Toast Reasons for Optimism

[im_a_lazy_sod]

We had some guys have a red hot crack after the shit show that was last week at least. It didn’t come off much at all and we still managed to not get spanked by a pretty decent Collingwood team who don’t have much fear.

One week closer to the season being done and the club having a long hard look at themselves.

 

[thistimeforsure]

OUR TIME IS NOW !!! …. ish

 

[im_a_lazy_sod]

At least our shit game is out of the way now so we are free to do whatever else we need to do this weekend to help us forget that result. By Sunday we’ll have forgotten all about this and be keen for next weekend.

 

[poshman]

The results speak for themselves. If you share Garlick’s view, the rest of the year is going to be brutal.

Are you saying we shouldn’t be expecting to make the finals as a minimum?

Are you saying that Garlick doesn’t know what he is talking about? Do you then think he is lying or incompetent?

I do share Garlick view and as for the year being brutal for me, no it won’t be.

 

[nurries]

I’m loving this decade of good times promised by the CEO

 

[Dockeroo]

Are you saying we shouldn’t be expecting to make the finals as a minimum?

Are you saying that Garlick doesn’t know what he is talking about? Do you then think he is lying or incompetent?

I do share Garlick view and as for the year being brutal for me, no it won’t be.

I don’t think our players are good enough, notwithstanding the shit coaching.

So many players have stagnated or gone backwards in recent years.

Take Chapman for example - he was horrendous tonight.
Cox - horrible, slow and constantly taking on tackles he shouldn’t.
Johnson - he might be the worst ball user by foot in the entire league.
Switta - I just can’t anymore…
Worner takes 6 seconds everytime he marks it. Painful to watch.


Even our premium players are a bit… meh when you compare them to other premium players.
You need to be judging Serong and Brayshaw by higher standards too. Both fine players - but are they better than Daicos, than Bontempelli, than Neale, than Butters? No they are not.

We are a long way off a premiership in my opinion. And that’s even after we get rid of this dud coach.

 

[poshman]

I don’t think our players are good enough, notwithstanding the shit coaching.

So many players have stagnated or gone backwards in recent years.

Take Chapman for example - he was horrendous tonight.
Cox - horrible, slow and constantly taking on tackles he shouldn’t.
Johnson - he might be the worst ball user by foot in the entire league.
Switta - I just can’t anymore…
Worner takes 6 seconds everytime he marks it. Painful to watch.


Even our premium players are a bit… meh when you compare them to other premium players.
You need to be judging Serong and Brayshaw by higher standards too. Both fine players - but are they better than Daicos, than Bontempelli, than Neale, than Butters? No they are not.

We are a long way off a premiership in my opinion. And that’s even after we get rid of this dud coach.

I think the coaching and game plan sucks a lot of flair and attack out of the players.

Brayshaw has had some top level games this season.

Serrong has been down on form.

Bont is the best player in the league and that hasn’t resulted in his team winning the flag while he is the best in the league.

We need to stop making dumb selection mistakes and to change our nothing game plan. It is outdated.

Simpson was a positive tonight. Chapman has been very good this season so I’ll excuse one poor performance. My concern with Chappy is he hesitates to take the ball and run when he can.

We moved on from one of the best defensive and effort coaches in the last 20-30 years for another defensive coach that was unproven. Longmuir must go. We need an attacking coach.

 

[Purple Jesus]

This game plan is pure, burning hot garbage. I've never seen it's like. The players must ****ing hate having to play it. I don't get it.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

I honestly 100% believe so many of the issues are coaching and gameplan based. Is it a perfect list? No, but there is so much there that's being underutilised that would look better with a better gameplan.

I know this because i have seen it from so many of the players in many different games. Trust

 

[s_wd6]

I honestly 100% believe so many of the issues are coaching and gameplan based. Is it a perfect list? No, but there is some much there that's being underutilised that would look better with a better gameplan.

I know this because i have seen it from so many of the players in many different games. Trust

This list is a new coaches dream. Don't think a new coach has been blessed with such a good list apart from McCrae at Collingwood. I'm sure there'd be plenty lining up if they just made the call.

 

[heypenny]

Reasons for optimism:

1) We have our full suite of draft picks for 2025 (+ Richmond's third) which are all looking very good
2) We can start our head coach search early (ahead of any other team) and get the best available coach for 2026
3) We can use the rest of the season to keep getting experience (or test) our young players - Reid, Dudley, Erasmus, Simpson etc

The wheels falling off early could be a blessing in disguise. We must use this to our advantage. It requires action from our board and CEO. We must be looking at our next coach and start planning for 2026 and beyond.

 

[poshman]

This list is a new coaches dream. Don't think a new coach has been blessed with such a good list apart from McCrae at Collingwood. I'm sure there'd be plenty lining up if they just made the call.

