Sharp Axes

[SonofScray]

It's not 5 weeks too early. It's either 2 years, or 6 years too late.

[Rocco Jones]

It's not 5 weeks too early. It's either 2 years, or 6 years too late.

Sacking him now and not sacking him there can both be errors. I think he should have been gone at the end of last season.

In terms of whether or not to sack him ASAP if we keep struggling, I think it's layered.

Firstly, is it becoming increasingly toxic? If they players have lost faith and basically don't want to play for him, he has to go ASAP.

If it's basically at the same level it's been at for awhile, then what are the options for our caretaker. Overseas you'd be able to do next coach process whenever, here we are a lot more rigid. Like with player movement. If we were able to interview assistants, whoever we thought was a suitable candidate etc, sure sack him. But if it's a choice of one of your assistants it can become difficult and making a bad problem worse.

I'll call out mjp here if he wants to respond but if I were an assistant, I'm not sure I'd want the caretaker job. It can leave an awkward situation if they are aspirational and don't get the job. We'd want a coach who cares more about our future than their own (totally understandable if they were that way inclined).

Like with a lot of things it's not just identifying the problem, it's pretty clear but how we go about the solution. Smashing is easy, building is hard.

[Sedat]

Sacking him now and not sacking him there can both be errors. I think he should have been gone at the end of last season.

In terms of whether or not to sack him ASAP if we keep struggling, I think it's layered.

Firstly, is it becoming increasingly toxic? If they players have lost faith and basically don't want to play for him, he has to go ASAP.

If it's basically at the same level it's been at for awhile, then what are the options for our caretaker. Overseas you'd be able to do next coach process whenever, here we are a lot more rigid. Like with player movement. If we were able to interview assistants, whoever we thought was a suitable candidate etc, sure sack him. But if it's a choice of one of your assistants it can become difficult and making a bad problem worse.

I'll call out mjp here if he wants to respond but if I were an assistant, I'm not sure I'd want the caretaker job. It can leave an awkward situation if they are aspirational and don't get the job. We'd want a coach who cares more about our future than their own (totally understandable if they were that way inclined).

Like with a lot of things it's not just identifying the problem, it's pretty clear but how we go about the solution. Smashing is easy, building is hard.

I would want a bigger sample size of people than Caro, Kane-o and Damo before determining if the playing group is toxic.

It doesn't look like the players en masse have had a gutful of the senior coach (yet). It looks like an inconsistent team trying to change methodology in the way we play with mixed results across the first 5 weeks of implementation. Just in the last 2-3 seasons, all of Carlton, Sydney, Geelong, Collingwood and GWS have fundamentally changed their game plan/playing personnel with varying degrees of teething problems/success.

I would love us to have a bankable strong D50 intercept game, scores from turnover game and fast ball movement game. I really don't want to see the "hack kick clearance because we have an extra at the stoppage and then get torched on the turnover" game plan ever again.

[Rocco Jones]

I would want a bigger sample size of people than Caro, Kane-o and Damo before determining if the playing group is toxic.

I've said this a bit. Bevo and AFL media are like Murdoch Press and leader of ALP/Democrats/Labor et al. Leaders/Bevo can need no help to look awful but the media will smash them whatever they do.

The trio mentioned not only hate Bevo but they have a lot of pull with AFL media. Well it's a real boy's club (Caro Thatcher like I guess) and they stick together.

Their narrative for Bevo he has a dynasty list and should have won 2-3 flags. They are setting him up to fail and overrating our list a big part of that. That said, I also think Bevo is cooked but he can be both cooked + have his rep unfairly eroded by media.

The narrative for Sam 'Football Genius (according to Kane)' Mitchell is that he is basically coaching a school footy side and getting more wins than North or Eagles is a huge accomplishment.

I agree the players do not look like they are completely over him.

[jeemak]

There's also another element at play, in that the more the likes of Corns, Wilson and Barrett are ripping into us and that consuming the airwaves, the less talk there is of concussion, homophobia, gambling saturation and drug abuse in the game.

Matthew Lloyd honestly said we're the biggest story in the AFL right now. Think about that for a moment. A middling team is middling, and it's the biggest story in the game versus those things.

