Sacked Podcast - B-MAC

[mjp]

So - who has listened? Who has thoughts?

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/brendan-mccartney-opens-up-about-the-ryan-griffen-trade-request-his-relationship-with-mark-thompson-and-more/news-story/f1bb85e06505af07b2d3ce634f140e95

Sounds like a pretty clinical exit well done by the footy club. Listening to B-Mac again, I just remembered how frustrating it was when he was our coach...lots of great young men who are improving led by a group of great teachers and leaders who are all committed to getting better....

Meanwhile, we win contested ball every week but the game plan (if there is one) is to win it and kick it to the other team...then not worry too much about defending...apparently (according the the podcast) the number of close losses we had was a sign of growth....13 wins in two seasons? Right! Right....

Looks like a coach, sounds like a coach...

Without this decision, the joy that was the 2015 and 2016 seasons would never have occurred.

[boydogs]

Just an incomplete vision, better as assistant

[Twodogs]

Just an incomplete vision, better as assistant


I asked a Geelong supporting mate about him when he was appointed and his exact quote was "Great NCO but he is not officer class" I knew about the Brisbane thing when he abused some of the players and lost the entire group with one sentence. It's why I turned completely on him. I was never a fan but I wanted to give him a chance (like I would with any bulldog coach) but after I heard about that he lost me completely.


One thing that did shit me though. I was talking to a player once and he happened to say "Pfft. B-Mac never played league footy so why should I listen to him?" I said "well he's been involved in 3 AFL premierships. How many have you been involved in?"

[jeemak]

Will give it a listen. He clearly instilled great characteristics into the players, Mitch Wallis spoke glowingly of the way he did at a private non football even I attended.

It really shows the potential folly of clubs loading up on assistants from dynasty coaching groups.

[bulldogtragic]

Will give it a listen. He clearly instilled great characteristics into the players, Mitch Wallis spoke glowingly of the way he did at a private non football even I attended.

It really shows the potential folly of clubs loading up on assistants from dynasty coaching groups.

Yep. Fagan, Ratten, Cameron, Simpson, Hardwick & Bevo making up the numbers from Clarko :D

[bornadog]

So - who has listened? Who has thoughts?

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/brendan-mccartney-opens-up-about-the-ryan-griffen-trade-request-his-relationship-with-mark-thompson-and-more/news-story/f1bb85e06505af07b2d3ce634f140e95
.

With the paywall, can't get into that link

[azabob]

With the paywall, can't get into that link

You can find it via a podcast app on your device. The Podcast is called Sacked.

[Throughandthrough]

Yeah it’s an interesting listen.

[bornadog]

You can find it via a podcast app on your device. The Podcast is called Sacked.

Thanks Aza.

I remember my mate was invited into the rooms when he was up in Brisbane and Macca came over to chat with his small son. He also said to my mate, today will be the last time you see Lake at Fullback. Of course Lake wasn't happy with that and this lead to him leaving.

[bornadog]

Had a listen, was interesting. Macca seems like no hard feelings, the trouble was he is just not a senior coach.

The three years he was with us the record stands at: 20 wins and 46 losses. Of those we had 31 by 5 goals plus, 20 by 45 plusand 16 by 10 goals plus. Some real thrashings. A very hard period to watch games.

The worst decision by the club was to give him a two year extension, which was to take him to the end of 2016.

[GVGjr]

Thanks Aza.

I remember my mate was invited into the rooms when he was up in Brisbane and Macca came over to chat with his small son. He also said to my mate, today will be the last time you see Lake at Fullback. Of course Lake wasn't happy with that and this lead to him leaving.

If you use this as a template Lake would have never survived under Bevo either because no doubt he would have been swung forward much like Naughton.

[bornadog]

If you use this as a template Lake would have never survived under Bevo either because no doubt he would have been swung forward much like Naughton.

I don't agree with that. Lake played back for almost all of his games. Naughton has only played back probably about 18 games, if that as he had a few stints up forward in his first year.

