Saints Sack Ratten & Appoint Lyon as Coach

[ManDee 7,073]

Why would any coach sign a multi year contract if 6 months is the maximum payout. Coaches should only sign 6 month contracts and jump ship if there is a better offer. I suggest that the 6 month payout on a multi year contract is illegal.

Edited October 14, 2022 by ManDee
Typo

[BoBo 2,029]

I’m a bit skeptical of Ross Lyon. He has walked into two clubs with very good lists after a lot of the development work had already been done and taken them to arguably their potential (which didn’t win a flag). Then he left two clubs after they started a downward turn and there wasn’t much young talent ready to step up after him.

He can absolutely get the best out of a good/great list, but there’s not much evidence that he can take a mediocre list and develop it into a premiership team for future years. 

A two club coach that hasn’t won a premiership even after being hand fed very strong lists. Hmmmm.

Edited October 14, 2022 by BoBo

[Redleg 37,473]

2 hours ago, Bitter but optimistic said:

Come off it Red ! You wouldn't have that many mates.

You know me too well uncle, can I say acquaintances.

[Anti-Saint 188]

10 hours ago, Queanbeyan Demon said:

Anyone who watched the post draft interview with the St Kilda recruiter would have been left speechless by the utter delusional and completely irrational and disordered view he has concerning their list.

Being apart of St. Kilda has some similarities to living in Norf Korea. Living in a state of suspended animation, they are disciples of the unshakable belief in something that’s untrue. The belief isn’t a part of the wider AFL or societal culture or subculture, and almost everyone else knows this belief to be false. They think the answer lies in doubling-down and trying harder.  

Not saints at all.

you can't say that QBD - Kim Jong-un will cut up ruff!

[Little Goffy 12,507]

That club...

Let's not kid around, in 2012 they were right in a hole dug by Ross Lyon, and there was no real reason to expect they would do any better than Scott Watters got out of them. Then they somehow clawed some non-rubbish season under Richardson which had people saying the Saints were climbing back faster than even the Demons under Roos, but the reality of their list hit back hard and they bottomed out again.

Enter Brett Ratten, who has taken them to double-figure wins in every full season he has coached, even winning a final in 2020 and only being knocked out of finals by the eventual premier. All despite what is really an absolute snot-blast of a list, complete with a number of their highest-paid players barely taking the field.

There's a real prospect that Ratten, Richardson and even Watters actually were all quite capable coaches but the entire St Kilda environment meant there was no chance of delivering a rebuild.

Final thought; like many of us, I have a little glimmering memory of maaaany years ago when Ratten was briefly our midfield coach and really started to turn it into an effective unit before being poached. Brief notion crossed my mind that with a couple of our coaches leaving he might be a good addition, but then considered that he might just be a little to shell-shocked to jump straight back into a new club and role within weeks. Which invites the question; have St Kilda actually breached certain terms created by the AFL coach's association with regard to timely and appropriate terminations? In other words, is it possible that Ratten could have a legal case against St Kilda for impairing his ability to seek other work, such that St Kilda ought to be required to pay out more than the mandatory 6 months of salary?

I'm only asking because that becoming an ugly court case would be the most St Kilda thing ever.

[Anti-Saint 188]

I agree with other posters that this is what Linton St should do:

move further south to Hobart.

They can keep the name St Kilda but change Saints to Penguins:

"Oh when the penguins, come waddlin' in ..."

To be fair, we were this bad 10 years ago but at least we had contributed much to the game and behaved with dignity.

I hope the Penguins are slaughtered each week next year and we kick 200 points against them.

[Anti-Saint 188]

1 minute ago, Little Goffy said:

concur with you LG:

is it possible that Ratten could have a legal case against St Kilda for impairing his ability to seek other work, such that St Kilda ought to be required to pay out more than the mandatory 6 months of salary?

I hope Ratten goes to court - the 6-months clause gives all the power to the clubs.

While Ratten has been well paid, compared to you n me! he's in a billion-dollar comp and I think 6-months payout is unfair with 24 months left in contract (Oct 2022 - Sept 2024).

To see the Saints losing and in Court - what a combination.

That club should be thrown out of the league.

