Sharp Axes

[bornadog]

I have bolded answers to your points.

We need a much better plan.

Excellent. Talking Solutions is a better discussion.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Not if Bont was fit

It is hard not to rate Liberatore in similar class. Another excellent game by Libba against PA.

[Go_Dogs]

It is hard not to rate Liberatore in similar class. Another excellent game by Libba against PA.

Agree. I was thinking about where he?ll stand at the end of his career in Bulldog terms, he?s fast approaching one of our 20 greatest players and potentially a bit higher given his consistency and some of the accolades not to mention injuries overcome.




Back on the thread topic. I?m a huge Bevo supporter and believer, however I am able to see that for what we have on our list we have underachieved and should have more in the way of top 4 finishes and finals wins. 2016 cannot be erased, but we?re entering a cross roads and we have maybe 1-2 years where we can win and a fresh perspective may do us wonders. Maybe I?m overselling our list though.

If Bevo can get the increments that he feels puts us on the top rung - great, stick with him. If he can?t?

[macca]

I am going to keep my faith in Bevo
We are missing a few pieces on the chessboard:
1. A proper fwd coach who can teach our players leading pattern and not spoil each other in same pack mark . Crumbing and when to stay down and tap to in favour space . We are too Predictable leading into fwd and losing it without any fwd pressure . There is a damning stat that last 3 games oppositions has scored points : 58,60,62 against us on rebounds, yes that is 10 goals a game . Which says our delivery into 50 is poor , leading patterns none existent and fwd pressure to keep the ball is just putrid
2. Training for set shots under fatigue
3. Get a few players back from injury or just play the kids
4. Missing a big body midfield , key back man.
5. Throw out this high possession game exhausting game plan . Yes players fumble when they are exhausted

For heaven sack , Essendon are threatening to finish above us this season.

[bornadog]

Although we have a talented squad we still have issues with a solid KPD. Jones has been good but the rest are a bit iffy. Keath is not what he was, Gardner makes a lot of errors, Bruce is actually just ok but also new to the role.

As for the forward line, other than Lobb, the rest are all young and still learning their trade, plus we don't have a genuine small forward that can kick 35 t0 40 goals a year. Weightman plays like a mid size, Arty is still learning.

Some how Bevo has to cobble together a strong backline and hope the forwards can take their opportunities and kick goals. Talk of sacking Bevo is madness.

[JanLorMill]

Talk of sacking Bevo is madness.

Yes he should walk if we don?t make the 8. Given our aim was a top 4 finish, we can scrap into 8 and the make the prelim at worst otherwise the season is a failure.
If we didn?t prematurely re sign him pre season we could easily not just renewed him if things went bad. Yes he would have been under pressure but he is under pressure now. That model seems be working to well at Port.
Can you seriously see improvement next year if we miss our objectives this season and very little changes into next year?

[GVGjr]

Yes he should walk if we don’t make the 8. Given our aim was a top 4 finish, we can scrap into 8 and the make the prelim at worst otherwise the season is a failure. If didn’t stupidly re sign pre season we could easily not just renewed him. Yes he would have been under pressure but he is under pressure now.
Can you seriously see improvement next year if miss our objectives this season and very little changes into next year?

You make some good points but it's not quite as black and white as that.
The club has to make the 8 and top 4 looks a more difficult challenge now.
We also need to win at least one game in the finals. Outside of the two GF years we haven't won a final under Bevo.
And finally we need to be prepared to make some changes to the list not continue to tinker around the edges as we have done in recent years.

We are still capable of playing some brilliant football and Bevo is in my opinion the best coaching option.
I look at what Hinkley is achieving at Port at the moment and it looks like he is coaching at his best and this is after 11 years at the club.
There are some other aspects that concern me with Bevo but they're more around list management and selection integrity than his actual coaching. The challenge for the club is how they can restore a better balance in those areas and get Bevo on board with it.

Changing coaches is easy enough to do, a lot of clubs go down that road but most find getting a better result can be vastly harder to achieve.

[macca]

You make some good points but it's not quite as black and white as that.
The club has to make the 8 and top 4 looks a more difficult challenge now.
We also need to win at least one game in the finals. Outside of the two GF years we haven't won a final under Bevo.
And finally we need to be prepared to make some changes to the list not continue to tinker around the edges as we have done in recent years.

We are still capable of playing some brilliant football and Bevo is in my opinion the best coaching option.
I look at what Hinkley is achieving at Port at the moment and it looks like he is coaching at his best and this is after 11 years at the club.
There are some other aspects that concern me with Bevo but they're more around list management and selection integrity than his actual coaching. The challenge for the club is how they can restore a better balance in those areas.
Changing coaches is easy enough to do, getting a better result can be vastly harder.

Hinkley after game press conference spoke about understanding about THEIR footy , what makes their club click, their processes , player stengths and giving them the full support . He seems a man that is relieved to be getting the support and the results go his away. The players are clearly engaged and playing for each other . Its good to see glimmer of a smile on Hinkley.. in a results driven industry that has taken many scalps

I wonder how much HONEST conversations were had and ACTION to implement them ? Its evident that its working , with Port sitting in top 2 after 13 rounds , and they have beaten most of the teams in the top 8

[JanLorMill]

List management or selection integrity isn’t suddenly going to get better if nothing changes. If it produced results no one would complain. It was kind of cute when we were winning but its more than frustrating and hopeless now.
We can argue it’s importance or whether it’s a major part of a coaches role or not too. Match day is, has Bevo improved or even maintained his standards there? One example there is being out coached continually by Geelong and Scott. We sacked Wheeler just for that sort of problem.

I highly doubt we go hard at list changes given we just signed an often injured fringe player (VDM) for 2 extra years.

