Opinion Chris Scott's coaching - Part 1 [closed, see Part II]

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

The first time I really noticed a flaw in Chris Scott's coaching was in the 12' Elimination final against Freo where they put Sandilands as a lose man in defence and we just kept kicking it straight to either him or a 2-on-1 contest every time. This went on for the whole night where nothing changed and that's when I first thought; 'Geez, we don't really have a plan B do we'

Yeah, at that time the excuse was we didn't have a ruck. But our issues are worse then just a ruck.

 

[AlcoaCat]

Concerned about decisions made by Scott and the MC regarding tram selection for tonight.

Awesome typo!
After last night's effort, I'm glad Scotty isn't in charge of our public transport network. He would have retired all the new trams and exhumed the W Class models on the promise of a 7 year contract.

Actually, I think Scotty has banked a lot of credits. He's just not a first rater at the moment.

 

[Partridge]

No Caddy. No Duncan. So what does Chris decide to do? He brings in James Kelly who ends up playing as a loose man in defence and we drop Horlin-Smith.
We essentially had one less midfielder tonight so we move Lang or Cockatoo into the square at times throughout the night.

Did you like in the press conference when he admitted that their clearance work has been an issue all year? Umm, then why did you drop a young midfielder who actually wins them?

Again though, I'll bow to those who advocated playing Bartel and Kelly in the middle. Showed us naysayers good and proper.

 

[cats_09]

Awesome typo!
After last night's effort, I'm glad Scotty isn't in charge of our public transport network. He would have retired all the new trams and exhumed the W Class models on the promise of a 7 year contract.

Actually, I think Scotty has banked a lot of credits. He's just not a first rater at the moment.

Nice pickup - typing on an iPad gets frustrating at times

 

[Catatonic Shock]

If a coach can't get his team up mentally, then he has lost them. But it seems every year we limp along and have a poor finish to the season.

We have not had 1... NOT 1 Positive end to a season since 2011.

I'm realistic in that I know the overhaul of the coaching staff won't happen yet, but at least change up from the all Brisbane era and get us someone with a fresh prospective.

Did you know we never had a positive finals result after 1995 until 2007?

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

Did you know we never had a positive finals result after 1995 until 2007?

When I say positive, I don't mean a win. I mean something that we can look forward to next year.

2004- 2005 was actually positive, you could see we where building.

List we had 2012,2013, 2014 where a lot more capable of what we have shown.

 

[Catatonic Shock]

When I say positive, I don't mean a win. I mean something that we can look forward to next year.

2004- 2005 was actually positive, you could see we where building.

List we had 2012,2013, 2014 where a lot more capable of what we have shown.

Look forward to next year?

Caddy, Duncan, Motlop, MENZEL, Kolo, Bews, Thurlow, Lang, Murdoch, Guthrie.
Plenty to look forward to next year, the point is we are BUILDING, we are no longer the top dog and I think a LOT of supporters struggle to realise this.
2012 we had a list capable of doing exactly what we did do, above average.
2013 we were devastated by injury and bad luck.
2014 flattered us and this year we finish exactly where we should, about average.
The positive is we have done this with a transitioning team, a team of young blokes learning their way and oldies on their way out, we aren't doing this with a core group of 140-180 gamers at the peak of their careers.
WE ARE BUILDING.
Do you remember the years of 1998-2003? Do you remember what you had to look forward to the following year?

 

[Partridge]

Look forward to next year?

Caddy, Duncan, Motlop, MENZEL, Kolo, Bews, Thurlow, Lang, Murdoch, Guthrie.
Plenty to look forward to next year, the point is we are BUILDING, we are no longer the top dog and I think a LOT of supporters struggle to realise this.
2012 we had a list capable of doing exactly what we did do, above average.
2013 we were devastated by injury and bad luck.
2014 flattered us and this year we finish exactly where we should, about average.
The positive is we have done this with a transitioning team, a team of young blokes learning their way and oldies on their way out, we aren't doing this with a core group of 140-180 gamers at the peak of their careers.
WE ARE BUILDING.
Do you remember the years of 1998-2003? Do you remember what you had to look forward to the following year?

I call 2013 injury and (much more) bad management. We handed Fremantle Grand Final tickets that year.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Awesome typo!
After last night's effort, I'm glad Scotty isn't in charge of our public transport network. He would have retired all the new trams and exhumed the W Class models on the promise of a 7 year contract.

Actually, I think Scotty has banked a lot of credits. He's just not a first rater at the moment.

I'd suggest that his credits have got him through this season without question (compare him to Buckley, for example) but if it's more of the same early next year, the pitchforks will be out and rightly so. I have little doubt that he'll be our coach to start 2016, but I'd struggle to find a hotter coach's seat than his to start the year. He's always talked a good game, but now it's time to see what he can actually do to halt the slide.

 

[Catatonic Shock]

I call 2013 injury and (much more) bad management. We handed Fremantle Grand Final tickets that year.

