Amazing parallels with Docker fans

[thejiggingsaint]

I was gutted at the result of our game yesterday evening. I ambled through to the lounge, to watch the Freo V North game, and while I KNOW it could be seen as twisted, found the "silver lining" with the Fremantle display Now, I know that nobody should rejoice in someone else's pain, but it was "pleasing" to see RL in that last quarter. North were well deserving of the win, particularly over at Subi. I then surfed to the "Dockerland" fan forum to see the reactions of their fans to the result. I'd never be rude enough to troll another fan forum, but it was just an interesting exercise to see how their supporters would deal with the situation of being red hot favourites for back-to-back Grand Finals, and having back-to-back defeats! (with a firm down-payment on a third next week!) and a top four spot now being something less than a "given". I was amazed at how similar some of the posts were to those posted here on Saintsational during the Ross Lyon era. Plenty of whingeing about the game plan, the emphasis on defending, how "predictable" the Dockers are, the reliance on a superstar forward (Pavlich). One of the most telling posts spoke of the "recruiting" and the state of the list!
Sound familiar folks? I guess my take from all this is to discover just how much football followers have in common when it comes to talking about their team!

[saintspremiers]

It's very pleasing indeed!

[Solar]

interesting isn't it dave,

I work with a wce supporter and I will be doing what she did for me last night. A sounding board for a very frustrated and guttered supporter. At the end of the day we all just want our team to do their best. Never seen a supporter get upset when their team has worked their butt off and gone down.

[SaintPav]

Dave, when we were ever favorites to win back to back GF?

We were underdogs for both.

[Wayne42]

Dave, when we were ever favorites to win back to back GF?

We were underdogs for both.

I thought in 2009 we were the top team, unfortunately we were worked out after 19 wins and we were very lucky to even make the GF, lucky that the Footscray Bulldogs crumbled and we got in, then we crumbled.

[Jacks Back]

I don't really think there is a difference in any supporters really. When any team loses a game they should win the fans all jump up and down about the coach or players. It's just pleasing that it is happening to Ro$$ Lyin.

[SaintPav]

Dave, when we were ever favorites to win back to back GF?

We were underdogs for both.

I thought in 2009 we were the top team, unfortunately we were worked out after 19 wins and we were very lucky to even make the GF, lucky that the Footscray Bulldogs crumbled and we got in, then we crumbled.

Wayne, we had some luck in the Prelim against Dogscray but we were the better team and deserved our GF berth without a doubt.

With better finishing we could have been in a better position at half time in the grand final as we dominated for about a seven min patch and had about 5 shots on goal but it was not meant to be.

I was talking about going in as favorites with both the betting agencies and the expert tipsters. We were not favorites for both GF.

[mr six o'clock]

Dave, when we were ever favorites to win back to back GF?

We were underdogs for both.

I thought in 2009 we were the top team, unfortunately we were worked out after 19 wins and we were very lucky to even make the GF, lucky that the Footscray Bulldogs crumbled and we got in, then we crumbled.

You carn't say we were lucky .
The game's about taking your chances
A dry day may have seen us win 09
We should have been 5 goals up at half time , but didn't take our chances !
Fancy players trying to dribble goals through on a wet day .

[Trixilver]

We were favourites for the 2010 premiereship at the beginning of the year.

[saint-stu]

I was thinking exactly the same thing when watching the dockers yesterday. There was a very familiar stink about them. And the commentators questioning why they keep bombing the ball into their forward 50 (and north keeps running it straight back out again).

Pleasing.

[Waltzing St Kilda]

Any mention of Lyon's fascination with role-playing mediocrities?

[Teflon]

I'm a staunch Ross Lyon fan - not the man, the coach

BUT - I watched that game and GF closely and he still has not learnt (and I'm wondering if he can...) that you ALSO need an ability to score quickly in today's game. They don't.

His problems are coming - when Pavlich, Sandilands, McPharlin go (fair spine) the cupboards thin.

Ross would know that Freo list is nowhere near StKilda 2009...

What I'm hoping is we now have the new "improved" Ross Lyon in Alan Richardson...... so far defence v scoring balance been good IMO.

[joffaboy]

More the coach is the same tan the supporters being the same.

Will be interesting if, at the end of his time at Freo he leaves their list in the shape he left ours.

If he does (and the Dockers haven't won a flag) the football industry will see him as a parasite and a list destroyer.

If he doesn't win a flag at Freo I doubt anyone will take him on as the Head Coach

[Teflon]

More the coach is the same tan the supporters being the same.

Will be interesting if, at the end of his time at Freo he leaves their list in the shape he left ours.

If he does (and the Dockers haven't won a flag) the football industry will see him as a parasite and a list destroyer.

If he doesn't win a flag at Freo I doubt anyone will take him on as the Head Coach

I agree. It's career time for Lyon and his coaching methods and if he doesn't get that flag he's rooted

Maybe he knew he was a defensive 1 trick pony so grabbed $5m large and said "see ya"..... many probably would

Doesn't strike me as the kind that cares what legacy he leaves.....

