Football Program Review

[Adam The God 30,261]

1 hour ago, Patches O’houlihan said:

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. 

I'm uneasy too, but I think Pert is hitching his carriage to the Goodwin train. If Goodwin fails, Pert fails and his position, IMV, will be close to untenable. 

[Grr-owl 1,220]

1 hour ago, A F said:

I'm uneasy too, but I think Pert is hitching his carriage to the Goodwin train. If Goodwin fails, Pert fails and his position, IMV, will be close to untenable. 

It’s the right way to have it. Put himself on the line. Do or die. If, as some say, the CEO is the most important position at a club, then it sets the standard for all: Excellence is expected.

Edited November 2, 2020 by Grr-owl

[Half forward flank 1,022]

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.

This reads Richardson will be overseeing Goodwins coaching performance. Does that place him under, equal or above Goodwin? I see a confused situation, as it reads.

It also reads Richardson will be overseeing the performance-based elements of high performance, lol.

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,845]

6 hours ago, Rodney (Balls) Grinter said:.

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!

That would be good if they came out with that bold statement. Worked for the another club recently.

However, Bartlett made it abundantly clear to the players and fans in his B&F speech that missing finals this year was completely unacceptable.

[Lucifers Hero 39,836]

1 hour ago, Half forward flank said:

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.

This reads Richardson will be overseeing Goodwins coaching performance. Does that place him under, equal or above Goodwin? I see a confused situation, as it reads.

It also reads Richardson will be overseeing the performance-based elements of high performance, lol.

I read it that Richardson is Goodwin's boss. 

Not sure it was smooth sailing when it was the other way round so it will be interesting to see how it pans out.

[pewpewpew 738]

7 hours ago, bing181 said:

"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."

This bolded comment is a public slap in the face to the players. 

This is the reason a once in a generation player like Clarry is unhappy with the club and will almost certainly leave us if the game plan and coach that Pert & Bartlett are backing fails for a 4th time in 5 years. 

[drdrake 3,178]

2 minutes ago, pewpewpew said:

This bolded comment is a public slap in the face to the players. 

This is the reason a once in a generation player like Clarry is unhappy with the club and will almost certainly leave us if the game plan and coach that Pert & Bartlett are backing fails for a 4th time in 5 years. 

It is up to Clarry and players to lift their performance.  No question our biggest issue is our skill execution, starting with the fundamental skill kicking.  If we can't improve our teams kicking we will struggle to successfully implement any game plan.

[Lucifers Hero 39,836]

13 hours 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.

Like you I've spent a lot of my working life advising entities on organisation structures, role definition, position descriptions etc.

I'm ok with the overall structure.  Not entirely sure about the role definitions of the two GM's.  It is the incumbents I have a problem with.

It looks to me the approach was 'we have people with contracts on the payroll and we need to find jobs for them'.   Here I'm thinking:  Richardson, Stafford and maybe Mahoney.

I find it hard to believe that at a time when dozens of good assistant coaches and football managers are available that we didn't use the opportunity to get the best there is.  Particularly as the AFL is allowing clubs the 'soft cap' space to cancel contracts this year. 

We had the opportunity to undo last year's coaching related recruiting mistakes and we didn't take it.  We have shuffled the deckchairs instead. 

I have oft said I feel our coaching panel is bottom 4.  Yze will go some way to improving that.  But I am disappointed that we haven't done enough to substantially improve the support around Goodwin.  Either his assistant coaches or his GM Football.

Edited November 2, 2020 by Lucifer's Hero

[Lord Nev 13,512]

8 minutes ago, pewpewpew said:

This bolded comment is a public slap in the face to the players. 

This is the reason a once in a generation player like Clarry is unhappy with the club and will almost certainly leave us if the game plan and coach that Pert & Bartlett are backing fails for a 4th time in 5 years. 

