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bobmurray wrote:Listening to Matthew Knights on the ABC he says St Kilda doesn't have the offensive game to take on the press that teams now employ, a style of game that the Saints started.
Knights also said players like Baker, Dumpster ,Steven and Mini have NO offensive side and aren't going to give much trying to break the lines so the Saints should replace them with players that can..
that's all i heard.....
Look where Matthew Knights' knowledge got him...
He is partly responsible for Essendons current list and had a huge part in their development......I think he is a lot more knowledgeable than internet experts and i think his comments have merit.
He also said we need a better spread of Leg Speed around our star players.
He thinks Roo tries to play more than one position during a game and actually suffers from fatigue, he said Roo plays both CHF and FF and that Roo would be better served to find one position and play it.Interestingly he said Roo looks like a champion in decline..
Well he his deadset correct. We have nobody to break the lines. We caught took often and cant get it over the press.
Our leg speed has always been questionable and now we look decidely pedrestrian.
As for Roo, a bit early to say he is in decline. he probably tries to do too much because the team is so moribund and stagnant at the moment.
Lyon needs to use him better and keep him in one position and instruct him to do that.
Lance or James??
There comes a point in every man's life when he has to say, "Enough is enough." For me, that time is now. I have been dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage in <redacted>. Over the past three years, I have been subjected to a <redacted>investigation followed by <redacted> witch hunt. The toll this has taken on my family, and my work for <redacted>and on me leads me to where I am today – finished with this nonsense. (Oops just got a spontaneous errection <unredacted>)
bobmurray wrote:Listening to Matthew Knights on the ABC he says St Kilda doesn't have the offensive game to take on the press that teams now employ, a style of game that the Saints started.
Knights also said players like Baker, Dumpster ,Steven and Mini have NO offensive side and aren't going to give much trying to break the lines so the Saints should replace them with players that can..
that's all i heard.....
Look where Matthew Knights' knowledge got him...
He is partly responsible for Essendons current list and had a huge part in their development......I think he is a lot more knowledgeable than internet experts and i think his comments have merit.
He also said we need a better spread of Leg Speed around our star players.
He thinks Roo tries to play more than one position during a game and actually suffers from fatigue, he said Roo plays both CHF and FF and that Roo would be better served to find one position and play it.Interestingly he said Roo looks like a champion in decline..
He coached 2008-2010, so was involved with the 2008 and 2009 drafts. He got Prismall, Hurley, Zaharakis, Tom Hislop, Tyson Slattery, Hayden Skipworth, Michael Quinn (and a few no names) from 2008. 2009 was Mark Williams, Melksham, Carlisle, Colyer, Long, Hardingham, Howlett, Crameri in 2009 (plus a few no names)
I'd hardly say he has drafted for Essendon to be in a great position - with the exception of maybe 3 players out of 20.
bobmurray wrote:Listening to Matthew Knights on the ABC he says St Kilda doesn't have the offensive game to take on the press that teams now employ, a style of game that the Saints started.
Knights also said players like Baker, Dumpster ,Steven and Mini have NO offensive side and aren't going to give much trying to break the lines so the Saints should replace them with players that can..
that's all i heard.....
Look where Matthew Knights' knowledge got him...
He is partly responsible for Essendons current list and had a huge part in their development......I think he is a lot more knowledgeable than internet experts and i think his comments have merit.
He also said we need a better spread of Leg Speed around our star players.
He thinks Roo tries to play more than one position during a game and actually suffers from fatigue, he said Roo plays both CHF and FF and that Roo would be better served to find one position and play it.Interestingly he said Roo looks like a champion in decline..
He coached 2008-2010, so was involved with the 2008 and 2009 drafts. He got Prismall, Hurley, Zaharakis, Tom Hislop, Tyson Slattery, Hayden Skipworth, Michael Quinn (and a few no names) from 2008. 2009 was Mark Williams, Melksham, Carlisle, Colyer, Long, Hardingham, Howlett, Crameri in 2009 (plus a few no names)
I'd hardly say he has drafted for Essendon to be in a great position - with the exception of maybe 3 players out of 20.
just in case you didn't know he was the Bombers reserves coach prior to becoming senior coach so he had more than 3 years developing the current list.And yes, he still makes a lot of sense with his comments.
That said.i can't do or say much to assist or help people in denial....
How many defenders will The Saints pick in the 2024 draft ?
