Unsure if there’s a thread dedicated to discussing gameplan and strategy.
Reading between the lines, it seems like Rutten was trying to install the Richmond gameplan. This failed as we didn’t have the key defensive stocks or the running power that Richmond do.
In contrast, it seems like Scott is using the opposite approach. He wants to assess the list’s strengths first, and design a gameplan around those.
So we all bang on a lot about our list’s weaknesses a lot - but what do you see as our list’s strengths? And therefore, what gamestyle do you think Scott will likely implement?
Off the top of my head, our strengths are:
Centre bounce clearances, having some of the best in the league.
Goal kicking accuracy, with our key forwards generally accurate in front of goals.
Redman and Ridley at halfback being strong marks and good kicks (if Scott can encourage Ridley to take more risks)
When we have the ball = kick and handball to other Essendon players.
When we don’t have the ball = Defensive Transition. Which involves running and communicating.
Line coaches didn’t change. Don’t we still have Gia, Caracalla and Tapping in place. Getting Scott in as head coach might change some of the philosophies but I wouldn’t expect wholesale changes in gameplan as it’s the line coaches who do the day to day of the gameplan.
Does our defence include 3 talls + Ridley, or 2 talls + Ridley. Given the club has said they were looking for help in key defence, I’d say the thinking is on the former. Not sure where this places Kelly.
Does Scott want a specialist defensive midfielder (Setterfield) and does this mean one of our top midfielders gets pushed out
No game plan can ever work if players are unaccountable or refuse to do the dirty work.
Chasing, tackling and applying pressure are absolute non negotiables and anyone not willing to do their bit needs to be sent to the VFL regardless of who they are.
I don’t want to see mids giving up the chase or walking across the middle of the ground 40m away from their opponents
Certainly an original and imaginative suggestion. Definitely contrasts with our current handball-to-the-feet-of-a-teammate-who-is-under-even-more-pressure gameplan.
I’m not a fan of ‘the game plan’. It should change each week depending on the opposition. But as a minimum, we need to define our strengths and build the game plan around them whilst minimising our weaknesses.
