Farewell Mark Johnson

keri · Post by **keri** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 8:41 am

I hope he gets picked up by someone and can make a contribution at another team.

Good luck, MJ.

Sol · Post by **Sol** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 8:41 am

I never enjoyed footy more than when JJ, MJ, Solly, Hardwick and Wallis were intimidating and instilling genuin fear into the opposition, but the game has changed, its an athletes game now not a game for gladiators like those guys.

In those fantasitic years the Johno's were my favorites and its a detriment to the game that physical players like those guys are no longer rewarded for thier commitment to the contest, but more often are now infringed.

Sad to see the true hard nuts go, but in reality they havnt been allowed to play their tough style of game for at least 3 years and I suspect they know it as well as we do, they are better off leaving the game to the athletes the afl have gifted it to.

BenDoolan · Post by **BenDoolan** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 8:47 am

Sol wrote:I never enjoyed footy more than when JJ, MJ, Solly, Hardwick and Wallis were intimidating and instilling genuin fear into the opposition, but the game has changed, its an athletes game now not a game for gladiators like those guys.

In those fantasitic years the Johno's were my favorites and its a detriment to the game that physical players like those guys are no longer rewarded for thier commitment to the contest, but more often are now infringed.

Sad to see the true hard nuts go, but in reality they havnt been allowed to play their tough style of game for at least 3 years and I suspect they know it as well as we do, they are better off leaving the game to the athletes the afl have gifted it to.

Has a more accurate post ever been written? So sad, yet so true.....

billyduckworth · Post by **billyduckworth** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:32 am

I agree with all of the comments above. A great bloke who has given great service to the club. But probably the correct call, given the changing nature of the game. I wonder whether JJ might have been the one to go instead, if his contract didn't still have a year to run?

Post by **Jazz_84** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:37 am

i just feel sorry for him that he delisted along side Kepler, makes MJ look bad

billyduckworth · Post by **billyduckworth** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:38 am

Jazz_84 wrote:i just feel sorry for him that he delisted along side Kepler, makes MJ look bad

Yeah, they certainly don't belong in the same breath.

Ossie · Post by **Ossie** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:43 am

Rossoneri wrote:I loved how he did his shoulder in the QF and Prelim finals, then somehow hurt his ribs, yet come GF time he f****** ate farmer for breakfast. In fact he didnt eat him, he chewed him up and spat him out.

I never thought he'd even play in the Granny, considered his shoulder was f***** against Carlton. Great little played, and I will certainly miss him.

However, it must be said I agree with the direction of the club. Would MJ really help us push for a premiership in the next three or four years? You'd have to say no. And in that case, sadly, it was time to go.

He was a top player though, and bows out with two great honours, a B&F and a Flag, and nearly 200 games with the greatest club on earth.

Nice one Johnno.

andrewb · Post by **andrewb** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 11:10 am

Sends a great message to the kids, doesn't it.

Solomon, MJ, and probably JJ too... We're going to be soft as butter next year.

I would have kept him at the club, even if it was on a one year deal. In my opinion MJ and JJ earned the right to go out on their own terms and I'm a little disappointed.

Post by **Megan** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 11:30 am

I wish MJ could've just retired at 29 instead of having to be pushed, I hate to see players of his calibre get the punt out the door.

Rossoneri · Post by **Rossoneri** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 11:35 am

Filthy wrote:
andrewb wrote:Sends a great message to the kids, doesn't it.

Solomon, MJ, and probably JJ too... We're going to be soft as butter next year.

I would have kept him at the club, even if it was on a one year deal. In my opinion MJ and JJ earned the right to go out on their own terms and I'm a little disappointed.
Not sure how Henry, Mal, Woosha, Lloyd, Fletch, Spike, Natrat (look out for that round house), Hille, Pev, JJ would feel about that Andy??

Apparently Hislop, Neagle, Johns have a bit of c.... about them too.

Hille? You're kidding?

And JJ will struggle to get a game next year. He is too slow and has poor skills.

gringo · Post by **gringo** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 11:36 am

Sol wrote:I never enjoyed footy more than when JJ, MJ, Solly, Hardwick and Wallis were intimidating and instilling genuin fear into the opposition, but the game has changed, its an athletes game now not a game for gladiators like those guys.

In those fantasitic years the Johno's were my favorites and its a detriment to the game that physical players like those guys are no longer rewarded for thier commitment to the contest, but more often are now infringed.

Sad to see the true hard nuts go, but in reality they havnt been allowed to play their tough style of game for at least 3 years and I suspect they know it as well as we do, they are better off leaving the game to the athletes the afl have gifted it to.

Whilst that is partly true, Geelong's team is full of hard nuts. They aren't the best athletes in the competition, or even close, but they LOVE to smash bodies and are prepared to stick their head over the ball. Their midfield is leading the charge.

Collingwood is in the same boat.

