sidelined

OK, I’ve been a slack tipper, but I’ve still been following the game and, this week, trying to come to terms with a life without Sheedy as coach. He was appointed in the year that I began barracking for Essendon, so I’ve never known the team without him. There’s so much being written and said about him, so I just want to say a few words about what I feel.

We Essendon fans have always barracked wholeheartedly for our team, even in weak patches, because we knew that our coach knew something the others didn’t. He was a strange fellow, and employed weird psychology, which had unpredictable results. He was the man who brought up Bomber Thompson, Timmy Watson, James Hird, Michael Long from talented youngsters to game-changing players. He was the man who would back weaker players beyond the tolerance of selectors, and could break the hearts of fans with strange picks, but he so often produced gold from apparently leaden boys. He took the team from glorious highs, to middling lows (very rarely bottoming out) and then turned lows into premierships - four times. We were often able to tell ourselves, even when we were losing, that it didn’t matter, Sheedy had a plan, and we would return to glory soon. See, he knew something the other coaches didn’t know.

Well, we’ve had a rotten couple of seasons - the worst ever, and while this year it looked pretty good for us for a bit, we’re flagging. I still think there’s some great stuff happening. But the Board have lost their patience. I kind of don’t blame them - the last few weeks pissed me off royally and the thought of another season of disappointments had me giving up on the team (for a few milliseconds, until I regained my senses). Still, the decision to sack Sheeds came as a shock. I just don’t buy the line that other coaches were coming up for grabs and the Board had to act to secure one. Replace Sheeds with Daniher? I don’t think so.

Sheedy has shown commendable grace in accepting the Board’s decision, even though he would have liked another two years in the job. My theory is that’s because he really does know something other coaches don’t - he knows that he’s leaving the Bombers in good shape, and that every single team in the AFL would eat their young to have him, even for just two years.

So, to tipping. I’ve had a poor couple of weeks - just 10 in the last three rounds. I’m sitting on 74. If I’d followed the punters, I would have tipped 18 - they are sitting on 82. Call me timid, but this week I’m going with the tipsters and home games, except I do like the Dockers and the Dogs - simply on past form. My reasoning with the Dogs is that the Eagles are still in disarray, and even a blistering performance from Cousins last week doesn’t compensate for what they’ve been through. And the Dockers just might be able to break the Cats’ rather impressive winning streak.

(Tip ratio / Price) Home Draw Away (Price / Tip ratio)
(26% / $3.50) Bulldogs Eagles ($1.27 / 74%)
(13% / $6.50) Blues Saints ($1.09 / 87%)
(28% / $2.25) Dockers Cats ($1.60 / 72%)
(82% / $1.32) Magpies Lions ($3.20 / 18%)
(96% / $1.09) Swans Tigers ($6.50 / 4%)
(60% / $1.62) Hawks Kangaroos ($2.20 / 40%)
(52% / $2.10) Bombers Crows ($1.68 / 48%)
(95% / $1.09) Power Demons ($6.50 / 5%)