Season 2016 and pre season what changes do we need to do as a club to learn from this debacle

[Garibaldi Red]

Was it Ken early in year 1 that said 'If you can't kick, you can't play'.

On that regard, it would be great if we could get our skills up to AFL standard. To play the game style we want to play, you need to have at the very least good skills. All the KPIs indicate that we are currently bottom 4 in most stats relating to efficiency, scores from our defensive 50, scores from clearances etc.

Get the skills right, the rest will follow.

Not quite sure on the exact wording but kicking efficiently certainly one of his philosophies from Day 1

 

[ab56452001]

Not quite sure on the exact wording but kicking efficiently certainly one of his philosophies from Day 1

Kicking is a basic skill , if a player can't kick properly he cant or shouldn't be playing Afl

 

[Sewer de Lance]

The 2015 season is now done and dusted, the finals are out of reach, and we have gotten what we deserve. Poor losses to cellar dwellers Carlton & Brisbane have indicated just how deep our current problems are.
So what went wrong?

Do tough trades need to be made?
Is onfield leadership an issue, or is it more off-field (coaches)?
Who needs to be cut?
Does Burgess need to reassess our current fitness model?
Why are so many individuals down on form?
Is our current gameplan flawed?

 

[Adam Marrett23]

This review Kochie has announced is he going to make the results available to the members and fans? I feel we should as we deserve answers for this year's abysmal season

 

[Rexie J]

This review Kochie has announced is he going to make the results available to the members and fans? I feel we should as we deserve answers for this year's abysmal season

In an ideal world that would be desirable but if it's a genuine warts and all review and released publicly, the media could or perhaps would crucify the PAFC. It could possibly become like a festering ulcer used to belt the Club forever.

It's a difficult position for the Board and Management. Being open and transparent is one thing but putting your head on the chopping block is another.

I guess we may have to wait and see what personnel and structural changes are made.

 

[Papa G]

Trade O'Shea, Moore and Young to Victorian clubs to try to attract as many picks in the top 40 as possible. Maybe downgrade our second for multiple picks inside 30, if it can be done.

Add to trade Bait Lobbe. Ryder, with Redden and Frampton as back up. Westhoff and Trengove if decimated. That is enough in the ruck department surely?

Lobbe has more currency than any of those previously listed, more currency means more in return. This is a hard nosed decision that the club has to make at the trade table. Trading C graders will only get you C graders in return.

 

[AdsGoNads]

Our ability to gain clean possession inside 50 was deplorable.. Perhaps from not hitting targets, but no-one could take a contested mark!

Something needs to be looked at here..

 

[MrMeaner]

I think we have a problem when it comes to trading. While this seems the season to make tough calls on trades like Lobbe and maybe Hartlett (just picking a couple of names out), the club has to assess the potential impact on the rest of the playing group. If the net effect of trading someone is a reduction in the team's output, it shouldn't happen.

I'm not saying that you don't make the hard trades but that they have to be managed well and carefully.

 

[PowerLil]

This, we give away 2-3 kilos per person to the good sides.
Even yesterday against a bunch of kids we gave away more than half a kilo per person, and got monstered with run.

We seriously screwed up the preseason and it has smashed the players confidence all year, they feel weak and there is nothing you can do to fix that. Reminds me of the many bombscare moments of the dark years when we knew physically we just couldn't match it.

Agree agree agree. I blame Burgess, if not wholly and solely, bloody close.

 

[Flash of power]

I think they need to employ the best sports psychologist in the business.

This team just missed out on a grand final last year only just got beaten by Fremantle in Perth and beat Hawthorn this year. They have the ability.

I think they are lacking in mental strength, and for whatever reason as soon as the going gets a bit tough they fall back into the mindset they had in 2012 and all confidence and game plan goes out the window.

They went through it last year for a few weeks and then got back on track, no doubt Phil Walsh had an impact, but as much as I hate to say it the crows have used it to draw strength. We need to be doing something different in this area.

 

[Adam Marrett23]

In an ideal world that would be desirable but if it's a genuine warts and all review and released publicly, the media could or perhaps would crucify the PAFC. It could possibly become like a festering ulcer used to belt the Club forever.

It's a difficult position for the Board and Management. Being open and transparent is one thing but putting your head on the chopping block is another.

