Press conference midday - Eade ?

[Grantysghost]

Just been told that apparently the dogs have called a press conference for midday. Can only be about Eade i would expect. Timing interesting, may be all over.

[Grantysghost]

Just heard on SEN - press conference at 11:40am Rodney Eade will no longer be coach, couldn't confirm if immediate,

[turtle]

Press conference on SEN at 11.30 or 11.40.
Contract not being renewed is the news. They are not sure if he will finish the season.

[LostDoggy]

Just been told that apparently the dogs have called a press conference for midday. Can only be about Eade i would expect. Timing interesting, may be all over.

Yep gone

[GVGjr]

Damn shame if true.

[LostDoggy]

I will be very sad if Rocket goes. If his contract isn't being renewed, I hope he coaches until the end of the season. We should be able to say goodbye. :(

[LostDoggy]

Terrible decision

[LostDoggy]

Well thats just shit

[Hotdog60]

If that's the case I'm a little disappointed. They announce that they are going to spend more on the footy department when Rocket has had to make do on a skimpy budget in the past.

I rate Rocket and I would have like to see him get another couple of years with a better footy department at he's disposal.

[LostDoggy]

Well this has just gotten interesting. I have a sinking feeling about our next ten years, nevermind our next five.

It will be important what we do from here in.

ps. at a guess our hands were forced by an offer from Adelaide or Melbourne.

[strebla]

I will be very sad if Rocket goes. If his contract isn't being renewed, I hope he coaches until the end of the season. We should be able to say goodbye. :(

That depends on who's call it was if he has said i am coaching at another club next year then immediate if it was our call and I were Eade I would go now and say thanks for nothing really strange time to make an announcment if indeed he is gone i too will be disapointed but not shattered

[Twodogs]

That's the worst decision we could have made. What a pig's breakfast this we've made of this. Now we are effectively third in the line for any new coaching talent because two other clubs have got in line before us.


Good luck Rocket with whatever you do in the future.

[The Pie Man]

Damn shame if true.

Will await further details post presser to comment on how this looks, other than to agree entirely with the above sentiment.

Rocket oversaw a tremendous period in the history of this football club, and from my view as an outsider remains a very good coach.

[Throughandthrough]

Best coach of the last 55 years.

[firstdogonthemoon]

This is terrible and stupid.

Based on the logic of this decision, I reckon our next coach will be Gary Ayres.

[LostDoggy]

Can only imagine what the players are thinking. I would have loved to see the club back him, can't help but feeling this may come back to haunt us.

[The Coon Dog]

Shattered!

[Scraggers]

Are we sure he is leaving?

God I hope this is wrong

[Desipura]

My mail says Rocket has had 2 interviews with Adelaide this week and will be sacked immediately.
Time will tell if true.......

[firstdogonthemoon]

Idiots!

[Hotdog60]

@StevoHeraldSunMark Stevens


Eade update: Dogs leaddership group believed to be very keen for Rocket to coach out season. Discussions to come .. What's board want?

[LostDoggy]

Really disappointed. Must be more to this than meets the eye.

[choconmientay]

I am feeling sick in my stomach right now. Not good for the future of the club :(

[KT31]

If it true , it is a very poor decision.
IMO there seems to be one man having far to much of a say at our club and we won't survive for long if it continues.

[Desipura]

Cmon guys, whilst I would have been happy to see Eade still at the club, he gave it his best shot and will get a go at another club.
He has been coaching for some 16 years without a premiership and he is still likely to be employed.

[w3design]

I'm very disappointed with this decision.

[Cyberdoggie]

It's looking official now,

SEN have just announced on their website:

"Western Bulldogs are set to confirm that coach Rodney Eade will leave the club at season's end.

The Bulldogs will hold a press conference late on Wednesday morning, where it is expected to be announced that Eade's contract has not been renewed.

It is not known whether Eade, who has been in charge for the past seven seasons, will see out the remaining few weeks of 2011 with his team all but out of contention for the top eight.

Expectations were high at Whitten Oval that Eade could lead the Dogs to their first premiership since 1954 after guiding them to three consecutive preliminary finals.

Bulldogs president David Smorgon said prior to the start of this season that there was an expectation that the Dogs could make a Grand Final this year.

However, things went amiss early in the season when the Dogs went on a run of seven losses in eight games. Injuries to key players proved too much to overcome and Saturday's loss to Essendon left the Dogs relying on a miracle to make the finals.

Should he leave as expected, Eade would become the third coach to depart his club in 2011 after Adelaide's Neil Craig and Melbourne's Dean Bailey were sacked in the past few weeks."

[Remi Moses]

Would have like Rocket to be retained, not surprisedby the decision.
Looks like the club will go down the young coach path and develop a list.

[LostDoggy]

My mail says Rocket has had 2 interviews with Adelaide this week and will be sacked immediately.
Time will tell if true.......

Of course he's had 'interviews', if your agent talking to clubs counts. Why wouldn't he? It's his future after all.

In other words, our hand has been forced, so the review, in essence, has been largely meaningless.

I don't understand all the people saying that we shouldn't be reacting to what other clubs timetables are: of course we should, we're not running a club in isolation, mutually exclusive to what everyone else is doing -- it's a flippin' competition, which simply means 'you win by doing things better than your competitors'. Sticking stubbornly to a timeline just to look 'strong' is not just stupid, it's pointless: who gives a shit who stuck to what timelines? It's all about outcomes in this caper, and if the outcome is 'having a pointless review process with the decision made for you by forces outside of your control' then it's a shitful one.

Don't for a second think that we have some sort of genius back-up plan to this ie. 'a young coach with x number of assistants' -- make no mistake, this was our hand being forced by circumstances, and our recruitment process will be a reactive one. Of course we may still land a good coach, but the odds are against us.

[Ozza]

Very disappointed.
Going to be difficult times a head with the club a bit of a rabble at the moment.

[Throughandthrough]

Maybe its purely a money thing?

Bring on Peter Rohde V2.0

[LostDoggy]

It's Terry Wallace and Sydney all over again, except this time we managed to make it look like the coach was pushed instead of him simply walking away from a dysfunctional front office for more money and security.

[giaco]

So who'll coach the rest of the year? Montgomery?

[The Coon Dog]

Herald Sun will stream the press conference.

[Daughter of the West]

I'm disappointed, and it doesn't appear that we've handled this process all that well.

[dogman]

I'm really dissapointed for Rodney but more concerned about who will replace him. Hope they just don't go for the most affordable but the best option.

[Mantis]

It's Terry Wallace and Sydney all over again, except this time we managed to make it look like the coach was pushed instead of walking.

It is?

Eade has maintained that his no.1 preference was to stay at the Bulldogs. But I guess if the writing on the wall was that he was unlikely to remain his management would be negligent in not seeking out further employment.

[LostDoggy]

It is?

Eade has maintained that his no.1 preference was to stay at the Bulldogs. But I guess if the writing on the wall was that he was unlikely to remain his management would be negligent in not seeking out further employment.

Of course he's maintained that in public -- he couldn't very well come out and say otherwise could he, especially without concrete offers on the table from other clubs.

[Mantis]

Of course he's maintained that in public -- he couldn't very well come out and say otherwise could he, especially without concrete offers on the table from other clubs.

He has done privately too.

[giaco]

So who'll coach the rest of the year? Montgomery?

Paul Williams according to the Age.

[LostDoggy]

He has done privately too.

I don't doubt your relationship with Rodney for a minute, Cain, but there's private, then there's private. If I'm thinking of other options that may jeapordise my current employment, I'm not going to be telling my best friends at work, even privately (if I'm smart, and Rocket is nothing if not savvy).

[LostDoggy]

I wonder what this will do for Ward's thinking.

[Chicago1]

Not happy. Not happy at all. :mad:

[LostDoggy]

Disappointed as well.
Frustrated, we don't seem to be able to have "people in training".
Why don't we have a replacement for Barry? We knew he would only be with us for two years.
Why don't we ever have replacements ready to go (or nearly ready) when others retire?

[LostDoggy]

Disappointed as well.
Frustrated, we don't seem to be able to have "people in training".
Why don't we have a replacement for Barry? We knew he would only be with us for two years.
Why don't we ever have replacements ready to go (or nearly ready) when others retire?

Because we don't have a list manager even though we've been trying to get one for a while now.

[LostDoggy]

Of course he's had 'interviews', if your agent talking to clubs counts. Why wouldn't he? It's his future after all.

In other words, our hand has been forced, so the review, in essence, has been largely meaningless.

I don't understand all the people saying that we shouldn't be reacting to what other clubs timetables are: of course we should, we're not running a club in isolation, mutually exclusive to what everyone else is doing -- it's a flippin' competition, which simply means 'you win by doing things better than your competitors'. Sticking stubbornly to a timeline just to look 'strong' is not just stupid, it's pointless: who gives a shit who stuck to what timelines? It's all about outcomes in this caper, and if the outcome is 'having a pointless review process with the decision made for you by forces outside of your control' then it's a shitful one.

Don't for a second think that we have some sort of genius back-up plan to this ie. 'a young coach with x number of assistants' -- make no mistake, this was our hand being forced by circumstances, and our recruitment process will be a reactive one. Of course we may still land a good coach, but the odds are against us.

Agree with every word.

If there was to be a review, it should have covered all playing matters including the role and performance of the Football Manager, Assistant Coaches, Recruiting, fitnes people, Sports Science etc.

It appears that Eade has been held solely responsible for our performance this year.

[The Coon Dog]

Here's the link to the HS live stream.

Link (http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/bulldogs-sack-coach-rodney-eade/story-e6frf9jf-1226116566868)

[cinder]

I can't fathom why they have come to this decision on the back of him coaching us to the last 3 pre-lims plus pretty good results in earlier years. It just seems like they've wanted him out as soon as we started performing poorly this season, as if to prove they are doing something and not just sitting on their hands. Pretty drastic and I certainly hope they have a few good cards up their sleeves because this could really hurt our club.

[ledge]

its on fox sports news

[LostDoggy]

Live on Fox sports news at 11:40 for anyone who can access it.

[LostDoggy]

I can't fathom why they have come to this decision on the back of him coaching us to the last 3 pre-lims plus pretty good results in earlier years. It just seems like they've wanted him out as soon as we started performing poorly this season, as if to prove they are doing something and not just sitting on their hands. Pretty drastic and I certainly hope they have a few good cards up their sleeves because this could really hurt our club.

I agree Cinders. :(

[ledge]

With Eade leaving I think we owe it to him to thank him for his time at the club and what he did, especially with some of us at WOOF.
Unlike some coaches I believe he will be remembered as a good coach and all round good bloke, none of us will have any bad memories of his tenure and will always be respected.

Thanks Rocket and I hope your future is bright.

