We have won a big PR battle in the last 30 hours...

[Quixote]

I can guarantee you.

The St. Kilda board has handled all of this very very well. Humble, accepting, positive and determined. Nothing to lose. As against defensive, blame-laying, prickly and about to garner a s***-load of pressure out West. For the next four years.

It's almost starting to look like we squeezed Ross out with the 'We'll wait six months, no contract' offer. Seems far fetched I know, but, who knows... Either way, the media wash-up today cannot possibly hurt us in the long-run, I would have thought.

Feeling a lot better about things.

Ross has put a weight of pressure on himself in so many ways - and we've effectively eased out of that situation, with an eye to a fresh, new beginning.

[hungry for a premiership]

Agree.

Oh but it gets my goat to hear Dennis Commetti lairising deliriously about Ross going to Fremantle.

[thejiggingsaint]

Only one person came out of this sorry episode looking bad and it was Ross Lyon. This board is made of stern stuff believe me! I have every confidence in them!

[saintbrat]

agree.. as some media stated Ross had obviously watched the saints presser and before that been prepared to defend his stance- but it deflated when WA media slammed him

more commentators keep hearing he had said yes to saints before jumping off.

[degruch]

Could be that we played it on our terms, and offered the best we could afford, without being bent over...if so, great! The PR battle looks like an easy win, when you break down the events we know unfolded...unfortunately, it won't get us anywhere really. I'm happy the Saints have handled it well, so far.

I'm also hoping the heat on Ross might gell the playing group...obviously moral is shot, something like this could work in our favour.

[SainterK]

Reckon he lost his final supporters with the 'I can hold my head high and honour' business.

[hungry for a premiership]

If the board made one mistake, though, it was this:

Anyone remember that thread floating around around Julyish called "To the Board: Re-sign Lyon now" ?

[degruch]

If the board made one mistake, though, it was this:

Anyone remember that thread floating around around Julyish called "To the Board: Re-sign Lyon now" ?

It was a bit early...contract expired 2012. After what he's done the last 24 hours, we've done ourselves a favour...I think Ross believes his own hype a bit too much.

[saintbrat]

Mike still wavers
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/c ... 6139330850

[Verdun66]

Agree. All the 'Sky is Falling' brigade should hopefully see this now. The club seems united to me.

[Dr Spaceman]

If the board made one mistake, though, it was this:

Anyone remember that thread floating around around Julyish called "To the Board: Re-sign Lyon now" ?

It was a bit early...contract expired 2012. After what he's done the last 24 hours, we've done ourselves a favour...I think Ross believes his own hype a bit too much.

Yep. May be a great coach. May even be the best coach going around.

But the events of the last 24 hours have shown the public, and I dare say more than a few Saints players, the real Ross Lyon.

And having heard that stuff from his own mouth, I'm most happy we don't have him signed on a huge, unconditional 5 year contract.

If that costs us a flag then so be it.

[mad saint guy]

Lyon really comes out of this looking like a selfish, lying mercenary who will probably screw Fremantle over when he gets tired of them. If he wanted to leave he could have done it with some honour. Tell the club that he's considering other offers after our last game, inform the players of his decision as a group to their faces and let them know why he's leaving and then issue a statement to the media once Harvey had been removed.

If he had just been honest and upfront about it he could have walked away as a quality coach who almost got us a premiership. He could have let everyone know that he feels like he had done his best with the group and fallen short, needing a change.

Instead he goes behind everyone's back, lies to the board, lies to the players, lies to the media and lies to the supporters before sneaking out without a goodbye or explanation. And his press conference was an absolute load of s***. Ross, if you're going to take off like that, don't pretend that you haven't let anyone down. You've acted like an utter arsehole and you keep telling everyone you've done nothing that could possibly be frowned upon by anyone.

He has really showed his true colours in the past two days and now that I've seen them I'm glad that he's nowhere near our club and I hope he never comes back. I wish him absolutely nothing but the worst in his efforts at Fremantle.

Our board has been the same as always. Passive to the point of weakness. But I guess it's better than having giant egos flying around messing up the football department.

[stinger]

Only one person came out of this sorry episode looking bad and it was Ross Lyon. This board is made of stern stuff believe me! I have every confidence in them!

for once we can agree...

[Quixote]

But I guess it's better than having giant egos flying around messing up the football department.

You made some really good points there mate, thanks - but to this last thought -

Chris Pelchen?

[Moccha]

Farken Arsehole!

[mad saint guy]

But I guess it's better than having giant egos flying around messing up the football department.

You made some really good points there mate, thanks - but to this last thought -

Chris Pelchen?

I was referring to the actual board there; I'm grateful we don't have tools like Butterss still hanging around. Pelchen may indeed be a wanker but he's a wanker who knows how to assemble a list and I'm glad he's at St Kilda.

