Autopsy RND 15: "Another 100+ Loss" Negatives v Sydney

[ziad]

I’m not sure if Chesser will make it or not. I hope so.
But please put to bed any notion that he’s soft. He’s hard at the contest.

He is starting to show a decent footy IQ as well.

 

[Pavlovs Cat]

Forgive the intrusion folks.

As a Blues supporter, I'd happily have won a flag 5 years ago and been where you are right now. We have been there without any success to hang our hat on for a long long time.

This is where you go from revelling in good games, to appreciating good quarters, and then good passages of play.

Seeing a young player show some vision and skill. You just reset your parameters for a while.

However, you don't want players to leave so you will want to see a circuit breaker to make the pain worthwhile. There will have to be a cleanout of sorts to give hope.

I think appealing to WA boys to come home is a good strategy.

At least you know exactly where you are. Your Freo rivals are kind of middling at the moment and won't have the opportunity you have to address it in the draft.

You will be back much sooner than some clubs make it back.

Carlton have had some tough times this century but this is Fitzroy 96 stuff for the Eags at the moment.

 

[Grahame]

I'm looking forward to some words of wisdom this week from our Mr Fitzpatrick.

Any guesses? Maybe "The club recognises the serious issues we face and that things are not good. As such we are looking to get in external consultants ... to work on a new song?"

 

[JoshWoodenSpoon]

Chesser...I don't think there's really been one moment in the games he's played this year where he has showed any potential at all.

 

[Feeling Groovy]

I'm looking forward to some words of wisdom this week from our Mr Fitzpatrick.

Any guesses? Maybe "The club recognises the serious issues we face and that things are not good. As such we are looking to get in external consultants ... to work on a new song?"

It’s out already. Just deleted it from my inbox

 

[Get_The_Gaff]

All these people thinking west coast fans are devastated about yesterday lol .

We won a flag 5 years ago .

We are two injuries away from playing 19 year old cat B rookies or first year raw talls

We had 4 2nd year players

4 1st year year players including a guys picked up a month ago in the mid season draft .

No back up ruck

And a bunch of wafl level players or guys coming straight back in after injury lay offs

There is no one in the reserves to take the place of anyone not giving a s**t .

No coach is getting anything more out of those guys .

So we are s**t and in the middle of a rebuild. But at least we haven't already done a rebuild and still s**t like the Carlton, Essendon and freo of the world

 

[Rowan18]

I'm looking forward to some words of wisdom this week from our Mr Fitzpatrick.

Any guesses? Maybe "The club recognises the serious issues we face and that things are not good. As such we are looking to get in external consultants ... to work on a new song?"

Email came out this arvo. Essentially, they expect a response against the Saints. If they don't give it, I expect Simmo is sacked and a bunch of senior players might be retired/demoted to WAFL.

 

[Cuzz09]

Yeah no point being "devastated" over yesterday or this year's performances.

Most fans know where we're at.

It's randoms that make dumb comments that really have no idea and can be frustrating.

You try and explain about injuries, etc but people just like a catchy headline to get a reaction.

Just keep building through the draft, yes it will take time but I think if we have a good run with injuries we are very competitive and prob win a bunch (3-7 games) next year

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[donpyke92]

I'm looking forward to some words of wisdom this week from our Mr Fitzpatrick.

Any guesses? Maybe "The club recognises the serious issues we face and that things are not good. As such we are looking to get in external consultants ... to work on a new song?"

The Veronicas, Frankie J Holden and Molly Meldrum

 

[ziad]

Email came out this arvo. Essentially, they expect a response against the Saints. If they don't give it, I expect Simmo is sacked and a bunch of senior players might be retired/demoted to WAFL.

You envisage we play with only 16 players and no bench?

 

[Grahame]

Email came out this arvo. Essentially, they expect a response against the Saints. If they don't give it, I expect Simmo is sacked and a bunch of senior players might be retired/demoted to WAFL.

Would be great to 'make a statement' i.e. to drop Gaff to the WAFL, but I'm not sure we will have the luxury of dropping anyone if JW and SPS are injured. Esp seeing Gov's return is the eternal 'one week away', and Hurn being Hurn is no certainty. Also note Cripps is mentioned but Tuesday's list had him at 2-3wks. It means the players could take deckchairs and barbecue out knowing they'd get a game the following week.

It is simply inexcusable that Sheed, TK, Yeo, Shuey and Gaff - our (supposed) A Team of midfielders were so totally and comprehensively pantsed at centre clearances.

 

[Dark Sharks]

I feel like eagles fans have long checked out and are getting used to this now to really be "devastated" by anything anymore.

