Dylan Shiel on drawing media and fans’ ire for Essendon and how he copes with the attention

Dylan Shiel has been a whipping boy at Essendon since moving across. He opens up on the toll that takes, how he manages it and where the Bombers – and he – are travelling.

Essendon veteran Dylan Shiel says the intense criticism levelled at some AFL footballers often cuts deep, but he understands it comes with the territory given the rise in player salaries in recent years.

He’s not whinging about it; nor expecting it to change any time soon.

But having copped more than his fair share of criticism across 224 games and 14 seasons — including some cutting comments during a short-lived move to halfback this year — he feels for those players who are constantly under the microscope.

The 32-year-old insists he is now mature enough to deal with the focus and chooses not to consume the wall-to-wall media coverage of the game, wherever possible.

When asked how he handled the pressure on him earlier this year before his midfield return to form in the past two matches, Shiel said ahead of Friday night’s clash with West Coast: “My job is to rock up and play; the media’s job is to critique, but we are human and it can affect us.”

Dylan Shiel says criticism comes with the territory. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

“It definitely impacts (some) players … we have family and friends who get affected too.

“But at the same time it is a privilege to be in the position we are in. The way I see it, if you want to step into this and put yourself in the arena, then the tax you have to pay is the criticism.

“I may have paid my fair share of taxes.”

Shiel still loves the game and is eager to play on beyond this season, even if some of the attention that being an AFL footballer brings has its challenges.

“Look, I am in my 30s now, and I have a family that keeps me busy,” he said.

“I don’t consume much footy news. I read my book when I’m travelling (he is currently reading Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments Into Extraordinary Results, by Shane Parrish) … I don’t get too concerned by what is happening.

“But I understand negativity sells.

“In the end, you just take it for what it is. When a David King or a Matthew Lloyd says something, there is probably something there that I can actually gain from it.

“My knee jerk reaction is to probably get a little bit angry, but in the end, my job is to rock up and try to perform each week.”

The Bombers tried to reinvent Shiel this year as a slingshot half back, but that experiment lasted only two matches — in the round 1 and 2 losses to Hawthorn and Adelaide.

He spent 100 per cent game time in those two matches in defence, but didn’t have an impact.

As a result, King called on the Bombers to drop Shiel to the VFL, saying his halfback role had been a “last-chance saloon”.

Instead, coach Brad Scott put him back where he has always played his best footy — in the midfield — and he has been one of the key reasons behind morale-boosting wins over Port Adelaide and Melbourne.

In those two games, Shiel collectively had 55 disposals (18 contested) and 12 clearances, and finished 7th and 4th in Champion Data’s match rankings.

“I’ve played most of my career as a mid, but I really enjoyed the opportunity to go to halfback and learn my craft there,” he said.

“I certainly think there will be times during the year where I will go back there.

“It’s good to be able to provide a bit of flexibility and to have a mid go back rather than just forward rotations.”

Shiel has brought a greater sense of calm in the midfield since his return, with his 30 disposals against the Demons being his standout performance of the year so far.

“I spoke to the guys just before the first bounce and said ‘There are going to be moments in the game when they have their time, we just need to not panic and absorb it, and understand that our things are going to stand up,” Shiel said.

Shiel is one of the Bombers’ leaders. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Shiel and Xavier Duursma. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

“They (Melbourne) did have their time in the third quarter. Probably there would have been a tendency in the past where teams had a run on (when they couldn’t have matched it) … but it was a bit of maturity for the group to slow it down, control the ball and conserve energy.”

He conceded the start of the season did not go to plan, but he was confident the Bombers’ emerging young players would settle into the season.

“It was probably a bit of a clunky start to the year for us,” he said.

“The scheduling (their opening round clash with Gold Coast was postponed) hasn’t probably helped. We false-started round zero and had a bye in round four, but we can’t control any of that.

“We just need to keep rocking up and training hard and keep playing well.

“Obviously Anzac Day is a massive fixture for us, but we have (to play) West Coast first in Perth, so that’s where the focus is right now.”

Shiel told this masthead the young Bombers are energising him, and he wants to stay in the red and black beyond this year, when his deal runs out.

“I love the game … I’ve been so lucky to have played it as a kid and to still be playing it now,” he said.

“And I love being able to be around these young guys and to feed off their energy.

“We obviously see the energy on the field … the energy I love is the Monday to Friday … I am sure every club has that same feeling, but we have a great environment.

“I would certainly like to stay and finish my career at Essendon, and it is largely to do with playing with the guys.

“I love what Jye Menzie is doing and the boys like, (Sam) Durham, (Ben) Hobbs, (Isaac) Kako, and Archie Roberts.

“It goes more than just being teammates with them. I can say this now because I am 32 now, but they are good kids.

“I just want to be there and enjoy some success with them now.”

Originally published as Dylan Shiel on drawing media and fans’ ire for Essendon and how he copes with the attention