All the elements - young team but with enough experience. A lot of talent. And a club that has financial security. The best players on the list have between 5-9 years of great footy left. I hope Longmuir goes at the bye and we throw caution to the with our game plan in the second half of the year.

 

[Piggy Smalls]

$130 for a Western Bears membership

 

[wild side]

I actually think that the team last night is not that far away.
Throw in O'Driscoll & Young, and that team has got good potential.
I know it's all throw the toys out of the cot period etc, but Freo definitely challenged a Premiership contender last night (albeit missing a couple)
Simple skill execution stuffed them at times, but when they went and got through, they were going ok.
Kicking straight to the opposition is a problem, but lowering the eyes, and executing better I don't think that it's all devastation personally

 

[Piggy Smalls]

I actually think that the team last night is not that far away.
Throw in O'Driscoll & Young, and that team has got good potential.
I know it's all throw the toys out of the cot period etc, but Freo definitely challenged a Premiership contender last night (albeit missing a couple)
Simple skill execution stuffed them at times, but when they went and got through, they were going ok.
Kicking straight to the opposition is a problem, but lowering the eyes, and executing better I don't think that it's all devastation personally

If it hadn't been a recurring theme for 10 years now I'd agree. We won't learn forward craft and synergy while there is nobody there to coach it.

Edit - sorry just realised this is the positivity thread.
To reword my post accordingly - we are only one competent coach away from a functioning forward line.

 

[s_wd6]

Would be nice if we could have a forward line spend more than a season together too. Voss, Bolton, Dudley, Reid are basically brand new.

 

[Sully90]

$130 for a Western Bears membership

Genuinely considering making the switch

 

[poshman]

Would be nice if we could have a forward line spend more than a season together too. Voss, Bolton, Dudley, Reid are basically brand new.

The other issue is that Switta is out of form and Freddy still makes positioning mistakes. With his pace he should make the fall of the ball more than not. He is rarely near it.

Walters is past it and also doesn't play fall of the ball often.

We lack smarts up forward with our more experienced players.

 

[wild side]

If it hadn't been a recurring theme for 10 years now I'd agree. We won't learn forward craft and synergy while there is nobody there to coach it.

That's the problem, the pitchforks are out coz it's taking so long! Pies won a flag in 1990, after 32 years I think.
It is still possible, but they've got to keep Jackson, Bolton etc

 

[poshman]

I actually think that the team last night is not that far away.
Throw in O'Driscoll & Young, and that team has got good potential.
I know it's all throw the toys out of the cot period etc, but Freo definitely challenged a Premiership contender last night (albeit missing a couple)
Simple skill execution stuffed them at times, but when they went and got through, they were going ok.
Kicking straight to the opposition is a problem, but lowering the eyes, and executing better I don't think that it's all devastation personally

I agree, which is why a coaching change should unlock a lot for the team. We also need to change selection policy.

 

[poshman]

That's the problem, the pitchforks are out coz it's taking so long! Pies won a flag in 1990, after 32 years I think.
It is still possible, but they've got to keep Jackson, Bolton etc

That time frame and your logic behind it doesn't make sense. Collingwood have won two flags in the last 15 years and had other runs in finals in that time.

If we use the same appeal to team performance then we could make the standard two flags in 15 years plus at least one more GF.

If we use that timeframe then JL is coming up to half way through that timeframe with one finals win to show for it.

The biggest issue with your example though is that players dont have 32 year careers. So giving a coach 32 years is nonsensical.

 

[im_a_lazy_sod]

After sleeping on it, the fact our relatelh young and inexperienced list was able to get within a few kicks of the best team in the comp I’m confident we are on the right track from a list perspective.

We generated an insane amount of clearances and inside 50 entries, but weren’t clean or clinical enough with most of them. That’s a reflection on confidence and experience. We either rushed too much and fluffed the entry or took too much time and their defenders would flood back and cut off our access.

I am not convinced RE: coaching and leadership (not a knock on AP as a player or his effort as he is always one of our best in both aspects). JL obviously can put together a game plan. It’s the plan B and his ability to consistently motivate the boys that is where we fall away.

If we had the effort, intensity and drive we had last night against Sydney or Melbourne we win. Against the saints I don’t know but maybe we don’t get humbled as much as we did.

 

[wild side]

I never said that, I just said that the Pies broke their drought in 1990.
I'm not Longmuir apologist, I'm sure there are better options.
It's just that they have to make the right option

 

[Sherriff Incorporated]

I honestly 100% believe so many of the issues are coaching and gameplan based. Is it a perfect list? No, but there is some much there that's being underutilised that would look better with a better gameplan.

I know this because i have seen it from so many of the players in many different games. Trust

I now totally agree. Ive supported JLo but his inability to have a plan B makes us so easy to coach against.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

I am actually really looking forward to whoever a new coach is. Perceived or not, some freshness and optimism will be a nice change of pace. I'm also so checked out on the current regime that results really don't affect my weekend much again which is nice.