Wheels have clearly come off and the club has been a basket case since mid 2021.

It's sheer curiosity ans bewilderment more than anything at this point. Perhaps anger, at a lack of any actual meaningful change. On any level.

 

[Guest1]

It's sheer curiosity ans bewilderment more than anything at this point. Perhaps anger, at a lack of any actual meaningful change. On any level.

Acceptance. Anger started a couple of years ago and now it's acceptance. Nothing is going to change with the current board in charge.

 

[Magnum27]

I glossed over the email, actually thought it might be some real change, he talks about rolling up our sleeves, so why didn't we roll up our sleeves at the end 2021 when we did not make finals and blind freddy could see halfway through 2021 we were done with the main guys on the list , we are so far behind in our rebuild due to incompetence from the board, recruiting team, S&C and coaching staff, and how will next year be any better, our so called senior players will be a year older and regularly injured, we will be like an expansion team with a bunch of kids playing every week just like the Giants in 2012, they did not crack finals until 2016 with multiple draft pick early on , we are not getting those concessions, so we potentially have 4+ more years of this garbage

 

[squashface]

I feel like eagles fans have long checked out and are getting used to this now to really be "devastated" by anything anymore.

Wheels have clearly come off and the club has been a basket case since mid 2021.

It's sheer curiosity ans bewilderment more than anything at this point. Perhaps anger, at a lack of any actual meaningful change. On any level.

Complete and utter disengagement from the sport I used to wait all week to watch for me

 

[Magnum27]

I feel like eagles fans have long checked out and are getting used to this now to really be "devastated" by anything anymore.

Wheels have clearly come off and the club has been a basket case since mid 2021.

It's sheer curiosity ans bewilderment more than anything at this point. Perhaps anger, at a lack of any actual meaningful change. On any level.

Yep winter is footy time, and was something to look forward to on the weekend, i'm struggling to watch any games this year, just due to lack of interest as i know my time is a non entity at the moment.

 

[RookiePick]

I glossed over the email, actually thought it might be some real change, he talks about rolling up our sleeves, so why didn't we roll up our sleeves at the end 2021 when we did not make finals and blind freddy could see halfway through 2021 we were done with the main guys on the list , we are so far behind in our rebuild due to incompetence from the board, recruiting team, S&C and coaching staff, and how will next year be any better, our so called senior players will be a year older and regularly injured, we will be like an expansion team with a bunch of kids playing every week just like the Giants in 2012, they did not crack finals until 2016 with multiple draft pick early on , we are not getting those concessions, so we potentially have 4+ more years of this garbage

The thing that sticks in my mind and I would love to know what happened behind closed doors...

Jack Redden goes from publicly stating he is in and prepared to play WAFL to help develop the next generation. Nek minute old mate is retired.

WTAF happened there?

 

[squashface]

The thing that sticks in my mind and I would love to know what happened behind closed doors...

Jack Redden goes from publicly stating he is in and prepared to play WAFL to help develop the next generation. Nek minute old mate is retired.

WTAF happened there?

iirc some business opportunity presented itself back home in Adelaide so he pulled the pin.

 

[RookiePick]

iirc some business opportunity presented itself back home in Adelaide so he pulled the pin.

Yeah. Not buying that pound of baloney.

 

[Chump Change]

I glossed over the email, actually thought it might be some real change, he talks about rolling up our sleeves, so why didn't we roll up our sleeves at the end 2021 when we did not make finals and blind freddy could see halfway through 2021 we were done with the main guys on the list , we are so far behind in our rebuild due to incompetence from the board, recruiting team, S&C and coaching staff, and how will next year be any better, our so called senior players will be a year older and regularly injured, we will be like an expansion team with a bunch of kids playing every week just like the Giants in 2012, they did not crack finals until 2016 with multiple draft pick early on , we are not getting those concessions, so we potentially have 4+ more years of this garbage

It's a standard corporate "have to say something" letter that doesn't really say anything except "soz gais". I'm not sure why people are getting mad at this? They're also come out and said "we're sticking by Simmo". Agree with it or not, you have to admit they're black belts at shutting down the media.

Every other coach in the history of the game with a 40 game record one third as bad as Simmo has endured weeks of speculation and constant chipping away by the media until they inevitably get sacked. This is the first case in the history of the AFL where the club shuts down the media, and the media walk away going, "wasn't anything to see there". This is unchartered territory and to be honest I'm finding it fascinating.

The other thing is, the rebuild has nothing to do with incompetence. The failures of 2019 and 2020 did, but the rebuild not so (yet, anyway).

