Thanks Bombers...

[swoodley]

Nice post Filth...when I read it, I thought you must have been channeling JP

[paddyl90]

Nice post Filth...when I read it, I thought you must have been channeling JP

My positivity spreads Swoods

Yes you can all thank me for my positivity over the past 5 years

Now we are rewarded with a final tonight Just going to sit back an just let them play and let what will be, be.

Wouldn't like a thrashing though. Under 30 points I'll be happy. Imagine if we won

[Jazz_84]

yep great thread, Essendon are the epitome of class and dignity as you said. this time last year we we're out of the finals and looking pretty ordinary, now 12 months on we are playing our first final in 5 years and with the help of a few future superstars we are looking to dominate the AFL once again, not for a short while i hope. we may lose tonight but 2010 is looking very very good indeed! 17th cup in 2010 definitely not out of the question! just need to keep up the good draft picks and we can stay up top for a long while to come, easier said then done but BRING IT ON!!!!

on a personal note i think im moving to melb at the right time

[Mrs Mercuri]

Great post!!!!!

I really the hope the boys go out there tonight and give it all they have... leave nothing in reserve because you never know what may happen by the time the final siren sounds!!

2009 was certainly a great season!

[auditor]

Nice.....lots to look forward to in the seasons ahead.

[Madden]

Fantastic post Filth. Even if you cop a bit of stick sometimes, you are an absolutely legendary contributor to this forum.

[tom9779]

Just wanted to say thanks to the Footy Club for a great 2009 win, lose or draw tonight.

10.5 wins(less than half) is not a great return. the efc limped into the finals. altho i guess expectations are high for next year and for tonight....

[Boyler_Room]

We may have limped into the finals, but all those teams below us crying foul... we performed better than they did, so we're deserved finalists. Let ourselves down with a few games we should have probably won throughout the year, but we won the big matches that we were never supposed to (except Geelong.. and possibly Adelaide). That has to say something. The boys were able to get up for the big games on the big stage and perform.

I'd like to see us get over Adelaide tonight. The Cows fans are scared we'll burst out of the blocks again and they won't be able to run us down this time. I can only hope we get off to a flyer... and finish with a flurry this time.

Either way, I said we'd make finals in 2009. Always thought we were good enough (as did many others), although did think we'd shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times. Am very proud of the young lads who have led this team into finals. Disappointed with some older heads, but here's hoping 2010 is a better year for the leaders and the youngsters step up another level again.

[Megan]

Great post.

In spite of the number of losses this year, I think the quality of the wins has proven that there is a lot to be excited about in coming seasons!

[BenDoolan]

Excellent post Filthy! I agree with everything you've said except one thing.......................there can't be a draw tonight

[hop]

Irrespective of tonights performance....I can't remember a more topsey/turvey roller-coaster type year other than 93.

Two more members of my family have bought EFC memberships and they are awe struck and love the way we go about it.

2010

[stryper]

Thankyou Essendon for a fantastic rollercoaster ride... Have had many ups and downs and played some very exciting football...
So easy for people to bag the coach and players but lets face the facts...
We have come a hell of a long way...
Yes we got smashed last night but at least we played a final which is a massive improvement on last year...
Knights - second year as coach and finals Well done...

Have blooded some fantastic future stars and will only get better and better...
Hurley - a future Gun. Pears - a future gun. Ryder - a massive break out year... Dempsey - almost injury free and breaks it open... Quinn - people bag him badly but has potential... Watson future Captain - Mr consistentcy - until he got tired and injured...Neagle - has the potential - be a very damaging forward - Needs a solid preseason - get fit... Stanton - definately not our worst - had an up and down year..Dyson - a breakout year for him - well done... Prismall - get a preseason under his belt and watch him tear em a new 1... Bring back Reimers,Hille and get Gumbleton fit and our future looks awesome...

Thankyou Lucas for all of the enjoyable years that you have given us...
Lloydy - I hope you go on for 1 more year but if you don't Thankyou for being a sensational player for the Essendon Football Club...

Yes we can get very frustrated at times - eg.last night, Ninthmond,North,Weagles,Freo

I say for those people who want to bag the coach and players You are Morons!!!

Support this mighty club that we all love - The Mighty Bombers...

But Please learn to play interstate...

Overall I say Congrats and I really look forward to 2010...

[nathanskinner]

Was a great year. If we can rectify loses to the teams we SHOULD beat i.e Richmond, North, and the lower interstate sides on the road, we could find ourselves in a home final next year.. then who knows.

[Rossoneri]

Good post. I wouldn't say it was a great year, but it was a hell of a lot better than our previous 4-5 years. It's refreshing going to the footy with geniuine excitement, with players willing to take the game on with daring runs and good skills. Unfortunately, that didn't happen last night but we were up against a very good team. We didn't play a Carlton, we played Adelaide in white hot form with big strong midfielders.

[The Man from Bomberland]

That was a very successful season and I won't hear otherwise. The development of players like Watson, Hooker, Ryder and Pears is arguably the most pleasing thing. And let's not forget our victories this year have been big victories (St Kilda, Collingwood, Hawthorn, Carlton). Those are the scalps we wanted.

I'm not disappointed about being bundled out. We played our final last week and simply weren't in the same league as Adelaide. They'll be very difficult to top in this finals series.

Feeling very optimistic about next year. We're definitely heading in the right direction. Well done to all of the players.

[rockhole]

Most of my thoughts reflected above. An amazing year of peaks and troughs and a couple of wins where I thought we had no chance at all. The inexperience and brittleness was shown in the games we should have won.

Friday was disappointing but not unexpected. A serious ingredient for any successful finals team is a strong ruck and we have struggled in this area all year after Hille went down. (has been the making of Paddy so some good came from it). Our inexperience and light bodies were really exposed by the great "sleepers" of the AFL who, it seems, for most years, surface at finals time with a real shot at the flag having gone almost unnoticed all year.

We have fantastic potential to improve our position next year, probably more than any other mid field ranked club and this even endorsed by Caro. What more do you want??

An enthralling year with more highs and lows than I can remember, but never dull.

We really are one hell of a football club!!!