rpfc

Yep. I just think there is no escaping the fact that we are soft in the clinches, terrible in the clearances, and timid with our running - the things that Roos will try and get them to do will be very similar to what Neeld wanted them to do. But Roos garners repsect and confidence from the outset, and another thing I like - there is nowhere to hide when Paul Roos is your coach.

Let's aim a little higher than a gameplan that suits 'the talents' of a 2 and 20 team, shall we? It's Paul Roos doing the instruction with a heavy base of former Sydney people, I expect it to be based around disciplined hard work around stoppages that may look a little slow until the players marry that with the hard running that we have seen Sydney do for a decade.

And Vince and Trengove. I would like someone to help Jones - these are the two (with Cross) to do so in 2014.

Hogan. If that requires explanation: you're 'being a Dees fan' wrong.

More delusional?

Well, I feel threatened... Some stats are going to give you a clearer picture of progress in 2014 than the ones you have listed. Games experience for example is fine, but linear, and doesn't tell you how you play, only who you are playing ie. lots of kids... I will be keeping a close eye on UPs, CPs, clearances, I50s, maybe tackles, and I also will be looking at how we go relatively to our opponent.

That depends on two things; how good his footy is, and what exactly he does off-field...

From what Cross said on the HUN website - there are a few boys scarred from how pathetic they have been. Need to get over that in a hurry, this is the closest thing to a clean slate with an upgrade in personnel. Start having some confidence in yourself and your teammates or you will struggle.

No, not 'except when.' I don't give plausible deniability to professionsal sportsmen and women. This is their chosen profession that they take so seriously but if their employers are behind something they can just close their eyes and 'Sgt Schulz' the whole thing? And individuals should trust 'their own' doctor - Bruce Reid is a Doctor that works for Essendon - he is not 'their own Doctor.'

lol If they appeal anything, it isn't because of the severity.

You expect that? He has played 13 games and you think that he will be in the top 5 in the AFL before his 50th game? I think you are reaching. Jones is the standout in our midfield and will be again in 2014 and, most likely, 2015. Vince and Cross will help him immediately and Trengove, Michie, Tyson, Viney, and Toumpas will hopefully take some more pressure off.

Anything you gleaned was coincidental happenstance or your own educated gut feeling. NAB Cup games are practice games and they are meaningless.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/focus-on-hird-but-bombers-players-the-real-victims-20131204-2yqk9.html No Jon, the Victim of The Essendope Saga is the game of Aussie Rules. The players have a responsibility to inquire what people are putting into their bodies. If you do not know - you are not taking your chosen profession seriously, and we shouldn't take your claims of victimhood seriously. The same goes for Trengove if anything ever comes of that. You are a grown man being told to smear, inject, digest, insert - if you don't do your due diligence you deserve the small penalty that is coming your way. I hope for the good of the game that the players are served infraction notices before Feb and the AFL can allow Essendon to hire some temps through the state leagues for two years while a few of their players are suspended.

Who do you think will overtake Jones? I can't think of anyone that we have that could do that in 1 year. He is football lightyears ahead of the next bloke.

There are posts here not discussing training! For shame...

That is one effing hell of a caveat you put at the end there. Up until we plucked Kent, Jones, Terlich, Clisby et al last year this forum would have done a better job of recruitment than those at the Dees... If you think the way you do - what is there to discuss? The club has done something, club has implied knowledge and wisdom - end discussion.

Now you are touching on one of my 'stones' - you can't replace your best players. Whether it is Fitzpatrick playing back, Dunn trying, or Giorgiou asked to do a job - you can't repalce what Frawley gives you. Maybe all they wanted was a good one-on-one defender for medium to tall forwards who could play in 2014. Frankly, I wouldn't bother with such a distinctly depth player if I was a managing our list but if you are going to go that way - you get the FB for one of the best state league teams and that is what we did...

I am sure there are better players out there with greater scope to be a player than Georgiou - I think he was the FB for Norwood and that is why he is on our RL.

I am never excited by pure depth players, and this is one of those, but if you want to get someone to play FB at a pinch you choose the undersized FB playing in a state league over the taller kid who might develop into that player after a few years.

I think he is depth for Frawley and Garland and nothing more.

I'm still trying to understand the nefariousness of Wylie being involved in what we all thought was a pre-agreed sanction of the club and Hird. It leaves a bad taste to have the ASC head involved as a quiet go-between (worse if its Essendon's mediator of sorts) but walk me through the malevolence. The HUN says there is more tomorrow so maybe that will bring something.

If the masses get angry enough we can have a vote. But I told Land this would happen - the is no need for us to stand up and yell for the club to pull its collective finger out - it's done. The AFL have parachuted in a CEO, he somehow got Roos into the fold, and the Board has a new head and is (as always it seems) impressive in the eyes of the AFL. So, no elections.

This isn't really a 'pre-season camp' in the spirit of what that means to an AFL footballer. It's two days of workshops and a theoretical run through of the gameplan. It's a Year 8 camp mixed with a corporate get-together.

Aaahhhh, I did. Well, sort of. When I wanted to expunge the LG after 2011, I supported the removal of LT as they were 'finding leaders' that weren't really leaders (Green, Rivers, Moloney, Davey, et al). I always maintained, though, that they are not to blame for anything - their methods can only reveal what is already there. If there is nothing there, you may aswell save your money - which was my point before. Now, however, I believe that they can make some hay with Jones, Clark, Dawes, Trengove, Grimes, Garland, Frawley, and Cross.

Yeah, LT reveal what you have, they don't mould leaders. Might actually work this time with us because we have decent leaders; opposed to what we had circa Bailey (exception Junior).