We discuss on the Lunchtime Catch Up Podcast the mess that was Anzac Day and what it says on a deeper sense about how our club is travelling
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ITunes link here also
I know I went a bit strong but let me know your thoughts.
I agree 100% with everything you said.
Bang on.
We need need to stop judging this team by the way they win, but by the way they lose.
At the moment, they are literally pathetic.
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Unless you recorded the podcast while walking around Tullamarine with a petrol can, I don’t imagine you went stronger than a fair sized chunk of the people on here.
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mate, its e10, cheaper than petrol.
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Fair call lol
Good work boys, if only we can hope that the club is going to do some soul searching. I’d love to see Caracella being enticed back home, seems to drive elite standards that guy.
I agree with much of what you said. Too strong I don’t think so, maybe not strong enough.
We as a club, our performances go from being up there and promising to completely unprofessional. Our Coaching and Development team leave a lot to be desired. It is now obvious we are falling behind other clubs and something needs to be done in the Football Department to rectify this deficiency sooner not later. Tactically we do nothing. The people in the coaching box on game day are like statues. There is something not right with our culture and it has become contagious.
I could go on and on. We are a shadow of the great club we once were, we have become weak and insipid our brand doesn’t cut it anymore. As a Member and a Supporter of this once mighty club for nearly 70 years. I have had enough of the rubbish, pea hearted performances. Players being played on the back of “entitlement” and getting a game when they simply do not cut it. We need to become ruthless if we want to be great again. Playing for the jumper with respect and pride.
I am incredible disappointed in the club as a whole, not just the players and their performance on Anzac Day. The whole club need to address these issues instead of sticking their heads in the sand and walk the walk and not just talk the talk.
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Fair call
Get me on the horn to review the dees game whilst I drive home after a 10 goal loss
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Thank you for saying what needed to be said.
Thanks mate. Feedback has been great
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You’re obviously somewhat connected with the club so can understand you not going super hard on the club, but at least it was an honest review. I preferred 2016 to this year so far…
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Great Podcast fellas.
Agree with everything you say.
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Here is what I wrote after
Wherefore art thou Essendon?
There are times where even a diehard over optimistic supporter like myself can get frustrated. I often get accused on social media of being too light on the club, having too much internal influence and not seeing where the club is truly at because of my respect for Staff and Directors at the club. Most of this criticism I understand. I am a passionate Essendon member and supporter of every player and person working at the club. I can’t change that about myself. However there are times where it is ok to critique the club and discuss concerns and areas you think need improving. I do this within my own business workplace as you only get better by challenging each other to genuinely grow. I am in no way influential at the club AT ALL…far from it but as a member I do have the ability to discuss my concerns.
So I am looking at my twitter feed before the Essendon v Collingwood game starts and I see one common quote by members of the media and Essendon fans “which Essendon will turn up today”. It made me realise how much the Essendon Football Club in recent history can be so easily labelled and sadly with justification. So let’s look at our recent history by assessing our win totals since 2002
2002 – 12 wins
2003 – 13 wins
2004 – 12 wins
2005 - 8 wins
2006 – 3 wins
2007 – 10 wins
2008 – 8 wins
2009 – 10 wins
2010 – 7 wins
2011 – 11 wins
2012 – 11 wins
2013 – 14 wins
2014 – 12 wins
2015 – 6 wins
2016 – 3 wins
2017 – 12 wins
2018 – 2 wins from 5 games
The above history does not paint a great picture at all for an 140 year old club with 16 Premierships. On average we have for the last 16 years won 9.5 games per year which reflects a position of around 10th or 11th on the ladder. Not once in 16 years have we finished in a competitive top 4 position. This is why Essendon fans are having problems with the idea of patience and becoming increasingly concerned that there is no genuine light at the end of the tunnel. We have been mediocre as a club on field and sadly in certain times off field for so long the idea now of just scrapping into the finals feels like actual success. It’s not.
So what is going wrong? Here is my concerns as I see it
Player Development: It is difficult to find many players that have actually improved on their weaknesses when you look at on field performances. There is also the much undervalued history at Essendon of continuous poor weekly team selections by the selection committee. Here are some examples:
Darcy Parish: Darcy is playing at the same level(maybe slightly less) than his break out first year in 2016. He can get the ball 15- 20 times for sure but as in 2016 is still just as inconsistent in his kicking skills and decision making. We are not expecting a star as yet obviously but you want to see improvements in key areas where the player has clear weakness. Does Darcy go through extra skill sessions under pressure?
Jayden Laverde: Though injury prone, in his 4th year he has not changed his kicking style in anyway despite continuously missing shots on goal. Has anyone suggested a new technique? He was a star coming off half back as a junior…is he playing the wrong position like Francis and Redman originally?
Kyle Langford: Is the plan now for this kid to just ask for a trade at the end of the year? He has not played 3 games in a row since 2016. Last year at round 15 we had a poor loss to the Lions. Langford after having 4 BOG’s in the VFL was elevated for this game. Kyle had 19 disposals, 7 tackles and 3 marks. The selection committee somehow made Kyle the scapegoat and sent him back to the VFL when senior players were saved…despite having clear up and down form all year. How do you grow when your confidence from the coaching panel is smashed? Is continuity and belief from the coach not part of youth development? Kyle after a good first game this year again was omitted after our round 2 loss against Fremantle.
Game Plan: Currently it comes across that Essendon is a very easy team to plan against for an opposition coach as we have a well known game plan. We like to re-actively rebound from half back, attack through the middle and if unable to, transition play to the other side to develop an overlap and clear a line down one wing. We also consistently like to have an extra spare man in the middle around contests to help win clearances/stoppages. This often creates a 4 or 5 man forward setup with a back 6 remaining for the opposition. I don’t think this is the coaches full instructions but for some reason we want to have the whole forward line in the middle of the ground when the ball is in oppositions forward line. Collingwood had their midfielders close up the centre corridor, have a spare across half back to setup a quick offensive rebound and help create a one on one deep with Baguley who can be suspect with his mobility under these circumstances……Pies win comfortably. Well played Bucks but you get the sense that was all far too easy in planning…obviously the Pies players needed to still carry it out and they did it perfectly. Collingwood went in extra small and their plan was to run off and exploit our slower tall players. I think most fans ask…what is the Plan B?...are we flexible or too conservative in games and team selections ? Do we pick a side that is actually going to make it hard for the opposition tactically and not so much loyalty to well know/loved names?
Lastly, is there a strategy in place to address this long term mediocre culture that has been at the club for so long? If there is can you share it? Are we reviewing key football areas…particularly in the area of under 23 development and the football department as a whole? One former Essendon player asked the question to me…is there enough Football people at Essendon in influential positions to address on field cultural concerns? It’s a valid question as we don’t want to be known as a successful corporate brand only instead of a successful football side. Both should go hand in hand as the genuine passion from members right now is a side that should have a great chance of winning through consistent approaches of professionalism, skill, effort and planning every week.
No it’s not end times. No one is burning up their membership cards. We are a strong club in many ways. We understand there are many aspects to the club that is going well. The true heart of footy passion however is enjoying team success together and to be blunt it’s been a ■■■■■■long 17 years of not enjoying anything close to success.
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Well said. I just wonder if anyone at the club will listen, or let us know that changes are actually occurring. We all as members have stuck by the club through thick and thin, I just reckon it’s time for some answers.
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Enjoyed the podcast, but was that new sponsor for real?
No Grants bad humour it seems
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