[Grantysghost]

Foxsports News Link

Live Stream (http://media.foxsports.com.au/fatwire/live/livestream/live-stream.html?starttime=1239&endtime=1400&startdate=20110817&enddate=20110817)

[Pedro Sanchez]

Nah happy with the decision - time for something fresh and hopefully exciting.

The fact is we've gone from top 4 the past 4 seasons to dross... Eade has been great for us but I think his time was up.

Cheers Rocket - all the best in future.

[Chicago1]

Just posted this on that other site:

I am greatly saddened and angered with finding out the news. In my 34 years as a Bulldogs member Rodney Eade has been by far my favourite coach. I will never forget the great kindness he showed toward me during my last three visits. I'm glad I got to say goodbye to him at the last training session I attended in April. I had been hoping to see him again at the start of next season.

He took us to three PF in a row, something that as a member in the late 70s/early80s I never would have dreamt possible. We own him much.

I hope that if he ever again wears the Chicago Cubs cap I gave him last year, that he knows that he will always have a fan and admirer on this side of the world.

Thanks, Rodney. This is one footy fan that will never forget you.

[ledge]

bloody foxportsnews went down, not seeing anything here

[Murphy'sLore]

I was in two minds earlier in the year and wondered if Rocket had done all he could with this group - but now it's actually happening I feel absolutely gutted. Perhaps because of the way it's being handled.

Very disappointed. And angry that there is no bloody Plan B! Again!

[Grantysghost]

Try SEN

http://www.sen.com.au/mediaplayer

[Cyberdoggie]

Rodney looks rather upset.

Don't often see him so vulnerable.

[hotdog]

Terrible decision IMO. This will haunt us for a long time. Eade is a known entity and a safe decision to rebuild a list in years where experience and some cunning will be paramount with the expansion clubs comprimising drafts etc. Why give this critical job to some young whipper snapper in his first senior coaching position, with no knowledge of the resourses he has available, looking to make a name for himself in a very ruthless environment? We have seen that mistakes at the trade table can set you back many many years yet we seem happy to have a punt? I am really disappointed in this decision by the club.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Shattered. This is a disgusting decision. I now expect half a decade of pain.

We will go with an untried coach and spend the next 5 years trying to get out of the bottom third of the ladder while the new bloke tries to work out what he's supposed to be doing.

[Twodogs]

Now that I'm hearing the presser I'm even angrier. Smorgon taled for 10 minutes and didnt give one good reason why Rocket should go except for some vague it's just the vibe sort of thing.

I thought that at least they'd have a candidate in mind if they were going to sack a successful coach but they dont. This is unbelievable. The cliub is a shambles at the moment.

And why the hell isnt Fantasia in this presser?

[soupman]

Terrible decision IMO. This will haunt us for a long time. Eade is a known entity and a safe decision to rebuild a list in years where experience and some cunning will be paramount with the expansion clubs comprimising drafts etc. Why give this critical job to some young whipper snapper in his first senior coaching position, with no knowledge of the resourses he has available, looking to make a name for himself in a very ruthless environment? We have seen that mistakes at the trade table can set you back many many years yet we seem happy to have a punt? I am really disappointed in this decision by the club.

The worst part is that the man this "whipper snapper" will probably turn to for assistance will be Fantasia, who I don't rate.

[Twodogs]

We will go with an untried coach and spend the next 5 years trying to get out of the bottom third of the ladder while the new bloke tries to work out what he's supposed to be doing.


And watch the new clubs fly past us up the ladder.


This is a time for stabilty not second guessing what we should do.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

I'm extremely disappointed with the club although I'm not surprised. Over the years we've rarely made sensible decisions.

[LostDoggy]

The most telling comment from the Presser was Garlick's that this decision was done in isolation from any review of the Football Department.

How can that be?

[Bulldog4life]

Just saw it on Fox. I am very disappointed with the decision that the Club has taken. Rocket was all class at the Press Conference. Thanks for bringing back excitement to our Club.

[ledge]

Can I ask how any of you know its going to be an untried coach??
Im dissappointed as much as anyone but I am certainly not making presumptions on the new coach being new or hopeless.
One door closes another opens, seems to be shut and locked by a few already.
A lot of people have mentioned the game plan isnt working etc.
Can we just wait and see before we start canning Smorgon and co who I might add have done an awesome job over the years, just maybe it is the right choice!

[Rocket Science]

Was shrewd of the President to concede we need to "refresh" not 'rebuild'...We don't want to go doing anything that might detrimentally affect membership next year.

Oh wait.

[Stefcep]

Eade was right to ask where he stood and the club has acted honorably by not stringing Eade along till the end of the season. But is it the tight decision for the club? No it is not: the club simply does not and has not had the cattle to win a premiership under Eade. Thats a reflection on the recruitment department, the skills coaching department, the matchday committee and Smorgo's leadership. The culture at the club reflects the culture of the people running the club, and its a losing culture. You can't change people, so change the people. The lot need to go.

[ledge]

I'm extremely disappointed with the club although I'm not surprised. Over the years we've rarely made sensible decisions.

???
So getting the Western Oval renewed, paying off our debts,sponsors, signing a coach who got us to 3 pre lims.
This club off the field and on it has made awesome decisions over the last 10-15 years to say rarely because of one bad year is way over the top.
We have made many more right decisions than wrong.

[Topdog]

Bad decision. My reasoning = Eade is still at worst the 8th best coach in the league.

[LostDoggy]

Thanks so much to Rodney Eade for what you have done for the club.

A new era starts now at the Western Bulldogs, the biggest risks can bring the greatest rewards. Time to get behind the team and the decision.

It seems a brave decision made in the face of conservativism. In dog we trust.

[Grantysghost]

Interesting admission from Rocket that it took at 20 goal hiding to realise that we needed to improve our forward defensive pressure. I went to our game at Ballarat v North pre-season and looked for any improvement in this area. I think we achieved one, maybe 2 shots from a turn over that day so i was a little worried although was a practice match of course.
Watching from the stands on Saturday night i felt that first quarter effort may be the end. I'm dissapointed. I think he could have turned it around, and our improvement in key areas later in the year showed he could do it. Dropped the ball pre-season in my opinion, then injuries killed any chance to completely turn it around.

[Cyberdoggie]

I'm upset that he's gone but i'm on the side of a fresh approach to our coaching.
Rocket has been fantastic but i think our players need a new start.
I know this will hurt as Rodney will go somewhere else and will definately be successful in the short term at another club.
No doubt we will go out and pummell Port this week and everyone will say "why did we sack him etc", but i think it's the right decision.

I think this was confirmed in my mind when they asked rocket in the interview whether the inability to adopt to the press was as factor in this. He said quite rightly that they had done their work on it but they realized at about the Adelaide game that they needed run to beat it and get more forward entries. He said Gilbee's poor form, loss of Harbrow and Hargrave hurt this. Well for me this was glaringly obvious last year and even the year before. Sure we don't really have the cattle for this role yet but it was clear this was a major problem for us quite some time ago.

[The Underdog]

I was a bit on the fence about Rocket continuing even though I like him a lot. He's been fantastic for the club and the past few years have largely been a joy. Whether this is the right decision or not will play out but I'm not completely satisfied with the reasons given and not rapt in "the process" as it appears from outside.
Hoepfully Rocket coaches again in Melbourne so the fans can say thanks.
I imagine the players will be pretty motivated this week.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

???
So getting the Western Oval renewed, paying off our debts,sponsors, signing a coach who got us to 3 pre lims.
This club off the field and on it has made awesome decisions over the last 10-15 years to say rarely because of one bad year is way over the top.
We have made many more right decisions than wrong.

Well I guess if you view the past 15 years as the sole sum of our history then the balance might look better, not doubt we have made a much better fist of it in recent years.
I would still argue that we have a habit of making poor decisions even in recent times.
*signing Peter Rohde
* The Jade Rawlings saga
*numerous other list management decisions
*Our President coming out and declaring GF or bust in 2011
*Have not hired a List manager, then make Eade the scapegoat for poor performance.

[Hot_Doggies]

I don't have a problem with sacking Eade. He has had his chance.

My big concern is Smorgons "refresh not rebuild'' quote. I hope the new coach can come in and feel free to swing an axe. eg Gilbee, Stack, Hill, Hudson, Hargrave, Minson , Addison maybe Cross...

I think a well judge rebuild now can save a lot of pain 3-5yrs.

[The Underdog]

I don't have a problem with sacking Eade. He has had his chance.

My big concern is Smorgons "refresh not rebuild'' quote. I hope the new coach can come in and feel free to swing an axe. eg Gilbee, Stack, Hill, Hudson, Hargrave, Minson , Addison maybe Cross...

I think a well judge rebuild now can save a lot of pain 3-5yrs.

Contractual obligations will limit the ability to swing freely. Plus the impact of GWS' many draft picks on the ability to ge our hands on good kids.

[Scraggers]

Thanks so much to Rodney Eade for what you have done for the club.

A new era starts now at the Western Bulldogs, the biggest risks can bring the greatest rewards. Time to get behind the team and the decision.

It seems a brave decision made in the face of conservativism. In dog we trust.

I'm not so sure anymore

[GVGjr]

The most telling comment from the Presser was Garlick's that this decision was done in isolation from any review of the Football Department.

How can that be?

Flawed process.

[westdog54]

In my 28 years on this planet, most of them following this club that I love so much, I've had to put up with a lot of pain and heartache.

I've had to put up with my club nearly folding.

I've had to put up with losing seven preliminary finals.

I've had to put up with good coaches and players walking out on the club to seek greener pastures.

I've had to put up with the fact that we've barely been able to stand on our own two feet.

I've had to put up with laugable decisions made by incompetent officials that have set the club back for years.

I've even had to put up with rotten, wretched luck sometimes being our undoing.

And now I have to sit and try and digest this joke of a decision.

I have to sit back and endure almost half a decade of being nowhere near challenging for a flag.

I have to sit back and watch while this club struggles to regain the credibility it had gained over the past half a decade or so.

I'll do my best, but boy it'll be tough to try and bear it.

Rocket, in your time at this club its been a joy to come to the football. You poured your heart and soul into a club that gave you bugger all to work with and your results in the circumstances are phenomenal. There is nothing more you could have done for this club that what you were able to acheive.

Undoubtedly you will find work elsewhere and I wish you well with whatever challenge you take up next. I pity your replacement, he's got big shoes to fill.

[GVGjr]

Was shrewd of the President to concede we need to "refresh" not 'rebuild'...We don't want to go doing anything that might detrimentally affect membership next year.

Oh wait.

Thought the same thing. If that is the assessment the committee believed it genuinely shows we didn't have the right people.

