Coaching Staff Assistant Coaches 2017-18 - Dan Jordan (VFL coach) appointed to forward line - 12/11

**MOD EDIT**

2018 Coaching Line Up

Senior Coach

John Worsfold (Has his own thread here)

Game Performance Manager
Mark Neeld

Game Intelligence & Opposition Strategy Coach
Rob Harding

Performance Coaches
Mark Harvey (Defence)
Hayden Skipworth (Midfield)
Paul Corrigan (Forward)

Dan Jordan (VFL Head Coach)
Mark Corrigan
James Kelly


**END MOD EDIT**


Would this be the best place to talk about our assistant coaches and whether their tenure should be continued into 2017? As far as I'm concerned we have 4 genuine assistants that talk to and help develop the players (taking away the VFL line coaches):

Defence: Mark Harvey

Harves was a good assistant coach once upon a time and was decent whilst he was at Fremantle but personally I feel he's cooked. Yes, he's an Essendon legend and all that but his performance in the defensive line the past couple of years has been okay without being outstanding and his work with the midfield the year before was poor quite frankly. Overall he's a good guy, have talked with him several times at VFL games and always has time to answer questions, but his results haven't been fantastic and that's the end of that.

Verdict: Should go.

Midfield: Hayden Skipworth

How the hell he's made a living out of being an assistant coach for so long I don't know. The only time he's ever done anything is when he had a stacked VFL team handed too him and managed to get them to a prelim. I'll forgive him for the midfield shitness last year because we lost so many good midfielders and were relying on players that were mostly past it for the most part but this year our midfield has actually performed worse in clearance differential to last year even after bringing in the likes of Heppell and Watson, with only a minimal improvement in CP differential.

Verdict: Please never coach at Essendon again

Forward: Guy McKenna

The good news story of our assistants this year, McKenna has been a revelation for me. He's taken the worst forward line in the league statistically for 5 years straight and made it close to the best one in the league. His ability to help develop the chemistry between Daniher, Fantasia, Walla, Stewart and Hooker despite them spending so little time together has pushed our forward line to a new level. He's a very good assistant and I was stoked when we first got him, and have since felt that feeling to be justified.

Verdict: Keep him unless he's offered a senior job

VFL/Development: Paul Corrigan

I was impressed with his time in the games he coached at VFL level in 2015, and thought he was a solid if unspectacular coach then. When he was promoted this year I had some hopes that his year under Ego would have improved that but I remain unconvinced yet. He's outcoached some very good coaches this year but conversely has also had some games that were less than ideal. He's been underwhelming so far this season but I'm willing to give him a better grade depending on how the rest of the season goes.

Verdict: Give him one more year then assess end of next year.

As for possible replacements, here are a few names that I think would fit the bill in those two positions:

Defence: Leigh Tudor, Andrew Mackie, Ted Richards, Ben Rutten, Dustin Fletcher
Midfield: James Kelly, Matthew Boyd, Scott Thompson, Michael Rischitelli, Robert Harvey (assuming he doesn't take over as Collingwood coach)
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Teflon Dons

Club Legend
May 21, 2017
1,558
1,131
Melbourne
AFL Club
Essendon
Other Teams
Liverpool, Flint Tropics
Would this be the best place to talk about our assistant coaches and whether their tenure should be continued into 2017? As far as I'm concerned we have 4 genuine assistants that talk to and help develop the players (taking away the VFL line coaches):

Defence: Mark Harvey

Harves was a good assistant coach once upon a time and was decent whilst he was at Fremantle but personally I feel he's cooked. Yes, he's an Essendon legend and all that but his performance in the defensive line the past couple of years has been okay without being outstanding and his work with the midfield the year before was poor quite frankly. Overall he's a good guy, have talked with him several times at VFL games and always has time to answer questions, but his results haven't been fantastic and that's the end of that.

Verdict: Should go.

Midfield: Hayden Skipworth

How the hell he's made a living out of being an assistant coach for so long I don't know. The only time he's ever done anything is when he had a stacked VFL team handed too him and managed to get them to a prelim. I'll forgive him for the midfield shitness last year because we lost so many good midfielders and were relying on players that were mostly past it for the most part but this year our midfield has actually performed worse in clearance differential to last year even after bringing in the likes of Heppell and Watson, with only a minimal improvement in CP differential.

Verdict: Please never coach at Essendon again

Forward: Guy McKenna

The good news story of our assistants this year, McKenna has been a revelation for me. He's taken the worst forward line in the league statistically for 5 years straight and made it close to the best one in the league. His ability to help develop the chemistry between Daniher, Fantasia, Walla, Stewart and Hooker despite them spending so little time together has pushed our forward line to a new level. He's a very good assistant and I was stoked when we first got him, and have since felt that feeling to be justified.

