17th Premiership wrote:
I definitely don’t blame the coach for everything.
I’m not even convinced he should go at all. What he says makes a lot of sense to me. However, the players either aren’t able to execute to his plan (I think due to a combination of skills, decision making/footy IQ/ game plan/communication etc…) or his plan is not as good as he thinks. I do think we need different assistants - preferably including a very good match day tactician.
I think that Voss could do something similar to what Chris Scott did a few seasons ago ahead of their Premiership year when he tweaked their game plan in the off-season. In our case, transition into the forward line needs some work, IMO. Longmire also did something similar when he brought in Don Pyle. And both Nathan Buckley and Dimma altered their approaches after a club review when many thought they would be sacked.
I do think we have a spread of challenges across players, coaches, footy department, Board, culture etc…
And, as I’ve said previously, I don’t presume to have all the answers and am glad I don’t have the job of teasing out the exact recipe required to fix it - I really hope that Graeme Wright makes the right calls. Everyone will be in his ear with their own views and theories. Tough job. I’m just saying that I don’t think the list is as bad as some people make it out to be.
I do expect there will be some changes in the off-season but that will mainly be to fringe players and maybe one high profile player (apart from TdK). I’m pretty comfortable that the club knows more than I do about the players capabilities and I don’t think it will just be based on the skills displayed in this terrible year.
And, I will accept whatever the club (via GW) decides re Voss. If he stays, I’ll be right behind him. If he goes, I just hope they pick the right person to replace him (which I don’t think is easy to do…) but I’ll back that decision too. I have to assume that whatever the decision, it will be based on greater insight than I have from behind my keyboard.
In terms of players whose skills appear to have abandoned them: Charlie, Weitering, Cerra (who has previously been amongst the top rated deliverers/score involvements), Saad, McGovern*, Walsh.
* I think McGovern has great skills but is often lazy in application which results in poor execution.
I have not included the younger players although I assume most of them displayed good skills in order to get picked.
Overall, I don’t have an extreme view at all. I’m simply stating that I don’t think the list is as bad as some people think it is. I think there is more to work with than it seems right now and yes, a lot of accountability must sit with the players.
Nice response.
I only heard Sydney Blue say Blow the joint up after the North loss, hence my comment.
Spot on re Cerra and Weitering. WTF has happened to Cerra since his Dubai hammy procedure?
I reckon Cerra has lost his take off speed, but expect that to return, or else...
I don't think Harry and Charlie have a set routine yet...overdue.
I think we have been critical of SOS and Austin recruits for the last 5-6 years, because the skills by hand and foot (other than Draftees Boyd, Wilson, Carroll, Cincotta and maybe Moir , and Trades Williams, Elijah, Newman and Cerra) seem to not have been a priority, and therefore lacking with the bulk of our 44 listed players, compared to Pies, Crows, Swans, and the best example we mentioned when SOS started as list manager, when Clarkson and the Hawks golden era was our reference point.
Interesting how it was reported last week, Andrew Russell thought Carlton in 2023 was the real deal and should have won the Flag, and the 3 players who made all that click was one defender, Marchbank, one midfielder Walsh and one forward Martin. None of them have been with us this year, and we have struggled with injury for 4th year in a row (from the group SOS and Austin hand picked).
We are not that far off. Just look at who has been missing with injury most of the year, and if half of them come back bigger than ever next year, including Jagga, and we add 5-6 new experienced players, including a mobile ruck man, along with the kids Dean, Ison and Gresham, our window may well be wide open next year.
All I'm hearing is that big changes will be made on field and off field in the Football Dept, and I have a fair idea what that means. I wouldn't be surprised if Voss is retained, but I'll back Wright to make the Wright choice there too.