David Hille is confident Essendon’s playing group is still on the right track under coach Matthew Knights despite a number of poor showings by the team in recent weeks.
“Yesterday we had 15 players playing who were under the 50-plus game mark, we had 19 players out through injury and we have a number of young players coming through who are really promising,” Hille said.
“I would have thought with such a young group, we need to give them time to build their confidence over the next couple of years and time to develop.”
The 29-year-old ruckman said the constant media speculation in regards to whether Knights would coach on next season has been unsettling for the playing group but is confident the experience has further united the group.
“All of this innuendo’s really just come off the back of one comment and we’ve got more cameras here after a loss than probably we ever have, so it certainly isn’t ideal,” he said.
“I guess it has been unsettling, probably one of the more unsettling periods in my time, yes.
“Obviously this is not an easy time period for the club but I would have thought that we will look back at this in a few years time and hopefully it makes us stronger.”
Hille said he had faith in the club’s board to make the right decisions that will ultimately better the club and he hoped fans would also show their support in what has been a tough time for the group.
“If we leave these decisions up to the court of public opinion then that would be the most disappointing thing so hopefully the club stays firm and the supporters will get behind the club,” he said.
