Grant Thomas

[suss]

Spot on SRS & Teffers, what credentials does GT have for the presidency role?

The GT hero worship here is quite amusing, you'd swear he was Allan Jeans & dare I write it Drake/Huggins rolled into one person

- Experienced media performer across radio and TV.
- Excellent connections in the AFL and media.
- Strong personality that commands attention.
- Built two successful businesses in the last decade since he left footy.

St Kilda people are afraid of GT like Hawthorn people are afraid of Jeff. They don't like to feel uncomfortable. They don't like the spotlight and they don't like being challenged to do better.

No one needs to worry - my (pretty good) mail is that he genuinely feels that he's already had his time in a public role, although he may be willing to advise certain individuals behind the scenes.

In some respects, but his ego always gets in the way. This is a man who refused to take advice from anyone but himself in the coaching box. And a man who thought it would be a good idea to go to war with the AFL and the coaches department. Good one Grant.

Innovator? Yes. Leader of men? Definitely. Complete bell-end? Absolutely.

[Spinner]

Spot on SRS & Teffers, what credentials does GT have for the presidency role?

The GT hero worship here is quite amusing, you'd swear he was Allan Jeans & dare I write it Drake/Huggins rolled into one person

- Experienced media performer across radio and TV.
- Excellent connections in the AFL and media.
- Strong personality that commands attention.
- Built two successful businesses in the last decade since he left footy.

St Kilda people are afraid of GT like Hawthorn people are afraid of Jeff. They don't like to feel uncomfortable. They don't like the spotlight and they don't like being challenged to do better.

No one needs to worry - my (pretty good) mail is that he genuinely feels that he's already had his time in a public role, although he may be willing to advise certain individuals behind the scenes.

In some respects, but his ego always gets in the way. This is a man who refused to take advice from anyone but himself in the coaching box. And a man who thought it would be a good idea to go to war with the AFL and the coaches department. Good one Grant.

Innovator? Yes. Leader of men? Definitely. Complete bell-end? Absolutely.

This post sums this bloke up completely.

Ego in the way, all good gets undone. This post found the words that I couldn't.

[evertonfc]

Spot on SRS & Teffers, what credentials does GT have for the presidency role?

The GT hero worship here is quite amusing, you'd swear he was Allan Jeans & dare I write it Drake/Huggins rolled into one person

- Experienced media performer across radio and TV.
- Excellent connections in the AFL and media.
- Strong personality that commands attention.
- Built two successful businesses in the last decade since he left footy.

St Kilda people are afraid of GT like Hawthorn people are afraid of Jeff. They don't like to feel uncomfortable. They don't like the spotlight and they don't like being challenged to do better.

No one needs to worry - my (pretty good) mail is that he genuinely feels that he's already had his time in a public role, although he may be willing to advise certain individuals behind the scenes.

The key thing about GT is that he really does know how to win.

We were a legit basket case when he took over the coaching role - reluctantly - at the end of 2001. The improvement was extreme; not really through on-field tactics (he openly admits Ross Lyon is/was far better at this) but effective man management.

I don't think GT can do it alone, either. I think he'd need to bring some seriously talented people to destroy the "loser" culture that has been allowed to envelop the club.

However, I think he's shown in his business and sporting endeavours that he's more than capable of employing a systematic process for spotting weaknesses and creating solutions.

To be honest, I think GT's arrival would herald the end of Richardson and Finnis. I would also think Lethlean would be forced to operate at a much higher level - GT wouldn't tolerate any half-baked performers.

Look, sometimes in life you need to bring in somebody who can do the job, rather than hoping a friendly face might be able to fake-it-till-they-make-it.

I couldn't stand Buttress by the end, but in hindsight, even more damage has been done by Westaway and this current fellow. They've literally ensured the club's progress from the early 2000s has been totally undone.

It takes courage to make the big calls. GT is our Kennett, and while I loathe Jeffrey and his monstrous ego in many ways, he is a man to get things done - precisely what the situation calls for with our football club.

[saintsRrising]

We were a legit basket case when he took over the coaching role - reluctantly - at the end of 2001.

Reluctantly?

He took the job after colluding with Butterss in a sham selection process. So let us not pretend that he was in any way reluctant to take the job. He wanted it.

GT was good for us initially of that I have no doubt, but how he got it was not a fair and open process.

[axcellence]

GT is now a caricature

[Spinner]

Spot on SRS & Teffers, what credentials does GT have for the presidency role?

The GT hero worship here is quite amusing, you'd swear he was Allan Jeans & dare I write it Drake/Huggins rolled into one person

- Experienced media performer across radio and TV.
- Excellent connections in the AFL and media.
- Strong personality that commands attention.
- Built two successful businesses in the last decade since he left footy.

St Kilda people are afraid of GT like Hawthorn people are afraid of Jeff. They don't like to feel uncomfortable. They don't like the spotlight and they don't like being challenged to do better.

No one needs to worry - my (pretty good) mail is that he genuinely feels that he's already had his time in a public role, although he may be willing to advise certain individuals behind the scenes.

The key thing about GT is that he really does know how to win.

As long as it's not a preliminary final.... Or against decent opposition.

We were always behind Port, Brisbane and Swans considerably during his peak years.

[Teflon]

Spot on SRS & Teffers, what credentials does GT have for the presidency role?

The GT hero worship here is quite amusing, you'd swear he was Allan Jeans & dare I write it Drake/Huggins rolled into one person

- Experienced media performer across radio and TV.
- Excellent connections in the AFL and media.
- Strong personality that commands attention.
- Built two successful businesses in the last decade since he left footy.

St Kilda people are afraid of GT like Hawthorn people are afraid of Jeff. They don't like to feel uncomfortable. They don't like the spotlight and they don't like being challenged to do better.

