Sharp Axes

[lemmon]

Re: Sharp Axes

The senior advisor position I would like to see is someone who does not report directly to Bevo but does work closely with him. It?s someone who can look at how cohesive and effective all the coaches are, incl. VFL. Preferably someone who?s worked at a club who has won a GF recently with a sound reputation, possibly an ex senior coach. I?m not sure Bevo would accept this however I?m not sure we can keep trusting current set-up.

Is that the remit of a review rather than an adviser though? If someone like Justin Lepptisch did come in as a senior assistant/senior adviser and his feedback was that our coaching structure wasn't functional or aligned with how he's seen successful clubs operate...what happens after that? Is Bevo then moved on? Everything we know about Beveridge indicates that he won't change his ways.

Bevo's now into his ninth year as senior coach and is the best coach in our club's history. I think the reality of that means that while he's there, things will continue to run the way they've always been run under him and the catalyst for a change in coaching structure or process would be Bevo leaving.

My personal opinion is that if the players are still buying into his messaging then I'd rather stick with Beveridge. It's been a crap year, and I thought we were a flag contender, but it's also felt like we could've won 6 of the 9 games we've lost. We've seen a number of success stories after clubs stuck fat with a coach through some disappointing periods, I hold out hope we can do the same with Luke.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Sharp Axes

It will be interesting to see if there are any changes to the assistant coaches or the footy department set-up at the end of the season.
With speculation that Webb might move back to WA, and I hope he doesn't, and there was some talk that Smith wanted to return to more of a development role focus than being line coach and that he even might be pushed. There is also some talk that Lade has found the things a bit frustrating so there could be a couple of changes but maybe none at all.
Could we even make a call to King to return to us given Hardwick is likely heading to the GC?

There is a bit about the buck stops with Bevo and unless he's listening to the assistants and willing to implement some of their suggestions it's possibly a frustrating job.

Fixing the GM of Football position would be my priority.

Backwards step in his career for King, no?

I will wait for the final outcome of the year, but I think wholesale changes are needed. What that looks like exactly I’m not sure.

I know our development seems to be lacking, our fitness seems to be lacking, our list has been overrated and the club must still think we are a tweak away from a flag. If that’s the case, we don’t need wholesale changes to anyone or anything. We just need that tweak or luck or whatever. If everything is so close to working then I would presume the club would be happy with pretty much everyone. Including the GM, which I agree needs looking at.

This is the frustrating thing. Are we a tweak away from being a contender? Or are we treading water? The answer to that dictates what the club will do with coaches, off field, list management and everything. If the club is the former then why would we make any big changes. We just need to keep topping up, tweak things, get some luck and win the flag?

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Sharp Axes

Is that the remit of a review rather than an adviser though? If someone like Justin Lepptisch did come in as a senior assistant/senior adviser and his feedback was that our coaching structure wasn't functional or aligned with how he's seen successful clubs operate...what happens after that? Is Bevo then moved on? Everything we know about Beveridge indicates that he won't change his ways.

Bevo's now into his ninth year as senior coach and is the best coach in our club's history. I think the reality of that means that while he's there, things will continue to run the way they've always been run under him and the catalyst for a change in coaching structure or process would be Bevo leaving.

My personal opinion is that if the players are still buying into his messaging then I'd rather stick with Beveridge. It's been a disappointing year, and I thought we were a flag contender, but it's also felt like we could've won 6 of the 9 games we've lost. We've seen a number of success stories after clubs stuck fat with a coach through some disappointing periods, I hold out hope we can do the same with Luke.

The only way Bevo is leaving the club is by his own design. That much is certain. A big month of footy ahead.

[azabob]

Re: Sharp Axes

The only way Bevo is leaving the club is by his own design. That much is certain. A big month of footy ahead.

Yep, this is the reality.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Sharp Axes

Yep, this is the reality.

As a pure hypothetical, say we didn’t sign him 12 months early. What would we doing now? Re-signing him today or waiting until the end of season?

[azabob]

Re: Sharp Axes

As a pure hypothetical, say we didn’t sign him 12 months early. What would we doing now? Re-signing him today or waiting until the end of season?

It’s a great hypothetical, I think he would’ve been signed after our early season run of wins.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Sharp Axes

It’s a great hypothetical, I think he would’ve been signed after our early season run of wins.

After the heat of the Saints loss, after the Dees loss. Which win would’ve been enough to put that in the rear view, before the bad losses before the bye?

I would’ve thought the bye would be the time after the saints loss, but after the pre bye losses, I reckon it wouldn’t have been done. Then after breaking his hand while we gave us a narrow win, plus last weekend I’m not sure he’d be signed yet either.

I reckon we’d have waited to the end of the year. And if we parted ways, if, there’s no two year contract in the way. Or he wins a final or better and gets the two years.

[jeemak]

Re: Sharp Axes

I really hope this comes back to bite me, but we seriously need a coaching change, and id go so far as to say it will have a near immediate impact. We need a new coach who is able to communicate and lead in a different way/style.

