In a press conference after the match, Dean Solomon said he was very grateful for the opportunity to become Essendon’s head coach and admitted it had been a “tough week” for the players.
“The environment is… I certainly didn’t want it to be this way, but we’re here now, and I’m going to embrace the opportunity,” he said.
“The other coaches and all the staff have been incredible in their support … it’s not just me, it’s all of us pulling together and taking this club to the finish line at a fast pace.”
Solomon said it had been a whirlwind since Scott’s departure on Tuesday, and said the club would now be able to catch its breath.
“Tomorrow we’ll go through the game, then try to find a rhythm this week, and get into it,” he said.
“All the coaches, all the staff at this footy club, and the players have been incredible in their support and we will do this together.”
Solomon said it had been a tough week for the Bombers, but the players had tried to rally over the last 48 hours and focus on the game.
The interim coach praised West Coast for their pressure and said that the locals handled the wind conditions better. However, he noted that the Bombers showed signs of promise in the second quarter.
“Our team’s defense is something we continue to work on, it’s been an issue for a while,” he said. “You’d hear Brad talking about it as well, so it’s an area we’ll focus on for the rest of the year.”
Solomon also spoke about Ben McKay’s position as a forward, adding that he would like to see players “have a bit of flexibility” throughout the year in terms of positions.
Solomon said he had shut down most of his social media and wanted to stay focused on the job at hand, answering questions about the possibility of James Hird returning as head coach.
