Bob Murphy used to write a lot about the winter grind. “The blue skies are gone, the optimism is tested,” he wrote. “This is the time of year for routine, repetition, aches, solitude, pain, will and resolve. The depths of winter are the time of year when the hardened, experienced teams who have been there before start to rev their engines and put a gap between themselves and the pretenders.”
For a team that plays its home games indoors, the winter grind has not traditionally been an area where Essendon has excelled. Last year, they entered winter in sixth spot. The next three months heralded five wins from 12, a percentage of 73, 11th spot and solemn vows to get fitter and more serious.
