Coaching Staff Senior Coach: John Worsfold - Thank you John

[yaco55]

We are reaching the desperation stage if we are posting 'verbatim' opinions from the 'so called' footy experts - Their opinions have little validity and they chop and change their opinions like the wind - Ultimately it comes back to the players - For a ten week period around mid-season the club had the number one defence in the AFL which suggests the system was OK - It's a matter of going harder and longer - The foundation has been set.

 

[MiguelM]

Lloyd: Worsfold talks all about brand but I don’t know what it is

Judd: Isn’t their brand just that run off half back that doesn’t stand up?

Lloyd: well, yes

Further Lloyd:

Leadership (references leadership group). Fantasia should be in the VFL such is his form. Myers doesn’t even consider himself good enough to be playing AFL. Daniher is hanging out at the Swans’ CEO’s house.

“It’s said by Essendon people” (dunno what he means there) that the players’ leaders are Hooker and Hurley and that’s who they voted for. The coaches overruled them.

If Essendon don’t play finals then Worsfold should go.

I just want somebody to come in and build a competitive brand of footy that complements the list. We don’t need big names. Caracella, Rutten and Solomon for me. Three young men who are knowledgeable and hungry.

Solomon is a great people person who builds relationships but he also has plenty of fire in the belly.

They are seventh in the ladder and have done lots right but the last two weeks have been unacceptable.

What’s going on with the culture of the group... (references the blond hair etc)... what are they all about. Look at Hawthorn - no long sleeves. That’s a similar “look” thing but the opposite.

Is that the same Lloyd that declared Collingwood midfield the best of all time at the start of the year? How is that going now?

Love him as a player, not so much as a commentator.

Look, Media is flooded with opinion, doesn't mean they are right. They are told to be sensational for the clickbait or ratings. Many failed coaches among them. Nothing sells more than coach bashing, esp a big club like us.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Throat slit motion.

Went ballistic at the players after the 96 prelim loss, I think? Almost lost the players, or so the legend goes. I'm just a bit unsure about the year.

Plenty of examples of Sheedy being emotional. Just need to have a careful think about it.

‘83 GF function which was away from media. ‘96 Prelim in which Sheeds admits he went too far. The jacket wave and Mitch White throat slit.

Four times in 27 years. If anything I used to wonder how he kept so calm.

As for Worsfold he does talk to players on the bench. But then again most are judging by a couple of minutes footage a quarter and judging that he doesn’t say anything.

 

[Squeaky]

It doesn't really matter who the coach is. 'Professional' football players can't get out on the field and play like that.
Our issues run deeper than who is moving the magnets...

 

[JayJ20]

It doesn't really matter who the coach is. 'Professional' football players can't get out on the field and play like that.
Our issues run deeper than who is moving the magnets...

This is my biggest concern.

I’ve long said that those involved in the Knights and Hird era save for Hooker, Heppell and Watson have a losing culture. They stop when the going gets tough. It looks like our younger players have absorbed that culture because why not?

You can tell that Stringer, Smith and Saad aren’t developed at Essendon because they keep trying no matter what.

If we’re getting a coach, then it needs to be someone that is going to be honest with the list. Someone that makes the hard calls. Clarkson or Hardwick would be the exact type of coach we need. Honest, passionate and don’t accept anything less than the best.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Jono Brown had a go at Hepp and leadership during our 3-5 run. Then changed his tune when we were up. Lyon even called him out last night about it. Lloyd acts like a emotional fan boy. Another one who’s changed his tune a few times.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

We are reaching the desperation stage if we are posting 'verbatim' opinions from the 'so called' footy experts - Their opinions have little validity and they chop and change their opinions like the wind - Ultimately it comes back to the players - For a ten week period around mid-season the club had the number one defence in the AFL which suggests the system was OK - It's a matter of going harder and longer - The foundation has been set.

I’d say their opinions have as much validity as any of ours.

 

[Fin ice Smuggler]

Is that the same Lloyd that declared Collingwood midfield the best of all time at the start of the year? How is that going now?