Verdict: Keep him unless he's offered a senior job

VFL/Development: Paul Corrigan

I was impressed with his time in the games he coached at VFL level in 2015, and thought he was a solid if unspectacular coach then. When he was promoted this year I had some hopes that his year under Ego would have improved that but I remain unconvinced yet. He's outcoached some very good coaches this year but conversely has also had some games that were less than ideal. He's been underwhelming so far this season but I'm willing to give him a better grade depending on how the rest of the season goes.

Verdict: Give him one more year then assess end of next year.

As for possible replacements, here are a few names that I think would fit the bill in those two positions:

Defence: Leigh Tudor, Andrew Mackie, Ted Richards, Ben Rutten, Dustin Fletcher
Midfield: James Kelly, Matthew Boyd, Scott Thompson, Michael Rischitelli, Robert Harvey (assuming he doesn't take over as Collingwood coach)

Please for the love of ******* god not Robert Harvey.
 
I have been recently informed that Skippy is actually our forward coach and Bluey the midfield. So that changes things a bit
 
Would this be the best place to talk about our assistant coaches and whether their tenure should be continued into 2017? As far as I'm concerned we have 4 genuine assistants that talk to and help develop the players (taking away the VFL line coaches):

Defence: Mark Harvey

Harves was a good assistant coach once upon a time and was decent whilst he was at Fremantle but personally I feel he's cooked. Yes, he's an Essendon legend and all that but his performance in the defensive line the past couple of years has been okay without being outstanding and his work with the midfield the year before was poor quite frankly. Overall he's a good guy, have talked with him several times at VFL games and always has time to answer questions, but his results haven't been fantastic and that's the end of that.

Verdict: Should go.

Midfield: Hayden Skipworth

How the hell he's made a living out of being an assistant coach for so long I don't know. The only time he's ever done anything is when he had a stacked VFL team handed too him and managed to get them to a prelim. I'll forgive him for the midfield shitness last year because we lost so many good midfielders and were relying on players that were mostly past it for the most part but this year our midfield has actually performed worse in clearance differential to last year even after bringing in the likes of Heppell and Watson, with only a minimal improvement in CP differential.

Verdict: Please never coach at Essendon again

Forward: Guy McKenna

The good news story of our assistants this year, McKenna has been a revelation for me. He's taken the worst forward line in the league statistically for 5 years straight and made it close to the best one in the league. His ability to help develop the chemistry between Daniher, Fantasia, Walla, Stewart and Hooker despite them spending so little time together has pushed our forward line to a new level. He's a very good assistant and I was stoked when we first got him, and have since felt that feeling to be justified.

Verdict: Keep him unless he's offered a senior job

VFL/Development: Paul Corrigan

I was impressed with his time in the games he coached at VFL level in 2015, and thought he was a solid if unspectacular coach then. When he was promoted this year I had some hopes that his year under Ego would have improved that but I remain unconvinced yet. He's outcoached some very good coaches this year but conversely has also had some games that were less than ideal. He's been underwhelming so far this season but I'm willing to give him a better grade depending on how the rest of the season goes.

Verdict: Give him one more year then assess end of next year.

As for possible replacements, here are a few names that I think would fit the bill in those two positions:

Defence: Leigh Tudor, Andrew Mackie, Ted Richards, Ben Rutten, Dustin Fletcher
Midfield: James Kelly, Matthew Boyd, Scott Thompson, Michael Rischitelli, Robert Harvey (assuming he doesn't take over as Collingwood coach)
Skippy is the Forward line and McKenna the midfield, unless something changed when I wasn't looking.

It's probably worthwhile to give the coaching group collectively their own thread, rather than focussing it all in Woosha's thread.
 
I think the only way you could judge an assistant is if you are part of the inner sanctum. We have no idea what the head coach would override for example or whether a line has improved from an assistant's output or head coach.
 
No. Hodge will be in the media I reckon or chase cash in the EFL or SFL (lives in Glen Iris)
Lol chase cash? He would earn way more in the media or assistant coaching than he would in EFL or SFL.
 
Forward line firing this year, is that a result of Skipworth or ball movement further up the field, or mix of both?
Doesn't have too many fans in the supporter base but seems to be going along ok and the players like working with him.

Midfield
Would say its our weakest line, but is that due to talent or coaching?

Backline
tremendous rebound ability and has developed Ambrose into one of our best defenders. How much is this due to personnel (hurley, bags and Kelly helps for on field coaching) and how much is due to Harvs. This line has stood up pretty well all year.


