The 2011 Essendon Football Club season is the club's 113th season in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Essendon won 11 matches, drew one and lost 10 matches in the 2011 season. Essendon won five matches within the first eight rounds, before a form slump culminated in a five-match losing streak and Essendon dropping out of the top eight for the first time this season when it lost to by 65 points.
Their season begun with a 55-point thumping of triple-preliminary finalists the before a narrow five-point defeat to followed. Wins over (in their captain Nick Riewoldt's 200th game) followed, before a thrilling draw against and a five-goal loss in the Anzac Day match against followed.
Round 6 brought along the mother of all Essendon wins – a 139-point thumping of the at home, with the Bombers recording a record first-quarter score of 15.4 (94) and its quarter-time lead of 93 points also brought along a new record. Amidst this, Essendon lost the second quarter in surprising circumstances, before going on to finish the job to record its first win over a side featuring Gary Ablett since 2005. Only two more wins would follow, against the West Coast Eagles and Brisbane Lions in the weeks after the Suns annihilation.
Essendon pulled off the boilover of the season when they defeated the previously unbeaten by four points in Round 15, 2011, without their injured skipper, Jobe Watson. It was their first win over the Cats in almost six years, having not beaten them since Round 18, 2005. However, it was just their second win over Geelong since 2003, leaving them with one of the worst records against Geelong in recent times.
Round 20 saw Essendon at home to for the first time since Round 1, 2006 when Essendon triumphed by 27 points. Essendon won by one point after a post-siren shot by Sydney's Adam Goodes drifted to the left. Round 23 saw Essendon qualifying the finals for the second time in two years, when it defeated Port Adelaide by 7 points at Etihad Stadium. It ended a seven-year winless run against the side, having not beaten them since Round 18, 2004.
Essendon's elimination final against was lost by 62 points, ending what was otherwise a promising first year for James Hird in the Essendon coaching role.
Squad
Trades
In Player Traded From Traded To Traded For None
Out Player Traded From Traded To Traded For None
Drafts
National Draft Round Pick Name From League 1 8 Dyson Heppell Gippsland Power TAC Cup 2 31 Ariel Steinberg Bendigo Pioneers TAC Cup 3 48 Alex Browne Oakleigh Chargers TAC Cup 4 64 Luke Davis West Adelaide Football Club SANFL 5 80 Michael Ross Gippsland Power TAC Cup 6 95 Pass 7 106 Ben Howlett Rookie Promotion
Rookie Draft Round Pick Name From League 1 12 Josh Jenkins Lake Boga CMFL 2 29 Jay Neagle Essendon AFL 3 46 Tyson Slattery Essendon AFL 4 61 James Webster^ Woy Woy BDFL ^ Denotes NSW AFL scholarship elevation
Pre-Season Draft Round Pick Name From League 1 4 Michael Hibberd Frankston VFL
Results
Pre-season (NAB Cup)
Round 1
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Grand Final
Home and Away season
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Round 4
Round 5
Round 6
Ladder
Ladder progression
Tribunal cases Player Round Charge category Level Verdict Points Result Victim Club Ref(s)Mark WilliamsNAB CupStriking2Guilty70ReprimandLiam JurrahMelbourneCale Hooker3WrestlingGuilty0$900Nick RiewoldtSt KildaNathan Lovett-Murray7Negligent Umpire ContactGuilty0$900Mathew Leppard
Season Statistics
Home attendance Round Opponent Attendance1 42,6175 89,6266 33,7107 33,63111 53,07713 42,32915 43,80616 55,44218 74,12320 38,72223 34,849Total Attendance 541,932Average Attendance 49,267
Season Financials
Annual Report 2011
Item $ (AUD) Revenue $51,416,731 Membership & Reserved Seating $10,363,690 Gate Receipts $963,101 Marketing Revenue $15,532,108 Merchandise Revenue $2,563,026 Football Department Spend $18,510,078 Operating Profit/Loss $1,024,086 Total Profit/Loss $2,059,379
Notes "Points" refers to carry-over points accrued following the sanction. For example, 154.69 points draw a one-match suspension, with 54.69 carry-over points (for every 100 points, a one-match suspension is given).
References
External links Official website of the Essendon Football Club Official website of the Australian Football League 2011 season scores and results at AFL Tables 2011 Essendon player statistics at AFL Tables