fishardansin

I agree with you regards some of the developments in the game have gone past him. It is a bit sad as first Barassi then Sheedy were the men who revolutionised the game into what it is today. It is sad to see it go past them. But even though the game had gone past Barrassi he did some good things for Sydney and got them on the map up there. All Sheedy has to do is not get in the way of his recruitment staff, like he unfortunately did at Essendon in 01-04, and get a very good bunch of assistants. He will just be like a coach of coaches very quickly.

Thanks Chook and Titan. I have to admit to having an interest in Melbourne due to Jurrah. Just like I will have an eye on Liam Patrick at the GC next year. I always hope that Essendon beats both teams but I also hope those boys go well. Essendon and Melbourne have a bit in common too. Both are trying to work their way up the ladder after a period of substandard performance. Both have young gems that opposition don't know about and it can get up our noses how obvious talent goes unnoticed. I think we'll start to be a good side after this year. You guys maybe one or two more years. I think we will be rivals again soon and these dark winters will be behind us!!!!

You know that it'll be more then that with the poached players and extra salary cap. Once they get going they'll have 50 players on their list. They'll be trading 2 or 3 players for 1 player or a late first round pick. They also have one and a half drafts to choice from, not to mention that they got a few decent players in rookie draft last year. Not to mention the next Warlpiri Warrior Liam Patrick, much to my chagrin. Sheedy was coach of Essendon for 27 years and only ever stuffed it up once after winning 4 premierships. There was obvious reason for his mistakes too. With Fletcher, Hird, Lloyd and Lucas still on his list he was desperate to jag a flag asap and went after all the established players. He also over ruled our recruitment staff on draft decisions, hello Kepler Bradley! He is the perfect man for that job as he will build a lot of publicity and with all those leg ups will build a very good side. He feels like he has a lot to prove and that is the time for the rest of us to beware.

Also if you don't rate Dempsey then you don't know anything about footy.

J Brown was amongst those others. He never got toweled up himself. The great Gary Lyon thought that he should have got the rising star last year as unlike Rich he wasn't running free untagged in the middle he was playing on the oppositions bookend every week after round 2. Lyon went on to complain that the award is biased towards mids and that his complaining will probably lead to Hurley winning it this year, unless the charges he faces tarnish him too much. Dont forget we got Pears bottom age too so he still only turns 20 this coming Wednesday. http://www.essendonfc.com.au/team/player.asp?id=118

You are right regards the next 2 years. While GC and GWS will pick the eyes out of the next two drafts there will still be some players for you if you finish low. It is pretty obvious your footy department is putting a lot of thought into the development of your youngins. It is just that you never can tell how they come on. We got Gumbleton at pick 2 and has been said to be the best CHF in the draft since Reiwolt. He's played 5 games. The next year we got a tallish kid at pick 50+. That was Hooker he is now going to be our CHB. Go figure!

I'm just as one eyed as anyone but I hate everything about Carlton and Collingwood. So I don't feel the same resentment to any other clubs. But I really hate the current Hawthorn team and coach, except Rioli who is still an Essendon supporter! And I hated seeing Brisbane getting flags through all those concessions. Particularly seeing Essendon had built up a team just as good but had to lay off many players due to salary cap and changes to the veterans rule. I also hate the way an ex Essendon legend in Harvey was encouraging Essendon players to walk so he could pick them up in pre-season draft, Lovett and McPhee. You know that he offered Aaron Davey $200k more if he walked that way which would have totally stiffed you guys. I'm not sad to see stop-and-prop McPhee go but a pick in the 30s could have got us Allen Christensen. Harvey should be investigated for those activities, our clubs should have complained together.

I hope that Essendon hits its straps in 2011. You are right regards man mountain but I fear, and I could be wrong, that the two new teams will be complete teams. The like of which perhaps only Brisbane 01 - 04 was. You guys are building a very good side, particularly mids and defenders. Your forward line has potential too. Obviously Watts is a standout and Jurrah is the reason I show interest in Melbourne. One power forward coming through would see you guys in 3 or 4 years close to a complete side, in my opinion. I see us as a few years advanced, in a rebuild, of you guys but I'm sure that in a few years time we'll have some ding dong battles. Like I said I came here originally because of my family interest in Jurrah and I don't mean to troll. I was just commenting on what some of you guys say regards natural improvement on younger players and were giving off the impression that your younger guys were the only ones that will. That goes for all younger teams: Essendon, Carlton, West Coast, North, Freo, Richmond and Melbourne. For what it is worth I think both of our teams will improve. But like I've said to some Essendon supporters that doesn't mean more wins necessarily. It could just translate into being competitive for longer periods in each game and hardly ever getting a pantsing. What excites me about Essendon's prospects this year is that the natural improvement of youngsters will occur but we also have come out of the pre-season with no injuries to our experienced players. First time since 2000 probably. As far as Melbourne is concerned it would be great for you guys to get games in Watts either at VFL or AFL, but for my sake I'd like to see him in AFL. I went to that practice match at Princess Park and was very impressed with Scully and Trengove. Grimes had a blinder too. Also Jamar beat 3 good ruckmen practically on his own. Obviously with a longish injury list you guys will find it difficult this season but that could end up being good for you further down the track.

