To any club administrator who might frequent this forum

[samuraisaint]

I share your frustration and also have supported the club and team from the 70s. Going every week etc etc.

However, Richmond with three premierships since 2017, and Brisbane top 4 for the past five years are certainly currently premier teams in terms of consistency and results. As are Sydney (who we beat up there). We have played all of those sides with a lengthy injury list while having to carry players who are clearly playing injured.

That most certainly needs to be addressed.

However, I think the only game we have lost this season, thus far, which I believe we should have won, was the Hawthorn game. Apart from that game, and the Crows game, I think we have performed well, given the long injury list we continue to have. Given the circumstances we are doing okay and are currently sitting fifth with a game against the bottom team to come.

I have posted several times that I think we need to make potentially six changes to the side next week to make sure we defeat the Eagles and do so convincingly.

And I am on record as saying that I believe the biggest current issue we have is with our current reserves team. That also needs to be rectified.

[Scollop]

Have a look at Adelaide right now. They played off in a Grand Final in 2017 and could be a top 4 side in the next few years and could go all the way when their list profile is at a peak and some of the current powerhouses like Collingwood, Brisbane and Melbourne look to retire some of their champions.

Lethlean came to St Kilda and as the footy boss, he and the board decided to relinquish our draft picks for 2019 and 2020 and recruit ready made players.

We locked ourselves in to being a middle of the road team for 5 years. It was a risky strategy when we weren't a side that was ready to be a contender. It's different when you top up as an existing top 4 side imo. We needed to build from the ground up and hit the draft

Having said that, the energy and positivity generated after Brett Ratten took over in 2019 was amazing. The coach and his captain along with the players were fantastic in getting the side as far as they did. Who knows how far we'd have gone in 2020 if Paddy Ryder didn't pull a hamstring.

But, it's all after the fact and we had many players who didn't have finals experience. We were up against teams that had played in prelims and grand finals and I'm not sure how strong our overall game was in 2020 against the teams that finishesd top 4.

The list needs a lot of work. The core group of youngsters needs to be developed and we should perhaps look to import a senior or experienced play maker or leader like Adelaide did with Jordan Dawson.

Sacking Ratten was not the answer. Sacking Lyon in 3 years time will also be wrong. Fix the list and everything else will take care of itself

[Life Long Saint]

I have moved on from 2020...Richmond in 2021 missed the finals, and were beaten after finishing 7th last season.
They are not a premiership contender this season. They are a game and a half behind us.
Brisbane are a perennial finalist, but not a serious threat for a flag.
And Sydney? Smashed in last year's grand final and a shell of themselves this season.

On the "should have won" games...
Adelaide at home are a different team, and are very hard to beat. Expected a better performance, but not a victory.
We should have beaten Richmond given the form line of both teams and especially with Lynch out. Shouldn't matter if it's anyone's 300th. How did we go on a double milestone game on Friday night?
The Hawthorn game was inexcusable.

[Life Long Saint]

Sacking Ratten was not the answer. Sacking Lyon in 3 years time will also be wrong. Fix the list and everything else will take care of itself

Agreed, but Lyon is a better coach than Ratten.
I've said before that no game plan can survive our skill level.
That is proving true this season.

[Teflon]

Have a look at Adelaide right now. They played off in a Grand Final in 2017 and could be a top 4 side in the next few years and could go all the way when their list profile is at a peak and some of the current powerhouses like Collingwood, Brisbane and Melbourne look to retire some of their champions.

Lethlean came to St Kilda and as the footy boss, he and the board decided to relinquish our draft picks for 2019 and 2020 and recruit ready made players.

We locked ourselves in to being a middle of the road team for 5 years. It was a risky strategy when we weren't a side that was ready to be a contender. It's different when you top up as an existing top 4 side imo. We needed to build from the ground up and hit the draft

Having said that, the energy and positivity generated after Brett Ratten took over in 2019 was amazing. The coach and his captain along with the players were fantastic in getting the side as far as they did. Who knows how far we'd have gone in 2020 if Paddy Ryder didn't pull a hamstring.

