Source : ABC NEWS
Essendon coach Brad Scott has a simple message for anyone who thinks his struggling AFL club is in a “rebuild” phase.
Adamant his playing group is far better than a 0-3 start to the season suggests, Scott believes the bulk of the Bombers’ heavy lifting is behind them.
“You can put labels on all sorts of things, but when you turn your list over by 39 [players] in three years, I think the hard work’s done,” Scott said.
“We made decisions to push draft picks into the future to be able to bring in opportunities to invest in the draft.
“If you look at the last three years, we’ve done that. It’s not [ike] we need to strip the list back and rebuild it. That process started three years ago.”
Essendon have been defeated in their past 16 matches in a barren run dating back to May last year, and are staring down the barrel of equalling a club-record losing streak.
A huge task lies ahead against the unbeaten, free-scoring Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.
On paper, it seems the most pertinent query is about the margin of defeat, rather than the result.
“Look, I think it’s a fair question,” Scott said.
“I’ve never been a person — player, coach, whatever — that is interested in reducing a margin.
“You go out and you get on the front foot. In boxing parlance, you throw the first punch.”
While it may or may not result in a much-needed win, Scott will measure Essendon’s improvement in aspects of the game the Bulldogs can’t control.
“They can’t control how well we pressure and our intent in the contest,” Scott said.
“They’re primarily where the focuses are. It’s pretty simple — pressure in the contest, win the ball, contested stuff, pressure when we haven’t got it, and then the execution with ball in hand.”
The Bombers face big selection calls, with young forward Nate Caddy (concussion) unavailable and first-round draft pick Sullivan Robey pressing for his debut.
Scott defended the club’s handling of Caddy, who kicked 1.2 in last week’s loss to North Melbourne before experiencing delayed concussion symptoms.
“It can be very, very hard in the immediate term to diagnose,” Scott said.
“When you’re a player like Nate who’s never had any concussion symptoms in his life, he’s very confused as to why he’s feeling the way he is.
“But as soon as he was assessed the doctors came to me and said he’ll be straight in the concussion protocols.”
Adelaide Crows have double injury scare ahead of Friday night clash
Adelaide key forwards Riley Thilthorpe and Darcy Fogarty have sent a scare through the Crows by failing to complete a match-eve training session.
Adelaide’s Riley Thilthorpe has failed to complete a match-eve training session. (AAP: Matt Turner)
Fogarty received treatment on his back, and a proppy Thilthorpe also left training early ahead of Friday night’s clash against Fremantle.
The Crows, with one win and two losses, will recall veteran forward Taylor Walker for the Adelaide Oval clash against the third-placed Dockers (two wins, one loss).
Walker missed Adelaide’s eight-point loss to Geelong, rested while recovering from an undisclosed injury.
Captain Jordan Dawson also missed the game against the Cats because of a calf injury but has been cleared to return against Freo.
But triple club champion Rory Laird, who was also sidelined last-start by a calf complaint, has failed to recover in time to play the Dockers.
The Crows are set to summon ruckman Reilly O’Brien for his first AFL game this season, with Finnbar Maley likely to be squeezed out of the side.
Changes to the ruck rules to outlaw grappling at centre bounces led Adelaide to initially overlook O’Brien.
But with Dockers Sean Darcy and Luke Jackson considered among the best ruck combinations in the league, van Berlo said O’Brien’s experience was likely to be called upon.
“Obviously coming up against Jackson and Darcy … it’s silly not to discuss that as a match committee,” Crows assistant coach Nathan van Berlo said.
“Both our big guys are in good form. We’ll wait and see what we go with selection-wise first, and then we’ll work out that mix from there.
“He [O’Brien] has always worked incredibly hard at his game and it’s no surprise that he’s got to work and improved himself.
“He’s a leader of our club for a reason, because he puts the work in and we always know that Rob [O’Brien] is going to find a way to work his way back into being the best version of himself.”
Utility Billy Dowling also appears set for an AFL return, replacing Luke Nankervis, while James Borlase will be summoned in the absence of fellow key backman Jordon Butts (concussion).
AAP
