Coach Men's Senior Coach: Brad Scott

[ant555]

when we finish 15th he'll label this season as a "practice season"

Supporters have the right to be syndical given the last 20 years but they have to see it for what it is as well. The list is not strong and the culture and leadership has been well below average and that is what takes the time. Last season was a look and see all the moving parts. If we finish 15th this season it will be the reality check and that is we are not good and the previous efforts to build have been a total fail. It is why I have been saying 4 to 5 years rather than 2 or 3. It is why Scott will not put a time frame on things. He knows they are pretty much still at stage one and that is build the culture and leadership.

 

[Old Campaigner]

8 year plan. * me.

You got a better idea?

 

[ant555]

The only difference is that at Tullamarine, 8 years = 4 coaches

Well that is where the board and supporters have to stop wetting the bed and get their heads around the fact that there is no quick fix and no easy road. Scott may well not be the next premiership coach but we have to actually build the platform before we take the next step. Both Melbourne and Richmond supporters wanted the coach sacked at one stage before they won a flag. We have to build the culture first.

 

[Old Campaigner]

Well that is where the board and supporters have to stop wetting the bed and get their heads around the fact that there is no quick fix and no easy road. Scott may well not be the next premiership coach but we have to actually build the platform before we take the next step. Both Melbourne and Richmond supporters wanted the coach sacked at one stage before they won a flag. We have to build the culture first.

I think this is the most important thing. He knows what a winning culture looks like and he has the strength of will to steer us in that direction. People looking for the quick fix makes that harder than it needs to be because suddenly you have misalignment between the coach and the board, or the coach and the influential supporter groups, and then come the mixed messages, or strategic decisions that no longer complement what the coach is trying to achieve.

 

[ant555]

BUY IN OR DROP OUT



JAY CLARK


Even Brad Scott was a little shocked. When Essendon's senior coach
wrapped the whistle around his neck for his first day of pre-season training
late in 2022, there were a small number of players absent.

Their flights home from an overseas holiday, which were booked to return
on the day before pre-season training started, were delayed.

It meant a couple of Bombers missed their time trial under a new coach
because one was still stuck overseas, and at least one other was too jet-
lagged after a long return trip.

Scott may have maintained his usual calm exterior at the time, but it was
clear in that moment just how big his job at Essendon was.

Before the club could rise up off the canvas after two decades without a
finals win, Scott knew there had to be a complete reprogramming of habits,
behaviours and lifestyle expectations inside the bowels of Tullamarine.

And flying back to Melbourne within 24 hours of training starting seemed a
remarkable misread for some professional athletes.

But more than 12 months on, Scott was happy the needle had moved
significantly in the right direction with about 16 players this time around
giving up their holiday time for a self-funded altitude training camp in
Arizona.

"There is always a kernel of truth to these things, so, yeah, I was just
shocked," Scott said about last summer's surprise no-shows.

"You can make excuses for it. The players went off on their break and they
didn't have a coach, they didn't have a schedule. They didn't know what
was happening.

"They have got to book their holidays.

"But to summarise it, I thought we needed a realignment on what was
important about being an elite athlete and the expectations at AFL level.

"I say to the players all the time, the game is not for everyone.

"As soon as you think you are sacrificing something by playing AFL - Friday
knock-off drinks with your tradie mates or going out on weekends with
your uni mates - it is going to be really difficult for you over a long career
because you are going to feel like you are missing out on something.

"The best don't think they are sacrificing anything. They think they are
investing."

Around the same time last year, the club's new CEO, Andrew Thorburn,
lasted only one day in the job amid a religious row, and the board was
effectively overthrown.

The club's cynics would say it was typical Essendon instability. They've had
six different senior coaches, plus three interims, in 17 years.

But Scott, along with new chief executive Craig Vozzo and president David
Barham, have vowed to return a steady hand with a clear long-term vision
that has been designed to help Essendon enjoy a decent go at the top
without any short-term gambles.

