New coaches

[ledge]

We have a few new coaches floating around thought i would ask who we think is good and who isnt.
Its only 2 games in but....
Scott at Nth already has big question marks, I have never heard such criticism from a commentator (Blight) after just 2 games.

Hardwick looks like he is scratching his head and looking lost.

Bailey has been around a while now, is he getting anywhere?

Voss looks pretty good and has surprised me.

Harvey seems to have learnt a lot and Freo are really showing great signs.

Anyone think some wont see the season out?

[The Coon Dog]

Neil Craig at Adelaide will be under pressure if they lose to Melbourne this week.

Say if things continue to go awry for the Crows this season & Craig doesn't see out the season, who replaces him from within? I have no idea who is on their coaching staff that could step up. Todd Viney perhaps?

[bornadog]

I don't think we will see any one going mid season, but by years end, there may be some changes. Its a long season and too early to call.

Scott and and particularly Hardwick don't have much to work with.

[chef]

Neil Craig at Adelaide will be under pressure if they lose to Melbourne this week.

Say if things continue to go awry for the Crows this season & Craig doesn't see out the season, who replaces him from within? I have no idea who is on their coaching staff that could step up. Todd Viney perhaps?

David Noble, Ben Hart, Peter Jonas, Mark Bickley and Todd Viney are their assistant coaches.

[Go_Dogs]

Scott at Nth already has big question marks, I have never heard such criticism from a commentator (Blight) after just 2 games.

I had the (unfortunate) pleasure of catching the 1st 10 or so minutes of the North v Saints game on Foxtel a couple of days ago.

North were hopeless. They kept trying to conjure a switch of play, but couldn't get the ball out of their D50. I know St Kilda have a good zone, but it was pitiful to watch. I know it's early days, but it was just dreadful football. They looked like a high school team out there.



I think Craig is safe for a while longer. The fact is, the side has been very unsettled through injuries to some important players, and players not being able to get through the pre-season successfully.

The Adelaide media will certainly jump down his throat if they lose this week, but I just can't see them losing. They are still a good side, and will probably beat Melbourne by somewhere in the realm of 6-10 goals IMO.

[AndrewP6]

I think Bailey will go, unless they can build on last week's effort. They've got some good young players, but I don't see that they've gone anywhere since he's been there. My tip is he'll be gone by mid-season.

[chef]

I think Bailey will go, unless they can build on last week's effort. They've got some good young players, but I don't see that they've gone anywhere since he's been there. My tip is he'll be gone by mid-season.

Didn't he get an extension, so he's still got two seasons left?

[LostDoggy]

Bailey has been around a while now, is he getting anywhere?

Harvey seems to have learnt a lot and Freo are really showing great signs.


These two are the interesting comparison for me. They came in at pretty much the same time (as did Matty Knights) and Bailey immediately cleaned house and went for the 'youth policy' rubbish that is/was in vogue after Hawthorn won their Premiership. Harvey, on the other hand, tried to build a more balanced list, but was widely piloried for having too many so-called 'recycled' players and for keeping too many 'senior players' on the books.

Three years on, the kids at Melbourne have gone backwards (last week notwithstanding). Meanwhile, the Chris Tarrants of the world have reinvented themselves and are back to being bona-fide guns. Also, Harvey rookied some mature bodies and has reaped a reward in Barlow, and some of his older players have managed to stay on the park and given some balance to the younger players coming through.

However, this time last year, Harvey was the one under the pump and Bailey was sailing through under the radar and given a two-year extension despite losing game after game by 10+ goals.

--

ps. Hardwick and the brains trust (and I use that term loosely) at Richmond should take note re: trying to build purely with kids. If the Wallace debacle with first round picks hasn't taught them anything, then they deserve all the pain they get over the next 20 years.

pps. On a tangential note -- the selectors of the Australian Cricket Team should also take note -- if an exclusively 'youth policy' doesn't work here, 'a youth-and-mates only policy' (did I see Steven Smith and Brett Lee (!!!) get a CA contract while David Hussey lost his?) doesn't have a chance in hell of working in Test cricket. Hilditch and co. have ensured that we remain in the wilderness for the next ten years.

[Cyberdoggie]

I think Bailey will go, unless they can build on last week's effort. They've got some good young players, but I don't see that they've gone anywhere since he's been there. My tip is he'll be gone by mid-season.

