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Club Mgmt. Board of Directors as led by President Dave Barham - Statement from Barham addressing Merrett etc - 12/9

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Vander18 said:
If anything is going to change it has to start with him. This nice, politically correct version of Essendon isn’t our DNA and he’s shown us today that he knows that.

The AFL will probably respond to any sense of us regaining our self-esteem via the draw - interstate games, 4 day turnarounds, Richmond at the MCG 5 times in one season :). But at this point I feel like it’s better to die on your feet than live on your knees. Let’s end the self-hating and get back to being arrogant, strong, winning Essendon.
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Makes me feel a bit like that too. As long as the arrogance doesn't mean cutting corners and bullshit like that though. Although he did talk about governance and accountability.
 
Lore said:
Makes me feel a bit like that too. As long as the arrogance doesn't mean cutting corners and bullshit like that though. Although he did talk about governance and accountability.
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Well you never know but on paper he’s not that guy. Was the global Chairman of PwC - governance and accountability, and how to embed them into organisations, are things he will understand better than most.
 
westking said:
He quoted Winston Churchill. :rolleyes: I stopped it right there.

I believe things when things actually happen. Until then its good oxygen converted into carbon dioxide.
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I stopped when Adrian Dodoro was mentioned, then rewound and skipped over Dodo - all good. Strong message, proof will be in the pudding.
 

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Vander18 said:
If anything is going to change it has to start with him. This nice, politically correct version of Essendon isn’t our DNA and he’s shown us today that he knows that.

The AFL will probably respond to any sense of us regaining our self-esteem via the draw - interstate games, 4 day turnarounds, Richmond at the MCG 5 times in one season :). But at this point I feel like it’s better to die on your feet than live on your knees. Let’s end the self-hating and get back to being arrogant, strong, winning Essendon.
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it has felt weird.

the first hint i got something was up was a few years back.
can't remember the North player but he went for one of those brave, back with the flight of the ball marks.
Hurley stopped and let him take it without so much as a hand for touch. Hodge goes through that player fairly and makes a contest.

Since that day, this "walking on eggshells" feel has been getting to me.
Rd.1 next year, i'd like to see some fierce football from this side.
 
Lore said:
We built for 13-15 around Jobe et al, and then we built again for 18-20 around Joe, et al. You can tell by how much mature talent we brought in and that little bump in results in the half minute before calamity struck on each occasion.
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Yeah, I dunno. Just genuine question as to what basis is behind the statement.

We were bog slow toward the end of Sheeds and we brought in a heap of leg speed. Knighter took over and we bring in a bloke Colyer who can run and run but couldn't hit the side of a barn. I thought how daft, but thought if we are running and handballing that's a player picked for a plan.

I dunno who he picked for the Bomber/Hird plan (to win the contested ball?). I think there was talk that Hird had a bit to do with the Steinberg pick :oops::sick:

And last year was the whole "another small forward??!!" thing which seems to tie in with we are the new Richmond.

What did Woosha want that he didn't get, he certainly still supports the playing group as a list publicly.
 
ghostdog said:
Brasher seems like he wants to lead a reset. Hopefully not empty rhetoric.
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He seems an old school made for modern times type of exec.
Culture is key. And culture starts with him. Name dropping Saad, Daniher, Campbell, Dodoro. Not to be taken lightly.

setting an expectation of the players who walk through the door.
that video was as much for those at the club as it was the members.
 
yodellinhank said:
Yeah, I dunno. Just genuine question as to what basis is behind the statement.

We were bog slow toward the end of Sheeds and we brought in a heap of leg speed. Knighter took over and we bring in a bloke Colyer who can run and run but couldn't hit the side of a barn. I thought how daft, but thought if we are running and handballing that's a player picked for a plan.

I dunno who he picked for the Bomber/Hird plan (to win the contested ball?). I think there was talk that Hird had a bit to do with the Steinberg pick :oops::sick:

And last year was the whole "another small forward??!!" thing which seems to tie in with we are the new Richmond.

What did Woosha want that he didn't get, he certainly still supports the playing group as a list publicly.
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It does feel a bit like the recruiting is disconnected from the coaches. We never seem to play our recruits in their best positions. Or in the reverse, we never seem to recruit the right players for the positions we need to fill. Or perhaps it's that we draft the right kids for the right positions and then don't develop them properly or they get injured and then delisted. Something is up anyway.

