Bombers off leash and set to go ballistic
ESSENDON coach Ben Rutten has given his players a licence to free up the shackles and play instinctively and with flair against Hawthorn this week, saying he wants to see a return of the fast-moving, ballistic Bombers.
Rutten said the balance between attack and a more defensive approach being applied this season was something the club needed to get right after a miserable 1-6 start.
He wants to see a different style to tackle the Hawks, the first game of a month-long challenging stretch that also includes Sydney at the SCG, Richmond and Port Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval. “We want to play a more aggressive brand of footy with some flair,” Rutten said on Thursday.
“That’s one of the things we are not quite doing at the moment … There are a lot of reasons for that, but we will keep pushing them to do it more often.
“We are trying to consistently educate and grow the players (in their) understanding of the game and the opposition and their own skills set … while still making sure the players are turning up with their flair and individuality.”
Responding to a report that the Bombers’ handball-happy, possession-heavy midfield was confused about their roles, Rutten stressed it was execution, not confusion, that was an issue,
“I think the players are really clear on what we are trying to do, but at the moment we are not able to execute exactly the way we would like to,” he said.
Rutten also dismissed external calls for a review into the Bombers’ current plight, detailing the club reviewed its football operations on a daily basis.