Rohan Connolly’s latest piece, published on March 23, 2025, on ESPN titled AFL: Essendon still haunted by 25 years of poor decisions, landed just after Essendon’s 69-point loss to Adelaide at the MCG on March 21, 2025. As an Essendon fan, I’m no stranger to disappointment—no premiership since 2000, no finals win since 2004—but Connolly’s take turns that frustration into something heavier. He labels the club “perpetually irrelevant” and pins its woes on list manager Adrian Dodoro’s long tenure and historical missteps like the supplements saga. It’s not that he’s wrong about the past; it’s that he offers no insight into what could change, leaving me with nothing but a darker mood.
Connolly’s critique isn’t baseless. Essendon hasn’t won a flag in 25 years, a drought confirmed by the club’s own records on essendonfc.com.au. Dodoro has overseen recruiting since 1998, a period marked by the 2012-2016 supplements scandal that saw 34 players banned for the 2016 season. Connolly highlights the Adelaide game, noting poor performances from veterans like Zach Merrett and Dylan Shiel, who managed only 18 and 15 disposals respectively, per AFL stats. But his analysis stalls there—pointing out flaws without suggesting fixes feels like a cheap shot.
This isn’t new for Connolly. In July 2022, his ESPN article Same old disappointing Bombers prove they have learned absolutely nothing followed a last-gasp loss to Collingwood, slamming Essendon for repeated failures. He cited a similar collapse against Sydney in 2017, arguing the club hadn’t progressed. Fair enough—Essendon finished 11th that year and hasn’t cracked the top eight since 2021—but he didn’t explore why or how to break the cycle. It’s a pattern: critique, no cure.
Take his April 2021 piece, AFL Rohan Connolly This year’s Anzac Day clash looms as an almighty stinker. He trashed the Essendon-Collingwood matchup as lackluster, predicting a dud. Essendon lost by 24 points, but the game drew over 78,000 fans, per AFL match records, hardly a flop by attendance standards. Connolly’s knack for dour forecasts often overshadows reality, and he rarely pivots to what’s working.
Contrast that with Cal Twomey’s December 2024 article on AFL.com.au, Still no finals wins, but Dons don’t need more board upheaval. Twomey acknowledges the finals drought—20 years and counting—but notes Essendon’s improved stability under president David Barham since 2022. He suggests bolstering the forward line and midfield, offering a clear next step. It’s not blind optimism; it’s practical, giving fans like me something to chew on beyond gloom.
Connolly’s latest digs at young players like Zach Reid and Nic Cox, calling them potential “busts,” also feel hasty. Both joined in the 2020 draft, with Reid playing 17 games and Cox 33 by the end of 2024, per AFL player stats. At 22 and 23, they’re still developing—AFL norms show players peak around 50-100 games, as seen with stars like Patrick Dangerfield. Writing them off now skips the patience rebuilds demand.
Essendon’s not stagnant, either. The club jumped from 15th in 2022 to 11th in 2023 under Brad Scott, per AFL ladder archives, and held that spot in 2024. Draft picks like Isaac Kako and Nate Caddy, selected in 2023*, showed promise in VFL trials, hinting at a future Connolly barely mentions. It’s not a premiership pace, but it’s not “irrelevant” either.
Connolly’s track record isn’t all gloom. In April 2023, AFL Rohan Connolly time for Essendon Bombers to embrace the hype praised a 4-1 start, calling Scott’s early impact “significant.” Yet even then, he focused on vibe over substance—no breakdown of tactics or roster moves. When Essendon faded to 11th, he flipped back to despair, as seen in his March 2025 piece. It’s a flip-flop that skips deeper analysis.
Fans feel this. On X, posts after his latest article—like one saying, “Connolly’s just piling on, no help at all”—reflect a shared exhaustion. The club’s history is rough: 11th or lower nine times since 2010, per AFL historical ladders. But Connolly’s habit of spotlighting failure without context—like ignoring Scott’s 2024 clearance gains*—makes it harder to see the fight ahead.
I don’t need cheerleading. Essendon’s got issues—forward potency lagged in 2024, with only 1,876 points scored, ranking 12th, per AFL team stats. But Connolly’s relentless negativity, absent any nod to solutions, drags me down. Twomey’s grounded take shows critique can inform, not just depress. Connolly could do that too—he’s got the platform—but he keeps choosing the easy path, and I’m left feeling worse every time.