And this season will be another big test for a team planning to integrate its
prized third-to-fifth year draftees, including Harry Jones, Nik Cox, Zach
Reid, Archie Perkins and Ben Hobbs, as well as first and second-year studs
Nate Caddy and Elijah Tsatas.

It is a group which has been challenged to take more responsibility and
ownership of the club entering 2024 because this is where the bulk of the
team's growth will come from, Scott said.

It means this season will be an exciting glimpse into the future, and in
particular down the new spine, with 205c Reid combining with ex-
Kangaroo Ben McKay and Cox down back, and the hard-running Jones
working off Peter Wright and Caddy in attack.

DEFENSIVE RE-FIT

The defensive recalibration has been a major focus to try to fast-track the
synergy between key pillars in McKay and eight-gamer Reid.

Essendon has been a poor defensive side for the best part of a decade, but
Scott plans to change that with the help of the new pairing.

"Essendon sides over time have been pretty good at attacking, not so good
at defending," Scott said.

"That is simplistic, because there are a lot more complexities in the game
than just that.

"But it was an easily identifiable trend (poor defensively) when I was even
contemplating entering this process (Essendon job) - through multiple
coaches through multiple eras.

"So it was a case of actually trying to get to the bottom of what was going
on here.

"We have made significant progress in aspects of it. We were able to slow
the opposition down and defend pretty well particularly for phases of last
year.

"Certainly it looked a lot better (in the first half of the season). But clearly
we weren't able to defend the big forwards very well. That is hard when you
have got Zach Reid, a 2o5cm key defender sitting on the sidelines watching.

"I'm cautious not to lump too much expectation on a player who has played
only eight games, but he is an exciting prospect for us."

Cox will play wing-back alongside superstar-in-the-making Nic Martin
who has made the shift from wing to rebounding defender, while
underrated hard nut Sam Durham has moved from wing to onball.

Tsatas, who Scott said was a "young man in a hurry" to play AFL, had 24
touches on a wing against the Cats in a much-improved pre-season hitout.

It means the midfield will bat deeper than last season. Will Setterfield is
back from a serious foot injury, Ben Hobbs and Jye Caldwell have grown in
confidence after stepping inside last year and Dylan Shiel is out to prove he
isn't done.

But what does the mix look like for round 1 against Hawthorn on Saturday
and how will they move the footy?

"I'm not concerned that I don't even know what our best midfield looks
like because players will surprise us, and it is a matter of giving them
enough opportunities for them to show us what they can do," he said.

"But we want to focus on the fundamentals of the contest, because that is
where the game begins and you set the game up around the contest.

"How we attack is most often dictated by how the opposition defend. I
don't like saying 'This is the way we attack no matter what' because teams
all defend differently.

"We want to be flexible enough so that if they (opposition) want to fold
back we will run the ball at them.

"And if they want to come at us we will potentially go a bit quicker and a bit
deeper.

"It's training both of these things so we can play multiple ways."

But unless the Bombers work some sort of on-field miracle, this season
promises to provide some challenges combining all the young talents in the
face of external expectations.

Scott said there would be some "inevitable hiccups" as the club attempts to
"bridge the gap" on the best teams.

But he said it wasn't a case of "204 or bust" and brushed aside Matthew
Lloyd's strong view that fans will tear down Windy Hill if they miss the
eight again.

"The biggest risk to us is we get a bit shaky in the face of short-term
volatility - that's the challenge in this game," Scott said.

"There's a Rudyard Kipling quote. 'Can you keep your head when all those
around you are losing theirs?'

"So, it is frustrating for fans, frustrating for players and coaches (to miss
out on finals), I get it.

"But the problem with constant improvement is it doesn't just go in a
straight line. It isn't linear.

"Fremantle finished fifth in 2022 and 14th in 2023.

"It gets back to do we want to build this sustainably or do we want to try to
look for quick-fixes and sugar hits?