2016 and 2021 are the outliers, finishing just inside the eight or just missing is the trend, but people carry on as if we should be making top four every year. It's busted up.

[Sedat]

There's also another element at play, in that the more the likes of Corns, Wilson and Barrett are ripping into us and that consuming the airwaves, the less talk there is of concussion, homophobia, gambling saturation and drug abuse in the game.

Matthew Lloyd honestly said we're the biggest story in the AFL right now. Think about that for a moment. A middling team is middling, and it's the biggest story in the game versus those things.

2016 and 2021 are the outliers, finishing just inside the eight or just missing is the trend, but people carry on as if we should be making top four every year. It's busted up.

Agree with all of this, but to be fair we ourselves put on the table top 4 and a sustained period of contending after our finals loss in 2020. That was tracking along perfectly until the 20 minute mark of the 3rd qtr of the 2021 GF. We are being hoisted by our own petard at the moment.

[jeemak]

Agree with all of this, but to be fair we ourselves put on the table top 4 and a sustained period of contending after our finals loss in 2020. That was tracking along perfectly until the 20 minute mark of the 3rd qtr of the 2021 GF. We are being hoisted by our own petard at the moment.

I appreciate that view, but you're damned if you do and damned if you don't in clubland, and coming out after the 2023 finals exit and saying that we don't think challenging for top four was realistic would have created even louder howls than we're hearing today.

[GVGjr]

It's not 5 weeks too early. It's either 2 years, or 6 years too late.

Well if we were to have considered that move seriously then surely we could have done so when there was some passionate discussions between Grant and Beverdige back in August and September last year or perhaps in October after the finals were completed.
April seems a a strange time to force a change through.

I go back to when Paul Roos took over for Eade early in the season. Sydney had Wallace in their sights and thought Roos was just going to run down the clock for the season. Instead he got them competitive, worked the sponsors and drummed up significant support amongst the supporters, media and sponsors and not forgetting that the players embraced him.
Now if we handed the keys to either Egan or Lade too early there could be a real problem for finding the right replacement if Egan or Lade were to string 5 or 6 wins late in the season and get us into the finals.
If push comes to shove the later we make the change the better chance we have of getting the right replacement.

[macca]

This all sack the coach and team division is a whole media beatup. I dont believe it for a minute what they are trying to sell. Its just to gain more click bait and air time. Caro, do a story on how bad richmond was last week? Why doesn't Mitchell get more scrutiny ? The hawks are going to finish bottom 4 again this year.

The list needs to be played, so thats what is happening with varied results. We know there are gaps in the list.

Centre: English gets mauled by good stoppage ruckman. If Libba and Bonts gets beaten, we lose the clearances . So the MC need to fix this

FWD: our leading patterns suck, and we still suffer from bomb it into our forward line game style. Our goal kick lets us down when it matters. The players need to practice goal kicking under fatigue. Our positioning at the drop of the ball is non-existent ( in the essendon game I noticed)

The 2 way running disappers when we are under pressure from the midfield.

Backs: We are clearly lacking a 2nd tall backman. Buku does not have the strength to out body stronger opponents. Invest games into hime now. to build his game experience and develop his strength. Not sure if we try to look for a Jackson Paine type player in the midseason draft. Our kicking out of defense has created some terrible clangers this year, which they need to fix. Bailey Dale out of form does not help. Maybe opposition teams have worked him out ?

The game plan has changed and in 2 games the players have responded extremely poorly ( Melb and Essendon), it was really poor effort. The Geelong game, if we were disciplined and polished as a team, we could have won it.

I reckon the Coaches know where things are going wrong. The talent or lack of talent on our list has not allowed us to executed consistently under pressure. We have players who are not natural footballers but they are on our list. So when the pressure comes up to execute, they just not up to it . VDM last week , on 45 degree angle 35-40 m out , fails to kick a goal. At other end , it was jones or Langford, nails the same shot! VDM gets to the right places, its his lack of polish that fails to deliver. He does not kick enough goals for a fwd.

I am in the keep the coach camp.

