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Re: Stick it on the lockers!!

Reply #1
TEC can you copy and paste the article? I don't subscribe to the HUN and can't view the article.
IN WADA WE TRUST

 

Re: Stick it on the lockers!!

Reply #2
Quote
  ONLY four seasons ago two Melbourne teams boasting 32 combined AFL premierships met in the 2011 elimination final.

In his first year golden boy James Hird led a bright young Essendon side into the finals, with 90,370 expectant fans witnessing the MCG contest.

They were found wanting against Brett Ratten’s burgeoning Blues, with Lachie Henderson, Eddie Betts, Jeff Garlett and Bret Thornton leading the way in a 62-point defeat.

No one needs recount what has happened in the intervening years, as Essendon enters 2016 with many predicting a barren and winless season.

How can you compete without 12 of your best players; most of your first-choice midfield; the AFL’s best two key defenders of 2015 or recent departees Paddy Ryder and Jake Carlisle.

And yet this season will undoubtedly witness a pair of ghoulish and engrossing contests against Essendon and the side it played in that recent final.

With Carlton embarking upon the most comprehensive rebuild in its history, can Essendon beat the Blues even with one hand tied behind its back?

Absolutely, given Carlton’s desperation to bottom out and the experienced hands being recruited by Essendon’s Adrian Dodoro.

On paper the Blues clearly boast a superior side, one boasting Marc Murphy, Bryce Gibbs, Matthew Kreuzer and future captain Patrick Cripps.

But that same side finished 2015 with four wins, then lost 15 players including Chris Judd, Chris Yarran, Troy Menzel, Tom Bell, Lachie Henderson and Andrew Carrazzo.

Carlton wants to win its next premiership rather than be mired in mediocrity — which is why their bravery should be commended.

Yet if you were an Essendon fan, consider this takeout from a year of undoubted pain.

Aaron Francis and Darcy Parish play 14-18 games, Jayden Laverde and Kyle Langford add second-year experience and you roll the arch enemy at least once for the year.

Of course that 2011 defeat would form some part of Hird’s determination to speed Essendon’s development with a peptides regimen.

Only months later after Essendon smashed Carlton in early 2012 suspicious Blues officials secretly taped a meeting with the chemist supplying those peptides.

Then the Blues would leapfrog Essendon after they were booted from the 2013 finals series.

Champion Data’s assessment of these lists basically hands Carlton and Essendon a nil-all draw.

It says Essendon drops from a side with two elite players (Cale Hooker and Michael Hurley) and four above average players to a list without a single player in either category.

On its assessment the Blues have no elite players and only Kade Simpson and Marc Murphy as above average.

Of Carlton’s list, eight players are ranked below average, eight are poor and a further 12 haven’t played more than 10 games in the past two seasons.

The assessment is based on statistical indicators and is hurt by Patrick Cripps’ label as a statistically average player.

You don’t need a stats sheet to know he is heading to elite with a bullet.

But you get the gist of the argument — on paper Essendon is still very much in the hunt in Round 6 and Round 23 against Carlton.


David Zaharakis celebrates a goal for Essendon. Picture: Wayne Ludbey
Especially if the top-ups that grew to include Mathew Stokes hold up their end of the bargain.

There will be times when a tired and injury-hit team of Essendon players are obliterated — most likely late in the year — when the kids run out of puff and the stars don’t fire.

Yet against fellow bottom-four teams, there will be glimpses of competitiveness.

An onball unit of ruckman Matthew Leuenberger, captain Brendon Goddard, young star Zach Merrett and James Kelly, Ryan Crowley, Matthew Stokes, Darcy Parish and Adam Cooney isn’t without hope against Carlton or Brisbane.

Mercifully, no side in finals contention plays Essendon and Carlton twice.

But St Kilda has four games against that pair and another two against Melbourne.

Geelong has double-up games against Essendon, 2015 battler Brisbane, expansion side GWS and eight Simonds Stadium contests.

All Essendon might have this year is the hope of beating Carlton.

It wouldn’t be Kevin Sheedy’s Baby Bombers beating Carlton to win the 1993 flag, but for this year it do very nicely indeed.

BAD NEWS BOMBERS v GROUND ZERO BLUES

Jon Ralph picks the best Essendon and Carlton line-ups

F: Dennis Armfield, Liam Jones, Dale Thomas

B: Mark Baguley, Mitch Brown, James Gwilt

HF: Sam Docherty, Levi Casboult, Andrejs Everitt

HB: Aaron Francis, Michael Hartley, Jonathan Simpkin*

C: Sam Kerridge, Patrick Cripps, Ed Curnow

C: Darcy Parish, Brendon Goddard, David Zaharakis

HB: Andrew Walker, Jacob Weitering, Kade Simpson

HF: Zach Merrett, Shaun McKernan, Paddy Ambrose

B: Dylan Buckley, Sam Rowe, Zach Tuohy

F: James Kelly*, Joe Daniher, Mathew Stokes*

R: Matthew Kreuzer, Marc Murphy, Bryce Gibbs

R: Matthew Leuenberger, Adam Cooney, Jackson Merrett

Inter: Charlie Curnow, Dennis Armfield, Daniel Gorringe, Michael Jamison

Inter: Ryan Crowley*, Courtenay Dempsey, Mark Jamar*, Kyle Langford

Emerg: Simon White, Jason Tutt, Liam Sumner

Emerg: Jayden Laverde, Shaun Edwards, Nick Kommer

* Top-ups — Stokes and Jamar expected to sign

PEDESTRIAN AT BEST

Champion Data’s 2016 team ratings

ESSENDON PRE-BANS/POST BANS

Elite: 2/0

Above average: 4/0

Average: 10/7

Below Average: 8/6

Poor: 2/2

Unknown: 13/12

CARLTON

Elite: 0

Above average: 2

Average: 9

Below Average: 8

Poor: 8

Unknown: 12


Re: Stick it on the lockers!!