[Mantis]

I think this was confirmed in my mind when they asked rocket in the interview whether the inability to adopt to the press was as factor in this. He said quite rightly that they had done their work on it but they realized at about the Adelaide game that they needed run to beat it and get more forward entries. He said Gilbee's poor form, loss of Harbrow and Hargrave hurt this. Well for me this was glaringly obvious last year and even the year before. Sure we don't really have the cattle for this role yet but it was clear this was a major problem for us quite some time ago.

That may be the case, but the decision to not re-new the contract cannot be based on this year or previous years to that... it's all about what the plans were for next year.

We all can agree that this year has been ordinary for game plan mistakes, personnel issues, etc.. but the only issue that should be factored in is what Eade's plans were for next year (and the years that follow) and until that's made public (which probably won't happen) we don't really know if the selection committee have made the right call.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Flawed process.

That doesn't bode well then for when they set up another panel to find his replacement.

[Dogmatic]

Why is everybody so negative? Don't you trust Smorgon and Garlick to make the right decision?

Although Rocket has been a fantastic coach, he had his chance at a flag, now it's somebody else's turn.

[G-Mo77]

This is what I have to wake up with?

It's no surprise that this has happened though the writing has been on the wall for months. Still it's very sad, he's done such a great job for the club and seems like such a nice guy. Thanks Rocket and good luck next year.

[Bulldog4life]

Why is everybody so negative? Don't you trust Smorgon and Garlick to make the right decision?

Although Rocket has been a fantastic coach, he had his chance at a flag, now it's somebody else's turn.

We are negative because we bloody well don't believe in the decision or the way it was handled.

[Topdog]

In my 28 years on this planet, most of them following this club that I love so much, I've had to put up with a lot of pain and heartache.

I've had to put up with my club nearly folding.

I've had to put up with losing seven preliminary finals.

I've had to put up with good coaches and players walking out on the club to seek greener pastures.

I've had to put up with the fact that we've barely been able to stand on our own two feet.

I've had to put up with laugable decisions made by incompetent officials that have set the club back for years.

I've even had to put up with rotten, wretched luck sometimes being our undoing.

And now I have to sit and try and digest this joke of a decision.

I have to sit back and endure almost half a decade of being nowhere near challenging for a flag.

I have to sit back and watch while this club struggles to regain the credibility it had gained over the past half a decade or so.

I'll do my best, but boy it'll be tough to try and bear it.

Rocket, in your time at this club its been a joy to come to the football. You poured your heart and soul into a club that gave you bugger all to work with and your results in the circumstances are phenomenal. There is nothing more you could have done for this club that what you were able to acheive.

Undoubtedly you will find work elsewhere and I wish you well with whatever challenge you take up next. I pity your replacement, he's got big shoes to fill.

Couldn't sum it up any better. Hopefully he coaches the last 3 so we can send him off.

[macca]

Eade was a good coach working in an undersourced club and he has gotten the best bang for bucks we could get. Lets see if this was the right deciision in a few months time. It would be ironic if Eade goes to Melbourne and they improve dramatically next year. We need serious clean out of our list , and wear a few years of pain. Maybe this is wear the board was looking at ? Who knows, but a young coach with opportunity to rebuild list is where we should be looking at.

[G-Mo77]

Couldn't sum it up any better. Hopefully he coaches the last 3 so we can send him off.

He is finishing out the season isn't he?

[Mantis]

He is finishing out the season isn't he?

At the moment he said he will, but this might change after what has just happened sinks in.

I hope he sees the year out.

[KT31]

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

[Stefcep]

For all the criticism the club is receiving or making what looks like a decision without a Plan B, the fact is its hand was forced by Eade's management, which they had every right to do given that there are vacancies that have come up in recent times.

It seems to me the club was caught with its pants down by this: the alternatives were not commit to Eade and have Eade start discussions with other clubs and then quit the club, or commit to Eade now.

The club is culpable for not seeing the wider football landscape earlier: they knew Eade's contract was up, Adelaide and Melbourne have sacked their coaches, either move to sign him or starting planning for future without him.

[Rocket Science]

The state of our list seems to feature regularly in the ongoing dissection of our malaise.

You'd suspect such a thing might fall loosely under the remit of the club's General Manager of Football, and while the coach becomes the popular lightning rod when things go south, I'm not seeing much public scrutiny of his offsider.

Seeing as we've embarked on some profound soul-searching, is there a process or a panel assessing the competence and track record of our General Manager of Football in lieu of the state of our list.

And depending on dispassionate assessment of that track record - in this results based industry - is a quality General Manager of Football harder or easier to come by than a quality Senior Coach?

What's the argument for retaining Fantasia? And what's the argument for thanking him for his time?

[bornadog]

In my 28 years on this planet, most of them following this club that I love so much, I've had to put up with a lot of pain and heartache.

I've had to put up with my club nearly folding.

I've had to put up with losing seven preliminary finals.

I've had to put up with good coaches and players walking out on the club to seek greener pastures.

I've had to put up with the fact that we've barely been able to stand on our own two feet.

I've had to put up with laugable decisions made by incompetent officials that have set the club back for years.

I've even had to put up with rotten, wretched luck sometimes being our undoing.

And now I have to sit and try and digest this joke of a decision.

I have to sit back and endure almost half a decade of being nowhere near challenging for a flag.

I have to sit back and watch while this club struggles to regain the credibility it had gained over the past half a decade or so.

I'll do my best, but boy it'll be tough to try and bear it.

Rocket, in your time at this club its been a joy to come to the football. You poured your heart and soul into a club that gave you bugger all to work with and your results in the circumstances are phenomenal. There is nothing more you could have done for this club that what you were able to acheive.

Undoubtedly you will find work elsewhere and I wish you well with whatever challenge you take up next. I pity your replacement, he's got big shoes to fill.

Top post Nick.

I am nearly double your age on this planet and have seen worse times to add to your list in the 60's and 70's and really you get to a point that enough is enough.

[comrade]

I didn't hear the presser but I'm naturally gutted. What a way to treat a guy who pulled us up from the bottom and gave us some fantastic experiences over the past 3 years.

We're officially a rabble. I'm half expecting Leon Cameron to be appointed next year. Expect some Rhode type results if we go down that path.

[Desipura]

I am disappointed that Rocket has been given his marching orders however at the end of the day he did not get us a premiership like many before him.
He is the best coach we have ever had in my time.

That said, if the club thought it was time for Eade to go, its better to do it now so they can move forward and get the coach they want.
Doing it at seasons end would be too late as Melbourne and Adelaide would be more advanced in the search of a new coach.

They way it was handled by the club was poor, was there a good way to do it?

[bornadog]

I didn't hear the presser but I'm naturally gutted. What a way to treat a guy who pulled us up from the bottom and gave us some fantastic experiences over the past 3 years.

We're officially a rabble. I'm half expecting Leon Cameron to be appointed next year. Expect some Rhode type results if we go down that path.

If the Hawks win the premiership would you change your mind about Leon?

I for one don't think he is the right person. I want someone with GF success and has been around for awhile.

What about Roos? how ironic would that be.

[Mantis]

I am disappointed that Rocket has been given his marching orders however at the end of the day he did not get us a premiership like many before him.
He is the best coach we have ever had in my time.

That said, if the club thought it was time for Eade to go, its better to do it now so they can move forward and get the coach they want.
Doing it at seasons end would be too late as Melbourne and Adelaide would be more advanced in the search of a new coach.
The way it was handled by the club was poor, was there a good way to do it?

We only did it now at Eade's request.

[Desipura]

If the Hawks win the premiership would you change your mind about Leon?

I for one don't think he is the right person. I want someone with GF success and has been around for awhile.

What about Roos? how ironic would that be.
Roos would not come to us, cant see him going over the Westgate.

[bornadog]

Roos would not come to us, cant see him going over the Westgate.

Yeah he has always been up himself.

[LostDoggy]

Will Rocket still be coaching the International Rules Series after this season? :P

[ledge]

We only did it now at Eade's request.

Interesting point Mantis, I wonder how Eades manager approached the club?
Was it a bullish apporoach, sometimes that can work in reverse trying to scare a boss into keeping you?
I presume this manager has just taken over Eade, what is he like?

[Topdog]

anyone think Clarkson could be gettable?

[bornadog]

anyone think Clarkson could be gettable?

not if we have to deal with The Hawks.

[The Coon Dog]

not if we have to deal with The Hawks.

He's out of contract so we wouldn't need to deal with Hawthorn. Having said that Hawthorn will re-sign him.

[Greystache]

anyone think Clarkson could be gettable?

Not if the Hawks want him. We'd have to offer a rediculous amount of money for them not to match it, their list is in a massively better position than ours, and he's at a club with a winning culture. Other than a financial offer to blow Hawthorn out of the water I can't see a single reason he'd move.

[bornadog]

He's out of contract so we wouldn't need to deal with Hawthorn. Having said that Hawthorn will re-sign him.

I realise that TCD I should have said not if the Hawks still want him and we had to be in a bid with the Hawks.

[the banker]

Courageous decision.

Rocket has been possibly our best performed coach, however the winds of change were blowing this year and I could not see him reversing the current performance trend. I wish Rocket great success and thank him for his magnificent contributiion to the Dogs.

I think this is a very positive, forward thinking and courageous move. Timing is everything and to give Rocket another 3 years had the potential to unravel pretty quickly if things did not pick up quickly next year.

Lets give Rocket a great send off and our heartfelt thanks with a few wins!

[Mantis]

One thing that I found strange when discussed at the press conference was that Smorgon said we didn't need an 'outside' person to help with the review of our current coach, but we do need someone to help with hiring a new guy.

This makes no *!*!*!*!ing sense to me at all.

[Chicago1]

Just got off the phone with Lindy Burns on my old 774ABC show to talk about what happened. I guess anyone that may have heard could tell that I am still livid with the decision.

[the banker]

Leigh Matthews on the selection panel?

[anfo27]

I agree with the banker here in saying this was a courageous decision by Smorgan considering Eade is a very popular figure with the fans and the media and our most successful coach. Eade has done a terrific job in his time with us and I would say he has been my favourite coach but he has lost me in the last 18 months.
I wish rocket well and have no doubt he will do a good job where ever he goes. Hopefully we are doing what ever we can do get the best person for the job instead of downgrading like everyone else seems to think.
I haven't seen the presser but from what i hear from a few posters for rocket to come out with some of the comments about his tactics involving the press its seems like he was watching a different game at times. That alone is unacceptable and with that mindset we never stood a chance of doing anything this year.

[Mantis]

I haven't seen the presser but from what i hear from a few posters for rocket to come out with some of the comments about his tactics involving the press its seems like he was watching a different game at times. That alone is unacceptable and with that mindset we never stood a chance of doing anything this year.

