I don’t worry too much about expert predictions. They had the Eagle finishing bottom 4 in 2018.
1 Like
The article sits on the fence, hedges its bets, each way. Lacks any real depth and insight, but that is too much to ask for.
2 Likes
2018 AFL “expert” predictions.
Check out what everybody thought of West Coast.
It was also posted a day ago in the Positive Thread.
Which, come to think of it, was probably not the best place, … but every bluddy article doesn’t need it’s own thread either, … does it? 
I don’t think he actually makes a prediction does he?
Let’s face it, no one has a clue how we’ll go this year. Safest bet is always to go with the previous year’s performance, which would be pretty disappointing, but there’s three areas which might improve us:
- game plan / coaching
- development of our younger guys (Redman, Francis, Guelfi, Lav, Lang, Drapes, Mutch etc)
- return of a few experienced players (Smith, Fanta, Stewie, Joe etc)
We all know that these factors mightn’t kick in, but I think there’s enough reason there for hope.
3 Likes
Nope. I was just talking about the general consensus that we suck, which the article alludes to. Which we kind of do. But we’ll be in better shape than last season when we were over hyped.
Yeah I dunno about that. Without info on strength of opponent this is a summary of our defence from Round 4 through Round 13 last year:
'Since the start of round four, no team has conceded less points than the Bombers, who have averaged 66.1 points against.
The current top-four sides have the next best figures - Geelong (66.9), Adelaide (68.2), Collingwood (70) and GWS (70.7) – putting Essendon in elite company.
To top it off, the Bombers are also conceding the least points from stoppages and give away the second-least points per inside 50 (39.2 per cent). ’
Obviously injuries and consistency also factored in later in the season but I don’t know about being ‘a long way’ especially given the talent we have lined up
1 Like
I actually think he’s saying that we have been hyped in the past without it being warranted and now that some positive changes have been made we should actually feel some optimism.
I think its actually a positive article.
Maybe I’m reading it wrong.
3 Likes
No i agree. I wasn’t disagreeing with the article. I was adding to his point haha.
1 Like
I think he’s actually spot on.
The data you are highlighting is a select range rather than the whole season and on top of that we had no balance between defence and attack.
The other sides mentioned like geelong, GWS and the Tigers have got the mix right already and thats why they consistently finish up the top.
Whats to say if we make adjustments to score more points, that that doesn’t effect our defence. We have to get the balance right.
2 Likes
Jake Niall making it all about us, Why?
Essendon is the only club with injury problems, a poor finals record and a massive clickbait response.
Not quite the same diffuse measure, but CD say in 2020 we have the 6th best defenders.
CHAMPION DATA LIST RATINGS – DEFENDERS
- Richmond
- Western Bulldogs
- Port Adelaide
- Collingwood
- Sydney Swans
- Essendon
Of the top sides only only collingwood and richmond have better defenders.
Balls usually down there
3 Likes
The main issues were 2 bad blowout losses. GWS round 1 and Dogs later in the season. This stuffed us up as far as points against was concerned. No one had a better defence than Geelong 1462 but the sides 2-6 averaged about 1650. We were 1784, thanks to GWS 10 goal loss 112 against, and Dogs 11 goal loss, total 240 points. Butif those were reduced to average, our points against would have been about 100 points less, or 1684, not that much worse than the side in positions 2-6 on the ladder.
3 Likes
The media can no longer be wrong about us. If we fail they say I told you so, if we succeed they’ll say this is what we have expected, they have always the talent and it’s finally clicked. To quote Bruce McAvaney “we know this”.
Or in 2017 with Richmond.
The off-season, they lost Deledio, they tried to overthrow the board and then Hardwick copped major criticism when he said he wanted his players to have fun and be creative on the field.
No one predicted them to make finals in 2017 at all.
2 Likes
To quote Oscar Wilde, There is only one thing in life worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.
1 Like
I like this one from Mae West… It’s a beauty!!!
Mae West Quotes. I believe that it’s better to be looked over than it is to be overlooked.
5 Likes