Rate a team in 2013: Essendon

[Dry Rot]

A good friend of mine is a Bombers fan and always full of it at this time of the season with his team's prospects.

Some years ago, he turned up at a dinner here with Bombers membership forms but was thankfully put his place by my Sainter mate Gill, who threatened him with a meat cleaver. (Dinners here can get out of hand).

But back onto the Bombers. They apparently have the dreamtime coaching panel and looked like world beaters early last season, until it all fell apart.

Can they now make the next step in 2013 and go deep in September, or is my mate and his Bomber friends just full of it for another year?

[AndrewP6]

I have a mate who is very much the same. I have no reason to believe he or they will be any different this year.

[bornadog]

They are a bit like Richmond, they have some good players but lack the real key positions down the spine. Both Richmond and Essendon leak too many goals which is dangerous against the real contenders.

[Dry Rot]

I have a mate who is very much the same.

They are an arrogant lot.

I remember years ago watching a Dogs versus Bombers game at a sports club near the Gladesville bridge. It was pre-Foxtel, Channel sevens C7 live Friday night coverage.

There were a lot of people there but initially it was hard to tell what their allegiances were.

There were a handful of doggies tragics like myself in our colours, and lots of loud young folk just milling around. But about 10 min before the start of the game, the room turned into some sort of Nazi convention. Jumpers and coats were pulled off revealing a roomful of black shirts with red stripes. To their credit, they were kind of polite engaging with the doggies folk and saying that it might be a good game but the result was obvious.

The year was 2000. The Bombers were invincible and had not lost a game, until that glorious night when we beat the bastards.

You can see it is etched on my memory–it must've been fantastic sitting at the ground and watching it all live.

[AndrewP6]

They are an arrogant lot.

I remember years ago watching a Dogs versus Bombers game at a sports club near the Gladesville bridge. It was pre-Foxtel, Channel sevens C7 live Friday night coverage.

There were a lot of people there but initially it was hard to tell what their allegiances were.

There were a handful of doggies tragics like myself in our colours, and lots of loud young folk just milling around. But about 10 min before the start of the game, the room turned into some sort of Nazi convention. Jumpers and coats were pulled off revealing a roomful of black shirts with red stripes. To their credit, they were kind of polite engaging with the doggies folk and saying that it might be a good game but the result was obvious.

The year was 2000. The Bombers were invincible and had not lost a game, until that glorious night when we beat the bastards.

You can see it is etched on my memory–it must've been fantastic sitting at the ground and watching it all live.

Ah yes, remember it well. I went to a game with him a couple of years back, it was a real game of two halves. We were shite in the first half, and I sat looking forlorn for most of it. We came to life in the 2nd half and won it, and boy did I enjoy that win! He moaned about it for weeks.

[Remi Moses]

In that logjam who could make the eight.
Goddard's a big inclusion, but Hurley standing up and relying on 75 year old Fletcher isn't ideal.
Pressure might come on the golden boy if they don't make it.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Should make top 6, possibly higher if they avoid injuries which they have not been able to do for a while now.

[boydogs]

Have a lot of work to do on their defense and fitness, 6th-10th.

[Ghost Dog]

There team has not changed radically besides the inclusion of Goddard. Can't see them coming close to the quality that we saw in last year's final, Syd V Hawthorn. That's the yardstick.

[jeemak]

If they get their conditioning to a point where they can play out the season at a high intensity then they'll easily make the eight.

They played exceptional football last year, though it was clear they went for too much from a physical development perspective. The result was nine rounds of very good performances, and thirteen rounds of tired and crippled by injury performances.

I don't think they are capable of making the top four, though if they're more conservative in their player preparation and minimise soft tissue injuries they'll be able to climb as high as fifth on the ladder.

Whilst they do rely on Fletcher too much, his role is going to keep evolving to that of a handyman moreso than a KPP. Give him a second string tall forward to outsmart and he'll be fine.

Their midfield is going to be bolstered by Goddard, no question about that.

[Greystache]

I've seen a lot of Essendon play and I'm still unsure as to how to rate them. Equally my in laws who are usually very bullish Essendon supporters are pretty reserved about the upcoming season. They have some talent and have played some very good footy at times, but they have so many question marks over areas of the team and individual players.

They have a lot of players they are relying on to take the next step to get them into contender status such as Hurley, Bellchambers, Melksham, Crameri, Hooker, and Zaharakis, but most of them have only shown glimpses over the past 2-3 years and haven't put together any consistently good stretches of form. I think with a decent run of injuries they can finish 5-8th but I think they rely on their star senior players to play a key role every week and not enough players do the heavy lifting when it gets tough.

[DragzLS1]

essendon are another Carlton imo.. Ver good full full squad and p[lay some exciting football.. But a few injuries and they are gone!

[Pickenitup]

Wont make the Eight not enough Midfield depth and too soft imo

[Ozza]

If they aren't decimated by injuries like they have been in recent years - then I think they are a chance of being a top 4 side.

They certainly have the ability to play a very very high standard of footy. They also have a batch of about 8 good young players going in to their 3rd, 4th,5th or 6th seasons - which places them well to be an improver.

Conservatively I'd say 5th-7th - but wouldn't be surprised at all if they are top 4.

[DragzLS1]

judged by the mixed responses in this thread, I wont be putting any money on essendon this season