The humiliation lingered for days. I couldn’t shake the sick feeling in my stomach, replaying the incident over and over.
The following Monday in the post-game review I was forced to show a replay of the contest on the big screen and apologise to the entire playing group for the poor effort.
Fortunately, times have evolved, and hopefully, unlike some of his fans, Adelaide kept in mind Rachele’s well-being in the review of his tentative marking attempts this week.
Rachele should be admired for fronting the media on Monday when he spoke frankly and honestly about the incidents, admitting that he was expecting contact and was not brave enough to keep his head up and hold his ground.
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This week I spoke with two senior AFL coaches and asked them how they would handle a situation like Rachele’s. One highlighted the changing approach in coaching styles by recalling a time when his own poor effort as a player was criticised by a harsh, old-school coach. The public berating he copped stays with him to this day.
“What’s the point of tearing them down like coaches used to do to us? We strive to lift our players up,” he said.
The other coach tries to skilfully navigate the delicate balance of delivering a crucial message without offending or losing the player.
“They must know you still love them, value them. Once you lose them, they are gone,” he noted.
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This approach underscores the importance of maintaining a supportive and respectful relationship with the player, even in moments of criticism or correction.
These days, if a player feels like he has been harshly treated or singled out, there is the risk he will phone his manager and threaten to walk out of the club.
The challenge, then, is how to convey that Rachele’s efforts are unacceptable while maintaining a supportive approach that builds up player confidence.
The key is in the delivery of the feedback and deciding who takes responsibility for addressing the player. One method is to direct the advice through the player’s line coach, who would engage the player in reflective questioning to encourage self-assessment of their performance.
Unlike the past, the incident wouldn’t be shown to his teammates.
Another effective method involves showcasing poor efforts from multiple players, rather than singling out just one, framing it as a collective issue rather than an individual failing. This approach can foster a sense of shared responsibility, and encourage team accountability without targeting an individual.
Kane Cornes once let fly at then Crows captain Taylor Walker over pulling out of a contest.Credit: AFL Photos
Like the coaches, the media’s approach to players pulling out of contests has evolved significantly. With the spectre of concussion at the forefront of players’ minds, the media is now more tolerant of players trying to protect themselves. What was once a free-for-all, singling out poor player efforts, has now become more measured and thoughtful in review.
On television this week, I chose my words carefully. Instead of embarrassing Rachele by using words such as “soft” or “weak”, I highlighted Adelaide’s role in building him up, inflating his ego and placing significant expectations on him before he was fully prepared.
Young gun Josh Weddle bounced back against North Melbourne from mistakes in his performance against Collingwood.Credit: Getty Images
Rachele has admitted he might tone down his over-the-to goal celebrations and let his football do the talking.
My critique of the incident starkly contrasts my commentary from four seasons ago when then Adelaide captain Taylor Walker backed out of a contest against West Coast defender Shannon Hurn in a ground-ball situation.
Back then, my tone was almost mocking towards Walker, but I would not adopt the same approach today.
There could be a silver lining for Rachele, as illustrated by a situation involving Hawthorn’s second-year sensation, Josh Weddle. In the Gather Round match against Collingwood, Weddle made a mistake by anticipating contact in a marking contest, causing him to take his eyes off the ball and ultimately drop it. This error disrupted Hawthorn’s fast, attacking play and a golden scoring opportunity. Coincidentally, as with Adelaide against Essendon last round, Hawthorn also lost that game by less than a goal.
It’s highly unlikely that Weddle experienced public humiliation in front of his teammates, a practice that was more common a decade ago.
Following his mistake, Weddle clearly recognised his error and dedicated himself to improvement. In the match against North Melbourne last Sunday, he displayed remarkable courage by going back with the flight of the ball, securing two intercept marks. The ball stuck in his hands like they were clamped in a vice. Weddle’s performance also included three contested marks.
Even as clubs and the media tone down their reactions to on-field moments as those discussed here, Rachele must be prepared for an onslaught of criticism and taunting from his opponents.
He has already shown a vulnerability in his short career to opposition sledges and physicality, and it is fair game for his opponents to use these incidents to throw Rachele off his game.
After all, he has made his bed …
Join us on our live blog on Thursday from 2pm for our coverage of Essendon and Collingwood at the MCG, from pre-match to all the wash-up afterwards.
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