I guess we may have to wait and see what personnel and structural changes are made.

Good point. Maybe just the key points or recommendations or a dumbed down version of it may suffice. Really just want some answers for 2015 and the failure of it all.

 

[*PAF]

Hinkley would know that. He was at Geelong in that period. Surely he will make his moves and changes this off season.

Yes he would know that the review was a review about how the club did things rather than one about players.

 

[KenOath]

Keep a lid on things!

I have no doubt the club, from management down to the playing group, got ahead of themselves over the preseason and then once things starting going awry they didn't handle the pressure! This year keep expectations in house and bring back the "never give up" mantra!

Finals in 2013 and 2014 were the result of hard work, toughness and a genuine desire to win and give 100% no matter what. This year we have rarely given 100%, especially when teams have been able to shut us down for extended periods within a match. There has been a notable lack of desire among the playing group this year. The ultimate front runners!

Whether we need to make some tough list management calls is hard to say from the outside but I'd be looking at the player's who seem to go missing when the going gets tough the most often (which this year is 80% of our list!). Bringing in Dixon would also be an excellent addition. But I still think the talent is there and most of our issues this year have been mental!

A review of the leadership group is also needed. I was thinking of criticising Boak for his lack of leadership on the weekend but then had a look at the other official 'leaders' and realised how poorly they have served us this year: Lobbe, Ebert, Jonas, Trengove, Hartlett, Wines. So you have Wines injured, Jonas dropped and four guys who have been significantly down on past form for most of the year! In a season when we needed our 'leaders' to stand up more than ever, these are the guys who have really let us down the most. I'd say Boak, Wines and maybe Trengove are the only one's who could possibly stay on this list next year. No point worrying about the performance of fringe players like Young, Moore, S Gray, etc when you have such a massive leadership void!

 

[Adam Marrett23]

I think we have a problem when it comes to trading. While this seems the season to make tough calls on trades like Lobbe and maybe Hartlett (just picking a couple of names out), the club has to assess the potential impact on the rest of the playing group. If the net effect of trading someone is a reduction in the team's output, it shouldn't happen.

I'm not saying that you don't make the hard trades but that they have to be managed well and carefully.

We took that line with re-signing everyone last year we didn't want to upset or break up the group, I feel part of that made this group complacent or comfortable. No more of that it's AFL football, being nice and friendly part of it has gotten us into this mess in my opinion we have be ruthless and make some hard calls to ensure it never happens again and the lessons are learnt from it all.

 

[Kingfish73]

We need a shakeup and simplification of the leadership group. Being anal retentive for changing a toilet role does not mean you are a good on-field leader. Game day we have been a pathetic from a leadership standpoint - at least from what I could see at games and watching replays.

We need to make a few hard trades. Bring in at least 1 or 2 new players with some experience. Some fresh energy.

Ken needs a senior assistant. Voss has not filled that void.

A psychologist and good one at that!

 

[Gray matters]

We took that line with re-signing everyone last year we didn't want to upset or break up the group, I feel part of that made this group complacent or comfortable. No more of that it's AFL football, being nice and friendly part of it has gotten us into this mess in my opinion we have be ruthless and make some hard calls to ensure it never happens again and the lessons are learnt from it all.

100% agree and overrated a few players who had only 1 standout year

 

[chiwigi]

Keep a lid on things!

I have no doubt the club, from management down to the playing group, got ahead of themselves over the preseason and then once things starting going awry they didn't handle the pressure! This year keep expectations in house and bring back the "never give up" mantra!

Finals in 2013 and 2014 were the result of hard work, toughness and a genuine desire to win and give 100% no matter what. This year we have rarely given 100%, especially when teams have been able to shut us down for extended periods within a match. There has been a notable lack of desire among the playing group this year. The ultimate front runners!

Whether we need to make some tough list management calls is hard to say from the outside but I'd be looking at the player's who seem to go missing when the going gets tough the most often (which this year is 80% of our list!). Bringing in Dixon would also be an excellent addition. But I still think the talent is there and most of our issues this year have been mental!

