Source :- THE AGE NEWS
In a post-match press conference, Dean Solomon said he was very grateful for the opportunity to act as Essendon’s senior coach and admitted it had been “a tough week” for players.
“The circumstances are… obviously I didn’t want it to be this way, but we’re here now, and I’m just going to embrace the opportunity,” he said.
“The other coaches and all staff have been amazing in their support… it’s not just me, it’s all of us pulling together and driving this club to the finish line with momentum.”
Solomon said it had been a whirlwind since Scott’s departure on Tuesday, and said the club would now be able to take a breath.
“Tomorrow we’ll review the game, and then try and find a bit of rhythm this week, and get into it,” he said.
“All coaches, all staff at this footy club, and the players have been amazing in their support and we’ll do this together.”
Solomon said it had been a tough week for the Bombers, but players had tried to rally over the last 48 hours and focus on the game.
The interim coach credited West Coast for their pressure and said the hometown heroes handled the windy conditions better. However, he noted the Bombers showed signs of promise during the second quarter.
“Our team defence is something we continue to work on, it’s been an issue for a period of time,” he said. “You would have heard Brad speak about it as well, so it’s an area we’re going to focus on for the remainder of the year.”
Solomon also spoke about Ben McKay’s stint as a forward, adding he’d like to see players “have a bit of flexibility” for the rest of the year around positions.
Solomon said he’d shut down most of his social media and wanted to remain fully focused on the job at hand, batting away questions on James Hird’s potential return as senior coach.
Navid Noble had long left the Brisbane Lions when they won back-to-back premierships. Same with Peter Schwab. Neil Balme had been out of Geelong for eight years for their last flag. Their contributions to those clubs are still being felt today.
Noble, Schwab and Balme are among the 150 to 200 industry figures since the turn of the century who have been on subcommittees tasked with the job of finding senior coaches. Their role is one of the most important for a club, capable of setting them up for a dynasty, or failure.
This masthead has compiled each club’s subcommittees, stretching back to the start of the expansion era in 2011, to find those with the best records in unearthing successful coaches – and their tips to pick the right candidates.
In a post-match press conference, Dean Solomon said he was very grateful for the opportunity to act as Essendon’s senior coach and admitted it had been “a tough week” for players.
“The circumstances are… obviously I didn’t want it to be this way, but we’re here now, and I’m just going to embrace the opportunity,” he said.
“The other coaches and all staff have been amazing in their support… it’s not just me, it’s all of us pulling together and driving this club to the finish line with momentum.”
Solomon said it had been a whirlwind since Scott’s departure on Tuesday, and said the club would now be able to take a breath.
Essendon have not got the new coach spike in their first match under interim coach Dean Solomon after West Coast dismantled the Bombers in wet and windy conditions at Optus Stadium to run out 30-point winners.
With the wind favouring one end, the Eagles put their foot down when kicking with the breeze in the third quarter as they booted the first five goals of the second half to stretch the lead to 53 points.
The result from that point on was a foregone conclusion.
West Coast have secured a comprehensive 30-point win against EssendonGetty Images
After Solomon made the move to send struggling defender Ben McKay forward, the Bombers hung in there for the first quarter and a half with the Eagles’ Reuben Ginbey the main man denying Essendon scoring opportunities.
Melbourne have copped a mid-season reality check at their home away from home in Alice Springs, suffering a 49-point defeat to an impressive Greater Western Sydney on Sunday.
The Demons have dropped consecutive matches for the first time in the Steven King era after a narrow loss to Western Bulldogs a week earlier. There were similarities in this defeat with the inefficiencies that regularly plagued them under previous coach Simon Goodwin.
The match slipped away from Melbourne in a five-goals-to-two third quarter despite going inside 50 18 times to the Giants’ seven, after they slashed the margin to 12 points with the last two goals of the first half.
But King also would have been disappointed with an insipid final quarter that saw the margin become a blowout.
After Michael Voss left Carlton, the resurging Blues won their next game under interim coach Josh Fraser.
Essendon were probably hoping for something similar tonight.
The Bombers showed glimpses of promise against West Coast, however their long-awaited revival will need to wait a little longer.
At a wind-whipped Optus Stadium in Perth, the Eagles soared, winning their fourth match of the year and triumphing by 30 points.
Score: West Coast won 12.13 (85) to Essendon 8.7 (55).
Nate Caddy has converted a free kick for an easy shot at goal, to lift his side with seven minutes left on the clock.
Wait! He goes again.
That’s Caddy’s second and it makes the margin look a tad more respectable. Former skipper Zach Merrett makes things look even better with a goal of his own.
The Bombers have now kicked the last three goals of the game.
Score: West Coast lead 12.12 (84) to Essendon 8.6 (54).
That’s Jake Waterman’s third goal tonight and the home crowd roar their approval.
Essendon’s Thomas Edwards gave the Bombers faithful something to cheer about earlier with a goal, but Waterman quickly countered.
West Coast lead by 42 points.
