News Hart and Godden sacked

Jun 7, 2011
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There are far fewer elite players

You can see with players like Hodge that they are practically coaches on the field. Instructing others, directing traffic, vocal. Successfully I might add. You know they'll be good coaches straight out of the game.

Josh Kennedy (Syd) has never struck me the same way, good player but doesn't seem like he's running the show and impacting others (though the pedigree is there)

Midfielders are flat knacker getting around the ground. Which is why any discussion on mids coaching during games is rubbish. They just don't get the time or have the breath. Much easier for defenders to coach and organise.
 
Jun 7, 2011
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+

Now, now, Crowbotoratory , be nice. Not "sacked" ;) .
Let go.
Surplus to the Crows' current needs.
Released, to pursue other opportunities.
Downsized.
Canned.
Dismissed.
Made redundant.
Axed.
Parted ways.
No longer a fit.
Transitioned.
Un-hired.
It's not you, it's us.
(read for all of the above: "It's you, not us. We want our forward line to work and kick goals").

How could you miss 'boned'? For shame.
 
Jun 7, 2011
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Can always get a job in a State league, plus real job.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

That's where the downsized AFL coaches with experience will be going. And they can join the rest of the downsized workforce competing for real jobs. Shithouse time to be finishing your playing career and looking for a coaching job. Lots of competition.
 

hey shorty

Cancelled
30k Posts 10k Posts TheBrownDog
Jun 15, 2005
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If there are still development coaches next year, why wouldn't Mattner be better for that role than Reilly? He was recruited in a higher position, so you'd think is more highly rated. I suppose he may have knocked that option back as he wants to be involved game day.
I think that's it.
 

CrowBloke

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May 14, 2017
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Which Pyke could have done after 2017 concluded. Had the club by the balls, they could deny him next to nothing. But he chose to not use his power which effectively led to his demise. He could even have managed to curtail Burton's influence.
I am not defending it, but I can see why Pyke stuck with the Ass-istants he had from 2017, but only for the 2018 year after which he should have wielded his clout and insisted upon changes, but appeared not to.
In 2017, the Crows made the GF which they lost = the assumption that the Coaches did their job, and the players did not. That is actually complacent and divisive thinking. Irresponsible blaming, because instead of sitting down and asking "What did we (all) do wrong?", the players copped the blame and had that infernal Camp inflicted upon them. Their guilt and disappointment would have been exacerbated by the message that they failed, while the Coaching Staff had not.
Think about it: a lot of the divisions and disunity within the playing group surrounded behind-closed-door deals around contracts/salaries which became public and confused many (Admin. to blame).
I wonder often what would have happened if the Crows had won that GF --- it would be like The Orange Man being re-elected in November, justifying every crazy/bad thing that he's done --- and Burton/Hass/Camporeale would have been roundly praised and not found out eventually as incompetents.

If anything, Pyke and the players got the team into the GF, in spite of Burton's influence, especially. Promoting Burton over Teague was a massive blunder and testament to Burton's ability to claim credit where it was not due. In hindsight, it's clear that Burton was a master Empire-builder, for himself. Looks like Francou smelled the rat and got out. Others in less-profile roles left as well eg chief physio Rohan Hattotuwa and Tate Kaesler (team defence).

The 'team' is made up of players and Coaches working together, hand-in-glove, with a unity of purpose (eg Richmond, WCE, Geelong, even Collingwood under Bucks and PA 2020 show it). The 'team' is not just the players, so that Coaches can take credit when things go well and shift the blame to the players when things go wrong. That's a double-standard of poor leadership. Pyke stubbornly stuck to what he believed worked in 2017 (Coaches good/players bad) blinded by making the GF, even when it was clear that things were crumbling by August 2018.

In that respect, the Us vs. Them mentality overseen by Pyke (whether he was the driving force behind it or not) was his biggest failing.
 

CrowBloke

Solum stulti se excusant!
May 14, 2017
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While I am at it I owe Nicks an apology, guided by the 20/20 hindsight of September 2020.

I whinged loud and long about the apparent lack of game plan when the Crows were losing badly. I mocked Roo's summary that the deciding factor for appointing him was that nobody he spoke to had a bad word to say about Nicks. "Oh great", I said, "Another Mr. Nice Guy".
Clearly, I was wrong.
The game plan was suffering from Hart's ineptitude as forward Coach, compounded by Godden's inexperience at AFL level which to an extent Godden actually changed and better supply to the forwards resulted in better play and 3 wins, in spite of Hart. Nicks had his own 'hamstring issues', hamstrung from being saddled with Assistants not of his own choosing and has been admirably patient in biting his lip and working hard with them.
My derisive "Mr. Nice Guy" conclusion was equally wrong --- nobody has a bad word to say about him because he keeps his word (and did not whinge about the assistants he was given, not once publicly; I never heard him blame Hart or Godden), works hard, takes responsibility (eg in the way he spoke to Godden when releasing him) and is prepared to make hard calls like the culling of Atkins and Hart/Godden. I won't be surprised if other Club passengers are 'invited to leave' the ship, thanks very much. When that ship is sinking, it's wise to get rid of dead weight and Nicks is doing just that.

