Australian Football

[Halen High]

Originally posted by BOMBER
Us Essendon members/supporters are always asked this question and amongst us you even have a small element that will ask that question.
It's pretty freaky when you think about it,I'm 30 years old and in following Essendon all that time I've only known one coach down at Bomberland.In the cut throat world of AFL coaching,this is a remarkable effort.
Personally I love the bloke and am stoked we have him as coach.You are not being realistic if you expect to win the flag every year,it's about structuring a list that will give you the oppurtunity to be able to strike at one.This is what Sheeds has been able to do continuously at his time at Windy Hill.He has an average of 1 flag every 5 years,compare that to clubs like The Saints,Geelong, etc who have in the history of the comp only won 1 flag in 100 years.
Everybody has been pointing the finger lately,we'll we came 6th last year and we were dissapointed.That's the thing that Sheedy has built into Essendon,where most teams are just happy to make the finals,coming 6th for us is dissapointing.
7 straight finals appearances is a record no other club in the AFL can match,if we don't make it 8 then so be it.
We have a few kids coming on under Sheeds at the moment such as Kepler Bradley and I for one hope sheeds is around when these guys take off.

I think Essendon have a better list than Collingwood or Port Adelaide, who have played off in the last three Grand Finals. Brisbane is THE outstanding team of the last four years but to me Essendon is the team that should have been challenging them.

I'd also like to see Sheedy work at another club. Would be fascinating to see what he could do with a Freo for instance.

[Panamark]

Originally posted by Halen High
I also heard he has a strained left shoulder, a sprained right ankle, a ricked neck and bruised ribs.

In my best Monty Burns voice "EXCELLENT !"

[Panamark]

Originally posted by Halen High
I think Essendon have a better list than Collingwood or Port Adelaide, who have played off in the last three Grand Finals. Brisbane is THE outstanding team of the last four years but to me Essendon is the team that should have been challenging them.

I'd also like to see Sheedy work at another club. Would be fascinating to see what he could do with a Freo for instance.

God Im going to cop flak for my following statements. (BOMBER is
going to love them, not) But Essendon should have had a flag over
the last few seasons. While many supporters (including my father)
seem proud that they made the finals, realistically they have been
chokers for several years now. My team Carlton has been the absolute
shit side of the comp for years, and I have no excuses. But Essendon
have had the power to go all the way several times, and choked when
it mattered. I knew last year they woouldnt get past the second round
of the finals, as its become expected that they will choke in the finals.
I think thats a monkey they have around their neck now, and one
that hopefully (for Bomber fans) they can get rid of.

I dunno, perhaps some of the Essendon supporters will agree ???

[Panamark]

Or put another way, its well recognised by followers of the AFL that Essendon are definately the under achievers of the past few years..

[BOMBER]

We created history in 2000 by winning the flag and only losing 1 game for that year.
If that's choking then the rest of the comp has real serious issues.

2001 - the start of the Lions trilogy - close granny but Brissy were on a roll and won 16 straight that year - congrats to them,they deserved it and we gave them a fight - no choking there.

2002/03 - bowed out to Port Power in Adelaide and both times they were minor premier and nearly invincible at home.In the end the real chokers of these 2 years were Port who once they left the confines of Adelaide got smashed.

2004 - lucky to even make the finals but ended up knocking out Melb who were top with 5 rounds to go.In the end lost the week after to the Cats who ended up a kick out of the grannie.

Bottom line,you can't win it every year and maybe you give us more credit than I thought if you think we choked.My 2000 premiers,history makers t-shirt would suggest otherwise.

2004 -

[Panamark]

Who did you lose that game to in 2000 BOMBER ???

[BOMBER]

Doggies - Wallace had a bigger flood than Noah that night.

[Panamark]

Well lets hope the Windy Hill MOB can shake the monkey this year !
Im specualting here, and you can probably give more insight into
this, but do you get the feeling that the opposition coaches have
figured Sheed's out ? Like he can still produce a formidable side,
no arguments there, but at the business end, the opposition seem
to have a one up on you.. Team or Coach ??

[Panamark]

I think you should have included 1999 in your list too BTW :p

[BOMBER]

Originally posted by Panamark
I think you should have included 1999 in your list too BTW :p

P'Mark - you seem like a great bloke so I hope you don't take this the wrong way,it's just a shot at Carlton supporters in general ok.
Anyhow - I love talkin' footy with you mate.

The thing that leaves us down at Essendon dumfounded about this constant 99 crack is it's water off a ducks back for us.
When you typed who beat us in 2000?I know you presumed it was you guys and probably always have.
99 for us is definatley one that got away from us in a big way,however you guys got towelled up by the roos bigtime anyhow.It's their flag,not yours.I think Carlton supporters are off their rockers for constantly talking about 99 when they got towelled up by the Kangas.
Haven't you guys got more classical memories in your history than that?
The funny thing is in 2000 you had another chance to make the grand final by playing us uin the exact same prelim as the year before.All week we heard the crap gushing out of Carlton supporters mouths about how they would do it to us again.
They were flat out wrong,we destroyed Carlton that day,and you know something else?
WE WON THE WEEK AFTER.

[BOMBER]

Originally posted by Panamark
Well lets hope the Windy Hill MOB can shake the monkey this year !
Im specualting here, and you can probably give more insight into
this, but do you get the feeling that the opposition coaches have
figured Sheed's out ? Like he can still produce a formidable side,
no arguments there, but at the business end, the opposition seem
to have a one up on you.. Team or Coach ??

I personally don't think we are getting it wrong at the business end of the year.It's winning enough games throughout the year to make sure you get the home finals where the breakdown is coming.
No team has ever won it from any lower than 5th.

[Panamark]

Mate, that 1999 prelim, was as good as a grand final win to me.
Fraser Brown's tackle !! What a fucking legend !!

I even remember telling friends, I dont care if we lose next week,
Im happy

And I was. For everytime we deny Essendon, or somebody else does
its great ! As Im sure you feel the same way about Carlton

We are both very aware that the next flag puts us in that top spot,
outright !

I love it, I feel the Carlton/Essendon Rivalry is stronger than the Carlton/Collingwood rivalry these days....

Once again, when you guys get all your injured players back, on paper
you should be in the top four... Will it be another failed year ?

Hell I would be happy just for our baby side to progress to the elimination final this year. That would be fucking great !!
And nobody would deny its importnance. But the powerhouse of
Essendon, failing again... Well then thats just not acceptable, is it !

[BOMBER]

Yes we are the greatest of rivals mate.
You want to talk about choking?
Maybe we should flip this into a Collingwood bash session.
I'm seriously happy for you then if 99 makes you happy,2000 makes me equally if not more happy.

[Panamark]

95 was a good year ! I think we had a very similar season to Essendons 2000. SO 95 and 99 really are the last two years
in recent memory that I was happy with the Blues..

Collingwood have been big chokers in recent finals, you are right !
It must be a magpie thing ?? Port and Collingwood really have choked
badly... (Granted Port won last year, so I guess we cant include
them anymore)

Collinwood did play well for the first time this year against Carlton.
They wanted it more... (Pains me to say that)

Interesting times indeed 9 teams on 4 points !!

So half the teams can potentially jump into the top eight next
week......

(Not liking Carltons chances in adelaide)

[BOMBER]

I see Scotland got done at the tribunal.
Picking winners at the moment is hard stuff and you guys would have to be some sort of chance.
It would have helped if your backline was full strength though,as you know Port has some tall timber down forward in the likes of Tredrea.
Do you give us a chance against Geelong?