[1eyedog]

Bevo will step down if we don?t make finals. Have that from someone within the 4 walls.

I think that's the right call. He's had longer to develop the list chock full of top end talent and Brad Scott has just gone past him in terms of output. Essendon would kill is now if we played them at the G.

I love Bevo but I've never been closer to wanting change than this year. I no longer believe he is the man to lead us forward. We have had too many sub-par seasons and I will be forever grateful for 2016 and the compromised 2021 season but we can't keep under-achieving and limp into finals and then hope to string 2 or 3 good games together, which is essentially what has happened. It's failed and we have been eliminated week 1 more times than not.

My true belief, given the quality of the list and I do think it's a quality list, is that the players raw abilities are largely what has even gotten us into a position to play finals. As for Bevo, the game plan is sour, the selections are dumb and a lack of flexibility on game day is concerning. Thanks for 2016 Bevo but I'd like some fresh eyes on our list now. I know it's hard to break up what has been a beautiful reasonship but I feel it's time we moved on. I don't think we have anything to lose we've been limping into finals ever since 2016 and failing.

We have too many good players to keep accepting what we keep dishing up game after game. Never have we finished top 4 and that is damning.

[Topdog]

I've gone into the we need a change section of the crowd.

Feels wrong to sack Bevo but I am convinced his game style is our main problem.

Everything we do looks like such hard work and the excuses about young forwards doesnt wash with me.

Think Bevo would benefit greatly from a year away from the game.

[Critter]

I have often thought that the secret of people who we celebrate as great coaches is the quality of their support staff. Look at Richmond, where Hardwicke was struggling to the point of dismissal and along comes Leppitsch and McRae to handle the game plan and tactical stuff, leaving him to do the touchy/feely cuddly stuff. Bingo, Hardwicke becomes an instant guru. Richmond have fantastic success.

Then I think of the Dogs, and the quality, or not, of Beveridge's support staff over the years. How then would Beveridge have benefitted from A-Grade assistants? Well, you'd think. But when I think of the man himself - the well-developed ego and stubbornness displayed at press conferences and the match day bewilderment and inaction too often shown when things start going wrong - I doubt he would willingly cede control to others. Particularly, game plan and team selection. His shtick seems to be continual rearrangement of the deck chairs

So, I fear that with Bevo, what we're going to get is what we've been getting and that, regrettably, we'll look back at this period as a wasted opportunity.

[mjp]

My true belief, given the quality of the list and I do think it's a quality list,

I don't understand this continued sentiment. From Friday night:

Duryea - Near the end, replacement level defender.
Jones - 30+ year old recruit who missed 12-months of footy (vaccine).
Keath - Cricket transfer recruited from Adelaide, replacement level tall defender.
Dale - AA level running defender
Bruce - 30+ year old recruit who missed 12-months of footy (ACL) and has totally changed roles.
Vandermeer - Mid round draft pick who has been tried in multiple roles.
Scott - Mature age rookie - replacement level at best.
Bontempelli - Superstar
Williams - Mid round draft pick. Having a better career than could have been expected.
West - Father son still battling for games 4-years (or 5 years) in. Replacement level at best.
Naughton - AA Level superstar.
Treloar - AA Level superstar
Weightman - High draft pick who has delivered on that promise. Still developing.
Ugle-Hagan - High draft pick who has delivered on that promise. Still developing.
Lobb - Mature age player now at his 3rd club. He's tall. Replacement level second ruck/forward (hard role to fill)
English - 2nd tier ruck
Daniel - AA level player
Liberatore - AA level player
Smith - AA level player
Macrae - AA Level player
O'Donnell - Categorie b rookie who's been playing footy for 5 minutes.
Jones (A) - Mid round draft pick who is playing accordingly. Still developing.

There's some quality there but I think we all get carried away with the 'talent'. Richards is another AA level player and he is missing I guess...JJ has talent but has so far exceeded his career expectations it's a joke!

[1eyedog]

I have often thought that the secret of people who we celebrate as great coaches is the quality of their support staff. Look at Richmond, where Hardwicke was struggling to the point of dismissal and along comes Leppitsch and McRae to handle the game plan and tactical stuff, leaving him to do the touchy/feely cuddly stuff. Bingo, Hardwicke becomes an instant guru. Richmond have fantastic success.

Then I think of the Dogs, and the quality, or not, of Beveridge's support staff over the years. How then would Beveridge have benefitted from A-Grade assistants? Well, you'd think. But when I think of the man himself - the well-developed ego and stubbornness displayed at press conferences and the match day bewilderment and inaction too often shown when things start going wrong - I doubt he would willingly cede control to others. Particularly, game plan and team selection. His shtick seems to be continual rearrangement of the deck chairs

So, I fear that with Bevo, what we're going to get is what we've been getting and that, regrettably, we'll look back at this period as a wasted opportunity.

100% agreed re. support staff. I feel that Bevo has been resistant to big names in the coaches box and I'm not sure why. I look at other boxes and see quality. Sydney have some very experienced assistants as does St Kilda. I actually believe outside of bringing in Lade we've had the least experienced box in the comp post-Covid.

[SonofScray]

I've gone into the we need a change section of the crowd.

Feels wrong to sack Bevo but I am convinced his game style is our main problem.

Everything we do looks like such hard work and the excuses about young forwards doesnt wash with me.

Think Bevo would benefit greatly from a year away from the game.

Here’s the thing, Bevo could and possibly will continue to have a successful career as a coach beyond his time with us, if he wanted. He is a good coach. And has been a good coach for us.

They all have a used by date with the clubs they coach at. Bevo’s is more a best before date.