What he did say was that having a completely different backline in play early in the season meant that our ball movement suffered and it took us a while to work our way around this.

Compared to last year Lake, Wood, Harbrow, Hargrave & Gilbee all either didn't play or played poorly early on and our performances were the worse for it.

[anfo27]

What he did say was that having a completely different backline in play early in the season meant that our ball movement suffered and it took us a while to work our way around this.

Compared to last year Lake, Wood, Harbrow, Hargrave & Gilbee all either didn't play or played poorly early on and our performances were the worse for it.

Of course that makes a big difference but even at full strength with rockets stubborn view on the press do you think we would have been a challenger?

[Mantis]

Of course that makes a big difference but even at full strength with rockets stubborn view on the press do you think we would have been a challenger?

It's an unknown.

I still think with a full & healthy list we would be in the top 6 at present and once finals come around it's all about who's fit and who isn't.

[LostDoggy]

Read my email from Mr Smorgon and am not happy at all with this news. Something doesn't feel right about the whole thing. There are so many people involved in getting a team out on the field each week, and plenty in the coaches' box. I'm very uncomfortable with it all being laid at Eade's feet and him being told to move on. Who is this Fantasia bloke and what does he actually do? Eade has been fantastic for the Club from the minute he walked in the door. Foolish decision to give him the flick and no hint as to who may replace him. Not even a GF appearance in my lifetime, and now I'm to believe we have a period of "refreshment" ahead. Good grief. I miss Mr Rose too.

[Twodogs]

One thing that I found strange when discussed at the press conference was that Smorgon said we didn't need an 'outside' person to help with the review of our current coach, but we do need someone to help with hiring a new guy.

This makes no *!*!*!*!ing sense to me at all.

I'm still seething at this decision and I've never been angrier at the club than I am right now. Hearing Somrgon's bumbling explanation is just making me angrier. He hasnt made one logical point about why Rocket is gone yet. I cant believe they've done this when they had no real idea about what they were going to do next.

This is embarrassing and makes us look like a bunch of amateurs.

[Cyberdoggie]

We're officially a rabble. I'm half expecting Leon Cameron to be appointed next year. Expect some Rhode type results if we go down that path.

Yes whenever i hear this in news reports i cringe.

If he was any good someone would of picked him up by now, same with Brian Royal.

[anfo27]

I think making the 8 or the 6 doesn't really make you a contender and making the top4 last year we were arguably making up the numbers. Full strength I don't think we could beat the teams above us anyway last year.

[Cyberdoggie]

I think making the 8 or the 6 doesn't really make you a contender and making the top4 last year we were arguably making up the numbers. Full strength I don't think we could beat the teams above us anyway last year.

Perhaps if we lost against the Swans in that final and went out in straight sets then our goals for this year may not of been as high and Rodney would still be the coach?

[Dry Rot]

Perhaps if we lost against the Swans in that final and went out in straight sets then our goals for this year may not of been as high and Rodney would still be the coach?

IMO it is time for a fresh set of eyes to be coaching us, so I'm pleased with today's decision. It's good news.

Not quite sure why some are criticising the club, since Eade called for an early decision and they responded.

Most importantly, as others have posted, the club should conduct a thorough review of the footy dept now, including Fantasia.

And I hope Smorgon doesn't believe that bullshit that we just need a refresh, not a rebuild, otherwise we'll be stuffed for years.

[anfo27]

Perhaps if we lost against the Swans in that final and went out in straight sets then our goals for this year may not of been as high and Rodney would still be the coach?

I doubt it cause all we heard from the media in the pre=season was how many injuries we had and how we would make a grand final with a full list.

[Maddog37]

Lots of doomsayers on here today.

Anyone think that maybe the club has had their hand forced by Rockets management? Maybe the feedback from players spoke of staleness.

Lethal reckons every coach has a use by date and I agree with him.

Rocket has been great but our team has been trending downwards since 2009 IMO. Time for a new outlook and fresh ideas.

[LostDoggy]

I don't understand the calls of it being a courageous decision. More the opposite, it's gutless. Could have spread the blame(include themselves), backed a good coach for another contract and not pander to the idiots on BF or Facebook.

[chef]

IMO it is time for a fresh set of eyes to be coaching us, so I'm pleased with today's decision. It's good news.

Not quite sure why some are criticising the club, since Eade called for an early decision and they responded.

Most importantly, as others have posted, the club should conduct a thorough review of the footy dept now, including Fantasia.

And I hope Smorgon doesn't believe that bullshit that we just need a refresh, not a rebuild, otherwise we'll be stuffed for years.

I agree with all this mate.

I'm a bit sad to see him go, but it's time.

[Rocco Jones]

To me Eade is/was a good to very good coach and a great bloke. I appreciate all that he has done for the club but think it's a good idea IF either we get Malthouse or the best rookie we can find + up finances for footy department. If we keep on going with the cheap as chips footy department sacking Eade would be a terrible decision.

What I don't like is the process. Having Fantasia on board is a massive conflict of interest.

As much as I rate Eade I think a lot of posters who developed a relationship with him are emotionally influenced in their calls and that's understandable. What I really dislike are the morons who are rapt he is gone/don't appreciate his work. It's ironic that the ones who get worked up most, are the ones who don't contribute. A big like society in general I guess.

[Sedat]

I don't understand the calls of it being a courageous decision. More the opposite, it's gutless. Could have spread the blame(include themselves), backed a good coach for another contract and not pander to the idiots on BF or Facebook.
Exactly. This is scapegoat decision making 101 - identify the most vulnerable (and coincidentally highest profile) employee and make an example of him to show some sort faux-toughness and clinical decisiveness. Meanwhile the low profile minions (you know who you are) carry on as normal, no matter how inept their performances and decision making have been during their particular tenure.

There are many and varied reasons for our on-field performance in 2011 - to highlight one person as the root cause of this is gutless management. Garlick and Smorgon have had a very poor day.

[mjp]

To me Eade is/was a good to very good coach and a great bloke. I appreciate all that he has done for the club but think it's a good idea IF either we get Malthouse or the best rookie we can find + up finances for footy department. If we keep on going with the cheap as chips footy department sacking Eade would be a terrible decision.


I get all of that RJ and was becoming increasingly wary that re-appointing Eade was going to end up in a similar way to the way Williams finished at PA. I also get that the full review outcome(s??) are yet to be revealed...but:

- What happens to the assistants/strength and C/development team? Are they culpable in all of this and moved on as well, or is there some continuity - and who determines who stays and who goes?

- What about the list management decisions that are hanging around our neck (3 years for DJ, upgrading of Mulligan, failure to trade Hill etc etc etc)...where is the assessment of all of that and again, who is responsible for it all and what is the outcome.

- I know we are very well advanced in our recruiting process for this years draft - targeting specific player types based on what I assumed was needs as communicated by the coaching group as pertains to the 'gameplan'. So what happens here? Will this set us back significantly and whose fault is it going to be if a group of kids unsuited to the new 'style' or 'structure' are recruited to the club.

I have a lot of questions right now. The decision is the decision - fine. But what else and what next? I am perpetually fascinated by all of this stuff (Melbourne backing Connolly who clearly still wants to coach and will therefore have been undermining the coach and axing Bailey) and two weeks later we announce Eade is out and....NOTHING else?

[Sedat]

- What about the list management decisions that are hanging around our neck (3 years for DJ, upgrading of Mulligan, failure to trade Hill etc etc etc)...where is the assessment of all of that and again, who is responsible for it all and what is the outcome.
It appears that everything is hunky dory here because said person of part of the 4-man committee to conduct the end of season football review.

Staggering.

[The Doctor]

Worrying times I feel.

Rocket was the most competent and experienced person at the club. The most proven performer. The other key personnel in the footy dept have no where near the same credit;

Simon Garlick - unproven and inexperienced CEO. Hard act to follow in Cam Rose however I can't help but feel he is the cheap option and a Smorgon puppet.

James Fantasia - What has he done? Trading has become messy, contract negotiations protracted, strange drafting, poor list management decisions etc etc

Simon Dalrymple - In my view has been a poor performer to date. There are fantastic players at other clubs we could have had but chose others who are struggling.

David Smorgon - For all his great work in stabilising the club when he pokes his nose into football decisions they can be disasterous, ie Rhode appointment, Eade release. If Leon Cameron comes in as senior coach it will confirm in my mind a boys club mentality is in place at present.

If you lined all these guys up against a wall to pick your off field team Eade would be my first picked.

[LostDoggy]

I went into this year expecting to finish somewhere between 5th and 8th and, despite some annoyance with he how coached in 2010, was adamant that the Board should reappoint Rodney Eade at the end of the season.

Even when it became clear that our fall would be worse than almost all but the most pessimistic among us had predicted, I maintained my belief that the best course of action to take would be to give Rocket another three years.

It was a reasonable position to take.

Three of the last four premierships have been won by teams that had a senior coach at the helm for longer than Eade has been at the Bulldogs before they went on to achieve glory. If it took Thompson 8 years and Malthouse 10, then the Bulldogs would be mad to jettison a coach that had taken us into a number of finals series in his seven years at the club.

The latest Premiership trend was patience; and it was brand new, as not many coaches in modern times have kept their jobs after seven years without a flag.

However upon closer examination, I realised that I was wrong to think that Geelong and Collingwood's success should dictate our future actions:



The Rodney Eade Record - 7 Years at the Western Bulldogs:


Ladder position at Round 22:

2005 - 9th - 11 wins

2006 - 8th - 13 wins

2007 - 13th - 9 wins, 1 draw

2008 - 3rd - 15 wins, 1 draw

2009 - 3rd - 15 wins

2010 - 4th - 14 wins

2011 - likely finish - 12th - 9 wins



Note on 2011 season:

- 7 wins to date and should be able to defeat Port Adelaide in Adelaide and Fremantle at Etihad, as both are limping towards the end of the season.

- 36 points will be our lowest tally under Rodney Eade.

- Two wins this year were against a team in their debut year and two against teams that have already sacked their coach.



Finals performances:

2006 - WON - Elimination Final v Collingwood by 41 points

2006 - LOST - Semi Final v West Coast by 74 points

2008 - LOST - Qualifying Final v Hawthorn by 51 points

2008 - WON - Semi Final v Sydney by 37 points

2008 - LOST - Preliminary Final v Geelong by 29 points

2009 - LOST - Qualifying Final v Geelong by 14 points

2009 - WON - Semi Final v Brisbane by 51 points

2009 - LOST - Preliminary Final v St Kilda by 7 points

2010 - LOST - Qualifying Final v Collingwood by 62 points

2010 - WON - Semi Final v Sydney by 5 points

2010 - LOST - Preliminary Final v St Kilda by 24 points



Finals statistics:

- Played 11 finals in seven years.

