Same Storm, Different Guernseys: Nick Sirianni, Luke Beveridge, and the Scrutiny That Comes with Talent

[mjp]

In elite sport, few things invite pressure like potential. Coaches who take charge of talented teams aren't just asked to win — they're expected to win big, and often. Anything less, and the wolves start circling.

Last season, Nick Sirianni of the Philadelphia Eagles was sitting in that exact hot seat. After taking his team to the Super Bowl the year before, expectations were sky high. But a couple of tough playoff exits in a row and a few dips in form — paired with whispers about whether he had truly "maximized" the Eagles' stacked roster (basically the US media went all Kane Cornes on him) raised questions about whether he'd lost the locker room. Some even called for his head. Sound familiar??

Fast forward, and the Eagles responded in the best way possible: overcoming adversity, adapting on the fly, and ultimately winning games when it mattered most. Sirianni proved he could still steer the ship, even when players of the quality of A.J. Brown missed time and the noise outside grew louder.

Now shift codes and look at us - Bevo and the 'Dogs. Different sport, same storyline.

Since the GF in 21, Beveridge has coached a side that "THEY" say has one of the deepest, most talented lists in the AFL. And yet, finals results have been inconsistent. The criticisms have become familiar: “Too much talent to be underachieving,” “no clear identity,” “the game plan doesn't stack up in September.”

But this year, despite a mounting injury toll — we all know the names so no point in rehashing them here — the team is grinding out wins. They’re defending "better". They’re finding "NEW" (LMN, VDM etc) contributors across the ground. And Beveridge is showing that there is one thing he knows - how to coach a team through chaos.

The comparison isn’t about who’s better — it’s about how quickly narratives in professional sport can shift. One minute you're a genius, the next you're on the chopping block. Talent becomes a burden. Injuries are ignored. Wins are expected. Losses become evidence of a deeper flaw.

Here are some stories about the Eagles and why I think there are parallels to the Dogs.

Nick Sirianni explains how Eagles' 2023 struggles shaped their 2024 success (https://insidetheiggles.com/nick-sir...s-01jks82jcmks)

Nick Sirianni, Eagles face questions after late-season collapse, playoff exit (https://www.espn.co.uk/nfl/story/_/i...e-playoff-exit)

Nick Sirianni discusses 2024 Eagles, changes in head-coaching role (https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/n...ason-and-more/)

[Mofra]

Brilliant simile.

It all gets back to that old maxim "it's the hope that kills you".
Especially being a club that traditionally fights for underdog status.

We're only ever one loss away from pressure though.

[Sedat]

I was very critical of the entire club/Bevo for being caught napping post 2021 GF and not adjusting/adapting the game plan and player/coaching personnel in 2022-23 to better suit where the game was heading.

And I have equally been full of praise of the club/Bevo for eventually making the necessary changes in game plan and coaching/playing personnel 18 months ago. Arguably, only the JUH situation before the final and getting a red-hot Hawthorn stopped us from going deeper in September last year, and I feel like we are going to be a contender again in 2025. System and connection will always consistently beat talent.

[Bornadog]

It's one thing to have a team full of talent, but if they don't play like a team, then you are in trouble. In the past we have always had lots of individual champion players, but rarely champion teams. Under Bevo, we have had a pretty good run compared to teams of the past, but we just haven't been able to get over the line consistently and even make top 4 like a Geelong who never seems to be down. Does this come down to the coaches, the players, the club overall? They all have to click at the same time and have the same goal and be prepared to work hard to get there.

[jeemak]

It's one thing to have a team full of talent, but if they don't play like a team, then you are in trouble. In the past we have always had lots of individual champion players, but rarely champion teams. Under Bevo, we have had a pretty good run compared to teams of the past, but we just haven't been able to get over the line consistently and even make top 4 like a Geelong who never seems to be down. Does this come down to the coaches, the players, the club overall? They all have to click at the same time and have the same goal and be prepared to work hard to get there.

People run down the talent profile at Geelong so they can kiss Chris Scott's arse. The guy can clearly coach, and get players playing for him though throughout his tenure they've had great talls at each end, arguably the best midfielder of the generation, excellent support midfielders and good outside players. They haven't had great rucks, but the ones they have had have been versatile rather than lumbering.

Their player development and talent identification is what sets them apart in my view.

[Go_Dogs]

Their player development and talent identification is what sets them apart in my view.

Yeah but they didn’t draft the Fridge, so **** em!

[Go_Dogs]

In some ways, our reliance on top tier talent was our downfall for a period there. We had 5 players who had to carry the load to cover for our bottom 8-10 (yes it was that deep if we are being honest) and our game style didn’t allow us to structurally cover that gap.

Fast forward to now, the shape of our talent profile is better and deeper, while our game plan provides coverage and allows role players to thrive in the system.

One thing is certain: Beveridge can adapt and I am grateful we got an external review done and made some changes to enable us to improve as a result.