Sheedy defends bradley error

[Leigh]

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/ ... 22,00.html

BUNGLING Essendon defender Kepler Bradley was not to blame for yesterday's Anzac Day loss, but coach Kevin Sheedy conceded the first-round draftee must improve.

bradley
Not his fault: Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy does not blame defender Kepler Bradley for yesterday's defeat at the MCG.
Sheedy also lined up midfielder Jobe Watson and out-of-form Mark Johnson as players needing to find touch.

But it was Bradley who was the focus of post-match discussion when his final-quarter mistake handed Collingwood's Tarkyn Lockyer a game-breaking goal.

Bradley's high, floating drop punt was picked off by Lockyer, who gave Collingwood momentum and an 18-point buffer that the tiring Bombers could not challenge.

The final score was 12.23 (95) to 11.13 (79).

Bradley, who played his 47th game yesterday, was taken at pick No. 6 in the 2003 national draft, but has yet to play to that lofty expectation.

Sheedy said last night Bradley had the work ahead of him.

"Obviously most people felt the kid transferring the play across goal hurt us, but he's a player still getting there. He's a player that actually has a fair bit to do to become a league player," Sheedy said.

"Some of those guys do take a while, particularly a big fella. He knows he's made an error, but don't get gun-shy. A lot of players make errors. It wasn't his fault (the team lost)."

Teammates Dustin Fletcher and Mal Michael also were supportive rather than critical.

Fletcher: "You've just got to tell him head up and keep going because we all make mistakes. But he's going to get better, yeah. We've got to get behind him because it was a pretty important time of the game."

Michael: "I just said, don't worry about it, it's finished, you can't change it.

"If you dwell on it too much, there will be another one, and then another one, and before you know it the runner comes out and drags you.

"It's important he puts it behind him . . . that wasn't the reason why we lost."

Essendon's three-goal start yesterday was slowly overcome by a fitter and faster Collingwood midfield.

The Bombers' key forwards were beaten - Matthew Lloyd, who carried a corked thigh, by James Clement, Scott Lucas by Harry O'Brien and Courtney Johns by Simon Prestigiacomo.

The coach said he could name about eight winners.

Significant was Essendon's inability to take from half-back through half-forward. The inside 50s were Essendon 49 to Collingwood 69, a statistic that supported Fletcher's theory.

"We didn't seem to have enough targets to kick it to (in the forward line), and if you don't have that, it's pretty stagnant and you end up going backwards," Fletcher said.

"The first 10 or 15 minutes was all right, but after that the ball was getting shot around. There wasn't much movement through the forward line, so the backs sort of chipped it round and chipped it round, and we couldn't get much going through the centre."

Sheedy agreed, although he indicated that if he had selection again, he would opt for Bradley and Mark Bolton instead of younger legs such as Bachar Houli, Sam Lonergan or Leroy Jetta.

"We got off to a good start, but their running game was very good," Sheedy said.

"The area that Essendon could do with a few boys back would be in the middle of the ground, players like (Nathan) Lovett-Murray or (Andrew) Welsh or (Jason) Winderlich or (Courtenay) Dempsey."

Jason Johnson is a week away and Scott Camporeale maybe two weeks.

Sheedy said Mark Johnson, who started back and kicked a goal when moved forward in the final quarter, needed to lift. "He knows he's got to lift to be a better player and to get back to the best of Mark Johnson. He's not there yet."

He also conceded Watson's ball-getting ability - he had a healthy 23 touches yesterday - was being hurt by his sometimes poor disposal.

"He's making too many errors, but he's trying to get better," Sheedy said.

"Both Jobe and Kepler would have to say they've got to get their footy better."

[Madden]

http://bombertalk4.com/viewtopic.php?t= ... c&start=40

[j-mac31]

So what's he gonna do to get Watson and Johnson into form? If he doesn't drop them he's being hypocritical.

Sheedy agreed, although he indicated that if he had selection again, he would opt for Bradley and Mark Bolton instead of younger legs such as Bachar Houli, Sam Lonergan or Leroy Jetta.

And why the f*** would that be? Two players who did nothing or worse and you would still pick them ahead of some kids who may be the future of the club and certainly haven't been proven as duds yet.

[uptick]

It's a very bad sign when the coach can't bring himself to admit that, perhaps, he too can make errors.

[tony coz]

Bradly just hasnt got the footy brain required of a AFL player......he must be de-listed at the end of the year.

[Boyler_Room]

That point about there not being enough targets is absolute crap. We have 3 of the biggest forwards in the league in our forward line and we don't have enough targets?!?!?

The problem was delivery to those targets and the fact that half the time those targets were either not on the move or going somewhere other than the direction the ball was coming in. Far too many times the midfield just blazed away and either went for goal and missed, or kicked extremely poorly , more often than not down an opponent's throat.

[Tamworth Bomber]

Bradly just hasnt got the footy brain required of a AFL player......he must be de-listed at the end of the year.

Wondering the same about Sheedy at the moment. If he had his time over he do the same again. What the ??