On top of thatDempsey, Davey, Pears, Hooker, Monfries, Zaharakis, Winderlich, Prismall, Melksham, Myers ect are all going to be at least decent AFL players. Dempsey, Pears and Winderlich are all on the verge of being stars. No need to bleed your heart for us. Languishing as low as you, Carlton, Richmond and even St Kilda have hasn't lead to a premiership for any of you. Hawthorn got lucky with bizarre choices by Richmond and that their rolling zone covered the fact that they have nothing down back. Geelong built their list without doing that. I see Essendon and Carlton now as the same as Geelong and St Kilda 6 years ago. Tanking brings an awful stink to your footy department that a few stars can't rid. That said you guys haven't stuffed up your 3rd and 4th choices like Carlton did and you clearly will have a super midfield and I think that your backline's potential is underated my most outside of your club. Watts will be a lead up forward and Jurrah will provide the magic but who is going to be your power forward? The guy that you kick long to when your mids are running out of options and even if he doesn't mark it you know the opposition will have less then 5% chance of marking it. We have Hurley and our side will be built around that, despite some idiots who barrack for Essendon who think that just because he was a two time AA u18 FB he should play FB. The problem is that you have less then 5 years to jag one before GC and GWS dominate the league for 5 - 10 years. That might not be enough time to sort out your team and game plan.

Seeing we didn't make the same effort to tank bottom out like you guys and Carl$cum it is a big blow if our highest draft pick for over a decade never gets his body right. Not to mention a personal tragedy for the man himself. Everyone needs to remember he has played 5 senior, and probably not much more in VFL, games over the last 3 years. It will take him a long time to find form let alone confidence in his body. The only thing that makes up for the troubles with Gumbleton (and the decision to passover Rioli) is that we were lucky to get the best player of 2008 draft from the 5th pick. Which is almost up there with Geelong getting the best pick at pick 7 two years prior to that.

Michael Hurley to win rising star at $17 and place at $5. Probably best bet of the season in AFL.

No worries Batman of course it is your opinion but Pears last year was in the same position as Watts is this year, drafted bottom age the year before. He played very well at FB beating Brown and Fev along the way and not having a bag kicked on him at all. You have to think how happy you would be if Watts held down a bookend this year. As we relyed on young players last year there will be a natural improvement at Essendon. On top of that Hille, McVeigh and Welsh are all fit after injuries ruined their last year. We do have a toughish draw, which I'm very happy about because that is good for development, so an improvement in us could lead to the same amount of wins through the year which wont make finals this time. Watch we are relatively injury free for the first time since 2000!

As an Essendon supporter I have to take exception to bolded bits. Granted our midfield isn't great but our defense is fantastic. Pears, Hooker and the evergreen Fletcher will cover any key forwards. Not to mention Hurley, likely 2010 rising star, to cover too. Dempsey and Slattery as well as one of either McVeigh, Houli or Atkinson to cover the smalls. The run from Hooker and Pears combined with Dempsey will also mean that our back half is an attacking weapon. Lloyd and Lucas were great players, no doubt, but come one did anyone watch them last year? As sad as it was to watch two champions of our club decline so much so young they were close to ineffectual. Lucas had no influence on any wins and Lloyd only in the first games against Carlton and Hawthorn, some may argue his hit on Sewell turned the last one too!! Our forward options this year are Winderlich, Davey, Monfries, Zaharakis, Reimers and Williams for the smalls and Hurley, Hille, Ryder, Laycock, Gumbleton, Neagle and 3 impressive young kids that probably wont get a run this year and only your draft watches would know about. I hope the forwards line up: HF Winderlich Gumbleton Monfries FF Davey Hurley Williams If you watched Essendon defeat St Kilda (and protect our streak) last year will notice that Lloyd and Lucas both didn't play and Lovett and McPhee were completely ineffectual.

