There’s never any shortage of hype surrounding the Bombers. As one of the biggest and most powerful clubs in Melbourne, they always receive plenty of attention.
For each of the past three seasons since their 2016 season was wiped out by their drug suspensions, big things have been expected of the Dons.
Some of it justified, some of it perhaps wishful thinking.
When they limped out of the gate this season, it looked like it was going to be another lost year.
But as we’re reminded over and over again, the AFL season is a marathon, not a sprint.
Essendon have won six of their past seven games to sit seventh on the ladder and – despite several of their best players facing lengthy stints on the sidelines due to injury – are just a game outside the top four.
Gone are the attacking Bombers of the past couple of seasons; these Bombers are grinders.
Essendon haven’t cracked triple digits in a match since they did it for a third-straight week, back in Round 5, in a Good Friday hammering of North Melbourne.
That was Joe Daniher’s first game of the season and he booted a couple of goals. He’d play just three more games before being shut down for the year.
Joe Daniher (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos)
Reigning Crichton medallist Devon Smith – Daniher won it in 2017 – missed the win over the Roos, but would play the next three weeks before his season also came to a premature end.
Despite the absence of those two, and now Tom Bellchambers and star defender Michael Hurley for the medium term, the team have found a nice balance.
The midfield is finally looking like they probably hoped it would when they lured Dylan Shiel from the Giants.
Shiel and Zach Merrett are A-graders equally adept inside or outside the contest. Shiel has explosive pace, while Merrett uses his smarts to get to the right place, and has the skills and vision to take advantage of angles few mids can.
Dyson Heppell is the banger, David Zaharakis and Andrew McGrath run the wings. Darcy Parish has arrived as a legitimate onballer, filling whatever role is required of him, be it inside, outside, or mid-forward.
Up forward, they’re fast, feisty and dangerous. Jake Stringer, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti and Orazio Fantasia are all devastating ground-ball forwards with great goal sense. Mitch Brown is having a career year as a more-than-capable centre half-forward.
Cale Hooker and Hurley control the defence, while Adam Saad and Conor McKenna form the league’s most damaging and daring rebounding combination.
What this Essendon side has that might be most important is character; their win over the Crows at Adelaide Oval was chock-full of it.
The way they play isn’t always pretty, but of late they’ve had a plan and been able to hold their nerve.
Despite the key players out of this side, this is what the Essendon optimists of the past few seasons must have envisioned – and you don’t have to look too far into the rearview mirror to find a team that won the flag without some of their best players.
That’s probably getting too far ahead – one week at a time, and all that – but this team is capable of giving the season a real shake.
Finals should be a certainty from here, and that lengthy finals-winning drought might finally be ready to break.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Ian we were all spot on to be weary of game. Port is a huge game given the three matches after are even trickier . We virtually have three top 8 play offs now and have to go to perth again after GC and Adelaide. What it would be to play last 7 games at mcg like richmond instead of five different grounds.
Pierro
Roar Rookie
Rissole as I said was happy to get up two week by two goals. What a farce of an umpiring effort again up their with the woods game at ground level and the coconut hunting on the goal post in sydney which clearly cost us 6 , this time we got a win but the umpiring was bordering on farcical in all three games.
Macca
Roar Rookie
I completely agree Vardy would be a better option, as would Nicnat which is why I believe you are facing challenging times in the ruck, it was you who said that wasn't the case. You are arguing against yourself. As for damage done to the Eagles ladder position, of course it is a future forecast, why would I wait and see on something that has already happened? I was looking forward given the players you mention are yet to return and you have 2 team only 1 game behind you which could mean just 1 slip up might see you drop from 3rd to 5th. I think you should go back to bed, you weren't making much sense yesterday but I could see that was just to cause an argument, today you have simply lost the plot.
JamesH
Roar Guru
I did wonder about your miracle comment. Re 2017 I was referring to the two wins against Hawthorn and Brisbane (away) to open 2017. Overall I think the first half of 2017 was middling (win-loss record stayed pretty close the whole season, to be honest) whereas it was poor in both 2018 and 2019. Potato, potarto.
Macca
Roar Rookie
"I don’t know how on one hand you can say that it was a miracle, and on the other say that the Bombers should have benefited from key players being fresh after a year off." Saying it was a miracle was a typo, it was meant to read "Anyway I know I will never convince an Essendon supporter that making finals in 2017 wasn't a result akin to the “miracle on ice”." i thought you would pick that up from context. I can't see hoe you can say that losing to Carlton & getting thumped by Adelaide in rounds 3 & 4 and being belted by Melbourne and Freo in round 6 & 7 make the start of 2017 good. I would have 2017 bad-bad- good 2018 bad-bad-good 2019 bad -middling-? (but given their draw likely to be good) Pretty similar to me.
