I agree Rutten treated badly but AFL clubs move on pretty quickly.I think sacking Rutten now will put off a lot of the best applicants for the coaching position as well as any potential trade targets we had, which almost guarantees Hird as the next coach and a lower finish next year. How Rutten was treated is fresh on everyone’s mind. It means that we won’t even have the opportunity to follow a proper selection process.
Risk assessment and long term planning is the very basis of management. You can make better decisions if you plan over a year (especially after the external review) than planning over a couple of weeks. I fear for the direction of the club if the club cannot assess the risks I detailed above. Sticking with Rutten for at least another season is the right call whether or not he is the right person.