10 years without a top 10 draft pick
Then we traded out 2nd and 3rd rounder for TK, Redden, Cripps.
Our older players have massive injury problems

So there's actually legit reasons. It's yet to be seen how Chesser over Hobbs turns out. It's yet to be seen how Ginbey/Hewitt over Warlord turns out.

Nicnat, Shuey, Gov, Gaff, Sheed, Darling, Hurn, and Yeo are all on the scrapheap for various reasons - old, injury, just plain s**t etc. We are facing what you say we're facing - the vortex - a whole heap of kids with not enough older players to protect them, mentor them, and ease them into it. But that's no fault of the club nor coach. That's just how the cookie has crumbled.

 

[UseR2006]

iirc some business opportunity presented itself back home in Adelaide so he pulled the pin.

I suspect Shuey going around again probably pushed them to axe someone and he just happened to not be Yeo or Kelly.
If Shuey retired he probably would have stayed on (which was my preferred situation).

 

[Chump Change]

The thing that sticks in my mind and I would love to know what happened behind closed doors...

Jack Redden goes from publicly stating he is in and prepared to play WAFL to help develop the next generation. Nek minute old mate is retired.

WTAF happened there?

Probably didn't have enough credits in the bank. Shuey is Norm Smith and captain, Sheed is lots younger, Yeo younger, Gaff on $4b per year. Someone had to go and he had the least credits.

Sheed and TK are outsiders. We could have used him this year. Gaff probably should have been end of lifed.

 

[maverick001]

I think there's a good chance there's smoke here. The club should be looking for any good news it can find and this would be some if they could get it done.

I thought the same with Riloi last year and was bollocked for saying so. It would not surprise me a bit if Vic clubs were in his ear and we see him leave at the end of the season on $4-500k a year contract somewhere.

At least we'll have the good news of the McGovern extension to release at some point...

Certainly hope not but can't help to agree

 

[Total_Juddshanks]

Would be great to 'make a statement' i.e. to drop Gaff to the WAFL, but I'm not sure we will have the luxury of dropping anyone if JW and SPS are injured. Esp seeing Gov's return is the eternal 'one week away', and Hurn being Hurn is no certainty. Also note Cripps is mentioned but Tuesday's list had him at 2-3wks. It means the players could take deckchairs and barbecue out knowing they'd get a game the following week.

It is simply inexcusable that Sheed, TK, Yeo, Shuey and Gaff - our (supposed) A Team of midfielders were so totally and comprehensively pantsed at centre clearances.

There's not really much point in 'making a statement' by selections now- like what exactly is the message to be sent?

If at this point players aren't aware that they are the biggest laughingstock in the AFL in the last 20 years and feeling very very bad about that fact, I doubt Gaff being sent to the WAFL is going to somehow shock them into the realisation that things aren't okay.

The only thing I want to see from the club is complete realism and ruthlessness with list management at the end of the year.

No sentiment, no 'he's a good club man' no 'we've already invested several years in him and he may still come good', no 'he lacks basic footballing skill X but he can do Y' no 'he's great for the 17 minutes of football he plays each month before getting injured', just a sensible, unemotional look through our list from top to bottom and not just getting rid of the obvious no hopers but recognising that the fundamental problem is how much of our salary cap is tied up in people who are simply not providing value for money.

 

[ziad]

There's not really much point in 'making a statement' by selections now- like what exactly is the message to be sent?

If at this point players aren't aware that they are the biggest laughingstock in the AFL in the last 20 years and feeling very very bad about that fact, I doubt Gaff being sent to the WAFL is going to somehow shock them into the realisation that things aren't okay.

The only thing I want to see from the club is complete realism and ruthlessness with list management at the end of the year.

No sentiment, no 'he's a good club man' no 'we've already invested several years in him and he may still come good', no 'he lacks basic footballing skill X but he can do Y' no 'he's great for the 17 minutes of football he plays each month before getting injured', just a sensible, unemotional look through our list from top to bottom and not just getting rid of the obvious no hopers but recognising that the fundamental problem is how much of our salary cap is tied up in people who are simply not providing value for money.

I feel that a transscript of the behind closed doors meeting at the SCG would have made very interesting reading. The public statement was factual and appropriate if read without hysteria. What else can the club do immediatly - play some of the WAFL amateurs?

But the closed doors private club meeting at the SCG after the game - thats the meat. We have a strong capable board, despote the hate mail from a few on here. The public email came from the Chairman of the Board not from the communications staff or CEO.

When does a club hold a 'meeting' at the venue after an away game.

I recall one particular humiliating thtrashing at the SCG - the players arrived very late at the supporters function and were very subdues. Brett Jones has ashen faced in a quiet corner - he never player another AFL game.