Let’s get serious

[Saintmike65]

I guess the whole football fraternity was shocked at the Ratten sacking.
But let’s look at the cold hard facts..approaching our 150th anniversary, of all the myriad of coaches we’ve had, only 2 are in the top shelf category…Alan Jeans and Ross Lyon.
Geoff Walsh was right in questioning our relevance & I for one am sick of almost being apologetic for admitting I’m a saints supporter.
Yes it was brutal but for too long we’ve been a passive club with passive players (mostly) and passive leaders.
With Lethlean, Walsh, a more hands on president and Lyon that will change…so ladies and gents, strap up and enjoy the ride!!

[Yorkeys]

Nothing's happened other than Ratts' sacking.

Walsh has done nothing. Lyon nothing. We have not won a game. We have no new game plan announced.

Ross has done nothing special as a coach for nearly 10 years. Is he a one size fits all type? Not sure how long Walsh has been dining out on reputation. Youthful approach, new ideas?

What might improve us is a good offensive coach, Lenny and improvement from 2022 first year players.

Should we not reserve any excitement until there are actual premiership points on the board.

Bit premature to get excited.

[cwrcyn]

This is the first time since Lyon's departure in 2011 that I've felt that we're getting things right. Watters was a disaster, Pelchen was a disaster, Elshaug was a study in incompetence, as was Alan Richardson. The moving on of Elshaug was the first step in the right direction. Lethlean and Gallagher were an improvement on their predecessors, and some tougher decisions were starting to be made regarding our list. Ratten was an improvement on Richardson, but not enough to make a huge difference. The appointment of our head of fitness in recent times was another correct step.

2020 was a shortened season and with an injection of new players from other clubs and on the back of the amazing form of Paddy Ryder, we improved. Injuries and absentees ruined 2021.

This year we jumped out of the blocks, mostly on the back of superior fitness to previous years and an ability to field our best team. But there was never any feeling that we had arrived. It was a fragile ascendancy and by mid season we got exposed, and that was primarily due to a game plan that shifted from week to week, and a level of effort that also fluctuated. The flaws in strategy were there to to be seen

1. The structure of our forward line. Max King and Tim Membrey as the only marking players in the front half. It was crying out for a third tall forward to take the heat off King. When Ryder was playing, he and Marshall would spend time up forward, with only Ryder being effective. When Ryder was out of the team (most of the season), the coach didn't bother to play a third tall, and our forward line became far more ineffective. Where was the blocking done to assist King? Who was here to take the heat off him and provide another option? And then Membrey spent that last 5 minutes of every quarter playing in defense, leaving one key forward to battle three tall defenders. It was a gift to the opposition.

2. For most of the season, at centre bounces, we didn't have a single player in a defensive position, gifting some of the most extraordinarily easy centre clearances to the opposition resulting in goals conceded. The penny dropped late in the year with Windhager playing as a tagger, but whoops, too late.

3. No Kick out strategies. All I would see were statues further up the ground. No running to space, no blocking opponents to help team mates get into space. Nothing. Kicking in hope is not a strategy. When did we exploit the stand rule and the extra space while kicking out?

4. Selection integrity. There wasn't much of that.

5. Not reacting to stagnant situations. When our midfield was getting smashed, why wasn't Sinclair thrown in there? When Steele got injured, why didn't Sinclair go in there? He showed he could do it when he got us back into the game against Collingwood in round 1


Ross Lyon will fix this. We now have someone who is meticulous and demanding of excellence in preparation, effort and understanding of, and commitment to, the game plan

Bring it on

[wally]

I’m excited, first time in months.
And no that’s not a gun in my pocket

[8bloggs]

Agrree with everything cwrcyn says about the 2021 season.
I hope Lyon not only fixes all of that but brings a game plan that will work. The 2021 season saw a far more attacking style, which is a long way from the defensive style Lyon had last time with us.
He will also have a list that does not have the champions he had last time, who were "willling to run through brick walls for him" (a quote from Kosi).
Interesting times ahead.

