Hinkley: Essendon should be concerned by “scary” Caddy comments

Nate Caddy’s honest post-match comments should have people at Essendon concerned.

The Bombers were beaten by 64 points by the Brisbane Lions at Marvel Stadium on Saturday, which came off the back of their 77-point Anzac Day defeat to Collingwood.

Asked if he feels glass-half-full after some positive phases of footy against the Lions, Caddy was quite honest.

“Not really. I'll speak for myself, I don't really want to take mediocrity to be honest,” Caddy said on 3AW.

“It's really tough to lose and lose by that much two weeks in a row. To be honest, it's been a lot of my career at the moment.

“So if we’re just going to take little things and say that's what we want just for maybe 20 per cent of the game then that's just not going to win and that's not going to win games.

“So we’ve got to make sure that we're a consistent 10 out of 10 side and we're sort of striving to do (that), but yeah, definitely won't be saying we’ve had a mint game because we haven’t, we've lost by 80, so it's pretty tough.”

The honesty of the talented 20-year-old was a topic of conversation on SEN’s Sportsday on Monday night.

Ken Hinkley wondered what certain people at the Bombers would think of such frank comments, suggesting they are quite alarming.

The former Port Adelaide coach described it as a “scary” situation for the Dons.

“You know that siren warning they play out for the Bombers when they come onto the ground?,” Hinkley said.

“They need to play that right now because that young man is talking like someone who's got some real concerns and doubts about the journey that they're on at Essendon.

“That in itself is a massive, massive concern for anyone who barracks for Essendon. That young man is the most talented, gifted player probably on their list who can draw people into stadiums and they’re going to want to watch him play.

“They cannot for one minute struggle to perform at a level that he, in his very self, accepts. I think that's really, really dangerous... I thought they were really scary comments if I was an Essendon supporter.”

Host Sam Edmund asked: “If you were an Essendon employee, a coach, head of football, would you be worried about those comments?”

Hinkley did admit that we don’t know the full context, but on face value the comments do seem worrying.

“Yeah, I'd be worried about them,” he replied.

“But we don't know the full (context). They get the opportunity to talk with Nate and talk about what he (might say). They may have briefed him, ‘We’re not going to accept this, we're going to make sure we make a strong stance publicly, you're going to get to talk, so make sure you do say things like that’, and that might be all well and good.”

Before adding that he’d love to see the Dons lock the former Pick 10 away beyond his current deal which runs to 2028.

“The one thing I’d be wanting to see more than anything else is a long-term contract,” Hinkley added.

“I don’t care what Kane (Cornes) says, sign him up for 10 years if you have to. Make sure he’s at your football club.”

Caddy was one of Essendon’s best in the loss to the Lions, kicking 3.5 from 14 disposals and taking nine marks.

He leads the club’s goal kicking in 2026 with 15 majors and has taken a club-high 16 marks inside 50.