Bombers' fight falls short

pick up your game bombers. Should have been an easy win, Now go over to perth next week and show west coast all that we've got

- Ben Wickham (posted 26/07/2009 5:23:18 PM)

Sad result boys, but Im so glad to see Pris playing well, he will be a star.

- Paul Tate (posted 26/07/2009 5:23:57 PM)

did the selection committee lose the plot this week or what ??

- Travis Cusack (posted 26/07/2009 5:27:06 PM)

poor effort drop stanton kick efficiency not good enough

- Evan Wilson (posted 26/07/2009 5:30:45 PM)

Absolute Disgrace. Don't deserve to play finals!!!!!!!!!!

- Matt Garratt (posted 26/07/2009 5:34:13 PM)

We are a much better team than what we showed today. Why did we play injured guys? I also have to question coaching panels moves.

- Jennifer Mackie (posted 26/07/2009 5:34:46 PM)

Yeah, yeah, be critical, be unsupportive, bag the coach, bag the players. Thats what some of you are good at isn`t it. Well you do better. I for one, still backs Knights 100%.

- Cory Williams (posted 26/07/2009 5:34:53 PM)

I GUESS SELLWOOD AND RIOLI COULD HAVE WON THAT FOR US.KEEP WASTING TOP TEN PICKS BOMBERS.BRADLEY,LAYCOCK,GUMBY,MYERS THANKS A LOT!!! Regards Chris.

- Chris Steffen (posted 26/07/2009 5:35:09 PM)

DID WE JUST BECOME RICHMOND'S BOUNCE BACK TEAM!? Insipid football, just shocking, going down to a bottom 4 team like Richmond, all the hype throughout the year GONE! and don't use injuries as an excuse! poor ball skills and poor decision making was the factor of this RIDICULOUS LOSS! a repeat of the KANGAROOS loss round 4! Where was Skipworth and Lonergan? Matthew Knights this loss is half your fault!

- Gee Bomber (posted 26/07/2009 5:36:23 PM)

please,lost this game at the selection table?watson still injured,davey&dempsey out of form mcphee desision,hes making still shocking mistakes!bring in some form players bring!in bellchambers.houli,

- andrew hannaford (posted 26/07/2009 5:41:48 PM)

Goodbye finals. Unforgivable. Embarrassing.

- James Duthie (posted 26/07/2009 5:42:31 PM)

disgraceful effort by the boys today. We ran through the banner with the wrong frame of mind and it showed with the poor performance. A 5 point loss was a flattering result in the end. This was the week we could have put pressure on the teams below and we didnt capitalise. We played like a team who doesnt deserve to play finals football and the boys need to take a long hard look at themselves

- Jane McMenaman (posted 26/07/2009 5:46:05 PM)

It's a disgrace to go down by a LOWLY team as Richmond. Specially for a team that's aiming for finals. Very disappointed, they don't deserve to be in the finals. Would be sad to see a team like Hawthorn miss.

- Dureau Raymond (posted 26/07/2009 5:47:14 PM)

Disappointing considering how hard we've worked this year to get into a position to play finals. We looked awefully flat in the first half! Then our set shot goal kicking kept us from taking hold of the game. Good work Lovett ,Welsh, Fletcher, Prismall. Can't quite understand why we left Lonergan and Hocking out - McVeigh looked unfit all day? Haven't made it easy ourselves. See you in Perth next week, we need to LIFT!

- Peter Venn (posted 26/07/2009 5:48:13 PM)

What a disgrace; I hope no one gets on here and bags the players; This loss is solely the fault of the coaching and selection committee .................... I can't believe how many injured or unfit players we took into this game, whilst we have Houli, Lonergan, Atkinson, Neagle, Myers, Zaka, Daniher, Bellchambers, Nash, Quinn and Hocking playing in the pathetic Bendigo Bombers; seriously, what a bloody joke.

- Andrew Mavrik (posted 26/07/2009 5:52:14 PM)

Shame Essendon, a pathetic performance in view of our position on the ladder. Now we have some injuries and it is going to be difficult. It is going to be a tough road trip I can not see us beating the weagles in Perth. Maybe we are not as good as we think we are. Perhaps we should join the tankers and we might pick up a forward. It will be interesting to hear what excuses others on this site are going to make for our performance. Many got there wishes with Hurley, prismall playing and we could not win. It is a team game two or three players do not make a team. SHAME ESSENDON>

- Peter Pischek (posted 26/07/2009 5:52:50 PM)

Could have stolen it but didn't deserve to. We should bury sides like that but we can't. A long way to go and I think a finals appearance will be emabarassing. Better off spending the next 5 weeks working on a Plan B for when we get our running game and centre corridor shut down like that.

- John Sexton (posted 26/07/2009 5:53:20 PM)

very weak effort dont deserve to be in the 8

- DAVID MCKANE (posted 26/07/2009 5:54:28 PM)

disgrace and digusting loosing to a bottom team

- Norman Cacciattolo (posted 26/07/2009 5:54:52 PM)

wat was that? that was appauling, to lose to richmond of all teams, good stuff guys!!!

- afradopilious frette (posted 26/07/2009 5:55:38 PM)

players & coaches,woeful! if players are`nt 100% fit & can`t run out a whole game at full tilt,don`t play em`,does`nt matter who it is!,no names!!! Some of those match ups,madness,way to handball happy,heard of kicking long? Knights we had 2 of the best forwards in the comp!instead they play half the game any where but forward,after that crap 2day some heads better roll!

- mawby Ian (posted 26/07/2009 5:59:17 PM)

pathetic game to watch. when u see essendon players just watching richmond players run passed them and dont try and attempt to put pressure on, rubbish.. there are alot of players that need to take a hard look at themself. mcveigh, hooker, slattery, lloyd, lucas and mcphee pathetic game by them. u have to win those games for finals footy and yet we havent won. fletcher and ryder good game by them. changes need to be made the selection panel has to grow some balls and do something! finals run over.

- Jason Grech (posted 26/07/2009 5:59:43 PM)

what fight? We were sooo bloody pathetic, iam so gutted, this is un bloody forgivable, cannot believe how bad we played, and never drop lonergan again. NOT HAPPY

- Matthew Holloway (posted 26/07/2009 6:01:32 PM)

one of the worst performances this year

- Den Wang (posted 26/07/2009 6:02:13 PM)

WTF????? How do you let Reiwoldt kick 6. McVeigh needs to go back to the reserves, along with Stanton. How shots for goal were terrible. We had the finals served to us on a platter, not only do we loose, but a heap of injuries. Commitment of the players needs to be questioned???? Not bloody happy!

- Malcolm Milgate (posted 26/07/2009 6:02:20 PM)

the one that got away. good games from lovett ryder prismall and welsh. we should bring jetta and neagle in 4 next week at subiaco

- Cohlby Giblett (posted 26/07/2009 6:02:33 PM)

Good effort, but disgraceful performance. Why isn't Fletcher played on the best forwards? Reimers you are a legend and Ryder you are a legend. Might see a quick return for Lonergan in the team, and expect T.Slattery to make his debut, if these guys can't get in our "great" team, im baffled.

- Joseph Attard (posted 26/07/2009 6:03:40 PM)

It was a disapointing loss, but there is still time to regroup and finish the season off strongly. Nows the time to see which players want to be part of the future, and those whose careers are finished.

- mark mclaine (posted 26/07/2009 6:03:50 PM)

Pissweak. And against a team that should be tanking too. A loss was the best outcome. The players must realize that they can't win games playing that rubbish.

- Matt Dawson (posted 26/07/2009 6:05:55 PM)

...Merry Xmas to all, and a happy new year 2010...Look forward to chatting more about the bombers, then!!!!! Aroung the w'end of March 27 - 29...Round One...

- Nick Tomaras (posted 26/07/2009 6:06:52 PM)

how sad it is

- Nicolas Pretty (posted 26/07/2009 6:08:27 PM)

HOW ARE WE GOING 2 MAKE FINALS NOW SUPERCOACH KNIGHTA???? INEXCUSABLE!! YET ANOTHER WEEK WITH NO FORWARD STRUCTURE. LOOSE TO BOTTOM TEAM COS KNIGHTA CANNOT COACH. DOES NOT REACT TO WHAT IS GOING ON. JUST FINGER CROSSING COACHING. I HOPE G.O'D TAKES THE REINS NEXT YEAR.

- rob davies (posted 26/07/2009 6:10:40 PM)

g what can i say u guys done it again the game we need to win u lose why bother show up to the game if u play like the eagles and dockers did on saturday u should all wake up eagles will beat u if u play like u did today very very disapointed member from the west

- Joe Muscara (posted 26/07/2009 6:10:43 PM)

I am sorry but the bombers were absolutley hopeless today! Poor coaching is to blame for this game. You wouldnt in right mind put Mcveigh in who is not 100% fit, we should of put bachar houli, Hurley was moved up and down the ground who couldnt get any consistencey. The bombers failed to run as a team and poor disposal in the 50 is what cost us the game. I hope Jarrod atkinson gets a game, omitt cale hooker for a spell. We need to lift, no more experimenting Knights play people where they are good. Pull your head in!