Love him as a player, not so much as a commentator.

Look, Media is flooded with opinion, doesn't mean they are right. They are told to be sensational for the clickbait or ratings. Many failed coaches among them. Nothing sells more than coach bashing, esp a big club like us.

Collingwood - They only have more injuries than us and Beams has not lived up to expectations because if his issues. They also beat West Coast in Perth.

I admire what Lloyd has to say, he doesn't skirt around the issue. Doesn't mean he's always right but i think he's right about Worsfold. I also absorb what Wayne Carey has to say.

I agree with your last sentiment though.

 

[Fin ice Smuggler]

Jono Brown had a go at Hepp and leadership during our 3-5 run. Then changed his tune when we were up. Lyon even called him out last night about it. Lloyd acts like a emotional fan boy. Another one who’s changed his tune a few times.

Was he wrong about our on field leadership? Who are our generals? Where are our Jason Johnson types that bullock there way into the contest when we are 70 points down against North. Our Dean Solomon and Damien Hardwick's of 99/2000.

We're just a pack of caffe latte sucking marshmallows.

 

[Fin ice Smuggler]

Don't want Brad Scott. I might be able to deal with Ross Lyon, not from a game spectacle but from the point of view he ensures he's team's are one of the fittest and are tough in the contest. But boy you'd need to ensure Dodoro and recruiting team kept young talent filtering through because Lyon left Saints in a mess, Freo? still have the tools to build upon should he leave now.

 

[Doss]

Was he wrong about our on field leadership? Who are our generals? Where are our Jason Johnson types that bullock there way into the contest when we are 70 points down against North. Our Dean Solomon and Damien Hardwick's of 99/2000.

We're just a pack of caffe latte sucking marshmallows.

More mocha. Not quite sure of its identity and ends up nailing neither the hot chocolate or the coffee.

 

[Bombermania]

Sure injuries were a factor but there were a number of passages of play that no amount of injuries can excuse, there were times when Footscray players just ran harder, and moved the ball more cleanly with intent.

Two cases in the third quarter that stood out.

The first, Footscray brought the ball along the dockland wing with a string of clean possessions before hitting a leading forward, and the other was a centre clearance where Essendon won the ball with numbers but after a string of throws they managed to reach the edge of the centre square before a turnover that went straight to a Footscray forward.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Was he wrong about our on field leadership? Who are our generals? Where are our Jason Johnson types that bullock there way into the contest when we are 70 points down against North. Our Dean Solomon and Damien Hardwick's of 99/2000.

We're just a pack of caffe latte sucking marshmallows.

Well must have been someone who stood up to drag us back from behind against Giants, North, Swans and Crows. Heppell stood up like any past leaders against Crows, he was fantastic.

Those three you mentioned also struggled when the team struggled post 2001. Stop living in the past anyway, different era

 

[afairgo]

Don't want Brad Scott. I might be able to deal with Ross Lyon, not from a game spectacle but from the point of view he ensures he's team's are one of the fittest and are tough in the contest. But boy you'd need to ensure Dodoro and recruiting team kept young talent filtering through because Lyon left Saints in a mess, Freo? still have the tools to build upon should he leave now.

Retreads very rarely work and are retreads for a reason. Pay up and take a risk with a new generation coach. Any old guys listed here would be a clear sign of a mediocre club.

 

[Beerfish]

That’s wishful thinking. Not a single Essendon side in the history of the club lost by 105 points to Bulldogs. Not a single Essendon side ever conceded 21 consecutive goals. Not a single side in the top 8 ever lost by 100+ to a side outside the 8. We had one goal with 5 minutes to go.

Injuries are not an excuse for the way we lost. We had enough talent to at least keep it to a 8-10 goal loss.

We had 120 less disposals for less tackles.

Quoting a bunch of stats doesn't make your opinion on the cause any more valid. The mounting injury toll to the point we're playing injured players along side players that should only be seen in the vfl adds up to that result.

