Feeling the Pain? Not Really

[Windy_Hill]

There was a time when losing a final felt like my world had collapsed.

Gutted, bereft, shattered.

Tonight, I don't really feel anything and I suspect many of you are the same.

And herein lies the problem not with us but this team. I think there was a time when an Essendon side refused to go down without a monumental effort. So the losses always hurt.

I think this club, like it's fans, have become so complacent that losing no longer matters

[little_ripper]

I'm numb with pain. The only thing that consoles me is that we are not at Sydney,Hawthorn or Fremantle level.
So we ain't ready to claim a flag.

Not yet.

We were outplayed tonight. it looked a lot like our last month of footy just against better opposition.

North were shit in the second quarter as much as we were good. Shit they are the worst side in the comp before the main break and it showed.(also one of the best finishers and that unfortunately showed too)

[BERT]

I'm the exact opposite. I'm gutted, shattered, empty, pissed off, angry about tonight.

How you can give up a 5 goal lead in a final is beyond me. There was 2 players that tried to do something about it. One was a player in his 4th season who has just came back from a busted hand and the other was a player that has played in 3 flags for another club.

This club doesn't deserve its supporters. There was 60000 Essendon supporters in that ground tonight that wanted something to cheer about. We have ridden every single piece of crap and negativity that has been thrown at us in the last 2 seasons with the club. It's been pretty hard to be a Bomber supporter in the last 2 years but we have backed the club and the players more than any other clubs supporters would have.

We then get dished up that 2nd half. I'm sick of it. We are fast becoming Richmond. It's been 10 years since we have won a final.
Look at who else hasn't won a final in 10 years. It's disgusting.

We are miles off becoming a contender again.

[Windy_Hill]

I'm numb with pain. The only thing that consoles me is that we are not at Sydney,Hawthorn or Fremantle level.
So we ain't ready to claim a flag.

Not yet.

This is part of the problem.

We know we're not good enough and haven't been for 15 years

No more excuses should be the marketing line next year.

[hop]

I'm numb with pain. The only thing that consoles me is that we are not at Sydney,Hawthorn or Fremantle level.
So we ain't ready to claim a flag.

Not yet.

This is part of the problem.

We know we're not good enough and haven't been for 15 years

No more excuses should be the marketing line next year.

No more excuses as long as they get rid of the excrement. I fear not.

[tonysoprano]

"we never fail to disappoint" should be the slogan next year.
i'm f****** livid.

[ZeroEffect]

Come on Windy_Hill how could any Essendon supporter not feel gutted after that performance. I feel physically ill and have felt like throwing up for the last couple of hours. I'm now going to go cry myself to sleep.

[hop]

Come on Windy_Hill how could any Essendon supporter not feel gutted after that performance. I feel physically ill and have felt like throwing up for the last couple of hours. I'm now going to go cry myself to sleep.

Perhaps you might consider changing your tag then.

[Ronny Rotten]

Yes i'm a long term supporter have endured many highs & lows but the gut pain I'm feeling at the moment is a combination of frustration, anger & helplessness. As a spectator you can't do anything about the soft hearted drivel dished up tonight by some guys , (particularily those who have been around awhile & should be doing more - eg. stanton.)

However really we should be not to surprised about the game tonight, it has gone exactly the way of several games this year, good leads (30 points plus) then we cave in & snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. We have probably been in a winning position in most games we have lost. Tonight talking to some supporters after the game while most were bitterly disappointed some were actually relieved they don't have to go through the stress & anxiety of just about every game we play. Its roller coaster journey.

Where is the mental toughness to grind opposition into the dirt? From now on Hirdy, while preparing for next year should cull those who can't handle the pressure, who lack the killer instinct & have soft hearts.

No more games like tonight. Line In the sand time.

[robbie67]

However really we should be not to surprised about the game tonight,

I'm not the slightest bit surprised, that's what makes it shit.

