Coach Adam Simpson Megathread est. 2017 - Staying for 2024, Lyon’s Cryin’

Will Simpson be Head Coach at WCE in 2024


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Jul 12, 2011
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I must have. I was busy calling the game for the podcast.

So despite him being statistically our best player in a number of critical categories, you’re going to blame him for a 97 point loss and drop him, based on one missed tackle. Do you think you’re going far enough? Should we also tar and feather him, or put him in the stocks or something?
It's not just that 1 game. He is consistently 1 of, if not the softest player in the team, so yes make an example out of him
 
It's not just that 1 game. He is consistently 1 of, if not the softest player in the team, so yes make an example out of him

Assume you’re right and he’s soft. You’re not. The “Gaff is soft” line is the sort of hackneyed shallow take Id expect to see from Robbo on 360. But let’s assume for this purpose that you are right and he’s soft.

What difference do you think it will make dropping him after playing 11 seasons and 220-odd games of his exact same style? Do you think he’ll come back after a week or so in the twos and suddenly be a contested-ball tackling beast? He won’t. So then what do you do? Do you drop him next time we have a loss?
 

Tugga27

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It's not just that 1 game. He is consistently 1 of, if not the softest player in the team, so yes make an example out of him
There's no way Gaff is a soft player.

Always sticks his head over the pill, never ducks and stands in the hole when it's his turn.

You've got a posting history of absolute crap TBH.
 
Jul 12, 2011
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Assume you’re right and he’s soft. You’re not. The “Gaff is soft” line is the sort of hackneyed shallow take Id expect to see from Robbo on 360. But let’s assume for this purpose that you are right and he’s soft.

What difference do you think it will make dropping him after playing 11 seasons and 220-odd games of his exact same style? Do you think he’ll come back after a week or so in the twos and suddenly be a contested-ball tackling beast? He won’t. So then what do you do? Do you drop him next time we have a loss?
You show the team any player is drop able
 
You show the team any player is drop able

If they commit a single mistake like missing a tackle, no matter how well they’ve played in the rest of the game. One mistake and they’re out.

That’ll breed a really strong morale amongst the playing group.
 

The wily weagle

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Oct 16, 2014
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Gaff isn't soft per se, he will have a crack. I think a better descriptive term is that he is weak; as in weak over the ball, weak tackling etc

He isn't alone in this regard though, he had a lot of mates on the weekend 😒
 
Oct 3, 2007
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Coaches who cut off their nose to spite their face don't last too long.

Coaches rarely drop senior well performed players, young players are generally the ones given the boot at all levels of footy.
One thing coaches hate is young players that come into a side and don’t display hunger, desire and a will to do anything. Tackles, attempted tackles, chasing, smothers etc are things young players need to display more than kicking, marking and handballs. They are on an AFL list because they can kick, mark and handball. Now let’s see what type of character you have. I have no doubt in their own way our young blokes are trying but it’s far off the Mark required in my opinion.
 
Aug 14, 2004
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I have an inkling, which is obviously a completely unfounded theory, but whatever:

Simpson has set the side up to win games using one very effective gameplan/ method, and the coaches have gone all in. There is no alternative.

The players have bought into this gamplan, and will give full effort when the game is played on these terms.

However, in the back of their minds, the players have learned that the gameplan is completely ineffective against some opposition approaches.

As a result they completely disengage as soon as it becomes apparent that the game is not going to be played on their terms.

It’s surely possible to wrestle the game back on their terms, but it takes a huge amount of grit, and for whatever reason not enough of the players have it in them to do it often enough. Luckily they did in 2018.

IMO it just has to be something along these lines, because nothing else can explain how AA players can become absolute shells of themselves as soon as the opposition changes something up.

Either the gameplan is too flimsy to hold up to the full gamut of opposition tactics, and should be scrapped, or they need to devise and buy into an alternative.


Might just have to re-post the link to this again.

The Case for Plan B and how it can be done


The club made the exact same mistakes against Geelong on Saturday as it did in 2019. After quarter time the Cats pushed forward flankers up the ground to start from the defensive side of stoppages, supporting their contested midfielders and providing outside run and carry - all the while the defence of the Eagles stayed put.

M.Duncan helped himself to 10 disposals, 5 score involvements and 2 goals whilst he was allowed to run all but unopposed during that 2nd quarter, coming up the ground from the forward flank.


It all comes back again to the static nature of how the defence holds its position and the lack of flexibility in attack to deploy a capable forward press when the opposition starts to get extra players behind the ball.
 

bombard

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Might just have to re-post the link to this again.

The Case for Plan B and how it can be done


The club made the exact same mistakes against Geelong on Saturday as it did in 2019. After quarter time the Cats pushed forward flankers up the ground to start from the defensive side of stoppages, supporting their contested midfielders and providing outside run and carry - all the while the defence of the Eagles stayed put.

M.Duncan helped himself to 10 disposals, 5 score involvements and 2 goals whilst he was allowed to run all but unopposed during that 2nd quarter, coming up the ground from the forward flank.


It all comes back again to the static nature of how the defence holds its position and the lack of flexibility in attack to deploy a capable forward press when the opposition starts to get extra players behind the ball.

Might you say that the club needs to.. fold up the defence?

I'll show myself out.
 

javaguice

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I'll probably get shot down for this, but would you consider J. Lewis as an assistant? Has a bit of campaigner about him and I think he sounds a bit knowledgeable....
 

javaguice

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So you want him to implement what Simmo says instead of someone else. Rearrange the deck chairs is cool but it will still be all Simmo plan.
Well, no... not to be Simpson's parrot. But he has a hard edge that a bunch of our blokes could take on. And he's been under simmo for just a few years at hawthorn, I'm sure he would have other ideas to contribute, many other coaches
 
Oct 3, 2007
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Well, no... not to be Simpson's parrot. But he has a hard edge that a bunch of our blokes could take on. And he's been under simmo for just a few years at hawthorn, I'm sure he would have other ideas to contribute, many other coaches

Certainly agree change is required, assistants are not the issue though. Simmo needs to make change.
 
Sep 28, 2009
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Depends on what his career aspirations are. If he wants to get in to coaching he may consider it. Sam Mitchell came here after all. He could probably get a gig at a Melbourne club though.
 

Tugga27

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Depends on what his career aspirations are. If he wants to get in to coaching he may consider it. Sam Mitchell came here after all. He could probably get a gig at a Melbourne club though.
Mitchell came here as a player first though.

Lewis is entrenched at Fox Footy.
Makes no sense at all for him to leave Victoria.

Edit* Lewis is already working as a part time assistant at Melbourne anyway.
 
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