To come out and say "sack the coach" is totally reactionary and counter-productive. It is definitely not the answer to our problems. Ross Lyon cannot be blamed for this year. The players are worn out and have lost their appetite for the contest. The question is: Has Ross Lyon lost his appetite?
I believe the answer to this is no, and that Ross will, whilst being a bit rueful of the missed opportunities no doubt, nevertheless be looking forward to the challenge of rebuilding his side from the bottom up whilst retaining the core guns.
The way forward for us is not to sack the coach OR to bottom out. It's about 2012 now. Ross's contract will be out then and until the end of 2012, when the level of our development from now to then is clear and we can see how Ross has gone about rebuilding the side, the idea of sacking him isn't even worth mentioning.
hungry for a premiership wrote:To come out and say "sack the coach" is totally reactionary and counter-productive. It is definitely not the answer to our problems. Ross Lyon cannot be blamed for this year. The players are worn out and have lost their appetite for the contest. The question is: Has Ross Lyon lost his appetite?
I believe the answer to this is no, and that Ross will, whilst being a bit rueful of the missed opportunities no doubt, nevertheless be looking forward to the challenge of rebuilding his side from the bottom up whilst retaining the core guns.
The way forward for us is not to sack the coach OR to bottom out. It's about 2012 now. Ross's contract will be out then and until the end of 2012, when the level of our development from now to then is clear and we can see how Ross has gone about rebuilding the side, the idea of sacking him isn't even worth mentioning.
i have not read a single post that has said sack the coach. i have read numerous saying that sacking the coach is not the answer. but u are arguing against the air. cos noone has said sack the coach.
what we ARE saying is the coach is coaching poorly. he should be given an opportunity to turn it around. but hes coaching crap and needs to change direction.
On reflection, I reckon that - if the Saints continue the downward spiral to the bottom 4 - Lyon will quit/be sacked. I just don't think our club has that much patience with coaches.
"It is useless to attempt to reason a man out of a thing he was never reasoned into."
- Jonathan Swift
Making big calls on players, no matter how good, who are doing nothing, is not.
Goddard. Magoos. I get your pain, but you're letting your team mates down. Got to Trevor Barker Oval and find your spine.
Baker. You'll get a couple for an elbow to a throat. It makes the selectors job easy. Consider retirement, mate. Seriously. It's over.
For starters.
IMO.
"The inches we need are everywhere around us. They're in every break in the game. Every minute, every second. On this team we fight for that inch. On this team we tear ourselves and everyone around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch. Because we know when we add up all those inches that's gonna make the f***in' difference between winning and losing! Between living and dying!'
hungry for a premiership wrote:To come out and say "sack the coach" is totally reactionary and counter-productive. It is definitely not the answer to our problems. Ross Lyon cannot be blamed for this year. The players are worn out and have lost their appetite for the contest. The question is: Has Ross Lyon lost his appetite?
I believe the answer to this is no, and that Ross will, whilst being a bit rueful of the missed opportunities no doubt, nevertheless be looking forward to the challenge of rebuilding his side from the bottom up whilst retaining the core guns.
The way forward for us is not to sack the coach OR to bottom out. It's about 2012 now. Ross's contract will be out then and until the end of 2012, when the level of our development from now to then is clear and we can see how Ross has gone about rebuilding the side, the idea of sacking him isn't even worth mentioning.
i have not read a single post that has said sack the coach. i have read numerous saying that sacking the coach is not the answer. but u are arguing against the air. cos noone has said sack the coach.
what we ARE saying is the coach is coaching poorly. he should be given an opportunity to turn it around. but hes coaching crap and needs to change direction.
His coaching in the first quarter was shocking. Can you explain to me how he is coaching crap because I would love to know.
joffaboy wrote:We cant sack a coach that has taken us to two GF's in a row.
That would be they typical loser destabilising St.Kilda attitude.
I said after game two we need to treat this year as a long pre season for 2012.
Our team has never been quick or overly skilled. Our gameplan was our backbone.
This has been supersceded, so we need to work on a new gameplan that suits our personnel.
We need to persist to Sipposs and Cripps and Steven.
We need to bring in Tommy Walsh down back and give the likes of Smith and Sinkin more game time. Lynch Winmar and Heyne need to show if they can cut it.
Players woul wont be prominent in our challenge for next year, like Dempster, and Gwilt, and Raph, maybe Kosi, and even Stve Milne need to be pensioned off into the reserves.
We are shot for 2011.
