Not until Heppell goes……
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Would not be surprised if they are negotiating another year on Heppell’s contract right now.
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Debt of gratitude
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I do not know how EFC recruitment works or has worked, and I am no fan of Dodoro, but one man does and did not make all the decisions that has prevented a flag since 2000.
Now if it was one man, then Peter Jackson would be top of my list, but even he can’t kick goals or make players perform.
Most of us played and watched enough footy to know that while Port are a good team and better than the Bombers, they are not 12 goals better. The lack of effort after the first quarter from most of the Team, the inaction from the bench and the general attitude presented was as poor as I have seen from a Bomber Team. Merrett and McKay stood up and few others.
I played in Teams that got flogged by more than 12 goals, but I never saw us give in. It was always lack of ability that beat us. I forgive Bomber Team for that, not lack of effort.
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Let’s become the Watford of the AFL!
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I think people should be wary of giving too much credence to media reporting. To be fair, I dont mind what they are saying, everyone here is saying pressure should be put on the club and players to perform and the media is doing just that. However they need to justify their existence and in this era Essendon is giving them every opportunity to do just that. The club is untrustworthy in terms of performance. Have a go at David King (there is plenty there) but what is he saying wrong?
BUT nearly all football commentary is so 5 minutes ago. If we were to win three on the trot from now they would be praising Brad Scott and saying the list isn’t as bad as everyone (except them) thought.
I personally want to see the club back to the Sheedy era. They gave no beg your pardons. They were united from the top down to see the club succeed at nearly evry cost. I am not advocating for players going out and belting opponents. Quite frankly I’m glad that era is gone. But I am wanting the club and playing group to show some aggression and desperation. Aggression in the contest. Desperation to win and succeed. We have been “she’ll be right” for far too long.
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I went to that Giants game last year and that has got to be the pits in terms of effort - even worse than what we saw against Port. Personally I think if they lose by less than 5 goals on Friday night they should sing the club song after the game. You don’t lose by less than 5 goals without effort. It would be a big step for them against a bogey team.
Yes and no. We can’t throw out another regime and start another new program. Essendon needs stability. Good or bad. It just needs to settle in.
Scott may not be best coach. But he’s our best chance to achieve stability and rebuild foundations of a strong club. Throw him out, we start again. The revolving door continues and the virtuous cycle of failure starts yet again.
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How many Farking bogey teams are we up to now? Tigers, Cats, Dogs, Port, Swans, Pies and Melbourne. Probably add Bears and Blues to that list soon.
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No, bad stability makes things worse. We don’t want that. Bad stability sets us further back than instability.
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Sorry, I let this go for a while because I figured you don’t really believe everything you’re saying about the women’s program here but are desperately trying to make your point about Dodoro being the cause of all the club’s ills, … but I see you’re committed so let’s discuss…starting with some facts.
1- It was the VFLW’s 5th year when they won in 2022, not 3rd.
2 - Georgia Harvey wasn’t running the VFLW when they won the flag, and in fact since she took over I’m pretty sure almost every premiership player has left the club (not her fault I’m sure), including a couple of high profile players who had digs at the club culture on social media on their way out.
3 - The VFLW team this year looks pretty poor and unlikely to make the finals, or at best will likely be fighting for a low finals spot.
4 - The AFLW finished 10th and 7th in their first two years. That’s OK, but hardly worldbeating (North finished 2nd and 3rd in their first two seasons for example). Pretty similar to the men at this stage.
Not slagging off the women’s program at all, but the idea that it’s some shining beacon of success right now and that success is down to the list manager is an enormous stretch.
It had a terrific group in 2022 when it was one of only two VFLW/AFL teams not to have an AFLW side at the start of it and really focused its playing resources on the VFLW, that appears to have changed now to much more focus going onto the AFLW program which in turn appears to have been to the detriment of the VFLW.
It also had a coach and Manager who were able to implement what I’m told was a very strong culture in their group almost as a standalone club, in much the same way the VFL was able to from 2015-19.
The idea that culture didn’t play a big part in their premiership is totally wrong, and it also seems to be playing a part in why they’re falling away now and why everyone was leaving, again much like the VFL.
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So, sack Scott. As if a young experienced coach is going to rebuild Essendon inc!!
Go and sack the coach and we start again. A young inexperienced cia h won’t succeed. You and all of us know that.
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I agree - I don’t think Scott is going to be the coach to win us another flag, but I think he’s the best chance to get us competitive in the top 8 again and win a final - which this club desperately needs.
There are lots of other things in that club that need changing as we all know. The recruitment has been poor, but who would want to be a top 10 draft pick going to Essendon anyway unless you’d like a career full of soft tissue injuries, stress fractures etc. For some strange reason the club maintains this sense of entitlement (at least from my outsider’s point of view). The culture is mediocrity tolerant. I could go on and on, but right now, for now, an experienced coach who’s won a final at a club with few resources is what we need.
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He may not even be the best coach technically to get us highly competitive but if you’re one of those who believe our performance on field will improve substantially if the club can become stable, build a high performance culture, address fitness and conditioning programs, sort out development levels at the club and build strong foundations then I think Scott is our best chance.
He understands high performing environments, importance of culture, necessary standards to elevate performance and is highly intelligent and methodical. He is a good leader and a good head to ensure the football department is subject to the right questions being asked and scenarios worked through.
Is he technically the one, possibly not. But as a leader with widespread respect, a pragmatic and methodical approach I think he’s the one for at least the next 24 months.
At this point it would be hoped the foundations of the club are rebuilt, stability restored, a high performance environment established.
At this point, sack the coach!!! Hopefully not…
No. That’s not what I’m suggesting. At all.
I’m saying that keeping stability for the sake of keeping stability is a bad idea if it is clear it is failing. I’m willing to give it more time. But if it becomes clear it’s not working, we shouldn’t keep it for the sake of “stability”. We should go get other people to try get it working.
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How long ago did Worsfold coach when he told us to be patient? Now Scott is basically saying the same things. He is a very good orator but not sure about his gameday abilities as a coach. Sure we have been cruelled with injuries so its time to blood some new kids who, although lacking experience, may inject some drive and intent into this side. Others teams are doing it. Why not us?
I don’t think it’s that we have bogey teams.
I think it’s more a case of we have been ■■■■, and these teams have been good.
Injecting kids into the seniors who aren’t performing in the VFL is a dangerous idea.
There’s a multitude of problems at the club right now and there needs to be a focus on what actions can actually reap immediate dividends. By this I mean; ensuring fitness department is diligently rehabbing injuries and leaving no stone unturned to ensure the health of players. Secondly, the coaches and players being on the same page about how we want to play, and players going out and showing this intent on game day. I don’t expect us to win every game but we just have to be more competitive than last week; it’s so frustrating witnessing these similar kinds of defeats each and every season.
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This VFL side is a complete basket case. They cannot develop there. Put blokes like Hayes and Roberts aroung some seasoned AFL players and give them a taste of it. We are going to get demolished tomorrow night with our current side. They cannot possibly do any worse than the current side.
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We had an experienced coach who’d won finals in Worsefold and he was terrible.
We had an inexperienced coach who’d never won anything in Sheedy and he took us to the promised land.
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