Coach Men's Senior Coach: Brad Scott

[Old Campaigner]

Yeah alot of what you say is what Ive been saying for most of the last two years.
I just think there a couple of factors that has me starting to worry,

1. as Miguel and I mentioned above it felt like there was significant change in approach at midpoint of the year. Was this as you said just due to a long season catching up to undermanned list or did the coaches genuinely think we had a shot at top 4 and tried to take a short cut through tweaking of the team structure/style? I really cant answer that at the moment

2. with the list issues, I feel like we have really hamstrung ourselves from overhauling the list. I fear we have been too cute with the way we have managed the salary cap/impending pay rise by handing players longer terms to offset the lower pay rate. Just feels we have locked ourselves in with too many guys that are not bad but just average to good and are contributing to the list imbalance/leadership void.

3. this is probably recency bias/reactionary but Hawks/Cats seasons have been real eye openers to me. I dont think either team has complete lists either, I would say they both have sub-par midfields and hawks key position stocks arent amazing either, but they have identified certain areas of the ground that they know are key in the modern game and havent wavered all season in focusing at excelling in these areas. Being brave in both list management calls and game style has paid dividends for them whereas we seem to prefer to tread water.

Re point 2
It’s really only Merrett, McGrath and Parish on long contracts, so it’s hardly indicative of a systemic issue at the club. There’s legitimate questions over some of those players but when fit they’re comfortably best 22, so its not like they’re offering four years to Menzie.

What we’re actually seeing is the club taking a firm stance against longer contracts for some players, which has and may again see some players leave the club to chase a longer contract elsewhere.

 

[P Money]

Anyone else seeing Lyon overrating his list and trying desperately to trade out all St Kilda's draft capital to lure older players (28/29YO+) to have a crack at a flag? Very glad he didn't come to Essendon to put us through that again

 

[Old Campaigner]

Anyone else seeing Lyon overrating his list and trying desperately to trade out all St Kilda's draft capital to lure older players (28/29YO+) to have a crack at a flag? Very glad he didn't come to Essendon to put us through that again

Hopefully we can cash in

 

[faible]

Yeah alot of what you say is what Ive been saying for most of the last two years.
I just think there a couple of factors that has me starting to worry,

1. as Miguel and I mentioned above it felt like there was significant change in approach at midpoint of the year. Was this as you said just due to a long season catching up to undermanned list or did the coaches genuinely think we had a shot at top 4 and tried to take a short cut through tweaking of the team structure/style? I really cant answer that at the moment

2. with the list issues, I feel like we have really hamstrung ourselves from overhauling the list. I fear we have been too cute with the way we have managed the salary cap/impending pay rise by handing players longer terms to offset the lower pay rate. Just feels we have locked ourselves in with too many guys that are not bad but just average to good and are contributing to the list imbalance/leadership void.

3. this is probably recency bias/reactionary but Hawks/Cats seasons have been real eye openers to me. I dont think either team has complete lists either, I would say they both have sub-par midfields and hawks key position stocks arent amazing either, but they have identified certain areas of the ground that they know are key in the modern game and havent wavered all season in focusing at excelling in these areas. Being brave in both list management calls and game style has paid dividends for them whereas we seem to prefer to tread water.

I think we got worked out a bit, the flaws on our list - poor forward-half pressure at ground level, lack of contested marking options, limited numbers of genuinely elite ball users - meant you saw things like the Port game where they just went man-on-man and we kind of melted down.

You can only coach what you've got, if for example we want to play a Sydney style game, but without Sydney style players, it's not really worth trying IMO. Having different levers we can pull, like slowing up coming out of the back half, or going fast, or moving guys around to see what works or what doesn't work is all part of the process. If teams have worked out Plan A, and we're not good enough to force Plan A to happen regardless (e.g. Richmond at their peak) then we need to be able to change-up what we're doing.

 

[Vander18]

Did I read somewhere that Kelly had a two year deal to n the table from the club but made the personal choice to retire?

If true, and I’ve been supportive of Kelly, that’s a big red flag to me.

Benefit of the doubt is that he was offered a role as depth, play VFL, role model
for young blokes etc. Jeez I hope this is what it looked like….

 

[Old Campaigner]

Did I read somewhere that Kelly had a two year deal to n the table from the club but made the personal choice to retire?

If true, and I’ve been supportive of Kelly, that’s a big red flag to me.

Benefit of the doubt is that he was offered a role as depth, play VFL, role model
for young blokes etc. Jeez I hope this is what it looked like….

Someone posted it here but said it was originally just a rumour from bomber blitz

 

[Nicholas61]

Did I read somewhere that Kelly had a two year deal to n the table from the club but made the personal choice to retire?

If true, and I’ve been supportive of Kelly, that’s a big red flag to me.

Benefit of the doubt is that he was offered a role as depth, play VFL, role model
for young blokes etc. Jeez I hope this is what it looked like….

Vander, I got it from your namesake that has been on Blitz since 2002, doesn't make outlandish statements and isn't a pop up like a Mr T. Granted we had limited replacement options wouldn't surprise given how much game time he got but isn't 100% until other sources confirm.

 

[BomberManU]

Did I read somewhere that Kelly had a two year deal to n the table from the club but made the personal choice to retire?

If true, and I’ve been supportive of Kelly, that’s a big red flag to me.

Benefit of the doubt is that he was offered a role as depth, play VFL, role model
for young blokes etc. Jeez I hope this is what it looked like….

Red flag in what way? That the club offered?

 

[Vander18]

Red flag in what way? That the club offered?

Yep - the club making this offer would be a real concern to me.

