ESSENDON legend Tim Watson believes the Bombers do not need an external review into their slow start to 2022, instead offering a different solution to fix the on-field woes.<\/p>\n
Their midfield has copped the brunt of the blame from fans and media pundits, and reports have surfaced that players are confused about their roles within the team.<\/p>\n
Bombers champion Matthew Lloyd suggested an external set of eyes would be beneficial if the club chose to do another review, however Watson believes the problems at The Hangar can be fixed internally.<\/p>\n
When asked by SEN Breakfast<\/em> co-host Garry Lyon whether there is a need for an external review, Watson was resolute in saying the Bombers\u2019 problems should be fixed by the club\u2019s coaching panel.<\/p>\n \u201cThere appears to be, and we had [Essendon deputy vice-captain] Andrew McGrath on our news yesterday talking about their midfielders and midfield problems\u2026 and there\u2019s confusion,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cSo they don\u2019t need a review, what they need to do is get each of those midfielders who is potentially confused about what they should or shouldn\u2019t be doing and sit them down individually and say, \u2018Okay, this situation, what do you think we should be doing around stoppage, centre bounce stoppage, where do you think you should be?\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cDo it individually and find out whether or not there is some confusion for a start and get those guys on the one page.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s not an external review, that\u2019s an internal review about the way you\u2019re playing and your game plan and the way you\u2019re coaching.<\/p>\n \u201cCoaching is teaching, and teaching is communication, if there is a breakdown here in communication then that needs to be resolved and fixed.\u201d<\/p>\n Ben Rutten is in just his second year of senior coaching after taking over from John Worsfold at the end of 2020.<\/p>\n After the strong start to his coaching career, this presents as the first time the 38-year-old has been under significant pressure in the coaches\u2019 box.<\/p>\n \u201cIn this business, and we\u2019re all guilty of this, we go from 0-100 really quickly, a side loses a couple of games and we start talking about sacking their coach and external reviews, this to me appears to be a problem where potentially everyone is not on the same page, and the players have spoken about it, about where and how they should perform their roles in the team,\u201d Watson continued.<\/p>\n \u201cIt shouldn\u2019t be the case, but it is the case, and that\u2019s what you\u2019ve got to fix.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s not an external problem, we\u2019re talking about problems specific to the ways they\u2019re playing, and they need to be dealt with in the coaching framework, get in and sort out a lack of communication.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what the coaching staff are there to do, they\u2019re there to get the players on the same page and articulate to them what they need to do.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Rutten isn\u2019t the only man in the firing line for the club\u2019s record that has them 16th on the ladder with a percentage of 72.3.<\/p>\n List manager Adrian Dodoro has been in the role since 2010 and is yet to see a finals win in his tenure, with criticism coming his way over the holes in the club\u2019s list.<\/p>\n However, Watson brushed off criticism directed at the club\u2019s recruiting.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you win you look inwardly and when you lose you look outwardly, that\u2019s the way it is and that\u2019s where Essendon are at,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople weren\u2019t saying this at the end of last season, they weren\u2019t saying this when Essendon finished in the finals last year, they were saying, \u2018Great recruiting, you\u2019ve got [top 10 draftees] Nik Cox in, you\u2019ve got Zach Reid and Archie Perkins in\u2019, all this was very positive just six months ago.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n