Why because he only played 11 AFL games? Mind you that’s 11 more than the 2024 premiership coach.
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I think it’s more about the serious issues we have with the forward line and the coaching of it is now being led by someone who, well, I don’t think that needs much explaining. And pretty much everyone on here was hoping and expecting the club to bring in someone with actual experience to try and support the development of that area of our game because it is clearly a struggle. Instead we promote from within.
Odd thing to even try comparing to Fagan who has over 25 years of coaching experience with GM experience mixed in and also included over 250 games in the TSL, to a former VAFA coach who got a couple years in our development team and then has been handed the senior forward line on a silver platter.
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We’d better have. But even assuming that’s the case, it’s still concerning that we’re going into next year with one less development coach.
He’s back!
Why did he leave in the first place was part of the vfl program in 2019
With a third round pick?
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How is it odd when my point is that just because Roberts isn’t a big name doesn’t mean he isn’t the right person. Fagan wasn’t a big name coach when he got started as an assistant at Melbourne and now look what he has achieved.
Roberts has a background in player development and coaching at community level. Who’s to say that can’t transfer to getting our forward line humming. Heck it couldn’t get much worse.
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meh, more essendon people.
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Maybe not many people want to come and join our coaching panel. I know I wouldn’t.
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Back and available to be traded with a 3rd rounder, I am over the moon
Why would the club put out social media about the 2025 coaching group “locked in” then a few days later announce Ricky as VFL assistant coach. I demand answers to this important question!
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Bernard Shepheard used to be a VFL assistant coach in 2023.
He’s shifted into the AFLW group last year.
I’m not sure if they actually replaced him for this season though. They probably left it with Blake to do what he could for a year before getting a replacement (noting that Ricky is part time).
Just remember, assistant coaches deal with the VFL listed players only during training. The AFL listed players rarely train with VFL listed players because they train with all the other AFL players.
Also, VFL players are more likely to be working part time, so they don’t even do gym work with the AFL listed players.
To make it even more fun…
Some VFL players are playing in EDFL or another comp when not in the VFL, so the Monday night training session can be a small group of players who played VFL on the Saturday whilst the rest played on the day before and are left to do ‘rest and recovery’ work and drills.
They are very much two different programs with some crossover.
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Does this mean Cloke could be gone?
Yep.
Hurley and Cloke show up to AFL training. They’ve both had some form of development role since 2023.
They won’t be in the VFL coaches box if AFL & VFL have a game on the same day.
Ricky is solely VFL coach. He won’t be showing up to any AFL training.
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Hope not. He’s an elite runner for our AFL team!
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In fairness to the players, I don’t think the coaches could
I thought he was an nrl player but seems he’s been here a while
Impeccable corporate jargon will no doubt take him very far at essington fc
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Giving off burt Reynolds vibes there or is it just me
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