Will another player-led mutiny lead to Brent Montgomery becoming Western Bulldogs coach?

[BulldogBelle]

Will another player-led mutiny lead to Brent Montgomery becoming Western Bulldogs coach?

Mark Robinson
Herald Sun
October 17, 2014 9:00PM


IT’S The Year of The Dogs. The sequel.

Most of the characters have changed, except one: Peter Gordon.

He was president then and is president now.

The original was in 1996. The coach was Alan Joyce and Terry Wallace was his assistant.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/af...-1227094096910

The players weren’t happy with the coach, the players told the assistant coach, the coach resigned before the club sacked him and the assistant coach took over.

In the documentary, Gordon says after the sacking of Joyce: “The phone rang. It was (board member) Peter Welsh and he said, ‘I’ve just been on the phone to Terry Wallace, who tells me the players executive has met and if there’s a not a change of coach now, they will not be playing at the weekend’.’’

Wallace: “After that meeting, I let them know there was a vote of no confidence in the coach from the playing staff and also from the football division.’’

Wallace replaced Joyce the same day.

He has denied repeatedly that he undermined Joyce, and said it was a player-led mutiny.

I suspect current Bulldogs assistant coach Brent Montgomery would say the same about the events surrounding Brendan McCartney’s sacking/resignation — that it was the players who turned on McCartney.

Let’s not be confrontational and at least agree that Wallace and Montgomery had the ear of the players.

It’s a fraction more awkward in Montgomery’s situation, because McCartney has been told the man he promoted to senior assistant coach might not have been in his corner all the way to the end.

It also seemed that Montgomery’s tenure as assistant coach at Carlton — before he joined the Bulldogs — ended with him and Blues coach Brett Ratten not exactly seeing eye to eye, which likely played a role in Montgomery’s departure.

Montgomery is now favourite to be senior coach of the Bulldogs next year.

It’s understood the players have told Gordon they want him, which is a huge tick, but perhaps more importantly it’s understood Gordon wants him.

They have a connection. As well as being president and assistant coach, their wives own the cafe at Whitten Oval. It doesn’t mean Montgomery should not get the senior job because of it but, make no mistake, it will be in the first half dozen paragraphs on the back page if he does get it.

It depends on what the Bulldogs and also the Gold Coast Suns are looking for.

Montgomery seems logical, but the Bulldogs have to ask themselves, after all the drama in recent weeks, is a person within the ranks the right man with whom to push forward?

Gordon said on the day of McCartney’s sacking: “We lost five games by less than two goals so we’re not that far away and I think we’ll be looking for a coach who mixes the development side of things with the strategic and competitive elements.”

As well as being a whack for McCartney, you have to ask: Does that mean they need a coach with previous experience, or an experienced assistant coach?

The former doesn’t present too many options.

Already Bulldogs great Gary Dempsey has plugged for Brett Ratten. He has to be a candidate. As does Neil Craig, who is a coach first and an administrator second and has a wealth of experience

Of course, Rodney Eade can’t go back, so that leaves Mark Williams.

Williams would be an ideal senior coach with a rich football knowledge around him. That’s not to say “Choco’’ can’t coach football, but if the Bulldogs were looking for a senior figure who could set standards, work on relationships, be a type of manager/coach of the club, which would leave the absolute analysis of the game to his assistants, then Williams fits.

It could be back to the future for the AFL. At St Kilda through 2002-06, Grant Thomas worked on the players’ mental capacity and standards and his assistant Matthew Rendell worked solely on the strategy and opposition. It worked tremendously well.

Maybe the Dogs could swoop on Mark Harvey before he joins Essendon as an assistant. But maybe that horse has bolted.

The curious case of Mark Thompson could be investigated, although if “Bomber’’ wouldn’t consider Adelaide after the treatment of Brenton Sanderson, he’s hardly going to the Bulldogs after what happened to McCartney.

The wildcard is John Worsfold. He said he won’t coach, but so did Michael Voss and he’s now at Port Adelaide.

The Dogs were bold with Tom Boyd and perhaps they have to be bold with the coaching position. Why not make Worsfold an offer he can’t refuse? If they can afford to play a nine-gamer $1 million a year over seven years, then Worsfold could be tempted with similar money.

If the AFL can help pay Paul Roos’ salary at Melbourne, then surely it could tip in to land Worsfold.

If it’s a current assistant, then the usual names pop up: Scott Burns, Brendon Bolton, Peter Sumich and one growing in stature — Leigh Tudor.

Whatever happens, the Bulldogs might take solace from the 1996 version of The Year of the Dogs.

After great turmoil during and after Joyce’s sacking/resignation, the Dogs climbed from 15th in 1996 to third, third and sixth in consecutive seasons under the astute Wallace.

[chef]

He's been building to this all week. Typical Yobbo article.

[BulldogBelle]

Poor Robo he is a complete dick.

My 70 year old father hates him especially on 360.

[GVGjr]

He is actually making a Montgomery appointment that much more difficult or at the very least if it happens a controversial one.
A good number one sports journo of a major paper wouldn't be trying to create a headline by trying to bury an assistant coach.
Some of the points he raises are worthy of a discussion but he really is trying to make issues for the club.

Wouldn't a Worsfold appointment shake things up?

[azabob]

I still firmly believe certain members of the media are sticking boots in due to the way we handled the exit of Brendan McCartney. He was a well like and respected coach.

When Ryan Griffen announced he was leaving, the media was 100% behind our football club.

When we annouced Brendan McCartney was no longer the senior coach - the tone of the media towards are club turned 180.

[Throughandthrough]

Maybe if the players and the President want Monty to Coach, he actually may be the best person for the job....

[chef]

Maybe if the players and the President want Monty to Coach, he actually may be the best person for the job....

Yep.

[chef]

He is actually making a Montgomery appointment that much more difficult or at the very least if it happens a controversial one.
A good number one sports journo of a major paper wouldn't be trying to create a headline by trying to bury an assistant coach.
Some of the points he raises are worthy of a discussion but he really is trying to make issues for the club.

Wouldn't a Worsfold appointment shake things up?

He seems to be making it personal.

[Bulldog4life]

The one thing Worsfold & Williams have in common over the rest is they are both premiership coaches. I like that

[boydogs]

I liked the way the VFL side played this year, with the same cattle available to the AFL side. Maybe he doesn't have the AFL level credentials but I think Chris Maple should be considered.

John Worsfold would be a good get though

[The Doctor]

Of all the experienced coaches Choco would be my pick. I think he'd sort out any prima donnas in the change room. He certainly won't be a bland coach!

Ratten deserves close scrutiny. Did well with an ordinary Carlton team and 2 flags under Clarkson. Has to be a chance.

[Murphy'sLore]

Re Robbo: um, isn't his name Brett Montgomery?

[bornadog]

Re Robbo: um, isn't his name Brett Montgomery?

Haha, disgraceful he can't get names right.

[Greystache]

Haha, disgraceful he can't get names right.

He hasn't spelt Griffen corrector once in all the things he's written about him either. It's bizarre that such a buffoon holds what was once a reasonably prestigious position.

[GVGjr]

Does anyone get the feeling that Robbo is daring the club to select Montgomery and if they do he will go to print with the full details of "what he knows"?