Baldock the coach...

Milton66 · Post: # 809856Post **Milton66** » Thu 03 Sep 2009 11:47am

I recall the club trying for many years to get him to coach, and the fanfare when he finally accepted the gig.

In keeping with club tradition, he was hailed as our new Messiah.

Sadly, his career was cut short by his stroke.

But what was he like as a coach?

Can any of the older posters who were close to the club shed some light, please?

yipper · Post: # 809860Post **yipper** » Thu 03 Sep 2009 11:50am

Doc was an excellent coach, had a great football knowledge. His stroke cut short what was shaping as a very productive coaching career. He was no longer able to communicate with the players. But before the stroke, he turned Plugger into the dynamo he became and introduced a young rob Harvey to AFL footy. Gave us the first signs of professionalism at our club, which was taken to another level by Sheldon afterwards.

St.Rob8 · Post: # 809871Post **St.Rob8** » Thu 03 Sep 2009 12:01pm

Very stressed! I guess when you could play like a God and you are coaching the Saints of the 80's you are going to be pretty frustrated. Mind you he was coach in the early Lockett Winmar years. I remember him saying something like "The Tail doesn't normally wag the dog, but when the tail is Tony Lockett, you have to think again!".

Unfair to compare to todays coaches, but I think he was from the old school of fire and brimstone coaching a few gems of talent amongst a mediocre group, however those gems (Frawley, Lockett, Loewe, Winmar) went on to become the basis of our early 90's success. Still, it was great watching guys like the Cunninghams, Greg Burns, Rod Owen, Mad Dog Muir and Barks punch against their wheight at Moorabin. The Late 70s and 80s was tough as hell with us winning 6 woodies in 12 years, and not doing much better in the other years. Baldock's reign marked the begining of the end of that period.

The Fireman · Thu 03 Sep 2009 12:02pm

I remember him as a great communicator before his stroke.
The club certainly got a lift when he arrived on the scene.

Milton66 · Post: # 809885Post **Milton66** » Thu 03 Sep 2009 12:11pm

Wasn't he notorius for having a punt, and therefore not the greatest role model for Rod Owen?

I also recall a story about a team meeting beore they were to play Essendon. He was trying to convince the team that could win, but Burns kept saying they couldn't.

GrumpyOne · Post: # 809911Post **GrumpyOne** » Thu 03 Sep 2009 12:31pm

Milton66 wrote:Wasn't he notorius for having a punt, and therefore not the greatest role model for Rod Owen?

The Doc mainly punted on his own horses...... Rocket Rod would punt on two flies crawling up a wall.

claystreet · Thu 03 Sep 2009 12:53pm

ahh The Doc i remember the excitement around the club when he was appointed and how he took a loose cannon FF and turned him into something.

I had 2 jumpers as a kid and they had 2 different numbers these numbers were 4 and 10. When i was at school i always wanted to play CHF or ruck even though i was midfield size all because the Doc could play CHF and wasnt a big man. I wanted to play ruck so i could do a big Carl on all and sundry.

The Doc in action

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmKkdNWXUSs

Saint Bev · Post: # 809940Post **Saint Bev** » Thu 03 Sep 2009 1:08pm

He had a problem remembering the players names

stinger · Post: # 809941Post **stinger** » Thu 03 Sep 2009 1:10pm

he was captain coach of the tasmanian football team when he was 21..,,,then captain of our only premiership team..later ..minister for sport in tasmania...says it all really

spert · Post: # 809945Post **spert** » Thu 03 Sep 2009 1:19pm

I remember the club starting to getting much more competitive under Doc as coach, and no doubt would have had more success if he hadn't had health problems that cut his coaching career short.

Milton66 · Post: # 809965Post **Milton66** » Thu 03 Sep 2009 1:42pm

His views on Lockett potentially being the greatest CHF ever, were well known. You can only wonder where we would have gone had his health been ok.

SENsei · Post: # 809969Post **SENsei** » Thu 03 Sep 2009 1:46pm

Saint Bev wrote:He had a problem remembering the players names

Just ask Rodney.

remboy · Post: # 810010Post **remboy** » Thu 03 Sep 2009 2:37pm

I seem to remember Stewie Loewe saying that Doc used to pick him up every day, take him to an oval and teach him how to play CHF.
Was certainly big on picking kids. Harves and Burke debuted in his time (along with plenty of others). A few went from the under 19's to the seniors in the same season.

stinger · Post: # 810073Post **stinger** » Thu 03 Sep 2009 4:34pm

remboy wrote:I seem to remember Stewie Loewe saying that Doc used to pick him up every day, take him to an oval and teach him how to play CHF.
Was certainly big on picking kids. Harves and Burke debuted in his time (along with plenty of others). A few went from the under 19's to the seniors in the same season.

the doc's stroke and trevor's death f***ed us for years and years........

plugger66 · Post: # 810084Post **plugger66** » Thu 03 Sep 2009 4:41pm

stinger wrote:
remboy wrote:I seem to remember Stewie Loewe saying that Doc used to pick him up every day, take him to an oval and teach him how to play CHF.
Was certainly big on picking kids. Harves and Burke debuted in his time (along with plenty of others). A few went from the under 19's to the seniors in the same season.

the doc's stroke and trevor's death f***ed us for years and years........

Without wanting to disrespect those guys that is totally untrue what you just said.

mcadam05 · Post: # 810226Post **mcadam05** » Thu 03 Sep 2009 5:51pm

SENsaintsational wrote:
Saint Bev wrote:He had a problem remembering the players names
Just ask Rodney.

he wasn't the only one heres a pic of Robert Harvey's player badge from 1989

poatina · Post: # 810283Post **poatina** » Thu 03 Sep 2009 6:21pm

r
He was hugely successful in Tassie , mainly as a captain - coach. Tough too. One story has it that an ex - VFL boom recruit was playing well below the Doc's expectations and the Doc made the point by hitting him flush on the chin , laying him out , in the three - quarter time address.
Makes Ken Sheldon giving Davenport a shake look pretty tame .