Can we regroup for 2012?
Well maybe. We need a ruck man and a good quick midfielder. We need to make the most of trading this off season and also use our high picks on some speed.
No point in sacking the coach unless you think we are completely gone and wont contest again until 2016-2017.
100% agree with everything you've said!!
We're gone in 2011! Absolutely shot!
I'm usually optimistic, but the game today was beyond a joke! Pick up your game St Kilda! You expect your membership to get to 45k+ and you dish up this appaulling garbage!
The new guys in Pollo, Simposs and Cripps have been shining lights in recent weeks. I'm glad we're trying to inject new players and hold some sort of structure. IMO NO St Kilda players position is safe this season.... if you don't perform, you're dropped!
The time to act this season was today! The Hawks were on the ropes, but we play 1/4 of good football and it's job done? I'm friggin' ropeable! Disappointed is a huge understatement! .....sigh....
When they created LENNY HAYES (in the shadow of Harvs) they forgot to break the mold (again)- hence the Supremely Incredible Jack Steven!!
hungry for a premiership wrote:
To come out and say "sack the coach" is totally reactionary and counter-productive. It is definitely not the answer to our problems. Ross Lyon cannot be blamed for this year. The players are worn out and have lost their appetite for the contest. The question is: Has Ross Lyon lost his appetite?
I believe the answer to this is no, and that Ross will, whilst being a bit rueful of the missed opportunities no doubt, nevertheless be looking forward to the challenge of rebuilding his side from the bottom up whilst retaining the core guns.
The way forward for us is not to sack the coach OR to bottom out. It's about 2012 now. Ross's contract will be out then and until the end of 2012, when the level of our development from now to then is clear and we can see how Ross has gone about rebuilding the side, the idea of sacking him isn't even worth mentioning.
i have not read a single post that has said sack the coach. i have read numerous saying that sacking the coach is not the answer. but u are arguing against the air. cos noone has said sack the coach.
what we ARE saying is the coach is coaching poorly. he should be given an opportunity to turn it around. but hes coaching crap and needs to change direction.
Maybe no one has said "sack the coach," but the whole vibe of this thread implies that Ross isn't doing his job properly and that action needs to be taken.
To question whether or not Ross has a plan for 2012 is absurdity. Coaching St.Kilda is his full-time job. He's a proffessional. His results over his tenure have been great. Now the team hits a bit of a rough patch and you immediatly imply that he's not doing his job. How was he coaching crap?
hungry for a premiership wrote:To come out and say "sack the coach" is totally reactionary and counter-productive. It is definitely not the answer to our problems. Ross Lyon cannot be blamed for this year. The players are worn out and have lost their appetite for the contest. The question is: Has Ross Lyon lost his appetite?
I believe the answer to this is no, and that Ross will, whilst being a bit rueful of the missed opportunities no doubt, nevertheless be looking forward to the challenge of rebuilding his side from the bottom up whilst retaining the core guns.
The way forward for us is not to sack the coach OR to bottom out. It's about 2012 now. Ross's contract will be out then and until the end of 2012, when the level of our development from now to then is clear and we can see how Ross has gone about rebuilding the side, the idea of sacking him isn't even worth mentioning.
i have not read a single post that has said sack the coach. i have read numerous saying that sacking the coach is not the answer. but u are arguing against the air. cos noone has said sack the coach.
what we ARE saying is the coach is coaching poorly. he should be given an opportunity to turn it around. but hes coaching crap and needs to change direction.
His coaching in the first quarter was shocking. Can you explain to me how he is coaching crap because I would love to know.
we are 5-1-1 plugger. we havent been competitive in 3 of those losses.
so the coach is a genius when we win but its the players fault when we lose? please be consistent. clearly we have a problem this year. and its not quarter by quarter.
hungry for a premiership wrote:To come out and say "sack the coach" is totally reactionary and counter-productive. It is definitely not the answer to our problems. Ross Lyon cannot be blamed for this year. The players are worn out and have lost their appetite for the contest. The question is: Has Ross Lyon lost his appetite?
I believe the answer to this is no, and that Ross will, whilst being a bit rueful of the missed opportunities no doubt, nevertheless be looking forward to the challenge of rebuilding his side from the bottom up whilst retaining the core guns.