But, it's all after the fact and we had many players who didn't have finals experience. We were up against teams that had played in prelims and grand finals and I'm not sure how strong our overall game was in 2020 against the teams that finishesd top 4.

The list needs a lot of work. The core group of youngsters needs to be developed and we should perhaps look to import a senior or experienced play maker or leader like Adelaide did with Jordan Dawson.

Sacking Ratten was not the answer. Sacking Lyon in 3 years time will also be wrong. Fix the list and everything else will take care of itself

That’s a reasonable post but as those close to the club have mentioned multiple times ….Ratten wasn’t just sacked cause if results….he was let go because standards at the club (training and game plan) had slipped so badly he’d lost the players. Forget Lyon - Ratten HAD to go
We now have a coaching group with requisite skill/knowledge to take us forward but you are right it’s all list now
That aside, IF SOS/Gubby start trading our 1st round picks for other teams seconds….I’ll be first in line to WTF is the club doing?
Hawks have been incredibly clear
1. Hit the draft , build a core group of strong talent and when you have a base
2. Look to be FA etc
We do be NOT imo have enough of a strong core talented base to be deviating from taking top kids out of the draft now.
As good as Pou NAS Owens etc have been….not enough of them
2 years to fix list is my take
IF Lyon goes fir quick fix wins now he’s missed his opportunity to show once abd for all he can build a side ground up

[SydneySainter]

Looks like another case of "The sky is falling, the sky is falling!"

Seriously, taking pot shots at the club all the time is ridiculous. Emotional outbursts due to frustration don't achieve anything.

Look at the facts. We all know we're a middle of the ladder team with insufficient talent to get into the top 4 in the immediate future. We all thought it at the start of the year so why the histrionics? Because we lost to Collingwood by a goal, Port Adelaide by a goal, lost narrowly to Richmond in the wet and to Brisbane. All those teams have more talent than us. Three of them have a lot more talent.

We played against those teams, who all have strong midfields, with our own B grade midfield whose best player is playing with multiple injuries and significantly down on form because of them.

We need more talent. Simple. We need two quality midfielders with speed, we need a tall powerful key defender, and we need a competent, mobile second ruck who can play in other positions.

Just wanting and wishing things to be different without realistically assessing where the playing list is, is pointless. Getting angry about it an potting the entire football club even more so.

I don’t think anyone disagrees with your summary of the list’s deficiencies and the reality of what the means. It’s how after 12 years of rebuilding, this is what the club has to show for it.

It doesn’t change the fact that we’ve been rebuilding for 12 years now (which included a wooden spoon) and we’re at best, a 9th to 14th placed team.

Despite poor recruiting through both the draft and trade period, we canonise the club admin for being nice people, prioritising drafting kids with a good family and educational pedigrees over better players with an apparent attitude problem and valuing positive PR as a KPI over on field results.

Poor management is why the club is stuck in the wilderness and we have every right to call it for what it is.

[Scollop]

Sacking Ratten was not the answer. Sacking Lyon in 3 years time will also be wrong. Fix the list and everything else will take care of itself

Agreed, but Lyon is a better coach than Ratten.
I've said before that no game plan can survive our skill level.
That is proving true this season.

Brett Ratten inherited bottom 4 teams and elevated both Carlton and St Kilda to finals

Lyon inherited two ready made teams. Both St Kilda and Fremantle had played off in prelims before he arrived.

If....if....we become a top 4 team and Lyon gets us into a GF, I'll concede he's a better coach, but I'm not going to accept what the majority think, just because it's the more popular opinion

[Teflon]

Sacking Ratten was not the answer. Sacking Lyon in 3 years time will also be wrong. Fix the list and everything else will take care of itself

Agreed, but Lyon is a better coach than Ratten.
I've said before that no game plan can survive our skill level.
That is proving true this season.

Brett Ratten inherited bottom 4 teams and elevated both Carlton and St Kilda to finals

Lyon inherited two ready made teams. Both St Kilda and Fremantle had played off in prelims before he arrived.

