Hot Topic Leadership - Footage to sum up Essendon 2018

[citizen-erased]

it should be JD - but I don't think it can be. This taslisman needs to be trusted - tell me how at ease you are when JD marks the ball in the 50? you are never quite sure if he will kick it or not, it creates an uneasy atmosphere. When you are on the charge or trying to stem an opposition onslaught the last thing you need is for the steadying goal to go OOF... its just a massive deflator for the crowd and the team, stops any momentum you have built and gets the other crowd up and about a bit more.

The closet thing we have at the minute is probably DEV - or Stringer if hes on.

nothing this year. But last year he was that player.

I think we need to right a few players before we can challenge.
Daniher is one. If it's injury, rest him. If it's touch, maybe drop him back to the VFL for a game just to get the basics back in sync.

 

[citizen-erased]

We don’t need cheap shots. Just a bit of heart......just a tiny little bit.

Should have been clearer there. Just a nice bump where a tackle would suffice. Something to set a tone that you may go for the ball 40-50 times today, but each time you will cop contact for it. Perhaps enough that by the end of the 3rd they are tired and sore, rather than the bruise free cloud trip we tend to give teams.

by expendable, i mean tagger. Someone who isn't needed for the overall team structure, but has a job solely to track the best opposition player and wear them down.
This is where i like Clarke. He may have suspect disposal, but if his role is to follow a Mitchell, Treloar, Dangerfield, etc and just shadow and tackle, then we're harder to play against.

At the moment, we'd be a pretty easy physical proposition for most clubs.

 

[citizen-erased]

Could also be Stringer!

we're getting Jake back from a 12-18 month form rut and getting his life back on track.
I don't expect too much from him this year. But you are right. He could be that player for us.

He's about to hit the age where Dusty and Paddy really broke out. So there is that to look forward to
Same applies to Daniher.
If by years end these two aren't blowing teams apart, we will need to invest some serious time into their physical and mental performance in the off-season. These two alone should have us scoring 100+ in games.

 

[daffo]

Stringer has been playing well this year. Joey. Gee

 

[hurlygurdy]

Well he was Captain in 2016 and I felt we had a lot more aggression and intensity that year with much more kids in the side.

Perhaps the problem is that we've used completely different mindsets to get intensity over the past three years. Each year has been something different. Saga unity. Top ups and kids unity. We're back together and past the saga unity. There's been no evolution of a team spirit bubble, where a group of kids come together and evolve their game together. It's been chop and change constantly.

The three guys who've come in this year also all have their own sort of unique factors as well. Smith is pretty full of himself i think. Stringer was a bimbo in distress. Saad has an unusual cultural background. None of these factors need to matter in the long term, but they don't exactly facilitate team unity in the way that recruiting someone like Hooker or Jobe might. This might be a non issue but i guess i'm looking at all possibilities.

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

Perhaps the problem is that we've used completely different mindsets to get intensity over the past three years. Each year has been something different. Saga unity. Top ups and kids unity. We're back together and past the saga unity. There's been no evolution of a team spirit bubble, where a group of kids come together and evolve their game together. It's been chop and change constantly.

The three guys who've come in this year also all have their own sort of unique factors as well. Smith is pretty full of himself i think. Stringer was a bimbo in distress. Saad has an unusual cultural background. None of these factors need to matter in the long term, but they don't exactly facilitate team unity in the way that recruiting someone like Hooker or Jobe might. This might be a non issue but i guess i'm looking at all possibilities.

Personally I think we probably have quite a few issues that are all solvable:
- Saga hangover for the senior players. Now the anger is subsiding the drive needs to come from somewhere else.
- Drinking our own bathwater. I do believe that some of our players just thought we'd improve this year after last year given the trade period. Even premiership teams need to get better to stay relevant because other teams improve, study them and other teams and figure them out.
- Team continuity. The 2016 suspensions means our senior players still haven't had years of playing with each other, let alone them with our younger players. Injuries and suspensions to our key players in Gleeson, Fantasia, McKenna, Ambrose (and maybe Joey?) have messed further with the continuity.
- New players. Added to continuity of team, three new players, one of which in Stringer who has affected our forward setup will take time to fit into the way we want to play.
- Physical intensity. I don't know if learning to defend in our game plan is causing a lot of players to over think and not act instinctively but it's like most the players are in their heads too much rather than bringing a physical presence to their game. We are capable of bringing that presence as we did against Port Adelaide but we need consistency here badly. At the moment we are a soft and easy team to play against. Dare I say it, playing against Essendon is bruise free footy.
- Morale. We seem down. I don't know if it's a fracture in the playing group but we are not playing for each other and it means more often that not we play selfishly. It's not just about flying the flag when needed, it's about blocking, shepherding and sacrificing your own game for the best play for the team each time.

Personally I think we should concentrate on morale, get players to openly air their grievances in a safe environment and figure out how they all want to play for each other and the other issues will start to resolve themselves.

 

[MarkG]

Stringer has been playing well this year. Joey. Gee

Goals Behinds
Stewart 12 6
Stringer 10 6
Daniher 7 9 + many out on the full
Green 7 4
Tippa 6 4

 

[CBombers17]

We need the Jack Churchill of AFL.

 

[vast]

I wonder if Hurley would like to be Captain?

 

[Howard Moon]

This whole toughness thing has got me thinking...

Back in Lloyds early years he was getting bullied by full backs, one particular day vs the bulldogs Kertiuk got a hold of him, made him look a meek little kid.

Post game Sheedy had a word with Wallis and Harvey - who in turn took Lloyd aside and barreled him, they said if you don't learn how to look after yourself you wont have a career much longer...