- Won 4 finals in seven years by an average margin of 33 points, including three wins against interstate teams in the second week of the finals series.

- Lost 7 finals in seven years by an average margin of 37 points. Had more scoring shots in both Preliminary Final losses to St Kilda but failed to convert.

- Have not defeated a top 4 team in any final in seven years.

- First coach to lead the Bulldogs to three consecutive Preliminary Finals.




The Mick Malthouse Record - First 7 years at Collingwood:


Ladder position at Round 22:

2000 - 15th - 7 wins

2001 - 9th - 10 wins

2002 - 4th - 13 wins

2003 - 2nd - 15 wins

2004 - 13th - 8 wins

2005 - 15th - 5 wins

2006 - 5th - 14 wins



Finals performances:

2002 - WON - Qualifying Final v Port Adelaide by 13 points

2002 - WON - Preliminary Final v Adelaide by 28 points

2002 - LOST - Grand Final v Brisbane by 9 points

2003 - WON - Qualifying Final v Brisbane by 15 points

2003 - WON - Preliminary Final v Port Adelaide by 44 points

2003 - LOST - Grand Final v Brisbane by 50 points

2006 - LOST - Elimination Final v Western Bulldogs by 41 points



Notes on Mick's first seven years:

- Played 7 finals in seven years. Four less than the Bulldogs under Rodney Eade.

- Won 4 finals in seven years by an average margin of 25 points (the same number of wins as the Bulldogs, but Collingwood won two Preliminary Finals and defeated four teams in the top 4).

- Lost 3 finals in seven years by an average margin of 33 points, including two Grand Final losses.

- Malthouse began rebuilding his 2002/03 team in 2004. By the end of his seventh season, he had returned Collingwood to the top eight.

- It would take Collingwood four more years to win a flag.




The Bomber Thompson Record - First 7 years at Geelong:


Ladder position at Round 22:

2000 - 5th - 12 wins, 1 draw

2001 - 12th - 9 wins

2002 - 9th - 11 wins

2003 - 12th - 7 wins, 1 draw

2004 - 4th - 15 wins

2005 - 6th - 12 wins

2006 - 10th - 10 wins, 1 draw



Finals performances:

2000 - LOST - Elimination Final v Hawthorn by 9 points

2004 - LOST - Qualifying Final v Port Adelaide by 55 points

2004 - WON - Semi Final v Essendon by 10 points

2004 - LOST - Preliminary Final v Brisbane by 9 points

2005 - WON - Elimination Final v Melbourne by 55 points

2005 - LOST - Semi Final v Sydney by 3 points



Notes on Bomber's first seven years:

- Played 6 finals in seven years. Five less than the Bulldogs under Eade.

- Won 2 finals in seven years by an average margin of 32 points, two less wins than Eade and Malthouse.

- Lost 4 finals in seven years by an average margin of 19 points.

- Won a flag the very next year.




When reviewing the performance of all three, Eade's 90 wins compares favourably to Bomber's 78 and Malthouse's 76.

However, after seven years Malthouse had demonstrated that he could lead his team to finals success against quality opposition. He had also rebuilt his own team and taken them back into the finals. Two things that Eade has not demonstrated to date at the Bulldogs.

When reading Bomber's record at Geelong, it seems almost amazing that they allowed him to coach into his eighth season; yet they did and won the following Grand Final by 119 points. The review into the 2006 season at Geelong by Brian Cook showed why Bomber should be kept at the helm. Basically, he had developed a team that could win a Premiership. They were talented, they were the right age, they had played enough games and they were poised to dominate the competition.

Seven years into Eade's tenure and the same simply cannot be said. Ten players on our list (with a combined 1924 games of experience) will be 28 or older by the end of the year. Only 10 players on our list under the age of 28 have played over fifty games of senior football; a fact made even more deplorable when you realise that Minson, Hill and Addison are among them and that Sherman played his games at Brisbane. Of the remaining 20 players on our list, only Grant (34 games) and Wood (26 games) have played more than 25 games in the seniors. Our talented youngsters need time, most of our best players will be wearied by it, and we don't have enough good players in-between.

[LostDoggy]

We are, therefore, in a vastly different position than either of the two teams that I'd been comparing us to, so the idea of extending Eade's tenure to nine or ten years based on their success was deeply flawed. There are a number of factors that needed to be considered when making the call, including:




1. Are Eade's tactics and game plan likely to lead us to Premiership success?


While Eade is well regarded as an excellent match day tactician, the biggest impact his ideas had on the competition was in his early days at the Bulldogs. Since that time, Thompson, Clarkson, Lyon and Malthouse have all developed strategies that have superseded that style, yet our club has been slow to react and change.

What on Earth were we doing during the last preseason? Two fundamental tasks stood before us at the end of last year: to find a way to deal with other team's applying forward pressure and to increase the pressure that we applied in turn. We failed at both tasks.

This year was the first in Eade's entire coaching career in which he brought a team into the season so poorly prepared to counter the opposition. While our injuries this year can in some way justify our poor ball use, they cannot explain why we could barely lay a tackle inside our forward fifty at the start of the year. Yes, we've improved on that since the middle of the year, but do we praise the coach for finally catching up with the competition or admonish him for missing the boat in the first place?

The performance of our forward line in the last couple of years has been underwhelming. One dimensional isn't good at any time, but it's a much bigger concern when the dimension in question is retiring in three weeks.

While John Worsfold and his assistants have shown that coaches can adapt to changing situations; I am more envious of Clarkson at Hawthorn, who changed his Premiership winning game plan to ensure that they are once again competitive and who seems to have plans B, C and D as well. I think a genuine question mark was placed on Rocket's ability to develop the right strategies for our team in the next two or three years. Perhaps a coach who has played more recently and experienced a variety of other systems may be better placed to guide our team.




2. Is Eade the man to rebuild his team?


90 wins and four finals series is a very good record as a coach. In his time at the club, Rocket has rewarded the faith shown in him when he was appointed to rebuild the club after Peter Rhode was replaced. He was a good choice to rebuild Rohde's team, but was he the right man to rebuild his own?

It's a tough question.

Some of the decisions he has made in the past makes me doubt if he was. In 2010 in particular, he carried out of form senior players for far too often when it would have been beneficial to both the players and the team for them to find their form at Williamstown. It looked like favouritism; and that is never a good thing to have at a football club.

When a coach doesn't select his team on form and fitness then it allows senior players to become complacent and deprives the team of an often valuable injection of youth. Collingwood picked their Grand Final team that year without sentimentality and won the flag while great club servants sat in the stands and watched in good health. It's an interesting question as to whether the same side would have been picked using Rocket's selection process that year. While I thought it rude to pose the question to Eade himself that way; I did ask him about our team selection that year and he conceded that he may have been better served by dropping two players a few weeks before the finals. He made a similar concession to me the year previously about Josh Hill's selection in 2009.

My other concern with the 2010 season was that we failed to find the balance of developing youth and winning games (they are not mutually exclusive - Collingwood, Hawthorn, West Coast and Geelong seem to be doing quite well at both this year). While games were put into Grant, too few games went into Roughead, Wood and Jones (Ward was injured but played when he was available). During our strive towards Premiership success we didn't work hard enough to inject youth into the team. That's why Collingwood have 19 players under 28 who have played over fifty games to our 10, and 5 players who have played over 30 to our 1.

This year, injuries and poor form have brought about the injection of youth that we've craved, and Eade deserves a big tick for how the young ones have performed. Markovic has been excellent, Jones is a gem, Dalhaus terrific, Liberatore has shown plenty, Djerrkura (who has only played 11 games) has improved and a number of others have been given their first taste of football.

But still, the club had to ask whether the coach who had shown such loyalty to his senior players is the man best placed to make some big decisions on the playing fortunes of those who served him best. Hall is retiring so that's easy, but what of the rest of our veterans? Roughead and Cordy need substantial time in the seniors at a time when the substitute rule makes it significantly harder to play a second ruckman; will the time come to take Hudson out of the team so they can develop even if it weakens our ruck stocks? Would Eade be able to make the uncompromised decision that opts for young players in the midfield instead of Cross? Is he the best man to make the decision on when Murphy, Giansiracusa, Gilbee and Hargrave exit the club (he did make the right call on Hahn last year)? Can he once again get an All Australian year out of Lake? Maybe.




3. Will a change in senior coach be beneficial to the players?


If you accept that Peter Rohde doesn't count and that an eighteen year old's experience under Terry Wallace is long forgotten, then only Hall, Hudson, Sheman, Djerrkura and Veszpremi have been led by another coach with different ideas and a different style. In other words, almost our entire playing list have only ever responded to one voice and know no other way. Sometimes organisations need change. A new voice at the top can be reinvigorating to both established players who might have gone stale and to youth who can build a new relationship with their new coach.

As popular as he is with the majority of the playing list, our performances this year highlighted that having admiration for the coach doesn't necessarily equate to them playing for him. On Saturday night, David Parkin (a great friend of Rocket) suggested that the Bulldog players were picking and choosing when to play hard football and when not to. It's valid criticism and could be just as easily applied to our performances all year.

The club believes that a new leader will bring in a new approach and direction that is required to reinvigorate the Club and maximise the opportunity to get the most out of our playing group. There is merit in that. Since Brisbane's Premiership in 2003, every flag except Collingwood's has been won by a coach at his first club (even though it did take Bomber a while at Geelong).




When thinking about all this today, and knowing that the decision to remove Eade was made by people much closer to the action, I think the Club has done the right thing in not renewing his contract.

It's a shame.

I'd have loved Rodney Eade to be the next premiership coach of the Bulldogs but it hasn't worked out that way. We can look back at the injuries that we carried into last season's final series and the inexplicably bad performance in the 2009 Qualifying Final against Geelong, and regret the bad luck and poor mental application that probably cost us a flag; but we must also look forward.

The club can now begin the search for the best man in the country to build our next Premiership team. Someone hungry with a fresh approach who can improve our style of play, add an edge to how we approach each contest, make some important decisions on our playing list, bring in new assistant coaches, develop our youngsters and get something more out of our established senior players. There is an assistant coach out there who will be able to meet these challenges and the more time we allow ourselves to recruit him the better. It's good for the club to begin now and the most respectful way to manage our relationship with Rocket, who is now able to pursue his next position in the football industry.

[Dry Rot]

Great posts, The Rocket.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

The Rocket, that's a really well thought out and interesting couple of posts you've constructed there. Worthy of it's own separate thread I reckon.

[w3design]

The Rocket, that's a really well thought out and interesting couple of posts you've constructed there. Worthy of it's own separate thread I reckon.
Agree that this is worthy of its own thread and thanks to The Rocket for such a detailed analysis which is food for thought.