A review of the leadership group is also needed. I was thinking of criticising Boak for his lack of leadership on the weekend but then had a look at the other official 'leaders' and realised how poorly they have served us this year: Lobbe, Ebert, Jonas, Trengove, Hartlett, Wines. So you have Wines injured, Jonas dropped and four guys who have been significantly down on past form for most of the year! In a season when we needed our 'leaders' to stand up more than ever, these are the guys who have really let us down the most. I'd say Boak, Wines and maybe Trengove are the only one's who could possibly stay on this list next year. No point worrying about the performance of fringe players like Young, Moore, S Gray, etc when you have such a massive leadership void!

If we kept a lid on things we wouldn't have got 60,000 members. Swings and roundabouts.

 

[dav3]

I don't think we need to go too crazy over this years ordinary result, considering where we were before Ken came in we still look ok. We clearly need to look at our game plan a little, other clubs have caught up and know how to stop us so we need to be able to adapt to their attempts to negate the game plan. Less distractions would be nice too, the hype/attention around Ryder and Cornes wouldn't have helped, and maybe tone down the "openness" this preseason. Working out how to use Ryder properly should also be looked at, he's a talented guy but we need to find the right way to use those talents, and a preseason where he'll (hopefully) be able to participate fully will be good. Some consistency in the coaches box would be good too, no matter what the club says losing two key guys like Richardson/Walsh would have affected the side.

I'm not sure we need to start trading away everyone who's shitted people off this year, just keep dumping the list cloggers, blood some of the younger guys now so we have an idea where they're at, and hopefully get another young KPF and someone with some speed in the draft to plug some obvious holes. If the Schulz rumour is true and he moves on then sure, maybe we'll need to trade a good player to get the right replacement.

 

[SureBuddy]

The biggest problem we are starting to have is that we are quickly becoming an unattractive destination for all these new recruits people are suggesting and the ones we are getting linked to in the media. Why would Dixon want to come here? GC have far more promise than us right now. They at least have an excuse for their poor season, got slammed hard by injuries.

The reason the Hawks / Swans / Cats have been able to lure players in the past is because they were basically guaranteed finals and top 4. On our effort this year, I cannot see why anyone would be interested coming here.

We really need to finish this season strong, win some games and show something.

 

[JSA11]

Ill go for the following changes:

Stop acting like rock-stars,
do away with fire displays and fire works as we enter the oval,
delist blokes that aren't up to it, we all know who they are.
make tough calls on other players,
bring the footies out early in pre-season,
spent many hours on skills and
rebuild the defence game plan or even introduce a defensive gameplan
spent even more hours on skills
Recruit some midfielders
Don't play players who cant kick
Drop players when out of form
No more gold passes

Play the game style like 2013 vs Sydney and Collingwood, where we were manic in our attack on the footy.

 

[KenOath]

If we kept a lid on things we wouldn't have got 60,000 members. Swings and roundabouts.

I disagree. Keeping a lid on things doesn't mean you can't set and promote ambitious goals, it just means you don't assume they are a given and take for granted the hard work it takes to achieve them, which is what I think we did this year.

Also, I would much rather 50,000 members and a flag than 60,000 and what we've dished up this year!

 

[Chewy316]

We need to find the right balance between generating hype and hope for fans, whilst being internally grounded and have a foundation of understanding between the entire group, from KT to the janitor, that the only way we are going to get to the top is with bloody hard work, combined with a desire to be the best. We get that balance right, and we will be back on the right path to greatness.

 

[Chewy316]

We need to find the right balance between generating hype and hope for fans, whilst being internally grounded and have a foundation of understanding between the entire group, from KT to the janitor, that the only way we are going to get to the top is with bloody hard work, combined with a desire to be the best. We get that balance right, and we will be back on the right path to greatness.

 

[chiwigi]

I disagree. Keeping a lid on things doesn't mean you can't set and promote ambitious goals, it just means you don't assume they are a given and take for granted the hard work it takes to achieve them, which is what I think we did this year.

Also, I would much rather 50,000 members and a flag than 60,000 and what we've dished up this year!

So would I , but the club wanted the 60k.

 

[Forzaport]

Port Adelaide suffers fall from grace in 2015 AFL season, five pressing issues

Good article and I agree with all the 5 pressing issues:

1) Make Dixon a priority
2) Find fitness balance
3) Find Ruck balance
4) Team defence
5) Attitude/Workrate