Next minute Lloyd is running though the back of a few players, laying a few body bumps, the odd trailing elbow.

Now we have a player with a tougher edge who went on to be a champion. There is something to be said for toughness being a prerequisite in the game of AFL, maybe they just go hand in hand.

One: who are our Harvey and wallis these days who can teach this lesson?
Two: you might be an average side, but if the opposition is second guessing if they are about to be crunched each contest you may get them 5% off their game - and in todays footy 5% can be the difference between a win and a loss.

 

[Doss]

Difference is you can't run through people to anywhere the same degree now as you could 20 years ago, so the scope for a young player imposing himself like that is reduced.

 

[Howard Moon]

Difference is you can't run through people to anywhere the same degree now as you could 20 years ago, so the scope for a young player imposing himself like that is reduced.

how can you find the line between thuggery and "unsociable" football?

who draws the line? is it a movable feast?

 

[DERO]

Leadership does not equate to roughing up opposition players, it is about trying to get the best out of your team-mates!

 

[Mercurial89]

Its possible also in the players we are drafting that these traits dont come naturally, not that they arent there, everyone is capable.

For example its brought up every year the weird stuff this club and others ask draftees from a psychology point of view.

If we are targetting players that are good off field, maybe more coachable etc these traits might fly in the face of others that a player will physically impose himself.
I dont think that makes players weak i dont ever want to be accused of saying that. However they may me more inclined to go about their "footballing business" by playing the game. Sure they can 'go hard' when they decide too. But its not natural.

 

[DERO]

Its possible also in the players we are drafting that these traits dont come naturally, not that they arent there, everyone is capable.

For example its brought up every year the weird stuff this club and others ask draftees from a psychology point of view.

If we are targetting players that are good off field, maybe more coachable etc these traits might fly in the face of others that a player will physically impose himself.
I dont think that makes players weak i dont ever want to be accused of saying that. However they may me more inclined to go about their "footballing business" by playing the game. Sure they can 'go hard' when they decide too. But its not natural.

The faux tough guys stuff just not work and would in fact be distracting for someone who is not that way inclined. With focus on skill and application, the rest should take care of itself.

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

The faux tough guys stuff just not work and would in fact be distracting for someone who is not that way inclined. With focus on skill and application, the rest should take care of itself.

As long as they do not avoid contact, go when it’s their turn and look out for their team mates.

 

[AcuteWhistle]

One: who are our Harvey and wallis these days who can teach this lesson?

Great question which got me thinking so I scrolled through our list, http://www.essendonfc.com.au/teams/profiles/senior & as I suspected, I couldn't find one to legitimately compare to those two. Well, other than Irish but then I don't think even Harves or Wallis ever bit anyone.

The game has changed but still requires a level of mongrel which to date with this group, I just haven't seen. That's an issue.

 

[Howard Moon]

Leadership does not equate to roughing up opposition players, it is about trying to get the best out of your team-mates!

that's right! leadership doesn't equate to hitting people! it equates to getting your teammates to want to hit people for you...

 

[DERO]

As long as they do not avoid contact, go when it’s their turn and look out for their team mates.

There is a distinction that needs to be drawn there and you are spot on for mine.

Big difference between belting blokes and putting your head over the ball.

 

[owen87]

I had a thought yesterday after reading Robert Shaws latest about Culture & Generational Focus

You need an identifiable brand, and a link between past and present. That's part of why we're all so connected to our clubs, usually our parent(s) supported them, and their parents before that. We have an immensely proud connection to our history, and that's why we all love this club - no matter the ups and downs that we've had over the last decade.

Where's our link from our successful eras to today?

What makes our club great?

 

[Howard Moon]

I had a thought yesterday after reading Robert Shaws latest about Culture & Generational Focus

You need an identifiable brand, and a link between past and present. That's part of why we're all so connected to our clubs, usually our parent(s) supported them, and their parents before that. We have an immensely proud connection to our history, and that's why we all love this club - no matter the ups and downs that we've had over the last decade.

Where's our link from our successful eras to today?

What makes our club great?

these days the link is in the jumper - nothing more

maybe there used to be a definable brand that followed a club through generations

like in soccer - the dutch way of playing total footbal, the Spanish tiki taka - all definable brands that go through their eras

in footy, gone are the days a clubs brand and on field ways of playing are in sync and rolling on through the years. Now it just changes when a new coach does.

some clubs try it, the blood culture, the shinbone spirit but its fleeting mostly

 

[Mercurial89]

There is a distinction that needs to be drawn there and you are spot on for mine.

Big difference between belting blokes and putting your head over the ball.

But do we feel we have players who avoid contact?
I cant name a best 22 player that does.
And i mean legitimately avoiding a contest not going in but being beaten by a stronger body.

 

[Mr Mojo Risin]

But do we feel we have players who avoid contact?
I cant name a best 22 player that does.
And i mean legitimately avoiding a contest not going in but being beaten by a stronger body.

I think points 2 and 3 from my post are more my concern, however naturally there are some players who like contact less than others *cough* Zaka *cough* and while I don't think they go out of their way a lot to avoid it I do wonder if subconsciously it changes some decisions they make.

 

[schmuttt]

Everyone just needs to attack the ball like McGrath.

 

[Howard Moon]

I think points 2 and 3 from my post are more my concern, however naturally there are some players who like contact less than others *cough* Zaka *cough* and while I don't think they go out of their way a lot to avoid it I do wonder if subconsciously it changes some decisions they make.

I heard dermie on the radio last week say... we all like to mock the cough squib cough outside players.. like its an insulting term but in the end, every team needs somebody who doesn't like contact who can get it on the outside and go, and deliver it.