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saint6709 wrote: ↑Sun 10 Jul 2022 10:25am
…..we need to recruit at least 1 more tall back - our recruiters dont seem to have picked up on that….
What would you have done last night?
Mid-third term. It’s clearly going pear-shaped.
I suggested Marshall play at CHB at the start of the year….
I would have sent him there last night…(Look, I don’t have a clue how Marshall’s attributes would have worked on Tabener or Lobster face, but do something)
Could Battle have fought in the ruck as undersized? And Ryder to the forward line?
What a mess.
On a side note.
I think clearly Lienert would have been better, but how were they to know? Freo were powerful. Highmore was clearly rattled…and with no Howard there and a terribly undermanned defence it was a terrible baptism.
Freo,
Carlton,
Collingwood
Three teams that have raced ahead of us the las5 18 months.
Gee, damn..f it!
Im not sure what I would have done last night - but I did think during the week that they might need to pick Cambell to play as the tall back - given the freo talls and if I remember correctly he had done it for North - I think when we recruited him he said he would be happy to play anywhere ruck, back, forward.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing but I'm pretty sure I'm correct - he should have been considered and probably would have been a better option than Joyce with his size and experience in the game
So maybe thats on Ratten a possible selection errror
SydneySainter wrote: ↑Sun 10 Jul 2022 2:06pm
At the moment, we are poorly coached. Not saying Ratten is a bad coach, but we’re poorly coached at present.
Assistant coaches
Do you know if they are planning to bring in any new assistants?
A good mate who has a close connection Tom Rockcliff. He claims Tom said Alastair prepared a brief of what it will take for him to coach any AFL club again. He said it's total control over the football department ( management, hr, recruitment, scouts etc), all staff hiring, all coaches from vfl up, drafts, trades and player movement.
He said Rockcliff sent it to 6 clubs Alastair identified and since 3 of those clubs have confirmed new deals or support for current coaches. He said 4 of the 6 clubs completely rejected the documents and refused to converse.
He claims Tom said it's no secret and that most valued coaches do the same. He said that at least 100 other people know of Alastairs preferred clubs and where the letters went.
He claims Tom said we were one of them and we reviewed the documents and declined the last week of May 2022.
He also mentioned the salary had an upfront seven figure payment.
SAINT-LEE wrote: ↑Sun 10 Jul 2022 9:38pm
Any genuine in the know peeps here?
A good mate who has a close connection Tom Rockcliff. He claims Tom said Alastair prepared a brief of what it will take for him to coach any AFL club again. He said it's total control over the football department ( management, hr, recruitment, scouts etc), all staff hiring, all coaches from vfl up, drafts, trades and player movement.
He said Rockcliff sent it to 6 clubs Alastair identified and since 3 of those clubs have confirmed new deals or support for current coaches. He said 4 of the 6 clubs completely rejected the documents and refused to converse.
He claims Tom said it's no secret and that most valued coaches do the same. He said that at least 100 other people know of Alastairs preferred clubs and where the letters went.
He claims Tom said we were one of them and we reviewed the documents and declined the last week of May 2022.
He also mentioned the salary had an upfront seven figure payment.
Geezus if that has a skerrick of truth you’d do it wouldn’t you?
The guy has 4 flags
Built a side from ground up
Demands excellence
Ofcourse he’d want control Id have no issue with someone with his credentials having control ….infact he needs it to get the type of players he wants …
IF true and we said no we are f’wits and confirms it’s way too cozy
It seems to me Ratts cannot get the playing group excited or sufficiently commited to win against sides of equal or better talent. We simply lose the big ones as a matter of course and against hard nuts. We won one final a few years ago because Paddy was brilliant and brave. That's it. The rest seems coaching by rote and walking on eggshells.
Now he has been extended he really has nothing to lose by getting tough and stepping on egos. Be innovative, learn from McCrea for one.
Yorkeys wrote: ↑Mon 11 Jul 2022 12:12am
It seems to me Ratts cannot get the playing group excited or sufficiently commited to win against sides of equal or better talent. We simply lose the big ones as a matter of course and against hard nuts. We won one final a few years ago because Paddy was brilliant and brave. That's it. The rest seems coaching by rote and walking on eggshells.