- James Bourne (posted 26/07/2009 6:11:08 PM)

woeful bombres, u chocked at the worst time, mcveigh should be dropped for lonergan and davey for williams or quinn, we need a spark in the forward line and davey isnt the answer, we should play neagle over lloyd or lucas, come on boys bounce back!!!!!

- eddie pascoe (posted 26/07/2009 6:13:15 PM)

fight? what fight? why do i go and watch this team play again?

- Sadeq Abbasszadeh (posted 26/07/2009 6:13:56 PM)

side was slow, Knights made a big mistake with the selected side mcveigh needs time out with bendigo, how can you drop both lonergan and hocking? forward line was played with too much why is winderlich not in the midfield? We were always going to lack hard ball getters with this side. Oh well, next year might bring finals.

- luke martin (posted 26/07/2009 6:14:22 PM)

Not good enough Essendon. Simple as that.

- Daniel Wright (posted 26/07/2009 6:15:01 PM)

what a pack of idiots i cant believe we just lost to richmond seriously! RICHMOND they ought to be ashamed of themselfs i no i am say goodbye to the finals

- Ethan Quinn (posted 26/07/2009 6:16:26 PM)

To add to what i said, how on earth was Lonergan dropped from this team? We MUST beat West Coast if we want to play finals. It's a big game, let's win and our draw compared to the hawks and the power looks a lot better.

- Joseph Attard (posted 26/07/2009 6:26:56 PM)

Poor first half killed us, if we had won it would have been a steal, We need some fresh players next week especially since it is interstate, But KEEP THE FAITH

- tom amos (posted 26/07/2009 6:29:15 PM)

We threw the game away! I've given BRENT STANTON time to improve with his disposal efficiency, however todays performance was close to a joke. Below 50% kicking efficiency is just not good enough and simple set shots that he missed lost it for us.

- Tom Peddlesden (posted 26/07/2009 6:31:57 PM)

Hello Mc Fly anyone home what a absolute shocking first half.All the experience players were Pitiful except for Fleth Welsh hit a target,Davey running to wrong spots,Watson bad bad bad game,Lucas hold the marks gone gone time up,Lloyd no leadership bad game,McPhee you bring forwards into form go forward,their seems to be no leadership out there,Almost forgot Mcveigh what a shocker.It seemed it was a T.A.B game not happy JANE

- Mary karvellas (posted 26/07/2009 6:34:45 PM)

Poor performance by the Bombers. Skill errors came in massive numbers. Handballing to the feet of players and slow movement killed us. Some players stood up well (Stanton, Prismall, Dempsey, Slattery, Hurley, Lovett) but alot of players weren't doing much. Lovett-Murrays game was nothing great. Don't deserve finals with a preformance that bad even though we can still make it.

- Andrew Bearpark (posted 26/07/2009 6:35:07 PM)

abismal!! the idiocy of some of the play nothing more than running back to the zone with 20 seconds on the clock & kicking to a 5:3. there seems to be no talk as we keep having ppl run down from behind! & why lonergan was dropped baffles me, especially with jobe not being 100%. they better have gotten a good spray after the game, i know some of the anti knights ppl will be having a go at him but i doubt the players listenned to 1 word he said today!

- David Mitchell Mitchell (posted 26/07/2009 6:35:40 PM)

McVeigh and Welsh are too slow. Get rid of em. Lonegan, Houli, Hocking, Quinn and Myers are the future of the club. Play them now. And if McPhee does not learn to man up and beat an opponent he can be replaced as well.

- Robert Monk (posted 26/07/2009 6:36:06 PM)

You can have my membership back after that performance. If Knights can't see that every week we use too many handballs he's an idiot.

- Adam Dean (posted 26/07/2009 6:37:16 PM)

Very disappointing. A few of these blokes need a spell in the 2nds. McPhee keeps playing poorly. Need more from the senior guys like lloyd and McVeigh. Thought the team woould be a hell of a lot more desperate considering finals are on the line.

- Jamie Sleep (posted 26/07/2009 6:37:29 PM)

What a joke!!! We are such a better team then Richmond. What the hell happened?? You knew September was on the line!!! Say goodbye to finals this year, boys. What an infuriating game.

- Ryan Stewart (posted 26/07/2009 6:38:35 PM)

that was a horrible loss.... why did it take untill the death of the match untill we decided to use our running game that has worked for us most of this year, we also decided to just put the ball inside 50 instead of chipping it around outside. hopefully this loss gives the boys a smack in the face and wakes them up for the run home.. fire up bombers!!

- Daniel glasson (posted 26/07/2009 6:38:57 PM)

over confident!! the boys thought they were guranteed a win so nobody tried! they finally did start to try and thought they were guaranteed a comeback victory so they stop trying. by the time they relised we were going to lose too late!!!!

- Kyle Franklin (posted 26/07/2009 6:40:31 PM)

this was 1 of 3 matches which were meant to b certain wins. i couldnt believe how many errors we had we dominated the posis and just gave it to the man who had a player on him. their was about 5 tyms wen we kicked to lucas or lloyd wen it was 3 on 1. also half the team looked lyk they were limping watson, mcveigh, prismal, welsh, lloyd no1 looked fit. also wat was with kicking for goal hopless and we culdnt even land a tackle. this was by far our worst game of the year.

- Nick Holdsworth (posted 26/07/2009 6:44:44 PM)

no finals this yr boys. mcveigh, watson are not fit why doesnt knighta stop playing em. anyway we've seen enough this yr hope we can improve on it. also, can we please not lose all the remaining matches?

- Komal Sidhu (posted 26/07/2009 6:46:06 PM)

Do we want to play finals? Playing the last 10 mins doesn't win games. Time to make a tough call or 2 on some senior players (McVeigh). Good game by Fletch and Prismall. Should beat the 'WC tankers' this week.

- Thomas Dougherty (posted 26/07/2009 6:46:19 PM)

sorry to say Mcveigh and Davey have to be dropped and it should have been the week before. Poor, poor efforts. Does Mcviegh wanna play footy? Davey has to start winning contested footy way too soft.Why Skipworth is being left out of the team is beyond me. Thats basically our finals gone boys, good luck next year.

- craig sinclair (posted 26/07/2009 6:46:49 PM)

I went to the game and was very un-happy on how the team played. Yes we had a chance towards the end to snatch victory but we didn't. Though Dempsey and McPhee got a bit of the ball their use wasnt so great. Unless the intensity and accuracy is great for the rest of the year then you dont deserve to play finals!

- Jake Mutton (posted 26/07/2009 6:49:47 PM)

Alarm bells ringing, we will probably still make finals but dont deserve to if we cant beat richmond. 99% of the time i will defend the young bombers but that was disgusting and need to pay more teams respect than what they did, even though they are better than richmond. Need to convert better as well.

- Michael Bear (posted 26/07/2009 7:04:17 PM)

I really hate so called supporters who turn on our players and coaches. But i have to say i am totally gutted right now. That was our worst effort for the year by far. And quite embarassing. Need to get these young guys heads right. Until you have actually done it, don't just assume that you will do it.

- Darren Lock (posted 26/07/2009 7:04:22 PM)

The game was lost at the selection table, i cant understand why you would drop the limited but extremely fit pair of Lonergran and Hocking, when last week McVeigh and Watson struggled to run the game out at the dome, and surprise surprise, who were the two blokes that could hardly run today!

- Philip Ingram (posted 26/07/2009 7:05:35 PM)

we must be realistic and patient at essendon leave all the wishful dreaming and hype for carlton and collingwood supporters. realistically even if made the finals our team is not up with the top teams and we most likely would have been out in the first week. our team has potnetial and great balance between talls and runners but it needs experinece and time to reach its potential and i dont think it will happen in lloyd lucas or fletchers time, i regret this deeply ecause i admire our 3 ageing stars especially fletcher argubaly our best ever tall defender, but life is not a fantasy. so please knights lets see what our new forward line will look like asap.

- A Rendev (posted 26/07/2009 7:06:18 PM)

PATHETIC & DISGRACEFUL describes todays performance...Heads must roll. Slattery is a VFL standard player at best...cant question his endeavour but that can only take you so far when you lack pace and skills. Dyson is just a serviceable fringe player at best. Mc Phee must be traded /delisted....absolutely thrashed by every opponent he played on, pathetic disposal and inconsistent again. Lucas and Lloyd should retire at the end of the year to enable Neagle and Gumby to develop. Mc Veigh to go to Bendigo and not come back until match fit and his hunger is back.. showed no leadership.

- Jean-Paul Perry (posted 26/07/2009 7:08:46 PM)

Fletcher needs to commended, he's still the best player in this side by a country mile.

- Francis Connolly (posted 26/07/2009 7:11:01 PM)

As much as some people dont want to believe it, gumbleton is the key to this great club enjoying any premiership success. Hes big strong and the presence across half forward that we are desperately missing, they need to ensure he is ready to go next year and ready to perform, as in 2 years he will be the difference. This also means lloyd doesnt have to go up the ground and can stay in the goal square where he is comfortable, and surely we have a better small defender than h.slattery???

