Joe Daniher has dominated the rumour mills of the Australian Football League community for the past nine months.
It is the classic ‘will he or won’t he’ scenario, where Essendon are confronted with the possibility of a key player leaving for the sunshine and relative anonymity of Sydney.
While much can be made of the medical management of Joe, we are here to talk about the issues pertaining to Daniher’s new deal and how that fits in with the Bombers’ wider list management paradigm.
Daniher is a key player at Essendon. At his best, he can turn games on their head, as evidenced by his 65-goal, All Australian, best-and-fairest season in 2017.
Additionally favouring Essendon’s tactics is the relatively long amount of time it takes for key forwards and ruckmen to develop – a replacement for Daniher is not readily available on the Dons’ list nor was it available in the first round of last year’s draft.
Essendon made the best of a bad situation signing two key position prospects in the 2019 draft – Henry Crauford in the supplemental selection period and trading for Andrew Phillips from Carlton – but neither are readymade replacements for Daniher.
The Bombers chose to prioritise short-term gain over the possibility of taking a stronger hand into the draft.
Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos
The last three years, the Bombers have recruited for their needs with Adam Saad, Devon Smith, Jake Stringer and Dylan Shiel. They’ve made the best of their relatively poor draft-hand, signing players that could be projected to develop into superstars.
Adrian Dodoro has made his fair share of mistakes in drafting and trading, he has gathered far too much power in his role, but for every dud he has drafted there is a gem he has discovered – for every David Myers or Kyle Langford, there has been an Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti or Mason Redman.
Additionally, Dodoro was explicit about what a trade would require from Sydney and they refused to meet him. As such, the blame rests on the shoulders of the head of their football department, Tom Harley. He met with Daniher in August of 2019 when the problems began arising in the contract renegotiation process and then failed to finalise the deal to get Daniher.
Harley overpromised and underdelivered.
Nick
Roar Guru
You would be giving away your chance at a flag if you had him. Forwards that at high up the ground, play high cause they aren't good enough to own the area I side the arc. Buddy is the only exception to that Any objective view of Cloke would conclude he was overpaid and over rated.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
You’re not realising how high up the ground he would play. He may have been a lousy shot at goal but he was also incredibly durable and an aerobic beast. Way more important than your throw away lines would allude to. Wish we had him now at his best or even near best.
Hoolifan
Guest
His body is not up to it by the looks of it. Just like Charlie Curnow or Matty Kreuzer.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Haha nah the whole reason Joey wanted to go north is Sydney has a better track record of managing injury prone players and he’d be anonymous in Sydney.
Nick
Roar Guru
I've watched tons of Cloke thanks to Channel 7/10 in that era seeming to only broadcast Collingwood matches. Judging a player on about 30 games of a 200+ game career was silly. Even during his prime he was an abysmal kick at goal. In 2009 he kicked more behinds than goals, in 2010 he kicked more behinds than goals. You'd hardly call 38 goals from a key forward in a premiership winning year to be vital to the team. A forward who kicked less than 2 goals a game getting an $800k a year deal is robbery, pure and simple. But you'd be nuts not to take it.
Nick
Roar Guru
I think they would have won without him actually. Collingwood were a very good team in 2010.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Spruce. You haven’t watched enough of the Pies if that’s your thoughts on Cloke. Go watch some pies footy of 2009-2011 for a start. Was instrumental in the Pies 2010 flag and nearly beat the Cats himself first half of the 2011 GF.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Pies would not have won 2010 without big Trav. Like Tom Boyd, he’s worth it just for that. The best contested mark in the competition and a beast in his prime.
Nick
Roar Guru
Could clunk a big mark...then also sent the ball sailing out of bounds on the full. Don't blame the man for taking the cash at all. I also would have done the same. It just meant he was going to come under greater scrutiny for his ineptitude.
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
He could clunk a mark big Trav. Can't blame a man for taking the cash, we all would have done it
Col from Brissie
Roar Guru
Aransan, I am not saying Daniher is not a good forward, just that I believe he can be very inconsistent with his form and of course his body. Without his injuries he could have become one of the current best but it is hard to see him playing many more games especially for the Bombers. Unless Essendon got a definite ‘I am staying’ and a guarantee on his body becoming better I just disagree with them not grabbing 2 possible top 10 picks. As for Harry he could end up the same but his injuries have been early in his career when developing into a bigger body. This delay has helped him and he should be in the returning round 2 game. Obviously no guarantees that he plays full seasons for the rest of his career but if he does I think he could become a great key forward.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
The title of the article implies that what Essendon have done actually falls under "management" - which I guess is true, in the same way that Trump is "managing" the coronavirus If Daniher walks at the end of this season then Dodoro should swing from Eureka Tower by his testicles. Bombers fans should demand nothing less
Aransan
Roar Rookie
Those very tall players can take a long time to mature, Col. They often have early career injuries as they develop, let us see how long Harry McKay takes to mature. Some Carlton supporters are dirty on Essendon for causing the Papley deal to fall through. With the benefit of hindsight I agree that Daniher is stuffed but I can understand why Essendon made the decision that they did.
Nick
Roar Guru
Trav was good for about 30 games, and then became the best thief the game has ever seen with that atrociously overpriced contact.
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
Or they argue amongst themselves and Port sneaks in and nabs him.
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
Heeney will go close to winning the Brownlow, hes an absolute super-star.
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
Except Trav Cloke was pretty good for a reasonable period, Daniher not so much yet.
Birdman
Roar Rookie
Yep. A bit unsettling for sure
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
Just got a closeup of your avatar Birdman… wooo
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
True enough. Dodoro is recruiting like they are already top 4.