Yeah it’s big news.
perhaps the next Essendon coach in waiting has been finalised.
I mean all it takes is a coupla phone calls with a bit of Swagger™
1 Like
They are just getting looks at different players now before making list management calls.
1 Like
I think these points are reasonable, but I think part of these selections are informed by who has a contract next year. Archie Perkins is the only player without a contract next year in the side, and you’d think he’s the most likely of the uncontracted players to get one.
Guys like Tsatas, El-Hawli and (to a slightly lesser extent) Cox were repeatedly left out by Brad Scott for non-compliance with the game plan, and it’s continued under Solomon. You’d think the chances of those three getting a contract next year are low, so I think they’re choosing to move on now. Setterfield simply can’t play if he’s not one of our 4 primary inside mids, and they see him behind Durham, Parish, Robey, Sharp and Caldwell. There’s fair debate over Parish and Caldwell, but they have contracts and more runs on the board over their careers.
I don’t see what Jones and Blakiston have done to deserve games either, and would prefer to see McKay down back over Jones. With Blakiston, his selection allows them to get McKay out of the forward line for Wright, which I don’t mind (as much I’ve liked Wright in the ruck this year). Bryan doesn’t have the tank to go solo in the ruck, unfortunately. I agree that he’s been poor though–I’d actually prefer to see Cox get a shot as second ruck.
11 Likes
Unless one of them is going to tag Andrews
Jones & Blaki probably don’t deserve games but they are both contracted until the end of next year so we might as well play them for the rest of the season as its pretty much a dead rubber. It does seem like we have already made a call on a few uncontracted players and there is a good chance we never see them playing senior footy for Essendon ever again- Guelfi, Gresh, Tsatas, SEH, McMahon, Unwin, Gerreyn…And there is only 6 more games for the season after the Lions for the likes of Cox, Edwards, Perkins, Nguyen & Setters to put their case forward for another deal - my gut feel is we will cut half of those guys as well. Its probably not a bad thing as we definately need to clean out some of the dead wood, trade a few senior guys that dont want to be there and focus on rebuilding from the ground up
2 Likes
Love to add Parish to this list.
2 Likes
Merrett & Ridley likely gone also!
1 Like
I’d like to see him play round 24 and ping a hammy one last time.
2 Likes
I think we are trying to make sure we have a worse percentage than Richmond.
1 Like
What a silly comment
Selection integrity is the new external review.
When we have more good players on our list we’ll claim we are playing well because of selection integrity when we will be playing well because our list isn’t full of kids and c-graders.
3 Likes
It’ll also align with it’s because we have a coach who can actually coach, a S&C program that doesn’t break players, a list manager who can spot talent, assistant coaches who aren’t crap or money hungry, etc.
This year or next year is our rock bottom. From there, improvement should occur. But I don’t see a major bounce into finals contention. North are a good example that it just doesn’t turn that quickly. Regardless of which messiah is in the coaches box, fitness boss, etc.
9 Likes
mckay as in ben “lynchpin of the essendon backline for the last 4 weeks” mckay?
Just imagine for one moment that every player to Don the sash this weekend gave 100 percent effort…. yeah nah.
Maybe I’m in the minority. I think they do give 100%. We just aren’t very good. The ability push beyond that, be desperate, be defensively minded is also a skill and something you train and improve. I disagree it’s something you can just wake up decide to do or pick and choose when. We have too many on our list that are just not good enough.
2 Likes
When people hand in their resignation at work, they don’t give 100% effort for their last 2-4 weeks. Laughable that anyone thinks people do.
You can’t claim that senior players are “all in” on game day.
… and the club is rewarding this effort. This is why the culture is a f*cking joke.
10 Likes
True that they just aren’t good enough but we have plenty that pick and choose when to go and are happy for the next guy up the field to cover for them.
It’s probably a bad example because the guy is a freak but Nick Daicos was spent with about 4 minutes to go yet he willed himself on the set up the last play and then the game saving tackle at the death. He pretty much collapsed on the ground afterwards having given it all.
Contrast that to many of our guys who jog around, make token one armed attempts to tackle and then come off the ground afterwards barely raising a sweat. That’s workrate and even the worst skilled players in the side should be at least able to work their backsides off until physically exhausted.
I honestly think we have players out there that are giving nowhere near 100%
12 Likes
Can’t lose if the ball doesn’t go to ground….
1 Like
Maybe you wouldn’t give 100% once you’ve handed in notice but plenty with self respect would.
2 Likes