Preview Don Pyke: Season 2019 Prelude

[John Who]

https://www.afc.com.au/video/2019-02-28/members-meeting-2018-don-pyke
"Preseason motto: work hard and have fun".
"Training results have been far in advance than it was last year".
"6-6-6 at the centre bounce will add a new dimension, a genuine 1v1 ahead of the ball".
"We see the return of full fitness with guys like Smith, Brad, Walker and Sloane".
"If we pick for our best 22, with nearly everyone fit and available, who do we leave out and who do we put in? We now have a lot of competition for spots. It's a great position to be in".

Good speech Don! Hopefully we now put the words into action!

 

[Grenville]

I'm unashamedly a big fan of Don Pyke, and listening to this reinforced my view that we have the right bloke in the drivers seat.
He's a smart operator.

 

[SaltPeter]

The expanded leadership may well be a result of the changes to rules on when runners can go onto the field to relay messages

 

[MRB37]

I'm unashamedly a big fan of Don Pyke, and listening to this reinforced my view that we have the right bloke in the drivers seat.
He's a smart operator.

It seems he's taken feedback on his faults and worked on areas he was seen to have weaknesses. Not every coach (or person in life) is humble or honest enough to do that. It's an encouraging sign.

 

[John Who]

The expanded leadership may well be a result of the changes to rules on when runners can go onto the field to relay messages

And as an extension to this point, the rule change regarding when runners can come on the field, might also be part reason why we chose co-captains this year. A bit too much coincidence Port and Crows chose the path of co-captains in the same year.

 

[SaltPeter]

And as an extension to this point, the rule change regarding when runners can come on the field, might also be part reason why we chose co-captains this year. A bit too much coincidence Port and Crows chose the path of co-captains in the same year.

Maybe. Personally I'm ok with co-captains as long it continues to work.

 

[John Who]

It seems he's taken feedback on his faults and worked on areas he was seen to have weaknesses. Not every coach (or person in life) is humble or honest enough to do that. It's an encouraging sign.

I’ve listened to his speech twice. Very impressive in how he systematically focused on our weaknesses last year, a lot of positive signs we’ve worked to correct these weaknesses over the preseason, and that we’re giving ourselves a good fighting chance with the availability of healthy and hungry players all putting their hands up!

This year will be the making or breaking of Pyke. He did tremendously well taking us to the GF with his second coaching year. The big question now is, can he lead the team to a big turnaround after last year’s horror show?

 

[Murray2503]

Make or break year for Don. Have never been a big fan of his conservative Neil Craig style, especially his conservative team selection. I have also been disappointed with his gameday ability to make quick moves required. The Grand final is a prime example where he essentially allowed the game to play out when most intelligent observers could tell at the end of the first quarter we were heading for a loss without structural changes. Win the flag this year and he will well and truly turn me around and secure job security down at West lakes. If he doesn't make the finals there will be a new coach in 2020 imo.

 

[Betts are off]

https://www.afc.com.au/video/2019-02-28/members-meeting-2018-don-pyke
"If we pick for our best 22, with nearly everyone fit and available, who do we leave out and who do we put in? We now have a lot of competition for spots. It's a great position to be in".

I'm most interested in this element this season. I know its a running joke on this site about how conservative our selection committee has been, but surely at a certain point the critical mass of good young stars will start to push out older guys on a plateau, or worse, the decline!

To me there are major questions that need to be asked of former 'lock' players throughout this season.
1) Is Keath better then Hartigan?
2) Is anyone better then Atkins as a wingman?
3) Is it still worth having experienced 'jack of all trade' players like DMAC and Dougie in the best 22 at the expense of younger role specific guys?
4) Was last year a blip in Sauce's very good career, or a sign of him falling off the cliff?
5) When do we give proper Midfield minutes to potential young stars like Milera, Gooch, etc? And who makes way?
6) Who makes way for our recent first round picks in FOG, Jones and McHenry? And when?

Bottom line is last year was a lost season, but we got some silver linings by blooding some kids. This year we need to build on that, and not be so frugal at the selection table!

