It starts with him though, it’s a big problem.
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He has bought the EFC Game Plan whatever that is this week?
Technically it starts with the coach
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Essendon captain Dyson Heppell says the club can’t hide away from its loss to Greater Western Sydney.
The Bombers’ 2019 campaign begun in disappointing fashion on Sunday, losing to the Giants by 72 points, which leaves them on the bottom of the ladder ahead of round two.
Essendon was outplayed from the beginning of the contest and kicked just three goals to three-quarter time and managed only five majors for the game.
Heppell said he was “extremely disappointed” with the showing as the Bombers look to return to the finals this year.
“We certainly came into that game feeling we were prepared and ready. That’s far from what we’re all about. It didn’t show up the way we would’ve liked and we’ve got to look at that closely,” the captain said on Monday.
"We can’t just sweep that under the rug. It’s going to take a little bit to move on from that. You’ve got to have a close look at where we did fall apart.
“But you don’t learn unless you go through adversity and we’ve copped that round one early in the season, and we’ve really got to learn from this. I know we’ll bounce back.”
Essendon was without key posts Cale Hooker and Joe Daniher, but faced a Giants line-up that was missing midfield cogs Josh Kelly and Callan Ward, plus defender Nick Haynes.
The Bombers, with new recruit Dylan Shiel facing his former side, were tipped to be a rising side this season and Heppell said Sunday’s performance didn’t reflect the playing group.
“It takes a bit to digest what’s just happened,” Heppell said.
"Having a bit of a look at the game on the plane on the way home and there’s a few efforts there that you think that’s just not us. It’s not the way we want to play our footy and we don’t stand for that.
“We’ll have a look at that, address it, and be really clear, open and honest about the way we performed and I think that’ll allow us to address it and then shift onto next week.”
Forward Jake Stringer arrived at the Bombers’ Tullamarine base having had scans on his foot following Sunday’s game, but said he had been given the all clear despite some bone bruising.
The Bombers have made alterations to their gameplan to beef up their defensive structures this season, and Heppell said he was optimistic they will find much-needed cohesion in coming weeks.
“It’s not a massive shift from the way we played last year. I’m certainly surprised we haven’t clicked how we would’ve liked. Eventually it’s going to click for us, and it will, and I know we’re not going to perform like that again. I’m confident in the group to really bounce back,” he said.
Essendon faces St Kilda at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.
“Eventually it will click for us”
Most likely when we are 2-8.
When the pressure is off we look fine, but when the pressure to perform is on we go to water.
Mentally weak.
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When is a player going to have the nerve and guts to say, “I AM TRUCKEN ANGRY wITH THE WAY WE PLAY AND RESENTED OURSELVES.” Own it!
It won’t click until like last year they throw the compressing the field style out the window, just like they did in round 9 last season they finally decided to keep a player or two deep forward. This opens up the field and its the way our players like to play. The players hate the compression style and are sooking it up just like last season. Im astounded they are trying this again after last seasons disaster, the only change to the set up used from round 9 onwards that was needed for 2019 was zoning through the mid arcs instead of one on one, this alone would have upped our defence but they seem to have gone completely over the top again and implemented a entire new system. Was at the game live, picked it up in the first 5 minutes when i saw our forwards pressed up to almost the defensive 50 i thought ‘here we go again’.
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when we sack someone.
■■■■■■■ groundhog day.
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Dear Mr Heppell, the team plays like flakes under your captainage, please rectify.
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Hand it to Shiel
i’d recruit mathieson and make him captain.
But he will distract Darcy’s development, remember?
“But you don’t learn unless you go through adversity and we’ve copped that round one early in the season, and we’ve really got to learn from this. I know we’ll bounce back.”
WHEN WILL WE LEARN?!!! HOW MANY MORE HIDINGS DO WE NEED UNTIL WE LEARN THAT ROCKING UP WITH A SHT ATTITUDE YOURE GONNA GET FLOGGED! AM SOOOO OVER THIS LINE! YOU ARE EITHER SHT FOOTBALLERS OR MENTALLY RETARDED…PICK ONE!
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Might actually get the play midfield… so yeah it would.
6 years of diversity + another 11 of failure. open your eyes hepp.
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Lets make Alex Morgan captain
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If Woosha is wondering if the players are playing for him then surely Heppell must be asking himself the same question?
Having said that Jobe was a great captain but we didn’t exactly set the world on fire under him either.
This club has serious culture issues.
We do, but i think the culture issues have changed now. The club made an effort a few years ago to put player welfare ahead of everything else. Which wasnt a bad decision. Its absolutely vital considering what we went through, but now that there is stability in the coaching department and everything is “back to normal” so to speak, the player group have lost their urgency
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More Fkg talk. More Fkg excuses. Shut the fk up and deliver results. Results are all that matter and all we do is talk.
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