[fingers]

Could be that we played it on our terms, and offered the best we could afford, without being bent over...if so, great! The PR battle looks like an easy win, when you break down the events we know unfolded...unfortunately, it won't get us anywhere really. I'm happy the Saints have handled it well, so far.

I'm also hoping the heat on Ross might gell the playing group...obviously moral is shot, something like this could work in our favour.

I think you will find this to be correct.

[Captain Impossible]

Lyon really comes out of this looking like a selfish, lying mercenary who will probably screw Fremantle over when he gets tired of them. If he wanted to leave he could have done it with some honour. Tell the club that he's considering other offers after our last game, inform the players of his decision as a group to their faces and let them know why he's leaving and then issue a statement to the media once Harvey had been removed.

If he had just been honest and upfront about it he could have walked away as a quality coach who almost got us a premiership. He could have let everyone know that he feels like he had done his best with the group and fallen short, needing a change.

Instead he goes behind everyone's back, lies to the board, lies to the players, lies to the media and lies to the supporters before sneaking out without a goodbye or explanation. And his press conference was an absolute load of s***. Ross, if you're going to take off like that, don't pretend that you haven't let anyone down. You've acted like an utter arsehole and you keep telling everyone you've done nothing that could possibly be frowned upon by anyone.

He has really showed his true colours in the past two days and now that I've seen them I'm glad that he's nowhere near our club and I hope he never comes back. I wish him absolutely nothing but the worst in his efforts at Fremantle.

Our board has been the same as always. Passive to the point of weakness. But I guess it's better than having giant egos flying around messing up the football department.

Well said. Ross Lyon is a deceitful hypocrite and a coward.

Run away Ross, could your flight leave any earlier?

Gutless spineless prick.

[Verdun66]

Caro giving it the old 'culture' BS at St Kilda again. What have her beloved Richmond being doing for 20+ years? Never hear the culture stuff for them.

She does talk some b*llocks.....

[Richter]

Lyon really comes out of this looking like a selfish, lying mercenary who will probably screw Fremantle over when he gets tired of them. If he wanted to leave he could have done it with some honour. Tell the club that he's considering other offers after our last game, inform the players of his decision as a group to their faces and let them know why he's leaving and then issue a statement to the media once Harvey had been removed.

If he had just been honest and upfront about it he could have walked away as a quality coach who almost got us a premiership. He could have let everyone know that he feels like he had done his best with the group and fallen short, needing a change.

Instead he goes behind everyone's back, lies to the board, lies to the players, lies to the media and lies to the supporters before sneaking out without a goodbye or explanation. And his press conference was an absolute load of s***. Ross, if you're going to take off like that, don't pretend that you haven't let anyone down. You've acted like an utter arsehole and you keep telling everyone you've done nothing that could possibly be frowned upon by anyone.

He has really showed his true colours in the past two days and now that I've seen them I'm glad that he's nowhere near our club and I hope he never comes back. I wish him absolutely nothing but the worst in his efforts at Fremantle.

Our board has been the same as always. Passive to the point of weakness. But I guess it's better than having giant egos flying around messing up the football department.

Agree with every word msg. Especially the last two paragraphs.

[Austinnn]

Hmmmm, not sure.

Think we come off looking a bit reactive and soft. Ross will probably win some cups in the future, and he'll come off looking like Blighty or Malthouse or more likely Pagan. I don't buy this loyalty stuff, and I'm glad St Kilda didn't go down that road in the presser. We'd have looked like rank amateurs.

As someone said, glad club stuck to guns and weren't held hostage, but doesn't look like a club who will make any sacrifice necessary to succeed, which means we'll cop flak.

I like the positivity coming out of club, hopefully not just words. We need to get the next few months spot on.

[Austinnn]

By the way, let me be clear about loyalty. With supporters, loyalty is key. It's all we have as motivation. It's like a tribe or a family. You don't just hop on the most successful bandwagon.

With players and coaching staff it's different; this is their career and its totally their choice if they sacrifice adoration for success. There's a reason why Harvey will be loved more than more successful, less loyal players. But some don't care about that, and Ross is definitely one of them.

I see the two concepts as separate.

[bigcarl]

Reckon he lost his final supporters with the 'I can hold my head high and honour' business.

I dunno. There's still a few blaming the board for his departure.

[StSteven]

I think I now understand how Cats supporters felt about Thompson leaving. However their board, although shocked got on with it.

Look at them now. We can do the same, like Thompson at Geelong, Lyon has done us a favor. I look forward to new more exciting ride.

[goodie]

He may have bitched about six months to offer the latest deal, but the St Kilda board were trying to do the right thing offering him an extension to avoid a Clarkson-Hawthorn coming out of contract situation. It probably took six months because the board thought we had 18 in which to do it.