Bombertalk

I think I can safely say that 2006 has been a shocker of a season for Essendon fans and that hopefully 2007 will be better. I would like to see Essendon make the finals in 2007 but unless there is a lot of improvement thats not going to happen. I would be interested to hear peoples thoughts on what Essendon needs to see some September action next year.

I reckon they need (not necessarily in order):

1. A CHB. Right now Essendon gets slaughtered by the likes of Brown, Hall, Tredrea etc. Whilst Im not expecting Andrew Lee or Lachlan Hansen to walk into the side and keep the likes of these guys goalless every game I reckon that giving someone a chance to settle into the position would stop the bleeding a bit. If for example they kept Brown etc to 6 goals a game instead of 8 and a few less marks could be the difference between winning and losing.

2. A better run with injuries. At the moment guys like Lloyd, Hird, Chook, Campo etc miss large chunks of games that unsettles the side among other things. The club has conducted a review of its operations and hopefully will bring about a big improvement in that area. Compare Essendons run of injuries to Sydneys. Sydneys good run with injuries isnt due to luck. A couple of years back they visited AC Milan??? soccer club in Italy where one of the Socceroos who is a Sydney fan was playing. Apparently they do an analysis of the likelihood of a player getting injured and modify the training program of individual players to suit. There was an article in The Age on this a few weeks ago.

3. Support in the ruck for Hille. If Chook can spend more time on the field than he is off injured this could make a big difference.Paddy Ryder could be a while away yet.

4. Improved scoring efficiency. Essendon was 6th??? in inside 50s for the year yet finished 2nd last. For years they have had trouble keeping the ball in the forward line even with Lloyd playing. Whenever it got down there Lloyd etc were always outnumbered 2 to 1 or worse. Something has got to be done to keep the ball in the forward line when it gets down there.

5. Improved midfield performance - guys like Stanton and Watson get enough of the ball but their disposal lets them down. If these guys could improve their disposal they could be among the top midfielders in the competition. Ricky Dyson looks the goods and should get more game time instead of being in and out of the side or sitting on the bench for most of the game. Guys like Winderlich also need to step up and make a statement. I personally would have given him one year and not 2. He needs to stand up and repay the faith the club has shown in him.

I would be interested to hear other peoples thoughts on whats needed.

A bloody miracle

With the new kick in rule scoring accuracy is critical. You can't kick 10.18 anymore and not get hurt. That's 18 times the ball is in the other teams hands. Good sides bring the ball in quick so withing 10 seconds it's on the wing and there streaming forward.

Less injuries. Need to get players on the park. If you can have a settled back 6 it makes a heap of difference. The players learn to play with each other and how to read each others games etc. Really need a settled back 6.

We need to win more games than we lose

Mcphee and Lovett need to fire and Fletch and Lloyd needs to play at least 18 games each.

Patience ans perserverence. We will not play finals in 2007.

Must build a team with 2008 in mind

A team that will look like this

McVeigh New Player Slattery
NLM New Player McPhee
Dyson Watson Winderlich
New Player Lucas Monfries
Lovett Lloyd Johns

Hille Watson New Player

Ryder, Dempsey, Laycock, New Player

Thats 5 New Players

Gone - Peverill, JJ, Bradley, M Johnson

Windy_Hill wrote:Patience ans perserverence. We will not play finals in 2007.

Must build a team with 2008 in mind

A team that will look like this

McVeigh New Player Slattery
NLM New Player McPhee
Dyson Watson Winderlich
New Player Lucas Monfries
Lovett Lloyd Johns

Hille Watson New Player

Ryder, Dempsey, Laycock, New Player

Thats 5 New Players

Gone - Peverill, JJ, Bradley, M Johnson

So i take by this that you are counting on Fletcher doing his knee in the first Wizard Cup game and maybe Hird tripping over his years and breaking a leg or something??!!

also the midfield needs to be alot smarter about how they play there opponent, its all well and good if you can provide run and collect the ball all day but its no good if your opponent is raking up just as many posessions and setting up/scoring goals.

Crowny wrote:I think I can safely say that 2006 has been a shocker of a season for Essendon fans and that hopefully 2007 will be better. I would like to see Essendon make the finals in 2007 but unless there is a lot of improvement thats not going to happen. I would be interested to hear peoples thoughts on what Essendon needs to see some September action next year.

I reckon they need (not necessarily in order):

1. A CHB. Right now Essendon gets slaughtered by the likes of Brown, Hall, Tredrea etc. Whilst Im not expecting Andrew Lee or Lachlan Hansen to walk into the side and keep the likes of these guys goalless every game I reckon that giving someone a chance to settle into the position would stop the bleeding a bit. If for example they kept Brown etc to 6 goals a game instead of 8 and a few less marks could be the difference between winning and losing.

2. A better run with injuries. At the moment guys like Lloyd, Hird, Chook, Campo etc miss large chunks of games that unsettles the side among other things. The club has conducted a review of its operations and hopefully will bring about a big improvement in that area. Compare Essendons run of injuries to Sydneys. Sydneys good run with injuries isnt due to luck. A couple of years back they visited AC Milan??? soccer club in Italy where one of the Socceroos who is a Sydney fan was playing. Apparently they do an analysis of the likelihood of a player getting injured and modify the training program of individual players to suit. There was an article in The Age on this a few weeks ago.

