IT’S one of footy’s most well known storylines.
While Essendon fans will remember with fondness defeating Carlton in the 1993 grand final, there’ll always be a sidebar whenever that premiership is discussed.
In what was the most controversial decision of his illustrious coaching career, Kevin Sheedy dropped Derek Kickett for the decider even though he’d played every match of the 1992 and 1993 seasons.
The half-forward and on-baller had been having a lean run in the Bombers’ three previous finals, picking up a combined 15 touches, but the stunning call was a shock for everyone given Kickett had been such a pivotal part of Essendon’s successful year. Just a short time beforehand in Round 20 Kickett actually booted eight goals against the Bulldogs.
Sheedy says he made the call to drop Kickett because he felt under pressure to match the crafty tactics of Carlton coach David Parkin.
He wanted to keep Parkin guessing about the make-up of his side and he also said he wasn’t happy with Kickett’s form at training, not believing he had the endurance to run with the Blues.
But Kickett has accused Sheedy of axing him because of a “personal vendetta” and revealed he is yet to speak to his former mentor since he quit the Bombers to join Sydney at the end of 1993. He also said Sheedy’s reluctance to speak may mean he’s “hiding” something.
“No I haven’t (broken bread with Sheedy). I’ve rung him a few times and I’ve had my associate here in Melbourne ring him a few times and he (Sheedy) has said he doesn’t want to speak to me,” Kickett said on Channel Seven’s The Front Bar on Thursday.
“So whatever reason he’s got, maybe he’s hiding something — I don’t know — that the public should know.
“In all my footy career on a Thursday night after a training session, I’ve never rung the manager to say, ‘Am I in the footy team?’ That week of the grand final I rang (Essendon manager) Danny Corcoran and said, ‘Am I in the footy team?’ And he said no.
“I had a feeling I was going to get dropped.
“Sheeds had some personal vendetta against me and it wasn’t about my injury or whatever my performance was, it was a personal vendetta because we had a few words about three or four weeks before the grand final.”
Sheedy refused to comment on Kickett’s remarks when contacted by news.com.au.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/der...m/news-story/bd133f911fe085c98dbaf756be577de4
While Essendon fans will remember with fondness defeating Carlton in the 1993 grand final, there’ll always be a sidebar whenever that premiership is discussed.
In what was the most controversial decision of his illustrious coaching career, Kevin Sheedy dropped Derek Kickett for the decider even though he’d played every match of the 1992 and 1993 seasons.
The half-forward and on-baller had been having a lean run in the Bombers’ three previous finals, picking up a combined 15 touches, but the stunning call was a shock for everyone given Kickett had been such a pivotal part of Essendon’s successful year. Just a short time beforehand in Round 20 Kickett actually booted eight goals against the Bulldogs.
Sheedy says he made the call to drop Kickett because he felt under pressure to match the crafty tactics of Carlton coach David Parkin.
He wanted to keep Parkin guessing about the make-up of his side and he also said he wasn’t happy with Kickett’s form at training, not believing he had the endurance to run with the Blues.
But Kickett has accused Sheedy of axing him because of a “personal vendetta” and revealed he is yet to speak to his former mentor since he quit the Bombers to join Sydney at the end of 1993. He also said Sheedy’s reluctance to speak may mean he’s “hiding” something.
“No I haven’t (broken bread with Sheedy). I’ve rung him a few times and I’ve had my associate here in Melbourne ring him a few times and he (Sheedy) has said he doesn’t want to speak to me,” Kickett said on Channel Seven’s The Front Bar on Thursday.
“So whatever reason he’s got, maybe he’s hiding something — I don’t know — that the public should know.
“In all my footy career on a Thursday night after a training session, I’ve never rung the manager to say, ‘Am I in the footy team?’ That week of the grand final I rang (Essendon manager) Danny Corcoran and said, ‘Am I in the footy team?’ And he said no.
“I had a feeling I was going to get dropped.
“Sheeds had some personal vendetta against me and it wasn’t about my injury or whatever my performance was, it was a personal vendetta because we had a few words about three or four weeks before the grand final.”
Sheedy refused to comment on Kickett’s remarks when contacted by news.com.au.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/der...m/news-story/bd133f911fe085c98dbaf756be577de4