"I look back on last year and I was criticised for not being bold or optimistic
enough. But even when we were going OK (8-5), I was saying this was going
to take time because I could see things that were still a long way off the best
(teams).

"So, in a nutshell, last season which one was it?

"Were we the team that was competitive on Anzac Day, beat Melbourne
early and Adelaide, competitive against the good teams early on? Or the
team that got blown away in the second half of the year? The answer is yes
to both. Both of them are us.

"At our best we are capable of competing against the best. But if we drop
away we can be badly exposed by the best."

FINDING A BALANCE

In the last two rounds, Essendon was thrashed by preliminary finalist GWS
Giants and premier Collingwood by a combined 196 points.

The hammerings left a bitter taste in the mouths of senior leaders such as
Zach Merrett, Kyle Langford and Andrew McGrath, who led the Arizona
altitude mission to help the Bombers start the season in better nick.

Scott is clear off-field expectations have gone up following the late flight
debacle more than one year ago. But fans may have to show more patience
before it fully translates on-field.

"Essendon supporters want to see improvement but what they don't want
to tolerate is lack of effort, lack of commitment to the cause," he said.
"And if you are not committed to the lifestyle that is required of an elite
AFL player you won't last here long.

"If it's something I have learnt over a long period of time I regard myself as
a highly supportive coach and supportive of my players and will go in to
defend players.

"But if I reflect over time, I have been potentially too supportive for too
long.

"You can support, support and support, but if you don't uphold your end of
the bargain, we will move on really quickly.

"I expect, and this isn't a threat, this is just the reality. But I suspect there
will be players who just won't be able to hold up their end of the bargain in
terms of what we are trying to build.

"We will be pretty unforgiving on that."

Last week former Bomber David Zaharakis who played 229 games from
2009-21, said: "I'm not too sure what a stable environment looks like.

"Players know when it's an unstable environment. When you see one coach
and he says one thing and then you go into a meeting with another and
watch vision and he says, 'Don't worry about what he said - this what you
should do'," Zaharakis said on Footy Talk.

"When coaches start doing that you have got no chance."

But Scott is certain the club has much stronger foundations entering 2024.

"You can't get the on-field right over a sustainable period of time until you
get the off-field part right," he said.

"Dave Barham is showing exceptional leadership as president, we have got
a really stable board, Craig Vozzo is a really experienced football person. So
you can talk about these intangibles, but how does it translate into
something tangible?

"It translates into Mason Redman staying after saying 12 months ago I was
definitely leaving. And when you ask him why (he initially wanted to leave),
it was because we have got no direction. We have got no stability.

"So the question is can we provide that for these players? What was our
biggest achievement in 2023? We provided some stability.

"We are a very fortunate club and we get to play in big games, we get quite a
bit of exposure compared to some other clubs, so you will get dragged into
the short-term.

"But I say bring your focus back to where it needs to be and that is on what
you need to do right now to achieve the outcome longer-term. We have got
to do a good job of communicating to our frustrated supporters who are
impatient for a very good reason."

 

[ant555]

EIGHT-YEAR VISION



JAY CLARK


Essendon senior coach Brad Scott says the bulk of the Bombers can rise
together over the next eight years.

The club has faced renewed pressure to win its first final in 20 years with
Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd saying Bomber fans will "nearly tear
down Windy Hill" if they don't make the final eight this year.

But ahead of his second season in charge, Scott said the club would not
deviate from its long-term plans and had to ditch the "rollercoaster (ride)
of the past two decades".

Scott said the Bombers' list profile shared similarities with some clubs in
full rebuild mode, with only one rival AFL captain picking Essendon to
make the eight this year.

"If Lloydy is saying Essendon people are frustrated about missing the
finals, that's right, they would be. It's been over 20 years, I understand the
frustration," Scott said.