The way forward for us is not to sack the coach OR to bottom out. It's about 2012 now. Ross's contract will be out then and until the end of 2012, when the level of our development from now to then is clear and we can see how Ross has gone about rebuilding the side, the idea of sacking him isn't even worth mentioning.
i have not read a single post that has said sack the coach. i have read numerous saying that sacking the coach is not the answer. but u are arguing against the air. cos noone has said sack the coach.
what we ARE saying is the coach is coaching poorly. he should be given an opportunity to turn it around. but hes coaching crap and needs to change direction.
His coaching in the first quarter was shocking. Can you explain to me how he is coaching crap because I would love to know.
we are 5-1-1 plugger. we havent been competitive in 3 of those losses.
so the coach is a genius when we win but its the players fault when we lose? please be consistent. clearly we have a problem this year. and its not quarter by quarter.
I certainly have never once said in my life RL is a genius. Unlike some on here, I think the players are mainly responsiblr on how well we play and that is whether we are winning or losing. I still dont have an answer to why he is coaching crap. Well that maybe true actually, he is coaching crap.
i'm a bit bemused.
posters are full of ideas on who to play and how to play. which players to cut and what needs to be done. what gameplan changes are needed and what gameday changes were needed. in other words they believe the coaching is at fault. but they won't actually say it directly. posters defend ross, rightly pointing to the two gfs he took us to, but they bag players who also got us there?
ross is not beyond criticism -we are a mess and atm he looks like he doesn't have a clue - this is obviously affecting the players - they are playing without heart and withoout clear direction. is this is more a fault of the sheperd or the sheep?
the team as a whole needs to take a good, hard look at themselves - coaching staff included.
"The starting point of all achievement is desire. "
They are playing horribly poorly. They are slow to react, lacking instinct, lacking effort, lacking ticker, ball watching, loose checking and their skills are appalling. Add to that I see little evidence of anywhere near the level of frenzy that we've come to know from our 'press'.
Lyon can't MAKE them do those things. He can ASK them. He can IMPLORE them. But if they don't do it, what's the point of belting the coach for their sins?
"The inches we need are everywhere around us. They're in every break in the game. Every minute, every second. On this team we fight for that inch. On this team we tear ourselves and everyone around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch. Because we know when we add up all those inches that's gonna make the f***in' difference between winning and losing! Between living and dying!'
desertsaint wrote:i'm a bit bemused.
posters are full of ideas on who to play and how to play. which players to cut and what needs to be done. what gameplan changes are needed and what gameday changes were needed. in other words they believe the coaching is at fault. but they won't actually say it directly. posters defend ross, rightly pointing to the two gfs he took us to, but they bag players who also got us there?
ross is not beyond criticism -we are a mess and atm he looks like he doesn't have a clue - this is obviously affecting the players - they are playing without heart and withoout clear direction. is this is more a fault of the sheperd or the sheep?
the team as a whole needs to take a good, hard look at themselves - coaching staff included.
they are all in a muddle. maybe the sheep are ok and the shepherd is ok but the sheepdog is crap? leigh tudor kind of looked like a sheep dog. i dont know.
i dont think its one thing. i think its a whole lot of little things (like whats eating bj and gilbo for starters). so we need to work on/eliminate all those little things one at a time. wont be easy. but the first step is to realise we have problems and then all work together to solve them.
so far the coach has been like - nah we are all good. no problems. just need more effort. i think thats not been honest.
bobmurray wrote:Listening to Matthew Knights on the ABC he says St Kilda doesn't have the offensive game to take on the press that teams now employ, a style of game that the Saints started.
Knights also said players like Baker, Dumpster ,Steven and Mini have NO offensive side and aren't going to give much trying to break the lines so the Saints should replace them with players that can..
that's all i heard.....
Look where Matthew Knights' knowledge got him...
He is partly responsible for Essendons current list and had a huge part in their development......I think he is a lot more knowledgeable than internet experts and i think his comments have merit.
He also said we need a better spread of Leg Speed around our star players.
He thinks Roo tries to play more than one position during a game and actually suffers from fatigue, he said Roo plays both CHF and FF and that Roo would be better served to find one position and play it.Interestingly he said Roo looks like a champion in decline..
Yeah I believe what Knights has to say here about the Leg speed, spreading and Roo. We dont play a Pagan's paddock nowadays as this wont work with the current speed of the game and our slow pace overall.
We need to groom 2 leading forwards to support Roo and Milne. We can continue to use Milne as #2 here.
Midfield clearances and clear winners are needed to make an effective forward line.
