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The one player who was dropped for not playing for the team?

I can't get inside Shiel's head to know exactly why he wasn't giving 100% at times, but there were a lot of other players that were just as bad or worse and Shiel responded well after being dropped.

Have you ever been involved in a group task where some of the others are half arsing it? It's frustrating and means you have to work twice as hard to get the task done because some are being lazy or ducking around. That would cause angst in the group if it was happening week in week out, so I could see why some players could want to see their teammates being forced to be more accountable.
 
It's also possible that there is a group of senior players that would like a hard taskmaster as coach to force the lazy players to start playing for the team. Shiel for example strikes me as someone that would want others around him to put in as much as he does, and I could see Merrett being the same.
I'm a bit worried with 'senior players' requesting a coach - as they already have blood on their hands the way they treated Truck with distain and not following his instruction. Not responding to him on the bench. Not giving a damn.

Let them sit out the process like the rest of us, as we investigate the best out there. After interviews, Lyon might be found out to be not the cure all people were expecting with another option being best suited.

The players inaction with the last coach should be the last say they have in any of the matter.
 
Just on board chat, wasn't aware that Ray Horsburgh died a few weeks ago.

Will always remember the vision of him walking down Napier Street holding his files the evening Sheedy got sacked.
I'm more of a fan of remembering when his wife called up talk back radio to plead for Essendon people to take it easy on her husband.
 
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Yeah it's a bit puzzling that the source of much of our angst, the senior playing corp, are the ones that now appear to want some tough love. I guess the penny has dropped?
The lazy pricks said the same thing after Worsfold - that they wanted clear direction from Rutten.

12 months later they’d stopped defending, so you’ll excuse me if I ask them to have absolutely no say in who the next coach is.
 

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The lazy pricks said the same thing after Worsfold - that they wanted clear direction from Rutten.

12 months later they’d stopped defending, so you’ll excuse me if I ask them to have absolutely no say in who the next coach is.

I assume 'playing group' isn't a homogenous lifeform. It likely means 'some within the playing group' want a coach who'll drive standards and discipline. I can imagine that being a guy like Merrett, not a guy like Parish.
 
Why the players feel they should have any input is beyond me

I dunno, when you've replaced multiple coaches it seems relevant to ask players for their feedback on what was good or bad, clear or unclear. This is a high performance environment, not a call centre.

Why are we the only side where players feel they should be picking the coach

We're not.

Leave the job to those with the experience in the role and that have been picked for the job based on their experience. Ie cobblers cobble.

When you go to the cobbler you tell him what you want done to your shoes, you just don't tell him how to do it.

The issue now is, you pick the coach based on what the players want. Who dont have the experience or knowledge and bypasses the 'process'

No, you pick a coach based on an array of factors and inputs. One element of which is playing group feedback of previous coaches.

Or you do the process thus not taking into account what the players want and they sook it up because they didnt get what they wanted

This isn't an either/or thing. You take all relevant inputs in to consideration; players, assistant coaches, football GMs.
 
Sounds more like players were being asked for their input - can't see a problem with that. This seems to be morphing into 'the players demand...etc, etc', which doesn't appear to be the case.
The so called 'process' looks sound, not sure what the problem is. We should be happy that they're even attempting to do things the right way (finally!)
 
I'm a bit worried with 'senior players' requesting a coach - as they already have blood on their hands the way they treated Truck with distain and not following his instruction. Not responding to him on the bench. Not giving a damn.

Let them sit out the process like the rest of us, as we investigate the best out there. After interviews, Lyon might be found out to be not the cure all people were expecting with another option being best suited.

The players inaction with the last coach should be the last say they have in any of the matter.

Yep - let the players play, the coaches coach, the administrators administrate!

Not to mention a few players from memory were vocal in their desire for Worsfold, or at least hinted at it (from memory Goddard did off the top of my head).

I must say the whole Ross/Dons agenda that the media have driven in the last week is becoming an eye roller. He's really been handpicked as that 'new shiny toy' from an outside perspective...

In the event that Lyon is actually interested (which doesn't sound a sure thing at all), we just need to hope we stick fat and actually go through a proper process, instead of the umpteenth knee jerk reaction.
 
I don't remember which thread it was that we were talking about fan engagement and the club not being particularly strong in that area...