If....if....we become a top 4 team and Lyon gets us into a GF, I'll concede he's a better coach, but I'm not going to accept what the majority think, just because it's the more popular opinion

Ok good for you but ask anyone in the industry whose a better coach Lyon or Ratten see what u get back

[Scollop]

You have every right to go with popular opinion

Good on you

[Life Long Saint]

You have every right to go with popular opinion

Good on you

How many clubs approached Brett Ratten to be the senior coach when he was available?
How many approached Lyon?
It's industry opinion, not popular opinion.

[Scollop]

Who's the better footy administrator out of these three?

Lethlean, Lyon or Walsh?

[B.M]

Neither are successful coaches

Lyon had a hard edge as coach in his last two stints

These days, he looks as he barely gives a f***!

[Scollop]

Ok so Ross got the job at St Kilda

Steve Bradbury won a gold medal too

[seano1]

Rtb has said this will be a year of learning for him and the players….we did well at the start and are now levelling off to our rightful place on the ladder . The president has said he is wanting to change the attitude at the club to a more winning at all costs and of course this takes time . Players will go at the end of the and new players will come along with experienced ones who want to work with one of the best coaches in the business. During the next phase is getting game time into the young blokes . This will still bring some up n down results till the balance is right .

[Otiman]

The administration/board has done a few things in the last year. Which do you disagree with? If i've forgotten any, please add.

- Appoint Lethlean CEO
- Doing a full in depth footy review
- Hiring Geoff Walsh
- Sacking Ratten
- Hiring Ross Lyon
- Moving on Lade
- Moving on McGlynn
- Moving on Rath
- Moving on Roughead
- Hiring Harvey, Hayes, and Goddard
- Losing Walsh (out of our control, it seems)
- Losing Gallagher
- Hiring Misson
- Giving Misson joint duties
- Hiring SOS
- Moving on Nick Walsh (mid-season)
- Hiring Sakadjian

[SydneySainter]

The administration/board has done a few things in the last year. Which do you disagree with? If i've forgotten any, please add.

- Appoint Lethlean CEO
- Doing a full in depth footy review
- Hiring Geoff Walsh
- Sacking Ratten
- Hiring Ross Lyon
- Moving on Lade
- Moving on McGlynn
- Moving on Rath
- Moving on Roughead
- Hiring Harvey, Hayes, and Goddard
- Losing Walsh (out of our control, it seems)
- Losing Gallagher
- Hiring Misson
- Giving Misson joint duties
- Hiring SOS
- Moving on Nick Walsh (mid-season)
- Hiring Sakadjian

So a list of hiring and firing over a 12 month period proves we’re well managed?

[Otiman]

So a list of hiring and firing over a 12 month period proves we’re well managed?

I thought so, your accusations have no substance.

Enjoy your white whale hunt.

[Waltzing St Kilda]

We were a better side than Melbourne in 2020. They won the flag the following year.

We were a better side than Collingwood in 2021. Look at them now.

Not sure I buy the old mantra "we can't do much with this list".

In fact, we WERE doing great things with an injury-riddled list only a couple of months ago.

It was so disappointing to see the tean against Brisbane repeat EVERTHING wrong from the previous week.

And flat performances from key players. Cuddly Ross shrugging his shoulders in the presser: "Waddaya want from me?"

[SydneySainter]

So a list of hiring and firing over a 12 month period proves we’re well managed?

I thought so, your accusations have no substance.

Enjoy your white whale hunt.

A clutching straws argument if I ever heard one.

A list of the so called “actions” as you may call it means nothing without results.

Hirings and firings from the same admin that sacked Ratten after re-signing him 6 months prior may fool the PC brigade, but it doesn’t change the fact that for the last 12 years, we’ve been a poorly run football club,

[Annoyedsaint]

We were a better side than Melbourne in 2020. They won the flag the following year.

We were a better side than Collingwood in 2021. Look at them now.

Not sure I buy the old mantra "we can't do much with this list".