"But when you think about (Zach) Reid, (Nik) Cox, (Harry) Jones, (Archie)
Perkins, (Ben) Hobbs and (Jye) Caldwell - you put them all together and it
is a profile that doesn't look that dissimilar to the players at clubs who are
rebuilding.

"So what's the difference? We tend to fall into this thing of we haven't won
a final in 20 years, so we have just got to do it. But that (short cut) gets you
nowhere. Marry up the facts with the reality.

"Essendon fans should be really excited that outside of a few veterans this
group has the potential to play together for the next eight years, and I
include (Jade) Gresham, (Xavier) Duursma, and (Ben) McKay in that. The
nucleus of what we have got is here. That is where the bulk of improvement
is going to come from."

But Scott warned against mistaking the club's big picture perspective for
complacency.

"Don't think we are just cruising and we are accepting mediocrity because
we are absolutely not," he said.

"But if you can't maintain some stability and keep a laser-like focus
through the ups and downs you aren't going to be able to work through it.
Our recent history, and by that I mean two decades, shows that.
"When you look at the stability we are building, where we have come from,
where we are now and where we are going, I think you see a bigger picture
than wanting to torch Windy Hill in the short term."
Lloyd questioned how long Essendon fans should have to wait for
September success after starting last season 8-5.
"There is no reason now they shouldn't be making it (the eight)," Lloyd
said on 3AW.
The Bombers will face some challenges in the first part of the fixture as
they prepare to take on Hawthorn (MCG), Sydney Swans (SCG), St Kilda
(Marvel), Port Adelaide (AO), Western Bulldogs (Marvel), Adelaide (AO) and
Collingwood (MCG) in the run up to Anzac Day.
SCOTT SAYS, P80-81
CAN BOMBERS
FLY UP?
Essendon in 2023
Won: 11. Lost: 12
Percentage:
Finished: 11th
Ave for: 79.9 pts (13th)
Ave agst: 89.1 pts (15th)
Essendon in 2024
Ri: v Hawthorn (MCG)
R2: v Sydney (SCG)
R3: v St Kilda (Marvel)
R4: v Port Adel (AO)
R5: v W Bulldogs (Marvel)

 

[BrunoV]

8 years makes sense to me. That's as long as it will take to get over the imbalance of the list.

 

[ant555]

The Matthew Lloyd comments are simply a refusal to acknowledge previous efforts under different personal do count as failure and you have to start again . There are no guarantees it will work this time around either but every time you fire a coach during the build you reset the clock . Richmond did not win a flag for 40 years. Melbourne 50 years. Hawks has a 20 year gap. Geelong 40 years at one stage. All had to go through numerous failed rebuilds . I am not really sure Scott will be the bloke to win us the flag but at least he has started work on the culture and leadership issues .

 

[ant555]

8 years makes sense to me. That's as long as it will take to get over the imbalance of the list.

Agree. Regardless of the individual personal we may agree or disagree on I suspect there will need be 40 odd players turned over in the next 4 or 5 years to produce a side that can hold its spot as a top 4 side and be in the window for a flag for a period of time. The kicker to that will be the new recruiting set up has to work.

 

[BrunoV]

Agree. Regardless of the individual personal we may agree or disagree on I suspect there will need be 40 odd players turned over in the next 4 or 5 years to produce a side that can hold its spot as a top 4 side and be in the window for a flag for a period of time. The kicker to that will be the new recruiting set up has to work.

It's not that. We're just waiting out contracts and convention.

 

[yodellinhank]

ant555 BrunoV Scott says the bulk of the improvement is going to come from the players already on the list. So it isn't about turning it over.

 

[yodellinhank]

You got a better idea?

Yes.

 

[P Money]

Is this where "8-year plan" is coming from? I'm not interpreting Scott saying 'it's an 8-year plan to get to a premiership'. He's saying that the nucleus of the team that he thinks can achieve long term success should be playing together for the next 8 years. Two very different things.

