Davos

A lot of me me me about this playing group right now. We won a flag after parking the egos for a season - seems we've reverted back to a losers mentality (or just lost some of our best team first characters in the past couple of years). Whoever we appoint as coach needs to be able to pull the group into line as a first course of action.

I'd flip Judd and Rivers. Judd is more composed with ball in hand, and is a creative kick of the ball. He could give a passable NAS impersonation. Rivers has a Pig like athletic profile and could be a nice match up for guys like Heeney and Toby Greene.

Best colours/jumper in the country.

Temu Goodwin. We're gonna have a bad time!

Hiring Buckley would end in disaster. It's a move desperate boards of poor teams make (see St Kilda with Ross Lyon). He's Collingwood's Goodwin equivalent. It'd be a sign that our board is looking to the past, not the future. Also, the idea that because he's scoping out potential assistants means the job is his is totally false. Adam Simpson discussed this during the week - all coaches who are planning to throw their hat in the ring will be doing the same thing, if they haven't already done so.

FWIW Gerard Healy was on SEN about half an hour ago claiming that he's hearing Buckley is the clear front runner, and that he hasn't heard any noise around Longmire.

Of course it's a joke. People are only considering Buckley as a viable option because he's a legend of the game that is still front of mind due to his work in the media. He's articulate I guess, but outside of that there's very little reason to believe he'd be successful if appointed.

No, no no. You clearly don't get it. It will be different this time, especially if we can land Collingwood's version of Simon Goodwin (minus the premiership success).

Fun shout. I'd love to see us try something a bit left field. I want us to take a risk on an innovator, a coach who can think creatively and who isn't afraid to try something totally different strategically and from a list management perspective. Extra points if he's a total eccentric who can make post match press conferences worth watching. Essentially, I'm asking for the AFL's version of Mike Leach.

Green is so dense.

Luke Hodge rightfully scathing on SEN, not regarding the decision itself, but the leaking of the decision before informing the playing group. I have zero faith in our board being capable of making the right call on a new coach. Incompetence personified.

God I hope that Keith Thomas decision doesn't haunt us for the next decade.

He's coaching for his job, not the best interests of the club. See the Petty selection last (and this) week.

Yes, but that doesn't necessarily mean they don't rate him. If you're contending, you might as well hold every capable AFL body to their contracts. Were they going to pick a better player for season 2025 with a pick in the 50s? Probably not. Agree re ANB. Admittedly, I don't know the extent of his family issues (nor Derksen's, to be fair) but on the whole I agree with Kane Cornes on this one. If you have a contact and it isn't in our best interest to trade you, bad luck.

He was under contract and wasn't owed anything. I'm sure he'll be okay. To my knowledge, GWS doesn't own a crystal ball, either. Maybe they rate him as someone capable at AFL level and good depth in the event of an injury crisis. Potentially handy if you think you're a contender.

He's probably a dead man walking, but are we comfortable that we're in a position to make the correct decision around a new head coach? CEO hasn't started. New President. Richardson gone at the end of the season. Wouldn't be shocked if he's still coaching next year.

Reckon kids just want to see the Dees win and Kozzy doing freaky [censored].

I'm on the record wanting to see Laurie given another (prolonged) crack at AFL level, but Howes is a different kettle of fish imo. He has no athletic limitations to speak of.

Yeah, to be clear the last thing I want to do is start a Deebrief pile on. I listen to them probably once a week on average, but take them for what they are - nuffie fans with little to no idea about the inner workings of the club or what's going right or wrong on field (like all of us posting on here).

Out of all the passionate nonsense these guys were dribbling on this podcast, I nearly crashed my car when they all agreed Buckley was the ideal Goodwin replacement. How many coaches have won premierships coaching their second team this century? I get some supporters find this stuff cathartic, but 95% of the conversation either contradicted something said earlier in the pod, or just made no rational sense whatsoever.

Breaking - player unhappy about being dropped.

Destination club, baby!

Bailey Laurie has had over 26 disposals in 6 out of 9 games in the VFL this season - including 5 times in his last 5 games. He's not dynamic enough to play as a small forward at AFL level (we have enough evidence of this); but he isn't a fumbler, works through traffic well and is actually a clever user by hand and foot. Given the issues we have in the midfield with forward connection, and that we won't be playing finals, I think we could do a lot worse than give him a sustained period in the side playing almost exclusively in the middle. Keep Oliver in there as the sole "extractor", and run Kozzie, Laurie and to a lesser extent Trac (think he needs to play 80% forward / 20% mid) through the midfield as much as possible. It's no coincidence that we lost all balance / "connection" in that unit from the moment Viney stepped back in there. He, Petracca and Oliver don't wax with the way we need to play now; and although I've been hesitatant to roast Goodwin given I/anyone else on here has no idea what we're talking about, he has to be held responsible if he continues to persist with that trio week after week. It's been at least 3 years of them delivering the same outcome - we have to change, and I'd argue drastically. It would take stones to relegate Viney to a defensive forward role, but to my mind it's the only way we can accomodate better users and decision makers into that midfield mix. Lastly, for those who may have forgotten what Laurie looked like before coming to the club, watch the below clip of his highlights from his junior days, then tell me that that player wouldnt help our perennial forward/midfield connection issues. Despite it being junior football footage from a while ago, I still hold some hope that that footballer is in there somewhere but just hasn't been given any opportunity to show it at AFL level.

Blow me down with a feather...

Positives - we're back to 2023 form. Negatives - we're back to 2023 form.