I am deeply concerned with the direction of the playing list and youth player development under Chris Scott after we won the 2011 flag. All coaches are judged by wins and losses come September. Since the 2011 GF, we have won 2 finals (2013 finals victory against Port Power and the nail biter against the Hawks at the MCG). Damien Hardwick has not won a final since 2010 and he is under more scrutiny and pressure whilst @
AFL360 do not put the pressure on Chris Scott. The media treat Chris Scott like a king and he can sell ice to the eskimoes. He is a just a Willy Loman!
Since 2012, we have turned over so many draftees via trades and delistings and most of our draftees who have reached 70 to 140 games have not graduated from 3.5 status to 5 star status. This is an alarming statistic whilst other AFL clubs (@
westernbulldogs @
GWSGIANTS @
HawthornFC @
stkildafc @
melbournefc) have recruited the best assistant teaching coaches to support the head coach. You don't have to be a 10 year old to realise that Melbourne and Bulldogs have improved over 2 years due to the appointments of Brendan McCartney at Melbourne and Joel Corey at the Western Bulldogs. These clubs realise that at the end of the day, you can draft the best young talent, but teaching the youngsters and players who have 30 to 100 games under their belts via the right teaching methods is so crucial to develop the quality of depth within an AFL side. These clubs have copied the Bomber Thompson Geelong model of training up youngsters.
The appointment of Matthew Scarlett, Corey Enright and Simon Lloyd have been positive moves at Geelong. At least Matthew Scarlett will impart the Bomber Thompson teaching methods and since his FT appointment, our backline has improved since 2012.
But, the continual practice of appointing mates to the coaching staff does not bring objectivity and promotes a YES man culture. How on earth could Geelong appoint Matthew Knights to the coaching panel with Shane O'Bree???
Why has not Geelong appointed David Wheadon on a part time basis to oversee decision making acquisition skill and ball movement development? Or, why has not Geelong thrown the kitchen sink and offered Brendan McCartney a role at Geelong? He is doing wonders at Melbourne.
At the end of the day, Chris Scott inherited a Mercedez Benz at the end of 2010 and he had to tweak it. He basically inherited all of Bomber Thompson's hard work. After 2012, he has dismantled Bomber's good work and flushed all of Bomber's good work in developing and promoting youngsters; giving them a chance and teaching them the importance of winning CONTESTED ball and making good decisions during a game down the toilet.
Finally, Geelong should have demanded more for Josh Caddy going to Richmond and Nathan Vardy going to the Eagles. Geelong spent time and money in developing these players. Geelong should have bargained hard for Richmond's early draft picks and played hard ball with them. With Vardy, they should have done the same. Geelong needed early draft picks this year and giving away Vardy for a late pick is an insult. They have a chance to be superstars for their new clubs and it just shows that Chris Scott cannot develop youngsters into a Corey Enright or James Bartel. If a club hires a dud assistant coach in Matthew Knights and former Brisbane Lions teammates as Assistant coaches, it makes you wonder why we did not win the 2016 flag!
We did the right thing at the end of 2016 and recruited Dangerfield, Scott Selwood, Lachie Henderson and Zac Smith. BUT, Scott's continual failure in developing the B graders into A grade champions is a major concern whilst the Bulldogs, Giants, Hawks and Saints are streets ahead of us in terms of developing B graders into A graders.