I’d hardly call two top 5 picks and pick 18 bottoming out. We have already matched that, and some.
Deledio was drafted in ‘05 wasn’t he? and was gone before they won their first flag.
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If I’ve interpreted that correctly it points to the fact we still suck at setting up behind the ball and get opened up easily on turnover. So to combat that we are choosing to move the ball slowly and safely. Picking wide, easy options that help us to retain the ball.
But then once we get to half forward the other team have had so much time to setup and flood back we find it hard to be efficient and score.
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So, I’ve generally kept out of this thread as most of it seemed to be toxic nonsense.
But I now do have one question for Brad Scott.
I think most of us are happy to accept Brad’s often repeated comment that the AFL is a very even competition and if a team is 1% off their game then they will be found out even by a relatively poorer team.
I too can accept that to a degree. But here is my question.
Why is it that Essendon is 1% off EVERY time we play one of these poorer teams? Surely even by random chance we should be the team that is on and the opposition are 1% off once in a while (leading to a solid win or a thrashing). But no.
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Post match McGrath said Brad prepared the team for a tough battle, that it would be a grind, along those lines.
Brad seems to be a king at setting expectations. “It’s going to take a long time, the comp is equal etc”
Brad seems to be unaware of a robustly studied Pygmalion Effect—also known as the self-fulfilling prophecy of expectations.
Compare that with:
Craig McRae (March 2023, Pre-Season): In an interview with The Age before the 2023 season, McRae was asked about Collingwood’s prospects after a strong 2022 under his leadership. He said, “Why would we put a limit on what we can achieve? I’m not going to stand here and say we’re just aiming for finals. We’re here to chase the ultimate, and if we fall short, we’ll learn. But why not us? Why not now?”
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thats toxic, you should be thanking brad that its only 1% and not 2%
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If Brad said something similar to McCrae before the season started he would have been laughed at by fans on here. Would be getting accused for chasing wins,not bottoming out and rebuilding the list etc
Genuinely concerned McKay and Goldstein will get the Weideman treatment and be undroppable no matter how theyre performing.
And El-Hawli getting the Massimo treatment.
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Do you honestly think that the only thing holding our team’s back from success in the last ten years is believe and self-confidence?
You can push that on a team that has had a decade of great workmanlike habits and tendencies, but we have none of that. We leaned towards offensive flair than defensive grit.
And that’s what our biggest problem has been. When things go our way, we looked great, when it didn’t, it was ugly at best or absolutely listless. We need multiple years of defensive first footy just to get our habits into a certain spot.
Then we can go to ‘the sky’s the limit’ type stuff.
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Mckay and Goldstien are better players then Wiedeman
Was weid a better defender than Hayes?
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last year yes.
compared to Hayes now, no.
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Do you think it was the right call to play Weid over Hayes against Sydney last year?
Nice signpost.
Was it a mistake? Yes… but it was 1 game. Not sure anyone will remember, or care, in 2031 when Hayes plays his 100th game that it could have happened 1 week earlier if Weid hadn’t been selected for a solitary game back in season 2024.
It may have only been 1 game. But it shows Brad’s mindset perfectly. If its between a bang average senior guy or a youngster who is showing promise. He will always back in the senior guy
Also it would of been a great learning experience for Hayes to play against the swans.
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Maybe, or it could have killed the confidence of a young kid who wasn’t quiet ready. Who knows.
Anyway, I was surprised when Weid was selected and would have much rather have seen Hayes in the team, so I agree with you, but I also think that particular selection is way overblown on Blitz.
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the emergencies were all closer to getting a game than Hayes if not Weideman.
Tsatas, Wright, Setterfield.
if Weideman didn’t play Hayes wouldn’t have it would have been someone else and team shuffle.
after that match I think I was calling for El-Hawli to come in and hoping we would pick up Jobe Shanahan.
Hayes wasn’t that close to a debut, this year he has been close.
Why are fans in hurry to play guys like Hayes let them get really in the good vfl so when they do get picked they stay in the senior side
Hayes has played almost as many games as BZT did in reserves he’s ready, and only one injury away from his chance now.
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Couldn’t agree with this more. If we’re rebuilding, you need to cut the chord quick. But we seemingly are stuck “aiming for finals” and are “an inexperienced list” and not putting pressure on the players to deliver