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

[Old Campaigner]

He seems like he should be the guy - came from a successful system, was highly rated in the industry, said the right things. He needs more than a couple of years to show what he has got but there does come a point where we should be seeing signs of incremental improvement and I am not sure we are seeing that yet. Maybe it takes longer to teach a gameplan than I thought.

 

[nipst@r]

I think we have discovered ruttens major weakness. Doesn't change things. I still rate him as a coach but not changing the taberner match up. Seems he selects a side and is unwilling to change it. Id like to see him change it up a bit, Mcgrath as the attacking defender for a few weeks, perkins in the middle for a few weeks. Even if tex gets another game put him the guts. he shows some signs in the vfl. Throw ridley or laverde forward at times to change the game. We seem to have cutler, cox, guelfi marked as utilities and no-one else is allowed to change positions mid game. We will stick to the plan no matter what. Were still in the development stage and Im starting to see a lack of development/growth opportunites for players. I.e you will play hf or hbf for 20 weeks thats your growth.

 

[CBombers17]

Would love to know what he presented to the board to get the gig initially - or maybe it was settled with a quick game of rock-paper-scissors instead?

Just trying to remember who the final top 5 were in the interview process??

 

[brain taylor]

I think we have built a culture of sympathy deals, smith still around, hurley still on the list, heppel still captain etc. We continue to make them, if you want soft list management ess is your club. I think Hurley would have been paid out or rookie list if not for the saga.

Heppell is still captain because there hasn't been anyone else to take up the mantle. Merrett may be the best player but he's also the posterboy for one-way running and a noted poor communicator, and the other flagged candidate McGrath doesn't seem close to ready either. Throw in Hurley's hip issues and Hepp's literally the only option.

 

[foj1]

Just trying to remember who the final top 5 were in the interview process??

Our process is as flawed as philadelphias

 

[foj1]

He shows no imagination
ridley forward
redman forward
cox chb
waterman hb
just something
he coaches like he played
straight ahead with no flair or imagination

 

[greysong]

He’s beginning to remind me of Teague at Carlton last year. Leads a team that incredibly easy to score against and has the same stupid look watching on expressionless from the box as his side gets spanked.

 

[Kakkle]

Does he get midfield rotations and interchange rotations confused or something? I'm staggered as to why there isn't more players going through the midfield, it's as if he's capped it, and offers no flexibility in terms of the setup or getting different players through there.

 

[CBombers17]

What does he get measured by? Should we be seeing any improvements?

Can anyone point out any improvements in our game so far this season?

After the Harmison delivery of a first round - followed by some OK efforts - today was a return to a limp capitulation at home against a decent young interstate side (not some juggernaut). For all those who think the club will exercise patience it will be very interesting if we don't substantially improve on this type of performance this season. A loss is ok but dropping your bundle is not ok. We have a group that can fold and if they start taking smashings from next week anything could happen.

With Cara in the wings we may even land on our feet. And given we seemingly refuse to do a proper process at Essendon that's the sort of luck we clearly need.

 

[ant555]

Not sure you can flame the recruiting for being no good for the previous 15 years before he became coach and then start seriously questioning his coaching. Since he took over at the end of the 2020 season we have moved on 21 players. You also have to factor in the fact that we had been hamstrung a bit as far as the draft goes because of previous trades. We are playing a lot of guys like Perkins who show periods of brilliant play but have also missed a lot of their under age development. He is giving guys like Durham and martin a crack at it despite both making a lot of rookie errors. On top of that he is getting zero around the ground from his number 1 ruck. It is not real surprise to see what is happening on the field. The list has flaws that will take several drafts and some decent free agents to sort it.
There are not a lot of improvements in game plan because we are playing a lot of young players , we have some that are just not up to it and we have a few that are a bit too one dimensional.

 

[Yoda_]

Our process is as flawed as philadelphias

try supporting Tottenham Hotspur on top of Essendon AND Philly

 

[nipst@r]

Heppell is still captain because there hasn't been anyone else to take up the mantle. Merrett may be the best player but he's also the posterboy for one-way running and a noted poor communicator, and the other flagged candidate McGrath doesn't seem close to ready either. Throw in Hurley's hip issues and Hepp's literally the only option.

