Looking at our fixture my reaction to round one was “likely win, that Cairns loss is meaningless in any other context, they’re young and rebuilding. Their coach? Promising, but inexperienced and still finding his way.” But round two fills me with dread because the Saints’ coach is one I truly rate from his one year turning our midfield into a weapon and his solid grounding since. So I began to wonder what difference does a coach make on match day? Here’s my run down on how we are either advantaged or disadvantaged on the 2021 fixture and if, at all, the coach helps or hinders our prospects.

And let me begin by saying I have an almost open mind on Simon’s work since he has had to cope with some setbacks not of his making.

 

Round 1 FREO: As above, Longmuir is still the novice, Goodwin has a grounding and is well regarded by senior players if Viney’s re-signing is any guide. Lessons must have been learned by now.

Coach Rating V Freo; (we are) Somewhat advantaged.

Round 2 ST KILDA: Ratten is one I would have had in an instant. Knows the game, is focussed and a thinker. Goodwin is similarly grounded but I expect Ratten to surprise us. That said, the absence of Ryder will help us but in any case:

Coach Rating V St Kilda: Somewhat disadvantaged.

Round 3 GWS: Cameron has plenty of experience, a wealth of talent at his disposal but has not delivered, partly due to lousy luck in a prelim. His demeanour post match does not impress. Struggles for anything to say but his team’s record says he can still get them there. History says we compete OK.

Coach Rating V GWS: Neutral.

Round 4 GEELONG: Scott can be faulted partly because his record of an inherited flag flatters. On the other hand he has rebuilt what was seen as a fading group. He absolutely out coached Goodwin last year with his rope-a-dope tactics that took us until the final quarter to adapt to. I expect more trickery this year. Goodwin will need to be on his game for this one.

Coach Rating V Geelong: Seriously Disadvantaged.

Round 5 HAWTHORN: Clarkson created the template for breaking us several years ago. He is clever and has shown repeatedly he can find ways to bend the rules to his advantaged. He is ahead of the rest of the football world in this regard.

Coach Rating V Hawthorn is Seriously Disadvantaged.

Round 6 RICHMOND: I suspect Hardwick is not the genius we are led to believe, but a coach who is lucky enough to be at the forefront of a very well run club. He is certainly experienced and has knitted together a formidable unit but it’s not his doing in the way Clarkson’s success was very much his own.

Coach Rating V Richmond is neutral.

Round 7 NORTH: Cannot say much about Noble except that like all senior coaches he knows infinitely more about the game than me. That said, he will be less than two months into what is likely to be a very difficult learning year.

Coach Rating V North Melbourne is Seriously Advantaged

Round 8 SYDNEY: Another premiership coach and with plenty of experience, yet for some reason not as creative as you might expect. Has his system and pretty much sticks to it.

Coach Rating V Sydney is neutral.

Round 9 CARLTON: Teague is well regarded but that studious four-eyed look only goes so far. He has turned them around somewhat but is a steady rather than a sparkling performer.

Coach Rating V Carlton is neutral.

Round 10 ADELAIDE: Nicks is still a novice really and working with a diminished list with plenty to do. Goodwin’s experience and fresh thinking advisors should make a difference here.

Coach Rating V Adelaide: Somewhat advantaged.

Round 11 BULLDOGS: For mine this is the biggest coaching box negative we have for the year. As creative as Clarkson but with more to work with, we’ll finish this wishing Bevvo was still with us. The team will have to be truly firing to take the points.

Coach Rating V Bulldogs: Seriously Disadvantaged.

Round 12 BRISBANE: Almost as bad as the Clarkson-Bevvo prospect is our former development coach Chris Fagan. Loves his players; they love him; has built a terrific list and has them humming and is a thinker to boot.

Coach Rating V Brisbane: Somewhat Disadvantaged.

Round 13 COLLINGWOOD: Buckley’s been there a long time so he knows his players and is an experienced coach but he’s not ground breaking. He knows his game, and he knows ours. The reverse applies.

Coach Rating V Collingwood: Neutral.

