George Stone retires....

[rjay 25,315]

Are you serious?? The guy that lost the players? THat same BMcC??

Why don't you opt for getting Mark Neeld?? Bizarre

The guy that the Geelong premiership players love so much that they go down to help him out. The guy that is held in great regard for his development of players...yep that's the guy.

[nutbean 8,838]

its the leap from assistant to Head coach which is the big unknown - how the assistant will handle being numero uno.

Neeld was spoken of in glowing terms before he got the top gig.

In fact all assistants have fantastic reviews before they get the top jobs or else they wouldnt get them in the first place.

It may be that some assistants are just better at being assistants

[Redleg 42,000]

Heard him speak at a function and then we chatted after. Nice bloke, wish him well in retirement.

[Adam The God 30,637]

I'd be looking at Brendan McCarthy as a replacement. Great development coach.

Goodwin will be the midfield coach I think.

I like this idea, but equally, here's an opportunity where Goodwin can earn his pay cheque.

[dee-luded 2,959]

its the leap from assistant to Head coach which is the big unknown - how the assistant will handle being numero uno.

Neeld was spoken of in glowing terms before he got the top gig.

In fact all assistants have fantastic reviews before they get the top jobs or else they wouldnt get them in the first place.

It may be that some assistants are just better at being assistants

there is an Ego driven snobbery IMO from senior players once they have playerd senior footy for some years, they get snooty taking instruction from head coaches who have not reached the same or above playing level as themselves.

this shouldn't, but does cause issues with many a player.

Regards Neeldy, young coaches coming into a tough gig like the Melbourne one is different to most. the job is so deep its daunting for even the most senior coach to risk their reputations & career on.

this can make a young coach think they have to come in like a sledgehammer, or they will just get sucked up by the rancid defeatist cyclonic culture & spat out again like a newspaper in the wind.

the fact he took the job with tenacity shows he was dedicated & determined to make a change. he did, & he started our revival by making some deep & very necessary list changes & cracked a few Ego's.

I think the situation got him, just like whats happened over at doggie land.

Its not easy to come into an others family home with a view to change the way they do things, & keep all onside. the family will have many ready to knife the incomer. the incomer has to have great courage to even bother to help.

Look at Lingy, he wanted a season to consider & watch the changes from the outside, & then chickened out. maybe he's to wise?

its the clubs culture we need to change because changing the team culture wil only last a few years before its eroded back to what it was again.

Its our 'CLUB Culture' which shapes our teams culture, like the wind & the rain shape the cliffs & mountains.

the last true Club Culture shift we've endured, was engineered by 'Checker Hughes'. & we benefited of it for about 35 years, until the rotters got rid of the heir, the holder of the wisdom.

[daisycutter 29,898]

I always thought george was a beatle

[Barney Rubble 1,576]

I always thought george was a beatle

Only one Beatle left to help McCartney ....... Ringo.

[dees189227 12,453]

well thats the impact this club has. Have a guy for 1 year and send him into retirement. Probably couldnt deal with the frustration for another season. Lenny hayes would be perfect but he doesnt want to get into coaching.

[DemonOX 8,837]

Wish he stayed longer.

[thevil1 421]

Shattered. Was a great a acquisition in the first place. All the best George, cheers!

[bing181 9,425]

well thats the impact this club has.

Or he simply agreed to postpone his retirement by a year to help Roos get started.

[Melbman2 226]

All I know about him is what I've read here and how good he was. Now he's gone.

Can I invoke the MFCSS?

[What 18,810]

I'd be looking at Brendan McCarthy as a replacement. Great development coach.

Agreed 100%

Sad to see we only got one year out of George but good luck to him, Im sue he taught the boys plenty in that 12 months

[angrydee 842]

A bigger loss than Frawley.

Good luck in the future, George

[Webber 10,635]

Or he simply agreed to postpone his retirement by a year to help Roos get started.

That is in fact the truth. We were lucky to have him for a year.

[DeeSpencer 26,441]

Hope we can find a (very) part time role for him just in some aspect of development or leadership, maybe even just as Jack Watts' personal coach!

Always thought Goodwin should take the midfield coach role. Ben Matthews does the stoppages still. Thought Stone might've been kept in a development job under Bretty Allison but definitely thank him for a good years service and we move on with largely the same team of well credentialed coaches.

[ignition. 1,478]

Owww FFS! I'm a little late to the party but just saw this.

I would have loved to see our upcoming selections from picks 2 and 3 get a couple years under him.

We just can't get a good run, gaining and increasing momentum.

Anyway thanks for his commitment and time at our club over the last year, by all reports he did a fantastic job.

[Qwerty30 196]

I understand he was a terrific bloke and came with significant experience. So thanks George for your time and efforts (whatever they were)

As a supporter not involved in the inner workings of the FD, i have no idea if he was a good appointment to the Club or not.

But a number of supporters are claiming he is a huge loss? How do they judge that?

[Machsy 2,858]

I think it's pretty obvious George would have been sold on the basis that he'd fill that role until we had secured the successor, then he would ride off into the sunset.

I'm sure many of the players will feel richer for knowing him, and will seek him out for advice in the future.

[jnrmac 20,290]

Some people are very quick to condemn someone who has had a long and distinguished career in player development on the basis of a personality clash with 2 oddballs like Griffen and Cooney and a spooked administration. If you look at the development of the Dogs younger players there is a lot to like.

How do you know it was McCartney? Maybe it was their junior development coach. Maybe it was their drafting and the players are just good. You might be right but in my experience in the corporate world when ppl fall out there are usually valid reasons behind it. And for McCartney to be unaware of how dire the situation was with his players shows a distinct lack of judgement are ppl skills.

There would be better coaches out there IMO....

[Machsy 2,858]

Geelong people often talk about McCartney's tremendous ability to develop young men.

The kids at the bulldogs are largely testament to that.

His issue was the senior leadership at the dogs, one that is littered with poor leaders and has been for some time.

When he went hard expecting more of him, the players sooked instead of looking inward, and having some semblance of understanding for where he was coming from. Sanderson likewise.

Like Neeld, they went too hard too soon, without first building a club culture of harsh but fair honest feedback.

These coaches walked out of clubs that had this culture existing and forgot they needed to build it first at their new club, getting the prima donna out of the leadership group psyche first, or overestimating how well their new playing group had taken to it.

Strong leaders are required to reinforce the mentality of "stop whingeing, the coach is telling you that for a reason, lift and do what he says and we'll all be better for it."

[Machsy 2,858]

Griffen and Cooney jumping ship are testament to the "bugger this, it's all getting too hard, I shouldn't have to deal with this" attitude prevalent at the dogs.

[Sir Why You Little 37,332]

^^^^ Pretty much sums it all up.

Neeld making Grimes & Trengove Captains just made it worse for us.

[whatwhat say what 23,585]

what a bummer, was hoping he'd be there to help develop the mids for the same tenure as roos.

[Roger Mellie 4,179]

Are you serious?? The guy that lost the players? THat same BMcC??

Why don't you opt for getting Mark Neeld?? Bizarre

As far as I understand it, McCartney last the senior players only. The junior players loved him and it's possibly why the young brigade have come on so well.

I'd have him at Melbourne. My preference though is for George to get bored in retirement and come to training for a few hours a few times a week.