Prime example perhaps is Cutler, Hibberd, Phillips this year. It's like we went shopping for a mature ruck that can play second fiddle to Draper/Bellchambers, a two way running winger that can take a mark, and a big inside mid to crash and bash and provide some protection to the silk. I think Phillips is fine. The other two are ??? It's like the coaches would rather play three blue chip 180cm mids than put a blue collar worker in there for some structure. And that being the case, a blue collar inside mid out of the VFL or the back of the draft is unlikely to get a game as an inside mid, so there's really no point recruiting those types.



Having said that, the issues with our list now do seem to be at least partially solved by a fit and firing Daniher. Daniher taking marks on a wing, kicking into F50, helping the transition out of defence, taking a KPD out of the way for other forwards to capitalise, bringing the ball to ground, or crumbing his own ball, torping it from the square. The best defence is a good offence right? The whole team, whole club really and everyone responsible for it looks a million dollars better with him on the turf (and I'm not just referring to his salary lol).
 
citizen-erased said:
He seems an old school made for modern times type of exec.
Culture is key. And culture starts with him. Name dropping Saad, Daniher, Campbell, Dodoro. Not to be taken lightly.

setting an expectation of the players who walk through the door.
that video was as much for those at the club as it was the members.
Click to expand...
images (1).jpeg
 
Lore said:
It does feel a bit like the recruiting is disconnected from the coaches. We never seem to play our recruits in their best positions. Or in the reverse, we never seem to recruit the right players for the positions we need to fill. Or perhaps it's that we draft the right kids for the right positions and then don't develop them properly or they get injured and then delisted. Something is up anyway.

Prime example perhaps is Cutler, Hibberd, Phillips this year. It's like we went shopping for a mature ruck that can play second fiddle to Draper/Bellchambers, a two way running winger that can take a mark, and a big inside mid to crash and bash and provide some protection to the silk. I think Phillips is fine. The other two are ??? It's like the coaches would rather play three blue chip 180cm mids than put a blue collar worker in there for some structure. And that being the case, a blue collar inside mid out of the VFL or the back of the draft is unlikely to get a game as an inside mid, so there's really no point recruiting those types.



Having said that, the issues with our list now do seem to be at least partially solved by a fit and firing Daniher. Daniher taking marks on a wing, kicking into F50, helping the transition out of defence, taking a KPD out of the way for other forwards to capitalise, bringing the ball to ground, or crumbing his own ball, torping it from the square. The best defence is a good offence right? The whole team, whole club really and everyone responsible for it looks a million dollars better with him on the turf (and I'm not just referring to his salary lol).
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I think the players are picked with purpose in mind, but then as you say guys get played seemingly outta position. Match committee has consistently confounded this board for as long as I can remember. So that wouldn't go on just Woosh (or any coach). Maybe Brasher will examine how that's working as well.

It is exciting to hear there's someone with some clout seemingly keen to go over the club with a fine tooth comb.
 

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yodellinhank said:
I think the players are picked with purpose in mind, but then as you say guys get played seemingly outta position. Match committee has consistently confounded this board for as long as I can remember. So that wouldn't go on just Woosh (or any coach). Maybe Brasher will examine how that's working as well.

It is exciting to hear there's someone with some clout seemingly keen to go over the club with a fine tooth comb.
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It's definitely good to see some real scrutiny applied, especially after this.... "right-sizing" stuff that has resulted in a lot of roles being made redundant or combined with other roles. After a massive change like that there are going to be teething issues so having a handle on all of that is good.

I wouldn't hold my breath for the coaches/selection committee to be under question though. It sounds like he's going to back Richardson, Rutten and the 23 year old batch in, and give them whatever support they need with limited interference. I'd interpret that as being if they say they want a big inside mid that will force his way into the side and into the centre bounces by sheer force of will, then that is what Dodoro and Harvey and whoever will be expected to find and bring in. Two first round picks if necessary. No blue collar skinny flanker project types unless Coach asks for them.
 
citizen-erased said:
He seems an old school made for modern times type of exec.
Culture is key. And culture starts with him. Name dropping Saad, Daniher, Campbell, Dodoro. Not to be taken lightly.

setting an expectation of the players who walk through the door.
that video was as much for those at the club as it was the members.
Click to expand...
I want to believe Saady would resonate with the messaging especially re: pushing for higher standards.