Now he has been extended he really has nothing to lose by getting tough and stepping on egos. Be innovative, learn from McCrea for one.
Could it be that Ratts isn’t a big enough ‘main boss’? Perhaps there are fifteen different coaches telling them what to do?
I heard Cane Corn flakes this morning - yes, I know, he is more rice pops than corn flakes - say, that Chris Scott is amazing and that he is more like a manager than a coach.
Not sure about what that means, but I think it is about delegation to different levels.
Now you suppose that is all fine and good, as long as the overall hierarchical structure is sound and the players and leaders know exactly where they sit.
The Cats are a very stable club and their ageing list can fall away come finals time, but surely, there must be something we can learn from them.
Stavro Bigfooty (who I rate) had some interesting suggestions when asked if Freo were miles ahead of us list wise…
*********€****
I don’t believe that. For half a game we looked just as good. Arguably better.
We just couldn’t stop the bleeding and you can clearly see what a Fyfe/Cripps/Dangerfield/Dusty/Bont type can do. That’s why they are stars of the game.
I think a lot of our issues isn’t from a stagnant midfield. But stagnation forward of the ball. Kings young, he will learn more tricks to add to his bow. But that doesn’t explain the likes of Marshall/Membrey/Ryder etc.
The one forward who I think has decent craft is Sharman. But he lacks in other areas.
I genuinely believe our biggest concern is the high ball in our back half. Look at each of the top 8 sides for instance.
Geelong: Stewart
Melbourne: Lever May
Freo: Cox young Pearce Ryan (collective)
Brisbane: Andrews Adams
Carlton: Weitering
Collingwood: Moore
Sydney: McCartin Boys
Richmond: Vlaustin Gibcus Broad
Some absolute animals in that list with regarding to intercept marking - especially the high ball.
Looking at us. Howard/Wilkie/Battle are okay. They aren’t elite like the names mentioned above. Battle can have great games doing this however.
Doesn’t matter how good your midfield is if we can’t prevent enough of the high balls against genuine good sides with good forwards and mids feeding them good looks when on top.
Taking these marks then opens the field for transition and easy looks upfield. The oppositions defence isn’t set anticipating us.
Up the front end. King with 40 goals. Huge potential to hit 60 at this rate. Which is phenomenal in 3 seasons.
But falls away dramatically. Membrey 25. Higgins 22. When we looked really good at times, we had another genuine goal threat i.e Higgins earlier this season.
I’d almost love to see us restructure. Keep Tim as a loose man in the back half. Bring Sharman in as a forward option. Then move Hill to that High Half forward role he played against Hawthorn.
I’d rather him get less ball. But be delivering it into 50. As opposed to try breaking a line off half back.
We pressure like an elite side. We aren’t elite in the above key facets that premiership sides have in spades.
I suggested moving Membrey to defence earlier in the year and got smashed. As Stravro has suggested Members would become that perfect intercept marker. He would have to work on making decisions by foot quicker, but otherwise he is a good field kick. Ratten would then have a number of forward options in Owens, Sharman, Clark, Wood or play 3 smalls. Windhager & Long at least give a contest in the air and will eventually start clunking a few.
Its interesting that they threw Sharman to CHB with Sandi and he didnt do a bad job, but he is not the intercept marker our defence needs. Its a real shame we havent had Hayes to play the 2nd or 3rd tall forward for most of the year. Its definitely another glaring hole on the list, aswell as a key defender and an elite clearance midfielder.
Higgins needs to be told to start going for his marks again. He stood and watched his opponent mark the ball unopposed on a number of occassions Saturday night. McKenzie to come in and replace Billings. IMO Billings needs to be given a number of games in the midfield for Sandringham and tell him to play as an inside mid. He needs to start getting confidence with body contact and working hard both ways again.
Last edited by Impatient Sainter on Mon 11 Jul 2022 9:20pm, edited 3 times in total.
