Q. Can someone please tell me why we continue to let other sides back in the game. In all my years as a dedicated Essendon supporter I have rarely seen us kill a side off. Surely it can’t be lack of physical fitness, more likely mental fitness. A repeat of this will see us watching from the grand stand in the first week of the finals or very soon after. (Steven Edwards)
A. Part of developing young players is giving them opportunities in the best positions. Kevin Sheedy has been a coach to do that over his whole career. I am not saying it is an excuse, kids learning to play different positions, but sometimes it does change the tempo of the game
Ever since I have been at the club, it is all about versatility and you have to be able to play in a number of positions – you can’t be one-dimensional. We are still finding the best combinations for the team and working out team balance.
That being said, it is an area that we are definitely focusing on and coming towards the end of the season and in the finals series, we will definitely have rectified it.
Q. Will you stick with the kids in the finals? When Matthew Allan comes back – will you drop Jason Laycock? (Mary Tovey)
A. If the form of the players warrants a game, they will get it. It is not about who you are or how many games you have played, it is about how you are going on the day. It would be a great luxury to have a full list and be able to have options and choices – you have a healthy side when you have got that. We will just wait and see who is available. We play a very ruthless game that never stops testing you.
Q. We have all seen and heard how good Jason Laycock can be up forward after he kicked bags of seven and eight in the reserves. With the drier conditions up in Sydney, does this mean he may spend some time in the forward-line on Saturday night? (Maddalena Galli)
A. Jason has played some superb games in the VFL down in the forward-line kicking some big bags of goals. He is probably untried at senior footy in the forward-line. The two games he has played have been in wet conditions, which don’t really suit tall marking forwards. Going to Sydney this weekend with the conditions being more favourable for a marking tall forward, he will probably get his opportunity down there. Hopefully he can kick a few goals for us!
Q. At this time of year it is harder to freshen up the players. How will Essendon be doing this? (Josh Lowe)
A. I know with the weather starting to warm up and the days are starting to get longer, that spring feeling is coming with the finals around the corner. Those little aches and pains seem to disappear when you can see a finals campaign coming on.
Overall, it is not about gaining fitness at this time of year, it is about maintaining and hopefully peaking at the right time of the year.
