Okey Doke. Over his time here Scott has shown an ability to learn and grow in the role, and he doesn't strike me as the sort to get to the point where he puts the cue in the rack and considers himself a finished product. He took a list that needed serious rebuilding after '09 to about as far as it could go, having only compromised drafts and late 1st-round picks to work with. After 2013 he (along with the smart recruitment of NDS) fixed the giving up leads problem. After being completely overwhelmed in the 2014 prelim he went back and was within a quarter of winning one. Last year they had to deal with the problem of just not showing up every 4th or 5th week and, despite falling in a heap with injuries and a tough schedule, only lost one game where they were favourites. When you look at they way they progress year on year it's clear he sees and understands the same problems we do, and has a plan to fix them.
He's not perfect but he's a good coach. The players respect him and the old hands talk about him as a good teaching coach. If the list management cards fall his way he'll contend again. If it all turns to shit this season the group might quit on him and there's no coming back from that but there's a lot of people gleefully sharpening up the pitchforks after one loss to a likely top 4 side.
I think he can coach as well. After all we did make it to two PF's under his guidance and in 2015, in particular, if not for the WA umpiring influence at crtical stages in the second half, we might have made it to a GF. I refuse to accept that our terrible injury run last year was not a major reason for a fall away last year.
In my opinion, putting so much blame on the Coach for yesterday's loss is just failing to recognise the reality of what we faced.
The Eagles went in with 22 experienced hardened footballers, used to the hurly burly and surely a better team by the inclusion of Sam Mitchell. There is no way that the Hawks should have traded him. He is a marvellous 300 plus game footballer.
Against that we were without Cunners, a huge loss against such a team as the Eagles in Round 1
In contrast we lost over 1000 games of experience from six players from the team that lost to Adelaide in the EF. In their place were 4 debutantes, plus Marley Williams and Nathan Hrovat, both good handy footballers but right now (and never will be) hardly mentioned in the same breath as a bloke like Boomer.
Why any North supporter went to yesterday's game thinking we would win, is truly staggering to me.
This is what a re-build is all about. It is a trial and error thing. We will see mistakes galore but we will also see as the season progresses some very good football.
Don't just blame the coach. Give it time.
BTW, did anyone hear Nicky Dal on SEN after the game? He was quite upbeat. He said that despite the fact that it cost him his place, we needed to make changes at the end of last year. I really liked the fact that he said there is a lot of good young talent on our list just waiting for the chance and now is the time (or words to that effect.)