Opinion Non-Crows AFL 4: The Centre Cannot Hold

[AFC979810]

Did the ACL in preseason, so he should be firing in 2023.

It is surprising they're not going for the years until Ben is free agent, but that alone probably indicates Gold Coast see Ben King leaving as a when, not a if.

I think he will play in 2023, but usually the big fella's take a little longer to be at their absolute best.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Jenkins really is bitter at the Crows ....tries to disguise it, but it seeps thru

 

[AFC979810]

Jenkins really is bitter at the Crows ....tries to disguise it, but it seeps thru

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Lets not paint it as though its just Jenkins. I would be pretty bitter too considering how much we destroyed that list.

11 of our grand final team went on to play for other clubs.

Contrast that to Richmonds grand final team (3 of em).

 

[GreyCrow]

Jenkins really is bitter at the Crows ....tries to disguise it, but it seeps thru

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There is an argument that both methods are correct.

Certainly the coaching group should be assessing the reasons for losing - but to dismiss it as a bad day at the office is also a dangerous mind set to have

 

[Mego Red]

Lets not paint it as though its just Jenkins. I would be pretty bitter too considering how much we destroyed that list.

11 of our grand final team went on to play for other clubs.

Contrast that to Richmonds grand final team (3 of em).

Any of the good players from that team?

Lever and Cameron, maybe. And both went for $300k to $550k pay increases, so all power to them.

 

[AFC979810]

Any of the good players from that team?

Lever and Cameron, maybe. And both went for $300k to $550k pay increases, so all power to them.

Ha ha - Lever and Cameron maybe? Not like they went on to become All Australians.

But I guess you are right. Losing the bulk of that squad from 2016 - 2017 when we went 31-12-1 really didn't hurt. Cause if it was that important we probably would have ended up missing the finals the next 4 seasons with a combined 34-53 record and our first wooden spoon!

We are just unlucky I guess. Our recruiters just love money hungry players.

 

[footy4ever]

It’s probably 2 years because they know that they’re no hope of getting him to commit for 5. So offer him overs for 2 and see if that does the trick. A chance for 2 is better than no chance for 5.

Absolutely this.

 

[AFC979810]

There is an argument that both methods are correct.

Certainly the coaching group should be assessing the reasons for losing - but to dismiss it as a bad day at the office is also a dangerous mind set to have

Its tricky.

I can't imagine how to approach the Bulldogs loss.

One hand you wonder what you need to change after suffering a 74 point loss in a grand final.

On the other hand were playing really good footy up by 19 points halfway through the 3/4 and then just get absolutely dismantled in a 10 minute soul destroying patch of footy where everything went right for Melbourne.

 

[George CantStandYa]

Its tricky.

I can't imagine how to approach the Bulldogs loss.

One hand you wonder what you need to change after suffering a 74 point loss in a grand final.

On the other hand were playing really good footy up by 19 points halfway through the 3/4 and then just get absolutely dismantled in a 10 minute soul destroying patch of footy where everything went right for Melbourne.

The thing for the Bulldogs is they might believe without improvement from somewhere they aren’t good enough to beat Melbourne who played the most unbelievable 35 minutes of footy that’s ever been played.

 

[adelaidecrows]

Jenkins really is bitter at the Crows ....tries to disguise it, but it seeps thru

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Would we have really wanted a rudderless Geelong type review that had them flogged sideways out of the finals the next year because they are old and now is a dads army joke of a squad bound for a hawthorn fall.

 

[AFC979810]

The thing for the Bulldogs is they might believe without improvement from somewhere they aren’t good enough to beat Melbourne who played the most unbelievable 35 minutes of footy that’s ever been played.

I would lean more towards just writing it off. They beat them by 20 points just 8 weeks earlier.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Would we have really wanted a rudderless Geelong type review that had them flogged sideways out of the finals the next year because they are old and now is a dads army joke of a squad bound for a hawthorn fall.

