Maybe we should have got BIG RON GUACI in?
Give or take 6 months, and we’ll all have forgotten this while watching players doing early pre season laps at the Hangar. Followed by the usual frothing over “HARDEST PRE SEASON EVER” articles as players complain of being tired after doing a military jungle gym sryle course days after christmas.
Won a McGrath.
Yes it was.
Dodoro has had final say on who we draft a couple of years before Sheedy left.
Yeah nah thats not correct.
It most certainly is.
2005 Paddy Ryder and Dempsey were Sheedy selections… Ryder was Farmer reincarnated. Dempsey another long… Typical bizarre Sheedy comparisons. Firman in the rookie draft was a Belconnen lad with similarities to Blumfield also from NSW/ACT. 2006 Dodoro was keen on Selwood and we picked up Gumby. A few other Sheedy types in that draft. Hislop from Tassie, a Muslim from Calder in Houli and a few indigenous lads in Davey and Jetta.
Sheeds couldn’t give up control. Still had senior people calling him the boss
Every player is a Sheedy type once he spruiks them, doesn’t mean that’s what happened and as i said, it didn’t but if you see it that way that’s up to you.
I’m not sure why people look back on that draft as an example of abject failure.
It ended up producing several 100 gamers
Agree, but equally Sheedy has some abysmal misses. The point being that Sheedy was often influenced by the romantic notion of a selection. Marcus Pickett, Daniel McAllister, Laycock a few examples that come to mind
Pretty sure Ball commentates on 774. I was about to ask when did he leave the club.
I’ve spent several years joking (or am I?) about how players never get better once they join Carlton.
I’m starting to wonder about examples for us. How many players in the last 15 years have improved beyond the natural progression of age and experience after joining us? I’d make a case for Watson and Hooker and that’s about it. The progression likes of Heppell and Parish and Merrett would have happened no matter where they ended up.
Meanwhile have a look at Hawthorn, Sydney, Adelaide, Collingwood and to a slightly lesser extent Geelong and West Coast, and how many they’ve all had over the last 10-15 years that come from seemingly nowhere to become good players.
While I think there’s been a lot of good insights in this thread so far about character and whatnot, I just don’t think it seems to matter once we have them, we’re not making players better.
Not that I disagree with you, but Sheedy was around in an era when the senior coach had far greater influence over all facets of a club’s operations. A single figurehead leader doesn’t mean as much any more.
Only one thing can fix this attitude a flock of big farking cannons
This thread has created it’s own atmosphere.
I don’t think a cultural malaise is to blame for this seasons performances at all. We just aren’t winning games of football at the moment and unfortunately it’s as simple and as complicated as that. A goal the other way against Pies and Swans and we would be 5 & 3 and somewhere near the top of the ladder. Well guess what, ■■■■ happens and we lost those close ones.
The block-chaining of the ‘last 15 years mediocrity’ trope to support the current lack of on-field output really is just emotional and lazy analysis.
Can Jobe come back? Buddy is alot older and he won’t (not allowed to) get booed anymore.
You going to have to elaborate on that last paragraph because I don’t really get what you mean.
Former Essendon players is the consistent theme?
I agree. My son was a hard working member of the DRC (■■■■ Reynolds Club). The group were true Bombers through and through. My son was a committed member, even thinking of applying for a position at Essendon. However, just two short years ago Xavier C. said they were no longer needed or would be recognised as a EFC coterie group. That tore the heart out of my son to think a dedicated group were no longer needed.
All things Essendon have been whittled away. From a fully paid up member attending all home and away Melbourne based games, he is thinking of changing his membership to home games only.
Our whole family has become disenchanted with EFC. After last Friday night’s effort being beaten by the bottom side, a side with out their super star and a weakened backline, Essendon put in a very insipid effort with no recognised full forward or CHF named, despite injuries, just summed up how complacent the selectors, coaches and players have come.
Imagine what the coaches and presidents of Collingwood and Hawthorn would be saying and doing if Rampe’s Spiderman, goal post climbing activity had occurred at their respective games against the Swans. The media would have been fully of complaints, appointments with the AFL, CEO, head of umpiring etc., etc. Not a peep out of Essendon’s president and coach. An attitude of “Well, we can’t doing anything about it, the game is over, just let it slide away in the dark.” Like hell. They should be shouting from the roof tops despite Essendon not deserving to win.
I’ve been a keen Essendon supporter for 72 years, not missing a Grand Final from 1946 onwards. Since the saga Essendon has become a shadow of its former status within the AFL. I have no idea how the present malaise that has crept into this once great football club can be killed off and a strong, enthusiastic group of coaches, players, administrators can restore this Club back to its status as a power house club within the AFL.
Will I ever see another premiership cup adorning the trophy cabinet at The Hanger?
We have a Board and management group full of sycophants - that’s why.
I personally want coteries even further away from the running of the club.
I’m merely a fan. What I do know is that this ‘feels’ like an awful club to follow. We as a fan collective often know when a shyte performance is coming, and more often than not the team delivers. My biggest gripe would be that we always seem behind the competition and then try and import coaches to catch up to styles, tactics etc. The only time in the last few years we were good was playing our own speedy game style but that also came with a desperation that hasn’t been seen since.
So, overall, my explanation on following Essendon is just a big shoulder shrug and a who knows.