How good was....Terry Wallace? And why the nickname "Plough"?

[Twodogs]

You are getting old, the mind is slipping

Certainly is. I'm older than Scott Morrison.

[Axe Man]

AFL coach Terry Wallace's 'bloody brutal' match report exposed by ex-player

Former AFL coach Terry Wallace couldn’t help but laugh after reading a ‘bloody brutal’ match report for the first time since 1994.

Paul Satterley uploaded the assessment of his reserves performance to Twitter on Thursday.

“How good is this old match report from my favourite coach @thelistmanager (Terry Wallace),” Satterley wrote.

“Always good for a chuckle. Accountability was never my strong point.”

Wallace’s report detailed Satterley’s efforts as a forward pocket in the Bulldogs reserve team’s 50-point loss to Carlton in May 1994.

Footscray went on to win the reserves premiership that season - a 20-point win over North Melbourne after finishing third on the ladder.

But the Blues win’ was the Dogs’ third heavy loss in a row after a 61-point thrashing by Hawthorn and 56-point loss to the Kangaroos, and Wallace had evidently had enough.

“Five kicks in the first quarter and then only seven for the match is an indication of your recent performances,” Wallace wrote 26 years ago.

“Your lack of accountability for your opponent (Gleeson) early was disgraceful. One thing I’ll give you at least you kept trying. 8 tackles was good.”

Revisiting the evaluation on Thursday night, Wallace - who was then in the early stages of his coaching career after retiring as a player three years earlier - couldn’t believe his eyes.

“Bloody brutal. I needed a filter,” he wrote.

“I will wear that report as harsh.”

Wallace revealed Satterley isn’t the only retired player to bring up the past recently.

“I actually had an ex player in the very early hours last week text me and ask me to review a game from 20 years ago when he was dropped,” he said.

“I think it’s probably time to get over it & move on.”

But Satterley, who moved on to the VFA (soon to become the VFL) in 1995 and won the best and fairest award, joked that Wallace’s words weren’t that bad.

“Haha, all good... only need monthly counselling these days,” he said.

Wallace described the future VFL senior coach and AFL assistant coach as a “class act”.

“Saw Satts coach first hand & he was much more level than me,” Wallace said.

“By the way Satts played a key role in a Reserves Premiership with me.”

[Mofra]

I do have a lot of time for Wallace.

[azabob]

How far has journalism fallen when articles are lifted purely off twitter?

[Ozza]

He certainly had a 'me first' approach as a player which wasn't as noticeable across the playing group then like it is now
He left Hawthorn because they played him as a HBF in a final which sort of confirms he liked things on his terms.
I can remember him wearing spurs attached to his boots around the club and he purchased a sun bed to maintain the tan
Left Richmond after one season because Maurice Rioli was going to be the prime midfielder
Very imaged focused

As a footballer though he was a great midfielder albeit with limited kicking skills. Hard working, a bit slow and tireless hence the Plough nickname. He knew his limitations and played within them

Innovative coach who challenged the status quo. Loved recruiting players with pace and kicking skills which ironically he didn't poses those qualities as a footballer.

He played a leading role in the demise of Alan Joyce rallying the players and I'd like him to fess up on his departure from us regarding the Sydney job. He seems determined not to spill the beans on that

I talked to him at the East meets West function three or four years ago and he's always up for a talk

G, I'm a bit confused by the line about Rioli. Wallace was at Richmond in 1987 - which was Rioli's final season. Its before my time of being able remember (I was 4 years old) - so am interested in what happened there.

I was pretty young so don't remember heaps about Plough the player, but I do remember Dad telling me one day at the Western Oval that I should watch Plough and how he reads the game.
I remember him being a ball magnet, and I also remember Rod Grinter (cowardly) rearranging his face.

Loved him as a coach, and will always be thankful that he made us competitive again. He was innovative and gave us a real edge for a while there, and over time the other coaches caught up.

[GVGjr]

G, I'm a bit confused by the line about Rioli. Wallace was at Richmond in 1987 - which was Rioli's final season. Its before my time of being able remember (I was 4 years old) - so am interested in what happened there.

I was pretty young so don't remember heaps about Plough the player, but I do remember Dad telling me one day at the Western Oval that I should watch Plough and how he reads the game.
I remember him being a ball magnet, and I also remember Rod Grinter (cowardly) rearranging his face.

Loved him as a coach, and will always be thankful that he made us competitive again. He was innovative and gave us a real edge for a while there, and over time the other coaches caught up.