Certain clubs have blockbusters because they have made them. Our blockbusters are a legacy that Sheedy has left. Carl$cum traditionally pulls as many people as Essendon but don't have any regular blockbusters. They do obviously get crowds over 80k to games against LOLingwood, Richmond and Essendon. I think that they always play Richmond round 1 and Essendon round 3 though. ANZAC day drew huge crowds while the Pies were up there and we were cellar dwelling over the last few years. Also when it was the other way round 10 years ago. Also Richmond v Carl$cum round 1 was built while both these teams were very crap. If there is truth to you worries if your club started working on it now then by the time it come to fruition your climb up the ladder may have already begun.

People need to stop worrying about idiots like those two. Their complaining will only help promote the game. The AFL could easily fire back and ask where are those two buffoons when the AFL plays during Ramadan. I have no preference for Islam but living in Brunswick I appreciate followers of that superstition for making kebabs on Good Friday. Christians prefer the torture and violence dished out to the son of their god then the resurrection of him. ANZAC day and Dreamtime at the G are awesome for most Essendon supporters. Seeing ANZAC is a Collingwood home game this year all Essendon supporters bought their tickets last week! I think the game would nearly be sold out now!! As my partner and all my children are Warlpiri I love Dreamtime at the G. We do the walk and go on the ground and have a great night.

Hi guys & gals, I am the father of that 10 year old who kicked the goal at the forum match. Not that that is totally relevant but just thought I'd introduce myself!!! Anyhow I am an Essendon supporter and we are blessed with a few blockbusters every year. Of course ANZAC day being the most recognisable of all. You guys have a good one with Queens B'day. As an avowed secularist and footy fan it irks me no end that there is no footy on Good Friday. For goodness sake it is always in footy season and as it is a holiday everyone would love a game that day. How about St Kilda vs Melbourne. Yes that is right Saints vs Demons!! Both clubs could do with a regular blockbuster, I'm pretty sure that the Saints don't have one at all. It is a good money spinner as people can plan all year to go. It would rate very well on TV too. If it was the only game on that day I'm sure you could get over 70k at the G. What do you think?

It was Chris Judd who got 98.

You said that Collingwood decided that he wasn't worth pursing him. That is not the case they did want him but luckily for Melbourne, and all pathological Collingwood haters like me, it was impossible once you guys decided you wanted him.

This year's draftees will struggle to win rising star as Hurley, Watts and Ziebel are all still eligible.

That is not entirely true. Collingwood did want him. He was uncontactable which for us in modern western cities is hard to comprehend but it is the case out there particularly when tragedy strikes. The AFL bent the rules for Betheras to get him registered for PSD. I'm sure Collingwood wanted to keep him quiet but it was too late and you guys took him with PSD.

Jaycee and dreamin man here is a post I put on Bomber blitz about the matter. I think the AFL as a whole can improve the situation in communities out there. More to the point the Fed Government can take a carrot and stick approach to help them help themselves. If considerable funding increases and the AFL are used as the carrots I think it could be very successful. http://www.bomberblitz.com/forum/index.php...8&hl=Jurrah

A bloke I know is a mad Demon who happens to be mates with your assistant Williams. He says he'll be able to get a meeting with my Warlpiri kids and nephew. Might be a fluff story for Jurrah in it too. I'm happy to help pump up Melbourne's tyres as Melbourne did a huge favour for me. It would've killed me to watch a Warlpiri kid to play for Collingwood. And it was great to watch him debut. My brother-in-law was one of the last big things to come out of Yuendemu Magpies. He went to Darwin and was often kicking a lazy 6 goals unfortunately he was very lazy and then got into the grog. Liam Jurrah and Liam Patrick are going to revolutionise footy. Well maybe not revolutionise but certainly broaden its horizons. Maurice Rioli pointed out a few years ago that even though indigenous Australia is over represented in the AFL, 2% of population and 20% of AFL, all indigenous players came from major towns (white communities). There is a treasure trove of talent out there waiting to be developed. I've only been to Yuendemu once for an hour but I've spent 2 weeks in Lajamanu over 2 trips and I can't tell you how amazed I was with some 8 year olds I was kicking the footy with. It's a pity that they don't get the right nutrition through childhood nor have a desire to succeed instilled at an early age. It is good that these two men are breaking that mould.

Great thanks.

Hi guys and gals. I'm an Essendon supporter who has married into the Warlpiri. I have a nephew, son in their way, coming down to stay with me for a few weeks from xmas day. He's from Lajamanu, same as Liam Patrick, and he'd love to see Liam Jurrah train while he's down. I've looked on the Melbourne website but it is not clear when training starts up in the new year. Also did Jurrah train in January last year or did he go home for men's business? Cheers.