[Twodogs]

It's a pretty simple formula. The coach is in charge and he gets to tell you what to do and where and how to play. That's his job, your job is to shut up, listen to, understand and carry out his instructions. If you don't want to do that then don't play team sports. Play golf or *!*!*!*!ing tennis or one of the sports where they will put up with players having tantrums because you don't like what you are hearing.

[GVGjr]

I don't agree with that. Lake played back for almost all of his games. Naughton has only played back probably about 18 games, if that as he had a few stints up forward in his first year.
Ok, how about Easton Wood? You get the point that under Bevo many players need to be able to perform in other positions don't you?

[GVGjr]

It's a pretty simple formula. The coach is in charge and he gets to tell you what to do and where and how to play. That's his job, your job is to shut up, listen to, understand and carry out his instructions. If you don't want to do that then don't play team sports. Play golf or *!*!*!*!ing tennis or one of the sports where they will put up with players having tantrums because you don't like what you are hearing.

I like the principle of what you are saying but I think we've passed that stage now. It works on some, fails on others

[GVGjr]

I don't agree with that. Lake played back for almost all of his games. Naughton has only played back probably about 18 games, if that as he had a few stints up forward in his first year.
Ok, how about Easton Wood? You get the point that under Bevo many players need to be able to perform in other positions

[bornadog]

Ok, how about Easton Wood? You get the point that under Bevo many players need to be able to perform in other positions don't you?

Didn't work and he was back in the backline. Bevo is not pig headed.

Macca told Lake he would NEVER play FB again.

[GVGjr]

Didn't work and he was back in the backline. Bevo is not pig headed.

Macca told Lake he would NEVER play FB again.

A Bulldog supporting lady I used to work was related to him, it wasn't that definitive.

[Twodogs]

I like the principle of what you are saying but I think we've passed that stage now. It works on some, fails on others

It's a good example for younger players. He's Brian Lake, All Australian and he has to do what he is told or there is a consequence. Brian Lake is almost alone in that he left a club and walked straight into a dual premiership (and a Norm Smith medal) role. Usually when you *!*!*!*! up and get dropped off the list then that's it, your AFL dream is over.

Lake took a chance and was unbelievably lucky to fall on his feet the way he did. So kid, if you want to take that chance, then the best of British luck to you.

[bornadog]

It's a good example for younger players. He's Brian Lake, All Australian and he has to do what he is told or there is a consequence. Brian Lake is almost alone in that he left a club and walked straight into a dual premiership (and a Norm Smith medal) role. Usually when you *!*!*!*! up and get dropped off the list then that's it, your AFL dream is over.

Lake was unbelivably lucky to fall on his feet the way he did.

Triple premiership

[Twodogs]

Triple premiership

Even luckier then.

[Sedat]

Meanwhile, we win contested ball every week but the game plan (if there is one) is to win it and kick it to the other team...then not worry too much about defending...apparently (according the the podcast) the number of close losses we had was a sign of growth....13 wins in two seasons? Right! Right....

Looks like a coach, sounds like a coach...

Without this decision, the joy that was the 2015 and 2016 seasons would never have occurred.
The most astonishing stat from those seasons under BMac is that we somehow managed to concede more scores from turnover than even the infant GWS and GC teams. Our entire game plan revolved around winning the contested ball so we could scrap kick it straight to the opposition, who would torch us the other way time and again. It was embarrassingly predictable to witness week after week.

He was a very ordinary senior coach.

[jeemak]

I really enjoyed the listen.

A big thing that stood out was his admittance that he didn't understand the level to which the senior players needed more holistic support, over and above just coaching them during the week and on match day.

[Mofra]

It's a pretty simple formula. The coach is in charge and he gets to tell you what to do and where and how to play. That's his job, your job is to shut up, listen to, understand and carry out his instructions. If you don't want to do that then don't play team sports. Play golf or *!*!*!*!ing tennis or one of the sports where they will put up with players having tantrums because you don't like what you are hearing.
I know exactly what he said to one player who ended up leaving the club. It was way below the belt.

As a coach, you don't bail up a player in front of the group and attack them personally, call them a shit bloke, etc. Especially if it's a rant that goes for two minutes+ and doesn't even mention football.