I think I must has misread things, he left Hawthorn because was squeezed out of the middle, with Richmond it was an injury and something else and for whatever reason I thought it was Rioli

[HOSE B ROMERO]

Love him as a player, coach and pundit.
Played in the centre in outstanding Hawthorn teams. A lot of players who have tasted glory go to a new team and go through the motions. Not Terry. Two best and fairests and was just ferocious at the ball. Mind you the wearing of the bulldogs headband in his final season ushered in the end of his career. Not a great fashion statement.
Reserves coach, assistant coach and then the top job. Innovative. Warm up before the game outside of Optus oval. I even remember a night game at the MCG in 97 when we had a forward line where Rohan Smith as the tallest forward. (Smith, Johnson, Brown, Kolyniuk, Hudson & Montgomery).
He probably spent about 16 years at the club.

[Bulldog Revolution]

I have a lot of respect for Terry Wallace - he was an incredibly driven person, it didnt end well in his time with us (things never end well), but he was a huge force in improving the club, and shaped a generation of bulldogs who still contribute to the club and shape what we do now.

He recognised his limitations in speed and worked hard to get himself super fit and strong - in a lot of ways he was ahead of his time. Sure he was a bit vain, liked his fashion, liked his tanning, but hey, he worked hard and absolutely gave it his best.

He fell out with Jeans - perhaps saw he was going to be pushed into roles he didn't want to be, and so butted heads with Jeans and left. In some ways he was always a trailblazer foreseeing the lack of real loyalty in footy. And it was the same way when he negotiated his exit from the dogs as coach. I dont love him for that, but I also dont begrudge him from understanding where it was heading - truth be told, we probably needed a change, and Cam Rose wasnt exactly a great CEO IMO.

I don't really know what happened when he went to Richmond, but he was a guy who was committed to being the best footballer he could be - and yes he individually wanted to be the best player he could be, but he was a very committed team player. I wouldn't have described his style of play as selfish at all.

As a coach is remains one of the great modern bulldog tragedies that we did not win that 1997 prelim and then grand final - so that his coaching would have been utterly vindicated. He was so far ahead of his time in 1997 and gave us every chance - we just couldnt quite nail it over his time. And even when he did controversial things like trading Brett Montgomery and Stephen Powell we did reap Hahn, Hargrave, Eagleton and others from those deals.

Plough was an excellent coach - it didnt work out quite as well at Richmond and he may have lost his way at the end there, but hes still going in the media - hes a survivor, an innovator, and I bet he does more pre-work than your average ex coach/player media member.

[Bulldog Joe]

.... In some ways he was always a trailblazer foreseeing the lack of real loyalty in footy. And it was the same way when he negotiated his exit from the dogs as coach. I dont love him for that, but I also dont begrudge him from understanding where it was heading - truth be told, we probably needed a change, and Cam Rose wasnt exactly a great CEO IMO.

Plough was great for the club, but did leave as in the lurch when he departed.

However, I can't let a shot at Cam Rose pass without comment. I know it is just opinion and everyone is entitled to their opinion

To my mind, Rose really didn't understand football, but as a CEO he probably saved the club and put us on a sustainable commercial footing that, our current stable financial position was built on.

[GVGjr]

Plough was great for the club, but did leave as in the lurch when he departed.

However, I can't let a shot at Cam Rose pass without comment. I know it is just opinion and everyone is entitled to their opinion

To my mind, Rose really didn't understand football, but as a CEO he probably saved the club and put us on a sustainable commercial footing that, our current stable financial position was built on.

Wallace was the innovator who challenged the status quo on how clubs and players should approach football
Training prior to Xmas was with a football as well and getting onto the ground before the start of play are just two examples of how Plough challenged the way things were done
The likes of Wynd were no longer wrapped up in cotton wool before the start of the season, get fit or stand aside was his approach
The approach he took to the flood against Essendon was innovative in it's day. Changed gears perfectly.

But as you have highlighted he did leave us in the lurch and in my opinion he was very self focused

Re Campbell Rose, I believe we are still a club today because of his efforts but I also agree with BR that he wasn't a good CEO
I can recall talking to him and thinking he would be impossible to work for but a lot of the WO development were because of his fine work.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Plough was great for the club, but did leave as in the lurch when he departed.

However, I can't let a shot at Cam Rose pass without comment. I know it is just opinion and everyone is entitled to their opinion

To my mind, Rose really didn't understand football, but as a CEO he probably saved the club and put us on a sustainable commercial footing that, our current stable financial position was built on.

