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.

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

 

[The Golden Glenferrie]

When we made finals 6 seasons out of 15 and were 10 points short of a GF spot (in 2000)?

This is a bit rougher than that don’t you think?

We were plodders full of list toppers. Were never going to win anything.

 

[hardway]

Any chance Sam can get Brent Guerra

Brent Guerra

Age

41

Ht

182cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.9

4star

K

9.9

4star

HB

5.0

4star

M

4.2

4star

T

2.3

4star

No current season stats available

D

8.6

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

2.0

2star

M

1.6

2star

T

0.8

3star

back to the club as a kicking coach.

 

[Tall poppy Syndrome]

Any chance Sam can get Brent Guerra back to the club as a kicking coach.

And can we get Sam Mitchell back as the handball coach…oh wait

 

[Philhawk]

Patience, friends.

 

[The Golden Glenferrie]

Patience, friends.

 

[Kuuz]

I lived through the 90s and early 2000s, but this is hard to take. Maybe you can only accept so many years of a mediocre football team in your life before you give up.

I’m not sure of the pain of watching this team not turn up week after week is worth it.

Feel like recency bias is playing a strong part in this reflection.

Maybe it’s just because my young childhood was giggling at my dad crack the absolute shits every weekend at Hawks struggling during the 90s, that soothed the pain back then.

But despite that, I remember that time being bloody dire. We got some absolute beltings and especially with all the dire financials being spruiked about, it felt like we were on deaths door at points.

It’s a bit rough at the minute, and we will have some more hidings to come - but we will get some more wins this year too. We won some important areas today despite the touch up, like centre clearances, that makes me think with a lesser oppo and a forward line that is a little more composed - we will pull a few cheeky wins.

Contrast to North - I’ve been reading the Norf board a bit, and they’ve already sped past most of the grief stages at this point into near acceptance they’ll never win again. I don’t think we’re there yet.

 

[The Golden Glenferrie]

Feel like recency bias is playing a strong part in this reflection.

Maybe it’s just because my young childhood was giggling at my dad crack the absolute shits every weekend at Hawks struggling during the 90s, that soothed the pain back then.

But despite that, I remember that time being bloody dire. We got some absolute beltings and especially with all the dire financials being spruiked about, it felt like we were on deaths door at points.

It’s a bit rough at the minute, and we will have some more hidings to come - but we will get some more wins this year too. We won some important areas today despite the touch up, like centre clearances, that makes me think with a lesser oppo and a forward line that is a little more composed - we will pull a few cheeky wins.

Contrast to North - I’ve been reading the Norf board a bit, and they’ve already sped past most of the grief stages at this point into near acceptance they’ll never win again. I don’t think we’re there yet.

The 90's and early 00s were BRUTAL, but I loved it.

I love the struggle

 

[Judd2Sewell]

We need to poach someone from Sydney's scouting and player development team (in particular).

Mitchell also needs experienced specialist assistants/line-coaches, not inexperienced coaches learning on the job.

 

[The Spirit of Cricket]

The reality is we just aren't very good. Not sure how many coaching setups would be getting a significantly different output from this group given the injuries and state of the list. I'm very happy with our recruiting over Sam's tenure but most of the talent we've brought in is still very young and extremely inconsistent.

You can cushion that with elite veterans and a long-standing system. Due to poor drafting and list management prior to the 2020s most of our list talent is concentrated in the sub-25 age group, and most of our veterans (many of them who I love) are ideally role players in a good side. Outside of a couple, they are not good enough to do the heavy lifting and it leaves us exposed versus ruthless sides.

I don't know when things will turn but I'm confident they will and it will be all that much sweeter because of the tough decade we are going through.

 

[Glenferrie Arty Deco]

Can't be trading 1sts or future 1sts to top up with players from other clubs yet. We're still multiple 1st rounders away (versatile KPP's and X factor mids) from this rebuild coming close to the other side of the mountain yet.

Gotta wonder where our proper top 10 in the league/generational 'guys' are coming from. Could maybe argue Day or Weddle down the track, but no other real difference makers on this list currently. Need to use our next few top 5 picks on the highest upside prospects in the drafts.

 

[TylerDurden]

Can't be trading 1sts or future 1sts to top up with players from other clubs yet. We're still multiple 1st rounders away (versatile KPP's and X factor mids) from this rebuild coming close to the other side of the mountain yet.

Gotta wonder where our proper top 10 in the league/generational 'guys' are coming from. Could maybe argue Day or Weddle down the track, but no other real difference makers on this list currently. Need to use our next few top 5 picks on the highest upside prospects in the drafts.

I've actually come around to this now. We need to walk away from any trades of high end picks - including the future first for Baz.
We cant be entertaining splitting the pick either.

 

[Xtreme]

The 90's and early 00s were BRUTAL, but I loved it.

I love the struggle

I can do without being kicked in the balls (and that's what it feels like when losing against Essendon, Sydney and Geelong.. especially higher score margins!).

 

[Delecate Des]

FMD!

Looking at the fixture, results, and current ladder position make for interesting viewing.

So far we have played current 1st & 2022 premiers(LOSS), 2nd & 2022 R/U(LOSS), 4th & 2021 premiers (LOSS), 7th (LOSS), 9th (LOSS), 10th & 2023 premiers(LOSS) and 18th placed sides (WIN).