What's a list size these days. Literally 30+ options. Do you think he is still a good captain? I think time to develop a future leader. Someone who is team focused 100%

 

[ant555]

try supporting Tottenham Hotspur on top of Essendon AND Philly

Not a Philly supporter. Do support Spurs and the perennial under achieving Dallas Cowboys.
Thankully the other side I share as much passion for as I do for Essendon are in a decent period. Go Panthers. I go to Sydney to see them 3 or so times during the year.

 

[ant555]

What's a list size these days. Literally 30+ options. Do you think he is still a good captain? I think time to develop a future leader. Someone who is team focused 100%

To say Heppell is not team focused is just wrong. Problem is the game is pretty much passing him by.

 

[maskmcgee]

Too ****ing soft. Look at every coach that has had any sort of success. Hardwick, was the toughest player in the leauge. Chris Scott

Chris Scott

Age

48

Ht

182cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.6

4star

K

11.2

4star

HB

5.4

4star

M

5.1

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

0.4

3star

No current season stats available

D

13.2

4star

K

10.2

4star

HB

3.0

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

2.8

5star

G

0.4

3star

, as much as I hate him, always complaining publicaly about shit in the leauge he dosen't like. Another tough player. Even his brother got North into two prelims. Goodwin, bullying his players. Beveridge, always ready to go to war with the media. Voss, another tough guy getting results this year. This we got this guy, the one with no ****ing spine coaching us. Every coach that has any sort of success either had balls as a player or balls as a coach. Rutten has neither.

 

[foj1]

try supporting Tottenham Hotspur on top of Essendon AND Philly

Arsenal, the Efc of the premier league

 

[CBombers17]

Not sure you can flame the recruiting for being no good for the previous 15 years before he became coach and then start seriously questioning his coaching. Since he took over at the end of the 2020 season we have moved on 21 players. You also have to factor in the fact that we had been hamstrung a bit as far as the draft goes because of previous trades. We are playing a lot of guys like Perkins who show periods of brilliant play but have also missed a lot of their under age development. He is giving guys like Durham and martin a crack at it despite both making a lot of rookie errors. On top of that he is getting zero around the ground from his number 1 ruck. It is not real surprise to see what is happening on the field. The list has flaws that will take several drafts and some decent free agents to sort it.
There are not a lot of improvements in game plan because we are playing a lot of young players , we have some that are just not up to it and we have a few that are a bit too one dimensional.It looks like we are getting des

In our 2 worst losses it looks like it's our midfield that gives up. This is an area we have experience and it also contains a good portion of our leadership group.

Most of us can handle young players making mistakes even when it costs 4 points but if he can't get our well spruiked engine room going/running where he wants them then surely that's a reflection on his performance?

Could you foresee him coming under pressure if we start taking smashings (IF) or do you reckon the club is braced to keep him no matter what for 2022 (and 2023 etc).

 

[ant555]

In our 2 worst losses it looks like it's our midfield that gives up. This is an area we have experience and it also contains a good portion of our leadership group.

Most of us can handle young players making mistakes even when it costs 4 points but if he can't get our well spruiked engine room going/running where he wants them then surely that's a reflection on his performance?

Could you foresee him coming under pressure if we start taking smashings (IF) or do you reckon the club is braced to keep him no matter what for 2022 (and 2023 etc).

He will come under pressure but you can not expect him to have all the answers if he is operating with list flaws dating back to before he got the nod and the mistakes that playing multiple young players make.
Bad sides get smashed. Melbourne got smashed for a lot of years. Richmond got smashed for a lot of years. Saints have been smashed for 10 years. North put through the big broom and are getting pummeled. Carlton did as well. Fremantle have had some shocking defeats in Longmuirs time as well.
Supporters wanted Hardwicke sacked. They wanted Goody sacked. They wanted Ratten sacked after last year.
Everyone hates to see it. How bad did Melbourne look in periods of 2019 and 2020 ?
Truck may only last 4 years but in that time we will have changed 30 plus players. All we can do is keep turning over 6 to 10 players a year. There is not a lot he can do now but keep introducing guys like Hobbs who are two way running blue collar players. Keep giving the younger players a shot at some games. They are stuck with the midfield short term (2 to 3 years) but players will start pushing through "if" they get the list management right.
Truck may not be a great coach in the end but he has started the process.
We are a list that needed to be close to full strength to be a middle of the road side.
Look at the other really young sides. They have been all over the place as well.

