Optomistic But Realistic

[Dudley Leopard]

Bear with me while I indulge a bit...

I am very happy with the events of the last week. Tough on Harvey but the administration has grown a pair and wrong-footed just about the entire League and media circus that follows it. In my view it is the single biggest win in the clubs history.

Lyon will develop a side in which everyone is accountable and no one gets a free ride. There will be a proper structure and game plan in which all players will know their role. Players will be properly prepared and not go into a season over-cooked.

However it will take a little time for the players to adapt to the new coach. If the boys are a couple of games outside the 8 by round 11 next year I wont be too concerned. Lyon will need to sort out those who just don't fit his style. There will players who struggled under Harvey but who will thrive under Lyon and vice versa. Funningly enough, the player I see with the most chance of getting his nose out of joint is Pav. He has been the main man there for years now and seems to get his own way. I wonder how he would like it if Lyon told him he is to play at FF from now on?

The notion that we have to win a flag when Pav, Sandi and Elvis are up and running is nonsense. Plenty of teams have won flags after star players retired.

In short, I expect a top 8 finish next year and anything more would be a bonus for a coach in his first year at a club.

 

[The Night Shift]

Top 8 should be a bare minimum.
How long will it take for the squad to catch on to the new tactics and player roles Lyon will implement?

 

[Dormammu]

Top 8 should be a bare minimum.
How long will it take for the squad to catch on to the new tactics and player roles Lyon will implement?

About a dozen games if 2007 (his first year at Saints), is anything to go by.

 

[Clay Davis]

Let's not forget Lyon was a rookie senior coach then.

 

[Falkon]

If we just scrape into the top 8, i will consider that a fail. Harvey would have been sacked next yr if we finished 8th. To win most of home games minus say`against collingwood/geelong/west coast will be the measure of our success. Loses at home against teams like St Kilda, Carlton, Hawthorn wont be tolerated by Ross.

 

[jedi mind tricks]

I think it will take a little while for the team to adjust. The pre-season cup will hopefully help us adapt to his game plan.

I believe if Pav was to get his nose bent out of shape if he was to play mostly at full forward, well thats bad luck to him. Most successful teams have a spearhead FF or CHF and we don't want to burn him out with three years to go on his contract as a senior player.

 

[apuchar]

Pav won't have his nose put out of place if he is asked to play forward, he has asked to play there so he can extend his career. He played in the midfield this year because he felt he had to. And yes the players will know where they stand this year and exactly what is expected of them. About time.

 

[Clay Davis]

If we just scrape into the top 8, i will consider that a fail. Harvey would have been sacked next yr if we finished 8th. To win most of home games minus say`against collingwood/geelong/west coast will be the measure of our success. Loses at home against teams like St Kilda, Carlton, Hawthorn wont be tolerated by Ross.

I agree. Next year should be held to the benchmark of what we expected from Harvey. We don't have a new coach because we're at the end of the cycle and needing to rebuild - we're smack in the middle of it and should be aiming at top four. That was the natural progression expected this year and should be seen next year.

 

[Nickos66]

Given our history it's a very scarey and damning thought to have such expectations. Don't get me wrong, i'm expecting that we're in the mix for a top 4 spot next year but it could be absolutely devastating if we fall short of this from a short term perspective.

 

[TIM_VUA]

2010 Harvey got 13 wins with a younger squad and 9 wins this year so should be top 4 or fail.

 

[Damarus]

Given our history it's a very scarey and damning thought to have such expectations. Don't get me wrong, i'm expecting that we're in the mix for a top 4 spot next year but it could be absolutely devastating if we fall short of this from a short term perspective.

I wholeheartedly agree, however I will still be considering it a big fail if we aren't pushing for top 4 next season after the events of the past few days. As Clay said, we didn't sack our coach because it's time to rebuild - we're obviously ready and wanting to push for a flag now.

It'll hurt if it doesn't happen, but that would hardly be a new feeling!

 

[theGav56]

I personally doubt that there will be an attempt to replicate St Kilda's game plan. Lyon and the club will be trying to have a crack at the Premiership sooner rather than later, and our squad is peppered with players who are quite different to the Saints list in terms of playing style and skill level.

I expect;

• An upgrade on accountability.
  
• A clearer gameplan.
  
• A better result at stoppages and clearances.

All features of the Saints. But after that, I am hoping Lyon brings some new things to his repertoire.

Pushing for top four should be the benchmark imo. Factor in the random nature of a football season for sure, but I would be hoping we build the capacity to knock off the top 4 in our home games.

 

[Lach72]

I personally doubt that there will be an attempt to replicate St Kilda's game plan. Lyon and the club will be trying to have a crack at the Premiership sooner rather than later, and our squad is peppered with players who are quite different to the Saints list in terms of playing style and skill level.

I expect;

• An upgrade on accountability.
  
• A clearer gameplan.
  
• A better result at stoppages and clearances.

All features of the Saints. But after that, I am hoping Lyon brings some new things to his repertoire.

Pushing for top four should be the benchmark imo. Factor in the random nature of a football season for sure, but I would be hoping we build the capacity to knock off the top 4 in our home games.

What I really want to see is no more bull shit efforts Like:

Richmond, Melbourne, North and Western Bulldogs.

 

[sumavich]

I think it'll be just as exciting to Lyon, as it will be to the player group!
He gets the chance to rejig a team that has potential, and the team gets a chance to really show its potential.

 

[surfsup]

Bear with me while I indulge a bit...

I am very happy with the events of the last week. Tough on Harvey but the administration has grown a pair and wrong-footed just about the entire League and media circus that follows it. In my view it is the single biggest win in the clubs history.

Lyon will develop a side in which everyone is accountable and no one gets a free ride. There will be a proper structure and game plan in which all players will know their role. Players will be properly prepared and not go into a season over-cooked.

However it will take a little time for the players to adapt to the new coach. If the boys are a couple of games outside the 8 by round 11 next year I wont be too concerned. Lyon will need to sort out those who just don't fit his style. There will players who struggled under Harvey but who will thrive under Lyon and vice versa. Funningly enough, the player I see with the most chance of getting his nose out of joint is Pav. He has been the main man there for years now and seems to get his own way. I wonder how he would like it if Lyon told him he is to play at FF from now on?

The notion that we have to win a flag when Pav, Sandi and Elvis are up and running is nonsense. Plenty of teams have won flags after star players retired.

In short, I expect a top 8 finish next year and anything more would be a bonus for a coach in his first year at a club.

I think if Pav had it his way he would've been at FF or CHF instead of the midfield. So It's probably been out of joint for a while now...

And that's one hell of a nose to put out of joint!!