Are you saying Dean Bailey is Melbourne's version of Peter Rhode?
The coach they had to have in order to get high draft players and eventually a good coach?. ;)

[Cyberdoggie]

It's very early yet for Hardwick and Scott.

I never thought much of either of them in terms of leadership material or coaching prospects, but then again Alastair clarkson appear just as aloof and looked set to be given the boot, then he came up with clarko's cluster and the rest was history. Having said that they haven't set the world on fire since so perhaps he just got lucky?

Scott's North side was insipid the other day. They had the signs of a side that had completely given up.
Which means after 2 games they have no faith in the coach or his game plan or perhaps each other.

There is something not right at North and an equally poor performance this week will be catastrophic for them.

[Sockeye Salmon]

pps. On a tangential note -- the selectors of the Australian Cricket Team should also take note -- if an exclusively 'youth policy' doesn't work here, 'a youth-and-mates only policy' (did I see Steven Smith and Brett Lee (!!!) get a CA contract while David Hussey lost his?) doesn't have a chance in hell of working in Test cricket. Hilditch and co. have ensured that we remain in the wilderness for the next ten years.

Unfortunately for Australian cricket fans (of which I no longer consider myself) the depth of Shield cricket basically assures anyone selected will perform at least moderately well which means the selectors can never be wrong.

[The Underdog]

It's very early yet for Hardwick and Scott.

I never thought much of either of them in terms of leadership material or coaching prospects, but then again Alastair clarkson appear just as aloof and looked set to be given the boot, then he came up with clarko's cluster and the rest was history. Having said that they haven't set the world on fire since so perhaps he just got lucky?

Scott's North side was insipid the other day. They had the signs of a side that had completely given up.
Which means after 2 games they have no faith in the coach or his game plan or perhaps each other.

There is something not right at North and an equally poor performance this week will be catastrophic for them.

It seemed quite clear on Sunday that Hardwick is trying to institute a Hawthorn type game plan. They had huge numbers through the back end and midfield on most occasions. Unfortunately the talent level of their forwards is average, not to mention their foot skills throughout are appalling (Cotchin aside). The number of chest marks they dropped last week didn't help either. They are coming from a long way back and I think they will get and probably deserve a long leash. The previous regime ****ed up royal. To be honest I don't think they had much choice but to go young, their older players mostly suck.

Scott has a far greater level of talent at his disposal but so far they've looked terrible. He again deserves some time but they'd want to pick it up. Admittedly I was amazed that people were picking them to make the 8 at the start of the season seemingly based on some reputation I don't think Scott's earned and slightly overrating where some of their players were at.

[AndrewP6]

Didn't he get an extension, so he's still got two seasons left?

I read somewhere last week that the extension hasn't actually been inked, just a verbal agreement. Not sure how reliable this is (it was in the Hun I think) but wouldn't surprise me to see him given the boot.

[AndrewP6]

Are you saying Dean Bailey is Melbourne's version of Peter Rhode?
The coach they had to have in order to get high draft players and eventually a good coach?. ;)

:) Could well be...

[The Coon Dog]

I think I'd be worried if I were Neil Craig. 0-4 & an inability to put a score on the board. Only managed to kick 55 points at home today against Carlton.

[azabob]

Neil Craig at Adelaide will be under pressure if they lose to Melbourne this week.



I think I'd be worried if I were Neil Craig. 0-4 & an inability to put a score on the board. Only managed to kick 55 points at home today against Carlton.

Well TCD, I know your humility didn't allow you to "quote" your own quote, so I will do it for you.
They had a rotten run with injuries pre-season and also against Melbourne last week. Perhaps they still should've won though.

But today they were non competitive in defence or in the midfield and their ball movement was extremely slow which then makes your foot speed look slow.

So yes I would imagine questions will start being asked of Craig regardless of injuries pre-season etc.

[GVGjr]

I think I'd be worried if I were Neil Craig. 0-4 & an inability to put a score on the board. Only managed to kick 55 points at home today against Carlton.

His side won't make the finals now. It's not the win loss record that's the problem either it's the manner of the losses.

He will needs a good performance next week or the cries in SA for his sacking will get a lot louder.