3. Support in the ruck for Hille. If Chook can spend more time on the field than he is off injured this could make a big difference.Paddy Ryder could be a while away yet.

4. Improved scoring efficiency. Essendon was 6th??? in inside 50s for the year yet finished 2nd last. For years they have had trouble keeping the ball in the forward line even with Lloyd playing. Whenever it got down there Lloyd etc were always outnumbered 2 to 1 or worse. Something has got to be done to keep the ball in the forward line when it gets down there.

5. Improved midfield performance - guys like Stanton and Watson get enough of the ball but their disposal lets them down. If these guys could improve their disposal they could be among the top midfielders in the competition. Ricky Dyson looks the goods and should get more game time instead of being in and out of the side or sitting on the bench for most of the game. Guys like Winderlich also need to step up and make a statement. I personally would have given him one year and not 2. He needs to stand up and repay the faith the club has shown in him.

I would be interested to hear other peoples thoughts on whats needed.

I completely agree, we got massacred by Hall and Brown and that cost us a few games we were actually a pretty good chance of winning. With Solly gone we really need to find someone that could hold down that position.

Better run with injuries, oh yeah we definately need some luck this year. If Lloydy and Fletch go down... season over. Campo and Cole need to have injury free seasons too.

Hille definately needs help. Laycock and Ryder really need to step up this season and take some of the pressure off him.

GOALKICKING!!! This alone cost us some very winnable games this season.

CameronClayton wrote:A bloody miracle

12 bloody miracles should secure it actually..........ok 10 miracles and beating Carlton twice.

If I were you guys, I'd start dreaming about top 14, and forget about the 8.

1 more post an 10k

Finals may be very wishful thinking.

robbie67 wrote:

CameronClayton wrote:A bloody miracle

12 bloody miracles should secure it actually..........ok 10 miracles and beating Carlton twice.

If I were you guys, I'd start dreaming about top 14, and forget about the 8.

It would be a miracle to beat Carlton the way we played against them this year.

robbie67 wrote:

CameronClayton wrote:A bloody miracle

12 bloody miracles should secure it actually..........ok 10 miracles and beating Carlton twice.

If I were you guys, I'd start dreaming about top 14, and forget about the 8.

You guys are so depressing.

robbie67 wrote:

CameronClayton wrote:A bloody miracle

12 bloody miracles should secure it actually..........ok 10 miracles and beating Carlton twice.

If I were you guys, I'd start dreaming about top 14, and forget about the 8.

We play Collingwood twice as well.

13 wins I think...minimum.

ealesy wrote:

Windy_Hill wrote:Patience ans perserverence. We will not play finals in 2007.

Must build a team with 2008 in mind

A team that will look like this

McVeigh New Player Slattery
NLM New Player McPhee
Dyson Watson Winderlich
New Player Lucas Monfries
Lovett Lloyd Johns

Hille Watson New Player

Ryder, Dempsey, Laycock, New Player

Thats 5 New Players

Gone - Peverill, JJ, Bradley, M Johnson

So i take by this that you are counting on Fletcher doing his knee in the first Wizard Cup game and maybe Hird tripping over his years and breaking a leg or something??!!

Actually I am assuming they will be retired in 2008

my bad, thought that was the team for next year.

Still see Fletch being there in 2008.

Take a miracle and whole freaking lot of gaffa tape to hold his body together for Hirdy to still be there in 2008!!

Windy_Hill wrote:Patience ans perserverence. We will not play finals in 2007.

Must build a team with 2008 in mind

A team that will look like this

McVeigh New Player Slattery
NLM New Player McPhee
Dyson Watson Winderlich
New Player Lucas Monfries
Lovett Lloyd Johns

Hille Watson New Player

Ryder, Dempsey, Laycock, New Player

Thats 5 New Players

Gone - Peverill, JJ, Bradley, M Johnson

No Stants either?

bowzer wrote:also the midfield needs to be alot smarter about how they play there opponent, its all well and good if you can provide run and collect the ball all day but its no good if your opponent is raking up just as many posessions and setting up/scoring goals.

Spot on. In the first half of our second game against Hawthorn, the ease with which Hawthorn moved the ball through the midfield was disgraceful. Although when you have the likes of Watson, Johnson, Pevrill etc forming the nucleous of your midfield, I'm not sure what else you can expect.

gringo wrote:

bowzer wrote:also the midfield needs to be alot smarter about how they play there opponent, its all well and good if you can provide run and collect the ball all day but its no good if your opponent is raking up just as many posessions and setting up/scoring goals.

Spot on. In the first half of our second game against Hawthorn, the ease with which Hawthorn moved the ball through the midfield was disgraceful. Although when you have the likes of Watson, Johnson, Pevrill etc forming the nucleous of your midfield, I'm not sure what else you can expect.

Hahaha, I love it. Jobe Watson is going to be around for a while and you're going to sook and vomit every time you see him. At the pensioner age of 21 you obviously see that Watson cannot improve his kicking skills, well that isn't surprising when the club had no capacity to correct it. With the club finally getting some much needed resources in this area, we can hope to see some big improvements from all our kids. In any case, Watson's clearance work from the centre this year was better than most, but he does have to improve his disposal by foot. The hardest thing is getting the ball, and Watson seems to get it a fair bit.