The path to a finals spot will probably be difficult for Essendon after Saturday’s post-siren defeat however coach Brad Scott stays “laser focused” on enchancment with the event his precedence over the group’s outcomes.
Essendon’s document slipped to 8-7 after the last-gasp loss to Port Adelaide and the Bombers might want to win at the very least two video games in opposition to Adelaide, Geelong, Western Bulldogs and Collingwood to safe a high eight spot.
Scott stated he nonetheless needs the aspect to embrace the ambition of supporters to play finals however that wasn’t the one aim in his first season in cost.
“I’m pleased with the direction we’re going, but I keep saying we’ve got a lot of improvement in us,” he stated.
“There’s eight games to go before (finals) … we want to embrace the excitement of our supporters and all the possibilities that the rest of the home-and-away season presents, but that’s just not the way professional athletes and coaches think.”
Scott stated the Bombers can be “laser focused” on areas they wanted to enhance, with the event of particular person gamers his precedence over the group’s outcomes.
“The hard thing about measuring team performance is it’s in direct relationship to how the competition’s going,” he stated.
“You look at footy over time, look at our opponent next week the Crows … played in a grand final in 2017 and then were in the wilderness for five years … now they’re a good team again.”
Scott praised Sam Weideman’s impression as a reduction ruckman regardless of the important thing place recruit failing to register a aim for the fifth week in a row, whereas he stated Peter Wright can be disenchanted in his personal goalless efficiency however was not involved by the shape line of the reigning finest and fairest.
“I think the first game against Carlton was a surprise, we wanted him to compete. He’s such a professional and he’s hard on himself, so he’ll be disappointed with the last two weeks,” Scott stated.
“But I put it all in perspective … I watch the way he trains and how hard he works – that five goal performance against Carlton, there’s a couple more of those around the corner.”
Scott was left ruing a free kick in opposition to Mason Redman for deliberate out of bounds, which led to Port Adelaide getting into their ahead 50 and locking it in for the ultimate minute seconds of the sport after Darcy Parish had an opportunity to place the outcome past doubt with a snap at aim moments earlier than.
“We executed most of what we tried to set up in those situations … the insufficient intent free kick out of bounds … they got the ball in, it was a contest, Peter Wright was trying to defend three,” he stated.
“We would’ve loved to have won obviously, but if they’re the best or second-best team in the comp, we’re in pretty good shape.”
Originally revealed as Scott praises Bombers’ combat in heartbreaking post-siren defeat
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au