 

[yodellinhank]

Kelly kicked a bloke

 

[ant555]

Kelly kicked a bloke

And even then it was an average kick

 

[Pweter]

And even then it was an average kick

He did pull the trigger on the kick without hesitation, a definite sign of improvement.

 

[Call Me Cake]

Kelly kicked a bloke

Out: Kelly.

 

[HirdsTheWord]

Yep - the club making this offer would be a real concern to me.

bizarre if true.

tell stringer and Laverde to get real and then give 2 years to kelly.

doesnt make sense at all

 

[Rick Ross]

bizarre if true.

tell stringer and Laverde to get real and then give 2 years to kelly.

doesnt make sense at all

But did they?

So far, only evidence I’ve seen of 2 years for Kelly is tracked back to a single random post on Blitz… unless anyone has something more?

 

[eth-dog]

But did they?

So far, only evidence I’ve seen of 2 years for Kelly is tracked back to a single random post on Blitz… unless anyone has something more?

If it's Blitz we can count on it being bullshit

 

[HirdsTheWord]

But did they?

So far, only evidence I’ve seen of 2 years for Kelly is tracked back to a single random post on Blitz… unless anyone has something more?

i mean I'm not sure, just saying it would be very off if it were

 

[Schnitzengruben]

If it's Blitz we can count on it being bullshit

What happens if Blitz quotes a Jon Ralph tweet - does it open up a wormhole?

 

[ant555]

What happens if Blitz quotes a Jon Ralph tweet - does it open up a wormhole?

What if Ralph quotes a Blitz quote ?

 

[Clark G]

The president had some interesting things to say, including about the coach.

‘No room for excuses’: Bombers president’s warning to players in poignant B&F speech

‘No room for excuses’: Bombers boss’ ominous warning to players in poignant B&F speech

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[I Remember Bluey]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/essendon/mark-robinson-brad-scott-zach-merrett-and-andy-mcgrath-hunt-leadership-inspiration-in-america/news-story/84c2a4c6d4d1d0d68df6a0ab760dc4fc

Essendon’s search for finals success goes on, and to find some inspiration, three of their most important people will head to the US for some “leadership growth,” reports Mark Robinson.


Essendon’s prolonged search for finals success will see coach Brad Scott, captain Zach Merrett and vice-captain Andy McGrath seek inspiration in the United States.

Described as an exploration in leadership, Merrett and McGrath are next week planning to join Scott, who is already stateside on a family holiday.

The trio is scheduled to visit the Los Angeles Rams and renowned author and leadership and team-building consultant Sam Walker.

Walker is the author of The Captain Class: The Hidden Forces That Creates The World’s Greatest Teams, which has been universally acclaimed.

Brad Scott will be on the US trip with the two stars. Picture: Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Bombers chief executive Craig Vozzo said the trip was designed for “leadership growth” and confirmed Merrett, who is an expectant father, and McGrath would accompany the coach.

“We are looking to grow our leadership component and all three of the guys are really critical to that,” Vozzo said. “They’re looking at all ideas, how different clubs do it, trying to establish what best practice looks like, and the things we could implement and improve in our program.

“We seek to improve right across the board and this is one (area) we think needs to be constantly looked at and improved, and how we do things back here in terms of the leadership group, the method, and education of our player is really important.’’

Under Scott, the Bombers have won 11 matches and missed finals in his two seasons as coach.
Vozzo confirmed there would be a shuffle of roles for the line coaches and that an internal appointment would be made to fill the VFL coaching role left vacant after Blake Caracella’s departure to Richmond.

Vozzo also echoed the urgent messaging delivered by Bombers’ president David Barham at the club’s best and fairest function.

Essendon CEO Craog Vozzo. Picture: Michael Klein.

In what was a warning shot to the players, Barham said: “We are impatient for success, and the pain of missing out this year drives us all to search deeper and look further for what more we need to do to get there. There is no room for excuses. If you don’t prepare properly, don’t give your all on match day, conduct yourself as a professional athlete on and off the field, I don’t think you’ll be here long.’’

Vozzo said: “We have spoken to our fans and our thirst for improvement is as strong as theirs.”
“We have to look at doing it in a practical sense, whether that be development, leadership, connection, whatever component it is, and that’s part of our job, making sure we are maximising and using every effort we can to get better.’’
Barham is expected to be re-elected president at Essendon’s annual general meeting in December.

 

[BrunoV]

Will this leadership growth course address burning list builds playing duds with attitudes a coach like and otherwise selecting properly balanced AFL teams?

 

[ant555]

Will this leadership growth course address burning list builds playing duds with attitudes a coach like and otherwise selecting properly balanced AFL teams?

Can not say what the results may be but I am hearing some background whispers that the list building part will have a lot more Rosa influence in it from now on. Not to say that Scott will not be getting his say but Vozzo is backing in his man from what I hear. How it pans out ? guess we will see.

 

[Pweter]

Can not say what the results may be but I am hearing some background whispers that the list building part will have a lot more Rosa influence in it from now on. Not to say that Scott will not be getting his say but Vozzo is backing in his man from what I hear. How it pans out ? guess we will see.

I'm all for Rosa being allowed to do his job but he needs to be in lock step with Scott and the type of gameplan he wants to move forwards with. We can't have the football department running in silos.

 

[ant555]

I'm all for Rosa being allowed to do his job but he needs to be in lock step with Scott and the type of gameplan he wants to move forwards with. We can't have the football department running in silos.

I think that is a given. There is no way any AFL coach gives away the game plan to the list management.
It is more about input as far as players who will fit the game plan.
Coaches will see players during the year when they play against them and also plan against them but they are not really across the whole comp.
This is about Scott saying we need this to make the game plan work and Rosa and team then finding the best options to look at. Also different set of eyes as far as contracts go.