Essendon Game Plans 101: 4 questions, Time allowed 3 hrs.
Evaluate the Gameplan used by Essendon in Round 1 against Sydney by watching a replay of the first 3 quarters.
Evaluate the Gameplan used by Essendon in Round 2 against Hawthorn by watching a replay of the first 3 quarters.
Evaluate the Gameplan used by Essendon in Round 11 against West Coast by watching a replay of the first 3 quarters.
State whether you think the same gameplan was used in Round 1 as the one used in Round 2 and elaborate on your reasons
State whether you think the game plans were successful, and elaborate on your reasons
Based on your answer to Q1 what reasons do you give for any differences between the two game plans.
4 State whether you think the gameplan has changed since round 1 and 2 and elaborate on your reasons
The way the competition is at the moment, the scribes need to be careful about condemning coaches too quickly. .
Bottom 4 sides get thrashed one week and then beat top 8 sides the next. Its happening about 1 to 2 times every round.
Everyone keeps saying a team only has to be down by 5% and it could lose to any other team in the comp.
Notice they are not saying if the coach is 5% down the team will lose. Thats because the coaches performance is obscured by the
44 players in the teams on the ground.
Unlike the days of Sheedy, its not often we hear " the coach moved player x up back and the team lifted and won" most players are moving rotating and changing roles continually to such an extent its almost impossible to follow and very difficult to say that one coach " out coached another" imo.
However, it is certainly possible to criticise a coach for the selection committee not playing even one specialist ruckman.
As to criticising the game plan. OK, I challenge anyone here to PM me and tell me the Hird game plan, in its complete form.
Not just one simple sentence.
Does anyone here actually know it? Can they tell whether its too difficult for the players to execute? How much does it change from week to week? Can anyone tell me how many variations are in the game plan on a given game day.
The game plan? If you ask Hird bashers it’s:
Kick and pass sideways and backwards, wait till the opposition flood back, pass to disadvantage, slip, fumble and lose possession. Don’t lead when forward. Spoil each other. Kick points and out on the full.
I honestly don’t know what they’re complaining about because the side is following this game plan perfectly!
Im curious then, if we ask the ‘Cult of Hird’ fanatics what the gameplan is, what is the answer…?
If you want a serious answer then the game plan has been forced to change with personnel out. To have a season so far with no ruckmen basically has had a huge effect on how we wanted to play. We often to get around this issue have a third man up in ruck to help which takes away from midfield strength. Before anyone says McKernan please understand he is an improved player but a small 198cm ruckmen(more forward) that is not the long term answer in ruck. We are bringing a forward into midfield to help an already crippled mid group. Hocking , Myers, Cooney and Zaka missing +4 or more games means you have to take experience and talent from forwards which then heavily weakens your forward structure and also the connection between mids and forwards is lost. Add on a WADA appeal and it’s just been a nightmare of a start. We didn’t train like we are playing this pre season…we are not playing the brand of footy Hird has outlined which is not far from the 2013 type model. Hird does not advocate sideways movement in fact hates it. North have had similar key injuries and to a lesser extent Port…they are 11th and 12th. Sometimes you have a year from hell…we are not far away from it. Can players improve…oh for sure…there confidence is down…but I don’t think this is a coaching model issue…when all pieces are in place I genuinely think we match most sides.
Hird has lost the players…must be sacked immediately!!!
He should stop mentioning finals are still on the agenda and just focus on getting the team playing good football.
just answering a direct question…he is going to say the obvious to be positive. don’t read too much into headline
You can be positive without placing undue pressure on yourself and the team.
Well the players think the same though as per Zaka and Goddard quotes before hird even spoke
Well they are 2 players that need to lift if it is possible, but at 4-7 I don’t think it is. Especially the way we are playing and we have absolutely no forwardline capable of producing a score over 100 points a game.
read what Hird actually said.
I did…he should have said we aren’t thinking finals but improving our performances as a team. If it happens it happens but it is not a focus.
I dont think you did
Quote
"We still think it’s possible but at the moment we’re not worried about whether we make the finals or don’t make the finals.
“We have to play a certain way and get our players playing to a certain ability and that’s what we’re focusing on.”
Unquote - AAP 23JUN
He should stop mentioning finals are still on the agenda and just focus on getting the team playing good football.
just answering a direct question…he is going to say the obvious to be positive. don’t read too much into headline
You can be positive without placing undue pressure on yourself and the team.
Well the players think the same though as per Zaka and Goddard quotes before hird even spoke
Well they are 2 players that need to lift if it is possible, but at 4-7 I don’t think it is. Especially the way we are playing and we have absolutely no forwardline capable of producing a score over 100 points a game.
read what Hird actually said.
I did…he should have said we aren’t thinking finals but improving our performances as a team. If it happens it happens but it is not a focus.
I dont think you did
Quote
"We still think it’s possible but at the moment we’re not worried about whether we make the finals or don’t make the finals.
“We have to play a certain way and get our players playing to a certain ability and that’s what we’re focusing on.”
Unquote - AAP 23JUN
He should stop mentioning finals are still on the agenda and just focus on getting the team playing good football.
just answering a direct question…he is going to say the obvious to be positive. don’t read too much into headline
You can be positive without placing undue pressure on yourself and the team.
Well the players think the same though as per Zaka and Goddard quotes before hird even spoke
Well they are 2 players that need to lift if it is possible, but at 4-7 I don’t think it is. Especially the way we are playing and we have absolutely no forwardline capable of producing a score over 100 points a game.
read what Hird actually said.
I did…he should have said we aren’t thinking finals but improving our performances as a team. If it happens it happens but it is not a focus.
