Rocket Man

[Bumper Bulldogs]

With the season around the corner I would be keen to hear the thoughts on where we are at coaching wise at the Bulldogs.

We have a fantastic list and have recruited well over the last few years to see us in a strong position. We have new facilities, new fitness personal, New team manager, new coaching support staff and a senior coach that is out of contract at the end of the year.

Are the board happy with Rocket?

Is he the bloke to take us all the way?

Has he done enough in the time he has had?

With 8 coaches out of contract this year should we shop around?

If Rocket is the man when do we sign him up?

[The Coon Dog]

Re: Rocket Man

Hard to know how footy boards think, but I reckon they would have to be pleased with Rocket. I guess though boards are influenced by results so it's a matter of seeing how we go this season before we get a feel for the boards position.

I reckon he's the bloke to take us all the way for sure. A few of us met with Rocket in December 2007 & he said that people don't realise how close to a Premiership this club is. We'd just come off a season where the finish was awful & he had this belief & those that were there looked at one another, then the hair rose on the back of our necks.

You would only 'shop around' for a new coach if you came to a conclusion that the existing one is not in the long term thoughts. If any club was to start that process it would be determined by results, which for some clubs will be apparent much earlier than others. I don't see us looking for a new coach .

Sign him up now, though I guess there will be some who might ask why the urgency & he may get 'too comfortable' if he's not under the sort of pressure to perform that he might be if he was coaching for his career. A non issue in my view; he's too professional to worry about that. Leaving it too long may alert other clubs & that's not an outcome I'd be happy with.

I wouldn't say we've recruited well over recent years, only for the fact we have traded on many of the first rounders we selected in Penny, McMahon, Alvey, Power & Ray & haven't got the power forward we've been dreaming about.

Anyhow, what's your view BB? Great thread by the way.

[BulldogBelle]

Re: Rocket Man

BB,

Good timing starting this thread - An article has just come out by Caroline Wilson discussing 'coaches seeking early notice" before sackings and here is a snippet of the article regarding Eade...

The Bulldogs have said they will re-open negotiations with Eade in the coming months.

I have placed the article in it's entirety on the Dogs Day Board.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Re: Rocket Man

BB,

Good timing starting this thread - An article has just come out by Caroline Wilson discussing 'coaches seeking early notice" before sackings and here is a snippet of the article regarding Eade...

The Bulldogs have said they will re-open negotiations with Eade in the coming months.

I have placed the article in it's entirety on the Dogs Day Board.

I think its interesting to contrast that development with the article on Bomber Thompson

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,25178302-19742,00.html

I just hope that Eade and his coaching staff are spending enough time 1 on 1 with the players

[Bornadog]

Re: Rocket Man

I think this year is a real test for Eade and the coaching staff. We have just come off a pretty good season and missed out on a place in the Grand Final by not too much. We have the reigning Brownlow medalist, a good mix of old and young players and some great future recruits. I think the Board should expect no less than a top four finish and a Grand Final birth.

In regards to negotiations with Eade, I would wait till at least half way in the year to see how things are going. there is plenty of time yet.

[GVGjr]

Re: Rocket Man

I think this year is a real test for Eade and the coaching staff. We have just come off a pretty good season and missed out on a place in the Grand Final by not too much. We have the reigning Brownlow medalist, a good mix of old and young players and some great future recruits. I think the Board should expect no less than a top four finish and a Grand Final birth.

In regards to negotiations with Eade, I would wait till at least half way in the year to see how things are going. there is plenty of time yet.

I suppose one other thing to add is that everything over the summer has been focused just on the Home and Away season so the performance there will be critical. Top 4 should be the aim but I wouldn't discount a top 6 season as a bad one either.

[Mantis]

Re: Rocket Man

I suppose one other thing to add is that everything over the summer has been focused just on the Home and Away season so the performance there will be critical. Top 4 should be the aim but I wouldn't discount a top 6 season as a bad one either.

Agree with that, but with the competition getting closer we would need a good run with injuries to be able to achieve this result, especially with our 'better' players.

[GVGjr]

Re: Rocket Man

Agree with that, but with the competition getting closer we would need a good run with injuries to be able to achieve this result, especially with our 'better' players.

What would you consider a pass then?

In my opinion we need the seasons goals to be set high because of a few things:

1) We didn't trade because our list was rated as good enough.
2) We didn't drop off a few more players and look at drafting more players indicating we are in a window of opportunity.
3) We didn't in anyway compromise the Home and Away season focus with the NAB cup.

We have put a few eggs in one basket and we simply can't accept a big drop off. A good run with injuries is just about implied to have the ultimate success but we should still be able to put in a top 6 performance if last seasons results weren't in some way inflated.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Rocket Man

In my mind Rocket has done more than enough to justify a long, long stint at the club - success comes with stability, and he's proven that he's one of the better coaches going around, no point rocking the organisation just for the sake of it. Not many better candidates out there - who would we replace Rocket with? (Luring Lethal out of retirement would be the only situation I would be interested in...)