We're on a massive plateau with the obvious gains of younger players maturing completely offset with the older players dropping off.

Change needs to happen, Bevo will go down as our God who delivered us to the promised land, but its now at a point where we need to change to see us have another crack at the mountain.

Personally Id love to see us onboard a supreme tactician. (aka like we had with rocket) whether that's in the main capacity or as a senior assistant.

It's interesting how we look back at Eade. He was never able to get past a prelim but had every piece to work with outside of a decent tall forward. While with Bevo he gets us to two grand finals with sides probably lacking, particularly in defence, versus our 2008-2010 sides (albeit with Bontempelli) and for some reason many don't think he's tactically astute.

Not saying it's wrong, just an observation.

Really good call on the drop-off across our mature set offsetting the improvement in our youth.

[AshMac]

Re: Sharp Axes

The only way Bevo is leaving the club is by his own design. That much is certain. A big month of footy ahead.

which is actually a real shame. For 3 years we've been told the club has focused on key deficiencies only for them to be apparent the following year. We have arguably the best list on paper in my lifetime (42 years a dogs fan) and we're a 5-10th team.

What kills me though, is that we apparently spent an entire off season on a gameplan we nuked after round 2. The impact of that is surely taking its toll now and has been noticeable the whole season with our superstars being superstars and our B- players looking lost and the team not able to compete for 4 quarters in games against higher teams.

The message isnt getting through anymore. Its time for wholesale change

[Bulldog4life]

Re: Sharp Axes

I am unashamedly a big fan of Bevo. He has been the best coach in our history. Two grand finals in 9 years with this year still to play out. Not a super long time. His best still could be in front of him. Look at Longmire. Swans coach since 2011. One premiership. But he is a great coach too. It is an even competition we just have to accept that. I hope he stays for another 9 years and maybe another 2 grand finals. The players love Bevo. He has their back. They know it. If Bevo did go watch some of the players go too. To whichever club he coaches next. Which is a given.

[Mantis]

Re: Sharp Axes

I am unashamedly a big fan of Bevo. He has been the best coach in our history. Two grand finals in 9 years with this year still to play out. Not a super long time. His best still could be in front of him. Look at Longmire. Swans coach since 2011. One premiership. But he is a great coach too. It is an even competition we just have to accept that. I hope he stays for another 9 years and maybe another 2 grand finals. The players love Bevo. He has their back. They know it. If Bevo did go watch some of the players go too. To whichever club he coaches next. Which is a given.

Which players do you think we're most at risk of losing if we move on Bevo, or he chooses to leave?

[Bulldog4life]

Re: Sharp Axes

Which players do you think we're most at risk of losing if we move on Bevo, or he chooses to leave?

Good question Mantis. Truthfully I have no idea. I have seen it happen over my time following footy with other coaches. When I say it is a given I believe it is a given Bevo would coach again at another club. He is too good of a coach to not coach again and I definitely don't see him in the media ha ha. I probably should have said "If Bevo does go hopefully none of the players follow him if he coaches again at another club".

[Bornadog]

Re: Sharp Axes

I am unashamedly a big fan of Bevo. He has been the best coach in our history. Two grand finals in 9 years with this year still to play out. Not a super long time. His best still could be in front of him. Look at Longmire. Swans coach since 2011. One premiership. But he is a great coach too. It is an even competition we just have to accept that. I hope he stays for another 9 years and maybe another 2 grand finals. The players love Bevo. He has their back. They know it. If Bevo did go watch some of the players go too. To whichever club he coaches next. Which is a given.

The thing is if we weren't playing finals every year, and we still had a decent list, then I would say that's it, time for a refresh. Some will argue they want a top 4 finish (we all do) and anything else is not good enough and it is the coach's fault.

Whilst we are still in it and have a chance, then why change.

[JanLorMill]

Re: Sharp Axes

Which players do you think we're most at risk of losing if we move on Bevo, or he chooses to leave?

All the favourites McComb, Lloyd, Gowers, Hayes, Hannan and Bruce.
Seriously why would players leave if goes by his own decision?

[Vred]

Re: Sharp Axes

Had a chat with one of our board members yesterday.

They have heard the criticism of both fans and media this year, the board-member I spoke to admitted they didn't do enough with the assistant changes last season. Without going into too much detail they are looking to move Bevo into more of the Hinkley style coaching role, next season they are looking at setting him as the motivator, managing player relationships, rev ups, on the boundary line on game day etc, they want a host of experienced assistant coaches to set our ''game style'' and run the ''game plan'' on match day with Bevo taking a backseat to actual tactics.

This system has worked well for other clubs, currently Bevo does both, he takes on a huge amount of workload managing both player relationships and the running of game-day, might see a different look/attitude Bevo next season with the changes they want to make.

Right now it's finding a host of experienced assistant coaches to come in that will be key to our success next season.