Essendon coach Brad Scott is using Port Adelaide’s blitz of Hawthorn as proof to what being “a bit off” can lead to ahead of his side’s clash with a winless West Coast which have been labelled an “absolute rabble”.
AFL legend Kevin Bartlett launched into the Eagles, who have won just 10 of their past 73 games and were smashed by Carlton last weekend, calling them “a disgrace” and an “embarrassment to the AFL” on Melbourne radio.
Scott, however, won’t be caught off guard by off-field criticisms, having watched as Port, coming off a loss to the Bombers, blasted the highly-fancied Hawks out of the park on Sunday night with 12 of the first 13 goals of the game.
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He said it was a reminder of how “anyone can expose anyone” and that included the Eagles.
“Like most of the football world we watched football on Sunday night, last game of Gather Round, and no one predicted the score at half time, anywhere near it or anything like it,” Scott said on Tuesday.
“But all it does is remind us that if you’re a bit off and the opposition is on, anyone can expose anyone and that’s certainly the case this week.
“The Brisbane Lions might be forgiven for being a bit complacent at different stages being the reigning premier and being 5-0 — we’re nowhere near that level.
“Our group aren’t thinking that way, they know how much we’ve got to do, they know the difference, they’ve seen it really clearly between when we play close to our best footy (compared) to when we don’t and how bad it can look.”
Scott swatted away a question about how dismal the Eagles were in their loss to Carlton on Saturday afternoon and referenced their performance against Brisbane.
He says “there’s evidence everywhere for what teams are capable of” and expects to run into a fired-up Eagles outfit on Good Friday.
“We’re under no illusions that we’re coming up against a very proud football club that still, in my opinion, have a lot capable within their side and if we don’t hold up our end of the bargain we will get exposed like other teams would,” he said.
“We just go back to their performance against Brisbane at The Gabba, halfway through the second quarter they’re 30-odd points up looking like a very good team.
“There’s evidence everywhere for what teams are capable of – the AFL rollercoaster, if you’re going well everyone thinks you’re flying and if you’re not everyone thinks it’s a disaster and the reality is it’s somewhere in between both of those things.”
Scott wouldn’t commit to a ruck plan after Nick Bryan’s season-ending ACL injury with veteran Todd Goldstein and returning forward Peter Wright, who kicked three goals in a practice match last weekend, options to help Sam Draper.
“The honest answer is we haven’t decided yet, but the good news is we have flexibility,” Scott said.
Peter Wright played on the weekend, ‘Goldy’ played on the weekend, they’re both high quality players and we’ve got flexibility with the structure we think is best suited for this week.
(Goldstein’s) got this incredible attitude where he’s well aware that a big part of his role is to develop Draper, Bryan and Vigo Visentini as well. He does that in such a selfless way.
“Both of those options are clearly available for us.”
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