I think our back 6 is as setttled as it has been in years. We even have competition for spots. Unsure about the Laverde sledge.
As for small defensive forwards, again we have way more options than we did last year.
I think it’s fair to say, particularly because of their home-ground advantage and Covid last year - WC under-performed drastically. NM will get a bounce. GWS should plain, maybe grab a couple more wins. I think whoreforn will drop further. Crows should plain out, as will GC. I think Saints will drop quite a bit. Everyone above them should be doing alright, so in my mind, it’s a shuffling of the bottom 7 teams, with WC possibly being the best of them. I reckon whoreforn for the spoon, followed by NM, then Saints. Where crows, GWS and us end up is a toss-up.
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Shiel
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The drumbeat and countdown to R1 is on. And so it should be. I wasn’t there but many here were. @Finding_Nino is bang on making sure we never forget that shitshow of a performance v Cats. I just hope BDB makes it a mission we slaughter the Hawks and move on from there. Just plan for 3 games at a time … suspensions, injuries etc. changes things and team structure. Three games at a time is my motto.
Anyways, its a v good start to pre so far. Few niggles but most of the squad will arrive on time come the season opener. We won’t be second last come season end no way. We might even be top 8 push come shove but more likely in the 12. Not a problem as long as we fight hard all year for mine. Our time will definitely come soon. And I reckon we should have a very strong 2023 VFL given the steady increase of quality depth. That’s great news.
But its R1 Brad … if we #### the bed then you’ll have a fired up, flame bearing Blitz inspired by Nino to answer for. That’s a definite.
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Forward pressure only, tackling beast
And I also just want to add a big thanks to the training reporters. From the far side of the world its as close as we refugees feel to being there. In our heads, our memories, our new hopes and imagination for this season.
Ta
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Laverde’s effort and strength are A-grade but as a key defender, he’s B-grade at best.
You can’t put a ceiling on a player but you can put a floor on them and Laverde’s floor is one that should be upgraded because a strong spine is a major key to a premiership side.
Ben McKay would be a perfect upgrade for us.
McKay
Ridley (or Reid in 2-3 years if he comes good)
Draper
CHF (hopefully Jones or Voss can be the CHF we need, otherwise go after Ben King again)
Wright
Our midfield is not well balanced yet but it is still a good one, and with that spine, we can be a top six side if we have a decent depth.
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I don’t know, WCE have a crap list propped up by their remaining aging premiership players. Norf won’t get out of bottom 4, clakkko doesn’t exactly have runs on the board with a list as bad as theirs. Saints are destined for that 10-14 finish and never better.
We might end up with another mid table finish purely by virtue of other teams having even worse years
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Every list has B grade defenders.
Not all of them give A grade effort.
He’s the exact type of mature gritty soldier we need and I’d suggest an unwarranted target.
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We will be a better team when Laverde is not a part of it. He is honest, and full credit to him from turning a failing career as a forward, into a solid defender.
But let’s be honest, he concedes too many free kicks, and goals against. I know the lack of pressure in front of him doesnt help an Essendon defenders cause, but I hope like hell one of the recently drafted guys can jump ahead of him and nail the key defender role.
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Well yes, but you want to get the best spine possible. And considering what we can do to improve our list without giving up too much or affecting our young players’ development, Ben McKay makes sense with his age if we can get him as a RFA. Hayes looks promising, and when he’s 21 or 22, McKay will be about 30.
I’d be happy to get King too, because I am not sure what we are going to get from our young key forwards either. Like I said, you need a strong spine.
It might change at the end of this season if the young forwards continue to develop and show what they can do, but right now in my opinion, it looks like we need the most is in this order, and I don’t mean only to recruit but in terms of a settled best 22 (if that makes sense?) for 2024 and beyond, so here is:
- CHF
- FB
- Medium defender
- Outside mid/wing
This is not a knock on Laverde but the key to a top 4 side is a decent depth and if Laverde and Kelly become depth, it means we are going somewhere.
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6th in our best and fairest.
Reckon you’ve got the wrong target.
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Laverde is great in our backline now. Reinvented player.
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I would prefer to spend our money on a key forward. Spending 750k-1m (which is what McKay will want to move) of a tight salary cap on a FB doesn’t win you flags
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Average age: 23.8 (16th oldest)
Average games: 56.2 (15th most experienced)
Most games: Dyson Heppell (213)
Players with 100-plus games: 10
Players with less than 50 games: 24
Most finals games: Dylan Shiel (9)
Players with finals experience: 22
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In a list of a bottom four team…
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Yep i want us to brutalise Hawthorn send a message to the comp that we are a diffrent Essendon
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I think the 100+ and less than 50 game stats are good ones to look at for judging experience of the list.
Games played together would be useful for assessing understanding amongst the players.
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Plenty of other players finished below him.
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We need a couple of really solid KPPs to emerge, one in attack and one in defence. It might be a recruit who comes out of nowhere or it might be someone who’s been on the list for a while who suddenly steps right up and imposes himself, but we need more than just incremental improvement from the usual suspects. It will happen sooner or later, but who knows when?
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