The One that Got Away

[Windy_Hill]

Guys, when was the last time we recruited a player that wasnt a long term project, or had to take years to develop, or had to wait until his body was ready for the rigours of AFL!!

All I am saying is that we have been cruelled over the years with our early draft picks by poor choice or injury - maybe, just maybe, there is a problem in the scouting department.

Let me say again, I am sure Myers and Gumby will be class. But already they will be one to two seasons behind the players I have mentioned.

This is NOT about hindisight - this is a genuine point of concern for EFC.

[Rossoneri]

Lloyd Lucas and Fletcher are three names who came in and had an immediate impact.
We have had a bad run with injury, surely its not the recruiters fault. Surely its more than a coincidence that 20+ players have had injury problems this year. Thankfully, the major problem is gone.

And apart from Chris Judd, how many players around the league have had an immediate impact and maintained it? Ablett started slowly, as did Bartel, Black, Voss etc.

[jimmyc1985]

Guys, when was the last time we recruited a player that wasnt a long term project, or had to take years to develop, or had to wait until his body was ready for the rigours of AFL!!

Alwyn Davey, c. 2006.

[Rossoneri]

Guys, when was the last time we recruited a player that wasnt a long term project, or had to take years to develop, or had to wait until his body was ready for the rigours of AFL!!

Alwyn Davey, c. 2006.

He'll argue the injuries to Davey (hardly anyones fault, just rotten luck).

And I reckon Rama had a near immediate impact too.

[jimmyc1985]

Guys, when was the last time we recruited a player that wasnt a long term project, or had to take years to develop, or had to wait until his body was ready for the rigours of AFL!!

Alwyn Davey, c. 2006.

He'll argue the injuries to Davey (hardly anyones fault, just rotten luck).

Yes, and i'd rebut that argument by saying that Davey was one of the oldest guys drafted in 2006 and apart from Rodan was probably the most AFL-ready player drafted. His broken arm and ACL rupture injuries were, like you say, just terrible luck.

['51 Bewick]

The names Selwood & Rioli keep coming up, and who do they play for, yep Geelong & Hawthorn.
They are surrounded by the elite players of the competition and get the best support & assistance available.
In contrast our boys are playing with some pretty average performers & are asked to do a lot more of the hard stuff without the great shepherds etc the other 2 get.
In 2-3 years we will have a formidable group of 23-26 year olds which will signal a return to power.

[j-mac31]

Nearly all tall players take longer to develop into gun players, so give Gumby, Hooker, Daniher, Pears time. To suggest that they are just project players is silly. Did Franklin and Roughead have the impact they are having now in their first year? And it doesn't matter if ours take a little longer to develop, because we won't be challenging Geelong and Hawthorn just yet anyhoo.

[Rossoneri]

The names Selwood & Rioli keep coming up, and who do they play for, yep Geelong & Hawthorn.
They are surrounded by the elite players of the competition and get the best support & assistance available.
In contrast our boys are playing with some pretty average performers & are asked to do a lot more of the hard stuff without the great shepherds etc the other 2 get.
In 2-3 years we will have a formidable group of 23-26 year olds which will signal a return to power.

Jesus, you haven't posted on here for ages. Need more of your posts, always insightful and up there with BD.

[Windy_Hill]

For the benefit of all those who cant read, I will repeat for the LAST TIME

Gumblton and Myers will be all class if we can get them on the field

God forbid that I should dare question anything to do with our precious footy club or the judgement of its officials.

[Mrs Mercuri]

The names Selwood & Rioli keep coming up, and who do they play for, yep Geelong & Hawthorn.
They are surrounded by the elite players of the competition and get the best support & assistance available.
In contrast our boys are playing with some pretty average performers & are asked to do a lot more of the hard stuff without the great shepherds etc the other 2 get.
In 2-3 years we will have a formidable group of 23-26 year olds which will signal a return to power.

Great post =D> . If Selwood or Rioli were in our team at the moment they wouldn't be as talked about as they are at the moment. We have such a young team and are really lacking in players between the 80-120 game mark. Once our young guys get to that level in their careers we will see a dramatic improvement.

[Windy_Hill]

The names Selwood & Rioli keep coming up, and who do they play for, yep Geelong & Hawthorn.
They are surrounded by the elite players of the competition and get the best support & assistance available.
In contrast our boys are playing with some pretty average performers & are asked to do a lot more of the hard stuff without the great shepherds etc the other 2 get.
In 2-3 years we will have a formidable group of 23-26 year olds which will signal a return to power.

Great post =D> . If Selwood or Rioli were in our team at the moment they wouldn't be as talked about as they are at the moment. We have such a young team and are really lacking in players between the 80-120 game mark. Once our young guys get to that level in their careers we will see a dramatic improvement.