[Maldonboy38 5,808]

I have always rated Ratten highly as a coach, and remember well his immediate influence on our midfield some years ago. First Carlton shafted him and now the Saints. I love my footy, but stuff me if this doesn't highlight its very very ugly underbelly. Saints board ought to be taken to court over this - it is unjust and disgraceful on some many levels.

I thought I would gloat when other clubs became as bad as we were, but it just makes me sad to see North and the Saints like this. However, with regard to the Bombers, I can't help myself. I will continue to gloat because they are the Bombers and they remain fully of hubris, nepotism and irrelevance. 

[Queanbeyan Demon 5,871]

@Anti Saint. Unfairness is the AFL's stock n trade mate. 

Edited October 14, 2022 by Queanbeyan Demon

[djr 1,067]

It's depressing to consider that, had Bartlett gotten his way, we would have made the same mistake in '21. Successful clubs with strong administration maintain their commitment to their objective and direction in the face of any challenges. Any strategy must include the coach, which is why Geelong stuck with Mark Thompson over some difficult years. The same is true for Hardwick and Clarko. Goody was also in the same boat.

[Demonland 64,398]

 

[Demonland 64,398]

 

[Sir Why You Little 34,406]

This is the video I mentioned this morning. I watched it during Lockdown. 
Gives an excellent account of How and Why The Saints are what they are. 
Ratten is an absolute Scapegoat in this and I hope he gets every cent of that Contract Money. 
 

disgraceful Governance 

[Sir Why You Little 34,406]

15 minutes ago, Demonland said:

 

Better to say nothing I think St.Kilda….

[Demonland 64,398]

 

[Jontee 3,632]

1 hour ago, Little Goffy said:

Final thought; like many of us, I have a little glimmering memory of maaaany years ago when Ratten was briefly our midfield coach and really started to turn it into an effective unit before being poached.

Like really?

Ratts was our mid field coach for 1 season, and was then 'poached' to coach a suburban footy second division team for 2 years.

Then gets a assistant job at carlton just before pagan got the axe.

TBH I smell a ...

 

[monoccular 16,010]

9 hours ago, drdrake said:

Yze would be made to take this job.  Expect to see St Kilda, Hawthorn and North prop up the ladder for the next few years

Maybe the best thing would be to merge all 3 in Tasmania thus reducing the competition to a far more manageable 16 teams and a chance of a more equitable schedule , which means of course that this will never happen. 

7 hours ago, Rab D Nesbitt said:

Our football department will become the sacked St Kilda coaches rehabilitation home if we pick him up. We've already got Richo. 

And hasn’t Richo done a great job - Ratts in the midfield, again, would be a positive allowing Yze (unless he is insane or masochistic enough to take the Saints job) to go to the forward line. 

[Clintosaurus 6,409]

I think the 6 month max payout is for AFL assisted clubs.

[Mazer Rackham 14,968]

3 hours ago, Gawndy the Great said:

In all seriousness the picture of the state on the guernsey is cringe. 

Shouldn't it be a lot lower than that?

[WalkingCivilWar 31,121]

16 minutes ago, Mazer Rackham said:

Shouldn't it be a lot lower than that?

When something is funny af but you can’t be seen laughing at it coz unladylike

🫣🤭

Edited October 14, 2022 by WalkingCivilWar

[Flag 2021 141]

To Anti Saint : Brighton in the old VFA 2nd Division was called The Penguins so it won't be the first time.

[KLV 1,623]

14 hours ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

Same. I also feel for Saints supporters. They’ve suffered long enough as it is (as Dees supporters we can certainly relate) and now this. 😢 
 

In particular, I really feel for their cheer squad members. They don’t get much support from their club. Their storage unit was broken into in January and a lot of their stuff was stolen, they didn’t have much to start with anyways. But they do an awesome job despite all this. 

Bad culture.
gotta look after the fan base. Without us, the while system doesn’t exist 

[layzie 28,487]

I'd say St Kilda already had their next coach in mind. They haven't said anything about searching for and wide, no short-listing etc.

They've got their guy, whoever it is.

[Demonland 64,398]

[DubDee 20,338]

I really want it to be Ross Lyon

just for the craic