You need to protect the ball handler to increase posession efficiency
desertsaint wrote:i'm a bit bemused.
posters are full of ideas on who to play and how to play. which players to cut and what needs to be done. what gameplan changes are needed and what gameday changes were needed. in other words they believe the coaching is at fault. but they won't actually say it directly. posters defend ross, rightly pointing to the two gfs he took us to, but they bag players who also got us there?
ross is not beyond criticism -we are a mess and atm he looks like he doesn't have a clue - this is obviously affecting the players - they are playing without heart and withoout clear direction. is this is more a fault of the sheperd or the sheep?
the team as a whole needs to take a good, hard look at themselves - coaching staff included.
Buckets, it is not the skills of our players, it is the mind set.
You are totally giving no credit to Hawthorn. After quarter time they hunted us and we turned to s***. We are weak mentally and that is from our on field leader and Bj as well. I watched today and concentrated after the second quarter on Roo and Bj, not when they had the ball but after the contest had passed and both showed me where our problem lies. It is all too hard. Too add to that Schneider and Gram are like lesions on the skin that fester, they look okay if treated well but become horrible festations if not given easy running ball.
Buckets wrote:
desertsaint wrote:i'm a bit bemused.
posters are full of ideas on who to play and how to play. which players to cut and what needs to be done. what gameplan changes are needed and what gameday changes were needed. in other words they believe the coaching is at fault. but they won't actually say it directly. posters defend ross, rightly pointing to the two gfs he took us to, but they bag players who also got us there?
ross is not beyond criticism -we are a mess and atm he looks like he doesn't have a clue - this is obviously affecting the players - they are playing without heart and withoout clear direction. is this is more a fault of the sheperd or the sheep?
the team as a whole needs to take a good, hard look at themselves - coaching staff included.
SaintWal wrote:Buckets, it is not the skills of our players, it is the mind set.
You are totally giving no credit to Hawthorn. After quarter time they hunted us and we turned to s***. We are weak mentally and that is from our on field leader and Bj as well. I watched today and concentrated after the second quarter on Roo and Bj, not when they had the ball but after the contest had passed and both showed me where our problem lies. It is all too hard. Too add to that Schneider and Gram are like lesions on the skin that fester, they look okay if treated well but become horrible festations if not given easy running ball.
Buckets wrote:
desertsaint wrote:i'm a bit bemused.
posters are full of ideas on who to play and how to play. which players to cut and what needs to be done. what gameplan changes are needed and what gameday changes were needed. in other words they believe the coaching is at fault. but they won't actually say it directly. posters defend ross, rightly pointing to the two gfs he took us to, but they bag players who also got us there?
ross is not beyond criticism -we are a mess and atm he looks like he doesn't have a clue - this is obviously affecting the players - they are playing without heart and withoout clear direction. is this is more a fault of the sheperd or the sheep?
the team as a whole needs to take a good, hard look at themselves - coaching staff included.
joffaboy wrote:We cant sack a coach that has taken us to two GF's in a row.
That would be they typical loser destabilising St.Kilda attitude.
I said after game two we need to treat this year as a long pre season for 2012.
Our team has never been quick or overly skilled. Our gameplan was our backbone.
This has been supersceded, so we need to work on a new gameplan that suits our personnel.
We need to persist to Sipposs and Cripps and Steven.
We need to bring in Tommy Walsh down back and give the likes of Smith and Sinkin more game time. Lynch Winmar and Heyne need to show if they can cut it.
Players woul wont be prominent in our challenge for next year, like Dempster, and Gwilt, and Raph, maybe Kosi, and even Stve Milne need to be pensioned off into the reserves.
We are shot for 2011.
Can we regroup for 2012?
Well maybe. We need a ruckman and a good quick midfielder. We need to make the most of trading this off season and also use our high picks on some speed.
No point in sacking the coach unless you think we are completely gone and wont contest again until 2016-2017.
The fact that you said we need to put Gwilt to the reserves shows me that you have no idea.
I think our skills in the first quarter were very good
They only changed because the opposition pressed and we did not work hard enough
Buckets wrote:So our skills are good?
SaintWal wrote:Buckets, it is not the skills of our players, it is the mind set.
You are totally giving no credit to Hawthorn. After quarter time they hunted us and we turned to s***. We are weak mentally and that is from our on field leader and Bj as well. I watched today and concentrated after the second quarter on Roo and Bj, not when they had the ball but after the contest had passed and both showed me where our problem lies. It is all too hard. Too add to that Schneider and Gram are like lesions on the skin that fester, they look okay if treated well but become horrible festations if not given easy running ball.
