Believing in Ross?

[SydneySainter]

So, you feel coach's are a tad over-rated?

Yes. Although as I said, they have 3 main duties. Very important duties.

Quite surprised your saying this as I remember making a comment in post quite a few months back in regards to our 04/05 seasons, saying I felt GT's influence to be quite incidental, as our list depth was that good. To which your response was (to which I can't quote because I can't be bothered finding that post) that you're perplexed that people still believe the whole "the side coached themselves" rubbish!

In context, I was absolutely correct.

So, is our current squad coaching themselves because we have such a strong, fit list?

Definately. As much as any other experienced list does - in our case with the leaders we have, probably moreso.

So when GT's gets the team on a roll it's because he's a good coach, but when RL does it, the list is just coaching themselves?

Well, how can you argue with that logic?

[saintly]

You believe GT left us in great shape...

Do I?

I believe that when GT was fired that we had quitea reasonable list but with many list flaws...and an inept football and conditioning department.

So do I.

And we still have flaws in our list. It's just that they aren't an issue because our guns and up and about.

no team is perfect. Noone is saying they are.
However if the saints win the flag the team mayb considered perfect by many

what are the flaws that the saints are covering up?

[rodgerfox]

So when GT's gets the team on a roll it's because he's a good coach, but when RL does it, the list is just coaching themselves?

Well, how can you argue with that logic?

Who's logic is that?

[Milton66]

Ok, so we can attribute the improvement on having all our "stars" fit and on the park... and the tactical contribution made by new assistants.

So how do you explain the improvement in players such as Mini, Joey, even Dal??

Did they suddenly wake up one morning and decide to become elite players?

[rodgerfox]

So how do you explain the improvement in players such as Mini, Joey, even Dal??

Did they suddenly wake up one morning and decide to become elite players?

Joey was always going to be a player. He just had the body of David Spade.

He's grown up, and now has the body to compliment his ability.

Dal was what, runner up in the Brownlow a couple of years ago? So hardly a rise from the gutters for Dal.

As for Mini, see Joey above.
Although to be honest, I'm still scratching my head about him. I thought he was useless.

[Moods]

So how do you explain the improvement in players such as Mini, Joey, even Dal??

Did they suddenly wake up one morning and decide to become elite players?

Joey was always going to be a player. He just had the body of David Spade.

He's grown up, and now has the body to compliment his ability.

Dal was what, runner up in the Brownlow a couple of years ago? So hardly a rise from the gutters for Dal.

As for Mini, see Joey above.
Although to be honest, I'm still scratching my head about him. I thought he was useless.

I reckon anyone who watched On the Couch on Foxtel the other night would have got an insight into what Lyon has done to influence this group.

I agree Joey always was going to be a player - how good was always unclear. He appeared to some extents to be a flat track bully. Great outside runner,but I have NEVER seen him tackle like he has this year. His hardness has pushed him into the upper percentile of players in the comp where he now will probably be an AA midfielder.

I too thought that mini wasn't much. The change in him is phenomenal. What do you attribute that to? Of course mini himself has to take great credit, but OI'm sure Lyon and co assisted with the penny dropping.

Even Roo. Hard for a multiple B&F and multiple AA player to improve. But he has. I rarely saw roo tackle in the past 8 years. THis year he has laid some great tackles. As he said, you feel like that if you don't do your part re tackling and pressure, then you're letting the team down. In the past I reckon he felt that taking 15 marks and kicking 3-4 goals was enough (it was) He admitted himself it wasn't a great part of his game.

The coach or the coaches have had to have made a huge impact on these players - even by emphasising all ground pressure. If one player doesn't buy into it, then they let the whole team down.

Small things like appointing one sole captain - I reckon has had a huge impact.

I believe that Lyon had to take a couple of steps backwards before we moved fwds. It was painful to watch at the beginning, but he always had a plan, and he ALWAYS maintained that we weren't just copying Sydney as many ppl believed. AS it turns out, now that we can all see what he was trying to achieve, you are right, he has done what all the great coaches do - he has borrowed a bit of the pressure skills from Sydney and developed them further, and he has borrowed a small amount of the cats attacking flare. He has the cattle to work with, and he has ensured that they stay on the park. He has also developed the zone technique of Hawthorn and taken it further or advanced it.

No doubt if we are successful, then other clubs will try and take what WE did this year and advance it as well. In every field of industry that's what all the leaders do. It's called PROGRESS. Lyon should be considered a leader in the industry of football.

[saintly]

So how do you explain the improvement in players such as Mini, Joey, even Dal??

Did they suddenly wake up one morning and decide to become elite players?

Joey was always going to be a player. He just had the body of David Spade.

He's grown up, and now has the body to compliment his ability.

Dal was what, runner up in the Brownlow a couple of years ago? So hardly a rise from the gutters for Dal.

As for Mini, see Joey above.
Although to be honest, I'm still scratching my head about him. I thought he was useless.

I reckon anyone who watched On the Couch on Foxtel the other night would have got an insight into what Lyon has done to influence this group.

I agree Joey always was going to be a player - how good was always unclear. He appeared to some extents to be a flat track bully. Great outside runner,but I have NEVER seen him tackle like he has this year. His hardness has pushed him into the upper percentile of players in the comp where he now will probably be an AA midfielder.

I too thought that mini wasn't much. The change in him is phenomenal. What do you attribute that to? Of course mini himself has to take great credit, but OI'm sure Lyon and co assisted with the penny dropping.

Even Roo. Hard for a multiple B&F and multiple AA player to improve. But he has. I rarely saw roo tackle in the past 8 years. THis year he has laid some great tackles. As he said, you feel like that if you don't do your part re tackling and pressure, then you're letting the team down. In the past I reckon he felt that taking 15 marks and kicking 3-4 goals was enough (it was) He admitted himself it wasn't a great part of his game.

The coach or the coaches have had to have made a huge impact on these players - even by emphasising all ground pressure. If one player doesn't buy into it, then they let the whole team down.

Small things like appointing one sole captain - I reckon has had a huge impact.

I believe that Lyon had to take a couple of steps backwards before we moved fwds. It was painful to watch at the beginning, but he always had a plan, and he ALWAYS maintained that we weren't just copying Sydney as many ppl believed. AS it turns out, now that we can all see what he was trying to achieve, you are right, he has done what all the great coaches do - he has borrowed a bit of the pressure skills from Sydney and developed them further, and he has borrowed a small amount of the cats attacking flare. He has the cattle to work with, and he has ensured that they stay on the park. He has also developed the zone technique of Hawthorn and taken it further or advanced it.

No doubt if we are successful, then other clubs will try and take what WE did this year and advance it as well. In every field of industry that's what all the leaders do. It's called PROGRESS. Lyon should be considered a leader in the industry of football.

Lyon will only be considered a leader in the industry if he wins the flag. if the saints don't make it or win it, he may be considered as not good enough. the plan is not good enough.

it would themn make it much harder to win it next year as all 15 other teams will be emulating it and braking down the game plan.