In fact, we WERE doing great things with an injury-riddled list only a couple of months ago.

It was so disappointing to see the tean against Brisbane repeat EVERTHING wrong from the previous week.

And flat performances from key players. Cuddly Ross shrugging his shoulders in the presser: "Waddaya want from me?"

Repeat this basically every year for 60 years.

In terms of players, the same spuds that have been around for years should be kicking and scratching every game to get a taste of finals. But no, they are so brain dead that they’d be thinking “huh….oh….” If you told them straight to their face.

[Otiman]

So a list of hiring and firing over a 12 month period proves we’re well managed?

I thought so, your accusations have no substance.

Enjoy your white whale hunt.

A clutching straws argument if I ever heard one.

A list of the so called “actions” as you may call it means nothing without results.

Hirings and firings from the same admin that sacked Ratten after re-signing him 6 months prior may fool the PC brigade, but it doesn’t change the fact that for the last 12 years, we’ve been a poorly run football club,

What is your point, exactly then? You don't want to critique any of the administrators actions but are calling them out for what exactly?

It sounds like you just want to have a cry after a loss.

[Teflon]

You have every right to go with popular opinion

Good on you

How many clubs approached Brett Ratten to be the senior coach when he was available?
How many approached Lyon?
It's industry opinion, not popular opinion.

Thanks
Amazing it’s not that hard
Good on you Scollop you rage against the machine u !!

[SydneySainter]

So a list of hiring and firing over a 12 month period proves we’re well managed?

I thought so, your accusations have no substance.

Enjoy your white whale hunt.

A clutching straws argument if I ever heard one.

A list of the so called “actions” as you may call it means nothing without results.

Hirings and firings from the same admin that sacked Ratten after re-signing him 6 months prior may fool the PC brigade, but it doesn’t change the fact that for the last 12 years, we’ve been a poorly run football club,

What is your point, exactly then? You don't want to critique any of the administrators actions but are calling them out for what exactly?

It sounds like you just want to have a cry after a loss.

Otiman, with the greatest respect, the only one chasing a white whale is you.

My point is simple. For the last 12 years, we have one finals campaign (during the COVID hub year) to show for it and at present, we are a still a bottom 8 team at best.

You can present wholesale personnel changes until the cows come home. It doesn’t change the fact that we’ve been rebuilding for 12 years now and we still have holes on every end of the ground which need to be filled before we challenge for the 8, let along premierships.

What was it the admin of the last 10 years was flogging? Two premierships by 2017?

Output measures success, not what you try to achieve and then saying “at least we tried.”

Do Geelong hang their success on what they “tried” to achieve, or what they actually accomplished?

Pelchan made some big changes during his time at the club. Moved on Dal Santo, Goddard and McEvoy. How do you rate his regime?

[Otiman]

We have been poor to average since 2010, I agree.

We acknowledged that last year and are on a renewed push for improvement. I've not seen any criticsm of any of the clubs specific actions since Ratts was sacked.

Do you see the foundations for improvement or not? What else would you do.

Do you think the round 15 performance of a team with so many changes (and so many more to come) is a sign the adminstration is poor?

[shanegrambeau]

My fear - and I hope I am wrong - is that RTB isn’t the hard headed nutcase he was.
Or that new doctrines and that the Eddie McQuire of the world have not fed him too many of his own chocolates.
Real estate businesses and media connections etc.

If he is still the real Ross, bravo, let’s give it a go.

Brett Ratten did not energize the team in a sustained way. He did for patches…I think we would have been way worse this year continuing with BR, not because he’s Brett, but because of the whole systemic culture thing (lack of hard ass etc. training standards etc.) I say all this as an Undef 15c footballer from 12,000 km away. The players were not focused last year and the review showed it.

A lot of our mediocre players have now declined a little more too. And the injury prone players have became crippled almost.

We need system and discipline .. will the new delegation system provide that…? Or will it just average everything into bland, vanilla professionalism. That won’t be enough. It’s a start, but not enough