DeeSpencer

Neeld failed because of personality, but the club and list was screwed regardless. Needed a full clean out to rebuild the rebuild. Neeld did us a favour

Did this require its own post

Brad Scott did a very solid job at North (running on the smell of an oily rag), for the best part of 10 years. 211 games: 106 wins, 105 losses. 4 finals series. 2 (back door) prelims. Buckley at Collingwood (with all the resources money can buy). 218 games: 117 wins, 99 losses, 2 draws. 5 finals, 2 prelims and a lost GF. When you handicap for degree of difficulty of the job they’re about equal, especially given they both started in the pre footy cap era. After 4 years away from coaching (the same time period as Bucks) Scott was lauded by his friends in the media as a very sensible solid hire at Essendon. A strong leader. A culture changer. The sensible experienced hire after many journeys through the wilderness since the Sheeds days. But 3 years later where is he at? They spent 2 years building 11 and 11.5 win teams that finished 11th. Then they have an injury list from hell that wipes out a year. No discernible strengths or game plan. No real list directive until maybe Merrett and Ridley give them one now. And despite the experience and wisdom and a bunch of denials there doesn’t seem to be any relationship between the coach and his players - including the highly paid captain - who are desperate to get out. Obviously nothing is guaranteed, and most first time coaches don’t succeed, especially with a less than ideal list set up. But I’d also rather fail spectacularly shooting for something innovative than to be where Essendon are now.

He quit in Feb 2021, to spend more time with his kids. We can round that up!

They did research across the comp and initial chats to form a short list for the formal interviews so they were down to 6 before then. Take out Skipworth that’s 5 that they thought were all worthy candidates. There’s no shortage of things they can do in interviews to test candidates. Aside from them laying out their vision and their level of preparation (training sessions, review methods, coaching structure) you can do things like mock press conferences and player meetings.

It’s a bit of a reach but if you count Kelly’s last two playing years as coaching - which was a big part of what he was at Essendon to do - he’s been in a somewhat coaching role since 2016. Played under Bomber and Scott, coached under Worsfold, Rutten (for a preseason before going F this, I’m going to be a dad for a season) and Scott. To me it’s enough experience, the only thing you’d love would be if he coaches his own side but with the nature of the afl system plenty of good coaches never do.

Think I’m a no on Flanders unless it’s a future 2nd and that’s about it. Hardwick doesn’t trust his contested work or defensive running to be a midfielder or that he has the pace to run off half back. He’s unremarkable on a wing. We could play him on ball and he’d help us short term but I think we have to plan around a Langford/Lindsay midfield. If Langford’s the fulcrum of our future midfield we need pace around him. He reminds me of Cerra when he was leaving Freo and we had interest and I kind of think that’s the level he’ll end up. A midfielder who’s not quite reaching the heights you want.

Let me go on record and say I was. Never liked the Grundy move, saw it as a waste of time. Hated the Lachie Hunter move, just a disaster. Didn’t see the point of Billings. I had some optimism for Fullarton because almost every 200cm athletic guy improves in the ruck in their mid 20’s. If he was able to ruck 20% he had the ability on the lead to get out of the way up forward. Turns out he was the exception. Was all for McAdam but not at the price. And I didn’t like the cost of the Tholstrup trade up that I maintain was never intended for Tholstrup, hence the last minute dash west to meet the parents. And can’t say I was on board with the Lindsay trade up either, just too many picks in a deep draft. We’ve burnt 3 x second rounders and 3 x third rounders on moves that have got us nowhere and if we kept those picks we’d have a bunch of guys going in to years 2, 3, 4 and be a in a stronger position to chase some real difference makers this year.

