Essendon coach Brad Scott has dismissed claims that the Bombers must defeat a top-eight team to strengthen their chances for a premiership. After a disappointing 45-point loss to Geelong, a team they have struggled against, Essendon is gearing up to face Collingwood again at the MCG on Friday night, following their draw on Anzac Day.
Despite losing three of its last four matches, Essendon continues to hold fourth place in the standings for 2024. The team has yet to secure a victory against any of the top eight teams this season. Their most notable win of the year came in round nine against Greater Western Sydney, previously a strong contender for the premiership, now sitting in 10th place after a challenging two-month period.
“There isn’t such a significant gap between teams ranked second, third, fourth, and 14th,” Scott remarked on Tuesday. “Our focus is more on understanding this balance rather than solely aiming to defeat high-ranking teams.”
“It’s about distinguishing yourself from the pack chasing behind. Victories are hard-earned, and securing four points is more challenging than ever,” Scott, a former AFL football manager, observed. He believes the league would be pleased with how the season is unfolding.
“The topic of competitive balance is frequently discussed, and they could almost declare ‘mission accomplished’ now,” he remarked. “Everything is so evenly matched and competitive. It’s difficult to set yourself apart from the rest of the teams.
“In a league where the AFL aims for different teams to win the premiership approximately every 18 years, it becomes incredibly tough for clubs to establish dominance.”
However, Scott emphasized that Essendon did not manage the momentum shift well and declined to attribute his players’ loss of focus to the umpires.
“It definitely affected our players more than I’ve seen before,” Scott noted. “They were visibly agitated and frustrated, and we didn’t handle that frustration well.
“We understand why they were frustrated, but in elite sport, unforeseen events often occur that are beyond your control. It’s how you respond to those events that you can control.”