Reply #3
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/depleted-bombers-still-have-blues-measure/news-story/8f2a6fa8b57ca6432fc636400fa3a881#load-story-comments

Is Jon Ralph a tosser or what??

I actually don't entirely disagree with him. His tone also indicates that losing to Essendon is no real negative for us as we're looking at the bigger picture.

Looking at the two teams he has picked out though, on paper I think we'd win that match. There are a lot of variables though, a lot will depend on how quickly the Scums kids come along. We've just drafted tall so ours are less likely to to have an impact this year. They've gone and added a number of top up players, but some could suggest we did the same with all the players we brought in.

One thing is certain though, I think there will be a lot of spite in the games between us this year.

Re: Stick it on the lockers!!

Reply #4
Docherty on the half-forward line.
Rowe ahead of Jamison?
Liam Jones at Full forward?
Walker on the backline?
No Jacksch
No Graham
No Boekhorst
Byrne and/or Sheehan are likely to be fit this year.

Armfield forward...and on the interchange bench ::)

Essendon will win a couple of games this year...they'll catch a couple of sides by surprise.
We won't be one of them.

Re: Stick it on the lockers!!

Reply #5
Not sure what the point of this article is, reads like Ralph has a beef with Carlton and is out to stick it to us!
The Force Awakens!

Re: Stick it on the lockers!!

Reply #6
Just says ' don't take beating the Bummers for granted' to me. I agree with that and I'm sure we wont't if BB has anything to do with it.
Reality always wins in the end.

Re: Stick it on the lockers!!

Reply #7
Ralph Malph writes a lot of articles these days attacking Carlton, mostly they are not worth repeating so nobody does. It seemed to start around the time The Judge took over.

Does anyone know who he follows, is he possibly a Carlton man who sits on the wrong side of the board?
The Force Awakens!

Re: Stick it on the lockers!!

Reply #8
Docherty on the half-forward line.
Rowe ahead of Jamison?
Liam Jones at Full forward?
Walker on the backline?
No Jacksch
No Graham
No Boekhorst
Byrne and/or Sheehan are likely to be fit this year.

Armfield forward...and on the interchange bench ::)

Essendon will win a couple of games this year...they'll catch a couple of sides by surprise.
We won't be one of them.

Just a joke article full of ignorance and assumption. How do these blokes get paid for this junk?
Ignorance is bliss.

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS!

Re: Stick it on the lockers!!

Reply #9
With all of their mature players I think the bombers will be stronger than us as well this year but did it really need an article in the HeraldSun?
2012 HAPPENED!!!!!!!

Re: Stick it on the lockers!!

Reply #10
Ralph is a bumbers supporter and a total flog.  The 93 baby bombers was media propaganda, they had many experienced older players but the lie keeps being tossed around.
DrE is no more... you ok with that harmonica man?

Re: Stick it on the lockers!!

Reply #11
My tip is the Bombers will start the season ok and maybe surprise a few teams but the lack of fitness with their older top ups will catch them out in the second part of the year and they will get hammered in plenty of games...

I would expect to maybe lose the first encounter with them and win the return game...we will also take time to adjust to the new game plan and it takes time for
new young players to gel together...Bombers old heads will probably blend better initially and they will physically intimidate us.
The sad facts are that the Bombers get themselves up for games vs us and think they can take us regardless of ladder position , off field issues etc......


Re: Stick it on the lockers!!

Reply #12
Ralph is a bumbers supporter and a total flog.  The 93 baby bombers was media propaganda, they had many experienced older players but the lie keeps being tossed around.
I thought Ralphy was a Tiger supporter? Could be wrong though. It would be good to know who the journo's support to see which barrow they are pushing?

Re: Stick it on the lockers!!

Reply #13
Ralph seems to have put more thought into his Bombers' line up while the side he has picked for us has blokes out of position, named twice, and not considered.

Even with its retreads, Essendon will lack depth this season and that will be a telling factor as injuries bite and younger and poorly prepared players fatigue.

While Ralph's consideration of the lists is superficial, a more glaring issue is his failure to consider the coaches.  Worsfold ended his career at Wet Toast as a coach found lacking.  With his time out of the game, his ability to match it with the other coaches in terms of preparation, game plan and tactics must be questionable.

Of course, we have a novice in Bolton but I'd say that his experience over the last three years has been much better preparation than what Worsfold has had.

Essendon may jag a win or two, but not against us.
“Why don’t you knock it off with them negative waves? Why don’t you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don’t you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?”  Oddball

Re: Stick it on the lockers!!

Reply #14
Heraldsun supercoach has a headline "Choose wisely: Fallen premium picks" with this pic attached lol.

2012 HAPPENED!!!!!!!