Three years ago we got eliminated at the same stage. The club will not make the ruthless decisions required to get to the next level. The club actually celebrates the likes of Stanton, and Dempsey, forever telling us how good they are. Some people actually believe it.

[MH_Bomber]

I am totally gutted. Watching the second half was like living through the worst football nightmare. How many times did I see us just let them run clear and literally steam roll their way forward ? We were very tight defensively in the first half. What happened to that ? We were slow, unfit and sloppy.

You'd think after the bullshit they have been through that losing tonight would not be an option. This loss is akin to losing to Carlton by 1 point in the prelim. Problem is we dont have a team with the intestinal fortitude and/or talent to turn disappointment into the ultimate prize. Nothing short of winning the flag in the next year or so will erase how I feel about this capitulation.

[Gimps]

I'm as passionate as anyone. I'm at games week in week out, I bleed black & red. I sat in that ****** courtroom for 2 days, listening, but I made sure that I let Hirdy et al know that I was there to support them. They've gone through hell, as have we as supporters. I was gutted when we lost tonight, but it didn't last that long. I guess I felt a sense of relief - that it was over - it's been a c*** of a year, will be good to have a bit of downtime. I know many of you are angry, but f*** me... if you don't believe our players gave it their all this year, you might as well pack your bags and jump on another bandwagon.

We have deficiencies, like most clubs do. But we are improving. It takes time and we are getting there. Add the handicap of the ASADA bullshit, we're lucky we didn't see the club slide down the ladder and self destruct. Take a deep breath, and look forward to next year.

[Royza]

Felt like another kick in the guts. Really wanted a finals win to get something from the past couple of years.
Wasn't going to give us much of a chance had we progressed so really had myself set for this one.

Had some hope that we'd put together more than a qtr or so of good footy, but that was dispelled within a few minutes during the 3rd qtr.
Keeping a side to 16 in a half & then letting them kick more than that in a few minutes was rubbing salt into the wounds.

f*** this season.

[grassy1]

:-&

.....and any other negative reaction,losing A FINAL against the Tin Rattlers!

I'm in Pain!Now to pick myself off the Canvas to tune into the 1 team I have left this year.

Caaarrrnn the Rabbitohs!

[Jazz_84]

I'm absolutely gutted, simple as that and what makes it worse is the club doesn't look like going any further.... can this team go further? hard to say yes, we have the talent but the desire and discipline just ain't there from 22 guys each week.

depression is what I'm feeling after that

[tonysoprano]

I'm absolutely gutted, simple as that and what makes it worse is the club doesn't look like going any further.... can this team go further? hard to say yes, we have the talent but the desire and discipline just ain't there from 22 guys each week.

depression is what I'm feeling after that

yep, very down this morning too. went to bed thinking about the game, woke up thinking about it. and next year i would expect to be very similar, if not worse.

[robrulz5]

I was angry during the game, after the game and I'm still angry now.

[BenDoolan]

I was angry during the game, after the game and I'm still angry now.

Same here. What a f****** waste it was.

What a difference an hour of concentration makes. If we got through last night, and ended up losing next week, I could live with that and be a satisfied supporter. I would have been thinking that this group has taken another step, and that they could build on this small advancement. But now, who f****** knows...

[billyduckworth]

What a difference ten minutes of slackness makes. I reckon we really only lost the game in a ten minute patch in the third quarter.
Considering it was overall a low scoring match (like every bloody game these days it seems), to let them kick five goals in ten minutes was ridiculous. Up to that point, they had only scored two goals for the entire game. How could the floodgates suddenly open so much?? I just don't get that.

[robrulz5]

What a difference ten minutes of slackness makes. I reckon we really only lost the game in a ten minute patch in the third quarter.
Considering it was overall a low scoring match (like every bloody game these days it seems), to let them kick five goals in ten minutes was ridiculous. Up to that point, they had only scored two goals for the entire game. How could the floodgates suddenly open so much?? I just don't get that.

It's happened all year and ended up being predictable last night.

We have to wonder if the players get too comfortable with a lead or if they really aren't fit enough.