- Michael Bear (posted 26/07/2009 7:11:03 PM)

Davey and Dempsey i think we have overated and I have lost patience with...As Denis Cometti put it Davey looks more dangerous without the ball then with it and that says it all for me. Only good at chasing down players. Dempsey seems to have lost pace, is unable to break tackles, is physically weak as too many of his tackles are easily broken, disposal by foot is very lackadaisical as it rarely hits a target and is very loose in defence, does not play accountable football and is constantly fumbling under pressure. Drop them indefinitely.

- Jean-Paul Perry (posted 26/07/2009 7:12:14 PM)

He continues to give away the most free kicks.He has the most fumbles,dropped marks,clanger disposals by foot and hand and is continually caught with the ball.Whilst chasing cheap disposals and flying for "spectacular marks" he is totally unaccountable allowing his direct opponents to dominate virtually every week.If he want's to be lead make him capitain of Bendigo Bombers.We gave up the prized no 6 draft pick for an ideal replacement but this coaching panel will not give him a go,claiming he is not developing well enough at Bendigo(mission impossible this year)

- Alan Betts (posted 26/07/2009 7:12:54 PM)

As much as I luv the way he plays the game Welsh’s disposal by foot is shocking...only matched by that of Stanton’s. We have too many of these hard at it, tough as nails ball getters that shank the footy (ie Welsh, Hocking, Watson, Reimers, Lovett-Murray, Slattery). Stanton is too slow and butchers the ball to many times..he missed 2 easy set shots that cost us and keeps on racking up useless possessions. His ONLY asset is his running capacity and I think his only use can be as a hard-running tagging type/defensive run-with midfield player like Welsh.

- Jean-Paul Perry (posted 26/07/2009 7:13:26 PM)

NOBODY WANTED TO TAKE CONTROL LIKE HIRD USE TOO, COUSINS DID! RYDER GOOD GAME MATE. FORWARD LINE LOOKS CRUD.

- Shannon Hudson (posted 26/07/2009 7:14:49 PM)

There's a lot I could say, but a hundred words isn't enough in which to say them. Firstly, Stanton is a disgrace to the No. 5 jumper - I'm sure Hirdie wouldn't have missed two easy shots at goal in the last quarter from right in front. Secondly, Knights should've played Fletcher on Riewolt from the start, not leave Pears to get pantsed by having six goals kicked on him. Thirdly, in a very disappointing day for the club, probably Lucas and Paddy Rider were are only shining lights. Lastly, Lloyd should give away the captaincy at seasons's end. Awful.

- Maranatha Sao-Mafiti (posted 26/07/2009 7:15:20 PM)

Most disappointing effort under Knight's tenure. Unable to beat equal last team on a bright sunny day with everything to play for. Also unable to implement "Plan B" when the space is closed down. Finals hopes over, as Dons need 3 wins minimum from 5, and Lions, Saints and Hawks are great at closing down space - a game plan which we can't combat. Opportunity lost.

- Daisy Graham (posted 26/07/2009 7:16:16 PM)

Boys, boys, boys???????????????????I am never one to bag you blokes, but.........that was the most disgraceful, insipid, pathetic team performance you are ever likely to see! And there's no comments posted yet, but anyone who bags Knights for that performance is a disgrace! He can only tell them what to do but if you can't hit targets 20 mts away you should not be playing AFL football! And in advance...Shutup Ivar!!!!!!!!! Big ask now boys but we have to win 2 trips to Perth in the next month so we need to lift big time next week! GO BOMBERS!!!!!!!!

- Chris Crooks (posted 26/07/2009 7:17:28 PM)

Our forward line does not look dangerous

- Nathan Williams (posted 26/07/2009 7:19:38 PM)

VERY VERY DISAPPOINTED BOMBER WITH THAT PERFORMANCE ESPECIALLY STANTON MISSING FROM 28 METRES CAUSED US THE GAME AT THE END HE DOES NOT DESERVE THE NO.5. WELL LUCKY THE OTHER TEAMS LOST TOO TRYING FOR A SPOT IN THE 8.YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT BOMBERS.

- Romilda Jones (posted 26/07/2009 7:22:08 PM)

Memo Matthew Knights The jury is reconsidering it's verdict. Hope Skippy played REALLY for Bendigo, cause he would have to have to have been a better choice than Cousins. Who was allegedly playing on him. Great move dropping our best lock down player Hocking. And things had been looking promising.

- Geoff Congues (posted 26/07/2009 7:23:57 PM)

Essendon have fallen asleep at the moment and need to pick up the skills if we r to beat west coast next week. Hopefully Lloyd will be okay and great to see Brent Prismall play well.Matty knights i think you had to have lonergan and skipworth in. Two small forwards who would have kicked goals 2day. Something to think about at the selection table knighter!

- Matt Ellis (posted 26/07/2009 7:30:34 PM)

SHAME SHAME SHAME TO ALL .HAND BALL HAND BALL DOES NOT WIN U GAMES THEY KICKT LONG THEY PLAYED MAN ON MAN WHICH STOPD OUR RUN AND THATS HOW THEY BEAT US . WE PLAY AROUND WITH THE BALL TO MUCH AROUND OUR 50 WHY WHY WHY JUST HAVE THAT KICK

- Mario Borg (posted 26/07/2009 7:33:26 PM)

Missed our in and under players (Lonergan, Hocking) in a scrap of a game. Not sure why we dropped these guys. We lifted last 10 minutes - shame the Bombers didn't pull the finger out earlier. Need to work harder when opposition have the ball. Understand we have some young blokes but played well below our best today - especially with finals on the line. Lets lift for next week!!!

- Grant Carroll (posted 26/07/2009 7:33:44 PM)

i thought essendons plans was to make the top eight this year and the top four next year for matthew knights to be a sucess i think you were meant to say bottom eight this year and next year bottom four essendon wont be playing finals until you delist the twenty two that played today they were soft as butter DISGRACEFUL EFFORT

- cameron stebbeings (posted 26/07/2009 7:35:29 PM)

I think that Mcveigh has to get back to form next week or he will be dropped. Andrew Welsh needs to life. the whole team effort next weekend boys

- Matt Ellis (posted 26/07/2009 7:39:39 PM)

too inconsistant....... we must eat the bottom teams up . Too many players in the team that want all the glory. The word TEAM .........is a word that the players should familarize themselves with. Our skills are DISGRACEFULL ........only seen two good games this year that we played with skill HAWKS / COLL. TOO many handballs bombers .......... knights needs to work on kicking rather than playing basketball. Wheres NEAGLE,MYERS, HOULI

- Michael Sammut (posted 26/07/2009 7:43:02 PM)

Very disappointing and upsetting to watch. I know we can do better, we really disgraced ourselves today, I'm usually a pretty positive sort of person but not today:-(

- Leanne Butterworth (posted 26/07/2009 7:48:44 PM)

Is it just me or did we look slow and tired today? Apart from Prismall and a couple others that was a pretty poor effect. How can a player of lovetts speed get caught from behind???? Was there any talk out on the field? We just looked like we were on cloud 9 today. Disappointing considering carl, hawks and port all lost.

- Justin Mosca (posted 26/07/2009 7:48:57 PM)

Bye Bye September.

- Nathan Beever (posted 26/07/2009 7:49:30 PM)

load up Ivar

- Michael Lynch (posted 26/07/2009 7:55:23 PM)

By far the most disappointing loss of the year given what was at stake. Unfortunately, the number of inside 50s are not translating to the scoreboard. Need the likes of Ryder and Neagle up forward and Bellchambers in the ruck!

- Stefan Hruszowski (posted 26/07/2009 7:58:48 PM)

Statistically we had the ball more often then they did... how on earth do you allow a game like that slip no matter what pressure they throw at us. Nearly 80 more possessions and certainly more marks. So where was our run and dare today. If we dish up this over the next month - we'll find ourselves 12th and allow Hawthorn/Sydney to take our place. we're better than that!!!!!!!!

- Nathan Bloomfield (posted 26/07/2009 7:59:46 PM)

Just deserts today for a weak hearted match comittee that let McVeigh off for his pathetic show of leadership when he was coming back from injury. But not one of the coaches had any ticker as a footballer and were just honest footballers. The sooner we get a coaching panel with guts that sets an example for all the players to be confident everyone is equal, the sooner the Bombers will again become a team "that expects to win" as they use to' as opposed to a team "that hopes to win". The team was starting to build momentum until the Mcveigh indiscetion, no coincident they are now free falling.

- Chris Blackberry (posted 26/07/2009 8:02:14 PM)

Over worried about a game that we simply shouldn't have lost or too danged lazy? hard to tell. Only one thing for it, I reckon. If the guys on the field want to be truly taken seriously this year we have to win at least one of the matches against St Kilda and Hawthorn that are coming up, probably both. Yes we have played some great football in patches this year, but today's game was all too reminiscent of 2005, 6, 7 & 8.

- Rod Hagen (posted 26/07/2009 8:06:07 PM)

Bad vibes from the first 10 minutes - dominated play for a single goal - not good enough. Beaten by a better team far quicker,hungrier for the ball, and better forward structure (contested marking forwards). Too little, too late, but would have been nice to pinch it in the dying seconds. Looked flat, and obviously were, playing injured and underdone players. No hope of September action playing that way. Looking to 2010 need to draft key contested marking forwards.

