Fours goals in a final for JoeD. That's got to give him a world of confidence.
Haven't lost to Fark Carlton in 2 years
I think most of the things I was gonna say have been mentioned.
Our spine is really healthy. Hooker, Hurley, Paddy, Carlisle, Daniher. Thats 5 that we can build a team around.
Also -
Colyer. Farking love the little dude. Wish his team mates would remember how short he is!
Chappy had a good year. He's such a complete player for us
We won well without Jobe
Heppell. Serious man love - How long until we're allowed to call him Brownlow I wonder?
Though unfortunate we can't sometimes hold leads, we're capable of big comebacks which is good for the above shoulders
Joe stood up big time in front of 78K in a final. The kid is all class. Hope the rising star voters realise they stuffed up with this kid
We smashed Carlton and Collingwood out of the park
No more droopy sash
LID GAWNNNNNNNNNN 2015!!!
MYERS IS DETERMINED! I AM DETERMINED!!!
Biggest positive: we have found big game young players with 10 years ahead of them!
Jake
Joe
Zach
Bags
The imperial guard: Hep, David, David, Benny,
The old guard: Jobe, fletch, Goddard, chappy.
… Ok ok I’m gonna stop I’m just starting to name our best 22 for round 1 and that’s silly at this time of year.
Positive Thread ... Let's give this a shot.
So, I went to bed the other night and this is what transpired in the off season ...
Brisbane put out a presser confirming the interest in the services of an Essendon player, turns out it was a typo, it was actually Stants they were interested in, not Ryder. Managed to successfully trade Stants for P. Hanley and they're 2nd round pick.
We then traded the 2nd round pick in a three way trade with Adelaide & Carlscum; We sent L. Jetta to Carlscum, Adelaide got Gibbs, Garlett and our 2nd round pick and sent none other than P. Dangerfield to us.
In the final day of trade week, Dustin Martin and B. Deledio realised they wouldn't win a flag with Richmond and came down to the True Value Solar Centre. A. Rance then put his hand up and said he'll be our 3rd KP Backman. We gave Richmond our 3rd round pick.
Positive much?
~ Our midfield held firm without Jobe for a large portion of the season.
Further, it gave us an opportunity to inject some speed into the side.
Colyer took his chance with both hands and is fast becoming one of our most consistent players.
As an added bonus, Heppell elevated his game to another level, now joining the ranks of almost elite.
Only 1 more year at that level, and we can delete the ‘almost’ !
~ Zaharakis has had his best patch of form in his career from half time of the 1st Sydney game.
I’m convinced he has another level also.
~ Joe Daniher showed some nice glimpses, culminating in a Final performance that perhaps we weren’t expecting.
28 goals from 21 games is a fine contribution from a 201cm 20 year old in his second season.
2015 - 40 goals ?
2016 - ???..who knows
Should be a 70 game player by Sept 2016 !
He’s coming along nicely and the kicking will improve.
Nothing wrong with that technique at all.
~ Hurley played 21 games for the season (career high), after only managing 16 in each of the last 2 seasons.
Struggled with some difficult early assignments, but does not get fazed.
His natural competitiveness, elite ball use, and ability below the knees has arguably more than compensated for the loss of Carlisle to the forwardline.
His second half of the season was very, very good.
We saw some glimpses of overhead marking returning to his game, and the confidence to take the game on and become a play maker is a role he seems comfortable with.
~ Hooker will be AA.
Thoroughly deserved as he was seldom beaten this year.
In fact, probably only beaten once, and honours even on 4 or 5 other occasions.
Turns 26 next month, so still young, and appears to be improving all the time.
~ Zach Merrett
Unbelievable steal of the 2013 Draft.
Karma that we got him in a draft where we were supposed to be excluded for upper echelon talent.
Gave up a guy that wanted too much money, who didn’t necessarily make us any better, and used the pick to select one of the most talented guys in the draft.
A big FU to the AFL and other clubs.
~ Gleeson
Silk, class, vision, nice turn of speed, courage, smarts.
We’ve found one here.
Just a matter of time.
~ Ryder found consistency, and has no peer as a tap ruckman come forward.
~ Baguley is a ripper.
The exact player you want to go into battle in big Finals.
Even discovered the ability to play a bit taller this year.
Some of his ball use is very good also.
~ Carlisle improved as a forward.
Some huge games in the second half of the year confirmed what Bomber was thinking in the pre season.
He can be a huge headache for the opposition as a forward.