I’ll excuse Heppell because he usually gives his all. First game back

You'll excuse Hep because it's his first game back? He's cooked! Probably shouldn't have been playing and I'll be surprised if he plays this week and if he does I don't expect he'll be any better. He needs surgery ffs. The team is done. They're completely fried for the year. There's no mystery about it.

 

[Fin ice Smuggler]

Well must have been someone who stood up to drag us back from behind against Giants, North, Swans and Crows. Heppell stood up like any past leaders against Crows, he was fantastic.

Those three you mentioned also struggled when the team struggled post 2001. Stop living in the past anyway, different era

The past is the underbelly of culture, why dismiss it? Swans embraced there bloods culture, Brad Scott wanted to dismiss the shin boners past, which one has worked better? In 97 we were a soft team that Sheeds labelled us as Marshmallows, those players helped bridge that gap of toughness required to be capable of winning a premiership. I'm not living in the past, i'm applying whats worked for us in the past.

Crows? are as soft as us, didnt want to tackle us in that 2nd half, in 2nd half they looked like us against Dogs.
Swans are 4th last aren't they? On paper we should have won both games against them by 6+ goals let alone scrounge a win
Giants - well Hawks showed what there like away from GWS, we were lucky they kicked inaccurately. How did we go against them round 1?
North - yeah they were hard at us, but how is there season going anyway?

I'll give you Heppell, Hooker, Saad, Ambrose and Merrett (is that enough in your opinion?)

 

[citizen-erased]

The past is the underbelly of culture, why dismiss it? Swans embraced there bloods culture, Brad Scott wanted to dismiss the shin boners past, which one has worked better? In 97 we were a soft team that Sheeds labelled us as Marshmallows, those players helped bridge that gap of toughness required to be capable of winning a premiership. I'm not living in the past, i'm applying whats worked for us in the past.

Crows? are as soft as us, didnt want to tackle us in that 2nd half, in 2nd half they looked like us against Dogs.
Swans are 4th last aren't they? On paper we should have won both games against them by 6+ goals let alone scrounge a win
Giants - well Hawks showed what there like away from GWS, we were lucky they kicked inaccurately. How did we go against them round 1?
North - yeah they were hard at us, but how is there season going anyway?

I'll give you Heppell, Hooker, Saad, Ambrose and Merrett (is that enough in your opinion?)

North kicked a single goal on the weekend.

Our recent run of wins were only exceptional in the fact we'd have normally lost them.
Our luck ran out in recent weeks.

List aside (as i think we only have a couple of holes there)
We are poorly coached
We develop players poorly
We manage injury poorly.
All in all, we aren't a well run club.

We are in effect the Gold Coast of Vic without the terrible win/loss ratio (probably because we have the list).

I don't care who coaches us next year. Woosh, Rutten, Caracella. Hell, if Lyon wants a crack at someone in Vic, sure why not. Took two mediocre teams to GFs.
But they need to change the culture in the playing group. Going on nearly 2 decades since i've seen a hungry Essendon side.

 

[Fin ice Smuggler]

Retreads very rarely work and are retreads for a reason. Pay up and take a risk with a new generation coach. Any old guys listed here would be a clear sign of a mediocre club.

I'm not dismissing your comments but a new coach doesn't always work either and if he has the wrong support around him offering advice? Cough Cough James Hird, well you know?

On one hand you could get the next Alistair Clarkson
On another you could get Matthew Knights
flip side Leigh Matthew to Lions, Malcolm blight to Crows, Malthouse to Pies
flip side again Malthouse to Blues, Pagan to Blue, Terry Wallace to Tigers.

 

[Fin ice Smuggler]

North kicked a single goal on the weekend.

Our recent run of wins were only exceptional in the fact we'd have normally lost them.
Our luck ran out in recent weeks.

List aside (as i think we only have a couple of holes there)
We are poorly coached
We develop players poorly
We manage injury poorly.
All in all, we aren't a well run club.

We are in effect the Gold Coast of Vic without the terrible win/loss ratio (probably because we have the list).

I don't care who coaches us next year. Woosh, Rutten, Caracella. Hell, if Lyon wants a crack at someone in Vic, sure why not. Took two mediocre teams to GFs.
But they need to change the culture in the playing group. Going on nearly 2 decades since i've seen a hungry Essendon side.