[Maddog37]

Great post The Rocket. You really Put some work in to that. It is not a personal attack to say we need change. I was actually thinking we would keep Rocket after hearing how well he has handled himself this year from the players in general.

The club is taking a risk no matter which way it went. Will be interesting to see what the impact is on players stayin or going from now on. I love the idea of the guys like Gilbs and Shaggy having to prove themselves to a new coach. It may prolong their careers.......

[Go_Dogs]

Flawed process.


One thing that I found strange when discussed at the press conference was that Smorgon said we didn't need an 'outside' person to help with the review of our current coach, but we do need someone to help with hiring a new guy.

This makes no *!*!*!*!ing sense to me at all.

Exactly. I was shocked to hear this on the way home tonight. Disbelief. The process seems flawed to all. Are we actually working to any kind of plan, or is this change for the sake of change?


- What happens to the assistants/strength and C/development team? Are they culpable in all of this and moved on as well, or is there some continuity - and who determines who stays and who goes?

- What about the list management decisions that are hanging around our neck (3 years for DJ, upgrading of Mulligan, failure to trade Hill etc etc etc)...where is the assessment of all of that and again, who is responsible for it all and what is the outcome.

- I know we are very well advanced in our recruiting process for this years draft - targeting specific player types based on what I assumed was needs as communicated by the coaching group as pertains to the 'gameplan'. So what happens here? Will this set us back significantly and whose fault is it going to be if a group of kids unsuited to the new 'style' or 'structure' are recruited to the club.

Each of the questions you have posed are important ones. I don't think the people who are making these decisions have considered these issues at all. If they have, I question if they are the people to be making these decisions.

The list management issue, and the focus of the re-build is the key. We need a plan in place immediately. What kind of players are we going to chase? What type of players on the list at the moment are going to be able to implement whatever game plan whoever we appoint as coach is going to want to implement?

I've said it more than once this year, but the club is cooked. I've lost all faith in the processes we have put in place.

[Rocco Jones]

Why on earth is he coaching the last 3 games? I know the senior players have said they want him on but those it help the club/team overall?

[Happy Days]

To me Eade is/was a good to very good coach and a great bloke. I appreciate all that he has done for the club but think it's a good idea IF either we get Malthouse or the best rookie we can find + up finances for footy department. If we keep on going with the cheap as chips footy department sacking Eade would be a terrible decision.

What I don't like is the process. Having Fantasia on board is a massive conflict of interest.

As much as I rate Eade I think a lot of posters who developed a relationship with him are emotionally influenced in their calls and that's understandable. What I really dislike are the morons who are rapt he is gone/don't appreciate his work. It's ironic that the ones who get worked up most, are the ones who don't contribute. A big like society in general I guess.

Glad someone who won't get shot down in flames for having a different opinion said this.

The process sucks, let's get that clear. The club caved into the media pressure, and made a panicked decision. However, some good can come of this. Rocket's been an outstanding coach, but people must admit that he has been slow to adapt to the press, and does coach stubborn at times. But don't get me wrong, I love everything he's done to make our team better, his commitment and open attitude towards the supporters, and his coaching abilities made our team not only amazing to watch, but also one of the best teams of the last 5 years. I cannot speak highly enough of him, but some of the vitrioil about this thread is a bit overdone.

If we get the best rookie coach we can find (we're not getting Malthouse), then this isn't all bad. If we go down the Rhode road again, then it is all bad.

[GVGjr]

Why on earth is he coaching the last 3 games? I know the senior players have said they want him on but those it help the club/team overall?

My gut feel is that he will coach this weekend and call it stumps on Tuesday. He deserves to go out with at least one more game.

For a guy who was hurting like hell he still exhibited all the class we have come to expect from him. You know it's very easy for people to have a pleasant personality when things are going well for them but it's a special person who can suck it up and front the media when their services have been finished up.

[Mantis]

For a guy who was hurting like hell he still exhibited all the class we have come to expect from him. You know it's very easy for people to have a pleasant personality when things are going well for them but it's a special person who can suck it up and front the media when their services have been finished up.

Agree with that.

You can see by the way he coaches that he is a very passionate guy who can let his emotions go and although you could see he was steaming on the inside he handled himself extremely well.

As with you and Rocco its going to be very hard for Rocket to find the will to continue in the job over the next 3 weeks, but he has great passion for the group and I hope he sees out his term.

[the banker]

The Rocket thank you for such a detailed analysis and bringing a balanced non emotive perspective. We are all extremely grateful to Eade and admire his immense football talents.

Agree with your conclusions. I think the timing for changing the coach is challenging but the right way forward.

[AndrewP6]

I probably won't add anything that hasn't already been posted, but I'll get it off my chest..

Whilst in many ways, with the season we've had, this was inevitable, and not really surprising, I was shattered to hear of this decision. To me, one of our real issues is management in the top offices, not just the senior coach. To trumpet a thorough review, and then give the guy the A before that process is completed, to be completely frank, absolutely stinks. And in doing so, they'd better bloody have a better option in their sights. I doubt it.

Change for change's sake. Pfffft.:mad:

[Ghost Dog]

I probably won't add anything that hasn't already been posted, but I'll get it off my chest..

Whilst in many ways, with the season we've had, this was inevitable, and not really surprising, I was shattered to hear of this decision. To me, one of our real issues is management in the top offices, not just the senior coach. To trumpet a thorough review, and then give the guy the A before that process is completed, to be completely frank, absolutely stinks. And in doing so, they'd better bloody have a better option in their sights. I doubt it.

Change for change's sake. Pfffft.:mad:

Well said Andrew

[boydogs]

Change for change's sake. Pfffft.:mad:

It's something that seems to have permeated the comp lately, sacking the coach as if they are the source of all of a club's issues. Nothing new I guess, but I have to say I'm not a fan of operating in that way.

[AndrewP6]

It's something that seems to have permeated the comp lately, sacking the coach as if they are the source of all of a club's issues. Nothing new I guess, but I have to say I'm not a fan of operating in that way.

Me either. I bet Melbourne are laughing right now. Odds on that's where Rocket will land shortly.

[LostDoggy]

The Rocket, that's a really well thought out and interesting couple of posts you've constructed there. Worthy of it's own separate thread I reckon.




Thanks to all who said that.

I would have stated my own thread but:

a - I thought it'd be presumptuous, and
b - I wouldn't know how!

[Ghost Dog]

I went into this year expecting to finish somewhere between 5th and 8th and, despite some annoyance with he how coached in 2010, was adamant that the Board should reappoint Rodney Eade at the end of the season.

Even when it became clear that our fall would be worse than almost all but the most pessimistic among us had predicted, I maintained my belief that the best course of action to take would be to give Rocket another three years.

It was a reasonable position to take.

Three of the last four premierships have been won by teams that had a senior coach at the helm for longer than Eade has been at the Bulldogs before they went on to achieve glory. If it took Thompson 8 years and Malthouse 10, then the Bulldogs would be mad to jettison a coach that had taken us into a number of finals series in his seven years at the club.

The latest Premiership trend was patience; and it was brand new, as not many coaches in modern times have kept their jobs after seven years without a flag.

However upon closer examination, I realised that I was wrong to think that Geelong and Collingwood's success should dictate our future actions:



The Rodney Eade Record - 7 Years at the Western Bulldogs:


Ladder position at Round 22:

2005 - 9th - 11 wins

2006 - 8th - 13 wins

2007 - 13th - 9 wins, 1 draw

2008 - 3rd - 15 wins, 1 draw

2009 - 3rd - 15 wins

2010 - 4th - 14 wins

2011 - likely finish - 12th - 9 wins



Note on 2011 season:

- 7 wins to date and should be able to defeat Port Adelaide in Adelaide and Fremantle at Etihad, as both are limping towards the end of the season.

- 36 points will be our lowest tally under Rodney Eade.

- Two wins this year were against a team in their debut year and two against teams that have already sacked their coach.



Finals performances:

2006 - WON - Elimination Final v Collingwood by 41 points

2006 - LOST - Semi Final v West Coast by 74 points

2008 - LOST - Qualifying Final v Hawthorn by 51 points

2008 - WON - Semi Final v Sydney by 37 points

2008 - LOST - Preliminary Final v Geelong by 29 points

2009 - LOST - Qualifying Final v Geelong by 14 points

2009 - WON - Semi Final v Brisbane by 51 points

2009 - LOST - Preliminary Final v St Kilda by 7 points

2010 - LOST - Qualifying Final v Collingwood by 62 points

2010 - WON - Semi Final v Sydney by 5 points

2010 - LOST - Preliminary Final v St Kilda by 24 points



Finals statistics:

- Played 11 finals in seven years.

- Won 4 finals in seven years by an average margin of 33 points, including three wins against interstate teams in the second week of the finals series.

- Lost 7 finals in seven years by an average margin of 37 points. Had more scoring shots in both Preliminary Final losses to St Kilda but failed to convert.

- Have not defeated a top 4 team in any final in seven years.

- First coach to lead the Bulldogs to three consecutive Preliminary Finals.




The Mick Malthouse Record - First 7 years at Collingwood:


Ladder position at Round 22:

2000 - 15th - 7 wins

2001 - 9th - 10 wins

2002 - 4th - 13 wins

2003 - 2nd - 15 wins

2004 - 13th - 8 wins

2005 - 15th - 5 wins

2006 - 5th - 14 wins



Finals performances:

2002 - WON - Qualifying Final v Port Adelaide by 13 points

2002 - WON - Preliminary Final v Adelaide by 28 points

2002 - LOST - Grand Final v Brisbane by 9 points

2003 - WON - Qualifying Final v Brisbane by 15 points

2003 - WON - Preliminary Final v Port Adelaide by 44 points

2003 - LOST - Grand Final v Brisbane by 50 points

2006 - LOST - Elimination Final v Western Bulldogs by 41 points



Notes on Mick's first seven years:

- Played 7 finals in seven years. Four less than the Bulldogs under Rodney Eade.

- Won 4 finals in seven years by an average margin of 25 points (the same number of wins as the Bulldogs, but Collingwood won two Preliminary Finals and defeated four teams in the top 4).

- Lost 3 finals in seven years by an average margin of 33 points, including two Grand Final losses.

- Malthouse began rebuilding his 2002/03 team in 2004. By the end of his seventh season, he had returned Collingwood to the top eight.

- It would take Collingwood four more years to win a flag.