[GVGjr]

I know exactly what he said to one player who ended up leaving the club. It was way below the belt.

As a coach, you don't bail up a player in front of the group and attack them personally, call them a shit bloke, etc. Especially if it's a rant that goes for two minutes+ and doesn't even mention football.

I know Lake never handled the criticism by Eade and Co questioning his ability to play through an injury. Some of our coaches had some old values

[Mofra]

I know Lake never handled the criticism by Eade and Co about his ability to play through an injury. Some of our coaches had some old values
Lake took a spray better than most.
Other players were just yelled at by B-Mac over months, not enough encouragement. There's old school, and then there's those that try that approach and miss the mark.

[SonofScray]

Brendan is a good man, from a good family.

His match tactics and their results were a frustrating experience, time has told the rest of the story about the gaps in his skill as a senior coach I think. Possibly too stubborn, or too concrete a vision of how to get from point A to B.

He struck me as having a very absolute view of footy. If you do X, then Y will be the outcome. Except it wasn't. Yet he didn't seem to budge. The metaphor is probably something like the Rock and Water. I just can't decide if he was the rock trying to divert the water, slowly eroding, smoothing with time or if he was the torrent trying to force its way through and coaching just doesn't allow for that much time to pass.

I think he did wrangle some structural and cultural elements of the Club in line with professional expectations. The VFL team and footy program took on a better structure. Remember when "waxing" and a perceived rift between old and new players was a concern? I feel like he got that stuff under control, either through bludgeoning some characters into submission or cutting them off. The relief in the group moving to Bevo's more inclusive style was palpable but I suspect some foundations were laid prior.

That scrapping, contested footy proved a valuable base for Bevo to work with, seeds that spawned the Men of Mayhem. He doesn't get extra credit for it, that belongs to Bevo, but I think it speaks to his skill as a development coach and the benefit of nailing that part of the game.

His uncle, Doc, was a great Footscray man and when the Club installed BMAC as coach it was a proud moment for him. Having a little bit of an inside perspective, even just the sliver I had, was really tough to reconcile how things were playing out with everyone's hopes.

In all, a poor tenure. Had something to offer and we probably got the full benefit of it after the fact.

[mjp]

In all, a poor tenure. Had something to offer and we probably got the full benefit of it after the fact.

That's the narrative anyway.

It is interesting that you talked about the 'WAXING' and generation gap between old and new players as something that got 'BETTER' - in the podcast, B-Mac refers to the gap between the old and young players being something that he wasn't really aware of and something that took him by surprise...apparently the Griff for captain decision came out of working with the younger players who had complained they didn't 'KNOW' the older blokes...who would be home with their families outside of games/training. But then, you hear the stories about the Murphy captaincy and all of the players meeting for lunch etc after training...

The truth, as always, lies somewhere in the middle.

I have listened to him speak a few times at coaching conferences etc and I still recall him having a real focus on controlling the controllable. But again, in the podcast he refers to the #1 task being to get a VFL side up and running...Which I understand on one level - but pointing to that as the reason for success when during his tenure the Box Hill Hawks seemed to be doing just fine, and West Coast have only had an aligned team since the start of 2019...they were also fine and won the flag in 2017 without their own t2 side. I just wonder if he was getting caught up in the frustration of what he didn't have/couldn't do rather than focussing on what he could...

I don't know. I didn't enjoy watching us play when he was coaching and I didn't enjoy re-living it on the pod. I was glad that out of an hour long podcast the subject it was SUPPOSED to be about - coaching then being sacked by the Bulldogs - was done after just 24 minutes. Let's face it - he 100% had to go.

As for the gaps in his skill set, well, we will never really know what he might have achieved if he had a strong mentor alongside him...

[MrMahatma]

I enjoyed listening and it’s funny how you can forget just how bad we were back then. It was horrible.

He always seemed articulate and able to tell a good story and break down what we were trying to do. In many ways I fell for it when he was a coach but by the end it was clear he had no business in the role.

I’m not sure what he said to certain players (would love to!!) but sounds like there’s very much 2 sides to Brendan.