[boncer34]

Uh huh thats right. Sheedy should come out and say, listen Bradley is never going to be any good. I made a mistake in picking him up. Or maybe well in hindsight Bradley played so shit that I would pick Houli so yeah I made a mistake. Good confidence booster coach. Cheers!!

[Doctor Fish]

That point about there not being enough targets is absolute crap. We have 3 of the biggest forwards in the league in our forward line and we don't have enough targets?!?!?

The problem was delivery to those targets and the fact that half the time those targets were either not on the move or going somewhere other than the direction the ball was coming in. Far too many times the midfield just blazed away and either went for goal and missed, or kicked extremely poorly , more often than not down an opponent's throat.

Would have to disagree Boyler. Lucas and Lloyd had all the space in the world to run into, but due to lazyness/tiredness/injury, they decided to stand still and prop for free kicks instead. You can't blame the midfield for the loss IMO...

[Doctor Fish]

Uh huh thats right. Sheedy should come out and say, listen Bradley is never going to be any good. I made a mistake in picking him up. Or maybe well in hindsight Bradley played so shit that I would pick Houli so yeah I made a mistake. Good confidence booster coach. Cheers!!

Good call Bonce. Sheeds has handled the situation as well as possible, especially if we want to get anything in return for trading him at years end...

Will say this though, Bradley is a ruckman. A short ruckman granted. Not a KPP. That's where he was playing at draft camp when we decided to pick him up in the first place. IMO until they start playing him in that position for Bendigo, we're not going to see any improvement in his footy...

[nomolos]

Uh huh thats right. Sheedy should come out and say, listen Bradley is never going to be any good. I made a mistake in picking him up. Or maybe well in hindsight Bradley played so shit that I would pick Houli so yeah I made a mistake. Good confidence booster coach. Cheers!!

There it is...the smart post in this thread. =D> Love you Bonce

Other posters need to think deeper about the processes of AFL and coaches.

[jimmyc1985]

Sheedy defending Bradley and admitting it was a selection mistake are not mutually exclusive.

He could easily defend Bradley personally, and at the same time say something along the lines of: 'if we had our time again, given the way the game was played and the way Collingwood lined up, we should've gone for a smaller player'. That doesn't personally offend Bradley at all; rather, it simply indicates that he wasn't the right type of player to fit the circumstances of the match. And if Bradley was in fact horribly insulted by a comment such as that, he shouldn't be playing league footy anyway.

[uptick]

Sheedy defending Bradley and admitting it was a selection mistake are not mutually exclusive.

He could easily defend Bradley personally, and at the same time say something along the lines of: 'if we had our time again, given the way the game was played and the way Collingwood lined up, we should've gone for a smaller player'. That doesn't personally offend Bradley at all; rather, it simply indicates that he wasn't the right type of player to fit the circumstances of the match. And if Bradley was in fact horribly insulted by a comment such as that, he shouldn't be playing league footy anyway.

In addition such a statement sort of helps explain Bradley's dog day, i.e. wrong guy for the matchups available. No- one expects the coach to publicly bag players, but 100% verbal vomit/spin really is very hard to take. I'd like to be interested in what the coach has to say, not need to treat his remarks as though they are coming from some low life politician.

[BenDoolan]

Sheeds defending him is to be expected. That's not the issue. It's the "if he had selection again, he would opt for Bradley and Mark Bolton instead of younger legs such as Bachar Houli, Sam Lonergan or Leroy Jetta" that puzzles me. They weren't the only options either. If he wanted height, there was Lee and Gumby - who has been in good form. What form did Bradley have? The poor bastard is now the subject of immense ridicule from many thousands of supporters. That aint Bradley's fault. I point the finger at those who selected him based on "favouritism".Remember Sheeds wanted to take him to Ireland to play in the International Rules series. He doesn't hide his love for the boy, but this is becoming joke. Start picking players that deserve a game, not based on a hunch, a belief, a wish, a hope, or an egotistical stunt to try and prove doubters wrong. It failed.

[boncer34]

BD you make a good point but I have an issue with it. You cant say hes defending Bradley if he concedes that Lee and Gumby would have been better options. Their similar players to Bradley, better players, but still the same style. That originates back to my original point. Also Jim I agree with your sentiments although I feel that to say it was wrong picking Bradley no matter what was the reason is not the way to handle this situation. It would still dent his confidence and make a bad situation even worse. Although Jim my real problem was the way some people expressed how they think KS should've handled the situation.

[BenDoolan]

BD you make a good point but I have an issue with it. You cant say hes defending Bradley if he concedes that Lee and Gumby would have been better options. Their similar players to Bradley, better players, but still the same style. That originates back to my original point.

I have no issue with Sheeds defending him in the press. He has to do that. In fact, he owes him that. I guess my gripe is (and perhaps it didn't come across that way) is that the person responsible for Bradley copping so much flak is Sheeds himself. I don't expect him to say that to the media, I don't expect him to announce who he should have picked, I'm just stating that Kevin ought to think beyond his "pet" and simply give the poor kid a break. So I hope it's a bit clearer.....I never expected him to announce to the press what I thought he should have done. I was just expressing my opinion. I just hate the fact that he uses Bradley like some guinea pig and everyone just wants to disect him into little pieces.