[macca]

I've often wondered who our 'scrappers' are. They guys who are barely talented enough to play football but do everything in their power to make it. The guys who were overlooked for years before getting their chance. The guy who puts his teammate on notice if they cut any corners.
The Matthew Boyd playing Frankston 2nds as a 19 year old. The Liam Picken freezing his arse off in the middle of winter at Williamstown.
The 22 year old Tory Dickson running around Noble Park. Tim Callan in the same boat for mine - delisted by Geelong, never made a rep squad as a junior, etc

Harvey G was overlooked in his draft year and I like that selection, but who else by their mere presence sharpens up the guys who came through the regular pathway?

Great cal out Aexman on HarveyG. I think we have found a player here.

[azabob]

Ok spill….
Kane Cornes has written an article for the age with the headline

Bevo must go and Montgomery should replace him…

GG can you do your link magic so we can view?

[angelopetraglia]

Currently mobile but will post when I?m in front of a computer.

Half the article is about Monty. He has been called out for not mentioning that Monty is his Premiership teammate.

Basically it?s, sack Bevo and get Monty because he so good at all these things (very long list(.

[SonofScray]

Well if we were to have considered that move seriously then surely we could have done so when there was some passionate discussions between Grant and Beverdige back in August and September last year or perhaps in October after the finals were completed.
April seems a a strange time to force a change through.

I go back to when Paul Roos took over for Eade early in the season. Sydney had Wallace in their sights and thought Roos was just going to run down the clock for the season. Instead he got them competitive, worked the sponsors and drummed up significant support amongst the supporters, media and sponsors and not forgetting that the players embraced him.
Now if we handed the keys to either Egan or Lade too early there could be a real problem for finding the right replacement if Egan or Lade were to string 5 or 6 wins late in the season and get us into the finals.
If push comes to shove the later we make the change the better chance we have of getting the right replacement.

I think that's a fair summary of how things can go amiss and why April would be a weird time to make the call.

I reject pretty much everything else I've seen and heard so far from the "it's too early" crowd though. If you aren't taking forward steps, you are going backwards. We can't wait for, or expect a guaranteed optimal outcome to emerge before engaging in the process. If the processes are correct and enough folk pull the same way, you make it work. We all have to live with some uncertainty at work from time to time.

[jeemak]

This is the Corns article:

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/...18-p5fkqt.html

Why Beveridge has to go – and the man who should replace him

The Dogs are barking, but not in a way that gives their premiership coach, Luke Beveridge, any comfort. And they might soon bite him, ending the unease and confusion that currently defines the Western Bulldogs.

Pressure is building on Beveridge, and despite public denials from both the club and coach, it is clear that the relationship is strained and change is needed.

After joining the Bulldogs in 2014 and orchestrating a memorable premiership in 2016 with a resilient, injury-plagued squad, Beveridge has enjoyed a grand honeymoon while securing his legacy as a club legend.

The seven-year itch was evident last season when the Bulldogs failed to qualify for the finals. Now Beveridge and the club seem at odds on what should be achieved this season. The club rightly believes it should be contending for a premiership. The coach appears to have a different belief, although Beveridge’s confused post-match address last Friday night makes it difficult to read his intentions.

Last year’s disappointing finish led to a surprise Peter Jackson-led external review and significant changes within the football department.

The newly arrived Matt Egan was promoted to a new role as general manager of football operations, reporting to Chris Grant, whose focus shifted to strategy and innovation.

Beveridge survived, probably due to the club extending his contract in 2022.

This season has begun in disappointing fashion. The Bulldogs are clearly underperforming, with a 2-3 record that has them in 11th place ahead of Thursday night’s clash with St Kilda.

Defensive woes persist, reflecting Beveridge’s apparent disregard for this critical aspect of the game. Since their premiership triumph in 2016, the Bulldogs have consistently ranked poorly in the key defensive markers. This season, they rank 14th of 18 in defending the opposition’s ball movement out of their forward line.

In last Friday’s match against Essendon, the Bulldogs conceded a troubling 43 points from Essendon’s defensive half. The Bombers piled on 10 of the last 11 goals to secure a convincing 29-point victory.

Since 2021, only West Coast, North Melbourne and Hawthorn have been worse at stopping the opposition’s momentum.

The attention on Beveridge’s unusual selection moves should not overshadow the fundamental issue that has persisted throughout his coaching tenure. It appears that Beveridge either undervalues the importance of defensive aspects in the game or lacks the ability to effectively coach and implement sound defensive strategies. This critical deficiency has been a consistent and concerning theme.

