My Essendon Mid Season Report Card
22/06/08 21:30
Good evening,
The Bombers have started to show a little over the last month or so I am happy to report. Overall I would rate us 5/10 to this point with I hope better to come. I am delighted that their recent efforts have resulted in a couple of wins on the trot. Always pleasing to beat Carlton, even more so when it is twice in one season. But I feel we have under-achieved a little to this point.
Kyle Reimers, Jay Neagle and Sam Lonergan have really caught my eye this year, along with continued improvement in Monfries, Slattery (gutsy), Dempsey (until injured) and Jetta. Really sad for Scott Gumbleton to be seriously injured yet again and Alwyn Davey going down with a knee. Looks like 2008 will be a lost cause for them.
Other disappointments? Mal Michael hasn’t provided the on-field influence I hoped for this year, although I am sure he is giving plenty at training and around the club. With the speed in which the ball has been coming into our defence, Paddy Ryder has been under the pump this year and hasn’t had the influence on games I expected. But he is still learning I am sure. The back up ruck position is still weak, with Jason Laycock not providing enough consistent support to David Hille. Winderlich and Dyson haven’t really excited me so far either. And the jury is still out for me on Rama (pace) and NL-M (consistency).
As for the coaching staff, I rate Matthew Knights 6/10. He has shown courage (sometimes bordering on stupidity) and confidence (again sometimes overly so) but hasn’t buckled under the intense scrutiny of stepping into Sheedy’s shoes and having his game plan attacked and ridiculed. He has been a staunch defender of his playing group and seems to have maintained their spirits & confidence. As for the rest of the coaching staff, I would like to see more of them but I suspect this is a learning year for the likes of Camporeale and Prescott as well.
My pre-season prediction was, I think, Essendon to finish between 8th and 11th. Sadly, even the latter might be a bit of a stretch but with Lloyd & Lucas standing up, Watson, Lovett & Stanton maturing, Fletcher still playing good footy and Welsh, Hille, McVeigh & McPhee adding leadership & poise, and with the development of the likes of Atkinson, Nash, Myers, Bellchambers, Daniher, Pears & Co, we might j-u-s-t make it. More soon.
Bye for now, BomberBoy
The Bombers have started to show a little over the last month or so I am happy to report. Overall I would rate us 5/10 to this point with I hope better to come. I am delighted that their recent efforts have resulted in a couple of wins on the trot. Always pleasing to beat Carlton, even more so when it is twice in one season. But I feel we have under-achieved a little to this point.
Kyle Reimers, Jay Neagle and Sam Lonergan have really caught my eye this year, along with continued improvement in Monfries, Slattery (gutsy), Dempsey (until injured) and Jetta. Really sad for Scott Gumbleton to be seriously injured yet again and Alwyn Davey going down with a knee. Looks like 2008 will be a lost cause for them.
Other disappointments? Mal Michael hasn’t provided the on-field influence I hoped for this year, although I am sure he is giving plenty at training and around the club. With the speed in which the ball has been coming into our defence, Paddy Ryder has been under the pump this year and hasn’t had the influence on games I expected. But he is still learning I am sure. The back up ruck position is still weak, with Jason Laycock not providing enough consistent support to David Hille. Winderlich and Dyson haven’t really excited me so far either. And the jury is still out for me on Rama (pace) and NL-M (consistency).
As for the coaching staff, I rate Matthew Knights 6/10. He has shown courage (sometimes bordering on stupidity) and confidence (again sometimes overly so) but hasn’t buckled under the intense scrutiny of stepping into Sheedy’s shoes and having his game plan attacked and ridiculed. He has been a staunch defender of his playing group and seems to have maintained their spirits & confidence. As for the rest of the coaching staff, I would like to see more of them but I suspect this is a learning year for the likes of Camporeale and Prescott as well.
My pre-season prediction was, I think, Essendon to finish between 8th and 11th. Sadly, even the latter might be a bit of a stretch but with Lloyd & Lucas standing up, Watson, Lovett & Stanton maturing, Fletcher still playing good footy and Welsh, Hille, McVeigh & McPhee adding leadership & poise, and with the development of the likes of Atkinson, Nash, Myers, Bellchambers, Daniher, Pears & Co, we might j-u-s-t make it. More soon.
Bye for now, BomberBoy