The Bomber Thompson Record - First 7 years at Geelong:


Ladder position at Round 22:

2000 - 5th - 12 wins, 1 draw

2001 - 12th - 9 wins

2002 - 9th - 11 wins

2003 - 12th - 7 wins, 1 draw

2004 - 4th - 15 wins

2005 - 6th - 12 wins

2006 - 10th - 10 wins, 1 draw



Finals performances:

2000 - LOST - Elimination Final v Hawthorn by 9 points

2004 - LOST - Qualifying Final v Port Adelaide by 55 points

2004 - WON - Semi Final v Essendon by 10 points

2004 - LOST - Preliminary Final v Brisbane by 9 points

2005 - WON - Elimination Final v Melbourne by 55 points

2005 - LOST - Semi Final v Sydney by 3 points



Notes on Bomber's first seven years:

- Played 6 finals in seven years. Five less than the Bulldogs under Eade.

- Won 2 finals in seven years by an average margin of 32 points, two less wins than Eade and Malthouse.

- Lost 4 finals in seven years by an average margin of 19 points.

- Won a flag the very next year.




When reviewing the performance of all three, Eade's 90 wins compares favourably to Bomber's 78 and Malthouse's 76.

However, after seven years Malthouse had demonstrated that he could lead his team to finals success against quality opposition. He had also rebuilt his own team and taken them back into the finals. Two things that Eade has not demonstrated to date at the Bulldogs.

When reading Bomber's record at Geelong, it seems almost amazing that they allowed him to coach into his eighth season; yet they did and won the following Grand Final by 119 points. The review into the 2006 season at Geelong by Brian Cook showed why Bomber should be kept at the helm. Basically, he had developed a team that could win a Premiership. They were talented, they were the right age, they had played enough games and they were poised to dominate the competition.

Seven years into Eade's tenure and the same simply cannot be said. Ten players on our list (with a combined 1924 games of experience) will be 28 or older by the end of the year. Only 10 players on our list under the age of 28 have played over fifty games of senior football; a fact made even more deplorable when you realise that Minson, Hill and Addison are among them and that Sherman played his games at Brisbane. Of the remaining 20 players on our list, only Grant (34 games) and Wood (26 games) have played more than 25 games in the seniors. Our talented youngsters need time, most of our best players will be wearied by it, and we don't have enough good players in-between.

this post fails to take into account the MASSIVE financial advantage Collingwood and Geelong have over us. In my view, any coach, given the cattle Rocket had on hand, would have ended up in about the same place, not to mention the specialized chambers, other equipment that even clubs like Brisbane have had for over 10 years, which we have limited access to.
Comparing apples with oranges.

[Dry Rot]

given the cattle Rocket had on hand,

In seven years, how did Eade influence the cattle he had on hand?

[Greystache]

Great posts The Rocket, mirror my feelings exactly.

[Ghost Dog]

In seven years, how did Eade influence the cattle he had on hand?

Greatly.

[Dry Rot]

Greatly.

Takes away from what you just posted about finances then.

[Ghost Dog]

How?

[Dry Rot]

How?

Aren't you saying that poor Eade/poor club's the lack of money got us here?

But you also talk about the cattle Eade had....

[Ghost Dog]

Aren't you saying that poor Eade/poor club's the lack of money got us here?

But you also talk about the cattle Eade had....

It's all part of th mix. CLubs with money lure the best players.
Jolly, Ball, attracted to the pies for the reason they know who's most likely to win a flag
Trips to Arizona, those high altitude chambers, extra assistants, so on

Deny it's not a factor Dry Rot

[Dry Rot]

It's all part of th mix. CLubs with money lure the best players.
Jolly, Ball, attracted to the pies for the reason they know who's most likely to win a flag
Trips to Arizona, those high altitude chambers, extra assistants, so on

Deny it's not a factor Dry Rot


IIRC Ball has having difficultly getting a constant gig with with Saints at the time? And IIRC Jolly or his wife wanted to return to Bleak City? And that meant a Bleak City team?

And IIRC Swans O'Keefe also wanted to return to Bleak City but the trades didn't come off?

[Dancin' Douggy]

Great posts, The Rocket.

Thanks for that The Rocket.
Better than anything that will be printed in any media anywhere tomorrow.
Well done.

[Ghost Dog]

IIRC Ball has having difficultly getting a constant gig with with Saints at the time? And IIRC Jolly or his wife wanted to return to Bleak City? And that meant a Bleak City team?

And IIRC Swans O'Keefe also wanted to return to Bleak City but the trades didn't come off?

Dodging the argument. Comparing drivers makes no difference if one is a ferrari and the other a falcon.
Yes, Jolly wanted to return. So who did he want to go with?
Yes, Ball was having troubles. But who did he make his preferred club?
$$$$$

[Dry Rot]

this post fails to take into account the MASSIVE financial advantage Collingwood and Geelong have over us. In my view, any coach, given the cattle Rocket had on hand, would have ended up in about the same place, not to mention the specialized chambers, other equipment that even clubs like Brisbane have had for over 10 years, which we have limited access to.
Comparing apples with oranges.


Dodging the argument. Comparing drivers makes no difference if one is a ferrari and the other a falcon.
Yes, Jolly wanted to return. So who did he want to go with?
Yes, Ball was having troubles. But who did he make his preferred club?
$$$$$

Not dodging - if we'd actually had whoever who had a clue about recruiting, then we'd be in a very different situation, and outcomes.
You yourself identify a non dollar factor re available cattle.

[LostDoggy]

Thanks for that The Rocket.
Better than anything that will be printed in any media anywhere tomorrow.
Well done.



Thanks mate.

[Ghost Dog]

Not dodging - if we'd actually had whoever who had a clue about recruiting, then we'd be in a very different situation, and outcomes.
You yourself identify a non dollar factor re available cattle.

How is recruiting a non dollar factor? you have more scouts, more resources to search and test talent, fly them over and talk to them, medicos, computers to run tests on prospective players, more full time staff to work with migrants and new australians etc etc

[Dry Rot]

How is recruiting a non dollar factor? you have more scouts, more resources to search and test talent, fly them over and talk to them, medicos, computers to run tests on prospective players, more full time staff to work with migrants and new australians etc etc

OK, all that explains so many duds from the alleged great Scott Clayton.

[chef]

this post fails to take into account the MASSIVE financial advantage Collingwood and Geelong have over us. In my view, any coach, given the cattle Rocket had on hand, would have ended up in about the same place, not to mention the specialized chambers, other equipment that even clubs like Brisbane have had for over 10 years, which we have limited access to.
Comparing apples with oranges.

Rocket had one of the greatest group of Bulldog players ever put together. I'm a bit miffed that he wasn't able to snag a flag.

[Ghost Dog]

Rocket had one of the greatest group of Bulldog players ever put together. I'm a bit miffed that he wasn't able to snag a flag.

HE wasn't able to snag a flag? It wasn't him running around out there.
There's an element of luck any mature supporter has to suck up.
He gave us a fighting chance and that's the best you can ask a coach.
The rest is up to the players and the bounce of a ball and lots of other factors on the day.
Ask Geelong in 2008. St Kilda last year. And so on.

[chef]

HE wasn't able to snag a flag? It wasn't him running around out there.
There's an element of luck any mature supporter has to suck up.
He gave us a fighting chance and that's the best you can ask a coach.
The rest is up to the players and the bounce of a ball and lots of other factors on the day.
Ask Geelong in 2008. St Kilda last year. And so on.

But it was him calling the shots, making the moves, picking the side etc etc.

He is as much a part of the team as the players, any mature supporter knows that.

[Ghost Dog]

But it was him calling the shots, making the moves, picking the side etc etc.

He is as much a part of the team as the players, any mature supporter knows that.

Dry Rot / Chef

make a list of all the things rocket did to justify his removal.

Glass half empty IMO

[chef]

So who would have done a better job than him with the players and resources that we had? have ? What were, for you, the defining blunders of his tenure? Glass half empty?

IMO, compare drivers of different cars if you will. But Malthouse, Thompson didn't get to where they are by themselves.they have / had assistance and resources our club has / does not have.

Off the top of my head Clarkson and Lyon would have IMO and both were available at the time of appointing Eade weren't they.

Sorry, but IMO we had a fantastic player group in the 2007-2010 period.

[bornadog]

Off the top of my head Clarkson and Lyon would have IMO and both were available at the time of appointing Eade weren't they.

Sorry, but IMO we had a fantastic player group in the 2007-2010 period.

Saints have had one of the best teams in their history during the same period and arguably should have won the 2008 GF as well as the first GF last year. The coach did everything in his power to get them there but in the end, player effort, skill execution, and LUCK played a major part. The coach can only do so much.

If you have ever been involved in elite sports or any sports you would know this.

[Ghost Dog]

Off the top of my head Clarkson and Lyon would have IMO and both were available at the time of appointing Eade weren't they.

Sorry, but IMO we had a fantastic player group in the 2007-2010 period.

Believe in the Myth of the super coach if it floats your boat.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/why-the-myth-of-the-genius-supercoach-persists-20110817-1iy6q.html

Article above pretty much says it all.

[Maddog37]

Believe in the Myth of the super coach if it floats your boat.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/why-the-myth-of-the-genius-supercoach-persists-20110817-1iy6q.html

Article above pretty much says it all.

No better example of this than Denis Pagan at the Blues.

[anfo27]

Great posts The Rocket, mirror my feelings exactly.

Same here, super post.

[Ghost Dog]

But it was him calling the shots, making the moves, picking the side etc etc.

He is as much a part of the team as the players, any mature supporter knows that.

If he is as much a part of the team as the players, then why, after 7 years, won't he get a send off, like every other long serving player would?

[ledge]

Think I found out why Eade wasnt re-signed, he had an undercover job doing car insurance adds..Fantastikerrrrr!

[Topdog]

Off the top of my head Clarkson and Lyon would have IMO and both were available at the time of appointing Eade weren't they.

Sorry, but IMO we had a fantastic player group in the 2007-2010 period.

This would be the same Lyon that was tactically outclassed in a prelim not long ago only to have a completely ridiculous free go his way to get momentum, and a super effort from his superstar in Reiwoldt to get him over the line.

Say what you like about the strength of our squad / list but 1 thing it always lacked was a real superstar. The only one we had was always injured during finals.

[Dogmatic]

This would be the same Lyon that was tactically outclassed in a prelim not long ago only to have a completely ridiculous free go his way to get momentum, and a super effort from his superstar in Reiwoldt to get him over the line.

Say what you like about the strength of our squad / list but 1 thing it always lacked was a real superstar. The only one we had was always injured during finals.

I don't think eade ever tactically outclassed Lyon in 2009/10, look at our record against the saints. I don't think we beat them at all in this period.

[Dogmatic]

Saints have had one of the best teams in their history during the same period and arguably should have won the 2008 GF as well as the first GF last year. The coach did everything in his power to get them there but in the end, player effort, skill execution, and LUCK played a major part. The coach can only do so much.

If you have ever been involved in elite sports or any sports you would know this.