So it was management that we lost Simpson 2/3rds of the way through the year, and HMac kept getting small annoying injuries ensuring we had zero ruckman?
That Enright went down at the end of the year with injury?
That Chapman struggled with soft tissue injuries?

 

[AlcoaCat]

I'd suggest that his credits have got him through this season without question (compare him to Buckley, for example) but if it's more of the same early next year, the pitchforks will be out and rightly so. I have little doubt that he'll be our coach to start 2016, but I'd struggle to find a hotter coaches seat than his to start the year. He's always talked a good game, but now it's time to see what he can actually do to halt the slide.

I agree with this. I think he has deservedly been given a lot of clear air since he started. However, it is now time for new thinking. Is he an innovator? The signs aren't particularly good right now. I'm starting to come around to the point of view expressed by others that he's more of a manager than a leader. If so, that's not going to lead us into a new golden era. You need someone with a touch of madness (Bomber had that, so did Malthouse, Clarkson has it in spades) to break new earth.

The time is now for Scotty otherwise, as you said, he'll be under the gun.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

Look forward to next year?

Caddy, Duncan, Motlop, MENZEL, Kolo, Bews, Thurlow, Lang, Murdoch, Guthrie.
Plenty to look forward to next year, the point is we are BUILDING, we are no longer the top dog and I think a LOT of supporters struggle to realise this.
2012 we had a list capable of doing exactly what we did do, above average.
2013 we were devastated by injury and bad luck.
2014 flattered us and this year we finish exactly where we should, about average.
The positive is we have done this with a transitioning team, a team of young blokes learning their way and oldies on their way out, we aren't doing this with a core group of 140-180 gamers at the peak of their careers.
WE ARE BUILDING.
Do you remember the years of 1998-2003? Do you remember what you had to look forward to the following year?

Says the guy that started the **** you Geelong thread last night? Maybe read some of your own advice?

Our fight, our spirit, our endeavor goes this time every year and we end up going silent into the night. The 2012 list had 3 quarters of a players that came off a flag the year before. 2013 we still would have had 15 odd players in the 2011 flag. That is not the same as 98 - 2003.

But as I said above it's not the list, it's the way we play.

 

[Catatonic Shock]

I'd suggest that his credits have got him through this season without question (compare him to Buckley, for example) but if it's more of the same early next year, the pitchforks will be out and rightly so. I have little doubt that he'll be our coach to start 2016, but I'd struggle to find a hotter coaches seat than his to start the year. He's always talked a good game, but now it's time to see what he can actually do to halt the slide.

Next year I suggest might show everyone what he is capable of.
It is likely our list will almost completely be transitioned and instead of being in a position of moving on older players and moving in young blokes, it will more be about training up these guys and getting them to start playing the football they want them to, together as a group.
Bomber did it for a few years from around 2002-2005, now it's Scotts turn.

 

[Catatonic Shock]

Says the guy that started the **** you Geelong thread last night? Maybe read some of your own advice?

Our fight, our spirit, our endeavor goes this time every year and we end up going silent into the night. The 2012 list had 3 quarters of a players that came off a flag the year before. 2013 we still would have had 15 odd players in the 2011 flag. That is not the same as 98 - 2003.

But as I said above it's not the list, it's the way we play.

Ah the fabled "how we play", how is that exactly?
2012 list had 3/4s of the oldest Premiership side of all time who had one last go at it (and got it) and were well are truly done.
2013 we were smashed by injuries, and of those 15 you state, which of those were actually in their prime other than Selwood and Hawkins (the latter of which was killed by injury all year)?

 

[kicksome]

i cant stand scotts press conferences, just cryptic BS

 

[HoopsAhoy]

Paging Mr Scott, Paging Mr Scott!

Please go to Lost Property and collect what you left behind at the post-match Press Conference.

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

So it was management that we lost Simpson 2/3rds of the way through the year, and HMac kept getting small annoying injuries ensuring we had zero ruckman?
That Enright went down at the end of the year with injury?
That Chapman struggled with soft tissue injuries?

Possibly. For a start, West was still on the list and we actively refused to play him (with Hawkins out, we could have gone into the Qualifying Final with Vardy, Podsiadly, Blicavs and West or Vardy, Podsiadly, Walker and Blicavs. We chose Walker over West and Sandilands destroyed us).

Also Enright missed a total of one game during the H&A season and that was a crucial game against Fremantle (suggesting he was legitimately injured). He was not 'rested' (a hallmark for the veterans in the team during the 2011 season) at all. Neither were his fellow defensive stalwarts Lonergan (played every game), Mackie (played every game) and Taylor (missed one game) to any meaningful extent, despite having several options to provide depth in the side. Whether the long term injury of Rivers played a role in that is unclear (though I'll form my own conclusions from the continued reticence of the team in subsequent years to rest players for meaningless games that it should win easily even with half a dozen best 22 players missing).

Then, of course, the team decided to play stupid smoke and mirrors games at the selection table, bringing in Guthrie as a 'late inclusion' against Fremantle, when he was in the form of his life (arguably still the best form he's ever shown as an AFL player) and that naming Taylor Hunt ahead of him was a joke that anyone could have seen through.

