2018 Season in Review: The Clapper v Gloomer Deathmatch

Dream run with umpires, dream run with draw, dream run with media… Thats why I hate them the most.

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Put all of that together and I think we are a better and more competitive team at the end of 2018 compared to the side that finished 2017. And that has to be a positive outcome from 2018.

But we have to start 2019 and better side than the side that finished 2018. We have to hit 2019 running and in form and continue to improve on that through 2019.

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Merrett, McGrath and McKenna all in the best 22 under 22 team. Such a promising list.

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Zach Merrett isn’t under 22 years of age?

Neither is McKenna.

mckenna turns 23 next year.

Once you turn 22 you are no longer under 22 years of age. I’m being petty

22 and under. legit the first line

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Well there you go

Raz is stiff…turns 23 in a fortnight

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Doesn’t say much new. C as a grade is about right overall.

AFL end of season report card: Essendon

Ronny Lerner, 3 September 2018 — 11:38am (That Age paper)

Grade: C

Record : 12-10

What went right? The recruitments of Devon Smith, Jake Stringer and Adam Saad. All three players have already become important parts of the team and considering they’re about to enter the primes of their careers, the 2017 off-season may be looked back on in years to come as the club’s most significant recruiting spree.

Essendon’s interstate form was also brilliant, winning five games on the road for the first time in their history, and their ability to turn things around so dramatically in the second half of the year to win 10 of their last 14 games was commendable, too.

Convincing victories against Geelong, GWS (away), West Coast (away), Sydney, Port Adelaide (away) and North Melbourne, and narrow losses to Richmond and Hawthorn, displayed they could mix it with the big boys.

What went wrong? The first eight weeks basically cost Essendon a finals berth. An ultra-defensive game style was employed which went against the side’s strengths and their natural attacking instincts, that were so evident after round eight, were nowhere to be seen.

It confused the players, sapped their confidence and forced extremely talented footballers into making regular skill errors. Despite a late-season surge, with just two wins from their first eight games, the Bombers’ finals dream was shot to ribbons early on.

Essendon missed Joe Daniher throughout the season.
Photo: Wayne Ludbey

All-Australian forward Joe Daniher’s season being ruined by a groin injury was a big negative too and while the team went on an impressive run without him, his inclusion next year will undoubtedly make them much better.

Likely best and fairest? Devon Smith will be very hard to beat. The former Giant has already repaid the faith shown in him by the Bombers by producing a career-best season that saw him get nominated for the All-Australian squad.

Smith broke the all-time record for tackles in a home-and-away season (186 at 8.5 a game) and was ranked fourth at Essendon for disposals, third for contested possessions, fourth for clearances, third for inside 50s, sixth for rebound 50s and kicked 17 goals.

The one thing they need? Probably another classy midfielder and that’s why they’re being so heavily linked to Smith’s former teammate Dylan Shiel.

The Bombers already have a decent on-ball brigade consisting of players like Smith, Zach Merrett, Dyson Heppell and David Zaharakis but the addition of someone like Shiel would perhaps elevate them to an A-grade unit in 2019.

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Start of season was bad
End of season was good
SSS were good
If we get another good player we might be more good

Top quality Fairfax analysis there

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Meh.

Reads like Blitz

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End Thread.

Yet correct.

Anyone’s analysis change in light of last nights result?

Nah. We are well placed. There is no standout. Hawks worst top 4 side in years. Cats and swans ordinary. GWS probably won’t be better next year. Tigers might be stung into action. Dees look shot today but add Lever and Hogan and they will be thereabouts. Pies just play a strong process driven game and will be thereabouts but this era is there for the taking.

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Nup.
Talent is even amongst top ~10 sides.
Get the mindset and intent right for more weeks than 9 of those others, and you’ll win a flag.

No.

I was unfortunate enough to click on the finals game day thread by accident and saw some people had the nerve to pay out on the demons, the same side that’s just won more finals than we have in 14 years in the space of 7 days, performance yesterday. I had a look at the result and an 11 goal finals loss interstate would be regarded as ‘promising’ here, it’d also be one of the better interstate finals losses we’ve had as well.

Win a final, then I’ll take this club seriously again.

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Nah. While the improvement or deterioration of an opposition team from now and into next season will obviously affect us when we play them, ultimately our destiny is in our own hands. All teams are going to announcing best pre-season ever. Hardest pre-season ever. Best PBs ever. ect etc

What we do now during trade/.draft / presenting-season and then in the season proper is up to us. I think our list can potentially do very well. It can potentially get better.

We are as close or as far away from success as we make ourselves be.

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