A bit worried!!!

I think Essendon will persue the alignment and are reasonably happy with how it is working. When Bendigo played as the Diggers, they struggled to get community support, and a lack of success only made things harder. Personally, I liked the Diggers concept... Im a Port Melbourne supporter that would like to see the more clubs stand alone (The Borough included). However, to create a new club and get local support is difficult, and I think the Tasmania Devils would be the exception. When they were forced to look at an alignment, I honestly thought Carlton may have made an arrangement with Bendigo (the area previously being a Carlton recruiting zone. The Bombers have a chance to really build up the alignment, and practice matches (as was played this year) are a good way to bring potential supporters along to Bendigo games. I was dissapointed to see that the Bendigo station that was calling the games their in previous seasons are not doing so this year. Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I think they had a special comments man who was blind? Caveman, can you tell me, is the current alignment a 1,2 or 3 year deal?

I don't think the Bendigo concept is worthwhile. Why? Because the side I've watched over the last two weeks is made up of 18 Essendon players and 4 "Bendigo" players (of which I think Doering, Hawkins, Moorcroft all live in Melbourne). It's like a travelling circus taking all these Melbourne based players up to the country. I can't see any value in doing that (except for marketing) and it surely can't be of benefit to the players. They could do the same if they were called Essendon and they played at Windy Hill. They need a reserves team, and more "Bendigo" product representing the club. A kid called Kain Robins who is on the Bendigo list had something like 45 possessions and 15 marks in a local Bendigo FL game a couple of weeks ago but can't crack it for a spot in the Bendigo Bombers side. And I think that is disappointing. Essendon I think have two years left after this, the crowds seem alright, but if the Bendigo team don't make finals surely that would reduce the chances of it continuing. But to me I want to see Bendigo based players getting more of a go.

The problem I see with Bendigo is that Essendon isn't and never will be a good aligning partner. I'm think that Essendon sees the alignment as a way of further promoting its interests rather than that of the Bendigo club and the VFL. I'm not even sure if the coach Peter Banfield takes training all that often during the season. On selection Essendon would select its players and then any spots left over would go to Bendigo players. And in a case like Saturday when Essendon don't have many injuries, then the side is basically Essendon players travelling to Bendigo to play football in a bastardised Essendon jumper. The difference between Nth Ballarat and Bendigo is the Nth Ballarat started from a base and a powerful one at that. Bendigo is totally manufactured and I don't think that will work in the long term apart from a state side like Tasmania.