Page "Essendon Football Club" Paragraph 65

As it turned out, 2006 would prove to be the worst season for Essendon under Sheedy, and its worst in over 70 years, with a multitude of injuries and poor form affecting the team, none more so than the serious hamstring injury suffered by newly appointed captain Lloyd.

Lloyd suffered the serious hamstring injury against the Western Bulldogs in round three, marking Essendon's first loss against them since the Bulldogs inflicted Essendon's only loss for their dominant 2000 season.

Hird was temporarily appointed captain for the two matches which followed Lloyd's season-ending injury, before David Hille assumed the role from round 6 onwards.

Essendon would win only three matches and draw one ( against wooden spoon contenders Carlton ) for the entire season, but one of those was against finals-bound rivals and arch-enemy Collingwood in round 19 in a win that would ultimately cost the Magpies a top four berth that season.

The other two wins were against eventual runners-up Sydney ( in a match where Matthew Lloyd flaunted with the Sydney defence, kicking eight goals ( six of which came in the opening quarter ) and being awarded best-on-ground in a game Essendon rightfully deserved to win ) and against the team that denied them the 2001 Premiership, the Brisbane Lions ( who also were in a rebuilding phrase ).

Essendon's other win in the 2006 season was against bitter-rivals ; but this win was significant as it denied Collingwood a top-four finish at the end of the season.