Football Program Review

[Demonland 73,161]

I hope you are keeping safe and well.

The Club has, over the last six weeks, undertaken a review of our AFL football program with a key focus on the senior leadership roles and coaching. As lead of the review, I took the opportunity to speak to players and staff post season while still in the Queensland hub, followed by further interviews both internally and externally during the four weeks following.

We reviewed our football program formally and in depth for two key reasons:

to ensure we have the right people, programs and resources to perform at our best in 2021; and

to ensure the AFL-mandated $3m cut to our AFL football soft cap expenditure is managed in a way which minimises the impact on our football program strategy over the next three years.

The review was based around a thorough feedback process involving interviews with a cross section of players, coaches and staff which was then benchmarked against information gathered from industry experts, other high-performance organisations and elite clubs in Australia.

The Outcomes of the Review

The review highlighted areas of our current programs that were positive in 2020, including a list that continues to improve and an elite fitness program which delivered a relatively fit and healthy player list, despite a condensed AFL fixture. However, as you would expect, it also highlighted areas where we need to improve.

The recommendations that have come out of the review are broken into two distinct groups;

Improvements to our on-field performance relating to game plan, performance consistency and skill execution. For obvious reasons, I will not be discussing these publicly as this would not be in our best interests as a club, which I hope you understand.

What I will say, is that a clear outcome from the review is that we need to build more consistency into our standards and behaviours, both on and off the field.  What is currently holding us back and keeping us from playing Finals footy is our inability to play consistently for four quarters; every game, every week without exception and irrespective of the opposition. We are dedicated to changing this dynamic, starting with every aspect of our pre-season.

Role changes in the senior leadership group, to allow us to execute the improvements mentioned above.

Senior Leadership Role Changes

There will be a several changes to the structure and roles of the senior leadership of the football program to ensure a higher level of focus, consistency and accountability for 2021. This includes:

The role of the General Manager of Football

The scope of the General Manager of Football’s role has over time become broad, incorporating the development of multiple football facility projects as well as driving football performance. To create more focus and support around both programs, this position will be divided into two distinct roles. The two new senior leadership positions are as follows:

Alan Richardson, General Manager of AFL Football Performance

The review identified we require a head of football who is focused solely on the performance drivers of the football program. Alan will be the GM AFL Football Performance, overseeing the performance-based elements of the program including coaching, high performance, medical, performance psychology and skill development. Alan will drive a high-performance culture, alignment of our programs to the highest level of excellence and consistent achievement of desired standards and disciplines by all players both on and off the field.

Josh Mahoney, General Manager of Football Facilities and Administration

Josh will continue to oversee our List Management strategy and be responsible for the financial management of our soft cap and salary cap for AFL and AFLW. Josh will be a key part of the government led working party for the new home base development within the MCG sports precinct. He will oversee the continued development of the Casey Fields training/administration facilities and the City of Casey commercial strategy. Josh will ultimately be responsible for the AFLW, VFLW and VFL program strategy and will be based at our administration offices in the MCG.

Senior Coach and Assistant Coaches

The review identified significant support for Simon Goodwin as Senior Coach with faith in his ability to take our team to AFL Finals success. There is a real belief in the game plan and strategy, however there is also an acknowledgment by all involved that there was an inconsistent execution of the game plan this season, which ultimately cost us a place in the AFL Finals.

The review highlighted the coaching program requires an injection of new experience, energy and leadership around the Senior Coach. As a result, the changes to our Assistant Coaching structure are:

1.      Adem Yze has been appointed to the role of Midfield Coach. Adem will bring a new perspective, energy and fresh approach to our midfield group, which must be a key driver of our on-field success; and

2.      Greg Stafford has been appointed to the role of Forward Coach. Greg is a respected member of the football department having worked part-time with many of our key forwards as Goalkicking Coach and has worked with the mid-field group as Ruck Coach. Greg is a great educator and will hit the ground running with a long term understanding of our game strategy.

3.      Troy Chaplin will remain as the backline coach and will continue to build stability and cohesion among our defenders.

Coaching departures

Unfortunately, every Club has been forced to make difficult decisions for a variety of reasons and we aren’t immune to that. I’d like to sincerely thank several amazing servants of the Club, who have been great contributors over a long period of time however will not be part of our campaign for 2021.

·        Max Rooke joined us at the end of 2016 and has been a big part of developing our youth over the years. He loved working with players and helping them improve and built strong relationships in his time at the club. We wish Max all the best for what’s next.

·        Daniel Cross has also played an integral role, both on and off the field. He finished his playing career at Melbourne before joining our high-performance team and has been a pleasure to have around the club for seven years. He is the ultimate team player, and we know he will have great success for whatever lies ahead.

·        Ben Mathews has been a trusted and respected assistant coach under both Paul Roos and Simon Goodwin. Ben has accepted a role at another AFL club, which he will announce in due course, and we wish him all the best and thank him of for his services.

