It’s pretty simplistic to look at it in that way though.
What if Leuenberger had already played out longer in the quarter than he had normally would in a game that was a very hot contest. Remembering he’d only been playing VFL level intensity leading into the game.
If Leuey then pinged a hammy/Achilles as needed rest but couldn’t get to bench and was out for rest of game it would have been worse.
Robbed us of a rotation and meant JD had to spend rest of game in ruck and Hooker would have been double teamed.
The attacking of Worsfold I often am amused by when he has more experience than most AFLcoaches league wide.
Relevant as he’s coached a flag before. He is someone who is very clear about why he goes about things and the method behind it.
On not tagging/ playing a solely defensive mid.
Perhaps it’s so that the players/midfield group learn to defend as a team together. And also not wanting to compromise the attacking ability of the team by having someone who isn’t having any impact offensively and thus our scoring ability.
He has his reasons for now and based on his experience you’d back him in. We are only two games outside top4 after all, in a year where no one knew how the team might mesh together.
Has to be something with McKenna, no way he lets a mate go unless he wanted to go. I reackon McKenna might have a better offer than being a midfield line assistant.
Either that or Woosha is far more ruthless than I thought.
I think a coach with some sort of telepathic ability to control the players every move is what is needed, perhaps after season 8 of GoT is finished, someone like the Night King will be available.
Lot of “what ifs” there. If you remember we kicked 3 quick goals at the start of the second quarter (2 in the first 3 mins), all off Joe’s boot - we were up and about. Leuenberger had ran back for the centre bounce but was then called off the ground and sprinted to the interchange bench. Joe had to run from the goal square to the centre bounce. Adelaide kicked the next 5 goals.
There may been lots of reasons for the change but removing our best forward threat seemed strange at that time.
I may have mentioned this in another thread but I was fortunate to be at a seminar in April at which Bomber Thompson was the keynote speaker. I spoke with him afterwards and asked his opinion of Worsfold. He commented that he was a good, strong leader but a shizen matchday coach. Bomber said he liked coaching against him because he was predictable and slow to react.
But my view is he provides leadership both on and off the field which is what we need given the past 4 years. And hopefully after Sunday he has managed us into the finals which is where Essendon belong.
I was surprised to be honest when I was looking at it.
He started coaching really young 32 or 33 probably due to the club legend angle. Then had pretty much immediate success, started in 2002 so the GF’s were only a couple of years later.
Seems to be a lot more common to do 10-15 year apprenticeship before a senior gig these days.