JamesH
Roar Guru
Heppell is as honest as they day is long, Macca. He wears his heart on his sleeve and he's never been one for spin or excuses. I can see you're just going to believe what you want to believe though, when even word from the horse's mouth isn't enough to change your mind. I do think making finals in 2017 was an over-achievement. However, I don't know how on one hand you can say that it was a miracle, and on the other say that the Bombers should have benefited from key players being fresh after a year off. Wouldn't that make finals more likely? They made the 8 with a similar core group in 2013 & 2014, before the WADA appeal process began. And look, if you're not willing to lift the lid on the last three seasons and examine underlying factors, here's how the form line went over the first half(ish) of each season: 2017: good -> bad -> middling 2018: bad (aside from one quarter against Adelaide) -> bad -> good 2019: bad -> good -> bad Even superficially I just don't think it's as similar as you're making out. The net positions at the midway point of each season aren't far apart on paper but there were clear differences in the way in which they got there each time. Think we're going to have to agree to disagree on this one ;)
User
Roar Rookie
Macca I expected that response so you obviously chose to ignore fact Vardy is injured as I did point out, if you don't think Vardy would be a better option than a 191cm kid who's played less than 20 games as backup vs Preuss or the best true ruck in the comp in gawn then C'mon dude you fully realise what the better of the options are and as your question was more about wce going fwd and Vardy is likely to return to the WAFL this week I answered accordingly. In the meantime no damage has been done to wce ladder position, by wins we are equal second by percentage we are 1.5 percent from being outright second so this damage you speak of is a future forecast not a true summary of where they are at.
Macca
Roar Rookie
So when you said "A ruck division off 199cm Hickey and 191cm Oscar Allen vs gawn and Preuss" it was an irrelevant excuse, because you simply weren't good enough in that area, rather than a reason? Anyway I think we have established that rather than being "diametrically opposed" or in "zero agreeance" we simply have a minor difference of opinion, you have the complete faith of a true supporter that the "team imbalance that will change over coming weeks as Hutchings, Cripps, Duggan, Hurn, Vardy etc return from injury" while I am happy to take a wait and see approach to what impact those players will be able to have when and if they return and what damage has been done to the Eagles ladder position in the meantime.
User
Roar Rookie
No because the ruck issue is pretty similar to last year with difference being nic may play again and regarding team imbalance that will change over coming weeks as Hutchings, Cripps, Duggan, Hurn, Vardy etc return from injury. I would say WC are in a similar position to last season ATM and will go back to back aslong as we don't lose 10 players to knee recos in the coming weeks.
Macca
Roar Rookie
So we obviously can't have"zero agreeance". Next question, do you think that the eagles are facing a challenging times at the moment, like the ruck and having 9 players with under 50 games experience?
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
Did you see my MCG ladder. It suggests a premiership contenders of Geelong, Richmond, Pies and perhaps Essendon.
User
Roar Rookie
Yes I obviously do Macca Sheesh, you stated quite a few other things besides bringing this late to the party, do you? Is this to say our opinions are comparable?
Macca
Roar Rookie
So you don't think the eagle are a top 4 side?
User
Roar Rookie
Oh dude time to get on your horse, neither antagonized nor obsessed with you beyond finding what you responds with makes me giggle and hoot. I have zero in agreeance with you but cheers for a final yuk yuk to make me laugh even harder.
Macca
Roar Rookie
5 mentions of "you" or "your" 0 mentions of the topic in that post alone, why the obsession with me? You are right that you need to question yourself, but the question should be why am I getting so antagonised by someone who largely agrees with me? Or perhaps why do I think the Eagles beng a top 4 side is the opposite of them being premiership favourite?
User
Roar Rookie
Again I'm not the playing man and never were, that's YOUR decision to read it that way to make your lack of knowledge on the subject being discussed less noticeable. If that was what you implied earlier then I need to really question myself, I gave reasons you said they were excuses and now apps you think we have a similar opinion. Cheers anyway I would've played the man but I needed a man to play, that's playing the man I reckon.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
The mail is strong. Longmuir to coach Freo and Ross Lyon to Carlton.
Macca
Roar Rookie
Hmm, see all those times you use the word "you", they are all times you are discussing (playing) me (the man) and not the topic. So the Eagles being a top 4 side facing some challenging times is the exact opposite of the Eagles being a premiership favourite facing some challenging times? Seems a lot like "blathering on about something you don’t have any knowledge of."
DingoGray
Roar Guru
I think everyone was saying the same thing about a certain team in the 8 who made it all the to the Grand Final..... In fact they were one minute away from being Premiers... I hope Brisbane can improve slightly on that team......
User
Roar Rookie
Far out Macca you really showed me, again none of that is playing the man and to even think it is reflects rather poorly on your inner fortitude and ability to operate within a world that doesn't revolve around you and your interests. And no our opinions are diametrically opposed as yours continue to be ill informed blather on something you don't have any knowledge of. Hitching to my wagon doesn't mean your view is anything like mine.