“You should enjoy the journey”.

As Archie Stockdale found out this week, those are the words defining Brad Scott’s approach to the Bombers this pre-season.

Speaking to the NAB Auskicker of the Year at the NEC Hangar, the new senior coach was clear in his vision for 2023, looking to get the most improvement out of an exciting young list.

With pre-seasons typically centred around fitness and conditioning, Scott is keen to instil a football-based approach for the group early in his tenure.

 “We need to focus on everything,” Scott said.

“We’re going to get straight into football - pre-season’s usually been a lot of running, lot of weights – we’ll do all of that, but we need to be focused on football, practicing our skills almost every day.”

The Bombers find themselves in the middle of a promising period with the National Draft set to kick off on Monday night, offering another chance to bolster its stocks with fresh talent.

The opportunity isn’t lost on Scott either, adding to his existing excitement over the club’s list profile.

“We’ve seen glimpses from our young boys and I’m really looking forward to them consolidating their position in the team,” Scott said.

“We’ve got some exciting potential players coming through, and there’s some good players in the draft this year. There’s a lot of young talent here and we’re going to bring more in too.”

Despite the potential, Scott is remaining focused on laying the groundwork for the group rather than looking too far ahead.

Asked about his expectations for the upcoming season, Scott pointed to establishing the team culture as a base for success.

“We just want to get to work and build a world-class football program,” Scott said.

“[We want] an environment here at Essendon where every player who comes through the door thinks they can be the best they can possibly be.”

After an off-season of major change for the club, the players’ return to training has given welcome enthusiasm for Scott and fans alike.

“It’s a big task for the coaches and the football department, but if we maximise our players potential, there’s a lot of upside for our team,” Scott said.

“It’s been a long time away and the players have had a long break. They’re excited, I’m excited, and I think everyone associated with Essendon should be excited.”