If it were me id look at offering Kelly the backline coaching role to work with Harvs to transition instead of dumping Harvs and getting someone completely new.

I would like to get a bit of new blood into the coaching box, be it retired player or someone currently a part of a strong team to bring some fresh ideas into the group and selection.
Other than that since we don't know who is making the calls etc, I wouldn't be making wholesale changes
 
Lol chase cash? He would earn way more in the media or assistant coaching than he would in EFL or SFL.
Some people do both. There is a way you can play at 2 on a Saturday and work for media in the night and/or on Sunday
 
Some people do both. There is a way you can play at 2 on a Saturday and work for media in the night and/or on Sunday
You said media OR play in EFL/SFL
 
This is a dumb thread. You have NFI about how the coaching setup works and are making bland and generic judgement from results you have no idea how to interpret.
Ethan has acknowledged that he had McKenna and Skipworth's roles backwards, we are currently awaiting an updated opinion from him.

If you think you know better about how the coaching set-up works please enlighten us rather than the drive by sniping.

Thread was split off from Worsfold thread, so you can blame me for that.
 
Jul 25, 2013
8,020
11,605
AFL Club
Essendon
Whoops. Wrong word to use

Possibly. He didn't impress me before, whilst he was midfield coach in the AFL under Hird.

You want to possibly fire the guy directly responsible for us finally having a functioning forward line?

Personally, I'd be presenting bonuses to anyone who has anything to do with our forward structure.
 
You want to possibly fire the guy directly responsible for us finally having a functioning forward line?

Personally, I'd be presenting bonuses to anyone who has anything to do with our forward structure.
I see your point but I'm also a fan of not holding onto assistants for a long time. He's been an assistant for us since 2011 (I think) and I think sometimes new blood is preferable just to change things up. I'm also a fan of getting people completely removed from Essendon, that's why I suggested blokes like Mackie or Boyd.
 
I see your point but I'm also a fan of not holding onto assistants for a long time. He's been an assistant for us since 2011 (I think) and I think sometimes new blood is preferable just to change things up. I'm also a fan of getting people completely removed from Essendon, that's why I suggested blokes like Mackie or Boyd.

That can also be change for changes sake which is just as dangerous as growing stale.

In light of increased output from the line he is directly in charge of id be loathe do bring in someone "just because"
 
A new 'Inside The Play' video from the club website:
http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/2017-07-11/inside-the-play-work-rate

This one is about work rate, with Rob Harding (our Game Intelligence and Opposition Strategy Coach) analysing a passage of play down the wing in the game against Collingwood.


Essendon's ball movement was a stong feature during the side's win over Collingwood.

The Bombers were able to make the most of the Magpies turnovers with quick and efficient ball use out of defence.

Game Intelligence and Opposition Strategy Coach Rob Harding details one such passage in the latest edition of Inside the Play.

The play started with a Brendon Goddard kick out and ended with a mark inside 50 with several players involved in between.
http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/2017-07-11/inside-the-play-work-rate

BJ to Stewart, tap to Walla, handball back to Stewart, kick to Corgi, back to Jobe who finds Parish in the forward 50. All the time Jobe and Corgi are making options and drawing Collingwood players in different directions to make space and provide options.
 
Last edited:

Max Headroom

Club Legend
Dec 19, 2014
1,215
2,012
Off with the fairies
AFL Club
Essendon
A new 'Inside The Play' video from the club website:
http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/2017-07-11/inside-the-play-work-rate

This one is about work rate, with Rob Harding (our Game Intelligence and Opposition Strategy Coach) analysing a passage of play down the wing in the game against Collingwood.



http://www.essendonfc.com.au/news/2017-07-11/inside-the-play-work-rate

BJ to Stewart, tap to Walla, handball back to Stewart, kick to Corgi, back to Jobe who finds Parish in the forward 50. All the time Jobe and Corgi are making options and drawing Collingwood players in different directions to make space and provide options.
I was thinking about posting this, good pickup!
 
I was thinking about posting this, good pickup!
I wish they'd do them more often, I think they've done about three or four this year. It's not like fox or ch. 7 are going to do a proper analysis in their coverage though so I guess Essendon doing it a little bit is better than nothing :)
 
I wish they'd do them more often, I think they've done about three or four this year. It's not like fox or ch. 7 are going to do a proper analysis in their coverage though so I guess Essendon doing it a little bit is better than nothing :)

They copped a bit of flak for it being "not strategic enough" but im hoping its something they do more of.

The behind the goals vision breakdowns etc are some of the best footy content that is shown on the different footy shows. Unfortuantely you cant pick and choose when your club gets a segment and its quite often negative.
 
Back