Buckets wrote:
desertsaint wrote:i'm a bit bemused.
posters are full of ideas on who to play and how to play. which players to cut and what needs to be done. what gameplan changes are needed and what gameday changes were needed. in other words they believe the coaching is at fault. but they won't actually say it directly. posters defend ross, rightly pointing to the two gfs he took us to, but they bag players who also got us there?
ross is not beyond criticism -we are a mess and atm he looks like he doesn't have a clue - this is obviously affecting the players - they are playing without heart and withoout clear direction. is this is more a fault of the sheperd or the sheep?
the team as a whole needs to take a good, hard look at themselves - coaching staff included.
Unless something has changed in football, the coach is responsible for preparing and motivating the team. While sacking the coach is the last straw, the coach must be held responsible for a large part of the failure. I remember in early 2007 when Geelong coach Thompson was dragged before president Costa and given the ultimatum to get the team performing or get the flick, then Balme was put in the coaching box alongside Bomber to oversee the process, the players got a reality check, got behind Thompson and the rest is history. I wonder if Mr Westaway is going to have a chat to Ross?
spert wrote:Unless something has changed in football, the coach is responsible for preparing and motivating the team. While sacking the coach is the last straw, the coach must be held responsible for a large part of the failure. I remember in early 2007 when Geelong coach Thompson was dragged before president Costa and given the ultimatum to get the team performing or get the flick, then Balme was put in the coaching box alongside Bomber to oversee the process, the players got a reality check, got behind Thompson and the rest is history. I wonder if Mr Westaway is going to have a chat to Ross?
Things have changed. The players have far more to do with the Assistants who manage their 'sector' than they do the Senior Coach. The SC is responsibly, on the whole, for game day strategy, selection, and managing the implementation of the game plan. The job is too big for him to be the sole disseminator of everything. And herein may lie a problem. We lose Andy Lovell, SOS and Tudor - well regarded and well qualified types. Now we have who? We have the great No 35, never a true leader other than by example, in charge of our deplorable midfield and a couple of other dudes apparently hobbled together late. I don't offer this as an excuse. I could well be entirely wrong. But it seems glaringly obvious to me that the players involved in clearances are woefully confused and lacking in any confidence whatsoever. Without the ball we are nothing. I feel as awkward as anyone saying it, but Harvey has to be the primary coaching target if there is to be one, surely?
"The inches we need are everywhere around us. They're in every break in the game. Every minute, every second. On this team we fight for that inch. On this team we tear ourselves and everyone around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch. Because we know when we add up all those inches that's gonna make the f***in' difference between winning and losing! Between living and dying!'
spert wrote:Unless something has changed in football, the coach is responsible for preparing and motivating the team. While sacking the coach is the last straw, the coach must be held responsible for a large part of the failure. I remember in early 2007 when Geelong coach Thompson was dragged before president Costa and given the ultimatum to get the team performing or get the flick, then Balme was put in the coaching box alongside Bomber to oversee the process, the players got a reality check, got behind Thompson and the rest is history. I wonder if Mr Westaway is going to have a chat to Ross?
Things have changed. The players have far more to do with the Assistants who manage their 'sector' than they do the Senior Coach. The SC is responsibly, on the whole, for game day strategy, selection, and managing the implementation of the game plan. The job is too big for him to be the sole disseminator of everything. And herein may lie a problem. We lose Andy Lovell, SOS and Tudor - well regarded and well qualified types. Now we have who? We have the great No 35, never a true leader other than by example, in charge of our deplorable midfield and a couple of other dudes apparently hobbled together late. I don't offer this as an excuse. I could well be entirely wrong. But it seems glaringly obvious to me that the players involved in clearances are woefully confused and lacking in any confidence whatsoever. Without the ball we are nothing. I feel as awkward as anyone saying it, but Harvey has to be the primary coaching target if there is to be one, surely?
I understand your point, but ultimately, the coach is responsible for his assistants and their performances and as you suggest, the job may be too big for RL, and I think at Geelong that's why in 07 Balme was put in the coaches box, and also was football manager, as a mentor to Thompson really. Look now at Thompson at Essendon, he is doing exactly the same with Hird. I would like to see an experienced former coach in that role with us-an older head to guide the ship like Parkin or Pagan??
