Hello again Bomber fans,

I thought this time around I’d turn my attention to the memories of my involvements in, and the importance of, AFL reserves sides in state competitions around the nation. 

The AFL competition currently is doing its best to outrun a ‘snapping at the heels’ COVID lockdown chaser in an attempt to complete the regular season without delay. 

My thoughts go out to the players in state competitions, especially in Victoria, who aren’t getting the full chance to not only ply their trade and push their name up for senior selection, but also the important development that playing games of footy provides. 

What a strange turn of events last weekend, with Essendon having to put a call out for 12 top-up players around south-east Queensland to fill in and field a full team to play against NEAFL powerhouse Southport.

Ring-in players included five-time All Australian and Richmond premiership hero Alex Rance, ex-St Kilda No.1 draft pick Paddy McCartin, and my favourite - former NT Thunder star veteran Cam Ilett. In a heartbreaking loss, the team went down by a late goal after leading most of the game. 

I experienced my fair share of time at the lower level competitions as a player, spending over three years of my playing development in the Essendon reserves, and then coaching the Brisbane side in the NEAFL.

I found it an invaluable time as a player to build on my football skill ‘kit bag’ and not just aim to get one game, but to forge a career.

Some state competition pundits might say that the competition in their state, particularly in recent times, has been compromised to accommodate the self-centred requirements of the AFL clubs in that state. While mostly honouring the leagues to maintain their legitimacy, each club can put the development of their listed players ahead of the competition when they need to. 

The chance to play in a similar structure, including the same strategies and tactics expected in their senior sides, will help individuals with transitioning into the AFL team as seamlessly as possible.

It hasn’t always been the case, especially at some interstate clubs. 

When I first went to Brisbane as an assistant in 1999, the Lions reserves were made up of under-21 Lions-listed players and local league similar age top-up players. Any Lions-listed player over that age was not eligible and at the start of the year was drafted around to all the local clubs in the south-east QAFL teams in the same competition.

It meant that at any time during the year, if an over-age player was omitted from the senior side or had to come back from injury through the reserves, he would play for that local club. I remember, for example, David Calthorpe playing for Maroochydore and Chris Johnson at Broadbeach during that year. 

Although local clubs did their best to accommodate our listed players with the resources they had, it was hardly an ideal environment to get a player playing the 'Lions way', or to get them back into good form to make an impact in the senior side. 

I was fortunate to play in the era where all reserves players played in games that were curtain raisers to the main game. It created a good culture and morale and a sense of belonging from developing players. My coaches Kevin Morris and then Robert Shaw would obviously put their own spin on how we needed to go about things, but it was also in the environment of how Essendon under 'Sheeds' wanted their whole list to play too.

Any chance the club had to make reserve finals was a bonus, because every final could equate to over five normal games of each player's development due to the increased pressure and interest devoted to those finals. A shrewd coaching staff would always be looking at how a possible future senior player handled himself under those conditions. 

Fantastic memories and learnings also occurred after playing the curtain raiser. As a group, we would join supporters raising the roof of the Windy Hill Reynolds Stand watching the powerhouse 1984-85 teams strut their stuff. What a brutally clinical team they were. Stars on every line and a mean streak instilled in them by a tough, ex-Richmond successful era player in Kevin Sheedy. 

One key memory from those days was on more than one occasion, the most courageous player I played with, Darren ‘Daisy’ Williams, kicked the ball downfield and was able to cleanly crumb the ball off hands at the next contest. What a great example to a young bloke coming through the ranks of where he had to get to in his game. 

Reserve teams also play a role in developing club staff as well. They allow enthusiastic, up and coming doctors, physiotherapists, sports science students, trainers and other staff the opportunity to ‘cut their teeth’ in the industry and then, over time, move through into roles in the senior team.

I look from afar at the current list playing in the VFL under the tutelage of Leigh Tudor and Cam Roberts. I just hope they are coping the best they can with the quite different and incredibly challenging times that the COVID-19 pandemic is dishing up. It’s certainly going to make them more resilient for the future when representing the club in the AFL. 

Until next time,

GO’D

Gary O'Donnell played 243 games from 1987 to 1998, leading the Bombers as captain for two seasons in a decorated career in the red and black. Known as 'Mr Reliable', he was a vital part of Essendon's 1993 premiership side - a year which also saw him win the Crichton Medal as the Bombers' best and fairest. Blending tales of the past with the present, he'll be a contributor to essendonfc.com.au in 2021.