I can accept that Bulldog Joe - it was perhaps too much of a throw away line. In truth his legacy is mixed - he had some great ideas, and absolutely made some good contributions, but he didnt start off knowing much about footy, and I think the mix of Plough with Rose wasnt a good mix. If anything Plough probably sensed he'd be asked to take a pay cut, and Plough has always known that your time in footy is finite, wouldn't have ideally wanted to.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Wallace was the innovator who challenged the status quo on how clubs and players should approach football
Training prior to Xmas was with a football as well and getting onto the ground before the start of play are just two examples of how Plough challenged the way things were done
The likes of Wynd were no longer wrapped up in cotton wool before the start of the season, get fit or stand aside was his approach
The approach he took to the flood against Essendon was innovative in it's day. Changed gears perfectly.

But as you have highlighted he did leave us in the lurch and in my opinion he was very self focused

Re Campbell Rose, I believe we are still a club today because of his efforts but I also agree with BR that he wasn't a good CEO
I can recall talking to him and thinking he would be impossible to work for but a lot of the WO development were because of his fine work.

I think thats reasonable thoughts on Plough - and Ive tried to capture the mixed legacy of Rose is my response to Bulldog Joe also

Plough was an amazing innovator - he'd worked at Foxtel and paid attention to world sports - we did the on the ground warm ups, we were media friendly and accessible, he wanted us playing by and large an attractive game. He got buy in from the players, brought in assistant coaches to extend and challenge him, who had CVs from elsewhere, and got our players much fitter and much more professional than we'd ever been. He opened the club up to supporters with open trainings and pre season sessions that were a great spectacle. He mostly forged good relationships with players and created a generation of club champions - West, Grant, Smith, Johnson, Darcy etc and extracted great contributions from Libba, Wynd, Jose, Dimma, Brown, Kretiuk, Croft, Hudson, Ellis and so many others.

Terry was always someone who knew that most of the time footy clubs decide when somebodies times up, and he wanted to keep coaching and probably feared pay cuts and being told by Rose his time was up. So in this regard Terry might be seen as a mercenary but actually I think he was just closer to a realist, and just understood the realities of footy life better than most, and always made sure to look out for Terry. The period that Terry coached was one of the most exciting Bulldog periods of my life and Im grateful for the contribution he did make. He's not a saint but we should be proud of what he did do.

The re-development of the WO has been visionary - and I cant wait to be back their physically watching a AFLW or VFL game - please world return to normal.

[bornadog]

we probably needed a change, and Cam Rose wasn't exactly a great CEO IMO.

Let me shed a different light.

However, I can't let a shot at Cam Rose pass without comment. I know it is just opinion and everyone is entitled to their opinion

To my mind, Rose really didn't understand football, but as a CEO he probably saved the club and put us on a sustainable commercial footing that, our current stable financial position was built on.

Correct

Re Campbell Rose, I believe we are still a club today because of his efforts but I also agree with BR that he wasn't a good CEO
I can recall talking to him and thinking he would be impossible to work for but a lot of the WO development were because of his fine work.

When Campbell came to the club, he found the finances in a mess and at the brink of folding. Gordon had tried to do as much as possible in the preceding years to keep the club afloat, but just didn't have the connections to try and get financial backing that was needed. It was time for a change.

Rose was not a popular CEO when he was appointed by Smorgo and knew he had to make some very unpopular decisions. The first thing he did was asked everyone to taken a pay cut, and Nathan Brown plus Wallace just decided they can do better elsewhere. I remember being invited to the Presidents lunch and we were sitting outside just before the third quarter and Rose came over and sat with us. We started talking about his plans and he was very impressive.

Eventually using his contacts he got things going as well as raising almost $30 million to develop the ground. I can understand from the outside he may have seemed like a person you may not like and think he can't run a club, but believe me, he is a truly professional CEO and a likeable guy when you get to know him.

I have known him for the past few years and he is a sharp operator with lots of connections and currently heads up VicTrack.

He is a bit if an unsung hero of the club and doesn't get the accolades like Smorgo or Gordon, but he did a great job to save the club.

[Remi Moses]

I’ve softened on Plough over the years
He was a courageous and excellent player
That gutless hit from Grinter and to play the next week was stuff of legend
Good analyst as well, and to be honest he craps on most of them .
Jonathon Brown I think is the worst

[Remi Moses]

Plough was great for the club, but did leave as in the lurch when he departed.

However, I can't let a shot at Cam Rose pass without comment. I know it is just opinion and everyone is entitled to their opinion

To my mind, Rose really didn't understand football, but as a CEO he probably saved the club and put us on a sustainable commercial footing that, our current stable financial position was built on.

It was a poisoned chalice at the time, but he effectively saved the club
To get that ground development was probably a miracle
I think Howard may have thought it was a swing seat instead of a labor stronghold
He wasn’t a footy person which he conceded and would have been hard to work for