- Marian Adamcewicz (posted 26/07/2009 8:06:56 PM)

(part 2) We really missed Lonergan today, I thought. Unless he was carrying an injury that we haven't heard about he is the sort of player who gives that bit of extra grunt that we can't afford to be without. Neagle has a huge opportunity next week. Step up and fill Lloydy's shoes just once. If he can do it we'll know to have some belief in where we are headed. If not, though, its time for a trade for someone with the same raw, but as yet unfullfilled, skills but who is prepared to do the hard yards and put himself on the line when the crunch comes.

- Rod Hagen (posted 26/07/2009 8:07:36 PM)

Why drop Lonergan and Hocking when they give 100% every week, makes no sense, and can Stanton please be relieved of that number 5 jumper now, he's not worthy and needs a spell

- Francis Mezzatesta (posted 26/07/2009 8:07:56 PM)

ALL I CAN SAY AFTER WATCHING THAT DISPLAY AGAINST A RICHMOND RABBLE IS THAT WE DONT DESERVE TO PLAY IN SEPTEMBER & MAYBE FOR MR LLOYD & LUCAS IS THAT THE PARTY IS OVER

- paul stanley (posted 26/07/2009 8:08:35 PM)

We need some fresh legs next week. Maybe a Neagle might go ok on the wide Subiaco dung heap. Surely better than the return we are getting from the Lloyd/Lucas combo. Hocking, Loners and Zaka in, Mcveigh, maybe Monfries need some time in the VFL.

- John D'Angelo (posted 26/07/2009 8:09:40 PM)

What has happened to our forward structure,its been a problem all year. Unfortunate that Gumbleton is injured, however if Lloyd and Lucas are finishing up in the next year or two, we have no TALL forwards. WE CANNOT expect Neagle and Gumbleton to just STEP up and carry our forward line. We have some real problems and it might take LONGER than we think to become a power again. Play Neagle he needs game time and the coaching staff WAKE UP Listen to what our supporters are saying. A real shocker since Knights said there will be no let down we are ready for our remaining games. what a JOKE. Shame Essendon

- Peter Pischek (posted 26/07/2009 8:10:11 PM)

It has been good sitting back reading the coaches pets with all their positives all year on this forum, slanging off at people giving their opinions. Struggling to find many of them today after what would have to be a Knights special. Look no further than the SANFL magpies, where Knights honeymoon ended in disaster. This divorce has been iminent from the minute he crawled into bed with Jackson. Just watch the players drop the enthusiasm. How many times did Knights finish ninth at Richmond. He has bought the same mediocracy to Essendon.

- Chris Blackberry (posted 26/07/2009 8:14:38 PM)

i, like alot of other bomber fans are distraught after todays loss i sat shaking my head for 5 mins after the game thinking wat went wrong maybe its time to elevate some fresh faces into the side atkinson,slattery,quinn players who have got something to prove

- Jeremy Pappin (posted 26/07/2009 8:18:35 PM)

ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED! VERY VERY DISSAPOINTED ... TO THE BOYS THAT TRIED THEIR HEARTS OUT WELL DONE, BUT WILL SOMEONE FOR GOODNESS SAKE GET IT INTO THEIR HEADS TO STOP HAND BALLING WHEN IT'S NOT THE MOST LOGICAL THING TO DO... HOPEFULLY WE TURN UP NEXT WEEK AND SHOW THE W/EAGLES WAT WERE ABOUT.

- Mary Agius (posted 26/07/2009 8:20:36 PM)

Drop stanton... he could have kicked 2 easy goals in the 3rd and 4th quarter. It was too little too late when he kicked that goal late in the 4th quarter. Do not redeem himself.

- Elise Ko (posted 26/07/2009 8:21:16 PM)

OMG people will you listen to yourselves! Take a pill and calm down. Reality is that if we make the finals we are at best a one week proposition. The kids are laerning and they learn alot from a pathetic loss today. Sure hand in your memberships cos if you can't support your club through the good and the bad then you don't deserve to be a member!

- Chris Beer (posted 26/07/2009 8:23:53 PM)

Here are some obvious criticisms, Davey never seems to use his pace when he has possession, once he gets it he slows down and never takes them on. Stanton gets good possession numbers but doesn't use it well enough and he is so SLOW. Our skills today were crap how many times did we find the grass with unpressured kicks. WE had a GOLDEN opportunity to put a game and % between us and the others and we were soft. These are honest criticisms it is not primary school footy where all get a pat on the back even if they did nothing.

- Wayne Purcell (posted 26/07/2009 8:27:52 PM)

please richmond offer Knights a massive contract he cant refuse so he leaves this club. untill he plays a tall foward line I refuse to support him. when the game is there to be won we have mcveigh at full foward. Lloyd was injured so who would u think would be the best option? dont know maybe THE MAN THAT HAS KICKED OVER 400 GOALS FOR THE CLUB IN LUCAS. But in saying that we have got alot of players that just think its going to happen. Welsh should be dropped

- Tom Fraser (posted 26/07/2009 8:30:44 PM)

It seems as though we didn't RESPECT our opposition today starting with the omission of both Hocking and Lonergan.Unable to shut down Cothin and Deledio who continued to hurt us all day.Certain midfield players today just looked OLD and SLOW.Great game Lovett,Fletcher,Prismall.Bring back the youth!GO BOMBERS!!

- Travis Watson (posted 26/07/2009 8:31:40 PM)

A very insipid effort- woeful skills, and the final score flattered us, we should have lost by 5-6 goals. Was Watson fit? Was Mcveigh fit? Why was disposal into the F50 so poor, often Alwyn Davey flying against bigger oponents, or kicking to a 2 or 3 on 1. On the bright side, Prismall is a joy to watch.

- Jeffrey Erlich (posted 26/07/2009 8:32:29 PM)

No point being too angry people! We simply arent mentally tough enough yet it will come. I could sense that we are getting tired. Sadly I fear Mcveigh might get traded next year he just never seems to reach his potential with us, I hope I'm wrong. We do need a new forward as well, lloydy has been the spearhead for too long and he is pretty old, he needs help.

- Alan Pratt (posted 26/07/2009 8:32:56 PM)

Isn't it time you tried to find a key forward. With Lloyd and Lucas not firing and it's been weeks. The Dons get beaten now with teams with quality forwards. Try Hurley and center half forward bring back Neagle. The back line has been the teams strength. However the teams has to kick goals to win. Get it right, it's so obvious the structure is all wrong.

- Barry Holmes (posted 26/07/2009 8:33:59 PM)

c'mon dons, next week, take them eagle's down!! and longergan is one of essendons best 22, so play him!! Reimers is a legend!! keep playing awesome mate! Lloyd, stay in goal square and kick some bags of goals!! you need to play 300 games and kick 1000 goals,, and you can do it!!

- REIMERS Onslow (posted 26/07/2009 8:36:13 PM)

Time for Stanton and Davey to go back to the magoo's. Hocking and Lonergan should not have been dropped. Wake up Knighta!!!!

- Scott Young (posted 26/07/2009 8:38:52 PM)

The Hawks can have eighth spot. After that display we don't deserve to be there. We did it again, first north round 4 now the Tigers. We just expected to win and thought we would click into gear eventually. Not good enough for a team playing to make the finals. Stanton again back to his best!!!! too slow and no polish...... shattered!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- David Tabone (posted 26/07/2009 8:43:21 PM)

i agree phillip ingram.unless lonergan was injured how could he noy play.for in and unders hes to good.and whos decision is it to allow jobe to play?if he had of been rested the last 3 weeks we would still have lost and won what we have he can hardly run.and mcveigh,jesus ,he must be in love with solly still coz hes no where near it.

- tony castiglia (posted 26/07/2009 8:45:21 PM)

Andrew "Teddy" Bearpark were you even at the same game mate??? Maybe too much medication mate. Stanton, Dempsey and Slattery did not stand up too well at all. They should be trade bait, along with a few others. Like Dyson and Davey etc. Pris, Welshy and Fletch well done guys. Very, very disappointed. Regards Ivar.

- Ivar Biggen (posted 26/07/2009 8:49:46 PM)

"Bombers' fight falls short" Mmmm...they fought for 20 mins....if only the other 100 mins was like that. Aren't we from this point meant to be getting better with on field leaders coming back from Injury picking up the slack from the kids mid season? Leaders besides Fletch are well down currently.

- Scott McNeice (posted 26/07/2009 8:50:34 PM)

Sheedy's last year 10 wins Knights last year 8 wins This year 8 wins with 5 to play. Well done board. Perhaps it was sheedy's honesty about trading Lloyd for Judd that led to his downfall. Ivar can you please run for coach as our knighta is pathetic. Perhaps listen to sheedy again and appoint James Hird before we loose not only games but our supporters as well.

- steve rendevski (posted 26/07/2009 8:51:31 PM)

Lloyd doesn't deserve to be in. Leave him and let him recover fully, then let him play for bendigo like Lucus did. This week, we have to rely on some of our midfielders and classy crumbers to get us over the line. Usually a game against the eagles should be easy, not this week. Win this one and we could fancy ourselves against the lions.

