The best way to give indigenous people a voice is to increase their parliamentary representation, and that’s up to each political party to find well-equipped indigenous people to represent their party and to be the voice of their constituents to the parliaments of Australia. We don’t need a separate body, just use what we have got.

Why am I not surprised?

Essendon still a season short of being serious challengers. Could cause some upsets but still lack about 2 key players – a rugged reliable tall backman and a tallish goal-kicking forward. Maybe 2023!

Thanks Tim for a very comprehensive report on the state of each team’s development. It seems to be a very wide open field so the pre-season series commencing tonight will, hopefully, shed more light on what the prospects of each team will be. At the end of that series I’d like to revisit your article, as it may at that time, have more significane. Thanks again.

Too many pre-seasons have led us to false predictions. Although the Geelong list has impressive names and their first practice match had some tempting positives, the real test will come in Round 1. If Geelong crushes the Bombers, then one can be optimistic they will be up there again, but if the Bombers are too slick and fast for the Cats, then maybe a tumble down the ladder is in store. I know it’s only one game, but it’s a real game!

Hi Cam,
Interesting article and discussion. Your comments were insightful. Where I would disagree is with your Best 22, as this team won’t happen, maybe all year, and some like Hurley and Tippa may be available later in the year, the Best 22 has to delete them both for the start and maybe most of the season.
Hurley in the backline replaced by Kelly gives the Bombers defence better coverage of smalls and frees Ridley to a damaging offensive interceptor.
Caldwell replaces Tippa but will play mainly midfield and will make a dynamic team-up with Draper, Merrett and Parish as the first line centre bounce giving the Forwards many opportunities.
Draper, McGrath, Shiel and Stringer looks a pretty powerful second-line.
Francis replaces the role of Hooker as a not as good marking Forward but a lot more mobile Forward. He will be great cover for Jones, as Hooker was, and would fully expect him to move to the 30+ goals in 2022.
Overall the team is better balanced than last year, should make the 8, and even if they don’t win a final, they will have built a team growing in development and experience, including finals experience which will put them in a great position to challenge in 2023. I expect them to fit into the 5-8 range andf that will be a successful year.

Walla’s downward trend began during mid-season lockdowns last year and he went from the AFL’s best small forward to being out of the team. He returned to the pre-season way over weight then strained his calf. Took a short break, and now it would seem a longer break. It is tragic but I fear we have seen the last of Walla playing AFL. I love his footy, it’s exciting and dynamic and if he doesn’t play again we will have lost a really great talent to football. I wish him well, hope he returns fit and healthy, but I fear it won’t happen. So sad!

I disagree with you Yattuzzi. If it was the Delta, Alpha or Beta strains you would be right, but it’s not. The Omicron strain is destroying Covid’s capacity to disrupt the season. The symptoms are not much worse than a common cold. The recovery rate is short. Look at Glen Maxwell. He was down with covid for a week and came back and made 154 n.o. That’s the reality of what Omicron is doing. Yes, we will have infections. Yes, some players will miss a game or two, but Covid will be endemic by April and no longer a pandemic. This is what global data is showing. This is what the science is showing. So let’s get on with the football and put Covid back in its place!

I agree with you that some of the selections were strange given the forecast wet conditions, but Truck has continually rewarded players for good form. However, an elimination final in Tassie in wet conditions demands selection based on the conditions and the opponents, and not just rewarding good form in previous weeks. It’s sad that Hind couldn’t play and it would have helped if he did. Early in last quarter we were only 19 points down and within striking distance. That margin was helped with some soft frees resulting in goals. In reality at that stage the real difference may have only been 7 points. Before the rain came Francis looked a million dollars and was marking everything but then the rain came. I agree that Clarke should have played instead of Gleeson and that McGrath should have been down back on Weightman. Waterman was the other player who should not have been selected for a wet game. Disagree on Caldwell, he was useful, far more than Waterman. A final negative for the Bombers were the poor misses at goal, especially early when we could have had 4 goals by mid 1st quarter, and then, again when we had the chance to hit the scoreboard in the 2nd and 3rd quarters we missed another 3 very gettable goals. Getting these goals would have made all the difference. The enthusiasm levels would have been up and the last 15-20 minutes would have been a real dog fight. So, I am disappointed with the result, but saw enough good signs to think that with a few list changes for next year and the coming in of Reid, Baldwin, and return of Jones, Tippa and Langford will make Essendon a reasonable chance to finish in the 3-6 region. Thanks Chuck for a good year.

