Essendon’s Scott Worried by ‘Selfishness’ as AFL Season Struggles Continue

Adelaide – Essendon coach Brad Scott has voiced serious concerns about a creeping “selfishness” within his playing group following a demoralizing 63-point defeat at the hands of Port Adelaide on Sunday. The loss, coming on the heels of a lackluster opening-round defeat to Hawthorn, leaves the Bombers searching for answers and facing an uphill battle early in the 2026 AFL season.

Scott, speaking after the match at Adelaide Oval, described his team as “demoralised” and indicated a worrying shift in focus away from collective effort. “We seek to build a club and a culture that is based on team-first,” he said. “We can’t have selfishness, players who reckon about themselves. We’ve done a lot of work to make sure we don’t have that.”

The defeat was comprehensive, with Port Adelaide dominating from the outset and extending their lead to 80 points in the final quarter. Essendon’s struggles were particularly evident in their defensive efforts, which Scott conceded lacked the necessary intensity. “I think it’s part of it,” he stated when asked about a lack of defensive desire. “It would be ridiculous for me to say that’s not the case. We’re not hard-nosed enough in defence, full stop.”

Despite the bleak outlook, Essendon recruit Brayden Fiorini offered a vote of confidence in Scott, stating the players stand by their coach “100 per cent.” Fiorini emphasized the need for players to take ownership of their performance and execute the game plan effectively. “We stand by Scotty 100 per cent,” he said. “I thought he prepared us really well this week. We had a really good gameplan going in, and it’s on us players that we didn’t execute.”

The loss to Port Adelaide marks the 15th consecutive defeat for Essendon, a worrying statistic that places them second only to their 17-game losing streak during the 2016 doping suspension crisis in club history. The pressure is mounting on Scott to turn things around quickly, but he acknowledges the challenges facing the team.

Meanwhile, West Coast ended a frustrating 14-match losing streak with a stunning come-from-behind victory over North Melbourne at Optus Stadium. Trailing by 30 points early in the second quarter, the Eagles rallied to secure a 17-point win, 111 to 94, fueled by strong performances from Elliot Yeo (19 disposals, two goals), Harley Reid (30 disposals), and Jamie Cripps (three goals).

The emergence of West Coast’s young talent was a key factor in the victory. No.1 draft pick Willem Duursma impressed with two goals and a spectacular pack mark, although No.4 pick Cooper Duff-Tytler also contributed two goals. Second-year forward Jobe Shanahan and Archer Reid added further firepower to the Eagles’ attack.

Still, the win came at a cost, with captain Connor Rozee sustaining a hamstring injury in the third quarter. Rozee experienced nerve numbness in his leg while lunging for a tackle, and the severity of the injury is yet to be determined. Miles Bergman also suffered an ankle injury in the fourth quarter.

In a separate incident, Fremantle forward Patrick Voss has been fined $1500 for misconduct after taunting Melbourne’s Harrison Petty during Saturday’s match. Voss mimicked crying after a play, referencing a previous incident in 2022 where Petty became emotional following sledging from Brisbane captain Dayne Zorko. The AFL, while lacking a specific taunting rule, deemed Voss’s actions unsportsmanlike and unacceptable, hoping to deter similar behavior in the future.

Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir defended Voss post-game, acknowledging his tendency to “tread a fine line” but emphasizing his overall positive contributions to the team. However, the AFL’s decision to issue a fine underscores the league’s commitment to maintaining a respectful environment on the field.

Elsewhere, Gold Coast forward Bailey Humphrey has been offered a two-game ban for rough conduct following a sling tackle on Richmond’s Maurice Rioli. Giants’ skipper Toby Greene was also fined for striking St Kilda’s Marcus Windhager. These incidents highlight the ongoing scrutiny of player conduct and the AFL’s commitment to enforcing its rules.