The reference to what perhaps was subconscious is interesting posed as a series of questions, and it positions fans to accept the likes of Zaharakis, Hooker etc. to remain on the list for one more year. If those players accept the premise that the saga impacted the club subconsciously, then it puts it on those players to lift the accepted standard for the coming year and to break the subconscious malaise. I understand the messaging, but in the short term it accepts that mediocrity may have to be accepted as a practical reality. I'm fine with that because it is.

I think Brasher has said the kinds of things I want to hear. I expect now that he will demand more of the leaders of the footy department.
 
Lore said:
It's definitely good to see some real scrutiny applied, especially after this.... "right-sizing" stuff that has resulted in a lot of roles being made redundant or combined with other roles. After a massive change like that there are going to be teething issues so having a handle on all of that is good.

I wouldn't hold my breath for the coaches/selection committee to be under question though. It sounds like he's going to back Richardson, Rutten and the 23 year old batch in, and give them whatever support they need with limited interference. I'd interpret that as being if they say they want a big inside mid that will force his way into the side and into the centre bounces by sheer force of will, then that is what Dodoro and Harvey and whoever will be expected to find and bring in. Two first round picks if necessary. No blue collar skinny flanker project types unless Coach asks for them.
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Yes. Naming that young core sounds like he has identified the types we need to keep, so it looks like he will not approve of a Parish trade... not sure he named Merrett?
 

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Lore said:
Having said that, the issues with our list now do seem to be at least partially solved by a fit and firing Daniher. Daniher taking marks on a wing, kicking into F50, helping the transition out of defence, taking a KPD out of the way for other forwards to capitalise, bringing the ball to ground, or crumbing his own ball, torping it from the square. The best defence is a good offence right? The whole team, whole club really and everyone responsible for it looks a million dollars better with him on the turf (and I'm not just referring to his salary lol).
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This has been a big issue for us since 2017. Daniher not being in the side means we've got basically a VFL standard KPF line competing against AFL defenders. They're able to zone off and double team at will, and whilst Stringer is a genuinely good medium forward that you'd expect to win his 1 on 1's, you can't expect him to handle a double or triple team constantly. In fact, without Stringer our forward-line would have been even more of a shambles.

Imagine for a moment, a fit Daniher, Stringer, Fantasia & Tipungwuti all in the same side, all capable of being their defender in a 1-on-1 situation, and forcing defenders to stay accountable instead of allowing them to zone off and intercept mark all day long.

Daniher has caused a lot of uncertainty, first by being injured for almost 3 years such that we're never sure on our planning, and now whether or not he's even staying.

In some ways, him going would provide some certainty to our structure and planning that we haven't had for a few years now.

Ideally he stays, and is fit and capable of playing 20+ games a season moving forward, but some kind of consistency in our forward structure is desperately needed.

As for the Brasher speech; I think he said all the right things, without the corporate speak or trying to be too delicate so as to not offend anyone. I'd love it if he could be a Kennett or McGuire-esque figure who stands up for the club publicly and isn't going to toe the AFL line on things.
 
ghostdog said:
Yes. Naming that young core sounds like he has identified the types we need to keep, so it looks like he will not approve of a Parish trade... not sure he named Merrett?
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i didnt want to say, but Merrett wasn't mentioned....unless when he meant our captain hasn't had a good run at it this year he meant the guy who should be captain? :p
 
citizen-erased said:
not only that, but acknowledge that they are only words.

i was initially sceptical of an internal appointment, but i like this guy.
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He also acknowledged that many will judge him by actions/results (that includes me). By saying these words he also acknowledged that many ppl are happy (and stupid enough) to hear the right words and carry on as usual.

This person has now got his chance and good luck to him. But don't judge him on a few words he says. Judge him on results remembering he has been part of the board and our embarrassing decline for a long time. He may have a long and successful career in business. But this is sports. Its judged a whole lot differently.
 
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