grazman

The talk of McKenna worries me, he's been passed over numerous times... and then hinted that other people had stolen his ideas for their own presentations and because they were better speakers got the nod....WTF!!! Firstly being able to communicate is a vital skill of any successful coach... Secondly and I know this is only the internet... but those who have claimed to have played under him in the WAFL (and I've read about three seperate comments) all claim he is no good. Most of the people pushing for his appointment appear to be coaches themselves. You have to ask yourself why no players are saying he'd be any good.

Dunn playing for Sandy, infuriating...

Please let's not mention Langford... I was pretty young at the time, but I still remember we were on the verge of trading Roger Ellingworth to the Hawks for Langford, then they got cold feet.... I nearly cried.... then to make matters worse we decided to trade Elshaugh.. then I did cry.... oh the early eighties were bad.

Can't agree. The board isn't the problem.

The Lions underwent a similar process to the one by the Swans "Bloods Code". They have a relatively young side, but they are being ingrained with a winning style. What I've always liked about Matthews and his coaching is that he just hammers away at the fundamentals.... tactics and matchups don't matter a damn if the fundamentals are missing.

Well that is another thing in itself Maurie... I'm staying stum on the Cousins farce.... but I think you're right... as the Bulldogs found out last night ... legspeed is one thing, getting the ball is another. The Lions midfield were excellent winners of the ball, not overly fast, but physically strong... win the ball and give it to a team mate in space... doesn't sound overly complex does it?

Not having watched the game... I am left to assume that such "pressure football" has two vital ingredients that have been the hallmark of not only the Eagles, but the Swans and the Lions before them. The first is Accountability (Zoning off is fine as long as players aren't cheating their teammates by refusing to chase or man up an opponent) the second is the willingness to make a physical contest rather than avoiding them. From here teams work over the opposition, crushing any belief in their game plan - faith in their teammates etc.

The answer is no he won't. I don't want him. A lot of people mistake Essendon's rise as being predominantly based around Sheedy. He was good at what he did, but to do what Essendon have done relies on more than one man. He has a direct hand in who is recruited to a club and he often chooses the wrong blokes.

At present not a lot.... Crickey we've only won three games.... but where were Hawthorn, Geelong and the Kangaroos this time last year... let's project forward.... let's begin our preseason in October a la Dean Laidley and have fully fit list to choose from. I look around the league and running and bouncing out of defence, and delivering with effeciency, Who do we have? Ricky Pettard and Daniel Bell I look around the league and tagging of other teams prolific ball winners, and also hurting them the other way, i see the likes of Ling, Sewell, Kirk and Rawlings. Who do we have? ??? Yes I agree problems... we need to develop someone - I've been arguing for Belly, but we are going to have to manufacture someone... someone that in preference can win enough of their own ball anyway - Jones? I look around the league and taking on the dangerous full fowards of the league and winning more often than not, i see the likes of Rutten, Glass, Firritto and Scarlett. Who do we have? Nathan Carroll is a good third tall - Frawley is developing and Rivers is all class - Miller won't command a decent trade and needs to be persevered with as a key back. I look around the league and getting tap outs to advantage in the rucks and giving their teams first use of the ball, i see the likes of Cox, Mcintosh, Lade and Taylor/Campbell. Who do we have? Jeff White - still solid.... the problem is who next - PJ is OK, but not a fulltime replacement - Charman would be the answer. I look around the league and imposing themselves on games and not allowing their teams to slip into mediocrity, i see stars and leaders the likes of Hodge, Reiwoldt, Brown, Cornes, Judd, Harvey. Who do we have? I'll nominate three players here - McLean, Bate and Jones all exude leadership -they are all still babes, and we will be able to supplement them with a couple of other very good players come the draft - but if we can't get anymore out of some of our 23-28 y.o. then we need to trade.

Why the hell was he dropped in the first place. Brown played at HFF and Dunn in the Magoos WTF! I thought the rest of the year was about developing youth.... did I miss something in the last game because Dunny to me put his head over the ball and won a lot of it... FFS I'm well and truly over this year.!

Ahhh - why bother having a selection process when we can just poll the members... Maybe the club can run with this idea, let's run a poll and select a coach to deliver more members to the footy club... Nope I think the process should remain, if its Chris Connolly its Chris Connolly.

Nicely put Jack... I feel very sorry for Jeff, far more than for the media's darling in Cousins. I'm conflicted about his future. I'd gladly welcome him back at the club via a suitable trade or PSD IF he could get his head right, but that's a very big IF... I am not sure what sort of collateral damage would be caused by him going off the rails, but I suspect certainly no more than the Pickett situation. I hope he can turn it around because he appears to be very troubled and unhappy.