- Joseph Attard (posted 26/07/2009 8:52:17 PM)

Oh dear what a dissappointing game you made Richmond look good. Fletch as usual you where great. Too much handball kick the ball long. Practice kicking goals. Having said all that come on boys you can do it, good luck in WA next week.

- Marlene Block (posted 26/07/2009 9:00:50 PM)

I was at the game today and it was embarrassing. Our foward structures have been terrible the last couple of weeks (ie playing Riemers at ff). McVeigh you got suspended get over it and start playing at least half as well as you can. Lucky your injured Lloyd cos your last two weeks have been terrible. Fletcher is the only player who can hold his head up after today the rest need to pull their fingers out. No game is won before it's played, gave Richmond no respect and now the whole competition is laughing at you.

- Brad Jones (posted 26/07/2009 9:01:40 PM)

What a disapointment!! Stop the hand balling to no where!! The only time we connected was the kick out from Fletcher when he kicked long to the centre to Anderew Welsh & he marked & sent the ball to the goal square - it worked!!!! Stop the over use of handballing please please when we are hot with those hand balls OK but when we are not STOP STOP Fletch you are No 1

- Elizabeth Harris (posted 26/07/2009 9:05:34 PM)

After today's performance we do not belong in the 8. Yeah we might bounce back next week, but its the week after that always seems to be a problem, we can't seem to put 2 wins together. We played injured, old & slow players today. The Hawks must be feeling pretty confident of taking us out of the finals race cause we can't event beat a bottom 4 side!

- Tony Calder (posted 26/07/2009 9:09:07 PM)

VERY upset with the output of the boys today. in my eyes only 2 players could walk off the ground with there head up, Fletcher and paddy! and 1 thing i dont understand is why riewoldt was allowed to kick 6 b4 fletcher went to him. plus mcphee should b named mcuseless. he always allows his opposition 2 much space.

- brendon sacko (posted 26/07/2009 9:10:13 PM)

We didn't respect the opposition. Good teams do and we are not a good team yet. I am happy with our season, in comparison to the last 6 seasons I think we have done well. What I would like to see though is some tough decisions at the selection table. In the first 8 matches we had a lot of the young fellas playing. Then the old brigade came back from injury eg. Welsh, Stanton, McVeigh etc and we start stuffing up. I know these guys have been great for the club but maybe zacka and lonergan, hocking and neagle have to be given the green light now

- Terri Xuereb (posted 26/07/2009 9:17:37 PM)

Also to my fave player scott lucas, my heart broke as i watched u struggle to get in the game. i don't know if u have it in u anymore but maybe it's time to consider the end. If you were kicking 6 a week and taking the grabs it would be different

- Terri Xuereb (posted 26/07/2009 9:20:39 PM)

dear robert monk u have no idea andrew welsh isnt slow he has pace and is a in and under player and brings anger in the team.

- Cohlby Giblett (posted 26/07/2009 9:31:48 PM)

cant go forward with the likes of mcdudd,slattery,lucas(too slow scotty)ins next week ; lonners,hocking,houli,zaka,t.slattery,neagle,4 the 3 above + lloyd(injured)mcveigh,watson(injured) cant play any worse can they?thanks shane briggs

- Samantha Briggs (posted 26/07/2009 9:34:15 PM)

agree with chris beer...calm down...sport world wide teams lose games they should win for various reasons, you don't sack coaches and players because of an upset...Bounce back next week and things are back on track...Realistically to reach the finals is over achieving for this year with what we expected, it is about development and that is what Knights and crew are doing...Geelong, St Kilda & Hawthorn developed the same way and the good thing is we are on track and lows like this make it even better when the highs come. Still proud to be an Essendon member & all in all i'm happy with the direction of all thing Essendon...Go Bombers...

- Dale Alexander (posted 26/07/2009 9:40:23 PM)

Same old story against Richmond. Oh Well. May still play finals but don't deserve to. Stanton? Will he ever become a good player? Lonergan Dropped? Why? I want answers. He is one of the few in and under players we have????????

- chris castell (posted 26/07/2009 9:43:00 PM)

We played unfit players again, expecting Jobe Watson to perform on one leg. He's the future of the club and it's cruel to see him exposed like this. McVeigh should spend the rest of the season in the Twos. Bring back the kids and forget the bloody finals. Let's see Quinn again, and the other Slattery (Tyson) and please, please, don't drop goers like Lonergan. He'd have flown the flag today when others wilted.

- Colin Duck (posted 26/07/2009 9:43:20 PM)

bloody disgraceful boys shockign coaching by knights to leave pears isolated on riewoldt

- Ilia Roytberg (posted 26/07/2009 9:45:48 PM)

Massive over-possession, sideways, backwards, short - Anything but long and direct. Lloyd was like a headless chicken running around the centre before being injured, play him deep to provide a target or don't play him.

- Francis Connolly (posted 26/07/2009 9:47:03 PM)

I didnt see the funny side to this "comedy". Talk about second rate. I hope the boys have the ticker to read the comments posted and they take them to heart, because we're so disapponted. Why was Lonergan dropped? At least he's prepared to throw himself at teh ball, unlike most today. A potentially great season was virtually thrown away today by sloppy play and a lack of pride. The final scores flattered us. Nice work.

- Scott Hannaford (posted 26/07/2009 9:48:42 PM)

what the hell Knights - why do you keep playing out of form or injured players when we have awesome kids waiting to come through like Houli and Lonergan - really needed them today. Absolutely a piss poor effort, too many turn overs, no pressure or intensity and we had NO FORWARD TARGETS FOR MOST OF THE GAME! sort it out! I do not wanna see this happen again! Pull your fingers out selection committee!!

- Amber Langham (posted 26/07/2009 9:49:18 PM)

some people are forgetting that andrew welsh has only been playingfor 5 games this season give him time he is a star and was last year

- Cohlby Giblett (posted 26/07/2009 9:53:46 PM)

When we were winning we were taking the game on, I don't reckon we've taken the game on for weeks. Why? We've showed all the other teams how to do it but stopped doing it ourselves! Why wouldn't you do it from the first bounce? Not 15 minutes into the last quarter! Get rid of the players who won't take the game on and bring in the young guys who'll just go for it. If we didn't have lovett today the comentators would have called us the slowest team in the comp.

- David Greven (posted 26/07/2009 9:54:31 PM)

everybody can bag out the coaching staff and matthew nights for some bad decisions but it just comes down to terrible decision making and skills shown by the players, and richmond on the day were a far better side

- josh marton (posted 26/07/2009 9:57:32 PM)

We missed the hard nuts big time this week! Why no Lonergan & Hocking, and why isn't Houli being given a go? This was an insipid and embarassing effort boys. Let's regroup and take it one week at a time. We've got a LOT of learning to do.

- Graeme Blore (posted 26/07/2009 10:00:42 PM)

another thing, maybe we should be talkin to Barry Hall for next year???? because obviously we no tall forwards ready!

- Amber Langham (posted 26/07/2009 10:00:52 PM)

Watson wasnt fit,Davey mishandled the ball constantly,Lloyd has Sciatica and other forwards didnt present.We dropped 2 of our better players Lonergan and Hocking and Zacharachis being wasted with Bendigo.Fletcher our best and Mcphees career is over.Selectors got it wrong again and this cant be forgiven-if you select like this again expect to lose.James Hird needs to speak up -NOW!!!

- Leon Tyrrell (posted 26/07/2009 10:06:07 PM)

Overall a disappointing day at the G. As it's been said, it was shocking to see both Lonergan and Hocking out. Surely there was a logical reason for it... I'm still trying to work one out. The last few minutes were exciting, too bad it came so late. No point laying into everyone, I'm sure they'll be feeling ordinary tonight. Fletcher, what would we do without you?! Hopefully next week’s game has a bit more 'fight' in it. I don't think I can handle sitting through another one like todays too soon. Come on Bombers!

- Laura Bell (posted 26/07/2009 10:12:43 PM)

Ryder needs help, he is exhausted. Get Bellchambers in for some experience while we can, he wont get many, if any games next year when Hille comes back. I still back Knights 110%, but we lost it at the selection table this week, no Lonergan, come on. He was dropped and we played injured players, not too good Dons. Fix up the selections and lets have a good one next week. CARN DONS!!!

- Andrew Corcoran (posted 26/07/2009 10:14:35 PM)

Still seething 6 hrs after the game. For Nxt Wk..Out Watson (inj), Loyd (inj), Mc Veigh, Davey, Dempsey, Stanton, Mc Phee, Slattery. In Lonergan, Skipworth, Bellchambers, T Slattery, Atkinson, Neagle, Quinn, Houli

- Jean-Paul Perry (posted 26/07/2009 10:20:22 PM)

I found it astounding that Lonergan and Hocking were dropped this week.Lonergan kicked 2 goals last week and was a long way from our worst player.Likewise Hocking.I'm not sire we've found the right man to coach this club at presen.It's the 1st time i've said that by the way on here.I personally believe Damien Hardwicke WILL end up coaching this club,it just seems a good fit and has a bit of a destiny ring to it.I also believe there is some bad blood there with McVeigh.He looks as if he is a man who is a tad stale at Essendon...and has a chip on his shoulder???

