West Coast Eagles interim coach, Jarrad Schofield, joined WA Breakfast with Tim Gossage to depict what the remaining 7 games of the season will hold and his approach to team selection.
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SEN WA Breakfast
Jarrad Schofield - West Coast Interim Coach (112/07/2024)
West Coast Eagles interim coach, Jarrad Schofield, joined WA Breakfast with Tim Gossage to depict what the remaining 7 games of the season will hold and his approach to team selection. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
- Duration:
- 11m
- Broadcast on:
- 12 Jul 2024
- Audio Format:
- mp3
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It's a convenient way to run your household, customized to your family's needs, and the easy way to raise financially smart kids. Get started with Greenlight today and get your first month free at Greenlight.com/spotify. Time to talk with Jared Schofield, the man who has been given the reins of Coach of the West Coast Eagles for at least the next seven weeks as interim coach after the departure of Adam Simpson. Schof, appreciate your time. I don't know if congratulations are the right word, but well done. It's a big shoes to fill at a very difficult time for everybody, and you must be looking forward to it in some type of way. Thanks, Coach. Look, it's not ideal circumstances. One that we're probably not rather the being, but at the same time, it's a great opportunity for myself to get to help the club, get through the next seven weeks, and once again, it's a great experience and something that I'm very grateful to be given this opportunity and really looking forward to it. Schofield, did you push for the opportunity? Did they come to you? How did that all play out with Don Pike and the board? Well, things moved pretty quickly, as you know, and just came off the track the other day on Tuesday and was approached by a footy manager in Gavin Bell and asked if I would like the opportunity and jumped at it. And obviously, trying circumstances, so we had to respect the situation for what it was at the time, but once the hit the ground running, we were really looking forward to it. How much information will you take out of your time with Simo or how different will the team and the coaching style be with your leadership in the next seven weeks? Yeah, look, it's an interesting one. We want to make sure we've kept things pretty familiar to the playground over the last couple of days. Nothing will change in terms of how we go about our captains running, going to the game. But once we hit the ground running next week, they all outlined what we're really chasing in the back six weeks of the season. There's certain things that I think that we can really sort of target, which I won't go into those details, but we need to come together as a playing group. But we need to respect the situation and respect Simo and all the work that he's done over his 11 years for this footy club and then get through this weekend. And then we'll focus on what the next six weeks looks like. But there'll be some subtle changes, but not too many. It's not fair to the playing group, but at the same time, I really want to enjoy the experience with the players. And if I can add in any way, well, that's what I'm looking to do. But it's all about the club and how we can go about finishing up the season strongly. Have you been given any KPIs from anyone at a higher level, or you talked of Gavin Bell, your football manager, or whether that be Don Pyke or anyone else? Have you asked for some KPIs what you need to do if this is going to be your audition for the gig full-time? No, we haven't had those conversations. And I don't really see it as an audition, to be honest, because once again, it's part of a journey for all of us. We're always on a journey in life. And I'm blessed to be given this opportunity and experience to coach a club where it started for me as a player many, many years ago. So I just see it as that as an opportunity. And it's all about the club and how we can get through the next six weeks. And as a playing group, and as a football department, then we're looking to be better each week. And that's what we're looking to do. Yeah, you've made some changes at the selection. Do you think these changes? Harry Edwards, Luke Edwards, Zane True, Ryan McJyke. Now, I don't know how you're all over social media, but your fans have been calling for youth, youth, youth, youth, youth over the last couple of weeks. You've dropped Campbell Chesser, which is a pretty big statement. McGovern's injured. Would these changes have happened anyway under Adam Simpson? Were these imminent changes or have you and your so-called new coaching hierarchy and decided to make these changes post Adam? Well, I think the players you just mentioned have played football this year. And yeah, look, the squad, yeah, we've got McGovern out. Yeah, look, we've given Chesser some feedback as to what we want him to do at well, full level. And it's only about his growth as a football. Like he's a young man 20 years of age. We've got to respect that. But the other players that are in the squad, yeah, look, they're right in the mix. And it's not so much about having to play youth. It's more about looking at players that are going to be given an opportunity on the back of some good football. And that's what we're looking to do over the next six weeks, is about the exploration part and seeing what we have with our players. At the same time, we're not just going to hand out game supplies just for the betterment of social media or people's views. We're going to make sure that we look at players that we see for the future. And obviously, as I said, the exploration part is important. And I think we played youth throughout the year, like it's interesting when we hear that. We've definitely played the youth this year. Neither the guys you mentioned, obviously, are younger than others. But I think we've been pretty consistent with selection. And then we've got six weeks to have a look at things. All righty. So then, I've got to name names. And then we'll just talk about the game holistically for the West Coast Eagles against Brisbane. Huge game Sunday. You hear it all on SEM and Jared Scofield's our get. Why is Zane True only had one quarter of football as a sub? And he's racked up stats. What's Zane True not done to not be selected until now? He hasn't done anything right or wrong. People might have followed Zane. Look, he's had a bit of an interruption throughout the year. He's