Coaching Staff Former Coach Ben "Truck" Rutten - Sacked for real this time - 21/8

[Gabe251]

Honestly this year feels similar to 2019 to me but with a much better list profile. More long term success in sight rather than 'win now or fall apart'

 

[Zach Package]

Honestly this year feels similar to 2019 to me but with a much better list profile. More long term success in sight rather than 'win now or fall apart'

At no point was Worsfold anything more than a ‘placeholder’ steady the ship, coach. Rutten is young, hungry and in it for the long run.

 

[ghostdog]

I think the test for Truck will be when other clubs come sniffing around the assistants, looking for a senior coach.

 

[Lore]

I think the test for Truck will be when other clubs come sniffing around the assistants, looking for a senior coach.

I reckon if they’re sniffing around that’s a pretty decent compliment… they only do that when they want your IP

 

[ghostdog]

I reckon if they’re sniffing around that’s a pretty decent compliment… they only do that when they want your IP

IP?

 

[Lore]

IP?

Intellectual property - like your game plan and stuff

 

[ghostdog]

Intellectual property - like your game plan and stuff

Like what we didn't get from Gia

 

[Lore]

Like what we didn't get from Gia

And all the players we poached as well haha. We done good

 

[ghostdog]

And all the players we poached as well haha. We done good

Ha! Pages from the Dodoro trade week playbook. Jury will be out on the value of that until 17 is in the cabinet.

 

[Maxabillions]

It's really interesting how this idea that this is the first year we've been beating sides outside the top 8. If you look at us from 2017 to 2020 our records against bottom 10 sides are as follows:

2017: 10 wins-5 losses
2018: 9-2
2019: 10-3
2020: 5-3-1 draw

For a cumulative 34 wins, 13 losses and a draw against bottom 10 sides. Which means our record against top 8 sides over that time is 8-29.

I know a few will quote this and say "that shows we're a middle of the road side" but for some reason our supporters seem to think we've struggled to beat sides that we should for the past few years.

I think the key wording here is “struggled to beat sides we should have”. Yes we may have beaten these sides a lot of the time, but we certainly struggled to do so many times, limping across the line after being behind a lot of the time. Not performances that have inspired confidence or given the impression of a professional, driven, well drilled team. That’s changed this year.

 

[BrunoV]

Honestly this year feels similar to 2019 to me but with a much better list profile. More long term success in sight rather than 'win now or fall apart'

I don't really see the similarities.

2019 contained some of the lowest lows of the post 2015 era (see losses to GWS, St Kilda and Dogs). It was a 12 win season with a percentage of 95 and the usual fade out with 2 heavy losses to Power and the Dogs among the 3 in the last 4 games and a non-competitive final.

My personal view was that a lot of the season was wasted chasing results instead of developing the team, a testament to the futility of making finals for the sake of the achievement (when the side is not really competitive).

This year it's been a steady, almost linear, progression from week to week. The cut off point for an analysis is always a bit arbitrary but, to prove my point, from the Adelaide game we are 5 wins from 7 games. The losses to GWS and Sydney were close games against sides who have finished above us. There are 2 ten goal wins, the scalp of the Dogs and a final percentage of 109. Even more importantly there is something about the system which works as a fall back and a noticeable resolve. Everything I read and hear suggests there is something very different about this team, something you can trust. In that run of 7 we've kept Kangaroos at bay when we were as flat as we have been at any point I can remember, overcome a sluggish start to thrash GC and then put Collingwood away comfortably despite the pressure release. I don't associate this with previous Essendon teams.

At almost every opportunity Rutten has picked the team with an eye to the future, which has extended to dropping our leading goal kicker for the run home, giving Ridley defensive tasks, clearly for his development, which didn't look right on paper and which cost us, picking Stewart to play small for a month now, seemingly to develop his intercept game (and the rest of the defenders). I don't know whether it's the carefree attitude afforded when the results don't really mattering or trust in what has already been built but it's worked and we're in an extremely healthy position because of it.

We'll pick a side for an elimination final which will likely not include all of the pick 8 who was a favourite for the rising star for much of the season (Cox), a pick 10 KPD (Reid), our second year CHF who had established himself as a clear best 22 player (Jones), our 2 leading goal kickers for the year (Hooker and Tippa), our number 1 wingman (Langford) and a best 22 midfielder (Caldwell) and there isn't a player who will be picked that there isn't good reason to have faith in. What were the odds of that 6 months ago? It's been a pretty remarkable year.

 

[Old Campaigner]

I agree with all of that. There's definitely a different feel this year to previous years.

 

[Phone]

if you have to compare, 2018 when we were an actually good team for the second half of the season after a poor first half is a better comparison.

