Preparing for another Golden Era

[norwood_demon 196]

I am reading “The Red Fox”, the biography of Norm Smith by Ben Collins. Being an optimist, I am amazed by the similarities described in Chapter 9 between the MFC of the early 1950s (before the Club’s golden era) and our current circumstances. The Club got “off-the-field” right with Bert Chadwick (a former Brownlow Medalist) as Chairman and the “Football Department” comprising Norm Smith plus Ivor Warne-Smith, Jim Cardwell and Checker Hughes (two of whom had coached VFL sides). On field, MFC had played 19 first-year players in 1951, the year before Norm Smith returned from Fitzroy to coach MFC. Under Norm Smith, the Club won 9 games in 1952 but slumped to 11th with only 3 wins & a draw in 1953. Their first-year players in 1953 included Adams, Melville, Case, Marquis, Williams, Glessen, T Johnson, and one Ronald Dale Barassi (who really struggled initially). The appalling results were attributed to the “inconsistency of youth” and Smith was reappointed as coach in 1954. The youth policy was further enhanced in 1954 with the addition of Big Bob Johnson, Mithen, Dixon, Ridley, Laidlaw & Wilson. The younger players were cycled through the seniors and reserves to aid their development. This experienced administration & football department, a youth policy, and persistence with a “development” coach yielded 6 premierships in the next 10 seasons

Now, MFC is getting the “off field” right again with a Brownlow Medalist as Chairman and Cameron Schwab as CEO. The football department is in experienced hands with Bailey & Connolly (who has also coached an AFL side-albeit Fremantle!?). We have a training base at Casey Fields. “On field”, we are aggressively pursuing a youth policy (for the first time in my memory) with the following players under 21yo (in no particular order): Bartram, Bennell, Blease, Cheney, Frawley, Garland, Grimes, Jetta, Wonaeamirri, Meesen, Morton, Maric, Watts, Jones, Petterd & Garland. Others haven’t even debuted yet: Blease, Jurrah & Strauss (Scully, ?Butcher…but I won’t go there!).

I ask my fellow supporters and Forumites to remember that MFC went with a youth policy and a development coach in the early 1950s. They stuck with Norm Smith after a terrible second year as coach. I cannot promise that Bailey and the current player crop will mean as much in MFC history as the classes of 1951-1954. However, MFC is instituting the most well-managed long-term assault on a premiership that I can recall as a Demon supporter born in 1960. The “inconsistency of youth” will produce horrible inconsistent results (such as today); future stars may not dazzle initially (Barassi & Watts). But let’s be patient and "enjoy the ride". History suggests that the results could be stunning!

[Ryan Dee 140]

I am reading “The Red Fox”, the biography of Norm Smith by Ben Collins. Being an optimist, I am amazed by the similarities described in Chapter 9 between the MFC of the early 1950s (before the Club’s golden era) and our current circumstances. The Club got “off-the-field” right with Bert Chadwick (a former Brownlow Medalist) as Chairman and the “Football Department” comprising Norm Smith plus Ivor Warne-Smith, Jim Cardwell and Checker Hughes (two of whom had coached VFL sides). On field, MFC had played 19 first-year players in 1951, the year before Norm Smith returned from Fitzroy to coach MFC. Under Norm Smith, the Club won 9 games in 1952 but slumped to 11th with only 3 wins & a draw in 1953. Their first-year players in 1953 included Adams, Melville, Case, Marquis, Williams, Glessen, T Johnson, and one Ronald Dale Barassi (who really struggled initially). The appalling results were attributed to the “inconsistency of youth” and Smith was reappointed as coach in 1954. The youth policy was further enhanced in 1954 with the addition of Big Bob Johnson, Mithen, Dixon, Ridley, Laidlaw & Wilson. The younger players were cycled through the seniors and reserves to aid their development. This experienced administration & football department, a youth policy, and persistence with a “development” coach yielded 6 premierships in the next 10 seasons

Now, MFC is getting the “off field” right again with a Brownlow Medalist as Chairman and Cameron Schwab as CEO. The football department is in experienced hands with Bailey & Connolly (who has also coached an AFL side-albeit Fremantle!?). We have a training base at Casey Fields. “On field”, we are aggressively pursuing a youth policy (for the first time in my memory) with the following players under 21yo (in no particular order): Bartram, Bennell, Blease, Cheney, Frawley, Garland, Grimes, Jetta, Wonaeamirri, Meesen, Morton, Maric, Watts, Jones, Petterd & Garland. Others haven’t even debuted yet: Blease, Jurrah & Strauss (Scully, ?Butcher…but I won’t go there!).