 

[naraku]

If we include the EF against dogs and take out the Adelaide game, we've lost our last 5 by an average of 7 goals.

We average just 8 goals in those matches and have conceded close to 16 a game.

Rutten seems like a good bloke but is this the " nice guy's finish last"?

We have spent X amount on getting in Caracella-one of the best assistants of the last decade. Gia- what was he, best assistant as rated by the coaches and another coup was Tapping.
It means, unfortunately, something is not translating from Trucks "plan" through these coaches and then through to the player's.
That's on Rutten.
He does have an injury crisis and a list with big flaws, so he is excused for that but Ben Rutten

Ben Rutten

Age

41

Ht

190cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.4

3star

K

6.3

2star

HB

7.0

4star

M

5.3

5star

T

1.3

3star

No current season stats available

D

10.6

3star

K

6.2

3star

HB

4.4

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.0

3star

MUST change what he can.

 

[ant555]

If we include the EF against dogs and take out the Adelaide game, we've lost our last 5 by an average of 7 goals.

We average just 8 goals in those matches and have conceded close to 16 a game.

Rutten seems like a good bloke but is this the " nice guy's finish last"?

We have spent X amount on getting in Caracella-one of the best assistants of the last decade. Gia- what was he, best assistant as rated by the coaches and another coup was Tapping.
It means, unfortunately, something is not translating from Trucks "plan" through these coaches and then through to the player's.
That's on Rutten.
He does have an injury crisis and a list with big flaws, so he is excused for that but Ben Rutten MUST change what he can.

So you think the list is in good shape and we should be a top 6 side ?

 

[Keystone agony]

His post match pressers do nothing for me. Does he motivate the group?, is he motivating?

He tells me whats happened but doesnt seem to have the solutions

Does he have the ability to drop a big name player?

Why was Perkins not onball in the last quarter?

 

[bomberlegend2007]

Too ******* soft. Look at every coach that has had any sort of success. Hardwick, was the toughest player in the leauge. Chris Scott, as much as I hate him, always complaining publicaly about shit in the leauge he dosen't like. Another tough player. Even his brother got North into two prelims. Goodwin, bullying his players. Beveridge, always ready to go to war with the media. Voss, another tough guy getting results this year. This we got this guy, the one with no ******* spine coaching us. Every coach that has any sort of success either had balls as a player or balls as a coach. Rutten has neither.

 

[naraku]

So you think the list is in good shape and we should be a top 6 side ?

The list has flaws and I mentioned that.
Massive flaws.


What I am saying is we have equipped Ben with the staff- I assume-he has asked for but with them his game plan is clearly not currently getting through.


To answer your question, no. Before the season I thought we would be scrapping for 8th again like last year if I am going to be honest. Of course I dare dream for top 6 but well, we can't even string some of the basics of footy together can we?

 

[bomberlegend2007]

So you think the list is in good shape and we should be a top 6 side ?

This right here. And this is the problem with this forum right now.

On one hand, we are screaming about how shit our recruiting has been and how poor our list is right now, but then on the other hand, screaming that Truck and co aren’t getting this list to challenge for a flag.

Let’s make our mind up, should this list be challenging for a flag? If the answer is yes, then we should be ditching the coaches at seasons end and bring in someone who can maybe get us there, like a Ross Lyon or a Clarko.

But, if the list isn’t good enough yet, we need to give the coaches and the club a few years to build it into one.

 

[Vander18]

The only issue I have with Rutten is that he seems to lack imagination - never changes things up to try and get a different outcome.

But that’s footy in 2022…..everyone wants to “back their system.”