Why Essendon’s Mason Redman turned his back on Crows, South Australia return to re-sign
In a candid chat with JON RALPH, Mason Redman takes you inside his lengthy free agency decision, his chats with Adelaide captain Jordan Dawson and why he said no to the Crows.
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Adelaide didn’t need a secret delegation flying across the border to woo free agent Mason Redman back home to South Australia.
They had an ace in the hole.
As Redman methodically weighed up his football future last year the reasons why he might return continued to pile up.
He and partner Emma were likely to move to the country post-football anyway and the Crows were making enough on field gains to impress the rebounding half back.
Then came the full court press from their captain Jordan Dawson.
History will show Redman recommitted at Essendon and yet to hear him describe the process is to realise how impressive his decision was to remain.
As Redman tells it, his thoroughness to explore the process and investigate Adelaide as a destination makes him realise he stayed for the right reasons.
“I actually really enjoyed the process,” he said of a free agency dilemma that only saw him re-signing in the last days of July.
“I wanted to make the best decision for me and my partner Emma. We are both from South Australia. The go-home factor was reported but we both grew up four-hours plus from Adelaide. You have to do your due diligence and when you get later on in football you think about where you will bring up a family.
“Adelaide is a great club and Nicksy (Matthew Nicks) is one of the best coaches in the comp. Me and Jordy Dawson did inter school aths in prep or grade one. He knocked me off in the 100m sprint … Having chats to him, he went through the same process (to return from Sydney) although in the trade period.
“He was someone who was very open and honest with me and I could go to him for advice. He wanted to get me across and he’s such a quality person it’s no surprise how well that club is going.
“But it wasn’t where I was meant to end up at the time. I am very comfortable with the decision given how thorough I was with the process. Deep down I always thought I would stay. I am a pretty loyal guy and Essendon has always given me the best opportunity to be the best player and person I could be and I am stoked to stay and hopefully achieve the ultimate at this club.”
ESSENDON’S NEW-LOOK BACKLINE
With that in mind, Redman doesn’t disguise how disappointing Essendon’s late fade out was in 2023 as an undermanned defence couldn’t hold up during a 2-5 finish to another barren season.
“It was very disappointing. We still had the cattle on the park to play much better than we did. It was a very disappointing end to the year, but it has to drive the group going forward,” he says.
Since late August so much has changed, with Jordan Ridley back from injury, much-hyped full back Zach Reid finally injury-free, Ben McKay a free agency arrival and Nic Martin training as a half back.
Top ten pick Nik Cox has also trained as an intercepting defender as Jake Kelly pushes to the wing.
Redman cannot help but contain his excitement with the new-look defensive unit, believing the Dons can play four talls in defence with Reid and McKay as the twin towers.
“Benny has been unreal. He came in with a lighter program but post Christmas he has joined in with the drills and to have gone from a widely reported smaller backline to him and Reid,” he said.
“Touch wood Reid has been really healthy and seeing those two go to work on the track has been cool. Hopefully those two can get in a lot of games for us. I have been pretty bullish on Reid since he got to the club. Potential is the key word but he has the potential to be one of the best players from that draft.”
He said there was room for all of McKay, Reid, Ridley and Cox down back.
“I definitely think we can,” Redman said.
“The best backlines in the comp have two key talls and the good thing about having Ridley there is he’s versatile and can play tall or small.”
CHANGES AT THE HANGAR
Essendon’s players have to come back to training healthy of body, but have also spent countless hours honing their minds over summer.
Redman reveals the club’s new-found focus under sports psychologist Ben Robbins has added a new edge in Brad Scott’s second pre-season.
“Ben Robbins has come on board, he was teammates with Scotty in Brisbane and there has been a big emphasis and massive buy-in from the group with his work,” Redman says.
Robbins works on the connection between mindfulness and performance with Redman confident the club’s problem-areas including team defence will be helped by his expertise.
It might seem an unusual solution to fixing a bottom-four team defence but he believes the work on attention to detail will help executing strategy and tactics.
“If you look at the best players across world sport they work on mindfulness and the mental game. In Australia on the whole we are behind the rest of the world but everyone has seen that improvement and the buy in has been unbelievable. It doesn’t guarantee results but I have put a lot of time and effort into it and hopefully it is something that comes out in my game,” he says.
RED DOG’S BIG GROOM
Redman’s charity fundraiser to shave his locks for cancer non-profit Challenge at Saturday’s upcoming Family Day has already gone gangbusters, another example of his new-found cult appeal.
He says he does not take for granted his relationship with fans who love his Hellboy goal celebrations and slashing style of play.
“Yeah, I really enjoy it. We went to Shepparton for the Community Camp and had a super-clinic there and the kids were kicking goals and doing the (horns) celebration. I didn’t necessarily think at the start of my career I could have that impact on people and I feel like I am pretty modest and humble. It started as a bit of fun with one of my mates back home and to see kids do it in the crowd… That’s what footy is about. You want to win and be the best team, but you also want to make people smile.”
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