Harvey's Coaching

[Plugga]

Lets not call this a bagging...more constructive criticism...

Harvey's coaching & his coaching team today against the Hawks was very poor IMO...

Pav in the midfield is robbing peter to pay paul - why would u put the runner up in the Coleman medal back to the midfield!!!!

Why Dodd didn't play on Franklin again ( as he did last year), I will never know? Dodd restricted Buddy to 1 goal last year after Buddy was coming off 9 from the week prior. McPharlin was serviceable at best & would have been a much better match up for Boyle with Grover on Roughhead. Dodd is the best spoiler in our team.

Why would Mayne be dragged after both his 2 goals..obviously was a timed substitution , BUT, when a young bloke kicks goals in his 1st game & is obviously a confidence player...benching him was just stupid & smacked of Connolly.

Why wasn't Mitchell tagged?

Why persist with Crowley across half back when he clearly is not providing run or defence?

Why not try Tarrant at CHB, instead of spending all those $$$'s on the pine?

So many what if's....I'm sure there were many more across the night, but Harvey & co...definitely not inspiring at the moment...hopefully it all changes next week

 

[Rob]

I thought we looked better with Pav in the middle - but he obviously doesn't have the aerobic capacity to do it full time.

McPharlin looked good enough to me on Buddy, I dunno what your problem is there.

After Mayne's 2nd goal the runner actually came out and told him to stay on.

Tarrant at CHB might not be a bad idea. The Weagles would be a good team to try that against, because they don't have a (decent) CHF.

IMO, the biggest disappointment i've got with Harvey's coaching is that the team isn't tough enough. Not tough enough for the tackles to stick, for players to hit targets under pressure, and not to lose the ball in packs.

 

[Jetau]

I can't agree with you here. I thought McPharlin did very well on Franklin, a perfect match. Dodd will fight hard but he doesn't have the size of Elvis.

Pavlich in the middle...well, who do you think is going to win a clearance for us, hmmm? Pav was good all over the ground. Unfortunately, a forward line consisting of Kiwi Campbell and Tarrant is about the worst I've seen for a long time. Farmer/Medhurst was better than that.

 

[estibador]

I thought McPharlin did a good job on Buddy while he was on him. Grover and Hayden helped out a lot by dropping back to double team but when Elvis found himself one out a few times he did well to spoil.

 

[estibador]

IMO, the biggest disappointment i've got with Harvey's coaching is that the team isn't tough enough. Not tough enough for the tackles to stick, for players to hit targets under pressure, and not to lose the ball in packs.

I'd agree with that. The big improvement we were all hoping for from Harves is that he would toughen up the team - mentally and physically. But there doesn't seem to be much evidence of that so far.

We still seem to be as mentally soft as ever. Conceding bursts of goals at the worst possible times and lying down when the pressure really hit at the start of the 4th quarter in both games.

Still, I guess these things take time. As long as Harves takes a tough stance on mentally soft repeat offenders like Peake and Taz I'll be satisfied for now.

 

[westy1]

just watched areplay of harveys press conference,I think he has a pretty good idea of where we are at and what has to be done to fix our problems ,
this week he made the changes that needed to be made and they paid off,no player on our side will be given a walk up start,this is the impression i get off harvs
things are on the up,dont knock the bloke yet

 

[chook2734]

I'd agree with that. The big improvement we were all hoping for from Harves is that he would toughen up the team - mentally and physically. But there doesn't seem to be much evidence of that so far.

We still seem to be as mentally soft as ever. Conceding bursts of goals at the worst possible times and lying down when the pressure really hit at the start of the 4th quarter in both games.

Still, I guess these things take time. As long as Harves takes a tough stance on mentally soft repeat offenders like Peake and Taz I'll be satisfied for now.

We are all so impatient now, after waiting for 13 years, and hoping that Harvs might finally be the one to bring us glory. The harsh reality is there are reasons we struggled in 04, 05 and 07, and they weren't all Chris Connolly. Harvey seems to have been dumped in at the deep end and we all expect him to give us instant success - he's a new coach, with a new coaching team and it's going to take time for his methods to become second nature. It's all well and good for the players to do the right thing in the pre-season, but come crunch time we all go back to our old habits when the pressure is applied. I'm confident that the changes will happen under Harvey, but they won't happen overnight.