My opinion .....Scott has to be the luckiest Coach to have survived this long ....been given access to some of the best talent via trades and go home factors, of any club .....but still can't snare a flag

Bomber Thompson assembled a team, built it, to win flags .....Scott, has traded off the back of Thompson's work, and thrown players into the side, to fluke a flag

I would have got rid of him ages ago ....both Scott brothers as bad as each other ....already you can see a plan at NORTH, you could never see at either club under the Scott bros

 

[Jarman3]

My opinion .....Scott has to be the luckiest Coach to have survived this long ....been given access to some of the best talent via trades and go home factors, of any club .....but still can't snare a flag

Bomber Thompson assembled a team, built it, to win flags .....Scott, has traded off the back of Thompson's work, and thrown players into the side, to fluke a flag

I would have got rid of him ages ago ....both Scott brothers as bad as each other ....already you can see a plan at NORTH, you could never see at either club under the Scott bros

Ken Hinkley coming into his 10th season at Port with absolutely FA to show for it and has missed finals completely in 4 years out of 9. Scott at least has a flag (albeit won by a team that probably could have coached itself to that premiership), a grand final appearance 2 years ago and only missed finals once.

 

[Scorpus]

Ha ha - Lever and Cameron maybe? Not like they went on to become All Australians.

But I guess you are right. Losing the bulk of that squad from 2016 - 2017 when we went 31-12-1 really didn't hurt. Cause if it was that important we probably would have ended up missing the finals the next 4 seasons with a combined 34-53 record and our first wooden spoon!

We are just unlucky I guess. Our recruiters just love money hungry players.

We didn't immediately lose the bulk of the squad. In 2018 we lost Lever and Cameron from the GF side, gained Gibbs, and didn't make the finals.

Gutting the squad isn't what made us worse, it was a reaction to us becoming worse

 

[FAITH]

Jenkins really is bitter at the Crows ....tries to disguise it, but it seeps thru

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He was always the weak link in terms of mentally within the group.

Nicksy is building a completely different mentality within this current group.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

He was always the weak link in terms of mentally within the group.

Nicksy is building a completely different mentality within this current group.

And drafting players with strong characters

 

[Golumless]

Its tricky.

I can't imagine how to approach the Bulldogs loss.

One hand you wonder what you need to change after suffering a 74 point loss in a grand final.

On the other hand were playing really good footy up by 19 points halfway through the 3/4 and then just get absolutely dismantled in a 10 minute soul destroying patch of footy where everything went right for Melbourne.

Also the likely best approach would be awfully difficult to implement which would be to just write it off. After all there would be a good 5-6 weeks of sleepless nights and it likely gnawing at your brain. That said, considering it's importance, I doubt there is anything to gain by looking into it (which was echoed by Blight in his critiques of Adelaides approach post 2017).

That said, you are good enough to get there so what you're doing is likely a right path moving forwards, and if players aren't walking out afterwards, you haven't got cultural issues rearing up. Teams would also have a good idea of what needs to be improved as well which needs to be targeted in the trade/draft period and just hope your development holds up.

Certainly an unenviable position to be in though.

 

[FAITH]

And drafting players with strong characters

The Jurgen Klopp way.
You're only as strong as your weakest link.

 

[adelaidecrows]

Ken Hinkley coming into his 10th season at Port with absolutely FA to show for it and has missed finals completely in 4 years out of 9. Scott at least has a flag (albeit won by a team that probably could have coached itself to that premiership), a grand final appearance 2 years ago and only missed finals once.

Hinkley's career is living of 3 months of good football in 2014. He should never have been granted such longevity. but Kochie used Ken as a marketing tool about family. If I was to guess, I bet the board at Port were hoping Ken ****ed off on his own as to save them the embarrassment of backing him way above what he was due. Then he extended his own contract lol. Port 100% will have a new coach next season and may even have one by the middle of this year IMO. Port simply doesn't have the squad to win a premiership and they are getting on. Mid year I can see them floating mid upper table, around that 5th to 8th position or lower. They aren't in the same class as the bulldogs let alone Melbourne. Got to remember at times during the year last year when they had their best side on the park, they still got spanked by some sides and even looked sluggish in several games against mediocre opposition and even poor opposition. It would be a phenomenal turnaround with their list and their age to get to a premiership winning level. In the history of the AFL its never happened.

