‘Wasn’t brave enough’: Young Crow Josh Rachele opens up on his two missed moments

Crows forward Josh Rachele has opened up about his two missed opportunities during Friday night’s tight match with Essendon, while an AFL legend says it’s a behaviour that can be coached out of his game.

Adelaide young gun Josh Rachele has conceded that he “wasn’t brave enough” in a marking contest that resulted in his copping plenty of criticism over the weekend.

Rachele couldn’t take two marks during the final term of the Crows narrow loss to Essendon at Adelaide Oval on Friday, despite having nobody around him.

The first happened just outside of the Crows’ forward 50 with Rachele appearing to brace for contact and only putting one arm up in the contest.

The second was in the forward pocket as the ball sailed through his hands.

Post game Brisbane legend Jonathan Brown said on Fox Footy the Crows needed to coach that behaviour out of the former No. 6 pick.

“You coach the behaviour, no question about it. That is the habit and the behaviour,” he said.

“You are not going to kill the kid’s confidence, but I saw something last week that troubled me a little bit (about Rachele).

Rachele admitted he will have to learn from the situation. Picture: Getty Images

“It has now gone two weeks in a row and this needs to be coached out of his game.

“You talk about big moments and great players for a 100 years in our game have been lauded for their ability to stand up in moment. Hopefully this kid will learn from this and he will stand up in big moments going forward.

“But it is a learning moment... and to play this game, don’t worry about the concussion stuff and the game changing, physical toughness and the ability to still keep eye on the ball in all moments is still a prerequisite and imperative in all games but especially in big moments in games.”

Josh Rachele went at pick 6 of the 2021 daft. Picture: Getty Images)

Speaking in his paid TV spot with Channel 9 on Monday, Rachele conceded in the first instance he wasn’t brave enough.

But he said the second dropped mark was the ball sailing over his head.

“It’s a tough one. They’ve definitely repeated in my head over and over again this whole weekend and just a couple of little marking errors,” Rachele said.

“The first one I thought someone was coming right over the top of me and honestly wasn’t brave enough in that situation.

“I will have to take that and move on and learn from it.

“The other one was just a complete misjudge, the ball sailed over and I thought it was coming closer.”

Originally published as ‘Wasn’t brave enough’: Young Crow Josh Rachele opens up on his two missed moments