·        Justin Plapp was originally the coach of our VFL team and then brought into the AFL program and is a much-loved and respected coach. Justin has decided to put his energies into the family business, and we wish him continued success and thank him for his contribution to the club.

As members and supporters, I want to thank you for your continued loyalty to the Club. I hope you can see that the review exercise and subsequent changes are a sign that we will continue to challenge ourselves in a relentless effort to get our team back into Premiership contention and to make you feel proud to belong to this great Club. The players and coaches appreciate that you are rightly impatient for success and I hope you appreciate that they feel exactly the same. We must continue to back in this exciting, young player group as they are capable of achieving Finals success.

Some of our initiatives will be discussed in further detail at the upcoming members forum, with the date to be announced shortly.

The players and coaches are looking forward to performing at their best in 2021.

Thanks for your loyalty and support.

Go Dees.

Gary Pert

CEO

[bing181 9,328]

"The review identified significant support for Simon Goodwin as Senior Coach with faith in his ability to take our team to AFL Finals success."

[Cards13 9,117]

The “consistency in standards and behaviours, on and off the field” is a huge disappointment for mine. Who is supposed to be driving these things... the coaches and players (leaders and otherwise). Ffs when are those guys going to grow up/get it. 
 

Hearing someone like Oliver is unhappy, well pal lead... lead this team to sustained success and you’ll be a very happy man. 
Max and Jack V and Jonesy.... come on guys, you’ve been in the caper long enough and supposed leaders, get it done!

Lastly the coaching panel is very light on now, interesting that Bartlett talked about getting enough support behind Goodwin and yet he has less coaches behind him. 

Edited November 2, 2020 by Cards13

[Mt. Dee-Maaan 608]

sooo, is yze the assistant? all all line coaches are assistants? still a bit concerned over a lack of support for goodwin. would've been nice to have got an actual ex forward to train the forwards?..

[Earl Hood 6,101]

Not sure letting Cross and Plapp go is a positive. Who are the replacements, if there are any? 

[Rogue 585]

18 minutes ago, Earl Hood said:

Not sure letting Cross and Plapp go is a positive. Who are the replacements, if there are any? 

I'd say this may have something to do with it:

'AFL-mandated $3m cut to our AFL football soft cap expenditure'

[Brownie 5,988]

Apart from getting Yze and keeping Burgess, it seems like shuffling deck chairs.

Hope I'm wrong and we leap out of the gates next year.

Maybe Benny Brown will help us as well but yes some consistency would be nice.

[Sir Why You Little 37,134]

1 minute ago, Brownie said:

Apart from getting Yze and keeping Burgess, it seems like shuffling deck chairs.

Hope I'm wrong and we leap out of the gates next year.

Maybe Benny Brown will help us as well but yes some consistency would be nice.

Not much can be done during a Pandemic. 
Getting Yze and Sideshow is a big change within the FD

Richo has big responsibilities now

[The heart beats true 18,145]

I’ve worked in a lot of organisations. Sliding people around and changing titles usually doesn’t amount to much. They either spend 12 months trying to figure out what is or isn’t their responsibility, or they realise they preferred the previous job and just stain the organisation. This feels a little half pregnant to me in regards to Richardson in particular. Had they not done a review before they brought the guy in they’d be able to recruit for the role we now need. I feel similarly about Mahoney - who definitely seems to have been demoted.

[Demonland 73,161]

 

[DeeSpencer 26,083]

5 minutes ago, The heart beats true said:

I’ve worked in a lot of organisations. Sliding people around and changing titles usually doesn’t amount to much. They either spend 12 months trying to figure out what is or isn’t their responsibility, or they realise they preferred the previous job and just stain the organisation. This feels a little half pregnant to me in regards to Richardson in particular. Had they not done a review before they brought the guy in they’d be able to recruit for the role we now need. I feel similarly about Mahoney - who definitely seems to have been demoted.

The one positive might be that if Goodwin and this new plan flop we can scrap all these changes and just start fresh. Richardson goes back to a primary coaching role, Mahoney moves out and we get a fresh GM with a fresh coach to completely redo things.

This seems a compromise under pandemic circumstances trying to move people as best we can.

[Adam The God 30,421]

I actually think this is the perfect result between the two GMs of Football. It works to Richo's strengths in player development and coaching. And Mahoney's strengths in list management and commercial administration. 

Really like that Josh has been given a massive job of being part of the new home base development team. He smashes this out of the park and it will be a great feather in his cap. 

I think the way the message is delivered is both relatively clear, respectful and classy. 

My only hesitation is over Stafford as the forward coach. And will Richo take development? This was unclear to me. Perhaps, this will fall under the domain of the Casey coach?

We also have to remember that all the clubs will be similarly downsized. There'll certainly be more responsibility across all lines though, whether it be GM, backline coach or forward coach. Given the playing field should be relatively levelled by league wide austerity measures, I think this added responsibility could suit us nicely.