Well I just went down a Twitter rabbit hole, Fermanagh is Jo Doonan's Gaelic footy club when she's not playing AFLW, and they shared this:



Would actually be really good to have a little booklet with all the players faces and bios like this, especially if they want to collect signatures. Get a new book every year, make more opportunities for kids to meet the players and try to collect all the autographs...
 
I don't remember which thread it was that we were talking about fan engagement and the club not being particularly strong in that area...

Well I just went down a Twitter rabbit hole, Fermanagh is Jo Doonan's Gaelic footy club when she's not playing AFLW, and they shared this:



Would actually be really good to have a little booklet with all the players faces and bios like this, especially if they want to collect signatures. Get a new book every year, make more opportunities for kids to meet the players and try to collect all the autographs...

As Draper signs his 51st signature Milpool...
 

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No idea what the fuss is with thr Ibiza trip. I'm glad the lads get along so well. They're a team, when you're friends you want to fight for each other. You often see 4-5 lads going to America or Europe together. There's not much evidence of exclusion going on.
 
No idea what the fuss is with thr Ibiza trip. I'm glad the lads get along so well. They're a team, when you're friends you want to fight for each other. You often see 4-5 lads going to America or Europe together. There's not much evidence of exclusion going on.
If you didn’t listen to Kane Cornes you’d never even know they were going on a trip together. I’ve hardly heard a thing about it except in this thread… and I consume a lot of footy media.

It seems that no reputable media outlet actually finds it newsworthy, and that’s saying something given how much mileage they make out of Essendon on an average day.
 
No idea what the fuss is with thr Ibiza trip. I'm glad the lads get along so well. They're a team, when you're friends you want to fight for each other. You often see 4-5 lads going to America or Europe together. There's not much evidence of exclusion going on.
Kane Cornes lives to create the cheap likes and outrage lines. It’s his sole point as a person in the media.
 
No idea what the fuss is with thr Ibiza trip. I'm glad the lads get along so well. They're a team, when you're friends you want to fight for each other. You often see 4-5 lads going to America or Europe together. There's not much evidence of exclusion going on.

The issue is the timing of the trip, if it was taken in October then it would make sense but to time it for the end of August smacks of not being serious about their footy.
 
The issue is the timing of the trip, if it was taken in October then it would make sense but to time it for the end of August smacks of not being serious about their footy.
With respect, bullshit it does.

It was clear from a very long way out that we wouldn't be playing finals this year. If they want to go on a trip, then why not go as soon as practical?

If you wanted to really go glass half full, you might even argue August is better than October as it means they have a longer pre-season.

But aside even from an academic thing like pre-season length, there are many, many more important things about the playing group at Essendon that smack of them not having the hunger required than the timing of a pre-season trip.

Their absolute point blank refusal to defend when a coach wants them to do so, for example.
 
No Draper on the 200+ pod this week but they did a little section about the footy trip and had Ivan Soldo as a guest — from what he was saying the Richmond blokes are booked to go away too, 35 odd players to “somewhere in Asia” in October 😂🤪

And apparently they have a couple of chaperones, usually it’s the welfare manager who goes as well. Or at least Richmond has them, with Covid cuts who knows if Essendon does.

Apparently they got doorstopped at the airport and Heppell had to answer a couple of questions so I guess if we can find the clip that might make some more sense instead of speculating.
 

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Kane Cornes lives to create the cheap likes and outrage lines. It’s his sole point as a person in the media.
he is just "the vegan teacher" of the AFL sports media landscape..

Doesn't actually give great insight, just goes after easy targets with outlandish statements and people, lo and behold, get outraged and blows them up and appreciate the popularity so do it again.

One of the easiest ways to 'get noticed' despite how cringe it looks
 
I agree with Kane Cornes or Chad or whoever, 35 of them going away together to Ibiza is ridiculous.

they’re not all going to fit on the Venga Bus, which I assume is his issue? i don’t read his stuff.
 
I agree with Kane Cornes or Chad or whoever, 35 of them going away together to Ibiza is ridiculous.

they’re not all going to fit on the Venga Bus, which I assume is his issue? i don’t read his stuff.
Who goes to Ibiza? Just go to St Kilda Beach. Drink enough you'll think you're in Ibiza.
 
Who goes to Ibiza? Just go to St Kilda Beach. Drink enough you'll think you're in Ibiza.
oh gosh no! steer well clear of St Kilda, in fact a good rule to remember is that nothing good ever happens south of the Yarra
 

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