don’t think he got too much wrong this week. Ball movement better, contested ball (on balance) better, overall shape better, couple of initial matchups didn’t work, and we probably let them run a little too long. He’s still learning what his charges are capable of.
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Oh OK. I guess that changes the scenario to:
Its 3 qtr time on ANZAC day and we lead by 3 goals. Buckley implores his guys to keep running because the Essendon coach has told everybody that the players are unfit and likely to run out of legs in the last quarter. But Pendlebury then interrupts and says excuse me that’s not right; you need to put his comment in context. 
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Surely it’s the coaches job to get us up and motivated for the start of the game. The game was over 15 minutes into the first quarter, just seemed like we were hit by surprise
The players are fitter than when Timmy came back and had less time out of the game, but I recall Tim saying how much the pace of the game had quickened.
yep. We have never really been a team that self manages and motivates. Not just worsfold, but even back to the knights days.
the same message about what is expected of each and every player, both from the team aspect and individual one should be rammed home each and every gameday.
We have to many players who just don’t turn up prepared week in week out to do the hard effort stuff.
we also have had coaches who don’t punish players who do it.
Not to just pick on zaka cos others have done it this year too, but he should have been dropped for hist first half efforts against Brissy was it ??.
that was soft, unaccountable football that should not be tolerated by anyone at all, it should be non negotiable that when you are expected to go in and tackle or put your body on the line (within reason) that you do it.
He’s got until the split round next year for mine. The saga might be over but the crap sandwich he’s inherited still stinks.
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omgwtf
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Far out they’re all coming for Woosh now he says “hit the wall”, no wonder he never says anything.
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Yep… he predicted it would happen … we’ve watched it happen… he’s acknowledged it has happened. Just awful.
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I think it’s fair to say most of the returning guys are struggling a little. They will get better but it’s a big change. Ask Roughead how he’s going right now after similar time out of the game (albeit for different reasons) than Jobe. ANY player that’s missed considerable time from the game struggles to get the pace back & look at the style of play most teams are playing now. Mostly quick ball movement, hard running two ways. We have 10 guys to adapt to this shift within the game. Most clubs have 2-3. It’ll come but will take time IMO.
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I was very critical of his non-performance against the Blues of implementing wet weather football. However, he has shown a lot of good signs and anyone trying to rate him for a while yet is jumping the gun.
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Bite your tongue! That’s not how you Blitz!!
Coaches don’t need to learn what players they’ve never coached in proper games before can do, or what their shortcomings might be, . or how much fitness they have after 12 months off,… or who works best where & when!!!
They should just be able to divine this through their magical ways & have it all perfect straight away, NOW!!.. And all the time, always!!
NO FKN EXCEPTIONS!
Now that’s how you Blitz …
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Geez you are full of shyte.
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Nailing it.
Fair comment too, but I’m not sure exactly how much of that is him, how much is the players. It’s probably problem number one on his list of stuff to fix, or at least should be.
He’s been working to the exact same script since Sheedy’s days. The names change (unless you’re Watson or Stanton) but the content remains the same. I wouldn’t read a word he says.
I meant the players.
Coaches and players have commented that it’s been the most committed group seen in terms of application to training.
People can jump up and down all they want but the issue is in a game that the 22 players vs opposition just weren’t good enough, in particular in midfield.
Woosh tinkered with the team in second half in terms of pace through midfield and it worked.
Against the top team in the league we were able to have a big period of dominance and essentially break even for the half.
Crows have had years building and tinkering with their team to get it to what it is now. And the players themselves know each other’s game.
Woosh realistically has had 4 games with this whole group. And players have only the same together.
It’s blatantly obvious to supporters as it will be with our coaching & recruitment department that we need a contested brute with pace. Danger. Shiels. Dusty type etc. And can’t carry as many slow non-defensively minded mids as we have in team.
It’s not an overnight fix, will need to transition certain players out of side. And maybe Dusty will be getting an offer of lifetime from us.
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(just some back up for you nick-93 
)
ESSENDON great Tim Watson says the returning Bombers are still getting used to the pace of AFL football after serving their 12-month suspensions following coach John Worsfold’s admission the players have “hit the wall”.
After exploding into the season with an emotional win over Hawthorn in Round 1 and then an away win against Brisbane, Essendon have suffered two losses in a row, including a heavy defeat to Adelaide on Saturday night.
In the aftermath of that game Worsfold said the returning players have “felt the pinch”, something Watson says wasn’t unexpected as they adjust to the fast-paced brand of football being played in 2017.
“I think there was always going to be issues around their conditioning having been out of the game as long as they have,” he said.
“Also, the game has moved on. It’s a quicker paced game than these players played back in 2015 when they last played.“The game has changed and I think they’re still adapting to that as individuals.
“They came off a six-day break, which has its challenges as well.
“When he (John Worsfold) says they’ve hit the hall I don’t think it’s they’ve hit the wall for the season, I think that they’re just finding the early month of football really tough because of the grind and the repetitive nature of it.”
Essendon captain Dyson Heppell moved to dispel fears he and his teammates were tiring so early in the season and leading into the Anzac Day blockbuster against Collingwood despite his coach’s comments.
“I don’t think so, it’s very early days in the season,” Heppell said on Channel 9 of whether the players had hit the wall.
“(After) a couple of trips away you’re sort of getting back into the swing of things and getting used to the routine again. No worries, we’ll be fine.”
Watson, whose son Jobe Watson battled away against the Crows and was singled out by Worsfold as a player who was struggling on Saturday night, says this doesn’t mean the Bombers will be easybeats.
He expects Essendon to be better for every game they play.
“I think it’s probably going to be the opposite,” Watson said on Talking Footy when asked if the Bombers would struggle later in the season. “They’ll probably build their endurance base as the season goes and I think they’ll improve their ability to be able to recover from game to game.”
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Calm yo farms
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