[st.byron]

I’m excited, first time in months.
And no that’s not a gun in my pocket

Yep also excited for first time in months. Re-appointing Ratten for two years smashed my enthusiasm, but now I’m really hopeful and optimistic.

[spert]

Whoever is coach, I hope they get us into finals and on our way to a premiership. Not sure what will happen if we end up in same ladder position next season, as it could happen..will Bassat say we are mediocre again, even if Lyon is coach..or will be a different kind of mediocre? Anyway, looking forward to next season.

[B.M]

Done nothing in 10 years???

Played off in a GF 10 years ago
Finished top of the ladder 6 years ago

[The Fireman]

Wouldn’t it be funny if he doesn’t get the job

We could all go back to bagging him

[Gershwin]

Lyon’s last four years were 16, 14, 14 and 13th. Dreadful.

[Teflon]

Lyon’s last four years were 16, 14, 14 and 13th. Dreadful.

Yes yes compounded by injuries to key players and a Freo side that needed a reboot and who today are benefiting from many of the younger players Lyon brought in
His last year was decimated by injuries (go check reports) and his team still won more games than the preceding year
Mundy has just come out saying he’s the best coach he’s had
Pavlich has said same among nearly all St Kilda 09/10 side who he’s supposed to have deserted …
Context is important
His first years at Freo saw him going at 70% winning percentage
He’s gotten 2 different clubs into 4 GFs now
5 Preliminary Finals
But let’s still with Ratts….who after 300 games has a mediocre 50% strike rate suggesting he’s a middle of the road coach but a gun assistant…
Anyhoo

[realdeal]

This is the first time since Lyon's departure in 2011 that I've felt that we're getting things right. Watters was a disaster, Pelchen was a disaster, Elshaug was a study in incompetence, as was Alan Richardson. The moving on of Elshaug was the first step in the right direction. Lethlean and Gallagher were an improvement on their predecessors, and some tougher decisions were starting to be made regarding our list. Ratten was an improvement on Richardson, but not enough to make a huge difference. The appointment of our head of fitness in recent times was another correct step.

2020 was a shortened season and with an injection of new players from other clubs and on the back of the amazing form of Paddy Ryder, we improved. Injuries and absentees ruined 2021.

This year we jumped out of the blocks, mostly on the back of superior fitness to previous years and an ability to field our best team. But there was never any feeling that we had arrived. It was a fragile ascendancy and by mid season we got exposed, and that was primarily due to a game plan that shifted from week to week, and a level of effort that also fluctuated. The flaws in strategy were there to to be seen

1. The structure of our forward line. Max King and Tim Membrey as the only marking players in the front half. It was crying out for a third tall forward to take the heat off King. When Ryder was playing, he and Marshall would spend time up forward, with only Ryder being effective. When Ryder was out of the team (most of the season), the coach didn't bother to play a third tall, and our forward line became far more ineffective. Where was the blocking done to assist King? Who was here to take the heat off him and provide another option? And then Membrey spent that last 5 minutes of every quarter playing in defense, leaving one key forward to battle three tall defenders. It was a gift to the opposition.

2. For most of the season, at centre bounces, we didn't have a single player in a defensive position, gifting some of the most extraordinarily easy centre clearances to the opposition resulting in goals conceded. The penny dropped late in the year with Windhager playing as a tagger, but whoops, too late.

3. No Kick out strategies. All I would see were statues further up the ground. No running to space, no blocking opponents to help team mates get into space. Nothing. Kicking in hope is not a strategy. When did we exploit the stand rule and the extra space while kicking out?

4. Selection integrity. There wasn't much of that.

5. Not reacting to stagnant situations. When our midfield was getting smashed, why wasn't Sinclair thrown in there? When Steele got injured, why didn't Sinclair go in there? He showed he could do it when he got us back into the game against Collingwood in round 1


Ross Lyon will fix this. We now have someone who is meticulous and demanding of excellence in preparation, effort and understanding of, and commitment to, the game plan

Bring it on

Excellent!
Perfectly sums up the last 10 years as well as detailing some strange/pedestrian coaching and what was wrong with the 2022 season. Bravo!