Q. Do you think people might underestimate how Essendon will go next year?
A. I think most people would think that Essendon is going to have a middle of the road year. I think that is generally what people are thinking, but they probably thought that back in 1993. I think we will be a much more exciting side if we have a fair run in the injury department. Last year losing Hird and Lloyd for over half a year and Mercuri and Misiti, probably tilted against us to make the top four. We might have a little bit better year than people might think.
Q. You are heading into your 23rd season as coach - how do you personally feel?
A. Well I suppose we have a lot of experience with regards to putting lists together, but it has been very difficult for over the past decade because we have been in the top finals positions, so you are getting the late choices all the time. We still have to make sure that players like James Davies, Marc Bullen, Sam Hunt, Jordan Bannister, Ted Richards and Shane Harvey come through for us. They are all young players that a lot of people have forgotten about. So I am pretty excited to see how they come through now after they have been at the club for a couple of years. It is pretty similar to what we did back in 1992 and 1993, where we were able to get a new team up fairly quickly. It is up to the challenge of the coaches and also the players within themselves and their hunger to want to be desperate and successful in their lives. That is a great deal of what we looked at from the players that we have got here and have kept. We just want to make sure that they are hungry enough to want to go somewhere in their life. I think some people look at talent only and forget to look at hunger - so if you can find that, it is a fantastic blend.
Q. With all of the player changes that took place at the end of the season, the Essendon line-up is now quite young.
A. We had to make changes, there is no doubt about that. We now have one of the youngest squads in the AFL. In the end we had to put more height into the club and in doing so, we have reconstructed a different sort of line-up. We had to let a good player go to get a draft choice where our perceived weaknesses were on our list. We have a very good blend of youth and experience. I believe the other two recruits for us this year is Solomon and Mercuri. We haven't had much out of those two because of injuries last year.
Q. How is Solomon progressing/
A. He has come along well. We are pleased with his performance coming back into training and settling in. We are not rushing him and we felt we did the right thing by not playing him for the entire year. He is another experienced player and a premiership player that we will have back next year.
Q. Cory McGrath only played six games in 2002 after playing 13 the previous year. What sort of role do you think he will play next year for the team?
A. Cory had a lot of trouble with his ankle last year. In the end probably at one stage we looked at letting him go and trading him. I spoke to him about that and he said he was desperately keen to make it at Essendon. His attitude has always been fantastic so it will be interesting to see how he comes up. He definitely has the hardness and we think he could give us value in the forward pocket, in the mid-field and also half-back flank - probably take the place of a Moorcroft - a player that can play in the forward line, the back line and also the mid-field.
Q. As an observer, what are your thoughts on what is happening at Carlton/
A. I have been away, so I have missed a fair bit of it to be honest, but I will catch up with it no doubt. It is probably unfortunate, but I suppose in the end the AFL are going down the right track and making sure the rules are being adhered to.
Q. Is it strange to see Carlton in the position it is in - they have always been such a proud and strong rival?
A. They will bounce back and from a positive point of view I can say that we have been through it and a lot of other clubs have gone through salary cap breaches and got back on the road and are better clubs for it.
Q. Does the situation with having to trade Blumfield, Caracella and Heffernan highlight the salary cap problems Essendon was faced with?
A. Peter Jackson and the board have done a magnificent job in keeping that list of players together for as long as possible.