Despite having the 2023 All-Australian ruckman, Tim English, and two of the game’s best clearance players in Marcus Bontempelli and Tom Liberatore, Essendon’s young midfield outscored the Bulldogs by 16 points from stoppages.

It’s becoming increasingly clear that Beveridge’s coaching methods have fallen behind the league’s best. This was evident in the loss to Geelong in round four when Beveridge was again out-coached by Chris Scott. Scott has won seven of his past eight match-ups against Beveridge.

Beyond strategy and tactics, a growing concern surrounds Beveridge’s treatment of certain players within the club, including triple All-Australian Jack Macrae, All-Australian half-backs Bailey Dale and Caleb Daniel and impressive first-year player Ryley Sanders.

The damage to these players’ reputations raises concerns about player management and the coach’s capacity to maximise each player’s strengths.

In Beveridge’s post-game media conference on Friday night, he spoke of the team needing to endure some pain to evolve. He clearly doubts the quality of the list. On Tuesday, Beveridge dismissed the idea of a rift with players as “total fiction” and described rebuilds as a myth.

Most clubs would wish for the amount of talent and top-end draft picks the Bulldogs have been fortunate to bring to their club.

As with Adam Kingsley at GWS and Craig McRae at Collingwood, a new coach with infectious energy, clear messaging, and a well-rounded, strategic game plan would have instant success with this squad. It is good enough to compete with the top-four sides.

If Beveridge falls, the vacancy will be the best coaching opportunity in a long time. GWS assistant coach and former Western Bulldogs player Brett Montgomery should fill it.

When Kingsley was asked on Monday whether his assistant and premiership teammate Montgomery was ready to be a senior coach, the answer was emphatic. “Yeah, he certainly is, he’s been terrific for our group. He’s coaching our backs and our defence, and he’s had significant influence, not only on those guys but also on the building. Staff, players, he’s doing a great job for us and I think he’s certainly ready to be a senior coach in my eyes,” Kingsley said on SEN.

In direct contrast to the Bulldogs’ game plan, Montgomery has implemented a sophisticated defensive system that often bamboozles the opposition. It relies heavily on its high forwards guarding the corridor and forcing the opposition slow and wide. The team’s ability to score off turnover is elite.

Those at the Giants attest that Montgomery’s strongest attribute is his teaching ability. His approach involves and empowers players during meetings, keeping them highly engaged by allowing them to drive large parts of the discussion when assessing game footage. Montgomery deeply understands the game plan and creates unwavering confidence in its execution.

On retirement as a player, Montgomery transitioned to coaching by joining Carlton as an assistant. He later became Beveridge’s trusted deputy at the Bulldogs from 2014 to 2016. However, Montgomery’s tenure ended under unusual circumstances just before the finals in 2016.

At the end of the 2018 season, Montgomery was offered an assistant coaching role at Port Adelaide. Across four seasons, he was in charge of various portfolios, including the back line, team defence and midfield.

Montgomery left Port Adelaide at the end of 2022 and was immediately hired by the Giants.

Port Adelaide were deeply impressed by Montgomery’s tactical acumen but his abrasive communication style strained some relationships within the club. Known for setting high standards and maintaining a strong belief in his game philosophy, Montgomery was not shy about pushing back against dissenting opinions during his tenure at the Power.

Having served nearly 20 years as an assistant coach, Montgomery’s aspirations of becoming a senior coach would have become increasingly apparent and difficult to conceal.

It is as clear as the Dogs’ need for change.

[jeemak]

This mistreatment of players line of criticism is the most baffling to me. It's almost as if Corns believes reputations are all that matters and that performances don't.

Probably something he may have benefitted from at times during his career, so I understand it on that level. The hyperbole about Sanders treatment is beyond a joke.

And I'm sick of hearing about how many stars we have, without any understanding of the nuances of putting together a balanced team to take the field and the dearth of highly competent personnel in key areas like intercepting defenders and wings. It's so cheap and transparent.

Someone will end up clipping him one day. He'll find out the hard way that riling up people so much over time and so directly isn't a great long term strategy for keeping a face in tact.