Don Pyke - Can we get him back?

Would it be possible for us to bring Don Pyke back to the club?

  • Yes

    Votes: 10 43.5%
  • No

    Votes: 3 13.0%
  • Maybe

    Votes: 5 21.7%
  • Jack Watts

    Votes: 5 21.7%

  • Total voters
    23

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DickDunn

Premiership Player
Sep 8, 2011
4,707
5,735
AFL Club
West Coast
Glad to see Don back in the AFL system.

All this ‘Camp Leader’ stuff is nonsense - Pyke had very little to do with the organisation and execution of the camp - was Brett Burton’s (head of football) baby.

Pyke is one of the sharpest minds in the game - not surprised he’s ended up at a well run club like Sydney.

No disputing that it was Brett Burton who pushed the Collective Minds more than anyone. But you’d have to be incredibly naive to think it happened without Pyke at least implicitly endorsing it. And the Crows’ cultural issues weren’t limited to the camp.

Pyke may well be a good gameday coach, he probably is. Should never be a senior coach again though
 
Aug 4, 2003
22,984
23,445
WA
AFL Club
West Coast
No disputing that it was Brett Burton who pushed the Collective Minds more than anyone. But you’d have to be incredibly naive to think it happened without Pyke at least implicitly endorsing it. And the Crows’ cultural issues weren’t limited to the camp.

Pyke may well be a good gameday coach, he probably is. Should never be a senior coach again though

The camp was a massive beat up either way - the Vic Media loved it because they could attack a decent sized club without having to worry about putting one of their mates off side. Reminded me of how they treated another club who went through an ‘off field scandal’ in the mid 2000s.

Pyke could easily end up with another gig - If he’s part of a resurgence at Sydney and throws his hat in the ring clubs will remember the dominant, well drilled team he took to a Grand Final, rather than a role he played at an ill-fated player’s camp.
 

DickDunn

Premiership Player
Sep 8, 2011
4,707
5,735
AFL Club
West Coast
The camp was a massive beat up either way - the Vic Media loved it because they could attack a decent sized club without having to worry about putting one of their mates off side. Reminded me of how they treated another club who went through an ‘off field scandal’ in the mid 2000s.

Pyke could easily end up with another gig - If he’s part of a resurgence at Sydney and throws his hat in the ring clubs will remember the dominant, well drilled team he took to a Grand Final, rather than a role he played at an ill-fated player’s camp.

Lol ok. Interesting how they went from being in a grand final to three seasons with no finals and a wooden spoon - but you’re right, I’m sure the camp was a total beat up and had nothing to do with that
 

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Aug 4, 2003
22,984
23,445
WA
AFL Club
West Coast
Lol ok. Interesting how they went from being in a grand final to three seasons with no finals and a wooden spoon - but you’re right, I’m sure the camp was a total beat up and had nothing to do with that

Ahh look - they had their problems - I don’t think the camp was everything and I think Don Pyke’s coaching ability was one thing they got right.

Either way, happy to agree to disagree on this one.
 

DanWCE

Brownlow Medallist
Apr 2, 2015
19,583
41,747
AFL Club
West Coast
I think the premise behind the camp was right. They got to a GF but choked on the big stage - not alone there. So then it becomes okay we might be on the tip of something special here, what 1%ers can we squeeze out of this group to galvanize them and solidify the brotherhood so we can go one better? Who is doing something cutting edge, something to unlock the mental strength of sporting professionals.

Call goes out to Collective Minds, and they agree on a camp. The Crows may not have known the intricacies of what the players would be exposed to on the camp, and probably thought they were onto a good thing. Unfortunately it failed in spectacular fashion but you can't die wondering on these things. I'm sure they all learnt a lot, and clubs likely avoid CM now, but there was a risk the Crows go backwards without someone trying to harness the good parts of 2017 and rebuild them after that GF performance to have another tilt
 
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