Coaching Appointments

[B.M]

Historically poor decisions- in hindsight

Obviously in the post Jeans era, there were multiple changes and we struggled to get the right fit

For a short time Mike Patterson and Jezza did alright, but were moved on! Jewell was a premiership coach who didn’t work, Gellie was out of his depth as a senior coach. Baldock was a romantic selection but he was old and at times unwell.

To be fair, we pretty much had putrid teams from the late 70s to late 80’s which proves my theory - players make coaches and not the other way around

In the 90s we finally had a group of stars - Winmar, Frawley, Harvey, Loewe, Burke and of course Lockett!

It’s that appointment that interests me

With 2 premiership coaches available- we chose a just retired player, with no coaching experience (he wasn’t the worst)
But former Carlton coaching greats Robert Walls and David Parkin without a job at the end of 89 why weren’t they approached?! There was also Mick Malthouse, who took over at WC and under 19s guru Dennis Pagan available. I think even Jeans after 3 premierships at Hawthorn was available?!

Sheldon did ok with a gun team - what might an experienced coach have achieved?

At the end of 93 when Sheldon was Sacked Stan Alves was appointed- ended up being a pretty good appointment.

Tim Watson was a ridiculous appointment- from the media! With zero experience!

The decision to go after Blight was ok, but instead of us convincing him to coach, he needed to convince us why he should be coach! It made us relevant for a short period of time, but ultimately he didn’t give a fat rats toss bag!

I thought it was fine that GT took over as care taker - and he was a a great leader and development coach for a star young group, but did he have the tactical nous to get the best results.

Experienced coaches Eade and Wallis were both available at this time. GT should have stepped down as coach at the end of 02 and returned to the position of Football manager. A position he would have been great at!

We definitely got 2007 right, although I think John Longmire may have been shortlisted. But Lyon ticked all the boxes!

After 2011 it has been a mess!

Highly rated Collingwood assistant Scott Watters was appointed - failure. Had a good resume - multiple WAFL premierships at Subiaco and premiership assisting at the pies.
Didn’t work! Were there better candidates? Hugely experienced Gary Ayres had just Coached Port Melbourne to an undefeated season and premiership?!

Then 2013
Alan Richardson had done some assistant coaching in development and was footy manager at Port. He also coached East Burwood in the late 90s to back to back prems. He was seen as a great footy manager and good development coach. Was he a senior coach
Luke Beveridge had just coached St Bedes to 3 straight VAFA flags and was very highly rated as a Hawthorn assistant.
Choco Williams had just finished up at Port a few years earlier. After 2 grand finals 2 McLelland trophies and a premiership.
We chose Richardson as Senior Coach, Beveridge as Footy Manager (who a week later was anppointed coach of WB) Simon McPhee as Head of development and weren’t interested in Williams.
In Hindsight we should have gone Beveridge as Senior Coach, Richardson as footy manager and Williams as Head of development, assistant coach and VFL Coach.

Brett Ratten was an OK appointment in 2020. But the decision to recontact him was shocking, only to sack him 8 weeks later.

Lyon - was a coup with his bevy of former champions as Assistants!
Was it the correct decision?! Maybe??
He is an extraordinary leader of an organisation he is tactically very good (if not a bit dated)

Is he a good fit?! Not sure yet, signs are worrying this year. Is it the coaching or the list that is not up to it atm
I’d say 80-20 list. We are a power mid short - why DeGoey was really required! But there are a number of other holes!

Rob Harvey is a great assistant coach - but should not be a forwards coach - should be midfield coach. Goddard should just be leaning in a role that sees him help out with different areas and in development. And we should have a proven forwards coach.

Anyway
History suggests we have made some massive blunders when appointing coaches. That’s my take.

[CURLY]

Interesting but Clarkson has done nothing at North that I couldn't do. Similar with Pagan at Carlton or Malthouse. Hardwick was fantastic at Richmond until they were no good.

Longmire well how hard would it be to coach the Swans get top 5 talent for free each year.

[66Iwasthere]

Interesting but Clarkson has done nothing at North that I couldn't do. Similar with Pagan at Carlton or Malthouse. Hardwick was fantastic at Richmond until they were no good.

Longmire well how hard would it be to coach the Swans get top 5 talent for free each year.

How many premierships has Longmire won given all the money they have spent on top end talent and their exclusive access to an exclusive academy full of talent kids……………not many.

[B.M]

Longmire is a proven coach. Sydney have never bottomed out. I think they have only had 2 top 5 picks in the last decade!

[CURLY]

Longmire is a proven coach. Sydney have never bottomed out. I think they have only had 2 top 5 picks in the last decade!

