Where Do We Stand? Hird Reflects on Essendon’s Woes, Fears Another Season at the Bottom

Essendon legend James Hird is sharing the frustration felt by the club’s supporters after witnessing their heavy defeat to Adelaide over the weekend.

The Crows handed the Bombers a 61-point thrashing on Saturday afternoon at the MCG, scoring 25 goals and dominating the contest.

The former Essendon coach expressed his disappointment with the team’s defensive performance.

“They scored 100 points, but the way they defended—talking about the Essendon DNA—back in my days at Essendon, we were instilled with a sense of toughness, ruthlessness, and the will to fight,” Hird said during an appearance on Nine’s Eddie and Jimmy.

“We experienced our fair share of thrashings. I remember being here at the MCG in 1992 when Hawthorn defeated us by 100 points. We faced heavy losses, but we used those experiences to build towards the 1993 premiership from that very game.”

“What’s truly disappointing for the Essendon faithful in the stands is the absence of defence. The ball would enter Essendon’s forward line, bounce straight back out, and then Adelaide would kick a goal.”

Hird is concerned that the club might be facing another prolonged period at the bottom of the ladder, empathising with the fans who have seen little September action over the past decade.

“Facing a decent Adelaide side, they are good but not great. If it was Brisbane or GWS handing them a loss like that, maybe it would feel different, but for Essendon supporters, it raises the question, ‘where do we stand?’

“Are we in a rebuilding phase? Are we still in development? It feels like the club has prepared the supporters for a long drop down the ladder before we begin to climb back up.”

“I’m unsure how the supporters will react to that.”

“Last season, they beat Hawthorn by five goals in round one and managed a victory over Adelaide in Adelaide. Now, those same teams have outperformed them.”

“In the last three or four seasons, Essendon’s defence has consistently ranked 15th or 16th. While that may sound dull, it underscores the need to tighten up the defence, improve the contest, and move the ball effectively. You can’t excel in ball movement without a solid defence.”

Essendon will be aiming to bounce back on Thursday night as they go up against Port Adelaide at the MCG.

A defeat would mean the Dons suffer their second 0-3 start in four years.