It's Time....Line In Sand Moment

[Burkey 1]

It was always going to be very difficult to appease the senior players and bring in younsters to keep us competitive during the transition stage.

Geelong seem to do it very well but we just don't have enough bottom end talent and the senior guys are done, cooked whatever you want to call it after two heartbreaking losses in the Grand Finals.

Scott needs to make a decision to introduce and keep playing some of the younger guys like White, Saunders, Murdoch, Dunell to name a few, so what if we lose, we're losing anyway so lets at least get something out of this year, I know from my perspective I would much rather see us lose with a bunch of kids than keep going with some senior players who just dont have the appetite anymore.

I remember Collingwood when they lost their Grand Finals to brisbane they dropped off badly for a couple of years and slowly the rebuild began, Malthouse also made the decision to give up on players like medhurst, lockyer etc, this is now what Scott has to do, don't continue to gently stroke the senior guys ego any longer make the calls and just get on with it.

I also believe we need to refresh the coaching panel next year & get some new blood in there, don't know who unfortunately at this stage but there is always talented assistants out there every year.

Time for Scott to admit and decide itis time for the rebuild and some changes will now be made in this area, what is the point in having an academy if you don't expose the guys against the best the competition has to offer at some point.

My 2 cents worth but we are going to have to cop this pain now we have endured this many times before so it is our turn again to start the long haul back.

Ross Lyon left our list in terrible shape, I know we were at the top of our game back then but ignorance of the future is no excuse, look at Geelong as the perfect example, I do blame Ross squarley for this situation and then not having the guts to stay around and do it himself, I also believe he made 2 clangers in those grand finals that could have made a difference.

1/ Should have played Ball more often in that second half of 09 grand final, conditions were perfect for a guy like bally then in the drawn grand final in those final minutes why not put Gardner back on to at least take a mark in those dying minutes, yes i know he strained his hamstring but it was a grand final, he knew he wasn't going to be there next week so it was a risk worth taking in my opinion, look at how many injured Swans were out on the ground last year when they won it, so i don't think Ross did us alot of good with his pig headedness and stubborness at times.

2/ Going with Dawson instead of Max also in 09, at least should have put Max on the bench.

3/ Ball trade fiasco

4/ Recruitment of Lovett

NO, I think Scott has the club truly at heart and we need to give him some time to rebuild and refresh this team.

[Teflon]

Good post - agree with all of it.

[seano1]

very well put ..let the kids have a go now and work out if they have a future or not

[savatage]

Agree with everything.

[perfectionist]

As much as I admired Luke Ball, did you see him play on Friday night? He had the most possessions of any Collingwood player but had almost no influence on the game. Why? His lack of run and spread. The Swans players had it in spades and never stopped running all night. If he is still being paid $500,000pa the other players must be a bit miffed.

[SainterK]

Just coming back from a knee, early call

[WinnersOnly]

Good post Burkey but still think Watters doesnt have the ability to improve his coaching !

[Teflon]

Just coming back from a knee, early call

Hes not in the Pies for run/spread - hes there to win contested ball and he does that.

He stopped running and spreading under Thomas after our club flogged him.

[jonesy]

Agree regarding Watters

Disagree on a couple of the Lyon points.

One being Gardiner on in GF1.... we would of been playing with 17...having said that if he stayed one he would ensured a loss in week one,that would of been better for us, than us having to fork out another $300 the next week and sit through that massacre....

Second on Max...he was completely and utterly done, most probably would of done his hammy in the GF also...again may have been better as would of lost by more and wouldn't have been so heartbreaking

[defacto]

It was always going to be very difficult to appease the senior players and bring in younsters to keep us competitive during the transition stage.

Geelong seem to do it very well but we just don't have enough bottom end talent and the senior guys are done, cooked whatever you want to call it after two heartbreaking losses in the Grand Finals.

Scott needs to make a decision to introduce and keep playing some of the younger guys like White, Saunders, Murdoch, Dunell to name a few, so what if we lose, we're losing anyway so lets at least get something out of this year, I know from my perspective I would much rather see us lose with a bunch of kids than keep going with some senior players who just dont have the appetite anymore.

I remember Collingwood when they lost their Grand Finals to brisbane they dropped off badly for a couple of years and slowly the rebuild began, Malthouse also made the decision to give up on players like medhurst, lockyer etc, this is now what Scott has to do, don't continue to gently stroke the senior guys ego any longer make the calls and just get on with it.

I also believe we need to refresh the coaching panel next year & get some new blood in there, don't know who unfortunately at this stage but there is always talented assistants out there every year.

Time for Scott to admit and decide itis time for the rebuild and some changes will now be made in this area, what is the point in having an academy if you don't expose the guys against the best the competition has to offer at some point.

My 2 cents worth but we are going to have to cop this pain now we have endured this many times before so it is our turn again to start the long haul back.

Ross Lyon left our list in terrible shape, I know we were at the top of our game back then but ignorance of the future is no excuse, look at Geelong as the perfect example, I do blame Ross squarley for this situation and then not having the guts to stay around and do it himself, I also believe he made 2 clangers in those grand finals that could have made a difference.

1/ Should have played Ball more often in that second half of 09 grand final, conditions were perfect for a guy like bally then in the drawn grand final in those final minutes why not put Gardner back on to at least take a mark in those dying minutes, yes i know he strained his hamstring but it was a grand final, he knew he wasn't going to be there next week so it was a risk worth taking in my opinion, look at how many injured Swans were out on the ground last year when they won it, so i don't think Ross did us alot of good with his pig headedness and stubborness at times.

2/ Going with Dawson instead of Max also in 09, at least should have put Max on the bench.

3/ Ball trade fiasco

4/ Recruitment of Lovett

NO, I think Scott has the club truly at heart and we need to give him some time to rebuild and refresh this team.

great post. finally some level headed thinking on here

the thing i loved about his coaching last night is that when the game was there to be won last night during the 4th, he stuck to his rotations and had roo, dal and another senior player on the bench. the easy thing for him to do would have been to pull the kids and play the experience to get the win. instead he backed the kids in and saw how they would react to the pressure. this is exactly the type of coaching we need. he is so invested in our youth that he is willing to cop the loss for the sake of their development. this is very different to melbourne and co right now who are doign anything for a win

stay the course and we will prevail

[wally]

I think the timing of Lyons departure made it harder also,several new coaches that year meant we didn't get a go at the frontrunners
we didn't know we needed a new coach until he left.Watters is probably doing the best he can with whats available,I doubt he'll still be there
when we make another grand final.Look at the heat Voss is getting in Brisbane,did anyone really expect any better?