 

[AFC979810]

We didn't immediately lose the bulk of the squad. In 2018 we lost Lever and Cameron from the GF side, gained Gibbs, and didn't make the finals.

Gutting the squad isn't what made us worse, it was a reaction to us becoming worse

2017 we finished 1st and made a grand final. Then lost Lever & Cameron.

2018 - finished 12-10 and then lost McGovern.

2019 - finished 10-12 then lost Betts, Greenwood, Keath, Jacobs, Jenkins.

2020 - finished 3-14 bottom of ladder. Lost Brad Crouch & Hartigan.

2021 - finished 7-15 and slightly improved on the previous year. First offseason since 2016 that we have not lost a required player and 2nd offseason since 2013 (betts) /2017 (Gibbs) that we managed to poach a required player from another club.

The more we gutted - the worse we got.

 

[Scorpus]

2017 we finished 1st and made a grand final. Then lost Lever & Cameron.

2018 - finished 12-10 and then lost McGovern.

2019 - finished 10-12 then lost Betts, Greenwood, Keath, Jacobs, Jenkins.

2020 - finished 3-14 bottom of ladder. Lost Brad Crouch & Hartigan.

2021 - finished 7-15 and slightly improved on the previous year. First offseason since 2016 that we have not lost a required player and 2nd offseason since 2013 (betts) /2017 (Gibbs) that we managed to poach a required player from another club.

The more we gutted - the worse we got.

And before that we lost Dangerfield and Lyons but got better

 

[AFC979810]

Hinkley's career is living of 3 months of good football in 2014. He should never have been granted such longevity. but Kochie used Ken as a marketing tool about family. If I was to guess, I bet the board at Port were hoping Ken f’ed off on his own as to save them the embarrassment of backing him way above what he was due. Then he extended his own contract lol. Port 100% will have a new coach next season and may even have one by the middle of this year IMO. Port simply doesn't have the squad to win a premiership and they are getting on. Mid year I can see them floating mid upper table, around that 5th to 8th position or lower. They aren't in the same class as the bulldogs let alone Melbourne. Got to remember at times during the year last year when they had their best side on the park, they still got spanked by some sides and even looked sluggish in several games against mediocre opposition and even poor opposition. It would be a phenomenal turnaround with their list and their age to get to a premiership winning level. In the history of the AFL its never happened.

You as blind as a bat old son.

Port played some pretty good footy in 2020 when they lost by a kick to the eventual premiers in a preliminary final.

Hinkley has done a pretty good job for the Power. I feel he will be ultimately unsuccessful in winning a flag, but those lambasting him have short memories and have obviously forgotten the Primus years.

 

[AFC979810]

And before that we lost Dangerfield and Lyons but got better

Imagine how good we would have been if our culture was conducive to keeping players. That list we were building from when Walsh/Fagan arrived was spot on. Take away Dean Gore and Wayne Milera and throw Dangerfield into our side in 2017 and we could be looking at a Richmondesque dynasty.

 

[Jarman3]

You as blind as a bat old son.

Port played some pretty good footy in 2020 when they lost by a kick to the eventual premiers in a preliminary final.

Hinkley has done a pretty good job for the Power. I feel he will be ultimately unsuccessful in winning a flag, but those lambasting him have short memories and have obviously forgotten the Primus years.

9 seasons, played finals 5 times, missed 4. So yeah, he's had good and bad years, but even the good years haven't produced a grand final appearance, never mind a premiership.

He's Port's Neil Craig. Although in fairness to Neil, he only missed the 8 twice before resigning.

 

[relapse]

Imagine how good we would have been if our culture was conducive to keeping players. That list we were building from when Walsh/Fagan arrived was spot on. Take away Dean Gore and Wayne Milera and throw Dangerfield into our side in 2017 and we could be looking at a Richmondesque dynasty.

I have said before that if we had Dangerfield in 2016-2017, I think we would have potentially snagged a flag in one of those years.

People forget just how good we were in 2016, we were sitting 2nd in 2016 going into the final round. If you threw Danger into that side we potentially may have won 1 or 2 more games in 2016 and finished first or second.