I really do wish I could get the footage of Merrett being interviewed after a winning game last year.
I could have dreamt it, but I’m sure he said to the interviewer something to the effect of:
“We really don’t have a game plan but we did x today”
We have no choice but to back Brad in for the long haul - I just wish we had position integrity this year, and last year, selection integrity.
I think I get confused about some peoples complete blind faith that Brad is a great coach and he will be the one to turn things around, he just needs a decade to do it, but yes he is great and wonderful and a good coach.
We didn’t bring Clarkson over. We didn’t bring Chris Scott over. We didn’t bring Hardwick over. We didn’t bring Simpson over. We didn’t bring Longmire over. We didn’t bring over a recent coach that has been incredibly successful to justify this sort of attitude.
We brought Brad Scott over. Brad Scott who spent a decade at North Melbourne and finished with a 50% win/loss ratio. Oh but you forgot, he took a terrible bad bad team to many finals wins and to a couple prelims a decade ago! So? There were well known issues with him during that time, especially around player accountability and selection, which seem oddly familiar now.
Maybe he does become successful with us. But this treating him like he is some incredibly credentialed coach that will obviously turn things around eventually and everyone else is silly and you just can’t quite understand why people are having concerns 18 month in, is absolute blind madness.
You can find out pretty early on whether a new coach was the right choice. That doesn’t mean you start winning heaps of games straight away or the team starts setting the world on fire. But if it was the right choice, you start to see signs early on. I’m still seeing a lot of same old signs.
A quote from Brad Scott in 2019 while at North
“I think criticism and accountability is really important in our industry. I think you should be able to withstand criticism and crave accountability, because those who don’t crave accountability are either lazy or inept. If it was something I was concerned about then I would act on it.”
Pay that one.
He may not be a great coach. But he’s likely the best ‘coach’ for this club right now. He’s experienced, strong minded, respected, understands how to build organisations, is methodical and sensible. That’s the character profile Essendon needs as its priority right now is to build a Club, not just a team.
There will come a time when we determine if he is a great technical coach. But the leadership and experience he brings a vulnerable footy club right now is vital.
How was North after he left?
I reckon he did a good job at North. He probably stayed a couple of years too long and I think he’s admitted he was too loyal to his experienced players.
His experience at Brisbane and even the AFL is invaluable.
I also have confidence he’d be a better coach this time around.
As I said, he’s not perfect. He’s got his flaws. He probably isn’t great technically in the box matchday. However, I still think he brings a package that suits Essendon in the short / medium term. And the club can appoint different skills in coaches box to make up for his weaknesses (eg: David Rath).
He needs some time. Any new coach rebuilding this pile of crap does. An inexperienced coach would be ill equipped.
Scott is likely best for the current time.
Are coaches ever better the second time around?
Eade- nope
Malthouse- arguable
Voss- unknown
Lyon- nope
Sheedy- nope
Hardwick- likely not
Clarkson- likely not
Worsfold- nope
Ratten- nope
Roos- nope
Bomber thompson- nope
Terry wallace- nope
Pagan- nope
Matthews- yup
Who knows. Brad could be the first. Voss probably is.
malthouse, matthews…and just guessing some like barassi were pretty good.
so 3 people in the 150+ year history of the sport. incredible odds
that was just off the top of my head in 10 seconds.
We had to get Mckay cant keep having the likes of Hawkins,Hogan etc kicking bags
Imagine if we didnt have him Dixon would have kicked 5 or 6 and Port win by 100 plus
We have stuff all in smalls that can provide pressure and kick goals Gresham gives us that
Durrsma is tough can run up and back all day and provide some cover in defense.
Goldy you can question but the other 3 were needs
also not many coach a second time do they?
I’m going last 20 years. Everything else is irrelevant. Matthews the only clear yes.
Allan jeans, malcolm blight…
Let’s play a high possession game with a list that is poor by foot, not rocket science to know that isn’t going to work.
Ancient history.
you said ever.
If we sack Brad that blitz seems to want who do we replace with him another untried coach who will ultimately get sacked becuase he cant get the players to peform?
We have to back him for his full tenure sacking another coach will get us no where
I have worked out that Brad is not a tactical genius. Like most of our previous coaches, he is also playing the older experienced players more than preferring to give opportunities for younger players. There is a wild stat going around Melbourne has debut 3 players and we have zero debuts this year.
Caddy or Roberts need to come in this week. Also, Hayes should be playing, because he has a player like Sam Darcy he can play on. No point putting Laverde on Darcy and who ends up kicking 2 or 3.