Let's Bust some Myths

[No SPIN]

Let's blow up some myths that the critics are clinging to.

Myth: We have no game plan.

Reality: give me a stable 22 and I'll give you a game plan.

Critics comeback: oh what about Haw they had injuires

Reality: yes, however ave. of 117 games ( vs 50 for COLL) and 2 years older list means this clear advantage in experience underpins a stable game plan

Myth: Buckley has lost the players:

Reality:
at 8-2 there was rejoicing at the job Bucks was doing, and after the Anzac comeback after QTR time all were lauding the fact that the team was playing for BUCKS.

Myth: Youth is no excuse:

Reality: young lists are faltering as they struggle with a long season eg. Power, ADEL, GC

Myth: Buck continually picks duds like Blair, Frost

Reality:
in both cases there are no obvious replacements sitting in the VFL.
KM is NOT a Blair replacement he has no grunt. JT is the obvious replacement but is out of form.

Myth: Injuries are no excuse

Reality:
(a) we will for the 3rd season in succession have the most games missed by our best 22 of any team.
I defy any team with our youth profile, to cope with this disruption. There are no examples in recent history of any team or coach succeeding with the PROLONGED absence of key personel in a single season, let alone 3.

(b) when a team loses on field leadership such as Maxy, Reid, Browny it leaves a huge holes on game day. Young teams need level heads around them for guidance during a game.
With these 3 in defense all year we would have had a much better year.

Myth: Bucks inherited a a great list and has stuffed it.

Reality:
Sentimentality is very dangerous in this game. Sadly Dids, BJ, Leon,
Leigh Brown, TAZ,Jolly were past it.
Daisy wanted more money and the club doubted his prospects of a full recovery, and sadly they may be vindicated.
Dawes spat the dummy when told his spot was not guaranteed and chose more money. and Wellers is not trearing it up at WC.
Which leaves HS, if people think he would have been the difference this year they are kidding themselves.


Myth: Replacing BUCKS can only improve our prospects.

Reality: Persisting with a coach during times of adversity and criticism has proven time and time again to be the right strategy.
During such times club Boards backed Thompson, Clarkson, Choco Williams and we also backed MM, and all these Clubs were rewarded with flags.
A coaching merry-go round like we have seen at Richmond for over ten years is not an example for us to follow.

Myth: Our medical and conditioning department need to be sacked.

Reality: 100% true not a myth - Yes a clean out is definitely needed here, and the critics are correct.

 

[Robroy22]

Good on ya mate for clearing all that up. You make a lot of sense.

 

[si tacuisses]

Reality: Persisting with a coach during times of adversity and criticism has proven time and time again to be the right strategy.
During such times club Boards backed Thompson, Clarkson, Choco Williams and we also backed MM, and all these Clubs were rewarded with flags.
A coaching merry-go round like we have seen at Richmond for over ten years is not an example for us to follow.

This is key. I strongly suspect that stability is more important than a coach's individual brilliance. Shift Bucks, and we risk losing players who like him or who are worried about a change in direction (as happened with Thomas and Malthouse, Voss at brisbane and all those kids).

No one thought Thompson was all that in 2006. I remember it very well, have a lot of Geelong mates and so always saw a lot of their games. In 2005 or so I started thinking they were going to be an amazing team, was disappointed for a few years before they finally pulled through (and then suddenly everyone talked up what guns they were, when no-one had noticed it before). Partly this is because Bomber is good at developing young players (he's not all that great as a gameday coach, IMO, the reverse of Ross Lyon). But also it's just because, when the players know that bad performances won't just get the coach sacked (like some had started to do at Melbourne) and when they know that the club is aiming at something and will stay the course, a group-mentality can set in, a feeling of "we're in this together" along with "this comes down to us, not the coach". Sticking with Thompson despite his limitations was more important than finding the "perfect fit". Unless a coach is a complete and utter dud, that is (Walls), in which case, well, hiring one of the groundsmen is an improvement.

I think we like to blame the staff just cause it's easy to change them, since we can hire them whenever we like, unlike with players. So we want to change something, and all we can change is coaches/staff, so we put all the blame there.

Anyway, didn't mean to go on about it, just feeling frustrated with all the negative posters descending on the board/the club like vultures. It's like they enjoy it as much when we bottom out as when we hit the top, just doesn't sit well with me.

 

[mike123]

Leon wasn't past it.

 

[PieBeast]

Seeing that you went all mythbusters on us how about you have a crack at the one that states Bucks can coach based on anything he's shown to date.

 

[Baird]

Davis was past it? But wasn't he in the AA team in 2011?

Myth: We have no game plan.

Reality: give me a stable 22 and I'll give you a game plan

Our 22 was pretty stable against West Coast...

 

[Good_Old]

Leon wasn't past it.

Nor do I think Dids was either. Was playing well in the VFL and had an impact during the limited gametime in the AFL.
Whislt he didn't lay any tackles, had superb footskills, vision and goal awareness. The polish that we so desperately need this year.

Apart from that I have no qualms with the calls Buckley made.

