Certified Legendary Thread Leigh Montagna, the lone voice in the media

[killerspud]

Actually I disagree - Mitchell's role at Box Hill in preparing players for Senior Football cannot be underestimated - he is taking players out of their predetermined comfort zones and giving them every opportunity to play to their strengths. He is right in his 'zone' right now much to the betterment of the football club.

To take him away from that development role now to put him into a managerial position that is already well filled cannot make us better - certainly not in the short to medium term and could see us sh*t in our own nest Malthouse/Buckley style and all that unrest that was created through the entire club.

Stick with our knitting - AC is on top of his game and still improving, Sam is on top of his game and still improving - why can't we have both?

Because getting rid of Clarko for the sake of worrying about losing Sam is the act of a dumb as fu** sh*t club.

Nailed it. Just ******* nailed it

 

[Jazzfan]

There is no question the footy dept knows where it is at and what it has to do.

Without being disrespectful mate, can I ask what has changed for you?

Not long ago you were actually really critical of Clarko, and his intentions and buy in, including he was the one ******* us over...

Again, not saying it to be a prick, just interested why you have had a full 180?

 

[extractasam]

If Day is out I wonder what that does to our defensive structure

Even though we’d been getting smacked without day I still felt defensively we were ok considering the amount of ball going in.I feel we will be ok defensively without however offensively he just offers us something we probably can’t replace in the way he can break lines

 

[Topiary]

Without being disrespectful mate, can I ask what has changed for you?

Not long ago you were actually really critical of Clarko, and his intentions and buy in, including he was the one ******* us over...

Again, not saying it to be a prick, just interested why you have had a full 180?

My issue was we needed to buy in to a Rebuild. We failed with the “other” strategy.
AC slowly but surely has realised we needed to grow the List to improve the List, through a Rebuild.Don’t get me wrong he was responsible for the previous strategy, but he understood, I think finally, the only way forward was to rebuild the List.
He has finally invested in same. The footy dept is now clearly invested in it.
Importantly, I think they now realise it will take time.

Move forward, in typical AC fashion he has now invested in a List rebuild. The Footy Dept to. In the end the bloke has won FOUR flags. Remarkable. He has changed and introduced a game style that the List is clearly buying into.

Let’s not misunderstand me we have plenty to do, but we are clearly moving in the right direction.

I was only critical AC was taking time to get where we are now. He clearly has and he is a four time premiership coach, smart and adaptable. That is what we need. We know he can deliver now engaged. I just want it to happen really soon so we can get on with the massive work that still needs to take the HFC back to the very top. That is what the HFC expects.

 

[houdinihuddo]

But JGK does not want to reappoint him !!!!!!!!!

?????????
My thoughts, there are a number of good reasons to hold off any reappointment:
Retaining Bolton and cutting Carroll.
Not embracing the standing on the mark rule with faster forward ball movement - the demise of Buckley.
Questionable selection/match ups - the latest example being against the Scum when Burgoyne [186 cms] lined up on Jones [196 cms] before we were forced to make a change and moved Jiath [185 cms] and lost his drive from half back. Surely the ineffective O'Brien [193 cms] should have been moved because we would have lost nothing in the forward line. Another option for team balance would have been to select Hartley [199 cms] given the Scum forward line also included Hooker [197 cms] and Wright [203 cms].
I have consistently posted my belief that our list is not nearly as bad as posters like yourself think. When we move the ball more offensively to team mates on the move rather than chipping the ball to stationary targets we are a far better team. The last quarter against GWS was a classic example as was the R1 second quarter against the Scum.
Losing to North Melbourne was a disgrace given we are far superior on individual ability.
Consistently kicking the ball deep into the forward line and having three players spoiling each other and making it easy for our opponents to set up their defensive team structures. Kosi has been far more effective one on one and Jeka was totally wasted when he played as a deep forward rather than leading into space. When he returned to the BHH he was allowed to play to his strength and has taken 36 marks in three games.
Omitting players after a single game or two games is not good for a players confidence and development.
I see our focus to be more defensive to avoid losing rather than offensive to win. Over the last few years we have played our best football when we have trailed and been forced to play more attacking football.

 

[Fluro Boots]

For me the memorable point in the first rebuild was when we beat Brisbane out of the blue with Roughy and Bud playing. Last week was awesome, as was the Sydney game, but i dont think its that point yet. Need a big scalp.

 

[Fluro Boots]

I think we will need a better label than Clarko’s Bird’s Nest !!! Somehow does not have that ring !!

The Changkouth Triangle is my vote.

