smooth. You could be right, but Scott won't be there in 28, if we haven't played a final until then, whether we like it or not.

 

[faible]

The amount of disrespect for a man who took us from 12 to 16 flags (accounting for 25% of them) here is unbelievable.

One can recognise that Sheedy was a very good thing for the club, but isn't anymore.

 

[Donflicted]

Sheedy did the club great but sorry as soon as you publicly create unrest on the board by saying you did not back Scott and wanted Hird he should have been gone

This club badly needs stability

 

[ant555]

You millenials just hate Sheedy because he stooged you all when we got Scott.
Had you all focused on him while Barham and Scott sorted out how to fix this mess. Is it Clarkeson? is it Hird?

I am a 50 year member. Sheedy was done two years before we moved him on. Now go back to AFL 360 Robbo

 

[dank420_]

I am a 50 year member. Sheedy was done two years before we moved him on. Now go back to AFL 360 Robbo

wtf i thought you were in your 40s

 

[Agronomus]

How did Sheedy help fix the shit show?

Was it by publicly lambasting the board after they selected Scott over Hird?

Was it by supporting Dodoro to remain in his role?

...or was it by leaking stories about the club to Robbo?

The external review happened because Sheedy left the brasher camp and went to team Barham did it not?

 

[Agronomus]

I am a 50 year member. Sheedy was done two years before we moved him on. Now go back to AFL 360 Robbo

I would have either moved him on after 2004 or let him do the rebuild. Somehow we did the worst of everything

 

[ant555]

I would have either moved him on after 2004 or let him do the rebuild. Somehow we did the worst of everything

He had to go. Was great in his time but the fact that Knights got the job based not just on list evaluations but also a whole club evaluation showed we were well behind most sides when it came to football department.
Sheedy was an eighties/ nineties man. He knew recruiting from that era. He was well behind most other clubs as far as rebuilding in 2004 and onwards. Club I worked for had more full time staff than the whole Essendon set up.

 

[ghostdog]

The external review happened because Sheedy left the brasher camp and went to team Barham did it not?

I'll pay that.
Doesn't mean he hasn't also been a hindrance.

 

[ghostdog]

Yeah, but new players coming in happens every year. Needs to create a stable environment where players can come in/out without the whole ship sinking. Caddy and Roberts coming in was very smooth. You could be right, but Scott won't be there in 28, if we haven't played a final until then, whether we like it or not.

Agreed. It's going to depend a lot on how strongly the list is turned over, but creating that stable environment takes time.

Scott may or may not be there. I just accept that there's every likelihood we dip again before we rise. I wouldn't be unhappy about a bottom 4 finish next year / the year after, before Tassie enter. We'll draft Bewick in there too. The timing should be okay.

 

[Agronomus]

I'll pay that.
Doesn't mean he hasn't also been a hindrance.

I refuse to believe that lovable rouge could be a hindrance to anyone

 

[ghostdog]

I refuse to believe that lovable rouge could be a hindrance to anyone

Anyone who says Lovable Rouge is a hindrance has clearly never worn Smooth Coffee.

 

[The Donners]

I’m not sure how your Hawks comparison compares to us - except to say Watson has had an impact that Kako could have. I mostly agree with that

The ready-made stuff disappears as soon as they’re drafted. Tsatas was deemed ready-made by many. Archie Roberts was ready-made.

Scott’s not going to play Guelfi nor Gresh in the VFL. Kako’s only chance will be if they play a third small forward

2 talls
3rd/mid tall
3 smalls

Anything taller and you have Essendon’s current forward setup - shitehouse.

 

[bombreys]

2 talls
3rd/mid tall
3 smalls

Anything taller and you have Essendon’s current forward setup - shitehouse.

I agree - I’m just not sure the coaches do

 

[hurlygurdy]

The big improvement this year in my opinion was the conditioning of our players. Last season, we fell off but it was mainly due to fitness issues imo. We looked short of a gallop which was excusable given Caldwell, Durham, Hobbs, Martin were doing most of the heavy lifting off the back of one/two preseasons.

