'I though that was a given': Jimmy Bartel in disbelief over Essendon president Dave Barham's best and fairest speech
AFL great Jimmy Bartel has expressed his disbelief at Essendon president Dave Barham's call to arms at the club's best and fairest night after missing finals again.
Barham declared at the event coach Brad Scott has "brought discipline and elevated our standards" before warning players they won't be at the club long if they don't prepare properly, give effort during matches and conduct themselves professionally.
Bartel was dumbfounded this address needed to be made in that forum.
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"I can't believe they need to use that platform to tell players to act like professionals," he said on Nine's Footy Furnace.
Jimmy Bartel couldn't believe Dave Barham's comments. Essendon Bombers/Nine
"So there's the bigger issue that the chairperson needs to use that as a platform to remind them you better come back and be ready to play under Brad Scott.
"I thought that was a given. I don't know, maybe I'm a little old school with that stuff."
Currently on Essendon's list, the club has a number of players under long contracts.
Captain Zach Merrett is currently on an $800,000-a-season deal for another three years. Darcy Parish is there until 2029 while Mason Redman and Ben McKay are also tied down long-term.
Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes found this fact, mixed with Barnham's comments amusing.
"What's he going to do? Not play those players they've invested so heavily in?," he said.
"It's laughable. I kind of like the messaging, they've spoken a strong game for a long time (but) that's not the forum and it needs to be player driven.
"It's like when the presidents used to come in after a heavy loss and throw their weight around in the changerooms. You're looking (at them) like 'where have you been? You're not in the day to day thick of it'.
"It's got to be driven from the leaders, which they're trying to do and then the young players that have been taken with high draft picks at the Bombers that haven't reached their potential. That's the difference between them playing finals next year and not."
Bartel went on to double down, declaring "it's not the time for you Gettysburg address".
"Your whole role is to appoint the right people in place to execute that stuff so he's not standing at a best and fairest going you better come back and be prepared and get on board.
"That's why you appoint the right coach, right football manager and everyone else."
