Coach Sam Mitchell's direction for the club and 2024 news

[Strapping Young Lad]

If anyone wants to have a listen about what the data is saying in regards to whether we have actually gotten worse this year have a listen to this from the 9:15 mark.

I know a few people have already touched on it, but the data is also showing that our results this year have been slightly better despite actually putting out a younger team and dealing with some injuries.




And here.

 

[MasterSamurai]

I reckon we hold the record for most losses after leading at half and three QTR time since 2017!!!!

 

[Roger Rogerson]

I reckon we hold the record for most losses after leading at half and three QTR time since 2017!!!!

It's s**t because the 1 thing that seemed evident this season was we were a really strong last Q side. It was compelling to watch live. The blues game and then the cats game. Maybe our fitness dude needs to adjust our loads.

 

[Brishawk]

All duly noted. My point is that we have a very different game style now. Look at the final scores of all of those games, the only one where we scored more than we did against the bombers is that game against the bombers where we scored 14.8. That was a rarity. We're playing a very different game plan this year that is meant to give us more shots at goal. We're learning more and more about how that game style translates defensively and the tweaks we need to make (or the wholesale changes) when opposition teams get a run on.

Appreciate that but the common cause has generally been the midfield went home/didn’t show up for a quarter. Happened v Carlton, Sydney and Essendon. Can’t all be blamed on the flu. Not sure our centre clearances strategies look different apart from who we play through there.

 

[burner1]

It's s**t because the 1 thing that seemed evident this season was we were a really strong last Q side. It was compelling to watch live. The blues game and then the cats game. Maybe our fitness dude needs to adjust our loads.

Reckon that was the typical bottom team with new coach hits round 1 at full tilt while other clubs (especially finalists) build into season. Really took 3-4 weeks and any last quarter or fitness advantage just disappeared.

 

[kirbatron]

I put it down to inexperience, leadership & needing more elite talent on the list.

It'll come.

 

[cryptor]

I think you are repressing memories. Here is just a sample of some of the capitulations we had over the last two years of clarko’s coahing

Also threw in the bombers game saved by Timmy’o to show a run on where we won

2020
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2021
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This is no exhaustive of games where we conceded 4 plus goals in a row but it is a good sample to remind us that we were already good at switching off.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

 

[Hodginator]

 

[HawthornHawk]

View attachment 1398524

This was one of the shittest games i've ever witnessed live. Remembering how we played this day almost completely erodes the pain of the loss last weekend

 

[Yardie]

Appreciate that but the common cause has generally been the midfield went home/didn’t show up for a quarter. Happened v Carlton, Sydney and Essendon. Can’t all be blamed on the flu. Not sure our centre clearances strategies look different apart from who we play through there.

I think Sam would prefer to play two rucks. Lynch ran out of steam in a few games cause he is carrying the main load.

 

[MrPremiership]

Always get more and more impressed by the man when I hear Sam speak

 

[Denver Day Lewis]

I think you are repressing memories. Here is just a sample of some of the capitulations we had over the last two years of clarko’s coahing

Also threw in the bombers game saved by Timmy’o to show a run on where we won

This is no exhaustive of games where we conceded 4 plus goals in a row but it is a good sample to remind us that we were already good at switching off.

This goes back even further in my opinion. I recall a game in 2016? in Tassie vs Saints? when I called Gibbo's career over. The players collectively just didn't give a s**t it seemed. Gibbo squibbed a contest and a goal resulted according to my admittedly patchy memory. It was worse than the early 2000s drivel we played, because back then we didn't have the talent, only the heart. It comes down to the attitude and motivation of senior players who had (at that time) won three premierships and there was nothing left to prove. But somehow our current senior midfield and the handful of remaining premiership players (Gunston, Breust etc.) do not have the willingness, commitment or ability to stop the rot and will us over the line in these games.

These are highly professional footballers who look like they're just getting the job done at times, punching the clock and switching off when the game looks like too much hard work to try to win it, or even to wrest the momentum back. I hate it. Leaves me cold.

This year has been different in the willingness of the young players, who know nothing of a premiership, to keep going hard in the face of an opposition on a roll. But they don't have the hardness or fitness of an experienced team, and we've watched it fall apart late in games. So, where are the experienced players? Mitchell? O'Meara? Gunston? Breust? At times I've witnessed Gunston trying, dragging himself from end to end, but he's no Dustin Martin, and his back may have let him down.

Currently, Moore is our only game breaker. Lewis showing glimpses, but will never be able to do it without a supporting cast in the midfield.

But ultimately one player will never determine our success or otherwise, the entire team needs to buy in. We should have offloaded one or both of Mitchell and O'Meara, which S.Mitchell has recognised hence playing them across the arcs more often.

We have a long way to go.

 

[Hawker55]

That was the Saints game where we ended up going down by about 80 odd I think. Early 2017 in that run where we got flogged by the Cats on Easter Monday as well. Gibbo got hurt as well in that game I think and spent some time in the rooms, but he started that year so far down from where he had been it completely threw our defence out.

 

[TylerDurden]

 

[theiaofseed]

10 Rounds in and we've played 7 of the top 8 sides.

Edit: Fair chance it could be 8 of the top 9 sides.

 

[The hands of stone]

Sam was on Footy Classified tonight , he is so good to listen too .
We are really good hands with him steering the ship

 

[Suntory Boss Coffee]

anyone got a summary, nothing on their socials yet

 

[TylerDurden]

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

They just went over all the stuff that was gone over a hundred times about 4 months ago(Clarkson, coaching guys you played with, how involved were you in the draf, etc), plus questions about how close he is with Clarko and if he thinks he’ll coach again soon.

To think you get a coach on and ask him about his predecessor. Just daft.

 

[Flukey!]

anyone got a summary, nothing on their socials yet

You can watch the whole episode on YouTube.

 

[Mercy Seat]

Thought it was a good interview.

Interesting tidbit that he gets overruled by Mark Mckenzie on list decisions.

Also fascinating that he felt we'd maybe slipped a little in terms of the personalities of players brought into the club (kinda said between the lines). And given covid and the soft-cap, there is more of a focus in bringing in self-motivated players who can "coach themselves"

 

[Mercy Seat]

lol

 

[chopflop]

Thought it was a good interview.

Interesting tidbit that he gets overruled by Mark Mckenzie on list decisions.

Also fascinating that he felt we'd maybe slipped a little in terms of the personalities of players brought into the club (kinda said between the lines). And given covid and the soft-cap, there is more of a focus in bringing in self-motivated players who can "coach themselves"

There was an article that came out about Conor macdonald mid year about him being one of the best interviewed kids clubs has ever spoken to. If character was a trait, he was 'elite' ... Looking more and more like an inspired pick over sonsie

 

[bigmaxi]

There was an article that came out about Conor macdonald mid year about him being one of the best interviewed kids clubs has ever spoken to. If character was a trait, he was 'elite' ... Looking more and more like an inspired pick over sonsie

Totally agree, heard the same and that Carlton had him inked in too.

 

[Kanga Commando]

You can watch the whole episode on YouTube.

I like that Lloyd asked "how would you feel about a player giving away a statement free kick"... I know Sam would never do this, but how good would it have been to hear him reply "Richie Vandenberg did just that, against your scum ironically" or even "was that how you rationalise your cheap shot on Brad Sewell ?"...