Looking back at 2015 the only person in a key position who has been at the club since the start who I believe has done his job to expectation the whole way through is Scott Clayton - he got the picks and has assembled a list (at least at the top end) flush with talent. The rest of the coaching and administration have been derelict in their duty of developing the talent and setting standards from the top (see above for opinion on Witheriff).
At least we have Eade who I'm 100% on board with...now. After the first 2 games this year and Eade telling us we were no where near it I was angry as ****, I thought we were set to begin our ascension to the promised land of success and regular finals appearances and to have that taken away from us was a huge and disappointing reality check.
In retrospect you can see Eade could see the writing on the wall in the pre-season with his comments about standards, fitness, skills and leadership. He tried to make changes subtlety and hoped that whatever we were doing in prior years would carry us through. After that first game against Melbourne and his post match interview he must have knew that his gut was right and that old school concepts such as playing a tough, cohesive team were needed over individual brilliance.
That first half of the season was hard to watch - we were a national disgrace. But since we hit that tough run of opponents midway through the season and the players let go of the scoreboard and the outside expectations the boys have gone out and given great effort and have looked to put Eade's game plans into action (I must say Eade looks to be a great game day coach who knows what he wants us to do).
Players who were given roles and opportunity in adversity have started to flourish such as Saad, Touk, Hall, Schade, KK, Nicholls (and even Fish later in the season) and other players have found their voice and starting to show their leadership that we desperately needed like Rischa, Tommy, Maysie (even Jack Martin last week giving it to Tommy)... and especially Gazza.
Ever since Gazza has been out you can see the results of what we have heard about that the boys having challenged him to not just lead by actions but also get around the young boys and share his knowledge and passion for the game and club. I was so proud of the shot I saw from last weeks game in the rooms at half time of him hobbling around the rooms and getting into the boy's, showing them what to be doing geeing the group up was evidence that his leadership is going to go to the next level next year.
I am extremely excited and bullish on what we can achieve next year. To be regularly competitive this year with a side that is missing its best 4 players and playing with injured, battered and unfit players (due in part to a combination of lack of standards and the lack of a decent high performance team) is testament that the group is finding character this season to compete week-in-week-out even when it is outmatched. If they come strong with this sort of character through the pre-season I think we should be bullish in what we expect as there should be so much natural improvement from the undeveloped talent (Boston, Martin, Fish, McKenzie, Day, Rory, 2MP) as well as addition of the fab 4.
I hope 2016 is an exciting time as all the regulars on our BF board all seem to be passionate, diehard and mostly level headed supporters who have stuck fat with the club despite its failings and it would be great to be coming on here next year to toast our boys for going to the next level and remembering our 2015 year in the same way as Geelong supporters remember 2006.
That's how I feel about it, I wonder what others think of what 2015 has been and what the future holds for us.