[Wayne42]

More the coach is the same tan the supporters being the same.

Will be interesting if, at the end of his time at Freo he leaves their list in the shape he left ours.

If he does (and the Dockers haven't won a flag) the football industry will see him as a parasite and a list destroyer.

If he doesn't win a flag at Freo I doubt anyone will take him on as the Head Coach

If i remember correctly he was told by the Freo brass he had 2 goals..

1/ win a flag

2/ develop for the next flag

Ross will ultimately fail at both, he's a 1 dimensional flog.

[Sobraz]

Colin Sylvia is doing well for them.

[Spinner]

I was gutted at the result of our game yesterday evening. I ambled through to the lounge, to watch the Freo V North game, and while I KNOW it could be seen as twisted, found the "silver lining" with the Fremantle display Now, I know that nobody should rejoice in someone else's pain, but it was "pleasing" to see RL in that last quarter. North were well deserving of the win, particularly over at Subi. I then surfed to the "Dockerland" fan forum to see the reactions of their fans to the result. I'd never be rude enough to troll another fan forum, but it was just an interesting exercise to see how their supporters would deal with the situation of being red hot favourites for back-to-back Grand Finals, and having back-to-back defeats! (with a firm down-payment on a third next week!) and a top four spot now being something less than a "given". I was amazed at how similar some of the posts were to those posted here on Saintsational during the Ross Lyon era. Plenty of whingeing about the game plan, the emphasis on defending, how "predictable" the Dockers are, the reliance on a superstar forward (Pavlich). One of the most telling posts spoke of the "recruiting" and the state of the list!
Sound familiar folks? I guess my take from all this is to discover just how much football followers have in common when it comes to talking about their team!

Fancy a stumble to their forum during grand final week last year?

No? Thought so.

Not sure when this obsession to remain bitter will cease?

[saintspremiers]

More the coach is the same tan the supporters being the same.

Will be interesting if, at the end of his time at Freo he leaves their list in the shape he left ours.

If he does (and the Dockers haven't won a flag) the football industry will see him as a parasite and a list destroyer.

If he doesn't win a flag at Freo I doubt anyone will take him on as the Head Coach

If i remember correctly he was told by the Freo brass he had 2 goals..

1/ win a flag

2/ develop for the next flag

Ross will ultimately fail at both, he's a 1 dimensional flog.

Mr 1 Dimensional Flog.

They call One Direction 1D. Maybe it has another meaning now!

Like.

[3rd generation saint]

His downfall is simple, 4 grand Finals, average 8 goals per game. Will never, ever, ever win a premiership doing that.

[thejiggingsaint]

Maybe my OP didn't make it clear about Fremantle's levels of expectation for 2014. When speaking of " back to back GFs" I am referring to the overwhelming amount of " experts" who, pre season had Fremantle either winning the flag, or making the GF. I don't think I said WE were favourites for back to back flags in 09/10. I'm not "bitter" about Lyon going to Freo, I was livid when it happened, but over time I've tempered my view. The actual point I was attempting to make (albeit somewhat clumsily) was how the " novelty wears off" very quickly with some supporters toward a coach, when things don't go to script! And of course this applies to ALL clubs ( look at Malthouse at Carlton!) that's all I was trying to do.

[Bluthy]

Plus its such a dire style of football to watch - low scoring, congestion, flooding, few exciting young players. Winning helps but its such a mechanical, regimented system that even as a supporter it feels like a grind. It builds up a lot of tension in the supporter base. Even players don't seem that excited to be out there - compare that with Rooey and Lenny's emotion this year - joyous.

[thejiggingsaint]

Agree 100%!

[FQF]

Ross is an intelligent man, and extremely adept at AFL tactics. I am highly doubtful he is one-dimensional in a negative sense. His game plan transforms teams into the best in competition and regularly gets them into grand finals. The fact that he hasn't won one yet is partly due to simple bad luck and the fact that he's come up against even better opposition.

To call a game plan a failure despite it's constant success is ridiculous. I wonder how many other coaches in the league wouldn't mind having a plan that all but guaranteed top 4?

If he believes the plan needs to be tweaked, or changed completely, then I am certain he could do it.

[thejiggingsaint]

Fair comment

[Spinner]

Ross is an intelligent man, and extremely adept at AFL tactics. I am highly doubtful he is one-dimensional in a negative sense. His game plan transforms teams into the best in competition and regularly gets them into grand finals. The fact that he hasn't won one yet is partly due to simple bad luck and the fact that he's come up against even better opposition.

To call a game plan a failure despite it's constant success is ridiculous. I wonder how many other coaches in the league wouldn't mind having a plan that all but guaranteed top 4?

If he believes the plan needs to be tweaked, or changed completely, then I am certain he could do it.

Agreed.

They play finals brand of football every week.

Freo the hardest job in football - Completely transformed in under 2 years. It worries me how people have difficulties acknowledging this feat.