Then there was the continued handling of Varcoe's form slump (shock, horror he was a nightmare in the two finals losses and ok - no better than that - in the one win), with the solution (which continued throughout 2014) apparently being 'He'll snap out of it. Just got to keep persisting with him'.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

Ah the fabled "how we play", how is that exactly?
2012 list had 3/4s of the oldest Premiership side of all time who had one last go at it (and got it) and were well are truly done.
2013 we were smashed by injuries, and of those 15 you state, which of those were actually in their prime other than Selwood and Hawkins (the latter of which was killed by injury all year)?

Read the last page I've explain the "way we play".

2012 we lost only 3 players from the team that ran out on grand final day the year before. In 2012 we had 5 players 30 or over in the EF. Chappy, Scarlett, Wojo, Pods and Enright. The rest is under 30.

Done? Then why did we make the PF the year later?

Keep in mind the week before this is the team that Smashed the premiers in Sydney in 2012. Yet the week later we didn't show up when it mattered.


Injuries? Please we aren't the only team to have them. Remind me in 2013 and 2012 finals who was missing?

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

Next year I suggest might show everyone what he is capable of.
It is likely our list will almost completely be transitioned and instead of being in a position of moving on older players and moving in young blokes, it will more be about training up these guys and getting them to start playing the football they want them to, together as a group.
Bomber did it for a few years from around 2002-2005, now it's Scotts turn.

It's Scott's team. We'll have about 5-6 of the players that took the field for the 2010 PF still on the list. It will be his sixth year. If injuries strike in a certain spot and we have no coverage, that's partly on him. If we continue to concede the ruck and clearances and it costs us games, that's on him. The microscope will be on him next year and I have a feeling that after five years, the media will be more than happy to turn the heat up on his press conference routine.

 

[Catatonic Shock]

I call 2013 injury and (much more) bad management. We handed Fremantle Grand Final tickets that year.

Also, yes we did.
Even with so much going against us in 2013 if we had beaten Freo we would have played off in the GF.

 

[ATSAM]

I call 2013 injury and (much more) bad management. We handed Fremantle Grand Final tickets that year.

Well said and spot on.

 

[cynical]

Did you see the starting MF after 1/2 time?
Cocky, Motlop, Guthrie, speed at least.
Selwood hbf, wing.

You need speed on the outside, on the inside you need people who are big and or go in hard to extract the footy for the fast players.

The likes of GHS and Jansen are the ones who should be getting experience. Jansen is busy playing HF in the VFL and GHS gets dropped for old man Kelly.

Look at the clearance numbers 41-21 top players were Blicavs 5 Selwood 4

last week we lost 41-31 Motlop got 7, GHS 5, Murdoch 5,

GHS gets dropped Murdoch is sub and we lose the clearances by 20

great coaching

playing quick players is fine but they simply cant win contested ball against bigger bodies

 

[Johanpetro]

Im not one to bag our own (Well maybe Walker the spud) but I've slightly questioned Scott ever since last years final against the Hawks. We were even at half time and he decides to start the 3rd quarter with Harry Taylor at FF . Also not making a change on Hill and Smith who were running free all night.We end up getting smashed because of those moves. I still have no idea what his thought process was that night

 

[Partridge]

So it was management that we lost Simpson 2/3rds of the way through the year, and HMac kept getting small annoying injuries ensuring we had zero ruckman?
That Enright went down at the end of the year with injury?
That Chapman struggled with soft tissue injuries?

I keep saying this, and people refuse to acknowledge it. We did not have zero ruckman. We had a fully fit Trent West watching from the stands. At the time Vardy and Blicavs were gleefully and joyously proclaimed to be far superior too. Interestingly, there was only game in the last 2 months of the season where we actually won the hitouts, centre clearances and overall clearances. Rounds 23 v Brisbane - when West played. It's a salient fact never, ever acknowledged. He wasn't a great ruckman, like Vardy and Blicavs probably far better suited to being a backup. But he was our best bet that September, and any combination (West and Vardy, West and Blicavs) would have been better.*

(* I've been looking at the hitouts, clearances, and stoppages stats in the games where our ruck combination has been Vardy and Blicavs. It makes for ugly reading. I will happily admit to being wrong about Blicavs, and that he does have a role especially as perhaps backup ruckman/part-time midfielder. But we cannot play those two as our ruck duo; it hands too much of an advantage to the opposition.)

 

[Partridge]

It's Scott's team. We'll have about 5-6 of the players that took the field for the 2010 PF still on the list. It will be his sixth year. If injuries strike in a certain spot and we have no coverage, that's partly on him. If we continue to concede the ruck and clearances and it costs us games, that's on him. The microscope will be on him next year and I have a feeling that after five years, the media will be more than happy to turn the heat up on his press conference routine.

There were two questions I would have asked last night that naturally weren't asked:

1. Why did you drop Horlin-Smith given he had 5 clearances last week and you just admitted stoppage and clearances have been a problem all year?
2. Why did you rest Smedts and Stokes from the VFL last Sunday and then play neither?