I ask my fellow supporters and Forumites to remember that MFC went with a youth policy and a development coach in the early 1950s. They stuck with Norm Smith after a terrible second year as coach. I cannot promise that Bailey and the current player crop will mean as much in MFC history as the classes of 1951-1954. However, MFC is instituting the most well-managed long-term assault on a premiership that I can recall as a Demon supporter born in 1960. The “inconsistency of youth” will produce horrible inconsistent results (such as today); future stars may not dazzle initially (Barassi & Watts). But let’s be patient and "enjoy the ride". History suggests that the results could be stunning!

Nice to hear something positive today, great read, nice post.

[Reality Bus 17]

its a great book, isn't it? its a pain of a thing to lug around, but it does make the train journey more enjoyable. i'm only about 500 pages in!

[rodent killer 0]

I am reading “The Red Fox”, the biography of Norm Smith by Ben Collins. Being an optimist, I am amazed by the similarities described in Chapter 9 between the MFC of the early 1950s (before the Club’s golden era) and our current circumstances. The Club got “off-the-field” right with Bert Chadwick (a former Brownlow Medalist) as Chairman and the “Football Department” comprising Norm Smith plus Ivor Warne-Smith, Jim Cardwell and Checker Hughes (two of whom had coached VFL sides). On field, MFC had played 19 first-year players in 1951, the year before Norm Smith returned from Fitzroy to coach MFC. Under Norm Smith, the Club won 9 games in 1952 but slumped to 11th with only 3 wins & a draw in 1953. Their first-year players in 1953 included Adams, Melville, Case, Marquis, Williams, Glessen, T Johnson, and one Ronald Dale Barassi (who really struggled initially). The appalling results were attributed to the “inconsistency of youth” and Smith was reappointed as coach in 1954. The youth policy was further enhanced in 1954 with the addition of Big Bob Johnson, Mithen, Dixon, Ridley, Laidlaw & Wilson. The younger players were cycled through the seniors and reserves to aid their development. This experienced administration & football department, a youth policy, and persistence with a “development” coach yielded 6 premierships in the next 10 seasons

Now, MFC is getting the “off field” right again with a Brownlow Medalist as Chairman and Cameron Schwab as CEO. The football department is in experienced hands with Bailey & Connolly (who has also coached an AFL side-albeit Fremantle!?). We have a training base at Casey Fields. “On field”, we are aggressively pursuing a youth policy (for the first time in my memory) with the following players under 21yo (in no particular order): Bartram, Bennell, Blease, Cheney, Frawley, Garland, Grimes, Jetta, Wonaeamirri, Meesen, Morton, Maric, Watts, Jones, Petterd & Garland. Others haven’t even debuted yet: Blease, Jurrah & Strauss (Scully, ?Butcher…but I won’t go there!).

I ask my fellow supporters and Forumites to remember that MFC went with a youth policy and a development coach in the early 1950s. They stuck with Norm Smith after a terrible second year as coach. I cannot promise that Bailey and the current player crop will mean as much in MFC history as the classes of 1951-1954. However, MFC is instituting the most well-managed long-term assault on a premiership that I can recall as a Demon supporter born in 1960. The “inconsistency of youth” will produce horrible inconsistent results (such as today); future stars may not dazzle initially (Barassi & Watts). But let’s be patient and "enjoy the ride". History suggests that the results could be stunning!

I'm am exactly where you are in the book, the start of the new era in 53 when they won one game and all the young coming through. the same as now