It was a coach-killing loss. The whole club needs a clean out. John Worsfold needs to show some raw emotion and look more invested.
It’s a broken football club. And Worsfold has two weeks to save his job.
These are some of the things that have been swirling through the press circuit and on social media since the Bombers capitulated by 104 points to the Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium last week. Yet, despite Essendon’s frustrations and inconsistency, I still think John Worsfold is the man to lead Essendon to the club’s first premiership since 2000.
In four years, Worsfold’s message has rarely shifted. If you’ve watched all of his post-match pressers and even the mid-week huddles with media, the message is usually this: he wants to build a team that’s not only worthy of vying for a premiership, but a team that will be good for many years.
If we were to peer inside Worsfold’s head, the ideal Bombers team is quick, skillful and contested ball pigs; wins are dominant. When winning, the successes are attributed to “playing our brand of football.” Winning means being stingy in the backline and starving opposition goals. And kicking goals will come in the form of multiple forms. But it’s not easy to unravel 15 years of uninspired Essendon football.
Coach of the Bombers John Worsfold. (AAP Image/Julian Smith)
“We’re here to win a premiership. Everything we do is around building a team that’s a squad, a list that’s good enough to win a premiership, a game style that’s good enough to win a premiership,” Worsfold told Essendonfc.com.au at the start of this year.
After winning seven of eight games, followed by two hulking losses, the Bombers sit shakily in seventh spot. Another win could see them play finals but most of this season Worsfold has been under siege for things like Essendon’s 3-5 unwelcomed start, sluggish build-ups, wrong options, dropped marks and not getting the best out of a team that had the fourth best list according to Champion Data.
And in 2019: The club is still trying to find its identity after the ASADA crisis.
One can only assume Worsfold was hired to help win a premiership and not become just a caretaker coach to lift the Bombers from the fog. Throughout his tenure fans and media critics are divided on Worsfold’s ability – or inability – to lead Essendon and to tactically match it with the best teams.
On one hand the Bombers have developed and found good youthful players this year in Mason Redman, Dylan Clarke and Matt Guelfi and their best football can match it with anyone; on the other, they are ranked 4th for clangers and continue to make bad decisions that cost them goals. But what’s really changed under Worsfold?
Aside from the 3-16 season in 2016, Worsfold has added two seasons of 12 wins including a finals berth and could finish this year with another 12 wins. It’s steady, middling, but not terrible.
He’s recruited some key cogs to the club in Jake Stringer, Devon Smith, Adam Saad and Dylan Shiel. He’s unearthed a handful of talented young kids in Dylan Clarke, Mason Redman, Kobe Mutch and Matt Guelfi.
He’s improved the contested ball wins from being ranked 17th in 2016 to 9th in 2019. Standing back and looking at all of this anyone can see how Worsfold is trying to piece together a list that will compete in the modern game; a team that could win a premiership. But building a competitive list takes time.
If you looked at what Damien Hardwick did at Richmond, and what Bomber Thompson did with Geelong, it has shades of what Worsfold is doing with the Bombers.
Before winning the 2017 flag, Hardwick and Tigers fans endured seven years of promise and failed campaigns and Hardwick himself survived major internal reviews and increasing pressure to perform. But then things clicked.
For Bomber Thompson, it also took seven years for him to win a flag at Geelong in 2007, after four middling years of 12 wins, 9, 11 and 7. It’s not to say that things will automatically happen for Worsfold but list building takes time. It’s a patient man’s game.
There’s no such thing as an overnight success. Teams that rise to the top have done so by building a list through trial and error until it all clicks.
Is Worsfold another Hardwick? (AAP / Julian Smith)
The problem for Worsfold is that he walked into a broken club after the ASADA supplements investigation.
In the history of football there’s been no real blueprint on how to successfully recover from this. But this is something he was built for.
If you remember, he joined the Crows after Phil Walsh was tragically killed and began as an interim coaching director. And with the Eagles he navigated through two 4-18 seasons post Grand Final win in 2006 and got them back to a Preliminary Final and Semi Final before retiring.
He seems to thrive in adverse times and is a good fit for the Bombers. He’s delivered process. He’s delivered structure. Some of it needs tweaking, some doesn’t.
In 2019 injuries have stymied Worsfold’s Bombers’ projection. The loss of key forward Joe Daniher and grunt midfielder Devon Smith set things back a couple of months into the year. And ever since then it’s been a revolving door of hamstrings, shoulders, season-ending ailments.
This is out of Worsfold’s control. You take 12 starting players out of any AFL line up and you’ll most likely have the same sub par results. But are the Bombers a team that was built to win today? Absolutely not.