At least that's my 2 cents on the matter!

 

[Bicks]

Make or break year for Don. Have never been a big fan of his conservative Neil Craig style, especially his conservative team selection. I have also been disappointed with his gameday ability to make quick moves required. The Grand final is a prime example where he essentially allowed the game to play out when most intelligent observers could tell at the end of the first quarter we were heading for a loss without structural changes. Win the flag this year and he will well and truly turn me around and secure job security down at West lakes. If he doesn't make the finals there will be a new coach in 2020 imo.

LOL

Sometimes it's difficult to decipher your posts as to whether you're serious or taking the piss....

 

[Jarman3]

I'm most interested in this element this season. I know its a running joke on this site about how conservative our selection committee has been, but surely at a certain point the critical mass of good young stars will start to push out older guys on a plateau, or worse, the decline!

To me there are major questions that need to be asked of former 'lock' players throughout this season.
1) Is Keath better then Hartigan?
2) Is anyone better then Atkins as a wingman?
3) Is it still worth having experienced 'jack of all trade' players like DMAC and Dougie in the best 22 at the expense of younger role specific guys?
4) Was last year a blip in Sauce's very good career, or a sign of him falling off the cliff?
5) When do we give proper Midfield minutes to potential young stars like Milera, Gooch, etc? And who makes way?
6) Who makes way for our recent first round picks in FOG, Jones and McHenry? And when?

Bottom line is last year was a lost season, but we got some silver linings by blooding some kids. This year we need to build on that, and not be so frugal at the selection table!

At least that's my 2 cents on the matter!

All of these questions answer themselves, as long as the team is being selected on form. Not reputation or experience, but also not just "let's games into players X, Y and Z" who haven't earned those games with their performance in the SANFL. I'm fine with DMac, Dougie, Atkins all in the team as long as their form justifies their spot, and all 3 are capable of playing good footy on their day. But if they're just muddling along while a Jones / McHenry / Gallucci or whoever is tearing it up in the SANFL then somebody needs their butt kicked. Obviously you've got your A-graders who might get some leeway - you're not going to drop Eddie or Sloane just because they have a bad game or two, but even those guys need to be accountable... if a bad patch of form extends to 3 or 4 weeks you have to ask why they're still in the team instead of going back to the SANFL to find some form.

Likewise playing unfit players - e.g. Tex missed a bit of footy last year, but even so he still probably shouldn't have played even half as many games as he did simply because his body wasn't right and he'd missed a huge amount of the preseason work. Obviously we were limited with options due to the sheer number of injuries we had. I don't know if Himmelberg was also injured or just not getting picked because his own form wasn't great or what. But if you've got an unfit player out of form and a fit player out form, you at least go with the fit guy if there are no better options. Or, if necessary, you restructure and go with a smaller forward line if those are the guys you've got available that are fit and in form.

Hopefully a better preseason this year means our selection dilemmas will be more along the lines of making room in the 22 for all the fit and in-form players we've got, and some being unlucky to miss out. As opposed to last year when it was often a case of cobbling together a team out of whatever was available to put out on the park, and some being lucky to get selected simply because there were no other options.

 

[Alwaysacrow]

I'm unashamedly a big fan of Don Pyke, and listening to this reinforced my view that we have the right bloke in the drivers seat.
He's a smart operator.

Indeed. I felt very sorry for him last year with the walls falling down around him. A lesser coach would've probably not achieved the 12 wins that we got considering the injuries we had plus the whole training camp debacle as well. If it had have been Kern in charge of the Crows last year he would've simply blamed it on the players rather than looking at his own inadequacy.

 

[jo172]

Indeed. I felt very sorry for him last year with the walls falling down around him. A lesser coach would've probably not achieved the 12 wins that we got considering the injuries we had plus the whole training camp debacle as well. If it had have been Kern in charge of the Crows last year he would've simply blamed it on the players rather than looking at his own inadequacy.