I don't know if any AFL Coach has taken a team to last in his first year (or even bottom 4), then risen in subsequent years to win a Flag (anybody know? I think Blighty took the Crows top from 12th/16), but records are made to be broken and created. From 18th to a Flag? Doesn't seem possible/likely even.
We'll find out if Nicks can do it, and I'm looking forward to 2021/22 a great deal more than I was 6 weeks ago.
Nicks described 2020 as 'challenging', no doubt made worse by having several albatrosses put around his neck by his late appointment, but we can hear them hitting the deck by the week. Good on him, for embracing those challenges and cutting the ropes himself.
Matthew Nicks, you don't know me and I am zero in the Crows' scheme of things, but I apologise.
 
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Aug 9, 2019
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While I am at it I owe Nicks an apology, guided by the 20/20 hindsight of September 2020.
I whinged loud and long about the apparent lack of game plan when the Crows were losing badly. I mocked Roo's summary that the deciding factor for appointing him was that nobody he spoke to had a bad word to say about Nicks. "Oh great", I said, "Another Mr. Nice Guy".
Clearly, I was wrong.
The game plan was suffering from Hart's ineptitude as forward Coach, compounded by Godden's inexperience at AFL level which to an extent Godden actually changed and better supply to the forwards resulted in better play and 3 wins, in spite of Hart. Nicks had his own 'hamstring issues', hamstrung from being saddled with Assistants not of his own choosing and has been admirably patient in biting his lip and working hard with them.
My derisive "Mr. Nice Guy" conclusion was equally wrong --- nobody has a bad word to say about him because he keeps his word (and did not whinge about the assistants he was given, not once publicly; I never heard him blame Hart or Godden), works hard, takes responsibility (eg in the way he spoke to Godden when releasing him) and is prepared to make hard calls like the culling of Atkins and Hart/Godden. I won't be surprised if other Club passengers are 'invited to leave' the ship, thanks very much. When that ship is sinking, it's wise to get rid of dead weight and Nicks is doing just that.

I don't know if any AFL Coach has taken a team to last in his first year (or even bottom 4), then risen in subsequent years to win a Flag (anybody know? I think Blighty took the Crows top from 12th/16), but records are made to be broken and created. From 18th to a Flag? Doesn't seem possible/likely even.
We'll find out if Nicks can do it, and I'm looking forward to 2021/22 a great deal more than I was 6 weeks ago.
Nicks described 2020 as 'challenging', no doubt made worse by having several albatrosses put around his neck by his late appointment, but we can hear them hitting the deck by the week. Good on him, for embracing those challenges and cutting the ropes himself.
Matthew Nicks, you don't know me and I am zero in the Crows' scheme, but I apologise.
I don't know about the AFL but Neil Kerley took my long suffering Panthers from bottom in 1963 to the Premiership in 1964.
 
Aug 4, 2004
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You would have to think this is already done and dusted. We will have the people signed or ready to sign (if they are still coaching).

When we make announcements will be interesting.

Do go BANG and make all the announcements in a one-off presser that basically says "we aren't messing around anymore". It could make a real impact on members, players (current and future) and the media.
OR
Do we make the announcements in a staggered format, dragging out the 'good' news over the next few weeks to keep us in the media while Port are in finals?

Personally I'd prefer the first one, particularly if it includes Neil Balme.
 

CrowBloke

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I don't know about the AFL but Neil Kerley took my long suffering Panthers from bottom in 1963 to the Premiership in 1964.
Yes! As Player-Coach, no less :) . What a player-character-man Knuckles is!
I remember smooth-running, high-marking, tall/lanky Kantilla vividly and loved Ian Day's brother Robert @ centre for West Adelaide.
Kerls got us one of our best-ever players, too:
I can imagine him living in a group of adjoining Noel's Caravans, retired in Barmera; he's 86 now!
 

CrowBloke

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I've never thought the gws forward line has performed that well tbh. Their structures leave a lot to be desired. That's a pass from me.
We need to stop recruiting guys who haven't performed in their current role.
+
Tbh when I heard about the sackings, the first thing that came to mind (aside from jubilation) was wondering which GWS or Port assistant Nicks is going to bring over.
Both valid points, but one can't assume that Miller would be a bust with the Crows. Nicks doesn't strike me now as a Boys' Club type. I doubt that he'd opt for someone only because they're a mate, plus it's easier to work with someone you know and trust.
 
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May 10, 2009
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You would have to think this is already done and dusted. We will have the people signed or ready to sign (if they are still coaching).

When we make announcements will be interesting.

Do go BANG and make all the announcements in a one-off presser that basically says "we aren't messing around anymore". It could make a real impact on members, players (current and future) and the media.
OR
Do we make the announcements in a staggered format, dragging out the 'good' news over the next few weeks to keep us in the media while Port are in finals?

Personally I'd prefer the first one, particularly if it includes Neil Balme.
If we wanted to announce it all at once and it includes Balme, we can’t do that until after Richmond finish playing finals. Sounds like some announcements may come end of this week according to Theo.
 
May 29, 2011
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Both valid points/fears, but one can't assume that Miller would be a bust here. Nicks doesn't strike me now as a Boys' Club type. I doubt that he'd opt for someone only because they're a mate, plus it's easier to work with someone you know and trust.
I wasn't saying it was a fear of mine. It's just a pretty standard play for coaches to bring in people they've worked with before and trust.
 
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