No one needs to worry - my (pretty good) mail is that he genuinely feels that he's already had his time in a public role, although he may be willing to advise certain individuals behind the scenes.

Please dont compare Thomas to an ex State Premier it’s just embarrassing...
Strong AFL connections - he’s universally despised in circles that matter....
Again, which other club chased his services when poor old GT was hard done by the club?
Where is GTs mega commercial success story since he got the ass?
Doesn’t exist.
People re-writing history out of fantasy ...

[sunsaint]

We were a legit basket case when he took over the coaching role - reluctantly - at the end of 2001.

Reluctantly?

He took the job after colluding with Butterss in a sham selection process. So let us not pretend that he was in any way reluctant to take the job. He wanted it.

GT was good for us initially of that I have no doubt, but how he got it was not a fair and open process.

DO you think the club should have let M.blight stay the rest of the season?

[saintsRrising]

DO you think the club should have let M.blight stay the rest of the season?

I am not sure why you are asking that question in the context of my post as the process for appointing the permanent replacement coach is separate to whether Blight was:
- A Axed at the end of the year
- B Axed immediately and replaced with an interim coach (which GT initially was)

However Sunsaint just to be clear the job that I was referring to in my post was the role of permanent coach, and not the role of interim or caretaker coach that someone had to be appointed to in haste by necessity.


From all reports Blight was not focused on the job (ie the off playing golf stories, lack of hours etc....as well as the results at the club) and so to answer your question IMO to sack him then was the right call.

The process where it was admitted afterwards that GT was given the permanent role of head coach without really assessing any other candidates, when they said they were, in a serious way is the part I disagree with. The problem with this is that it creates a state of mind that this is acceptable and often leads to expectations of more. Which in GT's case is what happened. He wanted and expected more and more control.

PS: And to also be clear GT was good for Saints in those early years of coaching as well as the lead up to it. GT, RB, MK, BW and GR amongst others all did a very good job. Though they talked Blight into the job which I would imagine they regret. However saying that Blight was coming helped to land some real talent and so that at least gave a lasting positive benefit.

[Teflon]

Thomas moved in
“I’ll step aside when a more credentialed candidate surfaces”
At the time Eade surfaced.
Grant Thomas reply “I don’t think he’s better credentialed ...”
my reaction : WTF? The guys coached at the highest level for a start....
I knew we had a dictator in at that stage
When teams worked us out.....we were cooked
Class A muppet

[SaintPav]

Thomas moved in
“I’ll step aside when a more credentialed candidate surfaces”
At the time Eade surfaced.
Grant Thomas reply “I don’t think he’s better credentialed ...”
my reaction : WTF? The guys coached at the highest level for a start....
I knew we had a dictator in at that stage
When teams worked us out.....we were cooked
Class A muppet

It was reported at the time that Chris Connolly was the favoured candidate coming out the sham interview process. That was around 2002.

I’ve never heard Eades name mentioned with St Kilda.

[evertonfc]

When if you look back at the past with a fresh pair of eyes, and knowing what we know about how absolutely bat-s*** crazy Rod Buttress was, it's surprising so much momentum actually remained in 2004-2006.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ ... 53431a779b

Anyway, there's so much incorrect story-telling from the past on this thread. Emotions were high at the time and I get that, but I'd probably take the word of those who were there - Riewoldt, Ball, Dal Santo, Goddard etc about whether or not Thomas had leadership skills to run a footy a club.

Knowing the drug and alcohol-addled culture being openly pursued by Buttress, I reckon the players did quite well to stay focused and get so close.

[Tommyj]

Was GT a good coach nothing to do with the negative posts just ask the players I think they would know just a little bit

[Teflon]

Is this the same Grant Thomas who, along with his great mate Rod, cost the club a million dollars getting Blight? Then sacked him and became coach, a position Old Xavs had sacked him from and not trusted by any other AFL club to hold any position? Then had Rendell copy the Lions game plan? Thank god Blight attracted Gehrig, Hamill, Voss, Lawrence and Penny & Watson attracted high & priority draft picks. 2004 was our best opportunity for a flag IMO. Unfortunately our coach was not the right man or deserving of the opportunity. Subsequently suing the club "he loves and will do anything for" - a bit like compensating Trump for going bankrupt on each of his four occasions.
Address the problems and weak links that are now, do not go back in history, learn from it, do not repeat it. We do not need egos addressing our problems.
My answer is NO to Grant Thomas.

Well said
As one of his assistants said directly to me
“Grant Thomas farked your club by trying to control everything”
Meglamaniac, egotistical trumped up know nothing know it all. NOT what we need
How many other clubs banged down “GTs” door when he left?????
None cause they know.

pretty unfair representation of history in both counts
GT stood in as an interim coach before attracting a proven finals campaign coach in Blight to the club
(Something that most here are crying out that we try to scalp in our next coach)
What the StK FC could not envisage was that despite throwing bucket loads of money at him - it did not buy loyalty or even a skerrick of application to the job at hand. So called ITK's and people who know people of the time will claim a myriad of reasons for the failure - but the fact is the "Jump on board Blight" experiment simply did not work and exploded VERY VERY VERY quickly. At the very least, give the powers that be of the time kudos for acting quickly.
And to quash a few points raised -
Suing the club ? GT was well within his rights trying to reclaim the money he was owed.
And post Stkilda coaching jobs - no club went near Blight either

The simple truth with GT and Butterss (with all their flaws) is those two saved our club

End
of
Story

Rubbish
Blight left the picture very early
Thomas hung on well after Blight left
YEARS after Blight had gone Thomas waived his rights to rec leave etc at his own volition
He then realised he was on way out , changed his tune, went on a cash grab and sued the “club he loves”
To attempt to somehow link that action to Blight is misleading at best
The mans a fraud