Clear strategy to not put pressure on a team that doesn’t perform well under expectation.
We have been 2-3 years away for 15 years.
18 Likes
Dial up?
under promise
over deliver
9 Likes
Probably brought up with two Bomber parents like my kids. My wife and I had a simple rule for our kids - you barrack for the Bombers or Santa doesn’t come. It worked despite both of them never seeing the boys win a final in their lifetimes.
17 Likes
We’ve been consistently incompetent?
The answer he gave to the Parish & Redman FA question was interesting.
3 Likes
Here’s the fluff piece everyone was waiting for….
AFL news: Peter Wright defends Dyson Heppell’s captaincy credentials and all the latest training intel
Essendon’s best-and-fairest winner has leapt to the defence of Dyson Heppell. Plus, a warning on Anthony McDonald-Tipunwuti, a recruit impressing and more from the track.
7 min read
December 14, 2022 - 6:50PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom6 comments
[
“I feel like what stood out to me is in challenging times when we have had challenging meetings or performances he is the one that really galvanises the group, speaks really well to the group, and can sum up really well with an emphatic ending. Not a grand speech, just makes clear the feelings of the group really strongly.”
Essendon’s leadership group in 2022 consisted of Heppell, vice-captain Zach Merrett and deputy vice-captain Andy McGrath.
Brad Scott says they won’t rush to name their new captain. Picture: Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos/via Getty Images
“Dyson Heppell has made a fantastic start to pre-season. I’ve admired Dyson from afar for a long time but seeing him up close, I can see why he’s been such an important part of the Essendon fabric over a long period of time,” Scott said.
“He’ll have a key role to play for us next year, but in terms of finalising what that leadership structure looks like, I suspect it will take us the first couple of months of next year before we get to that stage.
“ … I’m not of the view that you need a certain number in your leadership group.
“It’s who we think is best placed to fill those roles.”
In recent years when the bottom has dropped out of the club’s performance there have been too few senior players prepared to stand up to change the course of a game.
“If he doesn’t (want to continue) it’s an exciting opportunity for someone else to step into that void again and if he doesn’t there would be a number of players capable not just of captaincy but to become better leaders, which is really important with a young group,” Wright said.
“There are guys putting in a heap of work to do that and being really vocal on the track. I think the players are excited to grow their own leadership.”
CHRIS CAVAVANGH’S TRAINING NOTES
WONDERFUL WEID
Former Melbourne forward Sam Weideman is impressing his new teammates and coaches, who have vowed to provide him with more AFL opportunities next season.
Weideman, 25, has been one of the standouts on the track in the early part of pre-season and was working nicely as a second tall forward alongside Peter Wright during some match simulation at training on Wednesday.
The 197cm forward had struggled to hold down a spot in the Melbourne side since debuting in 2016, having played a total of 59 AFL games including 10 this year.
“He couldn’t have impressed everyone more – his attitude, his professionalism, his intensity on the track,” new Essendon coach Brad Scott said.
“Sometimes players just need the opportunity. He played some really good footy at Melbourne when he had the opportunity, but he also had some really good players competing for a similar spot. We think we can provide the opportunity, provided Sam holds up his end of the bargain.”
Sam Weideman has impressed in his first pre-season for the Bombers. Picture: Getty Images
Weideman is top of this week’s arrogance list. Picture: Michael Klein
WARNING ON WALLA
Insiders at Essendon are saying that Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti is in a far better spot with his training than he was at the same time last year.
But the fan favourite is still far from a certainty to be back in action at the start of next season.
McDonald-Tipungwuti was moving freely on the track on Wednesday and completed some signature chase downs during match simulation, much to the delight of supporters watching on.
However, the 29-year-old forward still has a way to go, with his last senior game having come in Round 21, 2021.
“The fans should be excited and we’re excited, but I would stress that he hasn’t played footy for 18 months,” Scott said.
“It’s going to take a fair bit of time for him to get back somewhere near his best. We’re hoping he can get there, but it’s going to take some time and whether that’s early in the year next year or it take a bit longer, when you don’t play footy for 18 months you decondition and there’s a lot of work to do.”
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti may not be ready to go for the start of the season. Picture: Getty Images
Alwyn Davey Jr and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti. Picture: Getty Images
STRINGER BUILDING
The Bombers have been happy with Jake Stringer’s progression after he battled groin soreness this year and was limited in what he could do post-season.
