FootyLock

@Markedw Durham MSD, Martin SSP, even Blakiston, May and Edwards look decent. Definitely blown some top picks but arguably two of our better players have come from MSD or SSP

Think about all the top draft picks at Essendon that have done nothing. Then all the rookies and SSP pick ups Freo have turned to gold. Either Essendon have really bad recruiters or a really bad system or both.

@liparota @rtralphy How it should be re madden. I don’t get it, do you care more about your club? Or your ego? If it’s the latter you don’t really support the club. An example, I don’t think Hird coming back is a good idea, but some do. If he same back, you’d want success not failure

@rtralphy Mate it is sickening. Had a go today at former board member who was celebrating the current situation,trying to claim vindication. What a bunch of selfish sods. What I love about Simon Madden. Was on the board, didn’t work out, and he’s still ready to help out anywhere anytime.

Box trifecta* of AFL clubs with the most wealthy big-noting rock-throwing pretend fans** They love seeing their name in the media and/or leaking and undermining against their own: Essendon Carlton North Melbourne How's that gone for them past 20 years?

@ManNorven2408 @mitchellnash92 Yeah Roberts is a lucky one tbh, you really do want to stockpile as many pick early like we did last year to give you a chance, outside of that you hope you pick right. 2024 we got lucky, the draft was so deep. Yep spot on, unfortunately wasn’t his strong suit, hopefully changed

@FootyLock6 @mitchellnash92 Yep 💯 true hopefully the Caddies through to Roberts work out. Also doesn’t help that our previous list boss didn’t nail any of the recent top 10 picks. Could even say top 13.

Were the media unaware Essendon was rebuilding before the season? Did it take two thumpings for them to realise?

@JakeDav08180745 Yeah I know, this just felt way less dodging than I was expecting. But agree it has to be on field

@FootyLock6 The players are PR trained. They know what to say to please the fans. I’m not buying it anymore. It’s time for them to show it on field

Highly recommend. It’s hard to back in Scott after the start, but this surprisingly suggests that there is a vote of confidence from the players, who are the most important people. Often you would dodge a bit more if you didn’t back him. Importantly, really focusses on culture

@ManNorven2408 @mitchellnash92 Yes but I did acknowledge that there’s a higher chance in the top 6, I’m more arguing that I think 1-6 is just too tight. Like Serong is up there with Rowell and Anderson for their draft year, he was pick 8, Tom Green 10 that year. Nas went at 11. They’re still there after 6

@FootyLock6 @mitchellnash92 That’s a good list I would take all those players but I would outside Butters ai would probably take Ben King Bont Rowell Anderson Sheezel Harley Reid Sam Darcy Nick Daicos Disgustingly half those kids weren’t open pool

@kensoath Yeah I know, but that’s what I meant by dodging it. I think it’s usually pretty obvious when they are dodging it

@FootyLock6 He’s never going to say there’s a bit of a coaching issue. He spoke well, but it’s just the obvious lines

@AnthP_ @PatrickRyen Yeah you’re spot on, reckon Smother Nature was 2nd, and the third I can’t remember, but had a fun name too. Apparently it was a riot too

@FootyLock6 @PatrickRyen I think they had 3-4 levels, Smother Nature was one & Smother Teresa was the highest yes

The number one thing I want to see this week against North Melbourne isn’t just goals or big moments it’s the little things! Smothers. Tackles. Chases. That last extra effort! I want to see players getting around their teammates and celebrating every 1 percenter because when someone gives everything, their mates should see it, value it, and acknowledge it. Those moments add up. And they matter! That’s where real culture is built. The best teams don’t rely on the scoreboard that takes care of itself. They value the selfless acts that shift momentum, lift energy, and inspire belief. The efforts that don’t always show up in the stats, but win games and set standards. When players commit to the little things and celebrate them, it becomes infectious. It says "This is who we are, this is what we stand for!" Bring the energy. Value the effort. "Defend like your life depends on it" in the words of our former great club captain Celebrate what matters most! ♥️🖤👊 #godons @essendonfc #afl #bombers

@05Brady I’m not holding you at ransom to watch it mate 😂

@FootyLock6 Nah, can’t watch anymore of these bs media releases, sick and tired of words, words, words over the last 20 years from this club. Then they went woke and deserve to go broke!

@tazweare Code grey shit

Just got fully punched in the head by a patient. Fair headache incoming.

@ManNorven2408 @mitchellnash92 Could be, but yeah who knows. I don’t agree with the 1-6 are A Graders though, I think you’re more likely definitely, but I think more often you can find the best of the crop in the top 15. Eg zac Bailey and Ed Richards (2017 15 & 16), B smith, Blakey, Butters (2018 7, 10, 12)

@FootyLock6 @mitchellnash92 I don’t think 2026 is rock bottom. I believe 2027 will be and AFL assistance will be required. 2026 already has the best 2 kids committed FS and academy. Cochrane and Walker. Our current top line kids are 10,13,9,10,13. The majority of dead set A graders are 1-6. Hope I’m wrong

@Jasperc53 He make me want us to lose every game

Arki Butler wowed on the weekend. 26 disposals and four goals playing mostly through the midfield, including this beauty. Not just the #4 offering shades of Toby Greene - overhead strength for his size, reading of the ball drop in contest and goal smarts are elite. #AFLDraft

@mattywarner @Cruising_64 Thanks mate!

@FootyLock6 @Cruising_64 Correct! Good thread, 100% agree 👍🏼

The biggest thing with this list build, and a large part of why we’ve been horrible, is we’ve got rid of all those middling players, those C and B graders that weren’t going to get to the next level or didn’t offer enough with leadership and development. 🧵

@Bombers_Boss Disagreed but also backed Scott heavily, made it interesting. But I also don’t think he would know a lot of what Scott said, and plenty of questions lacked context or even misquoted, which I thought was pretty underhanded

Langford’s press conference was interesting, disagrees with some of the words used by Scott. Langford said a lot, it’s actions now and we’ll know 5 mins in on Saturday night whether this group is all talk.

@XanderMcGuire7 @7AFL @7NewsMelbourne No Xander that’s wrong. He said he attended a meeting, and said a lot of different players do at different times

Zach Merrett has been brought back in Essendon’s leadership meetings - despite stepping down from a formal role at the start of the year. Kyle Langford confirmed this morning that the Bombers are leaning on his experience after a 15th straight loss. @7AFL @7NewsMelbourne

@Duzzdons @1116sen @SENBreakfast Was going to say this. Think the only real part that Tim’s missed, that kind of doesn’t help the rest of what he said, was that the rebuild hasn’t just started, it started in 2024 with Rosas first draft. We’re in the thick of it with massive list turnover

@1116sen @SENBreakfast I'm glass half full. The club finally grew some balls and decided to go rebuild, we are already two years in and will get some more kids this year. I'd rather this than the status quote of the last 20yrs... winning every second win and finishing 10th. Things will turn.

"They're at ground zero of their rebuild" Tim Watson on his misread of Brad Scott and the current state of the Bombers list. @SENBreakfast | #AFL

@ealesy05 I agree, I just want people to stop demanding it. I don’t think it would work nor be a good idea, but I’d back him if he was in that position. If it goes well then it’s a win, if it doesn’t then we’ve all learnt our lesson

Part of me wants us to sack Scott and bring back Hird, just so those of you who have decided that he is somehow the Messiah and the only person able to lead up back to the Holy Land will shut the fuck up about it. No doubt, if it all goes awry you will wanted him knifed as well

@RoxDonsFan I’m not, I clearly classed them as B or C graders

@FootyLock6 The bottom 6 isn’t why we suck. It’s the older players. Stop making excuses for them