You're taking the piss surely.

[B.M]

Yeah, I am mistaken

They have only had 1 selection inside the top 5 in the last Decade
Mills (3)

And only a few inside the top 10
Morris (6)
Blakey (10)

[CURLY]

Yeah, I am mistaken

They have only had 1 selection inside the top 5 in the last Decade
Mills (3)

And only a few inside the top 10
Morris (6)
Blakey (10)

Regualr access to top end talent no matter ladder position. Heeney Mills Blakey etc A bloke by the name of Buddy Franklin they purchased.

[66Iwasthere]

and still haven’t achieved the ultimate

[spert]

Good post..History has spoken, but I remember when Watters was appointed, I too thought Ayres at the time, would really be a great option with his successful background, and he wouldn't have taken sh*t from some senior players like Watters, a raw new coach had to, and in the end we went down the classic Saints desperation path yet again and made further dumb decisions and the club once again looked stupid.

Back to the present day or thereabouts, I consider Ratten's contract extension then sacking, alongside Lyon's appointment as coach to be a desperate and amateurish move by a president and board who seem to have one foot in marketing rather than commons sense. I also wouldn't have brought back Goddard, Harvey or Lenny- all wonderful Saints, but it's all nostalgic bulldust by a club led by an entrepreneur. Ratten should have had his extended contract honoured, and then been moved on if we had not improved significantly- personally, I don't think he would do any worse than Lyon with his re-hashed brand of 2010 football. I don't like where the club is at in 2024.

[SaintPav]

Bevo was appointed footy manager at the end of Richo’s second season before he took off for Bulldogs. A real sliding doors moment as they like to say.

It will be interesting to see what happens with the foward line coaching position at the end of the season.

[SaintPav]

Sheldon walked because club sacked Hudson.

Should have made the finals in 93.

[B.M]

If you are saying Sydney only succeeded due to 3 academy picks (which they bid matched) you’d be mistaken

Shrewd trading, good drafting, good development , well coached and very well run!

Unlike us who got priority picks for being inept, mismanaged those picks

So pretty much the opposite

And they won in 05 and 2012 and have played in 2 other gf’s

[CURLY]

If you are saying Sydney only succeeded due to 3 academy picks (which they bid matched) you’d be mistaken

Shrewd trading, good drafting, good development , well coached and very well run!

Unlike us who got priority picks for being inept, mismanaged those picks

So pretty much the opposite

And they won in 05 and 2012 and have played in 2 other gf’s

Being gifted top 3 talent while playing finals is a significant advantage lets not fools ourselves. Also having extra coin to land a Buddy the best player in the comp doesn't hurt.

[magnifisaint]

I think we should get Trump to coach the Saints. That slippery bastard would coach us to multiple premierships even though he doesn't know a thing about AFL. He would be the self proclaimed greatest coach of all time!
He could even coach them from jail.

[loris]

I think we should get Trump to coach the Saints. That slippery bastard would coach us to multiple premierships even though he doesn't know a thing about AFL. He would be the self proclaimed greatest coach of all time!
He could even coach them from jail.

We definitely need to think outside the box eh!

[loris]

I think we should get Trump to coach the Saints. That slippery bastard would coach us to multiple premierships even though he doesn't know a thing about AFL. He would be the self proclaimed greatest coach of all time!
He could even coach them from jail.

We definitely need to think outside the box eh!

[bobmurray]

I don't know why people keep forgetting that GT brought in Matt Rendell as an assistant because Rendell had the tactical nous that GT didn't, Thomas explained that numerous times.

[B.M]

Rendell sounds stupid on Radio - not sure he is a mastermind

[B.M]

Sydney got

Blakey (pick 10) matched bid
Heeney pick 18
Mills pick 3

That’s the only top 5 pick they had for over a decade

They developed those kids through their academy pathway

[SaintPav]

Rendell sounds stupid on Radio - not sure he is a mastermind

You do know he passed away a few months ago right?

[B.M]

Sounded then

And no I didn’t

[CURLY]

Sydney got

Blakey (pick 10) matched bid
Heeney pick 18
Mills pick 3

That’s the only top 5 pick they had for over a decade

They developed those kids through their academy pathway

Got Heeney after playing in a GF I’m sure we’d look a lot better getting Dusty after 2009.

[bergsone]

We need to look at forward coach set up.Harvey mids yes forwards no.W.Carey if he didnt have the baggage is the sort we need.
As far as history goes.Baldock looked to have us on the up,until illness imo

[B.M]

Wayne Carey has never coached?

What makes you think he would be any good?!

[bergsone]

Just reckon good knowledge of the game.J.Brown also, something to shake up forward line