Actually watched much of the Bombers? Sheedy is in denial, or walking the same line as Pagan - saying he will play the kids, but not really doing too much about it.

Courtney Dempsey, the next Nicky Winmar, plays 5 minutes, then dropped, then brought back in, plays 6 minutes, then dropped...

Stanton? dropped recently
Dyson? dropped recently

Great track record sheedy.... No different to Carlton at all

Essendon* supporters are probly complaining about the same things we're complaining about

Well I guess we need to just sign Russell up then...I would have hoped this may have been done already.

_________________
Succumb to your highest emotion!!!!

given kouta's impending retirement, we now have access to the gdp of a small country (guam, angola, tasmania, etcetera), and given the outrageous bargin that was jason saddington and for that matter, a number of other schleps of the past few years,

out money should solely be spent on the poaching of other club's recruitment stratagies.

I think Saddington is mostly still paid by the Swans.

Why get a young uncontracted player like Russell, when you can get a star like McLaren.......................

_________________
"Dont count the games, make the games count"

You forgot one more reason to choose Essendon* ...

C: Extreme negativity and endless bagging of everything to do with Carlton and its supporter base from self proclaimed gods.
E: Teenage female bandwagoners who love the players.

I think we are in trouble ...

_________________
#DonTheStash

Interesting article, making the assumption that the Bombers are too smart to waste time on a big name they cannot get. I'm not sure the Bombers and that ego maniac Sheedy don't believe thay can snare a big name - I'm trying to remember what he said a few weeks back when he pleaded with players out of contract to not re-sign. Classic Sheedy statement to deflect from the losing-streak and aweful on-field performances - you can only say the team we play next week better look out, so many times.

Clearly there is one big name - Jason Ackermanis, but I think Acker is under contract. Will the Bomber faithful, stay faithful if they don't land the big fish? Will they be happy if all they end up with is a Dylan McLaren? Maybe they will after all Sheedy really can spin shit, I mean surely the players they have taken from the Blues alone in the last few seasons are enough to hang him.

There is no doubt in my mind that the Bombers have the same look and feel as we did in 2002 - when the wheels came off. They have ageing stars Hird and Fletcher, with no players of the same quality to replace them and a bunch of over rated players who have not stepped up like the Johnsons, Soloman, etc. I think they are in for a ride not unlike our's over the next few season, maybe not as long, because they face no draft penalties. But I expect them to be at or near the bottom for a number of years just like us.

There's also this from the article:
"Essendon* recognises that its position at the foot of the ladder is a once-in-a-generation opportunity; the Dons haven't been last since the Great Depression and mightn't get another (free) crack at both the best kid in the land and first uncontracted player for decades."
Isn't this what we all thought, we had never finished on the bottom before and expected to bounce straight back up - I can't see the bombers doning this anymore than we did.

Sellers' market this year - clubs will not give up draft picks lightly. If the Bombers want to poach someone, it will have to be PSD or they will have to give up picks in an allegedly strong draft.

Sheedy is all hot air.

_________________
"A good composer does not initiate. He steals."

- Igor Stravinsky

Much easier the first year of your decline than after that (so Essendon* should have a reasonable chance at the end of this year). Players considering coming probably find it much easier to believe that the turn around will be short. (I'm guessing that if Stevens knew Carlton would bottom out for 4-5 years, he probably would have thought again.)

Of course all this implies that players (and their managers) can actually see through all the 'hot air'.