- Mark Elze (posted 26/07/2009 10:24:55 PM)

All i have to say is why drop lonigan and hocking? They better be straight back in next week.. Result would have been totally different for sure if they had played.

- Matt Butters (posted 26/07/2009 10:25:11 PM)

I want to see changes this week. Play the kids again, that's the reason why we were winning, because we wern't concerned about finals and we just played the kids. Give T.Slattery a go. Bring back in Zaka and maybe give Daniher another go. Bring back in Lonergan and Hocking please, sorry skippy, might have to miss another week. Drop Lloyd (inj), Watson (cant play any worse and what value is he if he cant clear the ball?), Stanton (What is he doing? prfer Lonergan over Stanton any day)

- Joseph Attard (posted 26/07/2009 10:25:58 PM)

What a joke. Should of won it, but didn't. Kicked a few behinds in the last qtr, dropped an easy mark which could of resulted in a goal. We are just lucky Adelaide beat Port... LIFT YOUR GAME BOYS! A win for the Tigers doesn't get them anywhere, but a win for us would of made us a game clear of Port and Hawks. NOT HAPPY.

- Samantha Kisielis (posted 26/07/2009 10:26:45 PM)

Also don,t understand why we dropped Hocking and Lonergan when our best in and under player (Watson) isn't fit. A few others seemed to be tired, don,t know what answer is but very poor effort today. Up to today believed coaching/selectors have been good in putting only fit players in team maybe we should continue to do that.

- Edward Murray (posted 26/07/2009 10:27:13 PM)

cousins murdered us today, yet i remember some official in charge at essendon say he would not recruit cousins if he was john coleman reincarnated.how much football nouse does that official possess ? cousins was not suitably tagged. didnt the coach know cousins was playing? also how any coach allowed j.reiwolt to kick 6 goals without placing fletcher on him is beyond me. ?

- Ron Currie (posted 26/07/2009 10:33:42 PM)

Collingwood & Geelong did us a favor and what do we do? We did a Port Adelaide and choke. We could have been 1 game clear in the 8 but instead we are hanging on by the scruff of the neck. We have 2 trips to Perth and Stkilda. Not looking good Bombers.

- Lillian Manwaring (posted 26/07/2009 10:35:41 PM)

Geez Jean, im not sure Knights would o that but interesting. We still can make the finals, is it wise to do that?

- Joseph Attard (posted 26/07/2009 10:36:55 PM)

haha jp maybe that knee jerk reaction is too big

- Michael Bear (posted 26/07/2009 10:45:09 PM)

this loss and the roos loss sickens me. Hale & Petrie allowed to take marks unnaposed without decent players matched up on them, and now j.reiwolt allowed to kick a self record, before fletcher moved.

- dallas currie (posted 26/07/2009 10:52:21 PM)

I love all the coaches out there that want to make 8 changes to the side (Jean-Paul Perry), what do you think that's going to do? Instead of losing by 5 points we'd lose by 50 points. I think a few people here need a reality check, we are not the invincible team you all seem to think we are, we're developing, get used to it. In saying that, we will oneday soon be a force again. CARN DONS!!!

- Andrew Corcoran (posted 26/07/2009 10:56:36 PM)

Rather than just bag; here's something constructive. Lets start with Knights; ONE GAME PLAN (one that lacks anything defensive) IS NOT going to make us a finals team, this is where teams like Pies, Crows, Lions and and Dogs have been able to change the way they play certain teams. Todays effort was disgraceful. Even if we won it still would've been. Stanton/McVeigh missed sitters, Lucas dropping chest marks and the LACK of running (especially in support, running drop of the ball) was non-existant. Worse yet, we made the woeful "RICHMOND" team look as good as Geelong. Today was fight for spot in 8. Essendon just don't want to play finals. There's no way we'll win 4 of the next 5...

- Andrew McTaggart (posted 26/07/2009 11:11:28 PM)

CALM DOWN PEOPLE!!! 2nd or 16th whats the difference?? we arent going to win the grand final..take some positives!!! ie KEEPING LOVETT (hes got just about the best foot in the league) does he miss a target? everyone knows what you get from a young team.. they will learn from this!! and im sure the seletion panel who picked the injured senior players will also learn that maybe fit youngsters are better than the unfit seniors.

- Travis Cusack (posted 26/07/2009 11:12:35 PM)

Flash back three years ago! Consistence football you need players to produce a level week in, week out! :( Do we have players to win a cup or players that can play well for five years then get delisted???

- edward o'brien (posted 26/07/2009 11:16:50 PM)

2ND IS NO DIFFERENT TO 16TH... 1st is what we want. the players will be hating that loss because they know what it means to them!! Fletch, Lloydy, Lucas will make sure the young fellas know what they could miss out on now!!we will beat WC Freo and Brissie(as long as bradshaw doesnt get back)...port, crows and saints will do their job on the hawks and we are in!!

- Travis Cusack (posted 26/07/2009 11:18:32 PM)

Jean-Paul Perry...have you seriously gone to a Bendigo game this year...we havent won yet mate...why are we going to bring in 8 players from Bendigo..hehe...I love Essendon supporters...they are passionate but dont think much.

- Scott McNeice (posted 26/07/2009 11:19:08 PM)

Played the same today as they did at the Gabba earlier in the year. Directionless. Could barely string two handballs together today without one of them being to the opposition's advantage. Get Out OF Jail Free Card today with Port being thumped. Take note that we need to earn a finals spot. Must keep winning!

- Scott Stephenson (posted 26/07/2009 11:25:22 PM)

hey ivar how good was your boy today. if there is one player that we should offer as trade bait it's frothies mcveigh. he is selfish, slow, has an awful temper and NEVER ever gives a second effort. For someone that supposedly "bleeds red and black" he too often puts himself before the club.

- Take Em on boys!! (posted 26/07/2009 11:44:34 PM)

Have any of you ever thought that the Tigers match up to us pretty well sometimes and they had their Tiger spirit going today. We had an off day, a let down and were a bit flat. The Bombers are way better than that, and we should see in the comming weeks. So most of you should just get over it and stop trying to be the coach. Whinge, whinge thats all I ever read after a loss. It is you that should be ashamed and embarrassed. You sooks are the bloody disgrace, not the Bombers.

- Cory Williams (posted 27/07/2009 12:22:04 AM)

Part 1 of 2. Andrew Corcoran you have a point about too many changes unsettling the side but i believe that if you are not performing you should be dropped..too many think their position is a given in the team.. ie Dempsey, Davey, Mc Veigh, Stanton, Mc Phee...time for a wake up call...mediocrity cannot be tolerated at this club. All those players i listed for axing have it coming to them given their form over recent times. Besides i don’t think we will lose to WCE b/c they will tank this game for priority draft picks anyway.

- Jean-Paul Perry (posted 27/07/2009 12:51:38 AM)

Part 2 of 2. I think the guys i have recommended to come in deserve a spot b/c they have been performing well for Bendigo and at least will give us some much needed freshness and vigour. I dont care if we lose every game from now on b/c the 8 is not a reality anymore and we dont deserve it anyway. Lets use the rest of the year to develop our future stars after all thats what this year was all about..player development. Lets see what these guys have to offer..especially those who havent played much this yr.

- Jean-Paul Perry (posted 27/07/2009 12:52:28 AM)

PT 1.. Five lousy points…do we start the “blame game”?…eg…missed goal opportunities from set shots in front 30 yards out, (then the same offenders kick harder goals from further out!)selection misjudgements,key marking forwards not persisted with,reliance on older players no longer capable of dominating a game in the air,( while Richmond provides “proof in the pudding” by giving forward responsibilities to tall green first/second year players who outmark us most of the day,and score majors!) dropping two players who are better suited to playing on the MCG (on the eve of an MCG game!) who also happen to be link/running players which we are short of on the bench for half the game, making a strength of ours with rotations null and void…

- Noel Shields (posted 27/07/2009 1:17:09 AM)

PT 2.. Do we blame poor old Paddy, or his aching body (because of too much demand and expectation all year) in the last opportunity to score when with room to leap, got nowhere near the ball and was outmarked by a small back flanker….. NO, we can’t blame any one small event,fumble,miskick or even umpiring decision… We should BLAME FATE,it wasn’t our destiny today to win,it was Richmond’s turn, they on the day,were more adventurous with team selection,and players selected in the right positions on the field,and most of all put scoreboard pressure on us all day with a better conversion rate.

- Noel Shields (posted 27/07/2009 1:17:50 AM)

More sense in one of Andrew Bearpark's postings Ivar,than three of yours combined.... If medication volume is under question,how much are you on? Our boys are not ready yet to be as perfect as you'd like.Are you old enough Ivar to remember the Baby Bombers Mk 1,in the mid to late 1970s? The Baby Bombers that have just had their 25 year reunion? They started off making all types of errors as well,just like certain supporters with their big mouths.. Support,not character assassinate!

- Noel Shields (posted 27/07/2009 1:44:43 AM)

Has McVeigh spat the dummy after being dropped? The worst of a poor bunch. Very sad.

