Of course it hasn’t. I said ‘better than previous’. Previous year - in which it clearly has been.
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Yep, fair enough. Skipworth and a bit of luck. Nothing to do with the coach.
I’m sure the coaching staff have been fine with Stringer.
But I think it’s a stretch to say ‘AA player has good year at new club’ means wow, must have been awesome coaching.
Combination of player, club player welfare people, and coaches I would think.
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I agree.
Would it be churlish of me to suggest that if he had a bad year then that list would be a lot shorter?
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Awesome is your word. Worsfold gets blamed for a lot in here but I reckon having all three play better than last season is a job well done.
I’ll make it easier - can the senior coach be given some credit for Devon Smith stepping out of a side where he didn’t get a game to most likely winning a b&f?
I don’t think he’s the best coach in the comp, but he’s due more credit than most give him.
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I think all three have done about as well as I expected them to.
I don’t consider coaching to be an issue either way there, but if you wanted me to put a label on it I guess it would be ‘competent.’
Smith and Saad are having career best seasons. Surely you can give the coaching panel a pat on the back for that?
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Sure.
Well done coaches.
No more than that, though.
And the reason for that is because if they had poor years I wouldn’t be saying, ‘Worsfold ruined our recruits!’
That would be silly.
And so, in my opinion, is this.
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I said coaching panel. You said Worsfold.
One man ruining/ making a players season… probably not
Panel of coaches across different departments collaborating to bring out the best in a player… sounds reasonable
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OP said Worsfold.
fair save
LOL.
Not a save, it’s a fact.
yes, saved by the facts
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You thought Smith would lead the comp in tackles, prolly end up in AA squad at least and be as good as he has been all year even when we as a team were ■■■■?
That’s some pretty good foresight there…
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Yeah, fair enough.
I’ll cop that.
I knew nothing about him other than the greatest hits video posted here prior to the season and my rather famous assessment at the time was ‘likes a cheapie.’
Smith’s been incredible this year, most impressively when the rest of the team was utter pants.
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Not wrong.
Smith was the only Essendon player who looked like he had any idea what was happening in the game against Freo at Optus earlier in the season.
He has been outstanding all season. Can’t believe GWS let him go so easily.
They just didn’t rate him highly enough cause they had Ward, Shiel, Josh Kelly, Coniglio, Taranto, Hopper and if need be Deledio and Griffin through the midfield plus Whitfield and Greene floating through the fwd line. Our lack of competition in this area has given him a chance and he’s been outstanding.
And Scully
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I’d almost suggest he set the tone, it was as if the rest of the team lifted their intensity to his level.
He has to be in the leadership group next year.
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