Some very pointed words there though, and one's I'm sure every Essendon fan is happy to hear - basically that the players who don't adopt a proper professional attitude and are just happy being AFL players will get pushed out of the club. He says it isn't a threat but it most definitely is and those players who know he's talking about them will certainly be feeling the flame.

 

[yodellinhank]

Is this where "8-year plan" is coming from? I'm not interpreting Scott saying 'it's an 8-year plan to get to a premiership'.

Certainly not. The club needs to place less emphasis on winning a premiership, or a final. Those things are just short term thinking that gets you nowhere. What we need is stability.

 

[dank420_]

Have a flipping sook Hank

 

[tandino]

That's a beautiful sentiment and I don't doubt his sincerity, but it's also every trope in the book. The new coach coming in, smashing the CD Player in the clubroom with a baseball bat and telling his players it's time to get serious probably dates back to the day after the day the first match was played.

 

[jdstorm]

ant555 BrunoV Scott says the bulk of the improvement is going to come from the players already on the list. So it isn't about turning it over.

See you say that but it very easily could be no Heppell, Weid, Goldy, Sheil, Stringer , Guelfi and a couple others. You’re looking at 10-20% of the list. Being turned over in the off-season again.

Currently Essendon have 1 first round pick. So assuming they are a potential contributor next season that still leaves a lot of room for later picks and reclaimation projects to join the list

 

[Squeaky]

That's a beautiful sentiment and I don't doubt his sincerity, but it's also every trope in the book. The new coach coming in, smashing the CD Player in the clubroom with a baseball bat and telling his players it's time to get serious probably dates back to the day after the day the first match was played.

I believe it was a gramophone and it was smashed with a cricket bat by coach Worrall.
By jove it created a spectacle to all and sundry!

 

[yodellinhank]

See you say that but it very easily could be no Heppell, Weid, Goldy, Sheil, Stringer , Guelfi and a couple others. You’re looking at 10-20% of the list. Being turned over in the off-season again.

Currently Essendon have 1 first round pick. So assuming they are a potential contributor next season that still leaves a lot of room for later picks and reclaimation projects to join the list

They could've started last off season and didn't, what makes you think they'll turn it over next? Scott has signalled the talent isn't an issue.

 

[jdstorm]

They could've started last off season and didn't, what makes you think they'll turn it over next? Scott has signalled the talent isn't an issue.

They didn’t?
Added 4 rooks + McKay and Gresham (6 players) for players who were entrenched in the vfl squad

Then they turned over 1 best 22 player (BZT) and 1 fringe best 22 player (Flip) into 2 fringe best 22 players in positions of need (Goldy/Dursma)

That’s 8 players turned over and it would have been 9 (Sheil) if there had been any takers offering anything of value.

That’s 20% of the list. That’s pretty significant

 

[Bunk Moreland]

He seems to not care about this whole stupid “winning a final” thing, which I think is great.

I can’t believe how many people have brought into this garbage, it’s just a tool for trolling.

Who gives a shit about winning a meaningless elimination final?

We need to win flags. Finish Top 4 and win flags. That’s what we need to do, not “win a final” ffs.

 

[yodellinhank]

They didn’t?
Added 4 rooks + McKay and Gresham (6 players) for players who were entrenched in the vfl squad

Then they turned over 1 best 22 player (BZT) and 1 fringe best 22 player (Flip) into 2 fringe best 22 players in positions of need (Goldy/Dursma)

That’s 8 players turned over and it would have been 9 (Sheil) if there had been any takers offering anything of value.

That’s 20% of the list. That’s pretty significant

They delisted Snelling and a couple of rookies. They had forced changes through retirement and trade requests. They clung onto Shiel who wanted out and Heppell.

 

[Old Campaigner]

Yes.

go on..

 

[yodellinhank]

go on..

I'd go with a 4 year plan, it'd take us half as long.

 

[thaibomber]

We play the Hawks this week. Hope we have a 1 week plan to beat them to start.