 

[the PILL]

Far exceeded my expectations as a coach across many areas. Calm, strategic, motivational and suprisingly open about aspects of our players and strategies.

It will be interesting to see what he's like once he has been baited by the media and spin has been thrown his way to try and upset him.

I am especially impressed by the way he has handled the Walla situation and the bombardment he faced on the issue of the media digging in and around asking similar questions different ways... Lol, he answered each question the same but in a different way.

Nearly every coach in the league gets, has had their quirks exposed or stirred up by the vultures in the media or opposition supporters, but so far Ben has given them nothing but a stone cold poker face and facts.

Almost documentary worthy this season with our implosion last year and the way we've hit back...

 

[Lore]

I am especially impressed by the way he has handled the Walla situation and the bombardment he faced on the issue of the media digging in and around asking similar questions different ways... Lol, he answered each question the same but in a different way.

Nearly every coach in the league gets, has had their quirks exposed or stirred up by the vultures in the media or opposition supporters, but so far Ben has given them nothing but a stone cold poker face and facts.

Perhaps this was the benefit of having Worsfold as a mentor. Worsfold was like trying to talk to a clam mind you, he didn't tell us much about anything. But he had that calm pokerface thing down pat.

 

[the PILL]

Perhaps this was the benefit of having Worsfold as a mentor. Worsfold was like trying to talk to a clam mind you, he didn't tell us much about anything. But he had that calm pokerface thing down pat.

Maybe...

I've never hidden my disliking for Worsfold along the journey and the handling of the whole entire succession plan.

The exodus and the fact that we were so very close to losing Zach, could of also lost Parish as well as the noted player division just wasn't funny.

I will conceed though whether by design or beautiful accident that it has worked out very well. I suppose we will never really know but we did lose 3 guns without hesitation on Worsfolds watch remember.

Maybe Truck learnt some media shtick from Woosha which benefited him but his whole function is almost polar opposite in their approach across many areas and there are quite a few. Revitalised player positions, player retention, blooded youth, individual mentoring, culture focus etc etc.

We're in a good place now so yay...

 

[BrunoV]

There is a ruthlessness about the way he selects the side which I admit would annoy me if it wasn't for my agreement with the players he has selected.

Caldwell is a risk but he's best 22. It's not just the risk, it is the eye to the future that has been present in almost every decision Rutten has made.

It's really impressive.

 

[Kakkle]

There is a ruthlessness about the way he selects the side which I admit would annoy me if it wasn't for my agreement with the players he has selected.

Caldwell is a risk but he's best 22. It's not just the risk, it is the eye to the future that has been present in almost every decision Rutten has made.

It's really impressive.

It's an eye to the future, but he's still picking the best team possible for the game at hand. This is uncharted territory for Essendon.

 

[Old Campaigner]

It stands in such a stark contrast to Worsfold's 'select for onfield leadership at all costs' approach that needed Myers to drop himself to give some of the kids a game

 

[Lore]

Post match interview with Hepp but there’s a lot in there about how much he respects Truck’s coaching and how he’s gone about it etc. a lot about the culture that is building under his management.

 

[ghostdog]

Congrats on a fantastic season, Truck! Onwards and upwards!

 

[BrunoV]

Feel like we deserved better than the scoreboard but that really is the difference between the 2 sides.

They throw 6 guys at a midfield rotation that we can't go with on the inside and have a much more potent mix on the flanks and up forward.

Really good season, nothing changes that. Just have to hope the lesson has been learned.

 

[TheWeapon]

Great season plenty to work with in the off season
Need to turn the sprinklers on at the Hangar as we looked worst in wet weather conditions throughout the year

 

[FlyingV]

Absolutely love him. Excited to see what the group can accomplish without having to build and culture and gameplan from ground zero up this off season

 

[foj1]

Had a poor day at the office
I thought he showed a lack of imagination- I would have liked to see him shuffle the troops more
Not sure he had a great match committee either
Surely the best wet weather player on the list should have played- Dylan Clarke

37

Dylan Clarke

Age

26

Ht

187cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.9

4star

K

6.1

2star

HB

8.8

5star

M

1.9

2star

T

6.3

5star

CL

2.3

4star

No current season stats available

D

16.0

4star

K

6.8

3star

HB

9.2

5star

M

2.2

3star

T

6.6

5star

CL

3.4

5star

Surely that game would have been worth 20 to a player like Nik Cox
Playing Gleeson was shortsighted
I would have liked McGrath to play on Weightman
However props to Rutten- a way better season than I thought possible and the players seemed aligned at long last
A key forward, small forward and a physical midfielder please