 

[The Night Shift]

Geez..
it's only two games in.
Give Harves and his team a chance to mould Fremantle into what their version is of a premiership threat.
I thought McPharlin did awwwright on Buddy as well.

 

[Brumbies]

IMO, the biggest disappointment i've got with Harvey's coaching is that the team isn't tough enough. Not tough enough for the tackles to stick, for players to hit targets under pressure, and not to lose the ball in packs.

Well obviously ya cant have toughness and speed and youth all in the one team.
We lost 2 of our toughest in Solly and Johnno we dont have anyone else to step up.

 

[pinkus maximus]

too many soft goals

franklins goal in the first minute of the last quarter was a heart breaker

 

[Rob]

Well obviously ya cant have toughness and speed and youth all in the one team.
We lost 2 of our toughest in Solly and Johnno we dont have anyone else to step up.

We had the same problems last week with them in the side. Toughness isn't just about ironing blokes out. It's about having the composure to hit your target 50 metres up the ground when you know that you're about to be flattened. Or when you're in the middle of the pack, being smashed, to get a handball out to a teammate. Or when an opponent is coming at you, to grab him, not let go, and dispossess him of the ball.

It's a state of mind more than anything else.

 

[jeffle]

I think Mark Harvey was Chris Connolly all along. And, btw, wtf was Drew Banfield doing in our box?

 

[Reveler]

Young ran a muck in the first half, he had 10 inside 50's and was destroying us. Yet we let him run free.

That was the main thing that pissed me off.

 

[Frigate]

McPharlin had the wood over Franklin.

Some of the moves worked and got us back in the game.

 

[rgauci]

Harvey isn't a great gameday coach. I think by being a hardass, he get's our players to get the most out of themselves. Particularly new recruits. Who would of thought our youngsters would of come on in leaps and bounds like they have. I'm looking forward to having him head coach for a couple years in a row.

Does anyone think that Palmer, Hinkley and Mayne would be having the impact they are under Connolly?

Connolly is probably a better match day tactician. But a hardass like Harvey is better at developing youngsters. Something Fremantle has typically struggled with.

 

[The Night Shift]

Harvey does inspire and fire up the players.
I believe it takes a while to develop match day tactical nous and the ability to react fast to opposition moves... Harvey will improve even more in time.

 

[Geoff]

Tarrant at CHB might not be a bad idea. The Weagles would be a good team to try that against, because they don't have a (decent) CHF.

Rob, what makes you think CHB is the solution for Tarrant? I would have thought if he doesn't want to play for what ever reason, you wouldn't put him in the 22. Infact you just may be inclined to show him the door.

 

[footyfix]

I think Harvey is doing a great job for a new coach. I would rather see him throw things around a get it wrong than try nothing, or hair pulling moves like putting Pav in the middle after the game is truly lost and threatening to drop people week after week when all you really mean is drop Cookie.
He's making changes and finding out about what the guys will do for him. He's not afraid to leave guys out and put new guys in.After years of promises I for one am happy to see movement. Oh and by the way I never thought we were premiership favourites this year.I hope I am wrong but if we couldn't get there two years ago with the same team why should this year be different? Now with some new guys and coaching I feel hope and excitement.

 

[chook2734]

I think Harvey is doing a great job for a new coach. I would rather see him throw things around a get it wrong than try nothing, or hair pulling moves like putting Pav in the middle after the game is truly lost and threatening to drop people week after week when all you really mean is drop Cookie.
He's making changes and finding out about what the guys will do for him. He's not afraid to leave guys out and put new guys in.After years of promises I for one am happy to see movement. Oh and by the way I never thought we were premiership favourites this year.I hope I am wrong but if we couldn't get there two years ago with the same team why should this year be different? Now with some new guys and coaching I feel hope and excitement.

Agreed footyfix. Harvs is not going to go down wondering. We have talented players who don't work hard enough, and we have weaknesses in a number of areas on the ground. He's giving players an opportunity to show they are willing to do what is required in a team and looking for some ways to solve the problems. Hopefully in the next week or two we will see those who aren't prepared to work hard enough out of the team. I think the changes are going to take some time though, but I do think he'll get us the results eventually.