 

[Pessimistic]

Did the club really start a ‘rebuild in 2021?

number of players in - the lowest total in a year is 7 and the highest back in 2010 was 13

last three seasons 9, 9, 10

1n 2018 Traded 3 (2 remain). DFA 1 drafted 2 rookied 4 Kosi greaves reeves remain
In 2019 traded 2 (1 remains) DFA 2 drafted 4 rookied 2 Day maginness jeka look likely
In 2020 traded 2 (2 remain) DFA 0 drafted 4 rookied 3 too soon to tell

the numbers don’t vary much just the draft currency was more

in 2017 it was just one trade 3 draft 3 rookied so 2017 was the most recent standout rebuild year - but there wasn’t much currency due to borrowing picks for 2016

 

[Carl Spackler]

My issue was we needed to buy in to a Rebuild. We failed with the “other” strategy.
AC slowly but surely has realised we needed to grow the List to improve the List, through a Rebuild.Don’t get me wrong he was responsible for the previous strategy, but he understood, I think finally, the only way forward was to rebuild the List.
He has finally invested in same. The footy dept is now clearly invested in it.
Importantly, I think they now realise it will take time.

Move forward, in typical AC fashion he has now invested in a List rebuild. The Footy Dept to. In the end the bloke has won FOUR flags. Remarkable. He has changed and introduced a game style that the List is clearly buying into.

Let’s not misunderstand me we have plenty to do, but we are clearly moving in the right direction.

I was only critical AC was taking time to get where we are now. He clearly has and he is a four time premiership coach, smart and adaptable. That is what we need. We know he can deliver now engaged. I just want it to happen really soon so we can get on with the massive work that still needs to take the HFC back to the very top. That is what the HFC expects.

I don't know if Clarkson should stay or go, but if he's had to be dragged kicking and screaming to this obvious position then I wonder who was doing the dragging? Clarkson, as is right, can virtually steer the club anywhere he thinks it should go. It has taken years of effort to change his mind on the direction the footy department should be heading. Depending on who it was that finally got the change to happen, it may not be as easy as automatically signing Clarkson to another extension.

Also in my head is that the success of the last three weeks stands in stark contrast to the last two years. Surely the mid-season elevation of a hard-nosed midfielder from right under Clarkson's nose was not the rebuild the team needed. Perhaps that was a bit of hyperbole, but we've had two high effort games in the last three weeks (one with four quarters and one with three) that gave us very thirsty camels some nice wins. I'm not convinced those seven quarters have addressed the last two years that made us so thirsty in the first place.

 

[Carl Spackler]

There is no question the footy dept knows where it is at and what it has to do.

Do you have any insight on how they got to this point of agreement? Who or what was it that finally convinced Clarkson this was the right direction? I'm really interested in that information because I suspect it will provide some insight into where leadership will go over the next six months.

 

[Brishawk]

Do you have any insight on how they got to this point of agreement? Who or what was it that finally convinced Clarkson this was the right direction? I'm really interested in that information because I suspect it will provide some insight into where leadership will go over the next six months.

Surely it was the performance of the team

 

[Davo-27]

Did the club really start a ‘rebuild in 2021?

number of players in - the lowest total in a year is 7 and the highest back in 2010 was 13

last three seasons 9, 9, 10

1n 2018 Traded 3 (2 remain). DFA 1 drafted 2 rookied 4 Kosi greaves reeves remain
In 2019 traded 2 (1 remains) DFA 2 drafted 4 rookied 2 Day maginness jeka look likely
In 2020 traded 2 (2 remain) DFA 0 drafted 4 rookied 3 too soon to tell

the numbers don’t vary much just the draft currency was more

in 2017 it was just one trade 3 draft 3 rookied so 2017 was the most recent standout rebuild year - but there wasn’t much currency due to borrowing picks for 2016

I think it was more the club showed signs of wanting to rebuild when they kept their first pick and got Will Day in 2019, prior to that we were convinced bringing in ANY player good, bad or cooked was the way to go, but they still traded out of the draft around Maginness, so it was half hearted from my PoV, then there seemed to be a more obvious embrace of the rebuild at the end of 2020 where I think finally Clarko got on board and 2021 is the start of everyone at the club moving in the right direction and that includes catering game plans to the new talent that has been identified and invested in recently.

 

[Milkshaker]

For me the memorable point in the first rebuild was when we beat Brisbane out of the blue with Roughy and Bud playing. Last week was awesome, as was the Sydney game, but i dont think its that point yet. Need a big scalp.

I can remember where I was this game. My mate had just bought a house and we were landscaping his back yard. It was a real biatch on a hill. The Hawks Lions game was on the radio. At some point I put down tools grabbed a beer from his fridge and sat down to listen. It was that exact game that made me think we were back in the big time.