The 28-year-old only did a small amount of work on the track with the main group at training on Wednesday as he is carefully managed by the club’s fitness and medical staff.
However, Essendon expects Stringer to be “cherry ripe” in the New Year as he continues to “ramp up” his training in preparation for Round 1.
Stringer played 15 games this year, averaging 13.1 disposals and booting 25 goals.
SMILING SCOTT
A refreshed Scott is clearly enjoying his return to coaching so far, with the Bombers’ new mentor sporting a sizeable smile as he watched his new playing group train.
The former North Melbourne coach had spent the past three years working at AFL House in off-field roles, but looks happy to be out of the office and back on the track - even if he did have to rug up for a cold summer’s day at Tullamarine.
Scott even stuck around after training and got the pen out to sign some autographs and mingle with fans – not taking offence to any of those who wanted only player signatures on their jumpers.
WORKING THEIR WAY BACK
Key defender James Stewart (foot) and young forward Tex Wanganeen (foot) are still working their way back to fitness after battling injury issues this year.
Stewart spent a lot of Wednesday’s session running laps.
Also on running duties away from the main training group was father-son draftee Jayden Davey as he works his way back from an ACL injury he suffered at the start of this year.
Nick Cox, Kyle Langford and Harrison Jones are among those who are also being carefully managed after injury-interrupted years.
Tex Wanganeen looks for an option. Picture: Getty Images
Jayden Davey shoots off a handball. Picture: Getty Images
What’s Sheeds’ next move after Hird backing?
— Jon Ralph
Essendon expects Kevin Sheedy to remain as a long-term board member as new chief executive Craig Vozzo decides whether the club’s extraordinary personnel changes will continue.
The Dons have a new coach (Brad Scott), new president (David Barham) and four new board members (Dean Rioli, Tim Roberts, David Wills, Andrew Welsh) amid profound change at the club.
](No Cookies | Herald Sun)
Sheedy made clear that he voted for club legend James Hird over Brad Scott,telling the Herald Sun he was “extremely disappointed” by the club saying Scott’s appointment was “fully endorsed”.
But amid calls for him to stand down Sheedy has the club’s backing with that board seen to be united and having brought in experts with skills that will help the club’s rise up the ladder.
Former player Welsh will be the football director, Rioli is the club’s first Indigenous board member, Wills will chair the club’s audit committee and property and construction expert Roberts helped build the club’s NEC Hangar.
Sheedy brings a wealth of football experience and has not been pressured to move on.
Vozzo will arrive at the Essendon from his role at West Coast on January 16 and will decide if more changes are needed after a series of reviews.
Brad Scott’s hiring as Essendon coach headlined a series of changes at the Bombers this off-season. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images
Essendon brought in Dan McPherson as the head of performance and Cam Roberts as the head of development with the development team boosted from two full roles and a part-timer to six full-time roles.
List boss Adrian Dodoro has at times been under pressure, but the club has made clear the development pathways were lacking and did not fast-track enough of the club’s elite talent.
The Dons again went back to the draft this year and brought in Sam Weideman and Will Setterfield for little trade outlay.
[
More Coverage
](No Cookies | Herald Sun)‘Sad and pathetic’: Hawks board stoush eruptsDramas, dust-ups, implosions: 2022’s biggest AFL stories
So Vozzo will have time to assess the club’s needs and strengths before taking charge of any other personnel changes.
The club secured Elijah Tsatas (pick 5), Lewis Hayes (pick 25), Alwyn Davey (pick 45), Jayden Davey (pick 54) and rookie Rhett Montgomerie as well as NGA talent Anthony Munkara.
12 Likes
People forget we are about 3 years into the rebuild 24/25 is when we need to start contending imo
1 Like
We just got a brand new coach, who might see otherwise.
1 Like
Not according to his recent interview
Time for the boys to flag up next year.
3 Likes
4 Likes
We’ve also been 2-3 years away from realising this that entire time.
We obviously watched different interviews.
A lot of the ground the work has been done its just a matter of Brad continuing/improving whats already there
Brad did say he underestimated the list a bit its not deviod of talent like he first thought
What was said ?
we’ve been “a couple of years off” for 20 years
14 Likes
Our past doesn’t change the fact that we are clearly a couple of years off
13 Likes
Brad Scott does look happy as a pig in ■■■■. It’s good to see. Still weird to me seeing him in the Red & Black.
10 Likes