Despite some adjustments, Essendon has performed the same ritual for the past three years now with pluses and minuses in different parts of their game. But if there’s one thing that’s a guarantee, is that Worsfold will stay the course because that’s who he is and he has a track record of staying the course.
Now it’s time for the players to stand up.
asd
Guest
good man to
Unknown Quantity
Roar Rookie
Was onboard with Woosha as a coach until I heard the "last year was my first crack" comments. Loves to take credit for making finals but doesn't want to take credit for having 3 wins in 2016 and then wants to pretend last year doesn't really count. The bloke is in denial. Where is there any evidence that he can lead Essendon to be anything more than a middle of the road 12 win team?
anon
Roar Pro
So in all that time, not a single assistant came up to Woosha to tell him that something isn't right about Cousins, Chick, Kerr, Gardiner, etc. Everyone out west knew what was going on with those guys, but no-one in the inner sanctum. Doesn't pass the pub test does it?
Sachit Dassanayake
Roar Rookie
The only time he's positive is when he's congratulating himself for his "predictions" being proven right.
anon
Roar Pro
Don't be naive. Cousins, Kerr, Chick's drug use was an open secret. Cousins was captain, Worsfold was coach. Are you telling me that a qualified pharmacist couldn't identify any behaviour consistent with drug abuse? He never thought something was 'off' about Cousins behaviour in a decade spent around him? In all that time spent around Cousins as a player and coach, he never heard one of those rumours, never witnessed any behaviour that seemed odd? He was a full blown ice addict for crying out loud. Not someone having the odd pill on a Saturday night. Did he just hand out drugs to junkies when he worked at a pharmacy. Cook and Worsfold turned a blind eye to it because of expediency, because results are the only thing that matters. You don't get to Brian Cook's position in life without being a cagey, ruthless operator.
Jack A
Guest
One player who I won’t name told me that he had 5 one on ones with Woosha in 4 years and he’s a star today that has played over 150 games for WC. Woosh was a huge delegator that backed his staff and leaders in to do much of the heavy lifting. He wasn’t “dealing” with players 5 or 6 teams a week in a manner that you may have been alluding to ie close to the player, intimate knowledge etc. He may have changed somewhat now, I honestly don’t know as I’m out of that loop. What I do know as fact, is that you are smearing a name without intimate knowledge of the circumstances and that you don’t know very much about this topic and I say that with all due respect.
Gavan Iacono
Roar Rookie
I have been a big big Woosha fan since his playing days, what a bone-crusher and leader he was. He has a very good coaching record. With the senior coaching role having changed so much with so much delegation, a weakness in any link can break the whole chain. The senior coach sets the team plan and it is executed via good subordinates. I am not sure whether Woosha has the right game plan, nor whether his subs are all up to it. When on song they are great to watch, however, they don't play the territory game that is needed in todays game when backs are against the wall. I think they need a game plan review, adding the great Carracella will be an enormous improvement in that area. If Woosha is fully motivated, he should stay another year. If he isn't fully invested, he should go.
Aus in Engerland
Roar Rookie
As a WC supporter I have obviously followed Woosha throughout his career. I believe he is an absolutely honest, upright person of the highest integrity. He was a fabulous captain, but I always thought he was too one dimensional as a coach. At WC it was plan A. Plan B consisted of moving Adam Hunter forward (or back if he started forward). And that was it. Good captains tend to come in two types. Type 1 is the one who motivates and gets the best out of the team by inspiring them with words. This captain lifts a team when it flagging and always talks both one on one and as a group. This is the Churchill/JFK type of captain. Type 2 is the one who is the quiet motivator who inspires by actions rather than words. This is the guy you follow over the trenches, charging at the machine gun nest because you know he'll be the one leading the push. He's the guy who always puts his body on the line and you do the same because you don't want to let him down. This is Woosha. One of these captain types translates really well into the coaching arena, the other doesn't. And I've always thought Worsfold's style didn't translate to coaching very well. He took over an Essendon at a low and has done a lot to rebuild the brand, but I'm not convinced he's the guy to take the team to the next level.
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
Brissie is doing it with an older coach, never understood the fascination with young coaches, like we get dinner as soon as we turn 50.
