News Kirk to take up an unspecified coaching role with the Swans

[bungee]

Good post, bungee. I guess the counter-argument would be that outside coaches have played a big part in our success too, Leigh Tudor played a role in helping us win in 2012 and since leaving us has helped North reach the last two preliminary finals. So yes, while I think it's important to reinforce the culture and values that helped us achieve ultimate success, the game is always changing, and you do need to keep up with the tactics that the top coaches are using.

I agree RW but I don't think we've remained entirely static. The biggest statistical difference between us and the Dawks is in conversion, 52% vs 59%. As far as inside 50s go there's very little difference (56 v54 average). We are getting the ball to our forwards, albeit we could be a lot better, but we're not converting. The Freo final was the most wasteful of all at 5.18, yet I don't see what Horse can do about that other than buy all the forwards a barn to practice on at home.

 

[bungee]

Buddy's pep talker.
He would be great for Buddy.

He got in Nick Davis' ear and that seemed to do the trick

 

[GotTheGoodes]

Kirkkkyyy!!!

I was so happy hearing this. I spontaneously let out a fist pump & "c'mon!". I'm still smiling...

If you are worried about him bringing "old ideas/thinking" I'd suggest you go read his book... He's such an open, creative, positive, forward thinker. He's an asset to any club or organisation... I suspect more-so for a club he is so passionate about. He has proven he will do anything he can for this club. He will give everything. He will commit himself without reservation.... How can any of that point to this being a bad thing??

Any way you look at it, Brett Kirk back at the club is a positive. He is & always will be not just someone at the club but rather, he is the club. He is part of the fabric our club is.

I'm so pumped for next year now. Bring it on!!

C'mon you mighty bloods!!!!

 

[Grongey]

Totally agree. But let's face it, he'll be great to have but no one is expecting him to be a future head coach here or anything.

You're as wrong as you can be there. He'll make an excellent head coach. He's got runs on the board as a respected leader, and he has the smarts and footy nous.

 

[Tuco]

You're as wrong as you can be there. He'll make an excellent head coach. He's got runs on the board as a respected leader, and he has the smarts and footy nous.

I sure hope so. Anything that keeps him out of the commentary box I guess?

 

[vonn]

My hero as a kid and growing up - it's fitting he's back. The red and white was made for him, you don't find a more loyal swan anywhere.

 

[Tuco]

It'll be good to have that infectious smile back around the place.

Leadership qualities are undoubted. My favourite Blood for years.

I was being a bit flippant regarding what tactically he'd be bringing to the table. But one thing Freo do very well is block for each other around contested set ups - especially for a dominant clearance player like Fyfe. If he is coming as a midfield coach, then expect to see Hannas, and JPK freed up a bit with a few adjustments at the drop.

 

[Punts]

Hanging out hats on beating the Hawks once this year
Awesome

 

[magic.merkin]

Just pay him to be the players mascot and mentor. Don't give a s**t what else he does, just get them to believe again and solidify as one. The time is now to unite and re-energise and grind out the growing pains and changes that are coming. We have great onfield leaders and veterans departing, we need him back to steady the ship and guide our current and future leaders of men.

 

[J_Moore]

Yeah, I dunno, I'm not too geed up about this. Kirk strikes me more as a motivator than a guy with tactical nous and vision. Motivation isn't our problem, generally. We try plenty hard. In fact, our gameplan seems to be "try harder than the other team". It works against all but the best, but I want to beat the best.

Who knows, though? Maybe Brett approaches the game differently as a coach than he did as a player.

But of a jobs for the boys culture in the coaching ranks, though, which I don't love.

 

[grimlock]

Yeah, I dunno, I'm not too geed up about this. Kirk strikes me more as a motivator than a guy with tactical nous and vision. Motivation isn't our problem, generally. We try plenty hard. In fact, our gameplan seems to be "try harder than the other team". It works against all but the best, but I want to beat the best.

Who knows, though? Maybe Brett approaches the game differently as a coach than he did as a player.

But of a jobs for the boys culture in the coaching ranks, though, which I don't love.

Bet the boys are looking forward to motivational speeches such as this

 

[Tuco]

Bet the boys are looking forward to motivational speeches such as this

Nah. He'll be right. That's just part of the media conspiracy to destroy the Bloods culture.