In all honesty, I dont think that theory makes sense. If anything, a young kid is going to struggle to stand out amongst superstars. Sure the ball is probably flowing there way more often, but you still have to present and implement consistently to gain the respect of your teamates. Its like saying the only way Rama and MJ got a kick in 2000 was because their teamates were carrying them. Any of you who saw the 2000 GF will know that MJ was NOT carried. Likewise Rama was a superstar in 2000. On his own merits!

Nope, Selwood and Rioli are not getting a free ride just because their teamates are stars. They are genuinely good players

[Rossoneri]

Oh Windy,

perhaps Sam Lonergan sould be added to the list of the one who got away. Pick 58 I believe he was.

[Windy_Hill]

Oh Windy,

perhaps Sam Lonergan sould be added to the list of the one who got away. Pick 58 I believe he was.

Rosso, make a point or shut the f*** up!!

[Rossoneri]

Oh Windy,

perhaps Sam Lonergan sould be added to the list of the one who got away. Pick 58 I believe he was.

Rosso, make a point or shut the f*** up!!

My point is if you scrutinise every club we have scrutinised Essendons, you will find that every club has its "one that got away" or "waste of a 1st round pick" or "bargain pick-up"

[swoodley]

Great post =D> . If Selwood or Rioli were in our team at the moment they wouldn't be as talked about as they are at the moment. We have such a young team and are really lacking in players between the 80-120 game mark. Once our young guys get to that level in their careers we will see a dramatic improvement.

In all honesty, I dont think that theory makes sense. If anything, a young kid is going to struggle to stand out amongst superstars. Sure the ball is probably flowing there way more often, but you still have to present and implement consistently to gain the respect of your teamates. Its like saying the only way Rama and MJ got a kick in 2000 was because their teamates were carrying them. Any of you who saw the 2000 GF will know that MJ was NOT carried. Likewise Rama was a superstar in 2000. On his own merits!

Nope, Selwood and Rioli are not getting a free ride just because their teamates are stars. They are genuinely good players

Ever heard of Des Hedland Windy?

He almost won a Brownlow playing in the same midfield as Voss, Black, Power, Aker and co.

He the went to Fremantle and has never looked anywhere near as good.

The theory makes plenty of sense

[Megan]

15 other clubs could've take Hirdy and didn't, you win some, you lose some.

[robbie67]

I'll come to your defense Windy. Our early draft picks prior to the last couple of years, (and believe me, the jury is still very much out on some of them) have been ******* terrible. I call it the curse of Danny McAlister. Since the curse we have used pick 3 on Heffernan who was servicable, but not the elite player you are looking for at 3. In the first, and second rounds we have drafted the likes of Bolton, Henno, Harvey, Davies, Bradley, Laycock, Walsh. If it wasnt for our ability to get something off the rookie list, we would have been well and truly fcked years ago.

Anyone who thinks all clubs have this bad a record is looking at things with very rose coloured glasses indeed. We have had 4 draft picks in 10 years since we got Lloyd, Lucas, and JJ that have worked out (5 if you are generous enough to include Rama), Hille, McVeigh, Welsh, and Watson (who is adraft pick by technicality only).

The jury is still out on the likes of Stanton, Ryder, Lonergan, Reimers, Davey etc etc. I still recall the likes of Calthorpe, Olarenshaw, Hills, Bomford, who "looked good" early.

Oh, and one last thing that i find most amusing. The old boards in 2001 were full of talk about how Rama should have won the Rising Star in 2000, because it was much HARDER for him to look good in such a great side, that it was for Hasleby to look great playing for a crap team like the Dockers. It's funny how the arguments change to suit the occasion.

[Windy_Hill]

I'll come to your defense Windy. Our early draft picks prior to the last couple of years, (and believe me, the jury is still very much out on some of them) have been ******* terrible. I call it the curse of Danny McAlister. Since the curse we have used pick 3 on Heffernan who was servicable, but not the elite player you are looking for at 3. In the first, and second rounds we have drafted the likes of Bolton, Henno, Harvey, Davies, Bradley, Laycock, Walsh. If it wasnt for our ability to get something off the rookie list, we would have been well and truly fcked years ago.

Anyone who thinks all clubs have this bad a record is looking at things with very rose coloured glasses indeed. We have had 4 draft picks in 10 years since we got Lloyd, Lucas, and JJ that have worked out (5 if you are generous enough to include Rama), Hille, McVeigh, Welsh, and Watson (who is adraft pick by technicality only).

The jury is still out on the likes of Stanton, Ryder, Lonergan, Reimers, Davey etc etc. I still recall the likes of Calthorpe, Olarenshaw, Hills, Bomford, who "looked good" early.

Oh, and one last thing that i find most amusing. The old boards in 2001 were full of talk about how Rama should have won the Rising Star in 2000, because it was much HARDER for him to look good in such a great side, that it was for Hasleby to look great playing for a crap team like the Dockers. It's funny how the arguments change to suit the occasion.

Bless you Robbie =D>