We'll remember your choice for next time
Some “extraordinary” footage has surfaced of Essendon’s Nick Hind seemingly ignoring his coach Ben Rutten during a recent match.
It occurred in Round 20 against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium late in the fourth quarter when the Bombers led comfortably in a match they would go on to win by 48 points.
Dashing defender Hind came from the ground for a rest and it appeared as though he attempted to avoid sitting next to Rutten, who was coaching from the bench, before failing to respond when addressed.
Kane Cornes analysed the footage on Channel 9’s Footy Classified and according to him, the actions were a major sign that some players have checked out under Rutten’s reign.
“You ask whether the players have checked out, this is Round 20,” Cornes said.
“I’m not sure I’ve seen vision of a player treat a coach like this. He doesn’t want to sit next to Ben Rutten.
“He’s trying to give him some feedback, some positive reinforcement and the disengagement of Nick Hind on the interchange bench, he can’t even look at him.
“So the players have clearly checked out and their on-field actions are displaying that.”
See the footage below from 1:00:
"I'm not sure I've seen vision of a player treating a coach like this."@kanecornes on the vision that shows how Bomber players have 'checked out' and why Ben Rutten's time appears to be up. #9FootyClassified | Watch on @Channel9 pic.twitter.com/wSVHdIeNJO— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) August 15, 2022
"I'm not sure I've seen vision of a player treating a coach like this."@kanecornes on the vision that shows how Bomber players have 'checked out' and why Ben Rutten's time appears to be up. #9FootyClassified | Watch on @Channel9 pic.twitter.com/wSVHdIeNJO
Host Craig Hutchison immediately reacted: “Wow, that’s the first time I’ve seen that. That’s telling, isn’t it.”
While Caroline Wilson described it as “extraordinary” vision which is “devastating” for Rutten.
She also mentioned Essendon’s links to Alastair Clarkson and how he has emerged as a potential saviour for a club in disarray.
“It’s devastating for Ben Rutten, it’s been an incredible season for him.
“But I still find it extraordinary it’s taken this long for Essendon to have a crack at Alastair Clarkson and only he can really save them now from a massive embarrassment.”
Tim Watson and Garry Lyon also commented on the vision on SEN Breakfast, with neither as strong in their analysis.
“It just looked like there wasn’t a great relationship between player and coach, that’s what I made of it,” said former Bombers captain Watson.
Lyon added: “With the circumstances as they are, it’s a big story.
“In the normal course of a season, that can be a player who has just got the brace and bits then it’s up to the coach to win (the player back) or the coach might go, ‘don’t carry on like a sook, you can go and play in the twos for three weeks’.
“It was a big story in the context, but I didn’t read as much into it.”