Massive Clarry fan, and agree he's a once in a generation player, but him being a good player doesn't preclude him from having some of the attitude problems that are symptomatic of the club as a whole. He has a ton of work to do in that area if he truly wants team success. I don't think it's correct to put it all on the club, Clarry has some hard decisions to make about himself as well.

[Lord Nev 13,512]

2 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Like you I've spent a lot of time advising entities on organisation structures etc.

It looks to me the approach was 'we have people with contracts on the payroll and we need to find jobs for them'.   Here I'm thinking:  Richardson, Stafford and maybe Mahoney.

I find it hard to believe that at a time when dozens of good assistant coaches and football managers are available that we didn't use the opportunity to get the best there is.  Particularly as the AFL is allowing clubs the 'soft cap' space to cancel contracts this year. 

We had the opportunity to undo last year's coaching related recruiting mistakes and we didn't take it.  We have shuffled the deckchairs instead. 

I have oft said I feel our coaching panel is bottom 4.  Yze will go some way to improving that.  But I am disappointed that we haven't done enough to substantially improve the support around Goodwin.  Either his assistant coaches or his GM Football.

Hold tight mate, there will be more coaches coming in from what I've heard. This isn't the final setup.

[Hellaintabadplacetobe 4,294]

24 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

I read it that Richardson is Goodwin's boss. 

Not sure it was smooth sailing when it was the other way round so it will be interesting to see how it pans out.

I agree with this LH. 

There appeared from afar to be very little communication between the 2, especially in the coaches box. 

Gee, Mahoney must be one hell of an operator,  whatever it is he does other than list management. The club has been a failure pretty much every year he's been involved and he survives again. 

[Ted Lasso 19,518]

7 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

Hold tight mate, there will be more coaches coming in from what I've heard. This isn't the final setup.

Hearing exactly the same. 

[Lucifers Hero 39,836]

2 hours ago, Lord Nev said:

Hold tight mate, there will be more coaches coming in from what I've heard. This isn't the final setup.

That may be so but whatever they are they won't overcome two fundamental issues in my eyes.  1) Richardson has little success in his background to qualify him for the job he has been given.  2) Stafford had goal kicking coaching in his role this year so doesn't fill me with confidence as fwd coach. 

Are they the best available for respective roles?  

And I've never been sold on Chaplin.  Sure our defence has improved in 2021 but a fair bit of that is on the back of Steven May's outstanding year.

So overall, imv we haven't substantially improved the support around Goodwin which primarily are the GM and Goodwin's 3 direct line coaches (except Yze).  Those 5 will determine game plan, tactics, team selection etc.  So the nucleus is set.  Other additions will be peripheral to the main game. 

Edited November 2, 2020 by Lucifer's Hero

[BDA 22,755]

15 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Like you I've spent a lot of time advising entities on organisation structures etc.

I'm ok with the overall structure, it is the incumbents I have a problem with.

It looks to me the approach was 'we have people with contracts on the payroll and we need to find jobs for them'.   Here I'm thinking:  Richardson, Stafford and maybe Mahoney.

I find it hard to believe that at a time when dozens of good assistant coaches and football managers are available that we didn't use the opportunity to get the best there is.  Particularly as the AFL is allowing clubs the 'soft cap' space to cancel contracts this year. 

We had the opportunity to undo last year's coaching related recruiting mistakes and we didn't take it.  We have shuffled the deckchairs instead. 

I have oft said I feel our coaching panel is bottom 4.  Yze will go some way to improving that.  But I am disappointed that we haven't done enough to substantially improve the support around Goodwin.  Either his assistant coaches or his GM Football.

I think this is spot on and my initial reaction as well.

A review that leaves all the same senior people in place (albeit in different roles) isn’t much of a review imo.

[BDA 22,755]

13 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

Hold tight mate, there will be more coaches coming in from what I've heard. This isn't the final setup.

what names are being bandied about LN

[Lord Nev 13,512]

Just now, Better days ahead said:

what names are being bandied about LN

Don't know unfortunately, they've kept it pretty hush hush.