Essendon are miles behind the above two clubs in this regard. And with blokes like Dyson, Stanton, Winderlich and Lovett proping up the midfield, it aint going to change anytime soon. I wouldn't play any of above players until they are prepared to take some hits. Hardwick would have demanded it. I can't see Knights demanding it though. Our twos were soft this year.

andrewb · Post by **andrewb** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 11:46 am

Filthy wrote:Not sure how Henry, Mal, Woosha, Lloyd, Fletch, Spike, Natrat (look out for that round house), Hille, Pev, JJ would feel about that Andy??

McVeigh is a hard bastard but doesn't have the body to be an enforcer.

Hille, Lloyd and Mal have the physical presence but don't have the nasty.

Welsh is probably the best we have now. Slattery, Natrat, CJ and Hislop have potential but need to become consistently good players first. Looking forward to seeing Heath Hocking strap on the boots as well.

Rossoneri · Post by **Rossoneri** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 11:58 am

Filthy wrote:
Rossoneri wrote:
Filthy wrote:
andrewb wrote:Sends a great message to the kids, doesn't it.

Solomon, MJ, and probably JJ too... We're going to be soft as butter next year.

I would have kept him at the club, even if it was on a one year deal. In my opinion MJ and JJ earned the right to go out on their own terms and I'm a little disappointed.
Not sure how Henry, Mal, Woosha, Lloyd, Fletch, Spike, Natrat (look out for that round house), Hille, Pev, JJ would feel about that Andy??

Apparently Hislop, Neagle, Johns have a bit of c.... about them too.
Hille? You're kidding?

And JJ will struggle to get a game next year. He is too slow and has poor skills.
Well why does he keep getting rubbed out?

Concur about JJ but he will be good to have around the kids in a mentoring role IMHO.

Because he is stupid.

Archer is the hardest player I have seen for a long time, how many times has he been rubbed out? Once that I can remember.

Makaveli · Post by **Makaveli** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 1:18 pm

He was good back when he was younger but has been ordinary for at least 3 seasons now and had to go. Career was prolonged by being a sheedy favourite in my opinion.

Essendon4eva · Post by **Essendon4eva** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:30 pm

Sol wrote:I never enjoyed footy more than when JJ, MJ, Solly, Hardwick and Wallis were intimidating and instilling genuin fear into the opposition, but the game has changed, its an athletes game now not a game for gladiators like those guys.

In those fantasitic years the Johno's were my favorites and its a detriment to the game that physical players like those guys are no longer rewarded for thier commitment to the contest, but more often are now infringed.

Sad to see the true hard nuts go, but in reality they havnt been allowed to play their tough style of game for at least 3 years and I suspect they know it as well as we do, they are better off leaving the game to the athletes the afl have gifted it to.

We could have repaid him, by making sure we found him a new home.

Rossoneri · Post by **Rossoneri** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:40 pm

Essendon4eva wrote:
Sol wrote:I never enjoyed footy more than when JJ, MJ, Solly, Hardwick and Wallis were intimidating and instilling genuin fear into the opposition, but the game has changed, its an athletes game now not a game for gladiators like those guys.

In those fantasitic years the Johno's were my favorites and its a detriment to the game that physical players like those guys are no longer rewarded for thier commitment to the contest, but more often are now infringed.

Sad to see the true hard nuts go, but in reality they havnt been allowed to play their tough style of game for at least 3 years and I suspect they know it as well as we do, they are better off leaving the game to the athletes the afl have gifted it to.
We could have repaid him, by making sure we found him a new home.

Maybe Peter Jackson has a spare kennel? He isnt a lost dog.
Maybe we tried to trade him, but no one wanted him. Then what?

keri · Post by **keri** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:57 pm

Then we bitch and whinge that Essendon did the wrong thing.

Oh, hang on.... That's what E4E would do no matter what happened....

Essendon4eva · Post by **Essendon4eva** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 3:08 pm

They did do the wrong thing keri. They should have made sure those two guy's got to continue there career's. Whether we got pick 2 or pick 90 for them.

BenDoolan · Post by **BenDoolan** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 3:18 pm

Essendon4eva wrote:They did do the wrong thing keri. They should have made sure those two guy's got to continue there career's. Whether we got pick 2 or pick 90 for them.

f*** you talk rubbish from thread to thread. Again, if NO CLUB was interested in MJ what is the EFC to do? Do you want the club to offer one million bucks to take him? And Kepler Bradley can get stuffed for all I care. We don't owe him anything. He was paid a decent salary for 4 years of comedy.

keri · Post by **keri** » Tue Oct 16, 2007 3:33 pm

Essendon4eva wrote:They did do the wrong thing keri. They should have made sure those two guy's got to continue there career's. Whether we got pick 2 or pick 90 for them.

People get dropped. It isn't the end of the damn world. MJ was a great servant of the club, and the fact that we kept him on the list at all in the last two years is evidence that we acknowledged that.

If you get sacked from your job for poor performance, regardless of how long you have been with your employer, do you think they would ensure you walked into another job at their cost? Not bloody likely.