The late news is that Jones is having surgery on his foot so is out till next season. Langford, I understand did not play in the practice match and is highly doubtful to be available this week. Tippa and Caldwell both played well in full game warm-ups.
I agree that some of our players have surprised of late and may keep their spots for the Elimination Final eg Clarke, Cutlet, Guelfi, Perkins, Durham. However, it would not surprise if both Tippa and Caldwell both came in, but replacing whom? It’s a much better scenario than in our previous finals attempts where we had had several players struggling through injury. This year we are better prepared, but it still may not be enough. I can only hope that we can take that next step!

Daz, I agree with your assessments of Cutler and Clarke. Both players are maligned and designated “delist” by most Bomber supporters but both have done very well and much improved in recent weeks. Though under-loved I think they both deserve to be retained on the list.

Thanks Dem, a very insightful article on Razor Ray. Although he makes some blunders, usually against my team (hahaha), I have great respect for him, love his style and hope he gets the GF.

Your excitement comes through and when there is such a fantastic win and some season high performances with Wright and Draper, it’s hard not to drool and dream of a bright future. When stars like Merrett and Parish play excellently and don’t rate in the top 2 for the Bombers or top 3 on the ground it is surely a good sign.
Nevertheless, there were a few worrying lowlights, the worst being Walla. What’s wrong there? He’s lost his energy. Is he injured? Is he overweight? Is there some other undefined problem? It’s been 6 weeks of poor performances. When he’s up he’s an inspiration and a “normal” Walla game would have seen him seal up the game Sunday to the point there would have been no doubt in the result. You stated: “I cannot predict who the Bombers are going to rotate out for the incoming players” but maybe Walla, whatever the reason for his lethargy, could do with a week’s rest and have him cherry ripe for the Collingwood game. This could provide a place for Caldwell and Heppell to come in while rewarding the rest of the team for their great effort. The only dilemma left would be who to leave out for Heppell?
It was pleasing to see Cutler and Clarke do so well and probably earned both of them a place on the list for 2022.

A good overall assessment Chucka. The one grey area needing more discussion to determine where the Bombers can improve for next year is the Francis Stewart dilemma. I agree that Stewart is probably a better Forward than Francis and Francis maybe a better Defender that Stewart, but both of them are lacking something. Stewart gives away too many frees for holding. Francis misses too many marks he should have taken. To move forward maybe we need to find replacements for both of them to give some more grunt both to the Defence and the Attack. I can’t see them taking us into the Finals or a Premiership. Talent and potential are not enough and both showed these glaring weaknesses at the weekend. Agree with you on Laverde. He’s one tough nut and could be a great asset for years to come. On the small backman issue, what about McGrath? He was a great small defender early in his career and he could do his midfield rotations from defence, while others (Parish, Merrett, Shiel) do theirs forward.

I’d love to see it, but after two poor weeks it’s hard to be optimistic against a greatly improved Swans unit. But here’s hoping …

Surprised Dem picked GWS and Essendon to win. Neither team played well last week and are playing stronger teams this week. It must be trying to catch up because he’s behind in the Tipping pool!

As you inferred, the Bombers have faded in the last 2 weeks but with their outs this was to be expected. Durham has been a bonus. Shiel’s return a step in the right direction and expect him to to do better this week. Hooker and Tippa were disappointing and maybe both need a rest. We need to try out some other young players and find out if they will make it or give them some taste of the top level, eg Clarke and Hird. More opportunity for Bryan and perhaps trialling Francis for the rest of the season at Full Forward. We have nothing to lose, but everything to gain by finding out what we have in the cupboard.

Sorry Chucka, but your weekly variations are too extreme. How can a club go up or down 4, 5, or 6 places in one week? I can understand 1, 2, or 3 but to go up to 6!!!? Anyway, the Bombers are too high at 7, and even though they are in the 8 I would still rate them a 9 at the moment. If they defeat the Giants move them to 7th. If they lose I’d go down 1 to 10, but based on what you are presenting you might drop them by 6. Sorry mate, but usually I really enjoy your assessments but I think for this segment you need a little less heart and a little more mind.

Do you really think 6ft 4inches (193-194cm) too short for a Full Forward? Locket was 191cm and Dunstall 188cm.

