Game Day Round 14: Essendon v St Kilda, Etihad Stadium, 5-7-15, 1.10pm

[andrew coombs]

Sorry to intrude..

From an outsider's perspective looking in - Heppell is having a fair crack and showing a decent amount of leadership. Doesn't let his head drop and tries his guts out even when the going is grim. I don't know if Jobe is carrying an injury or just dejected (would be hard not to be) but I would make Heppell captain. As early as tomorrow. Watson has been a great leader for your club, is well spoken and seems like a good man. But right now he is not putting in the performance you need from your leader and may be better for it if relieved of some of that pressure.

I'm sure its extremely unlikely to happen. But serious question - is this the likely transition at years end (along with a potential coaching change)?

As a few of you have said, sacking the coach at this point of the season is unlikely to have any on field impact. The players just look dejected and aren't having a real crack. You've got some quality young kids and the key posts looked filled with quality for years to come.

From my perspective (again, an outsider looking in, so could be totally off the mark) - you just need a decent ruckman and a couple of high end young talents and you're set for an extended tilt at September. Right now it looks like the main thing you need is on field leadership and people who will drag the passengers with them. Heppell is showing that.

It might even be an idea to trade in some pure effort players (e.g. players like Puopolo). I'm not saying get yourselves reamed at the trade table, but you could do worse than trade in some players that will give their everything and lead from the front week in week out, regardless of their quality.

I'm not having a dig - its genuinely not good for footy when there's one team out there that seems disinterested with the result. Hope you guys can turn it around soon. You're not that far off it - just need some players to stand up and to see some effort despite the circumstances.

I agree with most of this except he part about removing Hird having no impact. These Essendon players appear to have completely turned it up. Hird is their coach. They are playing without any confidence or pride. What on Earth is going to stop more atrocities like this occurring in the next couple of months under the current structure? Whether Hird can coach or not is not the question .His players don't appear to be trying, he has to go.

 

[Doss]

Just end this torture, please.

We are the worst side in the comp on current form. That doesn't mean we actually are the worst side, but no one is playing worse footy than us at present.

 

[VelvetSledge]

That was disgusting.