Agree, last year could have turned into a full on 1999/2010 disaster very quickly

 

[WaynesWorld19]

The expanded leadership may well be a result of the changes to rules on when runners can go onto the field to relay messages

I think the Leadership numbers has everything to do with lack of runners ......all zones represented

 

[Slippery Pete]

I like Don, but that press conference last year with Captain Birdbrain did his brand untold damage.

He’s got ground to make up.

 

[MRB37]

I like Don, but that press conference last year with Captain Birdbrain did his brand untold damage.

He’s got ground to make up.

He seemed willing to get into some details on that, I have my doubts over how much he was allowed to say though. Burton on the other side just painted a clear picture over what he’s like.

 

[StickerMan]

I actually recall that moment as the point where Don had taken all he could and deviated from the company line and made the comment that the camp was a fail etc where Burton was still defiant and arrogant.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

I actually recall that moment as the point where Don had taken all he could and deviated from the company line and made the comment that the camp was a fail etc where Burton was still defiant and arrogant.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Yep

There was a point where Pyke realised that it sounded too ridiculous to say "we've just decided to go our separate ways mid-contract but there were no issues" and leave it at that. Burton was still doubling down at that stage.

 

[betterthanu]

I like Don, but that press conference last year with Captain Birdbrain did his brand untold damage.

He’s got ground to make up.

I disagree. It really looked like it was supposed to be a Burton run press conference with Don there as support. Don was letting Burton answer then basically took over when he saw how he was floundering. Without Pyke there that whole media mess would have been twice the shitshow it already was. The contrast between the two show made me realise what we have in Don....and dont have in Burton.

 

[StickerMan]

I disagree. It really looked like it was supposed to be a Burton run press conference with Don there as support. Don was letting Burton answer then basically took over when he saw how he was floundering. Without Pyke there that whole media mess would have been twice the shitshow it already was. The contrast between the two show made me realise what we have in Don....and dont have in Burton.

This is how I saw it.

Burton was wheeled out with a short amount of rope. Within the first couple of questions he had hung himself and that is when Don took over and was candid saying that the camp was a fail and tried to draw a line in the sand.

Before Don stepped in the whole room was questioning why the press conference was called when Burton was refusing to answer any questions with any sort of substance.

It was that moment that Fagan should have pulled Burton aside and had his things packed for him and told him to GTFO.

A truly embarrassing and cringe worthy moment for the Club.

 

[MRB37]

https://www.fiveaa.com.au/fiveaa/shows/rowey-and-bicks

Don Pyke on 5AA yesterday.

"I came to the club with the view that's what I wanted, we went away from that last year and that's obviously on me as the senior coach that the environment we provide for the players is the best it can be...but that's certainly one responsibility that sits with me"

The worst thing Pyke could have done was put it all back on the players. Since the B&F it sounds like he's been willing and open on his mistakes and his desire to take feedback and rectify them. Take your hit, admit the error and move on, good to hear that's what he's been doing. Don't give "that's offensive/i'm offended you'd suggest that" type Birdbrain comments.

 

[NikkiNoo]

One thing Don has done this off-season, is something quite sneaky about getting more players down to visit his office. He treated himself to a pinball machine for his 50th. It now sits in his office and a lot of the players are down there regularly playing on it, which means they are chatting with Don as well.

 

[John Who]

One thing Don has done this off-season, is something quite sneaky about getting more players down to visit his office. He treated himself to a pinball machine for his 50th. It now sits in his office and a lot of the players are down there regularly playing on it, which means they are chatting with Don as well.

How did you know about the pinball purchase? What a cool self-pressie!

 

[Brenton Davy]

How did you know about the pinball purchase? What a cool self-pressie!

Surprised it wasn't a golf simulator

 

[Thegibbsgamble]

And as an extension to this point, the rule change regarding when runners can come on the field, might also be part reason why we chose co-captains this year. A bit too much coincidence Port and Crows chose the path of co-captains in the same year.

Hinckley told them after last season he wanted co captains. The decision was made before pre season begun. Was not announced then as it was seen as potentially causing a members backlash