got some good numbers in the waffle. But when he was in line for selection, I think it might have been our Gold Coast game. He unfortunately got knocked out at training. And then missed two weeks. It was nearly close to three weeks. So the timing hadn't been good at some at points when we were just about to put him into the side. But he showed some solid form. And then you look at the mix. Who does he replace in the midfield? We've got the likes of Yoe and Harley Reid playing there. So we try and get the right mix. It's not just about putting players in there. But he's one that comes into the side this week with great confidence and form behind him. And he gets an opportunity. Yeah, fantastic. And last one who's not in the team, what does Clay Hall have to do? His name keeps getting mentioned. I know he's only played 11 waffle games, but his numbers are pretty good. His tackle count was up on the weekend more than previous weeks. Everyone's asking, Clay Hall, Clay Hall, when do we see Clay Hall surely if fitness is okay, surely we get to see him at least in the next six weeks sometime. Well, that's the plan. Once again, part of the exploration part with players. And yeah, he's formed for a young man. And he's first. So it's probably first season of real sort of senior football has had some really good moments that I felt traits. And then he's had some moments where he just needs to keep growing his game. And we got to make sure once again, when he's ready to go, we want to put him in. So you can actually thrive in the AFL environment. And but yeah, he's one of those players that will look closely and there's some things on his game that we're really sort of getting him to focus on in the waffle. And that's why we continue to chase with the individuals and know that they're ready when they come in. All right, last one on selection. Jack Darling's been named on an extended bench. Can you share with the listeners right now? Because you're going to be asked this question later today. And you probably don't want to say, oh, I'm not going to tell you what selection is, but I think it's pretty obvious. Is Jack Darling going to play this way? Is it obvious? Is it? I don't know. Well, we have we have another match committee meeting this morning, because we got a couple of players that we had to see get through training and see how they pull up. We had a pretty taxing off a taxing session yesterday, but we had a session where we really sort of trying strongly. What we think is the standard of training. And we really sort of ramping up. So we had to see some players get through training. And we've got another discussion or a match committee meeting this morning, which we'll talk to about all players because there's some players that need to be reviewed. Do you want the job full time? Do I want the job full time? Oh, look, I have to be honest, guys, it's I hadn't really been on my radar, you know, and, you know, the set is more about exploration and experiences and part of my life journey. And, you know, it's about my purpose. I love I love football. And I'm just looking forward to this experience and being able to help the club through that. And we'll see where it goes. All righty. Now then I flip that around. If someone else comes in, and there's all been all talk about possible and probable, are you contracted to stay at the footy club? And do you want to stay even if you're not the first choice this time around? Well, there's a few of us had a contract and I'm one of them. As I said, I'm just here to do a job. And I'll do the, I'm going to give it my best over the next seven weeks or six games. And we'll let, you know, the people in charge to make those decisions, make those decisions. But I love the game and I want to be in the game. Yeah, very much so. Do you think taking over from Adam Simpson at this stage is tougher than taking over from someone you know very closely at the Subioko Colts way back in about 2000? I was waiting for that guy. So what you're saying is that you've had a massive input into my characteristics. I love it. I did learn a few things from you. I didn't learn a few things because I won't repeat on radio. Are you excited about the weekend? I know it's been difficult. I know it's been difficult and you're part of that coaching group that has had this group under Adam Simpson. But in a holistic way, is Jared Scofield excited about the prospect of the next seven weeks? Yeah, I am really excited. Once again, it's a great opportunity to coach one of the best clubs. If not the best club in the AFL with 100,000 members, supporters that come out week in week out of supporters who might have been some trying times over the last couple of years. And I'm super excited to be a part of that with the playing group. And we'll see where it goes with that. One last text from a listener. He just said, "Can you ask Goie? Are you going to move the magnets around? Are we going to see something different? Is it going to be a little bit chaotic?" I wouldn't say chaotic. There'll be some method behind maybe a couple of positional changes and obviously with the selection. But we've got to be very composed and controlled with what we do because as much as it might look good on paper, we've got to think of the players in the playing group. That's the most important thing. But it's all about the future and the next six, seven games is about that. You're a good man. Appreciate you coming to the phone. You're going to be in the hot seat today with all the assembled media. Appreciate your honesty. You've always been honest with me and we go back a long way. Congratulations on getting the reins for the next seven weeks and whatever the future holds. I hope there's a couple of wins in the for you in the next month or two. No, thanks God. Appreciate your support. There's Jared Schofield. He's a ripper. I like him. And I think he will coach an AFL team one day. And he's been kind enough to join us exclusively here on SNWA breakfast. Hope you enjoyed that chat as much as I did. He'll be doing his press conference. But what I have cleaned out of it, Jack Darling's no certainty to be making the team. But anyway, it might have something to do with the fact Jake Waterman hasn't done a lot of training. He has got that cut behind the leg. There's nothing majorly wrong, but they do want to rest it as much. So that might be a bit to do with where Jack Darling's going. But Zane true definitely, definitely according to the words that I heard from Jared Schofield will be playing