Good stuff

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I remain staggered that anybody can put a 100+ point loss to a middle-range side down to injuries. One where we basically went for an entire game without kicking a goal, while conceding 21.

Getting smashed by Port, or marginally getting over GC? Yep, fine, can ascribe that to personnel as those that were out there were mostly trying and were competitive for large parts.

Saturday night was next level. Maybe 1 or 2 had a crack, other than that the team just turned them up. There was absolutely none of the effort required in a game of senior footy.

We’ve seen a couple of instances of this over the past couple of decades and each time it’s been the sign of major issues within the club and team. Games that came toward the end of Knights and Hird eras when things were totally shot and the playing group has been lost.

I think we see this kind of response a bit. Like all footy clubs, we have a section of doomsday supporters who fly off the reservation when something goes wrong and are convinced it’s the end of the world.

And of course, we have another, calmer, more sensible section which encourages perspective.

Quite often - probably the majority of the time - they’re right, but I think the cooler heads probably get stuck in their default approach sometimes too.

An example is our preseason form the last two years. It was horrific, some flipped out, while others were totally relaxed as “it’s only preseason”.

I think the reality was in the middle - getting totally smashed or losing to s**t sides in the preseason isn’t the end of the world, but *, it can’t be just written off. It’s a full dress rehearsal and a sure sign we’re simply not ready for the season proper. And so it proved to be.

Now this... to deny there’s deeper issues here than injuries is totally misguided imo. Saturday night was the performance of a group of players (yes, some injured, but certainly not all) who were completely unwilling to carry out the basic requirements.

 

[Runk]

The mounting injury toll to the point we're playing injured players along side players that should only be seen in the vfl adds up to that result.
You'll excuse Hep because it's his first game back? He's cooked! Probably shouldn't have been playing and I'll be surprised if he plays this week and if he does I don't expect he'll be any better. He needs surgery ffs. The team is done. They're completely fried for the year. There's no mystery about it.

 

[citizen-erased]

We’ve seen a couple of instances of this over the past couple of decades and each time it’s been the sign of major issues within the club and team. Games that came toward the end of Knights and Hird eras when things were totally shot and the playing group has been lost.

I wonder if it's the same case for each, and whether it's the playing group was lost so the coach was turfed, or the coach was looking on shaky ground and as such lost the group?

When i think of recent bad years, 2015 & 2010 generally stand out.
2019 is up there. Started so poorly and brushed it off (Preseason, patience, etc).
There hasn't been a single game this year where the team has impressed me tbh.

More often than not, the wins were on the back of oppositions having poor periods, and we were less poor.

Less about the coach and more about the club - it's time we parked the off-field stuff. AFLW (as much as i want it), eSports, membership records (which is insulting given what they serve up to us season after season, now in record numbers though!!)

The next 3-5 years should be hanker down, work hard and the focus on the onfield.
The list is primed for a tilt. Get it fit, focused and firing.

 

[eth-dog]

Tad harsh Eth, bloke can only work with the cattle he's got. I'm not saying he's the answer at Essendon, nor do I think we necessarily need him given Rutten is our DL coach, that said you'll go well to find someone as honest, tough, hard and uncompromising as Soli. Traits most in our team are missing atm.

The cattle? All of a sudden May, Thompson, Saad, Harbrow are crap? No, don't want Soloman here one iota

 

[Seb78]

The cattle? All of a sudden May, Thompson, Saad, Harbrow are crap? No, don't want Soloman here one iota

I get that, but when your team is getting flogged week in week out not much a defensive line coach can do especially when the ball is constantly getting bombarded in your defensive 50 time after time. Anyway I agree I don't think Soli is the answer to our prayers in anyway shape or form. I just don't think he's as bad as made out to be.

 

[DapperJong]

I remain staggered that anybody can put a 100+ point loss to a middle-range side down to injuries.

I don't think anyone has said that was 100% the cause. You're thinking way too hard about this mate.