I agree with YM in terms of the approach by the players.... you never, ever want your players to be anything other than competitive beasts that want to win every contest... on the other hand you can select a team and play tactics that will help produce a more favourable result. (How ironic that losing is a better option than winning). Resting the likes of Neitz, White, Bruce, Junior and Robbo for 08 would go a long way to getting the best result. My suspicious bastard nature suspects already that Michael Voss has been offered the Head Coach job at Carlton, they definately do not want to win anymore games - two more high draft picks - gives him a very good platform to build a team around. The only complicating factor could be an attack of pride by Dennis and some of the players that are on the way out.... C'mon the Blues do it for Kouta. All that said there's a long, long way to go till rd 22. We may win a few along the way, Carlton may sneak a win... let's wait and see.

I can't agree, the rule as it stands is a nonsense... and the evidence is overwhelming, the players think so, the coaches think so and so does nearly every supporter you talk to. The old interpretation is best. You can't PUSH in the back(take a player out of the contest illegally)... the hands IN the back rule doesn't work. As for the CC issue, I don't know where this is coming from... there's certainly a lot of conspiracy theories that were started even before the season kicked off that there'd be a direct swap between ND and CC, but given that a decision on the senior coach isn't even close to being made I think a lot of people are making judgements based on assumptions grounded on presumptions.

I've heard or read somewhere before that Jeff was very, very keen to stay at the Dees... he even had a press conference to say as much. His partner then told him come home or it's over.... So torn between having a career and no family or having both he made the logical choice to join Freo. For a variety of reasons it hasn't worked out. I am not sure we would take the risk with him, but it would be sad to see him end his career this way.

and of course you're hoping they won't have watched any of his other matches....

Coaching isn't a popularity contest. Even so, from what I've read from a number of different sources about McKenna and Sumich's coaching in the WAFL, I'd much rather Chris Connolly.

Absolutely, I'm not sure why people are so keen to jump at shadows.... There's a process in place and the club will choose the coach from that process, it won't be selected from public opinion or the media. Chris wouldn't be my first choice as coach, but then I don't know the full ins and outs of every applicant anyway. FWIW I think Connolly gets a bum rap in relation to Freo's under achievement and here's why. 1. There list is like 7-8 other clubs in the comp it is strong overall and has a handful of very, very good players, but has some glaring weaknesses as well. (Certainly those that were predicting that Sandilands was going to be simply too dominant and the opposition would have no answers are looking a bit silly --- their midfield is even slower than ours) 2. He was actively knifed in the back by some very senior members of the playing group on many occasions - so much so that he couldn't cut the players that he wanted. Did Chris actually want to recruit those drunken [censored] head mates Solomon and Tarrant? 3. The player discipline issue is very much in his domain, but if West Coast have shown us anything this year, it's that the culture in Perth is a nightmare for coaches to try and manage. 4. Overall his record isn't that good, but he did take a club that was nothing and basically had to start again with the list and got them to the finals. Like Jaded said I may not want him as the Senior Coach, but I'd certainly be keen to have him involved in the club in some capacity.

I wonder if in the restructure there isn't a role for him in the MFC food chain, but not as coach. I have my doubts about his coaching, but like others have stated he is a very solid individual of strong moral fibre, something that seems to be lacking a little over there in the west.

Disagree, Newton isn't Plugger and very few are... he needs to learn some lessons and even though he had a dirty night, I was happy he was having a dip and didn't stop trying - ditto Garland.

Agree Nash. It shouldn't bother me, but it does that so many people can take such contrary positions at the drop of a hat. Many are saying they want the kids blooded, that we don't want to win matches to ensure the best draft position etc. Yet when we lose.... I've been really impressed by Riley and his approach and something about his demeanour reminds me a lot of Neil Craig (who I have a tremendous amount of respect for). I'll say right here and now that tactically he appears a very good coach. I Remember that when Craig took over from Ayres that the Crows were still getting belted too until the end of the season( and they weren't missing 12 of their starting 22) I hope that if the process reveals that he is the best person to coach the Dees in 08 the board are strong enough to go with the recommendation rather than a "higher profile" coach. Jaded, I agree if we wanted to win the match then playing Robbo at Full Forward wasn't helping, but then again, maybe it was about teaching Robbo something and ensuring that at the start of 08 everybody knew what they needed to do to succeed. Newton had a dirty night as did most of the kids, but its a learning curve.

It certainly wasn't unusual for a coach to be appointed that way at the time. Matthews had his moments of thuggery, but he was also a bona fide champion... he could dish it out, but he also knew how to take it... super competitive and put the wind up many opponents with his fierce demeanour.

He's not fit, he has trouble getting one of his arms up above his head (he dislocated his shoulder earlier in the year). I'm 100% convinced he needs an op on it to get it right, he's clearly inconvenienced, but he's been one of our best. A very under rated player IMO.

He's still very young (I think a lot of us tend to forget how young) previously everything he did turned to gold, now he's on another learning curve. Injury has ruined his year and he needs to learn Scott West style how to beat a tag, he hasn't got the pace to try and do some of the things he's doing at the moment, but he'll come good.

Carroll isn't the Fullback we've been waiting for, but he's a very good option as the third tall. With Frawley and Rivers providing the smarts, he simply has to close down the less mobile/dangerous tall. I'd put Bartram and Petterd into the back half. We need a Cotchin or similar to add to the midfield ranks and some support for PJ.