Round 15 ESSENDON: A first year coach effect is not unknown but from this distance it’s impossible to know if Rutten will achieve that. He’ll be battling to put his mark on this mob after their troubled handover.

Coach Rating V Essendon: Somewhat Advantaged.

Round 17 PORT ADELAIDE: The team and club are highly rated, but Hinkley? Been there for twice as long as we’ve had Goodwin and the best tactic he’s come up with was having some third game punk try to beat up on Max 50 metres off the ball. Old style hard man but no ground breaker. Sadly, Simon did not respond. Maybe this time we’ll be ready.

Coach Rating V Port Adelaide: Neutral.

ROUND 19 SUNS: Dew is workmanlike but not especially tricky. Does his research and gets on with it. Similar to our bloke.

Coach Rating V Suns: Neutral.

ROUND 21: The AFL is making us wait for the heat to build before we make it to whatever has replaced Subiaco. Simpson is a very well credentialled coach and will be ready for us.

Coach Rating V West Coast: Seriously Disadvantaged.

 

I have us at a serious disadvantage 4 times, somewhat disadvantaged twice, seriously advantaged once, somewhat advantaged 3 times, with 7 neutrals,

Of course, Simon could always “grow” through the year. I hope so because looking back at this it's more challenging than I might have thought.

 

 

 

 

 

My ratings:

vs Adelaide: Goodwin has little idea of how to stop them or what unfolds out on the field

vs Brisbane: no idea

vs Carlton: little idea

vs Collingwood: break even

vs Essendon: break even

vs Freo: no idea

vs Geelong: absolutely no idea

vs Gold Coast: little idea

vs GWS: no idea

vs Hawthorn: absolutely no idea

vs North: little idea

vs Port: no idea

vs Richmond: no idea

vs St Kilda: no idea

vs Sydney: little idea

vs West Coast: absolutely no idea

vs Dogs: absolutely no idea

So that's 2 break evens, 5 little ideas, 6 no ideas, and 4 absolutely no ideas.

 

  On 11/03/2021 at 05:50, RigidMiddleDigit said:

Of course, Simon could always “grow” through the year.

Last time he "grew" through the year was when Hirdy had him on stuff where you couldn't "ungrow" for 3 days.

Jesus.

I think seeing Freo as a likely win is where we always tend to make a mistake as fans 

  On 11/03/2021 at 05:50, RigidMiddleDigit said:

Round 6 RICHMOND: I suspect Hardwick is not the genius we are led to believe, but a coach who is lucky enough to be at the forefront of a very well run club. He is certainly experienced and has knitted together a formidable unit but it’s not his doing in the way Clarkson’s success was very much his own.

Coach Rating V Richmond is neutral.

 

Doesn’t rate Hardwick 

“This is where the essay fallls to the ground...”

I know he shares the same title, but referring to SG as a peer of most AFL head coaches appears to be quite a stretch at present.

I'm not saying Freo will be an easy win but if we lose I think it's the beginning of the end for Goodwin

  On 11/03/2021 at 12:16, Sir Why You Little said:

Doesn’t rate Hardwick 

“This is where the essay fallls to the ground...”

Once upon a time I didn't rate Hardwick either... but he has built a champion team.  But it has taken him a long time, starting 2010.

  On 11/03/2021 at 11:48, Demonland said:

 

This is fascinating stuff. This is our problem and how we can solve it. Short, clear, empowering and ultimately inspiring.

Shows how far away many supporters are off when they call for ranting and raving by coaches. 

  On 11/03/2021 at 10:56, layzie said:

I think seeing Freo as a likely win is where we always tend to make a mistake as fans 

• 

On a wintery Melbourne Friday night in 1999, Fremantle ran out onto the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the 11th time, still seeking its first win at the home of football.

Sitting on the bottom of the AFL ladder with just one win after nine rounds, the visitors faced up to 12th placed Melbourne.

When all was said and done, Fremantle walked away with a historic first win and a goals record that stands to this day.

Former Adelaide star Tony Modra, who had joined the club at the start of the season, was unstoppable, booting 10 goals in the 54-point victory.