 

[Smokeyr67]

Did's was on the slippery slope, he was struggling to get on the park let alone get a game.

 

[Mateyman]

Nor do I think Dids was either. Was playing well in the VFL and had an impact during the limited gametime in the AFL.
Whislt he didn't lay any tackles, had superb footskills, vision and goal awareness. The polish that we so desperately need this year.

Apart from that I have no qualms with the calls Buckley made.

WHy wasn't Dids picked up by another club then?
Also I thought Davis retired and wanted to go back home. Hot really a choice to move him I thought.

 

[Good_Old]

WHy wasn't Dids picked up by another club then?
Also I thought Davis retired and wanted to go back home. Hot really a choice to move him I thought.

So because he didn't get pucked up by a club he couldn't have played another year?

Chappers could have easily went begging and he ended up playing pretty well this year.
Essendon took a chance and it payed off.

I think Davis got offered less money and turned it down, like you said, to return home.

 

[BEEG]

Still amazes me Davis was AA in 2011 and no one wanted to pick him up

 

[BoxMatrix]

Leon wanted to play on, he stated he did not want to play under Buckley... That's why he did not play on for another season.

 

[The Magnificent Seven]

Leon wanted to play on, he stated he did not want to play under Buckley... That's why he did not play on for another season.

I absolutely love Leon and yearn for that level of skill and magic in our team. But to have that attitude shows that he wasn't part of that team. Anyone who doesn't get past the selfish aspect of the game is always going to let you down at some stage.

 

[PieNSauce]

Great thread but how dare you come in here quoting reasoned opinions and facts. That's definitely against the spirit of BF!

 

[frizzle]

Leon wanted to play on, he stated he did not want to play under Buckley... That's why he did not play on for another season.

That's not true. We had salary cap issues & could not offer him the money he deserved considering his form.
We offered him considerably less than what he was already on because our TPP was chockers.
Leon decided that for that money, he may as well head home. Which was his right.

 

[BoxMatrix]

That's not true. We had salary cap issues & could not offer him the money he deserved considering his form.
We offered him considerably less than what he was already on because our TPP was chockers.
Leon decided that for that money, he may as well head home. Which was his right.

He said he did not like Buckley...

 

[Maggie5]

He said he did not like Buckley...

You know, I read almost all on-line news re AFL and can't find one direct quote from Leon saying what you are quoting.
Can you supply a link for all of us to read? Not a reporter but directly from Leon as some reporters thought that but no direct quote.

 

[BoxMatrix]

You know, I read almost all on-line news re AFL and can't find one direct quote from Leon saying what you are quoting.
Can you supply a link for all of us to read? Not a reporter but directly from Leon as some reporters thought that but no direct quote.

Sure Let me search...

 

[Big Bryza]

Nor do I think Dids was either. Was playing well in the VFL and had an impact during the limited gametime in the AFL.
Whislt he didn't lay any tackles, had superb footskills, vision and goal awareness. The polish that we so desperately need this year.

Apart from that I have no qualms with the calls Buckley made.

Dids was lucky that his mates were looking after him on the ground and giving him some very cheap possessions. His body was well and truly gone.

 

[Big Bryza]

So because he didn't get pucked up by a club he couldn't have played another year?

Chappers could have easily went begging and he ended up playing pretty well this year.
Essendon took a chance and it payed off.

I think Davis got offered less money and turned it down, like you said, to return home.

Chapman kicked 4 in the Semi Final against Port Adelaide last year but was suspended for the prelim.

I'll reiterate my point again. Dids was gone, gone, gone!

And I bloody loved the bloke.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Still amazes me Davis was AA in 2011 and no one wanted to pick him up

That's not true. We had salary cap issues & could not offer him the money he deserved considering his form.
We offered him considerably less than what he was already on because our TPP was chockers.
Leon decided that for that money, he may as well head home. Which was his right.

Both are true to some extent. My understanding is that he had all but retired midseason and it was only very late in the piece that he decided he wanted to play on another year. By that time a lot of contracts were locked in so it ended up a choice between losing Toovey/Maccaffer or losing Davis. Or keeping all three if Davis was happy to play for less. Youre a long time retired Leon!!

At that point in time he decided to seek a trade elsewhere but ONLY to a WA club. Neither club needed or wanted him. At that point in time he shoudl have eaten humble pie and accepted Collingwoods offer. but he didnt. His loss.

 

[Maggie5]

Sure Let me search...

Look forward to link or you conceding that it never happened.

 

[Yidaki]

LOL...nice try at disproving these myths, but some are actually quite factual.

 

[tattooedswan]

Leon wasn't past it.

That was our WORST mistake post MM by far.

To suggest Leon take a pay cut after having an AA year was a disgrace.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

That was our WORST mistake post MM by far.

To suggest Leon take a pay cut after having an AA year was a disgrace.

Bullshit. Youre being way too simplistic. Leon only had a year left in him regardless. He chose to walk. He might have walked anyway. So we lost a back pocket player. Who cares. He didnt do much in September despite having a good home and away year collecting kicks across half back. Varcoe ripped him a hole when it mattered.