Sitting in the cafe watching the topless trio, Heppel, Howlett and Colyer, practising short passing and non preferred kicking in a triangle in the mild sunshine. They looked relaxed and fit and their tans are coming along nicely.
The coach wandered over to our table with an amiable grin and after the usual greetings had a bit of a chat. Nothing confidential of course but he exuded a measured confidence and the smile never left his face.
Not much happening in the trade period but he’s pretty happy with the list we’ve got.
Feels that we’ll go pretty well in the second half of the season once the players gel - e.g. the returnees won’t have played with Hartley, Walla and Dea before. When I pointed out that in previous times the pattern for some years had been for the team to fall away in the back half of the season he agreed. I’m sure he is onto this and his prediction this year that we would play better in the second half of 2016 as the players gelled proved correct.
I think we’re pretty lucky to have this man as coach. He has some of the same friendliness and humility of TD and I think he will bring out the best in the players.
With Jackets and Keane sitting relaxed and confident at Etihad while I sip my cocoa at Tulla I think we have a lot to look forward to next season.
Sitting in the cafe watching the topless trio, Heppel, Howlett and Colyer, practising short passing and non preferred kicking in a triangle in the mild sunshine. They looked relaxed and fit and their tans are coming along nicely.
This is key. And if anyone understands the importance of a well tanned team it’s Woosha - look at the 2006 premiership photo, it’s like a frat house on spring break.
Not sure if this is the right place or not, but lucky enough to tour the facilities at Tulla after Essendon got us over for a mini-combine/testing on Sunday afternoon (looked to be about 20 VFL footballers/alternative talent prospects). The place is amazing! But mostly, it is the people! Everyone we met (Adrian Dodoro, Merv Keane and the recruitment and strength & conditioning staff) could not have been more accommodating.
As we had come from interstate, they were more than happy to take us on a tour after the testing, gave us some souvenirs, and dropped us at the airport. I for one hope my boy ends up at Essendon, it was an amazing experience. Maybe, as a 30 year+ supporter, I am biased, but I’d find it difficult to believe that other clubs would be able to make us feel as comfortable as Essendon did on Sunday! An awesome experience.
How incredibly wonderful to hear.
I also hope your boy ends up at EFC. How proud you must be.
Not sure if this is the right place or not, but lucky enough to tour the facilities at Tulla after Essendon got us over for a mini-combine/testing on Sunday afternoon (looked to be about 20 VFL footballers/alternative talent prospects). The place is amazing! But mostly, it is the people! Everyone we met (Adrian Dodoro, Merv Keane and the recruitment and strength & conditioning staff) could not have been more accommodating.
As we had come from interstate, they were more than happy to take us on a tour after the testing, gave us some souvenirs, and dropped us at the airport. I for one hope my boy ends up at Essendon, it was an amazing experience. Maybe, as a 30 year+ supporter, I am biased, but I’d find it difficult to believe that other clubs would be able to make us feel as comfortable as Essendon did on Sunday! An awesome experience.
Sitting in the cafe watching the topless trio, Heppel, Howlett and Colyer, practising short passing and non preferred kicking in a triangle in the mild sunshine. They looked relaxed and fit and their tans are coming along nicely.
This is key. And if anyone understands the importance of a well tanned team it’s Woosha - look at the 2006 premiership photo, it’s like a frat house on spring break.
Just keep them away from the melanotan. No access to the fridge for them.
Very interesting insight into our how our recruiting team and club in general presents themselves. Really positive, fits in well with McKenna’s positive comments when he picked us. Thanks for sharing and best of luck to your son.
Very interesting insight into our how our recruiting team and club in general presents themselves. Really positive, fits in well with McKenna's positive comments when he picked us. Thanks for sharing and best of luck to your son.
We’ve met a few clubs now in a range of different environments, but the staff at Essendon treated us like royalty. To a man, they thanked us for taking the time out of our weekends to meet with them! This was the opposite to some of our other experiences, where other clubs’s recruitment staff made us feel that we should be honoured to be meeting with them. Not that there was anything wrong with these experiences, but Essendon was just so different (and awesome).
My son didn’t really support an AFL team (he is an alternative talent prospect) but if he doesn’t get picked up, I think we’ve got him for life!
I believe that out of humility can come greatness, particularly in team sport.
Tim Cahill proves this again and again.
The Doggies have proved this.
It’s about the importance of recognising the value of others as at least equal in value to yourself, and realising that true purpose in a team comes from helping each other to be better.
The saga has required this of the EFC in order to rebuild itself. EFC have to show that they are a safe and caring destination to new recruits, and parents don’t need to worry what will happen to their boys if they come here.
We needed to prove to the returning players that EFC had learnt from its mistakes, and will do the best they can for them in the future.
In order to keep our up and coming players and valued veterans we need to show we care about them too, while everyone acknowledging it is also the club’s job to be the best that it can be on the field as well.
A nurturing environment which at the same time is deadly serious about success and the responsibility and high standards required for this is, I believe is the way to get the best out of young and older players alike.
This is becoming truer as time goes on, with the old fashioned authoritarian method of discipline being less and less effective.
I think under Woosha, we are in good hands to realise our potential in this way.
The saga has brought Essendon people closer together and future success will be both hungered for and savoured all the more.
Not sure if this is the right place or not, but lucky enough to tour the facilities at Tulla after Essendon got us over for a mini-combine/testing on Sunday afternoon (looked to be about 20 VFL footballers/alternative talent prospects). The place is amazing! But mostly, it is the people! Everyone we met (Adrian Dodoro, Merv Keane and the recruitment and strength & conditioning staff) could not have been more accommodating.
As we had come from interstate, they were more than happy to take us on a tour after the testing, gave us some souvenirs, and dropped us at the airport. I for one hope my boy ends up at Essendon, it was an amazing experience. Maybe, as a 30 year+ supporter, I am biased, but I’d find it difficult to believe that other clubs would be able to make us feel as comfortable as Essendon did on Sunday! An awesome experience.