 

[Rob]

Rob, what makes you think CHB is the solution for Tarrant? I would have thought if he doesn't want to play for what ever reason, you wouldn't put him in the 22. Infact you just may be inclined to show him the door.

I don't know what his head is like atm. I'd imagine we'd employ professionals that would.
But in any case, perhaps if you can put him in a position with a bit of accountability and let his opponent take him to the ball, it might give him a bit of confidence to find it a bit more. Hawthorn did it with Croad and it worked a treat. It's not like Tarrant doesn't have the ability.

 

[dockers_bengals]

I think Harvey is doing a great job for a new coach. I would rather see him throw things around a get it wrong than try nothing, or hair pulling moves like putting Pav in the middle after the game is truly lost and threatening to drop people week after week when all you really mean is drop Cookie.
He's making changes and finding out about what the guys will do for him. He's not afraid to leave guys out and put new guys in.After years of promises I for one am happy to see movement. Oh and by the way I never thought we were premiership favourites this year.I hope I am wrong but if we couldn't get there two years ago with the same team why should this year be different? Now with some new guys and coaching I feel hope and excitement.

Hit the nail on the head.
So far I think he has done a great job,as I said before I would of liked to see what changes he would of made if the four weren't forced on him.Short term pain for long term gain

 

[Stronzo]

Why would Mayne be dragged after both his 2 goals..obviously was a timed substitution , BUT, when a young bloke kicks goals in his 1st game & is obviously a confidence player...benching him was just stupid & smacked of Connolly.

I disagree.

The kid just kicked his first goal in AFL, he would have been very excited at that stage. A short stint on the bench, a congratulations and some re-focusing words from the coach would've been beneficial.

As a general reflection on your other points, I would suggest that there is still some tinkering going on and the team dynamics are yet to be settled. I think this is normal for any new coach.

 

[wehavethepassion]

For the firstime in our history we have coaches who have been there(premierships) multiple times ie harvey 3, wallis 2 & Scott 2

Scott and harvey have been played under two of the best in sheedy and Matthews.

 

[raffrox]

For the firstime in our history we have coaches who have been there(premierships) multiple times ie harvey 3, wallis 2 & Scott 2

Scott and harvey have been played under two of the best in sheedy and Matthews.

Harvey is a new coach so he will take time. He's made some mistakes so far but does seeem to take on feedback and try new things.

Sit back, relax and expect a 7th place to 12th place finish.

 

[dominguez]

Pav in the midfield is robbing peter to pay paul - why would u put the runner up in the Coleman medal back to the midfield!!!!

Because our midfield consists of Des Headland, Josh Carr who hasn't been playing well, his brother who is just plain awful, a guy playing his first game, a HBF who became a ruckman last year who is now trying to become a midfielder and a couple of guys who are in terrible form.

Why Dodd didn't play on Franklin again ( as he did last year), I will never know? Dodd restricted Buddy to 1 goal last year after Buddy was coming off 9 from the week prior. McPharlin was serviceable at best & would have been a much better match up for Boyle with Grover on Roughhead. Dodd is the best spoiler in our team.

Buddy got lucky a couple of times. In the first quarter he kicked a goal from a mark that wasn't a mark. In the 3rd quarter he crumbed a goal whn McPharlin did the team thing and went third man up in a marking contest, then in the final quarter he sold the dummy to two players and snapped a goal.

Doddy should have gone to him when McPharlin went forward though.

Why would Mayne be dragged after both his 2 goals..obviously was a timed substitution , BUT, when a young bloke kicks goals in his 1st game & is obviously a confidence player...benching him was just stupid & smacked of Connolly.

It did look bad but Chpper looked knackered each time he was on the bench.

Why wasn't Mitchell tagged?

Matt Carr and Crowley are struggling anyway but Mitchell definately had too much space.

Why not try Tarrant at CHB, instead of spending all those $$$'s on the pine?

If Tarrant is going to play CHB he has to be better than our other options there and he's not. When young players come in they usually start on a flank. If Tarrant can't get a kick as a half forward flank I can't see what he's going to do down back. He's not a very good contested mark so I'd be very nervous seeing him inside defensive 50.

If Tarrant is to learn to play CHB he needs to do it at WAFL level.