New head coach

[GVGjr]

Alright, let me pose this question to everybody then.

Assistant Coaches, who would everybody replace?

I'd be getting rid of King, Smith and Hansen and if we were going to go full cut, probably getting rid of Chris Grant and promoting Sam Power to Head of Football.

I'd be looking at Teague, MBoyd and if we could somehow get Mont back from PAFL, to replace the out-going three.

Complete clean out of assistant coaches should 100% be on the cards for our offseason, although, who knows what their contracts look like.

I can't see us making any changes and Aza has pointed out all our guys are contracted but I do think ideally we should make one change and the 3 you have suggested are great options.

[mjp]

...probably getting rid of Chris Grant and promoting Sam Power to Head of Football.

I love Sam Power as well.

But.

If the ruck is an issue - and our response was to get Stef Martin who was average and injury prone last year and has been equally injury prone this year (and don't tell me this is Monday morning q-backing, I pointed it out when we were recruiting him) - and the list is Sam's responsibility, then...

I just don't understand why Bevo is under such heavy scrutiny - a lot of it around the ruck - when we really don't have one on our list who could help us right now...yet we are saying Sam P should be promoted...

I don't get it.

On the assistant coaches question, how would we even know if they are doing a good job or not? 3 weeks ago we were on top so I'm going to say they have been pretty good...

Again - I don't understand all of the angst (and I know I'm in the minority) but are we seriously proposing sacking a premiership coach who has us playing finals for the 3rd year in a row whilst also having used the second highest number of players of any side in the comp?

I get that he can be frustrating and I get that the seeming team selection bingo game gets frustrating but he puts runs on the board.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I suppose it’s just the glass half full vs empty view. I mean some look at our midfield and talent on the list and think we should be accomplishing more. Making finals 3 yrs in a row is great but we just scraped into them the last two years and were meekly pushed aside in the first week in both. Now we’ve been top 2 all year and have blown a double chance in 3 games of footy. If we’re dumped in week 1 again, is that really a success?

Bevo hasn’t rated the ruck for years so we’re behind the 8 ball with getting one due to that.

[Grantysghost]

I'm a Bevo backer as stated above.

But I guess I look at the Lions who I think we probably match or have a superior list to.

Fagan has made top 4 three years running from 15th in 2018.

Second, Second, fourth.

I reckon our list is capable of similar. Agree injuries have been a constant issue but the ruck blind spot has been there since 2017 and it's not been addressed.

I'm sure the head coach has a say in recruiting?

I'll keep my powder dry until after the Essendon game but I'm starting to have some doubts creep in that weren't there before.

[jeemak]

See I don't know how you can look at the Lions and suggest they're not working with a more balanced list, with probably just as much established talent.

Am I overrating them?

[Rocco Jones]

I love Sam Power as well.

But.

If the ruck is an issue - and our response was to get Stef Martin who was average and injury prone last year and has been equally injury prone this year (and don't tell me this is Monday morning q-backing, I pointed it out when we were recruiting him) - and the list is Sam's responsibility, then...

I just don't understand why Bevo is under such heavy scrutiny - a lot of it around the ruck - when we really don't have one on our list who could help us right now...yet we are saying Sam P should be promoted...

I don't get it.

On the assistant coaches question, how would we even know if they are doing a good job or not? 3 weeks ago we were on top so I'm going to say they have been pretty good...

Again - I don't understand all of the angst (and I know I'm in the minority) but are we seriously proposing sacking a premiership coach who has us playing finals for the 3rd year in a row whilst also having used the second highest number of players of any side in the comp?

I get that he can be frustrating and I get that the seeming team selection bingo game gets frustrating but he puts runs on the board.

Very well put.

Not saying Bevo is faultless, I have my issues with him but let's look at a quick(-ish) year by year analysis.

2015- a huge tick. It's kind of forgotten compared to 2016 but what a job? We have had our bleak moments as a club, but Blackobter 2015 was bleak even by our standards. To turn that around, make the finals and more than that, inject real hope, massive.

2016- second flag in club history. First one for 62 years. Pretty big tick.

2017- very disappointing. Definitely failed big time. As bad as 2015 was good? More or less for mine.

2018- another disappointing one. Not as bad as 2017 but a failed season despite promising form later in the season.

2019- finals, first round exit. I think positive overall to get back into finals. Wasn't over the moon with the season, the performance in the final sucked. But overall more good than bad.

2020- first covid season. Hard to be too tough anyway but we made the finals. Kinda bang on expectations.

2021- we finish highest in Bevo's tenure but end regular season as poorly as you can really. Overall when looking at expectations at start of year, I think week 1 finals exist is first layer of failure. Winning one final about benchmark.

Imagine saying in October 2014, we'd hire a guy. Make finals, then win flag, miss finals for 2 years, then make finals 3 years in a row and a large portion of fans want our coach gone. I know it's not as simple as that and I am not attacking people for being frustrated or even just wanting him gone but wow. Amazing how things can change.

[Grantysghost]

See I don't know how you can look at the Lions and suggest they're not working with a more balanced list, with probably just as much established talent.

Am I overrating them?

Maybe I'm over rating us. Balance maybe, mids probably equal or we are in front, same with forwards. They've got us in defence and I think we've got them in overall depth.

Without really looking!

[Grantysghost]

Very well put.

Not saying Bevo is faultless, I have my issues with him but let's look at a quick(-ish) year by year analysis.

2015- a huge tick. It's kind of forgotten compared to 2016 but what a job? We have had our bleak moments as a club, but Blackobter 2015 was bleak even by our standards. To turn that around, make the finals and more than that, inject real hope, massive.

2016- second flag in club history. First one for 62 years. Pretty big tick.

