We are now into the top 8 for season 2011 and while Essendon were knocked out in the first week of the finals by a flogging against their arch enemy Carlton, many would see it as a successful year when Sir James Hird took over the coaching throne. With Mark Harvey sacked and Brendan McCartney moving on to coach the Dogs maybe we will see another ex-captain on the coaching bench.
Dyson Heppell stared in his first year as the Quarter Back taking over from Dustin Fletcher. Can he win the clubs Best and Fairest in his first year?
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While the squad achieved a finals spot many including me think they over achieved as I look over their squad. Maybe it was the wins against top sides in West Coast, Geelong and a draw with Carlton that helped them sneak into the top 8 but they got there somehow. In a show of the evenness of the side, none made the AFL All Australian squad and Dyson Heppell the NAB Rising Star Winner is likely to win the clubs Best and Fairest. What was interesting is that only three players made their debutants this year.
Apart from Heppell several players took a step up in Stewart Crameri who won the goal kicking award for his team. Tom Bellchambers will likely now be the number one ruckman at Essendon while Kyle Hardingham, David Myers and Jake Melksham have improved and now are regular key players.
However I expect to see a few hard decisions to be made as the club has way to many ‘list cloggers’ in Pat Ryder, David Hille, Leroy Jetta, Mark McVeigh, Alwyn Davey, Jason Winderlich, Scott Gumbleton, Andrew Welsh and Kyle Reimers who are way to inconsistent. No doubting their talent but until the clubs squad grows over 50 you can not afford to carry these ‘list cloggers’ and consistently injured players like Mark Williams (now retired), Darcy Daniher, Anthony Long and Brent Prismall.
James Hird rightly so gave everyone on his list a second chance for season 2011 but its time for them to be ruthless. This club has lost the mental toughness it had back in Sheedy’s day, it traded ruthlessly and got rid of dead wood quicker than you could burn it. I think they need to target Jaeger O’Meara as he will add some silky skills to their midfield, we will look at what they could offer the GWS for him in the below trade section.
Season 2011 Snap Shot
Trade Bait
Only Travis Colyer, Kyle Hardingham and Andrew Welsh are still uncontracted at the moment but I do not expect GWS or anyone else to be too excited about them.
GWS holds the advantage in this mini draft/ trade period in the normal trade period but the one thing that Essendon does have is a multitude of key position players. A combination of a ruckmen in Tom Bellchambers/ Pat Ryder and a key forward like Scott Gumbleton/ Jakes Carlisle with a draft pick as the cherry on top should get them over the line as West Coast, Fremantle and depending on Collingwood could not offer anything more satisfying (these are the clubs that are reported to be wanting O’Meara).
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