From The Armchair #7 - Windy Hill's Heart

By No32
Friday night was my first live game for season 2008, my throat is just coming good again as is my vocabulary (No more P***, S***, F***, C*** and Umpire)

Galant effort from the boys and cruely we were put to the sword by injuries and some rather poor umpiring as we outplayed and out hustled the Bulldogs for 3 quarters. The margin belied the fact we had them!!

What this edition of FTAC is about is something which I have been trying to find or have been searching for from out club for at least the last 4 years because frankly aside from James Hird our club had no heart. Pre-2008 no James Hird meant no Heart, no Passion, well rest assured Dons Fans we have found the heart again. Now as you can tell Matthew Lloyd and Lucas was not playing so it’s neither of them. Personally Matthew Lloyd may be captain of our football club yet he doesn’t play with the heart and passion I would expect, maybe it’s his makeup but he doesn’t “INSPIRE ME”, he doesn’t get his hands dirty..look at him at the end of a game his pants are still high, socks look like they have been ironed and jumper still tucked in perfectly and doesn’t have a grass mark on it….so who does inspire me??

David Hille, Mark McVeigh and Jobe Watson. These 3 men are the heart and the soul of the Essendon Football Club, they may not be the captain but they are “The Leaders” of the club.

DAVID HILLE: A young man who has battled long and hard to earn his place as No.1 ruckman, and at times appeared stymied by Sheedy and his desire for success which resulted in recycled ruckman after recycled ruckman and ended with him being dropped late in 07’

In 2006 he was appointed captain of the football club in absence of Lloyd, many rolled their eyes and question why not Lucas, Fletcher etc… I think now it appears very evident why he was chosen. His work is second to none, his want to run, take the big pack or contested mark and kick the game changing goal. He is not in the top 5 tap ruckman going around, but what he lacks in skill in this area he makes up for with all round ability and work rate. Hudson may have got 12 more HO’s but Hille did more damage in the middle, around the ground and pushing forward.

JOBE WATSON: Some may be puzzled with this, many still focus on his kicking and some of his decision making, frankly I think Jobe could be the victim of his own expectations which I know are very high. Maybe Knighter needs to tell him to relax and play with confidence..grab some tapes of his ol’man…trust his instinct. Thats when Jobe (and Tim) were at their best, playing in the moment.

If anyone watched Jobe closely, he was the general, he was the manager of the middle. Before the game he was very vocal and animated with the Midfield Brigade during warmup (Laycock, Dyson, Stanton etc…Hille was chiming in also)..during the game and between quarters you could see him telling Laycock, Dyson, Stanton and others where they need to be, what they need to do, how they should position themselve…. Watson cops it from the supporters, because they focus on his kicking, they single out the mistakes…their short memories forgot about the devastation he inflicted on North in Rnd 1, they forget about he gets HIS OWN ball, he gets it in tight and close and has to make decisions under immense pressure and traffic. Also options from our players for him also make a difference, if they are not making space and leads for him then he is under pressure to make something happen. Yeah he had some clangers, but he also effected 6 tackles, 5 Inside 50’s and 8 of his 20 possies were contested. If he is up and running, so are we. Look at the game against Geelong, they paid him the ultimate respect and put Cameron Ling who is THE BEST tagger in the AFL as we speak on Jobe. Jobe was ineffective all day. And we got smashed in the guts

MARK McVEIGH: Spike, Macca, whatever you want to call him NO ONE and I mean NO ONE bleeds Black and Red like McVeigh. I have more respect Mark, and it stems from his early days trying to break into the side namely from 2002-2005. Each year he would only sign a 1 Year contract, by 2004 the club kept asking him to commit to at least 2 Years and his response. No thanks, I need to play like its my last chance, my last hope, need to play and push himself to the edge. He continued on this path even after he secured his spot as a regular as he found it drove him to be better. It wasn’t until 06’ that he signed his first multi year deal in well over which expires at the end of this season and he is sure to sign another 2 Year contract before mid season.

His work rate, his willingness for the hard stuff, the angry stuff, to protect and serve his team mates is unquestionable. Just imagine if Barry Hall did what he did to an Essendon player, who would have been the first in and last the leave.. Mark McVeigh!!! Hille, Watson would also have been in their flying the flag. You may laugh at Watson being mentioned, he is not fighter but he doesn’t shirk away from his responsibilities and protection of his team mates

These 3 young men, have all faced their battles and demons from not being regulars in the side, the weight of expectation, the wrath of of the supporters, the fans and BB and they are walking through the walls of fire and onto the cauldron of the AFL football field each week wearing the grand ol’ sash. They were it with pride, they were it with passion and they play the same way.

These 2 are at the ages of young Vet’s and they are the link between the Lloyd’s and the Pears of this world…

David Hille turns 27 in June, coming into his prime

Jobe Watson turned 23 in February, it’s been a long time but his body is just about right, his disposal by foot is next

Mark McVeigh turned 27 in January, and he is stamping himself as one of the most if not ‘The Most” important player at the Essendon Football Club.

You the reader may disagree with these 3 men, I do not however believe there is anyone else at the football club that can sit alongside nor above them for desire, passion, work rate, effort and “Playing for the Jumper”. When I think of passion/heart at EFC these 3 are the first to mind everytime, and they will drag the young brigade along with them into battle and into war because they will have no choice but to follow their lead.

I hope the young boys and some of the so called “senior” players take a leave out of their book and play football for this club like they do week in week out.

Posted 14 April 08 in News