Talking Footy

Michael will be the key: Hird
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,865 ... 11,00.html

ESSENDON legend James Hird believes the arrival of Mal Michael will help the struggling Bombers secure an AFL finals berth and give him the send-off he craves.

Surely James is joking. Finals for the Bombers due to the arrival of Michael.

They've got Lloyd and Michael, they might ok. What else do we really expect the club captain to say, he'll want to give some hope to the supporters.

Write down the complete Essendon list this year and I think you will see a pretty decent team developing. They now have a great spine. With two of the greatest Bookends added to this years list (Lloyd and Micheal). I think they will surprise a lot of more fancied teams and believe they are a definite chance of playing finals football this year. I for one will be throwing a few lazy dollars on them to do this.

They started well on the weekend but skill errors are a major problem and unfortunately by the end of the season I think this will be our undoing.

It's true, but considering how many games we lost by less than ten points last year, an strong injection of pace, rapidly improving ruck stocks, and the benefits of playing so many young players last year. I can only see major improvement. Skill errors are a staple of 1st round football. I will reassess my opinion after about Rd 5.

Wee, After rd 5 now. We sit 3-2, having sadly lost to both our main rivals Carlton and Collingwood. Gee, it would be nice to come out of an ANZAC clash having had the umps give us an armchair ride. Though if Coll had kicked straight they would have won anyway.

I still stand by my early call that Essendon will play finals. In both losses this year we played well below our best. I predict a finish between 4th and 8th.

reassess again after rd 10

I still can't get over the final result. I had a nasty hangover today and feel asleep during the first quarter when the Bombers were up 3 goals. Woke up and see the result and was like WTF. Collingwood beats the Bombers.

My round 10 analysis of Essendons finals prospects:

All signs point to SHIT YES!

My god, two great fighting one point wins against the two dual grand finalists.
Best part is, we won against WC with guts and determination after being towelled early. =D> =D>

No. You only won by 1 point !!! One lousy point!!!!

And this is a pattern which has been continuing for the past 3 weeks that I know..

If Essendon can't make a clean break of things and run the ball like it used to do then you don't deserve the win...and you don't deserve last night's win..

its no wonder the old timers are in heart failure... :P

I still can't believe the Bombers got up against the Eagles. Was watching the game till half time and thought they were no chance before falling asleep. Two one point victories in consecutive weeks - one against my team in controversial circumstances too.

LisaJ wrote:

No. You only won by 1 point !!! One lousy point!!!!

And this is a pattern which has been continuing for the past 3 weeks that I know..

If Essendon can't make a clean break of things and run the ball like it used to do then you don't deserve the win...and you don't deserve last night's win..

its no wonder the old timers are in heart failure... :P

It doesn't matter that we won by one point. Remember we only won three games and a draw last year. Winning these close games is a hell of an improvement than losing them. And we can still improve a hell of a lot.

When you are thirty six points down against the top side and find a way to win, that is an indication of moving in the right direction. We belted Brisbane by sixty odd points.

We havent been able to run the ball like we used to for four five years, its called rebuilding. Our pace through the midfield is getting better, and our all over the ground defensive pressure is up there with the best.

Im not saying we can win the flag, but we sure can go a long way to shaping the outcome of the eight and the finals.

I know there was controversy in the Sydney game, BOTH ways, but in a one point game you can finger a dozen What Ifs? and shoulda beens.

Go Dons.

An Excellent effort last night from Essendon. They still have Andy Lovett to come back in, they are a genuine side this year.

Not to mention Lovett-Murrey and Jetta. We are still to try our top draft pick Gumbleton and there is big wraps on young Tom Hislop also. I think we can only get better.

But if Stanton happens to miss the next few weeks that will really hurt them and he will be hard to replace.

Sadly, that is true. He has performed well this year. Has become a real ball magnet with genuine pace as well.