Impatient Sainter wrote: ↑Mon 11 Jul 2022 9:06pm
I suggested moving Membrey to defence earlier in the year and got smashed. As Stravro has suggested Members would become that perfect intercept marker. He would have to work on making decisions by foot quicker, but otherwise he is a good field kick. Ratten would then have a number of forward options in Owens, Sharman, Clark, Wood or play 3 smalls. Windhager & Long at least give a contest in the air and will eventually start clunking a few.
Its a real shame we havent had Hayes to play the 2nd or 3rd tall forward for most of the year. Its definitely another glaring hole on the list, aswell as a key defender and an elite clearance midfielder.
Higgins needs to be told to start going for his marks again. He stood and watched his opponent mark the ball unopposed on a number of occassions Saturday night. McKenzie to come in and replace Billings.
At least try something
The thing that gets me with Ratten
He tries something…it works….week later back to same old
Eg King higher up ground against Blues
Forward line is opened up ….others look dangerous we look less predictable
Freo?
Bomb to King on his head stagnant forwards Membrey invisible
It just like he can’t force himself to realise his 2 smalls out the back bomb game plan doesn’t work FFS you need to adjust ….move!!
Impatient Sainter wrote: ↑Mon 11 Jul 2022 9:06pm
I suggested moving Membrey to defence earlier in the year and got smashed. As Stravro has suggested Members would become that perfect intercept marker. He would have to work on making decisions by foot quicker, but otherwise he is a good field kick. Ratten would then have a number of forward options in Owens, Sharman, Clark, Wood or play 3 smalls. Windhager & Long at least give a contest in the air and will eventually start clunking a few.
Its a real shame we havent had Hayes to play the 2nd or 3rd tall forward for most of the year. Its definitely another glaring hole on the list, aswell as a key defender and an elite clearance midfielder.
Higgins needs to be told to start going for his marks again. He stood and watched his opponent mark the ball unopposed on a number of occassions Saturday night. McKenzie to come in and replace Billings.
At least try something
The thing that gets me with Ratten
He tries something…it works….week later back to same old
Eg King higher up ground against Blues
Forward line is opened up ….others look dangerous we look less predictable
Freo?
Bomb to King on his head stagnant forwards Membrey invisible
It just like he can’t force himself to realise his 2 smalls out the back bomb game plan doesn’t work FFS you need to adjust ….move!!
Totally agree. Plus he doesnt have the ability or preparedness to change things on the fly, or when he does its after the opposition are 30 points up, far too late.
Battle or maybe highmore could become elite intercept markers in the backline- I don’t think we need Membrey going back there
What we need as previously stated is another tall back man
and Howard to be out there - ie 2 tall backs to play on the tall forwards
Battle shouldn’t be wrestling blokes 10cm and 10kg bigger than him all night - he needs to be freed up a bit to be given a chance to be that intercept guy
SAINT-LEE wrote: ↑Sun 10 Jul 2022 9:38pm
Any genuine in the know peeps here?
A good mate who has a close connection Tom Rockcliff. He claims Tom said Alastair prepared a brief of what it will take for him to coach any AFL club again. He said it's total control over the football department ( management, hr, recruitment, scouts etc), all staff hiring, all coaches from vfl up, drafts, trades and player movement.
He said Rockcliff sent it to 6 clubs Alastair identified and since 3 of those clubs have confirmed new deals or support for current coaches. He said 4 of the 6 clubs completely rejected the documents and refused to converse.
He claims Tom said it's no secret and that most valued coaches do the same. He said that at least 100 other people know of Alastairs preferred clubs and where the letters went.
He claims Tom said we were one of them and we reviewed the documents and declined the last week of May 2022.
He also mentioned the salary had an upfront seven figure payment.
Furthermore tonight's chat was around who WILL accept Alastair's terms.
Supposedly there's only one coach left in the AFL that commands his team from top to bottom and that's at Geelong.
It's why it a Matthews type legend would never return to be the game, and Mr Manager claims it's an AFL plan. They have restructured clubs to the point that there will never be a legacy event again...no 3 peats. No coaches who ruled the entire club and left the wishes of the AFL at the front door.
He claims 3 peat clubs grow and get $$ but it's very bad business for the AFL?!
