It’s interesting watching the off season already we seem to have a group of good boys going away on a golf trip in langers setters Menzie Durham and others and then the rat pack going overseas in geulfi perk Hobba and calders.
Be interesting if they all link up at this Arizona trip or if it’s just the good guys
Yeah i don’t disagree.
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Not sure about bringing in all his old workhorses from North Melbourne.
However, hardly a tick of approval for Draper if an old man ruckman who sometimes wasn’t in the best 22 for the worst side in recent history is being poached.
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ouch.
If only we hadn’t been made the scapegoats to cover up their excesses…
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i’m not sure trying to re-establish some short-term ruck depth after Flip’s departure is a knock on draper.
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Speed dating with elite athletes.
I agree you can’t change a player’s personality - but just remember we’re coming from a pretty low base. Seemingly a bunch of players happy to go through the motions and pick up their pay cheques. A training camp in Arizona won’t turn them into manic tacklers desperate to win a final. It would be, however, a step in the right direction to making it a more committed culture, where players take it on themselves to improve and find that extra edge in the off season rather than going on drunken trips to Ibiza. We can hope!
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They should be watching the finals season together and questioning why it’s not them on the stage.
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If you look at both finals so far, they have been scrappy and highly contested games.
Yet we’ve wasted the first year of Brad’s tenure practicing keepings off. We’d be absolutely demolished in a final.
This game plan would want to evolve, Brad.
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Name me 10 plays on our list who’d be able to stand up in the heat of a contested game.
Our list is full of weak, small, panic merchants. Until the list is rewired, keeping’s off is the way to go
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It’s clear we have a large number of players who lack self-honesty and that permeates and ultimately becomes the prevailing culture within the group.
What we should do is thank those players for the service and move them on, regardless of their surnames.
What we are more than likely to do is what we always do, which is con ourselves into thinking a couple of extra push-ups over the off season and some honourable losses against better opponents early in-season are signs of genuine progress.
The cancer infecting this club is dishonesty.
It’s why ■■■■■■■■ like brasher and Campbell got in and stayed in for so long.
It’s what worsfold rightly identified and got pilloried for.
It’s what led to the ‘succession plan’.
It’s why the players literally came out and said they were behind rutten publicly while sooking it up and deliberately sabotaging him on field.
It’s why we appointed ■■■■■■■ thorburn of all people.
It’s why we declared the importance of process above all while completely disregarding it to try and parachute in Clarkson and then Scott.
It’s why Scott said we won’t risk the long term for the short term but then refused to select in form younger players and instead continuously tried to play clearly injured senior players over and over and over again.
What the EFC needs more than anything is a mirror.
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Anyone who follows the EPL will have seen the cultural and performance turnaround of Arsenal under the guidance of a coach who sets very high standards. Yes it’s easier in that sport to turnover a list. My point is I really hope Scott is going hard at what standards are acceptable at training, as this is what generally comes through on game day.
This clip is of Arsenal manager Arteta talking to training standards after a loss. It gives me small hope that with the right people, setting the right standards this ■■■■ can be turned around.
https://x.com/diablogooner_/status/1699844890572603711?s=46&t=jxt7GKPU3_mLli4piok2uQ
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If only we didn’t have to worry about drafting, salary cap or contracts!
It’s the setting of standards that’s the point
LOL. What is needed is a few more elite players to help Zac
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Good post. Although our cultural turnaround runs far deeper than just training standards. That would be a part of it though. This ‘AFL lifestyle’ as Scott termed it likely relates to the players end to end football being. Things like discipline to diet / alcohol at home, recovery adherence and additional recovery outside the club etc. it’s everything and it all needs to be addressed you’d think.
I think back to Joe Daniher at Essendon. In and out with various injuries and think of Brendan Goddard indicating he wasn’t professional enough with his recovery, recuperation and his lack of intensity. You’d think there was a direct link. Now, assume those ‘standards’ and thus ‘AFL lifestyle’ applies to majority at Essendon. No wonder we have an injury crisis, fall away late in seasons and inconsistent intensity output.
And I haven’t even canvassed poor coaching, development deficiencies etc.
Cultural change at Essendon will cut deep and take time. Abd an apparent list strategy change suggests a 2-3 year list adjustment is about to take place / needed. That’s why I’m not expecting much results wise the next two years.
Don’t expect big turnarounds next year. Still could be a much stronger club and team next year whilst winning fewer games. That’s the journey we’re on.
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Merrett
Parish
Draper
Ridley
Hobbs
Wright
Redman
Langford
Caldwell
Durham
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Yes, let’s just go to the store and pick up a couple more.
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Mrs Fox is excellent at shopping, so perhaps she can replace Dodoro.
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You did well