Such a Silly Season.

Yes, I know. It's always some kind of silly season somewhere.  But for me, specifically, it's silly season in the world of AFL fandom.

As many know, I am a huge fan of Australian Rules football. I am a diehard Essendon supporter, who has suffered for more than 20 years with a team who seem to aspire to mediocrity. We are the butt of many jokes, and there are even webpages counting up the number of days since we have won a finals match. It is a ridiculously high number, and one that frustrates all Essendon fans.

Brad Scott, our coach, has just completed his second year at the helm. At the beginning of the year he cautioned against getting our hopes too high. It didn't help that for much of the year we were sitting high in the league ladder - higher than we deserved, especially when you looked at our percentages. But then we completely collapsed at the end of the season to fall outside the top 8, and miss the final series once again.

I was disappointed, but not surprised. We finished roughly where I had anticipated.  We won some close games, and lost when we played better teams. And faded badly at the end of the season.

While many fans are angry and upset, I understand that changes take time, and recognise the cultural changes being brought into the team. A slow change, but one that I believe will reap rewards.

And the silly season?  Why, that's the trade period that is currently happening, and finishes on Wednesday.  It runs for about ten days and the fan forums are either laughably funny at insanely delusional suggestions made (trade "this player who can barely get a game" for "their champion") or just downright frustrating at the negativity and hostility.

The media is no better.  One day Essendon is criticised for not being active enough in trades, and the next reminded we have no real trade capital and should go to the draft. You simply cannot win.

I'm sticking with Brad. It takes time to turn a team (and a club) around after years of complacency.  AFL is not like other sports where you simply buy in players.  We have a draft system for rookies, but then players in the system already need to be traded - either for other players or draft picks and so on. It provides some equalisation across the league, but means it is difficult to change things quickly when you need to.

So I do think the future is bright, despite the calls in forums for Brad to be sacked and everyone at the club to be replaced. We will get there, and I think it will be in the next few years.

But this season still hurt, though.