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No love for Don? He's apparently a coaching genius on his way to coaching Freo's first premiership.Social media updates: nothing from the players
Reckon there might be more than 1
One of the few competent people in important positions at the club.
All class, the Don. I will never forget that press conference where Burton lied through his teeth and Pyke stepped in, represented his players and took responsibility for the mistakes the club made.
And now again he is taking responsibility. If only we had more people with his character.
And all the while we starved him of the football department and assistants he needed to do his job.
Broke our epic prelim drought and got us to the Grand Final. Had us playing the most exciting football we've played this century. Will never forget the 2017 prelim v Geelong.
Thanks for everything Don and all the best.
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Yep, if Burton survived the camp fiasco last year without being moved on, then we shouldn't be surprised if he stays on after the review.There is no way an assistant coach with no semblance of success should be at a single club for 10 years.
There is no way a club that is about to force a player into retirement should still be playing them in R23 instead of youth.
There is no way the people in charge of both the Tippett and Camp fiascos should have survived those fallouts.
Yet here we are.
They may all hate him and be glad he's goneSocial media updates: nothing from the players
He gave us the highest highs we’ve had in 20 years. I will not forget the feelings I had at the prelim you mentioned. Partly because it was euphoric, partly because it was the last time I enjoyed football.But the fact remains he came into an extremely difficult and nearly unprecedented situation and steered us to a GF and a wonderful thrashing of the Cats at home to get there (lest we forget)
So I will remember that game as the culmination of quite an emotional roller coaster over that year plus.
Chapman talks shitSo can someone please reconcile for me the following two things that have been reported today:
1. Pyke stepping down is not related to the review that is in progress
2. Chapman saying on 5AA that now that Pyke has stepped down they expect the review to be completed earlier
Good evening,
Today has been yet another big day for our club with Don Pyke deciding to step down as Senior Coach.
It’s the culmination of several days of discussions between Don, Andrew Fagan and myself, and these chats are never easy because while people often flippantly talk about “the club” we should never lose sight of the fact there is no club without the people involved.
Don is a quality person and a talented coach, and I want to emphasise that his decision is totally unrelated to the internal and external reviews of the football department which are currently taking place.
We should never forget that he took charge of the team at the end of 2015 as everyone in the Crows family was emerging from the most tragic of circumstances and he led with compassion and integrity, and drove high standards.
Coaching in the AFL is demanding to say the least and it is a line of work that has an impact on more than those directly involved. I would like to personally thank Don’s family - to his wife Jodie and daughters Ashton and Chandler - for sharing their husband and father in recent years.
The AFL industry doesn’t allow you time to sit back and reflect for too long and the search for a new coach now gets underway in earnest. We are in the process of putting together a panel which will be responsible for searching and identifying the best possible candidate, and you can expect us to run a similar process to our previous recruitments of Don and the late Phil Walsh.
I have had a number of people ask if Jason Dunstall or Matthew Pavlich, who are both key parts of our external review, will play a role in finding the next coach. The short answer is they won’t. Jason and Matthew, along with Jonah Oliver and Tim Gabbett, have been called in to act as a fresh set of eyes, to ask questions, analyse and identify trends within the football department, before providing a detailed report to the Board of Directors. They will also be asked to give a formal presentation and talk through their findings. It will then be left to us as Board Directors to act on their observations and information, as well as those gathered by our own internal review.
We will keep you updated as often as possible in the coming weeks as we search for a new coach and in the meantime, I would like to wish our SANFL coaches and players all the very best for their preliminary final this weekend!
Regards,
Rob Chapman
You would think they would be asked to give feedback to the coaching selection panel (or whatever the **** it will be called) as to the type of coach this group of players would benefit from. But, I don't think it's necessary that they actually be on the selection panel.Wouldn't it make sense for one of either Pav or Dunstall to be on the coach selection committee given they have just heard what players like/didnt like or want or need?
Might finally get Sumich as his senior assistant like he always wantedWell said mate.
Don made mistakes, but he was surrounded by such garbage, that he was on a hiding to nothing.
I'd like to see him end of up Freo, and be properly supported and resourced.
Like that has never happened anywhere ever.Someone email this prick and ask why we should trust him to find our next senior coach, given Sando and Pyke were both paid out early.
There is no way an assistant coach with no semblance of success should be at a single club for 10 years.
There is no way a club that is about to force a player into retirement should still be playing them in R23 instead of youth.
There is no way the people in charge of both the Tippett and Camp fiascos should have survived those fallouts.
Yet here we are.
Pyke with Sumich and Longmuir alongside would stingMight finally get Sumich as his senior assistant like he always wanted
I mentioned before but surely they wait for thr review before selecting the panel.You would think they would be asked to give feedback to the coaching selection panel (or whatever the fu** it will be called) as to the type of coach this group of players would benefit from. But, I don't think it's necessary that they actually be on the selection panel.
Don's pretty close to Campo....According to Fremantle fans, Sumich is a bit of a destabilizer. Was busted leaking stuff to the media. They absolutely do not want him

That’s cool. I was just pointing out that we don’t generally do the logical thing. FWIW I hope you’re right. I do however think he will be on our books in 2020.I don't think Burton will be there in 2020.
Is this right?
That can't be right, because that would be a good outcome for the club.Robbo said in 360 that there will be no pay out.

Can't imagine Chief's been able to do much over the last 72 hours seeing him on 360 tonight.Wouldn't it make sense for one of either Pav or Dunstall to be on the coach selection committee given they have just heard what players like/didnt like or want or need?
But seriously, the AFCs own media release says that Pykes departure has nothing to do with the review. See the second parapraph:Chapman talks s**t
Why cant they both be true? If you've got to interview the current coach its going to take longer?But seriously, the AFCs own media release says that Pykes departure has nothing to do with the review. See the second parapraph:
“with his decision unrelated to the internal and external reviews of the football department which are currently taking place.”![]()
Don Pyke to step down as Senior Coach
Don Pyke has decided to step down as Senior Coach of the Adelaide Football Clubwww.afc.com.au
Then not more than three hours later Chapman is on the radio saying the review will finish sooner now that Pyke is gone.
We have it clear as day that our Chairman is blatantly lying to the media as the two statements are completely contradictory.