Mono

I agree ( and hope!).

Not sure. The 3 month clause must have some purpose. You would have thought that if Lyon was to move on, he would have to give notice about June/July. I guess this would only happen if the saints were out of finals contention. He didn't and they weren't. If he gives notice now, he would be out the door at the saints, but couldn't 'work' anywhere else til December. Messy, unless of course the saints let him go.

I believe the clause involves giving 3 months notice. Means we wouldn't have access to him til xmas if he moved. FWIW, I reckon he'll stay at the saints. End of an era maybe, but, from afl.com.au: "ST KILDA coach Ross Lyon believes the Saints' elimination final loss to the Sydney Swans could be the catalyst for a period of rebuilding at the club."

I also am not so keen on Lyon. It was he who traded for Peake, Polo and Lovett. Lovett turned into a disaster (and there is plenty of talk going around that he was always going to be a disaster) and Peake & Polo are not up to it. Its the bottom 10 of the saints that beat them. Disagree entirely. The saints have a few A graders and a decent top half; its their bottom half that isn't good enough. Its to Lyons credit that he gets as much out of them as he does.

Where do you start? 1. He's a nutter 2. He bankrupted port by getting himself the biggest coach contract going after fluking the 2004 flag 3. He oversaw the most divided club in the AFL - maybe the cause 4. Give him credit for the 2004 flag? Give him credit for the 2007 debacle. 5. He's a nutter 6. He's a nutter He's an egotist of the highest order; its all about him. Look how many clubs were chasing his "skills" after he left port? None (GWS = none). Nobody wants him. There is a reason.

Bankers and stock brokers anyone? Actually I quite like the idea in general. Might be a fix for the Adelaide clubs: Adelaide City (=Adelaide); Adelaide United (=Port Adelaide) or vice versa. If you've ever lived in Adelaide, you'd know 85%+ of Adelaide HATE port; as the in situ club, they were/are never going to be viable long term because they brought the SANFL crap with them. Turn them into Adelaide United and watch out. You heard it here first!

Hadn't thought of Ayres until article today. Ticks the right boxes for me: a) 'A' grader as a player with long(ish) playing history b.) As a player, known for their hardness and attack on the ball c) Premiership experience (preferrably as a player) We could do a lot worse, and he presumably wouldn't demand the same $s as some. thoughts?

Yep. And no Sylvia. I want them to compete, put their heads over the ball, run hard and in a straight line (both ways), and back/support each other. Wet day = no bruise free footy.

That the players compete, put their head over the ball and run hard in a straight line. The result will look after itself.

Notice Vince said something similar after crows beat port (though Craigg quit; not sacked). If Rivers said this, just rediculous, and somewhat typical of the past few years: talk the talk; they can't walk the walk. If they lose, he looks a goose; if they win he looks a bigger goose. Can the club put a ban of players talking to the media? I only wish.

Jason Dunstall is footy director at hawthorn, and he has a similar, high profile media role as Lyon. Seems to work for them.

From Caro: "Lyon should get hold of the Andrews report. Fifteen to 20 players were interviewed for the report and the overwhelming finding from players and coaches was that Connolly - for all his good public work - was the wrong man to head the football department. He seems the most likely next casualty and at least faces a sideways move. Connolly has been re-contracted but there will be no major payout involved should he leave."

Something (a lot actually)about Williams that worries me. After port won their flag, he screwed the club for a massive contract that made him the highest paid coach going around; when he resigned a couple of years ago, his contract was halved. Did he manage a fractured club or did he fracture it? 'cause he certainly left port in a dire state. In the press today: he is on $350k at GWS, which goes up to $750k if he takes over from Sheedy. Presumably we'd have to match that, or close. He didn't get a look in anywhere else after port, so went to GWS on big money as assistant. No. Just no. He isn't worth the $s, or the risk he brings.

I hadn't really thyought about it, but perhaps the resentment to Schwab's comments about being able to match GWS contract offer to Scully, was not that per se, but more towards the comment that the club was paying below the 92.5% minumum and would need to front end contracts. If a senior player was thinking he was worth more than he was getting, that would be a real slap in the face. Maybe this is a hangover from the grossly excessive contract Bruce was paid; perhaps they all thought their time would come. You would have thought Saturday's effort would have dropped their market value a fair bit. No way is Sylvia a $550k player at Melbourne. He MAYBE is at another club (eg Sydney, but you have to wonder: Roos has commented on TV that Sylvia is a player who runs hard one way. And Davey getting $400k? is about as rediculous as Lake's $600k? at the dogs. Bailey was sacked because he was unable to field a "competitive" team that played with some hardness after 4 yrs. Pure and simple.