 

[play2win]

Really don’t buy into the hyperbole surrounding the urgency to extend clarko‘s contract. What is the inference here, that he won’t buy into the re-build? What is the downside? He is already contracted for next year! The guy has proven his loyalty and professionalism time and time again, why question that now? Been reading to much of the AFL gutter press and jumping at the knee jerk reactionary crapola.
in terms of process, committing to the discussion after the season has ended seems entirely appropriate and professional.

 

[Davo-27]

That video that Leigh Montana was analysing shows that we are using our strength which is medium sized intercept defenders to in affect create a web of players in front of the opposition creating turn overs by having extra players off hb, teams like Essendon or Richmond who like to play run and carry chaos footy might have better success against this system, but it is working atm.

 

[cryptor]

That video that Leigh Montana was analysing shows that we are using our strength which is medium sized intercept defenders to in affect create a web of players in front of the opposition creating turn overs by having extra players off hb, teams like Essendon or Richmond who like to play run and carry chaos footy might have better success against this system, but it is working atm.

Agreed. It's certainly an effective formation for our back third to take advantage of kicks toward/inside 50. But I suspect a lot of its success hinges on the pressure applied by our players further up the ground to force the opposition to rush and kick it long and high. If the opposition have the time and space to run and carry, and hit up short leads then our backline isn't going to have much opportunity to read the flight and take the intercept mark.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Surely it was the performance of the team

Yes, I suppose.

But I was more along the lines that the team's performance has been pretty clear for a while. Why now?

 

[Davo-27]

Agreed. It's certainly an effective formation for our back third to take advantage of kicks toward/inside 50. But I suspect a lot of its success hinges on the pressure applied by our players further up the ground to force the opposition to rush and kick it long and high. If the opposition have the time and space to run and carry, and hit up short leads then our backline isn't going to have much opportunity to read the flight and take the intercept mark.

I have noticed our midfield has improved, JOM has been huge this season, Titch seems to be stepping up his game a bit too, Shiels has also been good and had spells up forward to allow more opportunity for the newer guys like Newcombe and Bramble who are not getting big stats, but Newcombe is providing pressure on opponent ball carriers and Bramble is giving us added run on the wing, these things are also helping our team set up better and not get so exploited when we don't win the clearance.

 

[mustang]

I think it was more the club showed signs of wanting to rebuild when they kept their first pick and got Will Day in 2019, prior to that we were convinced bringing in ANY player good, bad or cooked was the way to go, but they still traded out of the draft around Maginness, so it was half hearted from my PoV, then there seemed to be a more obvious embrace of the rebuild at the end of 2020 where I think finally Clarko got on board and 2021 is the start of everyone at the club moving in the right direction and that includes catering game plans to the new talent that has been identified and invested in recently.

If we trade out a star player Mitchell,JOM,Wingard,Breust to get another first then I think we will really be invested in the rebuild.

 

[TheFourPillars]

If we trade out a star player Mitchell,JOM,Wingard,Breust to get another first then I think we will really be invested in the rebuild.

Lol yeah naah. We probably won't because none of them want to leave

 

[TylerDurden]

Lol yeah naah. We probably won't because none of them want to leave

Exactly. None are leaving. Which is great.

 

[cryptor]

I have noticed our midfield has improved, JOM has been huge this season, Titch seems to be stepping up his game a bit too, Shiels has also been good and had spells up forward to allow more opportunity for the newer guys like Newcombe and Bramble who are not getting big stats, but Newcombe is providing pressure on opponent ball carriers and Bramble is giving us added run on the wing, these things are also helping our team set up better and not get so exploited when we don't win the clearance.

Individually I don't think the older established mids have improved dramatically, but their cohesion with each other as a midfield unit has had a remarkable improvement since the bye. That whole champion team > team of champions idea.

 

[TheFourPillars]

Individually I don't think the older established mids have improved dramatically, but their cohesion with each other as a midfield unit has had a remarkable improvement since the bye. That whole champion team > team of champions idea.

Shiels playing wing exclusively. Jai coming into the midfield has made a difference there

 

[Teamwork Talks]

I have noticed our midfield has improved, JOM has been huge this season, Titch seems to be stepping up his game a bit too, Shiels has also been good and had spells up forward to allow more opportunity for the newer guys like Newcombe and Bramble who are not getting big stats, but Newcombe is providing pressure on opponent ball carriers and Bramble is giving us added run on the wing, these things are also helping our team set up better and not get so exploited when we don't win the clearance.

Yes our biggest weakness has been the midfield. Their improvement has also been a factor in us winning more games.
It appears to me that the mid field is putting in more second and third efforts and this is paying dividends. Even the ruckmen are having second and third efforts.

 

[STFUJEFF]

Shiels playing wing exclusively. Jai coming into the midfield has made a difference there

Bramble too he can hit a target in the forward line