 

[The King!]

Hanging out hats on beating the Hawks once this year
Awesome

Kick a bit straighter and we are just as good apparently

 

[Parkerman]

If Kirky can a) get Buddy into meditation and b) teach the boys how to be an effective bad kicker, that will do me.

 

[Wolftone]

So who are we turfing out? Playfair, Blakey, Dew, Crouch, Mattner, Francou or Berbakov?

One of either Blakey, Dew or Playfair could be applying or know they have one of the coaching jobs going around.

 

[RW]

Kick a bit straighter and we are just as good apparently

We are!! Talk about negative nellies. This is exactly why we need Kirk. Dream, believe, achieve!

 

[MF]

Very happy with this news. Apart from being my favourite player we badly need change in the coaching ranks.

 

[Gongswan]

 

[CheapCharlie]

We are!! Talk about negative nellies. This is exactly why we need Kirk. Dream, believe, achieve!

Spot on. Some positive talk.
Kirky also believes his own mantra and has shown he can back it up on field and through his coaching role with Freo.
We're only a few tweaks away from another GF.

 

[Punts]

Punts, that's just plain wrong.

We kicked over 100 in one third of our H&A games, averaging 124 points in those games and 132 in just our last 3. We played an attacking game against Freo in the finals too but 5.18 was just plain old poor conversion.

Looking at some of the big attacking sides, over the H&A we had just 14% fewer scoring shots than the Hawks and roughly the same number as the Roos and Dogs.

Despite our poor conversion we still managed to finish with as many wins in the H&A as the Hawks and just one game short of the minor premier. Only in 2014 did we go one win better, but 16-6 is equal with the Swans next best, period. It doesn't matter if we won by one point in those games either, it still gets us the four points. For all the Hawks "attacking flair" we came out 1:1 for the season, and that's the only fact that matters. Go back to 2005 to remind yourself of how wonderful a 4 point win can be or 2006, and how devastating a one point loss can be.

These are straight facts. Indisputable, easily distinguished from fiction and far more reliable than mere opinions. Why are you so determined to present a distorted view of reality ?

Keep hearing this 16-6 crap , who cares
They are playing off while we are out in straight sets

 

[The King!]

We are!! Talk about negative nellies. This is exactly why we need Kirk. Dream, believe, achieve!

The best teams exposed us big time

this thread is arguably going off kirks appointment, which don't get me wrong he is a club great and all, but I guess coaching appointments lead back to our style of play hey.

If we play like we did this year in 2016 we wont make the 8, we were able to bully a few late, sneak that pies win, get the giants late and keep 4th, but really north, bulldogs and tigers are all better than Sydney right now.

Ok we went 16-6 same as Hawthorn, but they can afford to coast a bit, we need to finish higher IMO. Hawthorn also bully the other top sides, their weakness if dropping games they shouldn't to rubbish (and only just)

My biggest problems with the swans are 3 things

1- our gameplan is outdated and negative and has not been changed nor shown signs of changing

2- our list management has been poor, (yes hampered a bit)

3- we are too insular, Longmire didn't apply for the job, we just bring disciples of Longmire in around him. we don't cast the net. Now what has happened, ex club captain returns to Sydney so gets hired?? who else applied, who else did we interview? if jude Bolton wants a job will he get one? LRT? yeah great players, bled for the club, but how about due process.

 

[The King!]

Keep hearing this 16-6 crap , who cares
They are playing off while we are out in straight sets

record against the top 8? whats that like?

 

[RW]

this thread is arguably going off kirks appointment, which don't get me wrong he is a club great and all, but I guess coaching appointments lead back to our style of play hey.

It's related, yes, but I'm getting tired of seeing the same arguments re-hashed in thread after thread...

 

[ScrewInStuds]

north, bulldogs and tigers are all better than Sydney right now.

No. All of those teams had easier draws than Sydney and failed to finish top 4. My guess is that 2/3 will fail to hit top 4 next year too.

You could certainly argue that there is more upside in their lists than Sydney's, but they haven't proven it yet.

 

[mtooler]

Kirk will have an influence. We'll finish 4th odd if Buddy plays. We have to have Kirk reinforce the Bloods culture, Jack and McVeigh have gone missing on field in big games.