2017- very disappointing. Definitely failed big time. As bad as 2015 was good? More or less for mine.

2018- another disappointing one. Not as bad as 2017 but a failed season despite promising form later in the season.

2019- finals, first round exit. I think positive overall to get back into finals. Wasn't over the moon with the season, the performance in the final sucked. But overall more good than bad.

2020- first covid season. Hard to be too tough anyway but we made the finals. Kinda bang on expectations.

2021- we finish highest in Bevo's tenure but end regular season as poorly as you can really. Overall when looking at expectations at start of year, I think week 1 finals exist is first layer of failure. Winning one final about benchmark.

Imagine saying in October 2014, we'd hire a guy. Make finals, then win flag, miss finals for 2 years, then make finals 3 years in a row and a large portion of fans want our coach gone. I know it's not as simple as that and I am not attacking people for being frustrated or even just wanting him gone but wow. Amazing how things can change.

I guess for me it's nice to make finals and that's a great summary.

But the aim is to win finals right? Should we be judging everything against our historical performances or the expectation of the now? Of this team?

I'd have 2020 as a fail personally. After the ignominy of our 2019 exit I expected to beat the Saints after we talked big about how we d learnt. Yes covid agree made it tough.

I'm in between most posters I think (somebody join me!) where I don't think it's dire but I feel we should be doing better with our list profile.

Agree with you we beat the Dons and it's a pass / minimum expectation for me.

[SonofScray]

2015- a huge tick. It's kind of forgotten compared to 2016 but what a job? We have had our bleak moments as a club, but Blackobter 2015 was bleak even by our standards. To turn that around, make the finals and more than that, inject real hope, massive.

2016- second flag in club history. First one for 62 years. Pretty big tick.

2017- very disappointing. Definitely failed big time. As bad as 2015 was good? More or less for mine.

2018- another disappointing one. Not as bad as 2017 but a failed season despite promising form later in the season.

2019- finals, first round exit. I think positive overall to get back into finals. Wasn't over the moon with the season, the performance in the final sucked. But overall more good than bad.

2020- first covid season. Hard to be too tough anyway but we made the finals. Kinda bang on expectations.

2021- we finish highest in Bevo's tenure but end regular season as poorly as you can really. Overall when looking at expectations at start of year, I think week 1 finals exist is first layer of failure. Winning one final about benchmark.

.

Eagle
Hole in One
Mulligan
5 over
Double Bogey
Bogey
Bogey^ (projected)

[MrMahatma]

Maybe I'm over rating us. Balance maybe, mids probably equal or we are in front, same with forwards. They've got us in defence and I think we've got them in overall depth.

Without really looking!

I think Lions have more balance and have us in defence.

That said… you think watching us kick for goal is frustrating? The Lions make us look like a team of Tory Dicksons! They’re awful and capable of horrific conversion.

[MrMahatma]

We won 15 games this year so far…. Including beating Melb, Brisbane, Port through the season. We had horrible injuries and we’re in a slump, clearly at the wrong time of the season.

There’s no reason we can’t win the flag. We have a good, healthy list for this time of the season. Apart from Martin they should all be as fit as they’re gonna be. We need to win 4 matches, likely most of them against teams we’ve already beaten this season, and we win the flag.

I get that the last 3 weeks have been annoying… but:

1. We kick straight and we beat Ess.
2. Hawks beat us legit.
3. We lost by 2 points against Port.

The losses have stacked up but is it completely inconceivable that we’re able to find our best form again?

Bevo explained before the match that:
1. Martin wasn’t fit enough to choose on Friday. Maybe he will be after the scratch match.
2. JUH can only play reduced minutes at the moment and so wasn’t, and likely won’t, be picked in finals.
3. Shaq is in the mix (sounded likely to play) and Gardner is prob underdone too.

So, given all that, was this week’s team that crazy?

I get we want:
1. To see our players improve set shot accuracy
2. To find sense in selection (I think Bevo has been explaining a lot more of late)
3. There’s a desire for “new thinking”

But… 15 wins is good. Finals are ours.

[Grantysghost]

We won 15 games this year so far…. Including beating Melb, Brisbane, Port through the season. We had horrible injuries and we’re in a slump, clearly at the wrong time of the season.

There’s no reason we can’t win the flag. We have a good, healthy list for this time of the season. Apart from Martin they should all be as fit as they’re gonna be. We need to win 4 matches, likely most of them against teams we’ve already beaten this season, and we win the flag.

I get that the last 3 weeks have been annoying… but:

1. We kick straight and we beat Ess.
2. Hawks beat us legit.
3. We lost by 2 points against Port.

The losses have stacked up but is it completely inconceivable that we’re able to find our best form again?

Bevo explained before the match that:
1. Martin wasn’t fit enough to choose on Friday. Maybe he will be after the scratch match.
2. JUH can only play reduced minutes at the moment and so wasn’t, and likely won’t, be picked in finals.
3. Shaq is in the mix (sounded likely to play) and Gardner is prob underdone too.

So, given all that, was this week’s team that crazy?

I get we want:
1. To see our players improve set shot accuracy
2. To find sense in selection (I think Bevo has been explaining a lot more of late)
3. There’s a desire for “new thinking”

But… 15 wins is good. Finals are ours.

Great post Mr M.

[jeemak]

Good post Mr M, and also a good point about Bevo often explaining our situation but it not cutting through.

[jeemak]

Maybe I'm over rating us. Balance maybe, mids probably equal or we are in front, same with forwards. They've got us in defence and I think we've got them in overall depth.

Without really looking!

It's interesting, because I would have thought they have us for quality and balance at each end, and we have them for midfielders.

[bornadog]

It's interesting, because I would have thought they have us for quality and balance at each end, and we have them for midfielders.

They also have a decent ruckman