The difference 5 moths can make!

[MadSaintFan]

When I first heard Rossco was sacked, I was shattered. Utterly guttered. I'd been so totally commited to he Us vs. Them mentality which he created for the club that I saw this as the beginning of the end for our side. I was anti-medi, anti-AFL, anti-everyone.

Then ScottyWatters gets appointed. Okay, dont know too much about him. Assistant at Collingwood. Thats all I knew. But since I first heard him speak at his appointment press conferance, and read a few articles I'v been completely impressed. He speaks brilliantly. Has an amazing football brain and is excellant tacticlly from what I've heard. He's removed the darkness that lingered over our club. The boys speak in the media more, theyre out in the community more, they seem happier. I heard James Brayshaw say today on MMM that he sw Rooey last week looking like a man with the weight of the world had been taken off his shoulders.

Then we completely alter the age structure of our list. I think we've gone from an average age of 28 to 24-25 roughly. We kept our core 10-12 (which is in the top 4 in the comp) and added talented younger players around it. This year I think we'll see the skill of our recruiters come to fruition with Saad, Ledger, Siposs, Cripps, Steven and Simpkin playing significant roles. And from what I've seen of Markworth he looks like an absolute ripper.

Pumped for 2012!!

[Iceman234]

It's the butterfly effect

[Dr Spaceman]

It's the butterfly effect

Well we have been living in a cocoon!

Sorry, bubble

[thekilda]

Scotty has made a massive impact and looks like he has earned the respect of the TOTAL CLUB. For the short space of time he has been around I think the excitement he has generated is nothing short of remarkable and for this Scotty you deserve a little bit of first season luck. Who knows where that may take us !

[Armoooo]

Not sure what the new coach could have done wrong to this point to be honest. I don't see up having a top 4 list anymore unfortunately.

[saintbrat]

welcome thekilda
to the land of insects and dinasours.... all flight and fancy at this point
but Vibe is good. and we're on the up.

[hungry for a premiership]

They make a huge difference. When left in your wardrobe, they will make your clothes full of holes.

[asiu]

.quite auspicious i'm led to believe.

.especially if they are blue.
(not for growers of cicads though)

[asiu]

ps ,
welcome thekilda .

[clarky449]

Scotty has made a massive impact and looks like he has earned the respect of the TOTAL CLUB. For the short space of time he has been around I think the excitement he has generated is nothing short of remarkable and for this Scotty you deserve a little bit of first season luck. Who knows where that may take us !

Happens to most clubs with a new coach.

[kosifantutti23]

I think we've gone from an average age of 28 to 24-25 roughly.

I'd love to see your calculations. I find it hard to believe that we have dropped three years given that all the players we have retained are a year older.

Some quick calculations. If we had a list of 45 and kept 30 of them, the 15 new players would have to be 11 years younger than those they replace for the average to go down by three years. Who was 11 years younger than McQualter or Gamble? Who was 11 years older than Saad or Milera or Wilkes?

[Wrote for Luck]

would be nice is our fan club did something fresh to support the boys

[bobmurray]

The Ross era now sits amongst the moth balls....

[Heidelberg_Saint]

When I first heard Rossco was sacked, I was shattered. Utterly guttered. I'd been so totally commited to he Us vs. Them mentality which he created for the club that I saw this as the beginning of the end for our side. I was anti-medi, anti-AFL, anti-everyone.

Then ScottyWatters gets appointed. Okay, dont know too much about him. Assistant at Collingwood. Thats all I knew. But since I first heard him speak at his appointment press conferance, and read a few articles I'v been completely impressed. He speaks brilliantly. Has an amazing football brain and is excellant tacticlly from what I've heard. He's removed the darkness that lingered over our club. The boys speak in the media more, theyre out in the community more, they seem happier. I heard James Brayshaw say today on MMM that he sw Rooey last week looking like a man with the weight of the world had been taken off his shoulders.

Then we completely alter the age structure of our list. I think we've gone from an average age of 28 to 24-25 roughly. We kept our core 10-12 (which is in the top 4 in the comp) and added talented younger players around it. This year I think we'll see the skill of our recruiters come to fruition with Saad, Ledger, Siposs, Cripps, Steven and Simpkin playing significant roles. And from what I've seen of Markworth he looks like an absolute ripper.

Pumped for 2012!!

I don't think he was sacked was he?

[saintbrat]

I don't think he was sacked was he?

correct- just glad we didn't have to pay him out....

[saintspremiers]

Scotty has made a massive impact and looks like he has earned the respect of the TOTAL CLUB. For the short space of time he has been around I think the excitement he has generated is nothing short of remarkable and for this Scotty you deserve a little bit of first season luck. Who knows where that may take us !

Happens to most clubs with a new coach.