The standout comment from Lyon, IMO, was (paraphrasing): "They are not competitive enough.... they must be competitive week in, week out..... they are not hard enough...... Bailey must take responsibility for that." I, and others, have been banging on about just that for 4 yrs. That's why Bailey had to go.

I hope like hell the board have a replacement; ie plan B, in place. If its to be Viney, for example, I hope they asked him first. Ed: if you announce a sacking, surely you announce the (interim) replacement at the same time.

Hopefully he got the chance to fall on his sword, eg Craig. Presumably he chose not to. Good luck getting another job Bailey.

We did this the last time, and got Bailey, for gods sake. Word was that Hardwick missed out because his presentation went poorly. FFS. Let the board set the following criteria: a) have been an A grader with a long playing history at AFL level b.) have been a hard, uncompromising player c) have premiership experience (as coach or player) Then see who's available. Interview them if they want, but get over the presentations. (Brings back memories of our PowerPoint presentation to Warnock.)

IMO, Bailey must elect to step down now, with dignity (tho' his post match comments will make this hard; they were just plain stupid - implies its all about him). If he needs to be sacked, then it just shows out of touch he is. Caretaker to be either Conolly, Viney or Royal (probably the only viable assistant who could step up). Remember, we are talking caretaker I think history shows that a successful coach must: a) have been an A grader with a long playing history at AFL level b.) have been a hard, uncompromising player c) have premiership experience (as coach or player) This experience doesn't guarantee success, obviously, but Roos is the only exception that I can think of. Of the above possible caretakers, only Viney fits the bill as a possible long term option. Eade (and possibly Ratten) the only seasoned coach maybe available (presuming Roos, Malthouse and Williams aren't). And of the assistants, only Hinkley meets the criteria. If Roos is not available, I'd probably go for Viney (but with a f/t mentor - Laidley or Craig?). Ed: presuming Viney wants it.

6 - McKenzie 5 - Watts 4 - Howe 3 - Trengove 2 - Petterd 1 - Jones And I thought Nicholson did some good things, and showed some hardness (pity about the turnovers). Fair to say this will be a day they will all remember; as in "where were you when ........."

The players played as if they had no idea what to do, how to play. And they all can; no player is drafted these days who can't play (tho' they might not be up to AFL standard). In my view they play as if "uncoached". Pretty much how Bailey started the 2008 season. For mine, little has changed; any improvement made has simply been the result of the low draft picks. Not through any coaching. I sat through the whole game. Funny really. Saw it/this coming 4 yrs ago. (I joined this forum because I was outraged at the way the team played and was coached in early 2008, and i wanted somewhere to voice my opinion.) Ed: Give Conolly or Viney temporary reins til the end of year. Then get the best available MM or Roos or 1st timer with serious mentor (Laidley or Craig). Quote in the press today: "We know Dean Bailey can coach," he said. "Is he a great coach? We don't know that yet........". [censored]. Bailey cannot coach.

Seems to me it may not be as simple as "yes, we keep him; no, we don't". Morton has put off contract talks til the end of the year. Could be/presumably he is testing the market. Thus, if we decide to keep him, how much coin we offer (which may well depend on Scully and Sylvia's futures - amongst others), may well determine if he stays. My guess is that we will put a new offer of some sort forward; it will then be up to him if he accepts (or has better offers or not). Bit how McClean panned out. Ed.: I would not be making the offer too attractive.

Scully could have had a 1 yr extension at MFC (like Pendlebury, and effectively Tapscott and Trengove), then would have been available at the end of 2012 to GWS. Not much difference: go at end of 2011 vs end of 2012; I'd prefer the former if it is going to happen.

Correct on both counts. For mine, his modest form and (lack of) conditioning for the past few years should have meant he is marginal at best anyway. Time to cut him loose. We are not a sheltered workshop (ask Junior).

Disagree. From memory, it was about round 17 or 18 that Bock told the crows he was going to the GC. It was: "thanks for the memories mate, but there's the door". He cleared out his gear, and that was that - didn't play or train or .... with the crows again. So it would be for Scully. He wouldn't play for MFC or Casey again; but would of course get paid as well as, I presume, match fees in lieu. Scully could then get on with getting settled into Sydney, and getting to know his future team mates etc. MFC could get on with planning for the draft and next year, and sorting out current players contracts. (I'd bet there are some future contracts/careers hanging on what Scully will do.) Winners all round I would have thought.