Edited November 2, 2020 by A F

[trout 385]

Well I am certainly not surprised by the results of the review but I am far from impressed with the outcomes of it. 

I mean at what point does a coach in his fourth year on the back of three years of a succession plan by a premiership coach feel the heat. Improvements in game plan, performance consistency and skill execution all seem to fall under the coaches watch all with an improving list.

I have no faith in anyone making any important decisions at this club. 

[BDA 22,891]

I don’t think the timing of the announcement is a coincidence given the Brown news. Underwhelming.

I know the pandemic is a massive factor but jeez a lot depends on Yze. He has to get that midfield firing and delivering half decent supply to BB.

[Older demon 2,779]

A forward midfield and back coach plus the senior coach and I suspect Jones contributing in there somewhere. AS stated earlier $3 million is a lot to chop out of any program. They will all have to take on a bit more responsibility as will every other clubs coaching staff. I suspect the review wasn't just about individual coaches performance but how the club can manage with less resources so lets give Pert and his crew a chance to show what they can do.

[Vineytime 854]

Egan still there as an assistant/ development coach? No mention of him 

[Sir Why You Little 37,134]

1 hour ago, Sir Why You Little said:

Not much can be done during a Pandemic. 
Getting Yze and Sideshow is a big change within the FD

Richo has big responsibilities now

I will add 

Keeping Darren Burgess on board is a huge Bonus. 
we have done ok. 
Our Forward Coach suprises me, but let’s hope he does. 

[whatwhat say what 22,948]

We’re lean in 2021 but we won’t be alone in being so

[Moonshadow 17,677]

I'm sure I read Mahoney was to leave at years end. Must've got my wires crossed on here.

Glad we got Yze. Good to see results from the review

Edited November 2, 2020 by Moonshadow

[spirit of norm smith 16,589]

Stafford as forward coach. Omg. We struggled and this should be a priority. I’m lost to see how he is the solution!!! 
 

[Ted Lasso 19,549]

Doesn't quite add up to me to be honest. Evidence to Support Simon Goodwin being a good coach, but the need for a second off field overhaul in 2 years due to the team underperforming and evidence of poor standards both in game and preparation, and an inconsistent team. 

I'm a bit uneasy by these changes to be totally honest. i really though JM should have been removed totally to be honest. i don't think moving on 3-4 fringe assistant coaches and shuffling the deck chairs a little bit is a strong enough response given the failure of 2020. 

I also find it interesting that Pert identified some concerns with the game plan, another thing i would have thought Simon Goodwin was directly responsible for. 

[bing181 9,328]

13 minutes ago, Patches O’houlihan said:

I also find it interesting that Pert identified some concerns with the game plan ...

"There is a real belief in the game plan and strategy"

and just to spell out where the issues lie:

"however there is also an acknowledgment by all involved that there was an inconsistent execution of the game plan this season, which ultimately cost us a place in the AFL Finals."

Edited November 2, 2020 by bing181

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,882]

2 hours ago, A F said:

I actually think this is the perfect result between the two GMs of Football. It works to Richo's strengths in player development and coaching. And Mahoney's strengths in list management and commercial administration. 

Really like that Josh has been given a massive job of being part of the new home base development team. He smashes this out of the park and it will be a great feather in his cap. 

I think the way the message is delivered is both relatively clear, respectful and classy. 

Agree.

I recall it was suggested that there was a considerable undercurrent of disapoinment with Mahoney missing out on the CEO's role when Pert was appointed, which to me suggests that he'd be more than happy taking on a role with more of a commercial focus that his new one should provide.

Richardson is much better suited to the intensive day to day footy focus.

Whatever the formal roles might fall, I'm sure there will also be plenty of room for each of the assistants and even guys around the traps with strong leadership and football nous to also play a mentoring role in player development amongst the squad.  I even feel like their could be a role for our current CEO in this capacity - was a pretty decient player in his day.

I do actually like the cut in football department spending.  It's more back to basics, which is what footy clubs should be about.  When AFL finances recover somewhat I'd hope there could be a resistance to upping spending at the elite level, in order to channel those finds into grass roots footy, which could take a huge hit from COVID.

Edited November 2, 2020 by Rodney (Balls) Grinter

[Ted Lasso 19,549]

4 minutes ago, bing181 said:

"There is a real belief in the game plan and strategy"

and just to spell out where the issues lie:

"however there is also an acknowledgment by all involved that there was an inconsistent execution of the game plan this season, which ultimately cost us a place in the AFL Finals."

the inability to consistently execute the game plan is the concern i am referring to, perhaps i worded it badly.

[Rodney (Balls) Grinter 10,882]

To me the most of the review was just meh.

I honestly don't have the inside  knowledge or depth of understanding to know its good or not for Chaplin and Stafford continue in those roles or not.

What we really needed is for our CEO/President to come out and state that the club will win multiple premierships in the next 5 years and become an AFL powerhouse over the next decade - that seems to work!