Finish 7th or 8th, play Richmond in the first week of finals, there's your top 6 finish.

Personally, I'd rather use top 4 as the benchmark. There's no way you can win a premiership from the bottom 4 of the top 8 and with the strength of the interstate clubs, you need home ground advantage in the prelim to give yourself a realistic shot at a premiership.

_________________
In WADA we trust

Our list was in a pretty awful condition a few years back, but at least we're now starting to give ourselves a chance.

Over the last 3 years we've picked up 9-11 1st round talents: Cripps, Docherty, Jaksch, Plowman, Lamb, Sumner, Weitering, McKay, Curnow, Everitt* (not in the same young age bracket) and Boekhorst* (doubt he was rated as a 1st round talent by any other club). Obviously they're not all going to make it. Some will be hindered by injuries. Some won't have the mental strength to make it. But at least we've got in a group of players with the talent to be quality long-term AFL players.

Unfortunately we've lost 3 1st rounders in that same period: Henderson, Yarran and Menzel.

I particularly like the way we've invested in 1st round key position talent. I reckon it's much easier to pick up quality players in other roles at a much cheaper price.

I'm pretty 'bullish' about Phillips and Byrne as well.

Still a long way to go (and more early picks to come). But at least I can now see how we might have a chance of contending in 5 years time.

I agree, we have really wiped it clean and have a good bunch of young players now with you would think a few more high picks to come.
Importantly, we also have a coach who has come from the most successful club in memory, and who is big on education systems and lifting standards, so you've got to be happy about our direction.

True - but Hendo didn't want to be here, Yarran was lazy and Menzel didn't have the right attitude.


Happy that they've gone to be honest.

Only one I'm really iffy about loosing in that lot is Menzel. If he gets his head right he could be an A list ellite star.

_________________
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit"
- Aristotle

*losing

I only feel bad about Menzel because of the hurt the club caused emtwenty when her brown eyed boy was traded.

_________________
dane's trolling again

haven't they all got brown eyes?

I really appreciate your support Dane

So who's the one remaining player that's still in the fat club?

Can Curnow become another mid as well? See point below.
Do you mean midfielders first? We have guys who can rotate and I can add names of guys who haven't spent too much time there, if any, in the middle. Cuningham and Gowers are two unknowns at this stage. Then the draft next year.
No I don't know either. But Sumner will be very good if he stays fit I think.
Yep. Think it's his last year.
Yeah.
Yeah we can dream that it might actually happen!
Yeah cool.

_________________
Essendon-Only team to have ever been found guilty of salary cap breaches in a premiership year!

Might have 3 retirees at the end of this year. Walker, Simpson and Armfield.
Then who else is in danger? I'll throw in Smith, Foster, Lamb, Boekhorst, Viojo-Rainbow and maybe Dick will be cut.
Wood will be chopped from the rookie list too. I believe we have to promote or delist Sheehan and can we promote Byrne?
I'm not sure.
Oh, forgot about Tutt as well. I also thought about Whiley or Graham but the former has looked good in the NAB. So far. So for now, no.

_________________
Essendon-Only team to have ever been found guilty of salary cap breaches in a premiership year!

Zip?

Ouch

_________________
Formerly: Ackland the Wonderkid / Army the Wonderkid / quivering mess / molsey / Tony Lynn Fan Club

Even if Lamb (2016), Phillips (2017), Plowman (2016) and Sumner (2016) are on new deals, there's plenty of other names coming out of contract at the end of this season (or on the rookie list, which is contractually much more flexible).

I think Simpson and Armfield are both good chances to get one-year deals. If Walker was going to retire due to a knee issue, it would have happened at the end of last season.

Rowe, Tutt, Dick, Jones, Viojo-Rainbow and Wood are the obvious candidates right now, but there'll be more to go if we want to elevate Sheehan and Byrne.

How Sumner and Plowman recover from their injuries this season will be an important factor, as will whatever currency Everitt (non-FA) and Casboult (RFA) can deliver. We'll only let one of the two talls go at most.

That gives us four picks at the draft, which is a good starting point.

_________________
29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

I didn't put Jones's name down because of his contract only. I disagree on Armfield jim. Then trade-ins, we'll still chase Tomlinson I feel. The of course is the Byrne and Sheehan potential promotions. Everitt will stay I think, we should try and offer him a contract (no need for EFAs on that part). Casboult I also have no intentions of trading. However it is also up to those 2 individuals at the end of the day.
Rowe wasn't on my mind but I'm 50/50 on too. Good honest trier but limited in skills, iffy decision maker and not very agile when the ball hits the ground.

_________________
Essendon-Only team to have ever been found guilty of salary cap breaches in a premiership year!

Wood chopped and Dick cut?
That makes the eyes water.

_________________
Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

Well there'll be water because there will be no Wood. Not sure about Dick so maybe you can save one eye from there being water in it.

_________________
Essendon-Only team to have ever been found guilty of salary cap breaches in a premiership year!

Walker and Jones are the only ones named who have a contract for 2017, but I doubt we'll honour Jones'.

Armfield might be 30 for the 2017 season, but he's got a lot less wear and tear on the body than most players that age in the AFL.

If you want good picks at the draft, you have to give up something, and if Casboult or Everitt hasn't improved to be a consistent scorer in 2016 (though their form in the 2nd half of 2015 says otherwise), then you move them on while they have solid value.

Both would draw a mid-to-late first round pick.

_________________
29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

No they wouldn't. A pick between #10 and #20???....and what's more crazy is that you are basing that value on "if he doesn't improve to be a consistent scorer this year"

Everitt will be 28, out of contract and heading to his 4th club. That's close to delisted free agent territory...

As a 25 year old all he was acquired for a 7 spot downgrade in the 30's. (#39 and Everitt for #32).

No hope.

_________________
"They're [REDACTED]'

hahaha, very good

better than my zipper joke

_________________
Formerly: Ackland the Wonderkid / Army the Wonderkid / quivering mess / molsey / Tony Lynn Fan Club

#20 for Everitt and #12 for Casboult seems unreasonable when we'd be inclined to contract both as 40-goal forwards if we weren't at the start of a rebuild?

Casboult might get us first or end of first round compensation...

_________________
29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

Still a stretch.

Again, based on your criteria of "if they don't improve to be a consistent scorer", you'll be trying to trade an out of contract, 27 year old (when he plays his first game at his new club) in Casboult who will have yet to have kicked 30 goals in a season....

_________________
"They're [REDACTED]'