Freo ruckman Daniel Bandy dominated the stoppages, easily accounting for Melbourne big man and former teammate Jeff White.

Stephen O'Reilly, Andrew Shipp and Clive Waterhouse were also very good, while future Freo star Jeff Farmer was one of the only Demons to compete strongly.

But this night belonged to the flamboyant Modra.



Five goals in a blistering 15-minute burst in the second term was enough to see his opponent Jamie Shanahan benched early in the second quarter in the Demon’s 150th game.

Fremantle coach Damian Drum was relieved to notch win number two for the season.

"They will be able to wake up in the morning and feel like decent human beings," he said.

FREMANTLE 6.4 12.7 18.10 22.12 (144)
MELBOURNE 3.5 6.6 9.8 13.12 (90)

 

?‍♂️

Edited March 11, 20214 yr by John Demonic

  On 11/03/2021 at 13:36, Darkhorse72 said:

Once upon a time I didn't rate Hardwick either... but he has built a champion team.  But it has taken him a long time, starting 2010.

This above essay is written in March 2021

Hardwick has 3 flags

This connects to something troubling me last night. Who in our team can overcome whatever it is that holds them back from being better than average. Gawn did it through application. Hunt could be a Langdon but what is he missing? (probably a seperate thread.) 

Our coach made the most of his playing career and I sense he needs to draw on that a bit more. Hardwick in the clip reminded them about their process ( a theme we hear from SG) but in the end he was talking about the man in the jumper. Goody needs to tap more of the man he was when he was wearing a jumper.

 

  On 11/03/2021 at 09:12, bing181 said:

Jesus.

Seriously disadvantaged.

  On 11/03/2021 at 23:51, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Seriously disadvantaged.

Who is he coaching?

Reminds me of the sign outside the church in Hawthorn "What would you do if Jesus came to Hawthorn" and someone wrote "move Hudson to centre half forward"

  On 11/03/2021 at 23:56, Robbie57 said:

Who is he coaching?

Reminds me of the sign outside the church in Hawthorn "What would you do if Jesus came to Hawthorn" and someone wrote "move Hudson to centre half forward"

Not sure, but I think it's safe to say that whoever he's been coaching, the demons are always on the other side. 

Edited March 12, 20214 yr by La Dee-vina Comedia

  On 11/03/2021 at 16:23, John Demonic said:

• 

On a wintery Melbourne Friday night in 1999, Fremantle ran out onto the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the 11th time, still seeking its first win at the home of football.

Sitting on the bottom of the AFL ladder with just one win after nine rounds, the visitors faced up to 12th placed Melbourne.

When all was said and done, Fremantle walked away with a historic first win and a goals record that stands to this day.

Former Adelaide star Tony Modra, who had joined the club at the start of the season, was unstoppable, booting 10 goals in the 54-point victory.

Freo ruckman Daniel Bandy dominated the stoppages, easily accounting for Melbourne big man and former teammate Jeff White.

Stephen O'Reilly, Andrew Shipp and Clive Waterhouse were also very good, while future Freo star Jeff Farmer was one of the only Demons to compete strongly.

But this night belonged to the flamboyant Modra.



Five goals in a blistering 15-minute burst in the second term was enough to see his opponent Jamie Shanahan benched early in the second quarter in the Demon’s 150th game.

Fremantle coach Damian Drum was relieved to notch win number two for the season.

"They will be able to wake up in the morning and feel like decent human beings," he said.

FREMANTLE 6.4 12.7 18.10 22.12 (144)
MELBOURNE 3.5 6.6 9.8 13.12 (90)

 

?‍♂️

This was the day that the AFL CEO celebrated in the rooms with our opposition team. So much for being impartial.

  On 11/03/2021 at 16:23, John Demonic said:

• 

On a wintery Melbourne Friday night in 1999, Fremantle ran out onto the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the 11th time, still seeking its first win at the home of football.

Sitting on the bottom of the AFL ladder with just one win after nine rounds, the visitors faced up to 12th placed Melbourne.

