Actually Fletcher has thrashed him nearly every time he's played on him. Didn't play on him this year as he didn't play.

Gave him a working over in our first game against them in 2004. Fevola working over Fletcher that is.

Can't recall him playing a game on him since then, but that doesn't mean he hasn't tried.

In short, I think you've got that wrong.

Fletcher killed him in that game as he did in the return match, also beat him in the first match last year and hasn't played on Fev since.
In short you're wrong.

However, how many of you would have been thinking I'll be very happy with a draw prior to yesterdays match? (ignoring any tanking/PP discussion). On pure form/ability I expected to win and win comfortably

fletcher
Lloyd

I can accept those two

Mcphee
Lovett Murrey
Maybe in the top 22 but nothing that they cant cover with players they already have.

Will Not be There Next Year
Hird
Rioli
Ramanaskus

Johns
You are taking the piss arent you


Make no mistake, both sides where crap last night.

The difference - they where relying on the likes of Johnson's Soloman etc.. to win the game for them.

Us - we where relying on the likes of Blackwell, AB's etc.. to win the game for us.

We are only going to get better, they are yet to bottom out.

Llyod (just under 30) and Fletcher (over 30) are not the future for that club anyways.

Those two coming back int the side isnt going to make them a top 8 side.

We are miles ahead of them, it was only poor decision making and poos disposal at times that saw us draw that game.

That will come with experiences

Aslong as out kids continue to get a game and develop we are on the right track.

Season hihglights for have been this.

Not Kouta, Not Whaitnall, hell not ever Fevola's improvement (Which has been great)

but seeing Murphy, seeing Blackwell, seeing AB's, seeing Simpson etc... develop into players that are the starting 22. That is our future and these players no longer look lost on the field.

Combine that with the mid range plyers starting to show something as well i.e. T-Bird, Waite, Fisher (all young and yet to hit the 100 game mark) we are well on the right track.

I liken us to where the Bulldaogs where about 2 - 3 years ago.

A young side, that makes things hard for themsevles, they normally dont get beaten and beat themselves through turn overs and errors rather than getting smashed from pillar to post.

This year will be about not having the legs to run out a game, next year will be about Honorable loses, the year after will be about making the finals, with the next few years after that seeing a decent attempt at getting a gf game

You've got to be kidding. Assuming Lloyd doesn't get injured again and returns to his best form, he'll overtake Lockett. At the very least he'll get 1100 odd goals. Fletcher is a full-back, so does not run as much as most players, therefore will play on for at least two or three years, enough time for Bradley and Lee to develop into good key defenders. Lovett-Murray has been in great form, and players like McPhee can have a great match any week they choose.

Rama will still be at Essendon* next year, in our best 22, unless his tumour comes back. Rama is a Kosi: would have been a star, except for injuries. He still will be a star if his cancer doesn't come back. Johns is the best forward in the history of the game, except for Coleman and Lloyd (and Reynolds and Hird, if you can consider them forwards).

The game yesterday was ours to lose as of the final quarter and, let's be honest: the free kick to Betts to put you within 6 points was very dubious, as was Fevola's dive in the 2nd quarter.

Both teams were abysmal however, and you can see why they are the bottom two teams. Both have at least two more years at the bottom, unless either coach can do some seriously good recruiting.

Also, our kids were just as good as yours. Stanton and Watson will be two of the top three in the Crichton Medal, and Lovett showed some pure genius at stages. Paddy Ryder was impressive for a ruckman who is 20 ks underweight and is lacking in muscle. Andrew Lee will be a fantastic replacement for Fletcher, and Reynolds and Monfries will be great small forwards cum midfielders, but need to improve their kicking. Count yourselves lucky that you got two points.

But in five or six years, it really will be the eighties again: Essendon*, Carlton and Hawthorn unbeatable. Add Western Bulldogs and Richmond to make a top five.

You've got to be kidding. Assuming Lloyd doesn't get injured again and returns to his best form, he'll overtake Lockett. At the very least he'll get 1100 odd goals.

And add a Murphy, Bower, Hartlett, Jackson, Flint, Raso or Edwards.

Essendon*'s kids? All out there apart from Dempsey.

Essendon* could add McPhee, Lloyd, Lovett-Murray, Johns and Laycock plus this year's first round draft pick and win close to 10 games next year if they're lucky. And they'll think they're not far away from it like Carlton after we won ten games in 2004, but they're nowhere near it. They've got a huge shock coming when Lloyd, Lucas, Hird, Fletcher, etc. all give it away within 2-3 years of each other.

We've got French, Lappin and Kouta.

They should have kept the draft pick they traded for Cole and drafted a tall forward in Cleve Hughes but they're still challenging for the flag.

Took 5 goals for Denis to make the switch from Whitnall to Thornton when it should have been that way since the start.

Bullshit! Whitnall towelled up Lucas the last time he played on him and you reckon Denis should've started Thornton when Whitnall did such a magnificent job on him?

I don't like Denis myself but in that you are just trying to pick something that just isn't there, focus on something else, not the Whitnall-Lucas match-up from the start.