I dont think you did
Quote
"We still think it’s possible but at the moment we’re not worried about whether we make the finals or don’t make the finals.
“We have to play a certain way and get our players playing to a certain ability and that’s what we’re focusing on.”
Unquote - AAP 23JUN
Response, please.
He should go watch the press conference and see how a man of intelligence and integrity who knows what he’s talking about answers tough questions.
He should stop mentioning finals are still on the agenda and just focus on getting the team playing good football.
just answering a direct question…he is going to say the obvious to be positive. don’t read too much into headline
You can be positive without placing undue pressure on yourself and the team.
Well the players think the same though as per Zaka and Goddard quotes before hird even spoke
Well they are 2 players that need to lift if it is possible, but at 4-7 I don’t think it is. Especially the way we are playing and we have absolutely no forwardline capable of producing a score over 100 points a game.
read what Hird actually said.
I did…he should have said we aren’t thinking finals but improving our performances as a team. If it happens it happens but it is not a focus.
I dont think you did
Quote
"We still think it’s possible but at the moment we’re not worried about whether we make the finals or don’t make the finals.
“We have to play a certain way and get our players playing to a certain ability and that’s what we’re focusing on.”
Unquote - AAP 23JUN
He should stop mentioning finals are still on the agenda and just focus on getting the team playing good football.
just answering a direct question…he is going to say the obvious to be positive. don’t read too much into headline
You can be positive without placing undue pressure on yourself and the team.
Well the players think the same though as per Zaka and Goddard quotes before hird even spoke
Well they are 2 players that need to lift if it is possible, but at 4-7 I don’t think it is. Especially the way we are playing and we have absolutely no forwardline capable of producing a score over 100 points a game.
read what Hird actually said.
I did…he should have said we aren’t thinking finals but improving our performances as a team. If it happens it happens but it is not a focus.
I dont think you did
Quote
"We still think it’s possible but at the moment we’re not worried about whether we make the finals or don’t make the finals.
“We have to play a certain way and get our players playing to a certain ability and that’s what we’re focusing on.”
Unquote - AAP 23JUN
He should stop mentioning finals are still on the agenda and just focus on getting the team playing good football.
just answering a direct question…he is going to say the obvious to be positive. don’t read too much into headline
You can be positive without placing undue pressure on yourself and the team.
Well the players think the same though as per Zaka and Goddard quotes before hird even spoke
Well they are 2 players that need to lift if it is possible, but at 4-7 I don’t think it is. Especially the way we are playing and we have absolutely no forwardline capable of producing a score over 100 points a game.
read what Hird actually said.
I did…he should have said we aren’t thinking finals but improving our performances as a team. If it happens it happens but it is not a focus.
I dont think you did
Quote
"We still think it’s possible but at the moment we’re not worried about whether we make the finals or don’t make the finals.
“We have to play a certain way and get our players playing to a certain ability and that’s what we’re focusing on.”
Unquote - AAP 23JUN
He should stop mentioning finals are still on the agenda and just focus on getting the team playing good football.
just answering a direct question…he is going to say the obvious to be positive. don’t read too much into headline
You can be positive without placing undue pressure on yourself and the team.
Well the players think the same though as per Zaka and Goddard quotes before hird even spoke
Well they are 2 players that need to lift if it is possible, but at 4-7 I don’t think it is. Especially the way we are playing and we have absolutely no forwardline capable of producing a score over 100 points a game.
read what Hird actually said.
I did…he should have said we aren’t thinking finals but improving our performances as a team. If it happens it happens but it is not a focus.
I dont think you did
Quote
"We still think it’s possible but at the moment we’re not worried about whether we make the finals or don’t make the finals.
“We have to play a certain way and get our players playing to a certain ability and that’s what we’re focusing on.”
Unquote - AAP 23JUN
Check and mate.
Don’t feel bad. The switch from BF is a harsh learning curve.
He should stop mentioning finals are still on the agenda and just focus on getting the team playing good football.
just answering a direct question…he is going to say the obvious to be positive. don’t read too much into headline
You can be positive without placing undue pressure on yourself and the team.
Well the players think the same though as per Zaka and Goddard quotes before hird even spoke
Well they are 2 players that need to lift if it is possible, but at 4-7 I don’t think it is. Especially the way we are playing and we have absolutely no forwardline capable of producing a score over 100 points a game.
read what Hird actually said.
I did…he should have said we aren’t thinking finals but improving our performances as a team. If it happens it happens but it is not a focus.
I dont think you did
Quote
"We still think it’s possible but at the moment we’re not worried about whether we make the finals or don’t make the finals.
“We have to play a certain way and get our players playing to a certain ability and that’s what we’re focusing on.”
Unquote - AAP 23JUN
He should stop mentioning finals are still on the agenda and just focus on getting the team playing good football.
just answering a direct question…he is going to say the obvious to be positive. don’t read too much into headline
You can be positive without placing undue pressure on yourself and the team.
Well the players think the same though as per Zaka and Goddard quotes before hird even spoke
Well they are 2 players that need to lift if it is possible, but at 4-7 I don’t think it is. Especially the way we are playing and we have absolutely no forwardline capable of producing a score over 100 points a game.
read what Hird actually said.
I did…he should have said we aren’t thinking finals but improving our performances as a team. If it happens it happens but it is not a focus.
He should tell the media to go and get focused.
How dare he even hint that the team could possibly play finals! - “one game at a time” is the only thing that doesn’t make the players lose.
Why be accurate when a cliche can be used.
How can anyone expect highly paid players who have had such fun over the last 2 and a half years to be able to cope if the coach suggests they may have a scintilla’s chance of coming eighth or better.
It is completely destructive and demonstrates again his lack of support for the players.