- Brendan Hayes (posted 27/07/2009 4:01:00 AM)

WOW!! How exciting is this now. Essendon will now keep us supporters watching intently on the edge of their seats as they play out the rest of the season. Thank god for Knighters selection and coaching moves, that has now allowed us to enjoy a fantastic build-up to the last round against Hawthorn. A live game in round 22 against the Hawks, maybe he DID pick up some marketing ploys off the old Sheeds after-all.

- Rob Fisher (posted 27/07/2009 4:05:35 AM)

OKAY,

- Joan Hill (posted 27/07/2009 5:53:08 AM)

Andrew Corcoran, you seem to be the only realist here! I agree wholeheartedly with your comments. We'll be okay. GO BOMBERS AT WEST COAST NEXT WEEK!

- Joan Hill (posted 27/07/2009 6:01:20 AM)

wakey wakey where is our passion,determination and courage? it is a wake up call C'MON BOYS WE CAN DO MUCH MUCH BETTER THAN THAT... GO THE MIGHTY BOMBERS.

- Laloua Simmons (posted 27/07/2009 6:08:34 AM)

bad effort bombers. probably lost the game on the selection table. hocking could have tagged cousins all day.still back knights 100%. Essendon need help in the ruck as ryder cant do it all. He is stuffed after a match.

- Russell Anderson (posted 27/07/2009 6:24:38 AM)

Shame to lose but Essendon is way closer to making the finals than I ever thought they'd be this year. Surely Knights has done a great job in this respect. And to all the people who crap on about too many hand balls- just get over it will you. And to the people who sit next to me in the Essendon members COUNTING the number of hand balls in a row, grow up. It's really starting to ruin my day at the footy. I notice you're all of a particular age demographic too. The games changed my friends. Keep up.

- Andrew Dunsy (posted 27/07/2009 6:50:45 AM)

Part 1. Another great coached game from super coach Knights. No accountability and no idea from our coaching panel. Well,,,,, all you muppets what are you saying now??? Can't hear you!!! A little bit louder please. Oh you muppetts must be saying, Ivar you might just be right about super coach Knights, DUDoro and some of the coaching staff. No plan "B". and some "B" grade players. We will never win a premiership with duds like Stanton, Dyson, Davey, Slattery, Dempsey etc.

- Ivar Biggen (posted 27/07/2009 7:46:18 AM)

Part 2. Knights predicted ugly games this year and he sure is doing his best to make his prediction come true. Psssst, hey Mr. Knights I hear there is a job going at Richmond, it's called the five year plan of mediocrity, get on board dude. Regards Ivar.

- Ivar Biggen (posted 27/07/2009 7:47:04 AM)

spike i got one msg for u i always loved u and ur intensity used to love watching u break the lines kick goals on da run but its all gone are u happy at windy hill or would u rather be with solomon at freo make up ur mind mate cause its hurting us we onky accept 100 PERCENT GO DONS

- Mohamed Elmoustafa (posted 27/07/2009 7:49:02 AM)

The aim of the game is to play finals footy & be successful. Unfortunately if the boys can't get themselves up for a game like that its a worry. We had a real chance to seal our place in September. Lets not give up hope. Playing youth will always give you mixed results. Go Bombers.

- Kiera Bunton (posted 27/07/2009 8:10:06 AM)

As a passionate bomber I get sick of how we manage to stuff things up when given the chance to settle into the eight. Many times over the years we let our supportes down with insipid performances. Considering we are celebrating our 84/85 premierships lets look at why we won them???

- Steve Hill (posted 27/07/2009 8:34:44 AM)

i have tried all season to be positive and respect all the choices of the essendon coaching staff. i was embarrassed and disgusted this week. no paying member should have to watch a display like that.

- Amanda Scott (posted 27/07/2009 8:47:47 AM)

Richmond are in the same boat as Car & Coll with their developement & have been in a position to beat nearly every side this year, remember we are supposed to be in the bottom 3 NOT pushing for finals our players have exceeded expectations of all except most of you NON supportere who just love to bag, listen to all of you & we would sack every player @ some stage, we are looking @ 2011, everything we achieve now is a learning experience

- Mark McLachlan (posted 27/07/2009 9:20:03 AM)

look guys, at the end of the day we lost, things didnt go right for us, the boys had a bad day. We are still a lifting side and in my eyes a confident one to look forward too in the years to come. Lets not forget Richmond had 3 big in's (cousins,brown,cotchin) they my be down in the ladder but are still a good team on paper. We should of won but we didnt. Look forward to next week and keep head up high!

- John Zairis (posted 27/07/2009 9:23:48 AM)

Early in the Season we had pace to burn. Latest inclusions of Mcveigh,Lucas,Welsh & Prismall have taken us backwards.prismall & Watson cannot be on the fielsd at the same time. Welsh may be a good negator but he cannot hanball or kick to save himself.Bring back Lonergan, Hocking, Houli, Zaharakis, Neagle & Bellchambers.Hooker to ruck,Ryder to CHB, Hurley to CHF & Neagle to FF.At least get people who can take a contested mark overhead on our Forward line.

- Colin Purss (posted 27/07/2009 9:29:09 AM)

I think they should concerntrate on playing footy instead of concentrating on niteclubbing!! Pathetic effort yesterday

- Renee Turner (posted 27/07/2009 10:01:53 AM)

c'mon guys next week we will beat the eagles and we will be saying how good the team is and congratulate everyone, the boys had a shocker, we will learn from this and so will the coaching panel, on the upside richmond don't get a priority pick, we will bounce back, don't knock our boys.

- Paul Pascuzzi (posted 27/07/2009 10:12:35 AM)

Well done...another great effort.Finals! What a joke - don't deserve to be in the 8.What a farce!The Eagles at Subiaco... they will be waiting to ambush us again. If the players don't shape up this will be another year when the team will miss out on the finals and..................

- Victor Tallis (posted 27/07/2009 10:13:57 AM)

WE ALL WANT SUCCESS NOW AND HAVE BEEN USED TO SUCCESS AT ESSENDON IN SHEEDY ERA. IT WILL COME 1-2 YRS BUT MUST DROP DEAD WOOD FIRST AT YEAR END. LEAVE LONERGAN, HOCKING IN THEY ARE HARD AND TRY ALL THE TIME ,

- Robert Radulovich (posted 27/07/2009 10:40:03 AM)

not sure what goes on at selection night but is it not to pick the best side. some tips- start with fit players,then some desperate tough players(lonegan)then a second ruckman and maybe we will have a chance.think boys think. life is simple.

- Charlie Monforte (posted 27/07/2009 10:43:45 AM)

Comments like...the team was a bit flat, an off day, etc...More excuses - when will it end.There is a long way to go if this team is going to enjoy the success of bygone days.All players have to "get" into it and prove their worth.A number of players think they are good... well think again.Show some guts & determination...

- Victor Tallis (posted 27/07/2009 10:45:19 AM)

Upsets happen but this is dissapointing. Small injury list, everything to play for, against a bottom side. Hopefully we will make the finals in 2010.

- Rowan Todd (posted 27/07/2009 10:46:01 AM)

Was at the game very embrassing and disappointing that game should of being a percentage booster for us and now we even struggle to make the finals. I feel soory for Sam Lonergan and Heath Hocking and played well since they have been in the team. Watson should of played injured and Monfries should of played in the twos one extra week and we should have brought in Hocking and Lonergan to hard nuts who raring miss goals. DIsgraced

- Lisa Marsiglia (posted 27/07/2009 10:47:10 AM)

i ashamed to be a bombers fan with you you idiots. ITS A YOUNG SIDE most people had us in the bottom 3 at the start of the year with the tigers pushing for the 8. its been said all along its going to be up and down. STANTON IS 22years old, lay off. Prismall is 5games back from an ACL, LAY OFF. Coaches are still working out how to use players LAY OFF, we would have got beaten by a lot more without Lucas, LAY OFF hes been a star for years.

- Travis Cusack (posted 27/07/2009 10:54:56 AM)

just back off you guys should be lucky were we are for a young side in the 8. we wont win the premiership this year but top 8 is good enough. Maybe in 2 or 3 years we could win it with our younger players becoming better player more experience. So this year aint our so just wait for our year and then i will see who is going off of their heads. Lets keep up the work bombers good stuff this year.

- Patrick Esposito (posted 27/07/2009 10:57:06 AM)

This is SAD. Not the loss but the so call "SUPPORTERS" this web site attracts. Yes we should've won but we didn't, GET OVER IT. The side is young and will have very high ups and some very low downs. If we begin to trade half the players mentioned in here our gap between flags will increase dramatically. Knights is our coach and he is doing a great job. Remeber when Sheedy took over? He lost the first 5 on trot (from memory). The list is pretty good and we are improving. To all the experts here please find another club to support we don't need your CRAP!

- Nathan Crocker (posted 27/07/2009 10:57:50 AM)

We just need to improve on our F50 entry, our kicking quality just wasn't there, it was the same as the bulldogs game. We're almost there, don't forget how young this team is. Most people didn't expect us to be even in the finals equation so we're doing well. Keep it up boys, would love to see you in sept action.