There's been rumours around here and other places that Kingsley and Leppitsch were being chased by us, but haven't heard enough noise about them to think it's a chance yet.

[Jaded No More 68,936]

Still no game plan/strategy/ opposition analysis coach. Concerning. Jennings was never replaced and I think this is one of our biggest weaknesses. 
Goodwin is in last chance saloon in 2021. 

[Lord Nev 13,512]

7 minutes ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

That may be so but whatever they are they won't overcome two fundamental issues in my eyes.  1) Richardson has little success in his background to qualify him for the job he has been given.  2) Stafford had goal kicking coaching in his role this year so doesn't fill me with confidence as fwd coach.  And not sure he is the best available. 

And I've never been sold on Chaplin.  Sure our defence has improved in 2021 but a fair bit of that is on the back of Steven May's outstanding year.

So overall, imv we haven't substantially improved the support around Goodwin which primarily are the GM and his 3 direct line coaches (except Yze).  Those 5 will determine game plan, tactics, team selection etc.  So the nucleus is set.  Other additions will be peripheral. 

I agree it's underwhelming to this point, I'm just holding fire until I see the final lineup.

Don't agree that any other additions will be peripheral given we don't know who/what they are yet.

[Lucifers Hero 39,836]

Just now, Lord Nev said:

I agree it's underwhelming to this point, I'm just holding fire until I see the final lineup.

Don't agree that any other additions will be peripheral given we don't know who/what they are yet.

Peripheral in role and level of influence on the key things:  game plan, tactics, team selection that the head coach and line coaches adopt. 

[Lord Nev 13,512]

Just now, Lucifer's Hero said:

Peripheral in role and level of influence on the key things:  game plan, tactics, team selection that the head coach and line coaches adopt. 

I hear you mate, I just don't agree yet given we don't know what other roles will be filled.

We may have a strategy coach come in yet. My guess is a strategy/oppo analysis coach and a development coach of some sort are yet to be announced. That would strengthen it for mine, especially if they're highly rated coaches.

[old55 23,598]

8 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

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

Have you ever worked in an FD with Stafford?  If not then you have no idea whether this is a good or bad appointment. 

[Die Hard Demon 1,224]

8 minutes ago, Pollyanna said:

Have you ever worked in an FD with Stafford?  If not then you have no idea whether this is a good or bad appointment. 

My concern is that Greg Stafford seems to be playing musical chairs with his role at the club. First came in as Ruck Coach, then migrated to Goal Kicking Coach, now he’s our Forward Coach. I guess if we throw enough chit at the wall eventually it’ll stick? 

[Lord Nev 13,512]

2 minutes ago, Die Hard Demon said:

My concern is that Greg Stafford seems to be playing musical chairs with his role at the club. First came in as Ruck Coach, then migrated to Goal Kicking Coach, now he’s our Forward Coach. I guess if we throw enough chit at the wall eventually it’ll stick? 

I agree making him forward coach might not turn out great, but to be fair, he added goal kicking coach to his role, he didn't 'migrate' to it as a different role.

[Kent 2,910]

12 hours ago, Demonland said:

 

Well I guess if Goodwin doesn't perform then Pert will also depart  Very brave call in my opinion

Perform surely must mean top 4 and deep into finals

[spirit of norm smith 16,463]

Observations 

1.  Corporate message from a corporate CEO.  Classic modern day messaging. Classic corporate ambiguity, adjectives and elite speak. 
 

2. Simon needs more support. But we have lost 3-4 support coaches so I’m puzzled as to how the extra support is created. Richo must still be in the box on game day (?!?!)
 

3. Greg Stafford as forward line coach. Really. That’s a bizarre choice given he was just a ruckman.  And as goalkicking coach, he was working alongside Fritsch this year! .  That needs further thought. 
 

4. Ruck coach? Skills and development coach? Strategy and opposition analysis?  Casey coach??
Obviously some gaps that need to be filled. Modern day footy might be tighter but you at least need basic roles filled.