When all was said and done, Fremantle walked away with a historic first win and a goals record that stands to this day.

Former Adelaide star Tony Modra, who had joined the club at the start of the season, was unstoppable, booting 10 goals in the 54-point victory.

Freo ruckman Daniel Bandy dominated the stoppages, easily accounting for Melbourne big man and former teammate Jeff White.

Stephen O'Reilly, Andrew Shipp and Clive Waterhouse were also very good, while future Freo star Jeff Farmer was one of the only Demons to compete strongly.

But this night belonged to the flamboyant Modra.



Five goals in a blistering 15-minute burst in the second term was enough to see his opponent Jamie Shanahan benched early in the second quarter in the Demon’s 150th game.

Fremantle coach Damian Drum was relieved to notch win number two for the season.

"They will be able to wake up in the morning and feel like decent human beings," he said.

FREMANTLE 6.4 12.7 18.10 22.12 (144)
MELBOURNE 3.5 6.6 9.8 13.12 (90)

 

?‍♂️

That night was a little 186ish.

We went from a prelim finalist to getting schooled by a woeful Freo on our home turf half a season later.

  On 11/03/2021 at 09:12, bing181 said:

Jesus.

He might help !

  On 12/03/2021 at 00:36, Bring-Back-Powell said:

That night was a little 186ish.

We went from a prelim finalist to getting schooled by a woeful Freo on our home turf half a season later.

That’s our normal operandum BBP!

if we lose to freo its time for simon to go.

there are no excuses

nearly a full team

at home

plenty of motivation after finishing 9th BECAUSE WE LOST TO FREO

 

 

 

Hardwick embodies everything you want in a leader. Similar style to Clarkson.

1. Encyclopaedic knowledge of the game

2. Uncanny ability to articulate complex strategy in a simple way

3. Strong, imposing presence during presentation/performance

4. Can switch between the "warrior" and the "joker" when talking to the team (anyone that has taken corporate coaching training will know what I'm talking about here). Basically means he walks into a room and people know it's time for business, he can tell a joke, but then immediately switch back to serious business without having lost the room. Not everyone can do this (ie. some people start with a joke and then struggle to get full buy in from the audience)

5. Empowers and trusts the team to execute

6. Has an unwavering belief in the strategy 

Goodwin (and most coaches) has many of these traits but lacks many. Suggesting he is even close to Hardwick at this point is utter insanity. Hardwick in the corporate world would be VP level without even lifting a finger. He gets buy in at a ridiculously high rate and that's why Richmond plays arguably the best "team" game in the league. 

 

  On 12/03/2021 at 03:31, biggestred said:

if we lose to freo its time for simon to go.

there are no excuses

nearly a full team

at home

plenty of motivation after finishing 9th BECAUSE WE LOST TO FREO

 

 

 

Really? We know there will be no B Brown, Weideman, Viney. There must be doubts on May, Salem and Melksham. And probably others that I've missed. 

Hardwick and Richmond with him was the No.1 target of AFL failure jokes by the end of 2016 and over the 2016-2017 preseason.  Daniel Prestia was considered bizarrely delusional when he offered the prospect of success as his reason for preferring Richmond as his new club.

Finished 13th, with 8 wins and a percentage of just 79, after making finals but never winning one for three years in a row.

They were cooked.  Just take a quick look at that season's afl.com predictions, as a light example.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/75478/crystal-ball-aflcomaus-2017-season-predictions

Richmond weren't even interesting.

Who knows, maybe Goodwin's secret weapon is a willingness to collaborate with top quality assistants and the 'team of coaches' model will become the new norm.  Certainly it will be better for all coachs' mental health.

  On 11/03/2021 at 12:16, Sir Why You Little said:

Doesn’t rate Hardwick 

“This is where the essay fallls to the ground...”

The old trick of misrepresenting what is written or said in order to cut down a straw man.

"do not rate" does not appear.

Actual quote " has knitted together a formidable unit".

Edited March 14, 20214 yr by RigidMiddleDigit