2 hours ago, R.I.P. Troy said:

6 players on debut in round 1

They are rebuilding on the run

In desperate need of a fresh new coach

But 2 of them are VFL players picked in the ssp and at pick 70 odd. And one a lion's discard

6 minutes ago, Mickey said:

But 2 of them are VFL players picked in the ssp and at pick 70 odd. And one a lion's discard

Correct intel

What i dont get is low confidence... Its round 3 and we were good Round 1. You don't or should lose confidence in 1 game of football. That happens with 5 or 6 consecutive losses - which is coming btw.

To me its no belief in something. Is it no belief in each other; in the coach; in the gamplan? but is lack of belief in something.. Because its too early in the season for anything else. Even Richmond have belief and they are a bunch of kids.

17 minutes ago, GS_1905 said:

What i dont get is low confidence... Its round 3 and we were good Round 1. You don't or should lose confidence in 1 game of football. That happens with 5 or 6 consecutive losses - which is coming btw.

To me its no belief in something. Is it no belief in each other; in the coach; in the gamplan? but is lack of belief in something.. Because its too early in the season for anything else. Even Richmond have belief and they are a bunch of kids.

Agree. Something's going on internally. We played three quarters last week and at the first hint of adversity, the heads dropped.

After a quarter today, the heads dropped and even though it was 2-3 goals again, we just never looked like it.

I am baffled with AJ playing over Turner. AJ is a battler, full of heart and a half handy back up but not ahead of a player who’s been in the system like Turner.

12 minutes ago, Adam The God said:

Agree. Something's going on internally. We played three quarters last week and at the first hint of adversity, the heads dropped.

After a quarter today, the heads dropped and even though it was 2-3 goals again, we just never looked like it.

Yeah something stinks for sure.

It’s possible for the players to both love Goody as we keep hearing and at the same time thinks he’s hopeless.

Its hindsight I know but I will say in my defence that I thought we and that is Simon’s game plan were worked out in mid season 2022 when Freo ran us off our legs for our first loss and an actual thumping for the season. Yes We were competitive after that 2023 but the writing was on the wall that the game was evolving and about rapid ball movement and leg speed.

So I see a lost opportunity was the 2023 draft when we rolled up picks 14, 27 and 35 for pick 11! Which became pick 13 for Koltyn Tholstrup. I hope he becomes a great player for us but the opportunity cost of that decision I believe is 2 extra running players we need. If we left Jason Taylor to do his thing we might be better off than with Tim Lamb’s blueprint for success.

It is now abundantly clear, the effect the premature retirement of Brayshaw has had on this club on so many levels.

Start the rebuild, beginning from the top. There is zero point attempting a mini reboot with Tassie coming in.

1 hour ago, Beetle said:

It is now abundantly clear, the effect the premature retirement of Brayshaw has had on this club on so many levels.

Start the rebuild, beginning from the top. There is zero point attempting a mini reboot with Tassie coming in.

Not only did he hold the midfield and defence together as Mr Fix it.

It shows you just can’t replace a selfless team man. The side just lacks any spirit without him & with ANB gone we have absolutely no on field leadership.

You forget he ran that Podcast with Gawn and as much of a gimmick it may have appeared to be to the older generations. It bought that group together.

Rebuild yes but not tearing the place down. If we lose any 2 of Petracca, Oliver or Kozzie we will be cooked for a long period of time. We need to cull the middle rung of players for picks and get rid of the dead weight anchoring the bottom quarter/third of the list (we all know who they are).

Kozzie is still young, we can't afford to lose him. Petracca is damaging and can win games off his own boot. Oliver is an accumulator who no longer damages as he once did and doesn't hit the scoreboard, he would be the only one of the 3 I'd be happy to lose.

We probably should have let Viney walk to the Kangas last year, big mistake in hindsight.

Edited March 29Mar 29 by Dr. Gonzo

6 hours ago, whatwhat say what said:

i would be amazed if we get more than one first rounder for petracca

and we'll have to pay him to leave

Paying our best/most damaging player to leave and getting peanuts in return.

21 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Paying our best/most damaging player to leave and getting peanuts in return.

At 30 years of age at the start of the 2026 season and with his salary of up to $1.5m a year for the next four years plus the injury / attitude concerns… that’s what we’ll get

The filth’s 2027 1st round pick and $500k off our books for the next four seasons is probably our best value chance

Not long after Paul Roos was appointed as coach he made mention that player agents were having too much influence ... I interpreted that as the players ruling the roost

Maybe we're back at that point after an off-season where we were openly hawking a player who'd gone off the rails, another player wanting out and another player where the speculation is he wants to go

A President standing down abruptly followed shortly by the CEO

Just imagine being a player in that sort of environment. What would you be thinking? Every man for himself? Playing selfish?

So a cleanout and a mini-rebuild is on the cards. Certainly not a total rebuild as we've got a number of good players and up-and-comers on the list already

But we need to make a play for an experienced KPF (easier said than done) and we'll need a decent ruckman soon enough

And pace pace pace and skills skills skills (especially kicking skills)

Petracca and Oliver could be traded but I wouldn't let Kozzie go. Fritsch might want out as we've made it a nightmare for our forwards to impact

Petty can replace May as the FB but we will need another tall defender anyway

9 hours ago, Bring-Back-Powell said:

Sadly. Yes.

Love them both forever, but I’m keeping Kozz if it’s a choice between the two.

8 hours ago, 48 Year Now said:

I am baffled with AJ playing over Turner. AJ is a battler, full of heart and a half handy back up but not ahead of a player who’s been in the system like Turner.