Jack A
Guest
Brian Cook was at West Coast when that culture was present, developing, and falling apart as you put it. He admitted that it developed under his nose on the podcast link below and he didn’t know it. Cook is widely regarded as one of the games best ever CEO’s. Cook moved to the Cats and asked Bomber Thompson if he was taking drugs and Bomber denied it and Cook said that he believed him. That would mean Cook was involved in similar situations at two clubs. Was Cook lying about his conversation with Bomber also? It was the same story at WC with Cousins, he did deny it to Woosha, Nisbett and others. On Open Mike, Judd said that Woosha is “the most honest man in Australia”. Parkin said that Woosha is one of the best men you could ever wish to meet. I know people that know Woosh and some that played under him. I also knew the Cousins family and his GF and her family back in the day. You’re just taking cheap shots from the back row and really don’t have any idea what was said and to whom back then. I know who I believe and it’s not you. Drug users are very good at hiding their behaviours from family, let alone their collegeauges. No club back at that time knew how to recognise the problem or how to deal with it. Woosh rebuilt that culture from the ground up and look at WC today. Look at what he inherited at the Dons! Listen to the podcast if you’d like to hear what Cook has to say on the matter. https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/in-the-game-with-damian-barrett-an-afl-podcast/id1454358798?i=1000440083484
Cracka
Roar Rookie
If, Worsfold has a bad finish to this year and a poor start to next year then ‘coach in waiting’ Caracella, will be appointed, maybe as early as round 12. I think he, Worsfold will be coaching the Bombers for another 3 or 4 years, once they have a full list, with a full preseason in their legs they will be fine.
IAP
Guest
"Contested ball pigs...", hahaha, yeah right. Essendon don't have the cattle to go far. They need to get rid of half their list before they will have any chance at a premiership.
IAP
Guest
Those 5 or 6 blokes who were off their heads regularly and are now shells of men or dead.
Tom M
Guest
Cronulla accepted the 3 week suspensions that were on offer by asada, copped it on the chin and moved on to win a flag the following year. The bombers dragged the entire code through the mud for 4 years worth of appeals, this was a shocking decision based solely on the pride and foolishness of individuals at the time.
Peter Gin
Guest
Irrespective of whether Woosha needs time, he nevertheless needs to be a good communicator and show some compassion. This he is not!!! Every one can pick his game plan. How can a team let the opposing side score 21 goals unchallenged and be so calm explaining to the media. What do you think K.Sheedy would say. How can a team allow one of their key players to go overseas for a wedding. Some of the players in the VFL should be moved on i.e Jake Long (Is there because of his father), Matt Dea. Many of the other players in the VFL have shown nothing at all. Dorodo should be looked at with his selection of players. No doubt he would have been advised by Woosha. Who in the hell chose Zach Taylor. Should not play him anymore. He is an embarrassment. Worst EFC ruckman of all times. Woosha has not been able to coach his side to play with some good old style blood and guts footy like some of the other clubs with lesser talent like North Melb., Carlton, Port Adelaide Why is he allowing some of his players to peroxide their hair. What do you their opponents will say to them. It should be noted that the combined loss of the VFL and AFL teams were about 200 points, which means that there is no depth at all. So what is the future??
anon
Roar Pro
The culture fell apart under Woosha at West Coast. To this day he still pushes the narrative that he didn't know what was going on with Cousins, Kerr, Chick, etc. Everyone out west knew what was going on, but not Woosha who was dealing with these guys 5 or 6 days per week.
anon
Roar Pro
The truth is rarely kumbaya chants
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Feedback from the Pies was Cara is a footy genius and will make a Clarko like coach.
Larry1950
Guest
Seems almost every contributor blames the ASADA scandal for the ongoing problems at Essendon in not making finals but Cronulla Sharks won an NRL premiership in 2016 after their similar issues. Maybe the suspensions did differ in severity but that could have been because of the dogmatic denials by the club's hierarchy, coaching & playing staff. If Worsfold is building towards a longer lasting finals squad, that's great, but he might have to contend with other clubs such as the Tigers, Lions & probably Bulldogs doing it better simultaneously.
Jakarta Fan
Roar Rookie
I was excited when Woosha was appointed coach. Was a frustrated supporter during the ASADA episode and optimistic in the aftermath. Woosha still has a year to run on his contract and with the many positives he has created deserves to see it through. However, 2020 is judgement year. Next year is the year to see the fulfilment of his promises and vision that he made to the club. That doesn't necessarily mean a premiership but at least it is presenting a team that is solidly in the 8 and playing with more consistent results. As a team with a horrific key player injury list and in the developing of young players we can understand the "Big Dipper" in the 2019 season but he goodwill faces its test and climax in 2020. If the team emerges as a solid "in the 8" team, maybe pushing Top 4 then Woosha will have achieved almost everything he promised and should be rewarded with a contract extension. If 2020 is a repeat of 2018-2019 even half way through the season, then he should go. 2020 is the year he must produce or lose all the goodwill and hopes that Essendon has invested in him. Go Bombers!!!