Sure, but 12.5 game a year for McAdam wasn’t zero. If he was a 3rd rounder not a 2nd I wouldn’t be bothered by the failed trade. Future 2nd rounder that became a great pick was a dud deal from the day it was made

Martin: 11, 12, 13, 3 traded or delisted or whatever it was at age 29. McAdam: 13, 15, 15, 7 traded at age 28. I can see why McAdam was worth more. A year younger and 50 games over 4 years not 40. And the 3 year deal was required to get him. But the future second round pick was always too much. Everything about him said 3rd rounder. Peatling, a far superior player last year. Future 2nd and got a future 3rd and 4th back. Justin Reid drives a hard bargain. There’s no evidence that being nice in trades hurts you down the line either. The other factor with McAdam is he played round 11 last year whilst still underdone, he didn’t look great. Cats didn’t race Martin in at all, debut in round 14. Shane looked phenomenal in preseason tho. Fittest he’d ever been. Total bummer because I still believe in the talent.

The media (with plenty of help from people I won’t name) have just spent 5 years tearing Goodwin to shreds. Doesn’t matter that he’s a good coach. Meanwhile Buckley is a superstar name and strong media performer who can market Tassie (including staying on Fox for at least another year), that trumps his mostly mediocre coaching record

Spot on! Hoping like hell someone on our panel has the sense to go for the best candidate rather than fall for Buckley’s media campaign. Jobe Watson save us please.

Doesn’t sound like it was a special announcement from the people who were there.

Morris’ latest tweet makes it sound like Jack requested a mutual separation so possibly the club respected that wish and didn’t put him in the tweet. Included him in the B+F speech and graphic by mistake and then now have to work out phrase it. Honestly every delisted player should do the same ‘you can’t break up with me, I broke up with you first’!

Amiss has as much presence as Fritsch tho, he’s a lead mark player in a cumbersome big body. He might get it together, but it wouldn’t shock me if he ends up just a meh player on a lot of cash. Pies are apparently chasing Jack Buller. I reckon he offers about as much as Amiss for a far cheaper price. If we cheap playable upgrade I’d get him, but it kind of depends how much we want to turn the forward line over to the young guys.

Monday at their exit meetings? Obviously a couple still in limbo waiting on the coach and trade period.

I can tell you 2 people who wouldn’t be open to that, the Hawks and Dogs list managers. Even in this terrible draft I doubt we get anything inside 30 for Lever. Meanwhile a top 10 pick for Tracc seems generous yet alone throwing in Lewis

That would be a great result, we’d get one of 4 quality assistants

I do get the feeling the Hawks are all over Merrett and might only turn an eye to Tracc as a consolation prize. I'm struggling to see who else in the top 10 teams would really bother making an aggressive move for Tracc. And then Clarry has even less value. Even if we massively discount their contracts and have them available it won't be for great picks.

Or we can take our time and hire the best coach. Buckley isn’t bringing us any big fish this trade period. How about our list management team do the list management and we hire a potentially great coach not a mediocre one.

He’s a free agent. We should offer a contract that sees us get at least 3rd round compo if another team offers him the same deal.

Probably won the award for best Casey player and so they avoided a delisting announcement before the award announcement. The players are told at exit interviews. Not like they’re chopped via tweet.

We had one game after the first 5 rounds that we weren’t at least a decent winning chance at some stage. The penultimate round against Hawthorn. The idea that we’re flat out effortless isn’t true. There’s a couple of players who were unpredictable and the skills were poor, but there’s a lot to work with if we get our list management and coaching right.

It seems based on the trade period. Making sure we’ve got time for a new coach to make decisions on who to trade out and confidence to sell potential recruits. Which is entirely reasonable, we’ve got some huge decisions, but if the best person for the job is coaching in prelims and the grand final we need to give them space to do that.

Perhaps Kelly fits that bill. The others are experienced assistants who are highly rated. King, Lade, Skipworth, Gia risk getting the bridesmaid tag if they apply and don’t get the gig. Hence Skipworth bailing The only thing I dislike is why the public prelim deadline? If we do go with King or Kelly they get put in a terrible place if it’s fully confirmed days before they have to coach a prelim and then a GF. The logical thing to do in that scenario is to soft appoint one of them but hold the offical announcement and press conferences until the Monday after the grand final.