Yes and no. Morale appeared at rock bottom at our club just before your idol left. Now it is miles away from that.

You don't see that with the other clubs with new coaches to the same
Degree. If it relates on field who knows at this stage.

[plugger66]

Scotty has made a massive impact and looks like he has earned the respect of the TOTAL CLUB. For the short space of time he has been around I think the excitement he has generated is nothing short of remarkable and for this Scotty you deserve a little bit of first season luck. Who knows where that may take us !

Happens to most clubs with a new coach.

Yes and no. Morale appeared at rock bottom at our club just before your idol left. Now it is miles away from that.

You don't see that with the other clubs with new coaches to the same
Degree. If it relates on field who knows at this stage.

I reckon every clubs footy forums would be saying exactly the same thing. Why would we be any different. And many players were very upset when RL left especially the regulars but like any footy club the ones who werent getting a game were very happy. Now everyone is happy but in 6 weeks a few will not be again. That is how all footy clubs work whether AFL or local.

[joffaboy]

I reckon every clubs footy forums would be saying exactly the same thing. Why would we be any different. And many players were very upset when RL left especially the regulars but like any footy club the ones who werent getting a game were very happy. Now everyone is happy but in 6 weeks a few will not be again. That is how all footy clubs work whether AFL or local.

Cant see the Demons or Doggies supporters moaning about how s.hit their new coach is at this point of time either, so yes you are correct P66.

I am equally sure that Freo supporters would be pretty expectant as well.

Still Watters has given us a relatively trouble free off season (thank God) and has opened the club up a bit.

P66 you seem to be about the club a bit, how is the overall feeling going from authoratarian Lyon to more inclusive Watters?

[plugger66]

I reckon every clubs footy forums would be saying exactly the same thing. Why would we be any different. And many players were very upset when RL left especially the regulars but like any footy club the ones who werent getting a game were very happy. Now everyone is happy but in 6 weeks a few will not be again. That is how all footy clubs work whether AFL or local.

Cant see the Demons or Doggies supporters moaning about how s.hit their new coach is at this point of time either, so yes you are correct P66.

I am equally sure that Freo supporters would be pretty expectant as well.

Still Watters has given us a relatively trouble free off season (thank God) and has opened the club up a bit.

P66 you seem to be about the club a bit, how is the overall feeling going from authoratarian Lyon to more inclusive Watters?

Love to tell you but i would be making it up. Havent seen any players that I know since Xmas but i may be having a drink with one guy today. I will ask him if i see him and hopefully report how happy everything is.

[SainterK]

It's interesting hearing Watters talking about coping with the pressures the last few years, when you had not much else to hang your hat on other than being a footballer. By opening up the club, being a presence in the community, charity work...he thinks it allows the players to feel better people, outside of being footballers.

I'm curious what people think of that, I think it makes a lot of sense.

Not forgetting this guy has a lot of experience in his life with getting the best out of people, and let's be honest, there are quite a lot of the guys on the list who are still unrealised potential.

Lyon was amazing at focusing talented driven senior players and getting them to buy in, hoping Watters can do this + being amazing at focusing talented younger players and getting them to buy in.

[asiu]

.i for one (fwtw) ms k , love it.

.weakest link thinkn .... strengthn up from the bottom eases pressure at the top
.... leading not carrying.

[Con Gorozidis]

i will say only one thing. some of the players seemed to look like they had the weight of the world on their shoulders last year. really labouring under a dark cloud of pressure and expectations.

so whether u are a ross lyon fan or not probably doesnt matter. maybe ross really is good but his methods have a short limit? like 4 years? maybe he recognised this?

so obviously he was a good coach - but i think his time was up. 4 years of pressure is a lot. players need to be refreshed and watters seems like the right man for that job.

[SainterK]

.i for one (fwtw) ms k , love it.

.weakest link thinkn .... strengthn up from the bottom eases pressure at the top
.... leading not carrying.

Leading not carrying, I like it

[Con Gorozidis]

Love to tell you but i would be making it up. Havent seen any players that I know since Xmas but i may be having a drink with one guy today. I will ask him if i see him and hopefully report how happy everything is.

update?

[plugger66]

Love to tell you but i would be making it up. Havent seen any players that I know since Xmas but i may be having a drink with one guy today. I will ask him if i see him and hopefully report how happy everything is.

update?

Most of the young guys are training the house down, the club is all up and about and probably a great move by the club and RL to have a new coach. Newnes and Ross are very impressive as first year players, ledger and Cripps leading the second year players. Attitude of older guys first rate. Heard it all before but Kosi looks fantastic. Only real injuries are Jimmy who should be right to go at round 6 and Winmar and one or two other minor ones. Wilkes will play FB at this stage. Ferguson and Simpkin will get chances in the Nab cup and dont back us when we go to Perth for the Nab cup. Many older players to miss.