Thanks Chucka for another assessment. Yes Stringer was the final piece to give us victory but I think that more emphasis needs to be given to the players who kept us in the game and helped turn it around that put us in a position to make that final assault. The players I refer to are Wright, Merrett, Parish, Ridley and possibly Heppell. Stringer went missing for nearly half the game while these other players fought it out, turned it around, and then, and only then, Stringer turned up on the stage.
You correctly point out the pathetic lethargy of the team just strolling down the field to defend. Could it have been a deliberate tactic to conserve energy in the heat and to save the intensity to the 2nd half? Let North burn for a half and then we’ll overrun them in the 2nd Half? As you said, it was a game of 2 “halfs”.

Can Essendon make the 8? Maybe. They may not be there at the end but a good chance to be there next weekend.
Geelong will beat Fremantle.
Port Adelaide will beat St. Kilda.
Sydney will beat the Giants.
And Essendon will defeat North.
That will put Essendon into 8th position.
However, to stay there we must improve up Forward, but sadly we don’t have the stock to do the job unless there is some creative changes. An example would be to put Francis as a stay at home Full Forward and give Hooker a rest. This would improve our forward marking power and ground speed while having a worthwhile experimental positional change to allow Hooker the rest against the bottom of the ladder Kangaroos.

I agree that some of the players, particularly Cox looks a bit run down and probably needs a break, maybe as a Medical Sub for a week or two. The other major concern has been Hooker who’s output has dried up and he looks too slow, especially when we have another slow in 2MP there as well. Only one of them should be in the team and I think 2MP has more upside as he’s a handy spare ruckman. Bringing Bryan or maybe even Eyre in to replace a rested Hooker may give us insight into possible options for 2022 and that’s probably where it’s at, for the rest of this season.

I have some sympathy with the idea of trading Shiel but only if we were to gain Cerra or similar. Cerra is young and will play another 10 years. You say, as does Chuckakhan that he’s too similar to what Essendon already has – well if that’s similar to Merrett, McGrath and Parish, I’ll take it!! What a powerful unit that would be supported with cameos from Caldwell, Langford, Stringer and Perkins. Other than that I agree with your overall thrust.

Hi Dem, a fair assessment overall, and the hype is possibly a little over the top amongst Essendon fans. However, on the other side, what would have been their position in some of those close games if Shiel, Caldwell, Draper (who’s just come back), Snelling (who will come back this week), and McGrath (lost a few weeks back)? Essendon still have some liabilities, but as Aranson mentioned, the Backline is new and improving, although it still lacks a really “strong man” defender, and it’s Forward set up is fragile with Hooker slowing, and having both Wright and Hooker (two tall slows), but it has some as yet untapped potential, like Baldwin, and maybe Reid who has played Forward with success before the Draft. It is still speculative, and maybe more hype, but isn’t it fun!!! If the same positive development that the coaching team have produced in other “has-beens” like Laverde, Stewart and Redman can be achieved in these others, it is not unreasonable, with some astute drafting and trading, to believe that Essendon in 2022 will be finalists and in 2023 a real chance to make a charge on the premiership cup.

Stringer doing well in the midfield is something that fans have hoped for for a long time. It has often been a question of stamina but on the basis of the last 2 weeks maybe his stamina has improved. I hope so as it could be a key element in 2022 with him sharing midfield time with McGrath, Parish and Caldwell as inside mids while Shiel, Merrett, Perkins and Cox as outside mids. Langford, perhaps could be part of either group. Even without adding another elite mid to the mix Essendon seems to be developing a very strong batch of midfielders.
Melbourne have shown the value of 3 elite intercept backline players in May and Lever, and while, as you mentioned, Stewart is improving, we still need at least one May, Lever or McGovern type solid defender to take that role.
While Hooker has been serviceable, he has seemed slow and ineffective for the last few weeks and we need a lift there. Maybe this is one reason why our last quarter entries were atrocious. Who do you kick to? Two slow talls, an injured Walla, two first year developing talents in Jones and Perkins or an angry Smith? Something needs to change there to give a better target for those bringing the ball in. Where was the forward system? Where were the leads? Where was the spreading? It wasn’t there, so where do the mids kick? No wonder May and Lever had a picnic! For all that, we got so close and gives us something to work on for next year.