However, I have a question turns the situation on its head: if we are too coy about the whole thing, like I said, Rocket is already recognised as one of the best going around.. what if a craftier, richer club comes along and poaches him while we twiddle our thumbs? It would be a very smart play from a middle of the road club with shaky coaching incumbents, like a Richmond or an Essendon.

I know we're desperate for the ultimate success, but instability will just ensure more years in the wilderness, not less.

[GVGjr]

Re: Rocket Man

In my mind Rocket has done more than enough to justify a long, long stint at the club - success comes with stability, and he's proven that he's one of the better coaches going around, no point rocking the organisation just for the sake of it. Not many better candidates out there - who would we replace Rocket with? (Luring Lethal out of retirement would be the only situation I would be interested in...)

However, I have a question turns the situation on its head: if we are too coy about the whole thing, like I said, Rocket is already recognised as one of the best going around.. what if a craftier, richer club comes along and poaches him while we twiddle our thumbs? It would be a very smart play from a middle of the road club with shaky coaching incumbents, like a Richmond or an Essendon.

I know we're desperate for the ultimate success, but instability will just ensure more years in the wilderness, not less.

I agree that he has plenty of credits in the bank and has done a wonderful job but it would be a brave decision to green light a contract extension if we were to miss the 8. It's a harsh reality of AFL that most coaches can't get away from poor results in contract seasons.

The question of possible replacements is a good one however, way too premature at this stage. There has been nothing of any substance to suggest a major form slump for the side.

[Mantis]

Re: Rocket Man

What would you consider a pass then?

In my opinion we need the seasons goals to be set high because of a few things:

1) We didn't trade because our list was rated as good enough.
2) We didn't drop off a few more players and look at drafting more players indicating we are in a window of opportunity.
3) We didn't in anyway compromise the Home and Away season focus with the NAB cup.

We have put a few eggs in one basket and we simply can't accept a big drop off. A good run with injuries is just about implied to have the ultimate success but we should still be able to put in a top 6 performance if last seasons results weren't in some way inflated.

I think we should be looking to atleast maintain our position in the competition which would equate to another top 4 finish and/or another PF berth.

[azabob]

Re: Rocket Man

In my mind Rocket has done more than enough to justify a long, long stint at the club - success comes with stability, and he's proven that he's one of the better coaches going around, no point rocking the organisation just for the sake of it. Not many better candidates out there - who would we replace Rocket with? (Luring Lethal out of retirement would be the only situation I would be interested in...)

However, I have a question turns the situation on its head: if we are too coy about the whole thing, like I said, Rocket is already recognised as one of the best going around.. what if a craftier, richer club comes along and poaches him while we twiddle our thumbs? It would be a very smart play from a middle of the road club with shaky coaching incumbents, like a Richmond or an Essendon.
I know we're desperate for the ultimate success, but instability will just ensure more years in the wilderness, not less.

Totally agree, you need stability at the top.

I dont think Eade will be poached, and if he truely believes what he is saying we are close to a GF win why would he leave?
Having said all that if 2009 turns out to be a 2007 with no injuries, Im not sure we should be looking at the coach, we should look at the players.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Re: Rocket Man

1) We didn't trade because our list was rated as good enough.
2) We didn't drop off a few more players and look at drafting more players indicating we are in a window of opportunity.
3) We didn't in anyway compromise the Home and Away season focus with the NAB cup.

These are some pretty compelling reasons to set the bar high

I definitely thought we would trim further than we did and draft more players

I'm pleased we haven't compromised our H&A season, but its now up the group to perform

That said I'm really on the fence as to how we will perform. Having had Cooney, Murphy and Williams seemingly injured all pre-season hasn't helped my optimism. And the worry about how our forward line will hold up/score against this new cluster styled game is a riddle that still needs to be unravelled.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Rocket Man

I wouldn't say we've recruited well over recent years, only for the fact we have traded on many of the first rounders we selected in Penny, McMahon, Alvey, Power & Ray & haven't got the power forward we've been dreaming about.

Mc Mahon, Power and Ray are all likely to be 200 game (minimum) players.

Sometime after recruiting them, we decided they didn't fit into our game plan but they still had currency at the trading table after 100 or so games with us.

I would call that successful recruiting.

However, I agree on the other two, Penny was flat out spelling cat and Alvey was so good

Having said that I believe our recruiting over the years has been sound and stands up against any other club

[ledge]

Re: Rocket Man

I think our biggest problem has been finding a top class marking forward, i dont think i would blame the coach, they are hard to find, i do believe we have some coming through but they need to come through while the big names we have in the middle are still at their best.

Eade i am very happy with and as pointed out if you are going to release a coach you have to have a better one to sign up, i dont see much out there, maybe Lethal but is he still interested and does he fit into what the club wants?