Selection has been baffling for a long time.. players rushed back from injury to others not having to earn their spots. I think this is a major part of the problem Selection integrity and making the whole list feel part of the team and wanting to get better

You cannot play quick ball movement all day with a one-paced midfield; full stop. They are good against a team that plays similarly, but the game started to change from the 2022, and we kept playing the same way. Now our lack of run, skills, and decision-making has come back to bite us badly. Yes, we will improve, but not to the extent needed to match the top teams.

Viney is too slow and, like Oliver, was shown up when there is no congestion in packs. Once the ball is moved quickly, he is out of the contest with ease. Max, unfortunately, cannot jump at center bounces, and opposing teams will now just jump into him, making it harder for him to provide the first opportunity to give it off to someone.

The game plan is something else; because of the lack of quick movement and skills, everyone is around the ball creating packs and contests. However, when the ball is moved to the outside by the opposition and transferred, it opens us up and allows them scoring opportunities much easier than we can. All our forwards are that far up the ground when we do get it, so all you see are 2-3 backmen alone forming a wall across the half-back line and picking us off.

You cannot delist everyone, but Trac and Kossie should be kept. Oliver should either be traded or have his role recreated. Viney, who has been a loyal soldier, cannot keep playing in the midfield if he struggles to contribute against runing sides, Sparrow is in no man's land, but the worse thing is the inability to hit targets by hand or foot is staggering and does not help the cause at all. It's going to be an interesting year.

I don’t think it’s a player issue, I think it’s just time for a new set of eyes. We have talent on the list. Goodwin likely goes at some point in the second half of the season unless we pull it together.

7 hours ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Rebuild yes but not tearing the place down. If we lose any 2 of Petracca, Oliver or Kozzie we will be cooked for a long period of time. We need to cull the middle rung of players for picks and get rid of the dead weight anchoring the bottom quarter/third of the list (we all know who they are).

Kozzie is still young, we can't afford to lose him. Petracca is damaging and can win games off his own boot. Oliver is an accumulator who no longer damages as he once did and doesn't hit the scoreboard, he would be the only one of the 3 I'd be happy to lose.

We probably should have let Viney walk to the Kangas last year, big mistake in hindsight.

What were the Kangas offering for Viney. Was it even discussed.

I disagree on Oliver and Petracca. I would look at offers for both as neither wants to be with us. I would prefer to follow the journey of young players we pick up in exchange for either of them.

I think its both players and coach

our skills are appalling. when the game was contest and defence we could compensate but now our glaring skill deficiencies are laid bare. we have started to address and added some very good users to the list but theres still plenty of work to be done.

And goody looks like a dinosaur. so does Voss for that matter. the game has moved on from their gameplan. A new coach is badly required with the attributes to deliver a modern gameplan. I reckon Yze is the one that got away.

16 hours ago, YesitwasaWin4theAges said:

Great way to start a rebuild when Essendon hold our 1st round pick.

Take what we can get in terms of trades etc.

We need skill and speed injected into this line up.

We have needed skilled,speedy and ACCURATE goal kickers for 3 years now!

Why didn't we pick up Hogan when he was available ? Also we could of hd Ginnivan. The club may have issues with these players at least we would have a much better forward line. Essendon get our first round pick, we picked Lindsay possibly a break even deal. We need to trade out some players in Kozzie ( he wants to go home ), Viney, Sparrow,Salem and perhaps Oliver for starters . T.Mac to retire ,Billings, Laurie ,Wowodin,Fullarton and Howes delist. Goody and what the F did we get N.Jones as a mid coach plus other coaching staff gone. If we can save a heap we should make a play for Harley Reid. New coach Longmuir ( ex Swans).

9 hours ago, whatwhat say what said:

At 30 years of age at the start of the 2026 season and with his salary of up to $1.5m a year for the next four years plus the injury / attitude concerns… that’s what we’ll get

The filth’s 2027 1st round pick and $500k off our books for the next four seasons is probably our best value chance

He is still our best player and the only one with the ability to break games open. He is 30 but no reason he will fall off a cliff or that he can't go to the end of his contract (at least). Giving him away for nothing to the Pies would be idiotic.

We're already rebuilding on the run. We need to get games into our young talent that will drive us to our next premiership. The problem is our best young talent is all unavailable. We have a group of first rounders we need to pump games into.

Windsor, Langford, Lindsey, Tholstrup, JVR, Jefferson, Kozzie, Mcvee. That's our next premiership core.

Windsor, Mcvee, Tholstrup, Jefferson, now Lindsey all out injured.

JVR struggling without any other tall targets around him and poor midfield supply.

Langford only 5 quarters into his career but already showed he will be a star inside midfielder and was among our best yesterday. A long way to go for him and needs to improve defensive efforts, but his ball winning yesterday was the best we've seen since Clarry debuted 10 years ago.

Kozzie has been suspended but will come in and have immediate impact, issue there is keeping him at the club when he wants out to WA.

We don't have our first rounders this year, so need to trade up again or make tough calls trading out players who have currency. We need more talented kids, especially a tall defender, a ruckman, and players with x factor like Kozzie and Windsor. Kalani White could be the tall defender.

I agree with Gonzo. Ideally you want to keep your best players, including Brand and Oliver, especially as the return for them with regards to draft picks will no longer be there.

What a shame we're stuck with Viney, who held the club to ransom when they were at their most vulnerable. He's hopeless. He can't kick or make good decisions. The game really has gone past him.

There are just too many very ordinary players. I thought we were past watching players like Johnson, Turner, Sharp, Billings, Howes, and others, run around, but no, it's our reality.

Things can turn around quickly but Goodwin is finished. Thanks for the flag but after 9 years it's over.