Coaching Staff Senior Coach: John Worsfold - Thank you John

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ghostdog

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Oct 18, 2008
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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.
I would include Hurley. He hates losing. It's a weird one because on the other side of things we seem still to have a mentality that justifies taking the foot off the pedal when we're winning, but I recall the Knights message of wanting the players to be ruthless and not take the foot off the throat coming through loud and clear. I thought Hird was similar - remember the anger and determination on his face trying to read the 'that's how you f***** play football' gif? I wonder if it was brought into the playing group with particular players?
 

ghostdog

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If we dont make finals, Woosha being sent packing isnt out of the realms or possibilities.
I also have little doubt we would be Brad's first choice in that instance.

However, how much interest we would have in Brad Scott is an entirely different story.
I found that amusing too, that Brad Scott somehow gets to pick and choose, because he's somehow on par with Clarkson.
 

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Oct 1, 2006
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Do you regularly watch the GWS play ? They are one of the more unstructured teams going around - And Smith played as a forward at GWS in which you play a more defined structural role compared to the midfield - Please, don't believe everything in the media is true.

Of course I watch other teams. I post on a football forum. You don’t do that as a casual.

You don’t know the context of it and are assuming it’s untrue like it was keeping club secrets. You’re accusing him of being a liar for no reason.
 
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Jun 8, 2014
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First 10 mins they're pretty much on the money
Comments on Caracella and ross lyon here:

the Don't Argue podcast, Wayne Carey, Brendon Goddard, Ben Dixon and Jay Clark recap AFL Round 21.


Carey is spot on here when he talks about the saga still affecting players. We talk about Worsfold. We talk about injuries. But the insidious nature of those days would still be affecting those players more than we'd think. Has to.

Worsfold may not be the man for the future but we owe him a debt of gratitude in supporting these players through it. To get this team playing some really good footy at times has been quite a remarkable feat, from where things were.
 

blitzer

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I don't reckon the saga has much of an impact these days. Not to say it doesn't cross a few players minds now and then but I remain unconvinced its having a material impact on actual matches.

I agree that Worsfold did an amazing job with his coaching during the suspension year. That said you can't use that as an excuse forever and a time comes where you need to achieve results. Last year not making finals was a failure, this year not making finals would be a huge failure.
 
Oct 12, 2012
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See, I just don’t buy the “saga affecting the players” excuse anymore. Maybe 2014/15, but not now. How many players are on the list from that period, 5? 6?

The club has moved on, I’m sure the players have. I think the media need to move away from that and supporters need to stop using that excuse.
Agreed. I think BJ hit the nail on the head when he referenced the Gen Z kids and how they're managed today compared to his time - it makes a lot of sense when you consider that we're a nice and non physical/lacking a bit of mongrel esque team.
 
Jun 11, 2007
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Agreed. I think BJ hit the nail on the head when he referenced the Gen Z kids and how they're managed today compared to his time - it makes a lot of sense when you consider that we're a nice and non physical/lacking a bit of mongrel esque team.
wouldnt more clubs have this issue though?
Brissy have a host of kids. Sitting 2nd at the moment.

To me its simple - we've accepted mediocrity for too long
Now it's part of the culture.

Who on our list could have captained the Hawks during their 3peat era? or a Swans side? or last years Eagles side?
We are not about standards at the moment.

GenZ, WADA, injuries, etc.
every year there is an excuse.

How about - we aren't up to standard and haven't been for over a decade and a half.
 
Of course I watch other teams. I post on a football forum. You don’t do that as a casual.

You don’t know the context of it and are assuming it’s untrue like it was keeping club secrets. You’re accusing him of being a liar for no reason.

You conveniently forget that Smith was playing a different role at GWS - Forward VS Midfielder - I'll give you a tip there are some on this forum who post about games they have not watched.
 

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wouldnt more clubs have this issue though?
Brissy have a host of kids. Sitting 2nd at the moment.

To me its simple - we've accepted mediocrity for too long
Now it's part of the culture.

Who on our list could have captained the Hawks during their 3peat era? or a Swans side? or last years Eagles side?
We are not about standards at the moment.

GenZ, WADA, injuries, etc.
every year there is an excuse.

How about - we aren't up to standard and haven't been for over a decade and a half.
Agree - 15yrs without a finals win and a handful of finals appearances does equate to shitty standards and mediocrity; but there's going to be a reason for that. Last weekends performance was a disgrace, I put that down to a lack of discipline and no, that's not purely on the "Gen Z" kids - I just thought the statement had some merit to it.
 
Oct 1, 2006
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You conveniently forget that Smith was playing a different role at GWS - Forward VS Midfielder - I'll give you a tip there are some on this forum who post about games they have not watched.

I didn’t forget anything I didn’t mention it. Smith stated he was instructed more heavily at GWS and given greater freedom at Essendon. That’s all.

That said he was still part of their midfield rotation, especially in his early year before their depth improved. His third year he averaged half a possession less than last year with multiple clearances and rebound fifties most games. Anything else is revisionist. He was much larger part of their midfield than Stringer is ours.

Though I’m not sure what the point of this is. It’s not an outlandish claim that Worsfold isn’t tactically pedantic.
 
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Sep 22, 2011
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Agree - 15yrs without a finals win and a handful of finals appearances does equate to s**tty standards and mediocrity; but there's going to be a reason for that. Last weekends performance was a disgrace, I put that down to a lack of discipline and no, that's not purely on the "Gen Z" kids - I just thought the statement had some merit to it.

I don’t look at it as shitty standards and mediocrity, more a series of constant cockups.

After the era we had it was reasonable to rebuild 2005-07... we finished bottom four for those three seasons.

The problem was we cocked up replacing Sheedy.

That put us off course for 2008 - 2010. We were never going to be competitive under Knights.

2011 and 2012 we’re repairing that damage then the mother of all cockups drops and *s us from 2013 til probably 2017.

2018 and 2019 we really should be going forward, which is why it’s so frustrating that we’ve stalled.
 
Oct 22, 2008
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See, I just don’t buy the “saga affecting the players” excuse anymore. Maybe 2014/15, but not now. How many players are on the list from that period, 5? 6?

The club has moved on, I’m sure the players have. I think the media need to move away from that and supporters need to stop using that excuse.
Egg Zackery. Worsfold could've walked into the Adelaide job and named his terms. He chose Essendon because he knew the bar was lower and long term he had the cattle to create a false turnaround. He didn't even achieve that and he calls for more time "Its my first 6 months!!".

He's a charlatan and a fraud who would choose his own career in football over family. But his reaction remains the mostly the same whether we win or if the opposition kicks 21 unanswered goals in 3 and a half quarters of footy so he'll always have that going for him.
 

MarkJohnson#1

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The questioning of Woosha’s character and commitment based on a few seconds (yes seconds) of TV footage is astounding. Calmness and composure is a highly respected skill in the business and sporting world yet he is being drilled for it. Whenever I’ve seen Hardwick, Scott, Eade and co lose it in the box I’ve always thought it was poor and that they lacked self control and an ability to cope with pressure.

I’m backing Woosha and our players to bounce back.
 
Egg Zackery. Worsfold could've walked into the Adelaide job and named his terms. He chose Essendon because he knew the bar was lower and long term he had the cattle to create a false turnaround. He didn't even achieve that and he calls for more time "Its my first 6 months!!".

He's a charlatan and a fraud who would choose his own career in football over family. But his reaction remains the mostly the same whether we win or if the opposition kicks 21 unanswered goals in 3 and a half quarters of footy so he'll always have that going for him.

Bloody hell you really can't stand the bloke can you?
 

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