- Matthew Baker (posted 27/07/2009 10:58:35 AM)

Not good enough, obviously. Tigers outran, outhustled and were way more intense than Dons. Lucky to get that close (5 points). Wake up if u want to play finals, lads. It's also easier to be tackled and dispossessed if u are standing still!! For crying out loud move the ball quicker.

- Luke Dummett (posted 27/07/2009 11:10:47 AM)

The team looked flat from the first bounce and were shocked into action for only about 15 - 20 minutes of the entire game. It was a terrible display of what looked to be either being overconfident of a win or just plain disinterested. We were gobsmacked by the way Cousins and Reiwoldt were allowed to play on their own terms. Why wasn't Fletcher sent straight to Reiwoldt? Did the coaching staff not recognise how dangerous Reiwoldt was? And who was on Cousins? We can't and won't make the finals this year if we don't field the best team and play at a much higher level than that very ordinary display of yesterday.

- Adrianne Blainey (posted 27/07/2009 11:14:20 AM)

Rivalry Round had once again come round and our team had started to play. From early on I knew it wasn’t to be our day. Play-on and handball certainly didn’t work, the Yellow and Black, they started to smirk. Aren’t they about to ‘tank’? As it passes their forward flank and Reiwoldt kicks another. Watson passes straight up in the air, Scotty’s falling over again with great flair and what’s poor Fletcher supposed to do? A valuable lesson is one we have learned, leave no stone unturned when you’re expected to play finals.

- Daniel Milford (posted 27/07/2009 11:22:04 AM)

Wondering what went wrong on Sunday, Richmond played very well, but boy did the Bombers drop one on the weekend. Wondering why Lonergan and was not in the side epically with a bit of a cloud over Watson. Davey, Stanton, McPhee, McVeigh Dyson, Dempsey need to improve efficiency if we are going to get back and play consistent footy at the top level.

- Rueben Chambers (posted 27/07/2009 11:46:28 AM)

Hanball happy. Round & round in a circle. The opposition are awake to Essendons method,lock down and pressure the stoppages untill the ball is lost. Move it out & on quicker. Hirdy was a great captain who in tight games would get in the pack, get the ball & win games. Lloyd has no leadership and can only get cheap uncontested possessions up the ground. Only position is ff on the lead. If not capable of contibuting here, no use to the team. On field leadership non existant.

- Neil Mc Innes (posted 27/07/2009 12:39:49 PM)

I have to agree with Joseph Attard. I think part of the reason the team was winning earlier was because of the young kids running through the midfield. The people who were winning us games were Winderlich, Lovett and Dyson in the middle. Aided by Zaha, Houli, etc. I don't know what can be done about it, but I think the inclusions of Welsh, McVeigh, etc has slowed down the run a bit. And get over the bloody handballs supporters. It's a new game and essendon looks at their best when they play that way. I really hope this message reaches those who sit near me, because the way you count the handballs each match is infantile.

- Andrew Dunsy (posted 27/07/2009 1:12:55 PM)

Good on you Andrew Dunsy. I wish people would understand the modern game. If you kick long blindly the ball comes back at you twice as fast. The modern game seems like ring a ring a rosey but its better to kick backwards to open play up than kick to a 3 on 2. Get with it people. Yes we played poorly but when we get it right we can blow anyone out of the water. Lots of good times coming Bomber Fans. Please people be patient with the kids. Go BOMBERS>

- Nathan Crocker (posted 27/07/2009 1:46:21 PM)

Some of the comments are a real crack up. The team is young, expect highs and lows. That is part of the problem, if the mindset is not changed then year in and year out...the team is young, expect highs and lows...this sort of comment can go on forever...and still no Holy Grail.

- Victor Tallis (posted 27/07/2009 1:51:02 PM)

Woeful except for Fletch!

- Steven Purdie (posted 27/07/2009 1:59:05 PM)

Ivar, If you even bothered to watch the game you would see that they were some of our best. Stanton did miss some shots that he should of got but did everything else right. Slattery preformed beyond the expectation of most (25 touches with barely a miss of target). You say Flecther had a good game, but as he played on Jack Riewoldt and let him get goals, I dont see how you could rate him highly for this match. Our skills were woeful but people who you all criticize stood up. We simply underestimated our opponents and didn't try to run the ball. Simple as that.

- Andrew Bearpark (posted 27/07/2009 3:00:03 PM)

Well done Jean-Paul Perry. You have managed to bag just about every player on our list. Do us all a favour by "supporting" someone else.

- David Russell (posted 27/07/2009 3:49:05 PM)

ivar bigger you are a dill,dont think knights was out there telling the boys to miss when kicking in front of goal,to have half hearted tackles to go out and play like they did I think they did that all by themselves.As for all the supporters complaining,will you be all the same supporters that write next week if they come out and win and pat all the players on the back and say how great they played,how fickle you all are.Dont be like other supporters back our boys,good or bad.BLACK AND RED UNITE

- Diane Trask (posted 27/07/2009 5:39:00 PM)

Very well said Nathan Crocker, right on the money. Go Bombers and bugger off to the insulting supporters.

- Cory Williams (posted 27/07/2009 8:55:57 PM)

Still seething 6 hrs after the game. For Nxt Wk..Out Watson (inj), Loyd (inj), Mc Veigh, Davey, Dempsey, Stanton, Mc Phee, Slattery. In Lonergan, Skipworth, Bellchambers, T Slattery, Atkinson, Neagle, Quinn, Houli - Jean-Paul Perry You are a tool Jean-Paul

- jordy dickson (posted 27/07/2009 9:26:37 PM)

Ivar, I have something for you to do. You seem so sure of yourself, why dont you post the team you would like on the website? It would be interesting to see who would and wouldn't make the cut.

- Andrew Bearpark (posted 28/07/2009 9:12:16 AM)

Once again Ivar, would like a post from you in regards to what u would do differently if you were coach. Agreeing with Andrew bearpark on the posting of a team also. Remember this is only Knights second year as coach, and majority of the team is still players coached by Sheedy. With that said, most of the pick-ups we have made post-sheedy seem to be coming along very nicely, even receiving positive feedback from u. Please Reply. Cheers

- Daniel Parkinson (posted 28/07/2009 12:00:54 PM)

Are you guys asking me to pick the best from a bad bunch at EFC or a team from the whole competition??? Remember with the picks we had in recent drafts we had the chance to get Cyril Rioli or Rhys Palmer and Daniel Rich amongst others. Imagine how much just those three would make a difference in our side. If fit all three would be walk up starts in my team. Go Bombers. Regards Ivar.

- Ivar Biggen (posted 28/07/2009 12:32:50 PM)

I forgot to mention we also could've and should've, I was praying like hell, to pick an already made true champion in Ben Cousins who I have admired from the start of his great career. But the muppetts in charge of our great club let me down again. Had Cousins been wearing our guernsey we would've won Sunday's game a a lot more this year which would've cemented a finals berth. Even top four. Regards Ivar.

- Ivar Biggen (posted 28/07/2009 1:25:01 PM)

Both, EFC and the entire AFL (We will assume our list from the start of this year with no injuries). Lets see how well you know your club and the AFL. Next: Why would we want Ben Cousins anyway? He is old, with not to many years left in him. I would rather choose an 17-18 year old with potential to play for 10 years then a past Brownlow Medal winner that would be lucky to play for even 3 years. He has been a great player, and is still very good, but he is a shadow of his former self.

- Andrew Bearpark (posted 28/07/2009 2:24:42 PM)

Neil Mc Innes -1, why keep on scapegoating the great Matthew Lloyd? When his heel was injured, he kept on playing to the death. He even marked a ball from centre-wing, & kicked to HF for Scott Lucas to score: all the while he was hurting, straining etc. Everytime ML marks the ball, something positive comes out of it - a goal assist hand-ball or a mark when he kicks with his accurate golden boot. Now if you tell me Jay Neagle can do a fraction of ML's contribution, run, bravery, skills etc et al...I'll start a JN fan club.

- Jose Bay (posted 29/07/2009 7:48:49 PM)

So please Matthew Lloyd, Scott Lucas & Dustin Fletcher - keep on playing as long as you can just like Ben Cousins! Cos obviously they had no idea that it couldn't be done - all we needed find was a like-minded like-bodied like-championed someone.

- Jose Bay (posted 29/07/2009 7:51:06 PM)

Andrew you lost me when you said "Lets see how well you know your club and the AFL." When you say "your club" really means you are not an EFC person, otherwise you would've said our club. So who the hell are you to judge and what the hell makes you an expert??? Regards Ivar.

- Ivar Biggen (posted 29/07/2009 10:37:56 PM)

Ivar, what the hell makes you an expert. Missed Cousins, Muppets run our club, fair dinkum, you are such a could`ve, would`ve, and should`ve type guy. Why dont you see the cold hard facts.

- Cory Williams (posted 30/07/2009 3:59:40 PM)

Good on you Ivar, cant come up with the goods so you resort to picking on what I wrote. It was a quick simple typing error while I was in a rush. And I never said I was an expert and never said I wanted to judge it, just that I wanted to know what your views on how our team should look are. (Happy I Said OUR).

- Andrew Bearpark (posted 30/07/2009 4:03:36 PM)