Yes saints have had some good players but they have a fair few duds in their team like ray, peake, Clarke, Blake. These player wouldn't have got a game at bulldogs, cats, pies teams of 2009 & 2010. Lyon made them a great team.

[chef]

]This would be the same Lyon that was tactically outclassed in a prelim not long ago[/B] only to have a completely ridiculous free go his way to get momentum, and a super effort from his superstar in Reiwoldt to get him over the line.

Say what you like about the strength of our squad / list but 1 thing it always lacked was a real superstar. The only one we had was always injured during finals.

Don't agree with that.

To me it was an arm wrestle that could have gone either way. IMO we had a better list than the Saints, but they were better coached.

[Mantis]

Don't agree with that.

To me it was an arm wrestle that could have gone either way. IMO we had a better list than the Saints, but they were better coached.

Not in that game they weren't.

Hayes & Riewoldt got them over the line... oh and some dodgy calls from the white maggots.

[The Pie Man]

Not in that game they weren't.

Hayes & Riewoldt got them over the line... oh and some dodgy calls from the white maggots.

And our inability to close it out when presented with some opportunities in the last quarter (Gilbee/Gia - though Gia's was tough) as well as kicking 2.5 in the first quarter when all over them.

That game still - and I fear will continue to - haunts me (can only imagine how the players feel) Especially when the GF the next week was wet, negating the power forward influence on the contest that we didn't have.

[LostDoggy]

IMO we had a better list than the Saints, but they were better coached.

IMHO, the opposite. Sure they had a couple of duds (Baker's not one of them, and lots of those 'duds' are playing pretty well this season), but a Hayes and Riewoldt (especially) make up for a lot of duds -- one superstar equals many many normal players. We didn't really have a top-liner in that game (of course Coons was out) except Griff trying to be one and Murph kicking his long bombs on top of the head of Gilbert and Fisher.

No one gave us a chance going into the game (I remember talkback radio all abuzz about who was going to take Goddard etc. and the odds were pretty clearly favouring the Saints as well) and but for kicking straighter, and Gia's shot at the end, would have pulled of a famous upset, with Goddard a non-factor on the night.

Rocket couldn't have done much more in that game.

[azabob]

Heard an interview with Eade and the ABC grandstand team before Carlton V Hawks game.

Interestingly Eade said he and the board / sub committee had a differing opinion of where the playing list was. Eade then stressed it wasn't that different.

Does this mean Eade thought we needed to "rebuild" rather than "refresh"?

Also heard Chris Grant breifly speak on the decision, and he still is undecided if it is the right decision as he isn't at the coalface anymore.

But Grant again said (which he has many times) Eade was the best coach and motivator he played under and said do we sometimes get too lost in the "scientific" part of football.

Interesting.

As others say we live and die by our decisions.

Will we as a club live or die by this decision?

[Dry Rot]

Heard an interview with Eade and the ABC grandstand team before Carlton V Hawks game.

Interestingly Eade said he and the board / sub committee had a differing opinion of where the playing list was. Eade then stressed it wasn't that different.

Does this mean Eade thought we needed to "rebuild" rather than "refresh"?



This is very disturbing. If the board only wants to hear what it wants to hear, and thinks we only need a refresh, then we are rooted.

We need a bigger rebuild than Christchurch.

[Rocco Jones]

This is very disturbing. If the board only wants to hear what it wants to hear, and thinks we only need a refresh, then we are rooted.

We need a bigger rebuild than Christchurch.

Wasn't it the reason Knights got the job at Essendon and Hardwick missed out? I also find it disturbing if that was the case.

[azabob]

Wasn't it the reason Knights got the job at Essendon and Hardwick missed out? I also find it disturbing if that was the case.

That is my understanding.

[GVGjr]

We need a bigger rebuild than Christchurch.

Overly dramatic don't you think.

[Dry Rot]

Wasn't it the reason Knights got the job at Essendon and Hardwick missed out? I also find it disturbing if that was the case.

That was the allegation IIRC.

[Dry Rot]

Overly dramatic don't you think.

Not really. In fact there may be more useful stuff to keep in Christchurch.

It's likely that at season's end we will lose Hall, Hudson, Ward, and Cooney and Morris will never be the same.

It's quite possible that we could also lose Wood and Lake may either want to leave or never be the same.

Williams never seems able to last a season. Our other senior ruckman plays in the VFL and the understudy isn't ready to be #1.

Looks to me we are missing about half a midfield NB outside players, half a forward line, the ruck division and up to half the back line.

Other than that, all we need is a refresh.

[Dry Rot]

That is my understanding.

Probably happen to us too, sadly.

[GVGjr]

Not really. In fact there may be more useful stuff to keep in Christchurch.



I think it says volumes about a person who would minimise the tragedy of what the people of Christchurch have endured by comparing it to the club they say they support.
Your choice.

[Dry Rot]

I think it says volumes about a person who would minimise the tragedy of what the people of Christchurch have endured by comparing it to the club they say they support.
Your choice.

You serious? Looks like we have a different sense of humour.

[immortalmike]

Seriously though, apart from Hawthorn (in 08) has a full rebuild ever worked? Richmond, Melbourne and Adelaide look further away than ever. Carlton wilt under any pressure, Geelong never bottomed-out and neither did Collingwood really (they were still playing Rocca and O'Bree in 2009). I think a refresh with an eye to youth is exactly what we need. i.e., play the kids and draft as many (perceived) good ones as possible but don't get rid of good older players for the sake of it. Bottoming-out and only playing the kids is an overrated conventional wisdom.

[boydogs]

Wasn't it the reason Knights got the job at Essendon and Hardwick missed out? I also find it disturbing if that was the case.

Why? If it's a convincing argument, why not go with the guy who has a plan to do more with what you've already got?

[Mantis]

Not really. In fact there may be more useful stuff to keep in Christchurch.



You insensitive dickhead.

Over 180 people died in these earthquakes and you take the piss out of it.... Calling you a flog was taking it far too easy on you.

[Kretiukwasking]

Not really. In fact there may be more useful stuff to keep in Christchurch.

It's likely that at season's end we will lose Hall, Hudson, Ward, and Cooney and Morris will never be the same.

It's quite possible that we could also lose Wood and Lake may either want to leave or never be the same.

Williams never seems able to last a season. Our other senior ruckman plays in the VFL and the understudy isn't ready to be #1.

Looks to me we are missing about half a midfield NB outside players, half a forward line, the ruck division and up to half the back line.

Other than that, all we need is a refresh.

Wood signed for three years on Friday i am told

[BulldogBelle]

Wood signed for three years on Friday i am told

Whoohoo! A bit of good news at last! :)

[Sedat]

IMO we had a better list than the Saints, but they were better coached.Therein lies the problem with Dogs supporters, we overrate our players. Saints were 20-2 that season and smashed us twice in H&A - they were far better than us. Eade coached the pants off Lyon that night, and IMO he did to Thompson in the 2008 PF as well. You don't just rock up and beat teams with 21-1 or 20-2 records in a cutthroat final for fun, particularly after being smashed by the same teams earlier in those seasons.

[Ghost Dog]

Therein lies the problem with Dogs supporters, we overrate our players. Saints were 20-2 that season and smashed us twice in H&A - they were far better than us. Eade coached the pants off Lyon that night, and IMO he did to Thompson in the 2008 PF as well. You don't just rock up and beat teams with 21-1 or 20-2 records in a cutthroat final for fun, particularly after being smashed by the same teams earlier in those seasons.

Sedat, hit the nail on the head.

[chef]

Therein lies the problem with Dogs supporters, we overrate our players. Saints were 20-2 that season and smashed us twice in H&A - they were far better than us. Eade coached the pants off Lyon that night, and IMO he did to Thompson in the 2008 PF as well. You don't just rock up and beat teams with 21-1 or 20-2 records in a cutthroat final for fun, particularly after being smashed by the same teams earlier in those seasons.

I will have to agree to disagree with you(and others) as to me Eade is the one being overrated. Our list in the 2008-2010 period was as good as we have every had IMO.

[GVGjr]

I will have to agree to disagree with you(and others) as to me Eade is the one being overrated. Our list in the 2008-2010 period was as good as we have every had IMO.

The list hasn't been managed well for the last 3 seasons and it isn't as healthy as our performances during this period would indicate. It's currently slow and a bit too old and that didn't just happen within a year.

[chef]

The list hasn't been managed well for the last 3 seasons and it isn't as healthy as our performances during this period would indicate. It's currently slow and a bit too old and that didn't just happen within a year.

I agree, we had a very mature list in that time period but our drafting has left a lot to be desired and we have quite a few holes now on our list. Plus the form/injury/loss of Cooney, Lake, Gilbee, Hargrave, Harbrow, Hudson etc hasn't helped.

[LongWait]

Therein lies the problem with Dogs supporters, we overrate our players. Saints were 20-2 that season and smashed us twice in H&A - they were far better than us. Eade coached the pants off Lyon that night, and IMO he did to Thompson in the 2008 PF as well. You don't just rock up and beat teams with 21-1 or 20-2 records in a cutthroat final for fun, particularly after being smashed by the same teams earlier in those seasons.

But even more of us overrate our coach.

[Desipura]

We weren't the favorites going into all 3 prelims, in fact against the saints last season we limped into the preliminary final due to the number of injuries as well as playing ageing stars who were passed it.

[LostDoggy]

Therein lies the problem with Dogs supporters, we overrate our players. Saints were 20-2 that season and smashed us twice in H&A - they were far better than us. Eade coached the pants off Lyon that night, and IMO he did to Thompson in the 2008 PF as well. You don't just rock up and beat teams with 21-1 or 20-2 records in a cutthroat final for fun, particularly after being smashed by the same teams earlier in those seasons.

Absolutely agree, Sedat. And in 2011, it couldn't be sustained because the constant turnover of players, for whatever reason, meant that structures weren't adhered to as we would have expected.

It does raise the question, though, of why we went away from our structures rather too frequently, and played some very poor quarters and halves of football over the last 2 years. Obviously some replacements lacked experience, endurance and skill. You would think that if the whole list had done the training until the forward press, for example, was so ingrained, forced personnel changes may not have cost us quite so much.

[Mofra]

Jeez, I head out bush for a week and Eade gets the chop.

If Fantasia signs Rhode, I'm heading out for another week

[Topdog]

I will have to agree to disagree with you(and others) as to me Eade is the one being overrated. Our list in the 2008-2010 period was as good as we have every had IMO.

Quite possibly it was but it was never ever the best list in the comp. In fact it was never the 2nd best list in the comp. You mention plodders that the Saints have but seem to forget the amount of list cloggers we had on the list. Look again at that 22 for the prelim final and match up plodder with plodder and then A grader with A grader. We don't fare well with either count.