Fast forward to this year and the above mentioned players look to have really benefited from another preseason, and I think it was more strategy, structure, morale, list issues that killed the end of our season.

Another pre season with two first round picks coming in, whilst taking out some of the problem children hopefully gives a platform to improve.

Boy oh boy is it a big preseason for Cox, Daveys, Perkins, Reid, Hobbs, Jones. Career on the line for all of them I’d say.

It’s always the same old story- a bunch of fringe kids either come on and launch the team up the ladder, or flail around in mediocrity leaving the senior crew mid table. There’s always reason for optimism while bitter experience tells you otherwise.
Anyway I’m guessing we get enough progression to make finals. Doubt we get much more than that, although i do vividly remember 1993 so I keep waiting for that second lightning strike.

 

[MiguelM]

The finals series is a reminder that you have to take risks to win. Look at Brisbane last night, changed angles and played with dare through the middle.

The only game we did that late in the year was the Freo game. This stop start possession game will take us nowhere. Wake up coaches and give the players licence to run!

 

[Nicholas61]

The finals series is a reminder that you have to take risks to win. Look at Brisbane last night, changed angles and played with dare through the middle.

The only game we did that late in the year was the Freo game. This stop start possession game will take us nowhere. Wake up coaches and give the players licence to run!

Totally agree Miguel only thing is we need guys with composure and AFL standard kicks - what stood out is I barely noticed any horrid turnovers this finals series. We seem to do them every few minutes once Essengton mode is activated. Makes it hard for any coach to form a decent game plan but the coach needs to recognise this too. Geelong plucked a guy out of Swan Districts reserves late in the draft who can defend and is a great kick, Archie Roberts is similar just wish we went down that path and replace ALL panicky butchers, as well as anyone that holds onto the ball for 20 seconds then pass backward to Laverde. At least Kelly and Heppers are gone so changes are forced there.

 

[MiguelM]

Totally agree Miguel only thing is we need guys with composure and AFL standard kicks - what stood out is I barely noticed any horrid turnovers this finals series. We seem to do them every few minutes once Essengton mode is activated. Makes it hard for any coach to form a decent game plan but the coach needs to recognise this too. Geelong plucked a guy out of Swan Districts reserves late in the draft who can defend and is a great kick, Archie Roberts is similar just wish we went down that path and replace ALL panicky butchers, as well as anyone that holds onto the ball for 20 seconds then pass backward to Laverde. At least Kelly and Heppers are gone so changes are forced there.

Only real clangers were from Port and Boak was the main offender.

Agree, most games have had field kicking we can only dream of!

 

[Squeaky]

Totally agree Miguel only thing is we need guys with composure and AFL standard kicks - what stood out is I barely noticed any horrid turnovers this finals series. We seem to do them every few minutes once Essengton mode is activated. Makes it hard for any coach to form a decent game plan but the coach needs to recognise this too. Geelong plucked a guy out of Swan Districts reserves late in the draft who can defend and is a great kick, Archie Roberts is similar just wish we went down that path and replace ALL panicky butchers, as well as anyone that holds onto the ball for 20 seconds then pass backward to Laverde. At least Kelly and Heppers are gone so changes are forced there.

We won't slash all the panicked turnover merchants cos our VC would be one of them...

 

[Nicholas61]

We won't slash all the panicked turnover merchants cos our VC would be one of them...

The thing I keep thinking is what Sheedy said when he came to us originally - "we needed a different type of player". We are in that boat but we locked some of these guys up longer term. The one thing I will give Andy though is his lockdown ability (even on elites) which is unique among our defenders. Worked with a WAFL ressies player a couple of weeks back, he says he loves the physical part of the game, the modern EFC is typically not wired like that and I think you either have that or don't.