Just needs more experience in the role now.
~ Chappy gave us everything we’d hoped.
His late season performances proved that his body was far from cooked at the end of the 2013 season.
A very solid Finals performance augers well for more Chappy highlights in 2015 !
~ Ambrose had a promising first season.
Will improve all facets of his game.
Was more important in some of the wins than his stats may have suggested.
A slight increase in speed off the mark, and ability to hit the scoreboard more often, and we have a fine player.
~ Winders and Fletch got thru the season well (Fletch only missing the end courtesy of a broken bone, not soft tissue inj.)
All indicators are that they can be good contributors again in 2015 if managed properly.
~ The HPC is state of the art.
The benefits of which will begin to filter thru the group in the coming years.
~ Supporters are great, the way they have stuck it out, supported the club, supported the players, under duress from so many outside factors.
Our spirit won’t be broken…ever !
~ Bomber Thompson coaching us (even for only 1 season).
~ Finally, we made a Final and were in it right up until 2 minutes to go.
Given our last 2 Finals whitewashes, this is an improvement, and the players gained valuable experience from the pressure of a close result.
I’m certain that some players who were a little nervy (ie.Hibberd), will be more composed in future finals.
*** Plenty of positives in season 2014
Absolutely brilliant - great post!
Never mind me (re; above post), I was just out to put a smile on blitzer's faces :)
You were spot on, especially about the supporter part. I'm a recent convert from Soccer to Footy and have been watching Essendon since 2010. Didn't see a heap of games 2010 but got right into it in 2011. This year I picked up my first membership. Why? Because the team were inspirational throughout 2013 the way they went about things with the dramas off field. Some of those wins were emphatic; Adelaide (away), Freo (away), Anzac Day to name a few.
Bomber supporters could not be anymore proud I think - and it showed in the increase in memberships.
This Bomber team will never be forgotten by it's supporters - even if they don't bring us #17!
Our good quarters.
Havent read the thread so no doubt someone has mentioned it, but the play of Colyer has me as excited as anything this year. His pace makes such a difference.
Good things we learnt, Hirdy will play Hurley forward and Carlisle back, amen. Hep is AAA, Baguley, Colyer, Hooker, Daniher all went up a notch and Gleeson and Ashby were good and Zac was amazing. Good to have Hird back and hope Bomba stays.
Good things we learnt, Hirdy will play Hurley forward and Carlisle back, amen. Hep is AAA, Baguley, Colyer, Hooker, Daniher all went up a notch and Gleeson and Ashby were good and Zac was amazing. Good to have Hird back and hope Bomba stays.
- No season fade outs
- Zerret, Hooker, Heppel, Bags, Colyer
- Beachcomber was coming back from injury and will be better next year.
- Daniher to come out firing next year
- Jimmy back next year. I like this swapping coaches every year thing. We should make it a regular thing. Bomber back as head in 2016
- Asada crap will hopefully be all cleared up next year
Disagree. Think bomber was onto something with the Carlisle / Hurley setup + the continuity we get out of Hurley now is enough to convince. Problem was Bomber was too stubborn this year to change it up when it didn’t work and because Carlisle is a confidence player, when it didn’t work for him he got worse and worse as the game wore on. Think Anzac Day - had Bomber switched them in the 3rd I have no doubt we would of won that game. Both Hurls and Buckets are capable of kicking bags at one end and shutting down their man at the other but with more improvement / development in their new roles it will pay huge dividends in the seasons to come. Twin towers up forward clunking everything that comes their way and at the other end Hooksey and Hurls locking up the gates and starting it again with their great hand and foot skills respectively. Hurls is already getting the possessions now, we just now need him to bring a bit of N. Malceski into his offensive game. In future when it’s not working on the day, we can always pull the HURLISLE trigger!
I think the admin and board showed they are top class by not being swayed by the media . A weaker board would have caved in by now.
Joe Daniher (needs to start hitting the gym right now, then cardio begins in earnest 6/8 weeks from now)
Jake Carlisle
Zack Merrett
Our spine is still awesome next year. Just need some pace around it
Hooker, Heppell, Baguley, Collier. Seriously, Collier. We need two more of him at least
Hurley played well in defence
Kommer will return next year. I still hope against Hope that Pears comes back successfully also
Hopefully the verdict comes down Thursday in our favour and weight is lifted from the players' shoulders
The asada crap is making us stronger not weaker
When we're good we're farking fantastic.