2019 Coaching. It's a lose-lose.

[samoht]

Why we recruited 2 x HBF's last year inside the top 10 I never understood. We didn't need that. We had a golden opportunity and we spent it on 2 x players who look solid at best. We need stars.

I don’t think that will be a popular opinion.

Clarke in particular looks a likely type

Yep well aware I’m out on my own with that opinion. I’m not saying that neither will play a lot of games for the Saints. I’m saying that neither will be stars.

We have produced one really good footballer in the last 10 years. Jack Steven. Every other really good player was developed by GT. No doubt I’ve missed someone, but that’s how I see it off the top of my head. I’m talking about a player that most clubs would love to get and would give up something significant to get

Steele, Membrey, Roberton and Austin might be our next crop of good players (if not "really good") - and they didn't come to us "developed"
(Roberton has/had already reached that "really good" status, I reckon, and Steele is tracking beautifully)
I still think players develop themselves and coaches just supply the framework and support to facilitate this development- but that's just me.
I think with any luck with injuries, we will return to a 50% win/loss ratio, regardless of who the coach is.
The rest is up to our recruiters - they really need to step up to the plate. They need to draft, recruit and poach us an elite-skilled A grade midfield, yesterday - leave no stone unturned and be fully focussed on doing that. Blind Freddy can see we need quality inside 50s.

[chico2001]

Having better assistants ( except King who was excellent- so we dumped him) will yield us 6-8 wins but it won't save Richo.

Is 'King' referring to Kingsley?

If so, why do you think he was excellent? I'm curious.

King or Kingsley is an excellent coach and will likely get a senior gig eventually.
He is smart, he really communicates well with the players and understands the strategy needed for the modern game. Go up and ask him about being undermined, mistrusted, told to run his game plan then shackled by Richo. He is a quality coach and we let him a very poor coach with a horrific win loss ratio push him out.

Hopefully Ratten can push Richo out the door.

I'm not saying Kingsley's a genius...but Richmond grabbed him quick smart...I guess they just wanted a sh!t coach.

Interesting.

I'm not necessarily disputing this, but after nearly 10 years under two different coaches at the Saints, there appeared to be zero evidence that he was any good.

Of course that is just from the outside looking in.

I always wondered why people rate him, and how he kept his job at the Saints for so long.

Never heard too much praise coming for him. I did read where he won the assistant coach of the year in 2016, I am not sure how that conclusion is reached but he got it and beat 17 others. The other one is D.Sexton, I think he has been there longer and has kept himself well in the shadows.

[dragit]

I still think players develop themselves

Hmmmm I don't think it's a coincidence that the clubs spending millions more on development are performing better consistently.

Ask anyone involved at AFL level if they think development is important or not.

[skeptic]

I still think players develop themselves

Hmmmm I don't think it's a coincidence that the clubs spending millions more on development are performing better consistently.

Ask anyone involved at AFL level if they think development is important or not.

Like everything else the answer is somewhere in between

There’s no doubt that a degree of natural improvement occurs in all players just because of the fact that they mature, train at a higher level, get experience etc
But IMO good coaches have an ability to influence development in a variety of different ways...
someone like GT worked hard to develop an excellent culture where players trained harder, where young men like Riewoldt, Ball, Goddard etc developed into leaders etc

Ross Lyon took players like Blake, Kosi, Milne etc and found a structure that maximised their strengths and reduced the significance of their deficiencies. His concept of the bubble to protect the players from the mass media scrutiny that occurred over his time between Cousins, Gardiner, school girl etc, helped develop a team that was psychologically tough.

Yes they had talent to work with... but they also righted the path for a lot of guys that stagnated or weren’t performing too. Aussie Jones being another example that was on the verge of being delisted

[outside66]

Why we recruited 2 x HBF's last year inside the top 10 I never understood. We didn't need that. We had a golden opportunity and we spent it on 2 x players who look solid at best. We need stars.

Hunter will certainly end up in the midfield and that's the plan for Coff as well. Who would you have taken instead? The only one in the first round that stand out for me would be Jack Higgins but we already have Gresham who plays that role. Bonar would be an honourable mention but he came with a big risk re his body and he's far from locked in to be a star.

I personally think it's too early to tell but I really liked what I saw from both Hunter and Coffield first up and I can see them being valuable long term players for us, irrespective of where they wind up playing most of their footy.

[saintspremiers]

Let’s hope the rumour I read on Twitter a while back that Richo will be fired in November (have to wait until then due to contractual issues according to the rumour) are on the money.

I look forward to old man and his one or two other fans to eat humble pie on this one!

#Richobegone

Won't be happening.

Looks like you may be right ‘ol rollyeyes.

Pity that, I’d far prefer the The ‘Rat in charge than the The Richo

[Josh Battle]

I hope Richo and the players have a belter year to shove it up the arses of the morons.

It probably won't happen though and Richo may find himself out of a job at seasons end.

But otherwise, I'm backing the coaching group and players in for 2019. Its all you should and could do as a supporter.

The truth is right in front of your face and so are the statistics and the putrid performances on the field and yet you display blind faith in the coach and you 'hope he shoves it up the arses of the morons'. Even though you admit that you feel the odds are against any improvement under this head coach. Who's the real moron?

So basically you want us all to support the current CEO and coach and just have blind faith like yourself. It is costing the club in many ways and probably will hurt our chances to recruit free agents. Meantime...the club falls further behind the top teams and further behind the clubs like the Lions, Bombers and Freo who are successful in their quest to recruit better players.

BUMP.

We need to compete against the clubs who are sitting in the top 8 and those who are knocking at the door. We wasted last years trade period with Richo at the helm. I think that we are much better chance of landing some decent recruits this season if Ratten is front and centre in the meet and greet sessions with potential FA's amd their managers

The next 5 weeks aren't just a dress rehearsal for Brett Ratten. If we are competitive and display more positive signs it could be the stimulus and incentive that a Free Agent is looking for to make a decision to come to our club.

We could potentially offer Coniglio a huge contract and the incentive of becoming our captain and perhaps having the honour of leading the club towards it's second premiership