Fingers crossed that Chad, Watson, Bruest, Lewis, CJ, and DGB return soon

 

[JR33]

People out there under mining Sam are wrong. He’s a capable coach and will be one of the best in the future. He was given a tough task to clean up the mess and that’s what his first year was about, his second year exceeded everyone’s expectation including the media. This year we have been hindered due to injuries. I believe that next year is what determines everything and that’s because we have Roughy to lure players rather than having the entire load on MM to get the job done. It will be an opportunity for us to put together a decent group of coaches to support Sam, we have had instability in that area since Sam took over given McRae, Harvey and Newman left. Today is on the players not Sam given it was evident by Sam’s frustration that the instructions are not being followed. Let’s be patient rather than choosing the easy way out by throwing individuals under the bus. Look at Geelong last year, hindered by injuries etc. and now this year with a healthier list and a decent addition to their coaches has resulted in them being on top of the ladder so far this year.

 

[CaptainWorpedo]

Would littlejohn be a good addition to Sams senior coaching list in 2025? Seems to do well at Boxhill?

Another experience assistant coach maybe helpful? Not sure I rate Haley as a midfield / ruck coach ( please forgive me ) lol.

 

[bindas12]

Would littlejohn be a good addition to Sams senior coaching list in 2025? Seems to do well at Boxhill?

Another experience assistant coach maybe helpful? Not sure I rate Haley as a midfield / ruck coach ( please forgive me ) lol.

He's going to be a gun coach in his own right, he should get a go if Mitch's time finishes prematurely

 

[mick500]

Not here to troll, but just wondering what the overall consensus is about Sam Mitchell? I thought he'd make a good coach and was a big fan of his as a player. Rate him up there with Darren Jarman. But I think he came in and gutted the club for no real good reason like Voss did when he coached brisbane and has made things tougher than things needed to be.

Only commenting here because I had a genuine interest in how Mitchell would go as coach and wanted to get the clubs supporters opinions.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

I've actually come around to this now. We need to walk away from any trades of high end picks - including the future first for Baz.
We cant be entertaining splitting the pick either.

He's still young enough to be around for years to come. But we just aren't in any position to shift this year's first rounder, especially given it's going to be a top 3 pick.

Trading back / splitting the pick (to help facilitate a Smith trade) only works if we get a good deal. It's probably contingent on which other talents announce themselves throughout the season too. But if Smillie and FOS end up in a tier of their own then it's risky.

 

[JR33]

Not here to troll, but just wondering what the overall consensus is about Sam Mitchell? I thought he'd make a good coach and was a big fan of his as a player. Rate him up there with Darren Jarman. But I think he came in and gutted the club for no real good reason like Voss did when he coached brisbane and has made things tougher than things needed to be.

Only commenting here because I had a genuine interest in how Mitchell would go as coach and wanted to get the clubs supporters opinions.

Sorry mate, the list was gutted since 2017 when we topped up B & C grade players and Sam had to clean it up since.

 

[mustang]

I've actually come around to this now. We need to walk away from any trades of high end picks - including the future first for Baz.
We cant be entertaining splitting the pick either.

Yep I’ve been saying this all year and last year’s trade period but everyone jumps on me for saying it we don’t have a base yet.

So What happens when you build a WALL( trades and FA) and you don’t have a good foundation(base through drafting) it falls down.

How we are this year so far it looks like the wall has fallen down.

 

[CaptainWorpedo]

Not here to troll, but just wondering what the overall consensus is about Sam Mitchell? I thought he'd make a good coach and was a big fan of his as a player. Rate him up there with Darren Jarman. But I think he came in and gutted the club for no real good reason like Voss did when he coached brisbane and has made things tougher than things needed to be.

Only commenting here because I had a genuine interest in how Mitchell would go as coach and wanted to get the clubs supporters opinions.

The clean out was required, our list had no future prospects.

Yep I’ve been saying this all year and last year’s trade period but everyone jumps on me for saying it we don’t have a base yet.

So What happens when you build a WALL( trades and FA) and you don’t have a good foundation(base through drafting) it falls down.

How we are this year so far it looks like the wall has fallen down.

No reason why we cannot do all 3.

Keep our draft picks
Trade player for player
F/A cost only salary cap

 

[lethalselbow]

Mitchell keeps choosing terrible subs. Surely Ramsden played on the ground from the start, replacing Lewis.

 

[peetoo]

The thing that worries me is that Sam has said that the nucleus of our next premiership side is already on our list. I have grave concerns on recent additions to the list having what it takes to excel in order to get that premiership.

When schwab was mocked for saying he was aiming for a premiership in 2004, 11 (corrected)of the 2008 premiership team were on the list already

And by percentage, 2004 was by far the worst season for 60 years. Some teams recently have had 3 or 4 years in a row like that

 

[mick500]

The clean out was required, our list had no future prospects.

Sorry mate, the list was gutted since 2017 when we topped up B & C grade players and Sam had to clean it up since.

Fair enough. I will be interested to see how things go once Sam Mitchell can make this list his own with the players he wants implementing the gameplan he wants. I hope he can do well because I do like him.