We're not interested in being middle of the road, we're not interested in playing finals and being an also ran, we're here to build a premiership side and that means finding a core of genuine superstars and building a list that runs strong really deep.
First we fix the culture buy getting rid of everyone who is lazy on and off the field, doesn't go in hard, doesn't chase, tackle and work both ways and has off field problems. The undisciplined sooks who couldn't perform in a team footy environment. Get rid of those who lack effort on a consistent basis. That unfortunately was a lot of our better players and more senior players but we did it. Malthouse got hammered for doing this and mostly because we got nothing for them, probably due to having no list manager. Anyway, another story but Bolton and SOS have kept the ball rolling nicely but we have had to take the slide from a middle of the ladder side to a bottom side.
We then go with plenty of leadership, players who excel in these areas and are vocal and outspoken about reiterating what the coach wants. Real extroverts and we have that. I think we have players who will get into blokes not putting in and make sure they develop as effort players who apply the 1%ers. Perhaps we could go further here with more leadership. We have not lost any senior/good players with leadership qualities IMO to other clubs.
Hunting early draft picks has been good for us, we do need our genuine superstars. All the good sides have a good deep list but they still have a few superstars in their ranks. We need to find our next clutch of elite AFL players.
Now it's about stability, get games into these young players and develop them. Beat out the bad habits and improve their strengths and allow time to mature them mentally and physically. We are still in need of more talent and elite talent is very high on our agenda. Early draft picks, free agency (maybe now) and trading will still be on the cards.
SOS has been under a lot of pressure to do way to much in way too shorter time frame but the thing is he has done it and being on the bottom of the ladder now is irrelevant to the end goal.
The other aspect is that we have a no dickhead policy and strong focus on leadership means we may not always bring in the best and most talented players but they will behave, they will work hard, they will offer some voice and leadership and they will have a go. So in those trades you can't just look at the football ability you have lost or gained and how this effects the development of our younger players. No doubt there is a focus on effort and discipline.
I think now the clean out and replacement period is pretty much done and our recruiting team is finalised and probably the best we have ever had by so much it isn't funny, this is when the real magic happens. But these young guys will still take a few years and patience will be required.
I still believe that if we do a long time frame rebuild without any panic or corner cutting that when we do start to rise it will be a serious and fairly significant rise. Would not be surprised to see us go from 12th or 13th one year to top 4 the next for example.
First we fix the culture buy getting rid of everyone who is lazy on and off the field, doesn't go in hard, doesn't chase, tackle and work both ways and has off field problems. The undisciplined sooks who couldn't perform in a team footy environment. Get rid of those who lack effort on a consistent basis. That unfortunately was a lot of our better players and more senior players but we did it. Malthouse got hammered for doing this and mostly because we got nothing for them, probably due to having no list manager. Anyway, another story but Bolton and SOS have kept the ball rolling nicely but we have had to take the slide from a middle of the ladder side to a bottom side.
We then go with plenty of leadership, players who excel in these areas and are vocal and outspoken about reiterating what the coach wants. Real extroverts and we have that. I think we have players who will get into blokes not putting in and make sure they develop as effort players who apply the 1%ers. Perhaps we could go further here with more leadership. We have not lost any senior/good players with leadership qualities IMO to other clubs.
Hunting early draft picks has been good for us, we do need our genuine superstars. All the good sides have a good deep list but they still have a few superstars in their ranks. We need to find our next clutch of elite AFL players.
Now it's about stability, get games into these young players and develop them. Beat out the bad habits and improve their strengths and allow time to mature them mentally and physically. We are still in need of more talent and elite talent is very high on our agenda. Early draft picks, free agency (maybe now) and trading will still be on the cards.
SOS has been under a lot of pressure to do way to much in way too shorter time frame but the thing is he has done it and being on the bottom of the ladder now is irrelevant to the end goal.
The other aspect is that we have a no dickhead policy and strong focus on leadership means we may not always bring in the best and most talented players but they will behave, they will work hard, they will offer some voice and leadership and they will have a go. So in those trades you can't just look at the football ability you have lost or gained and how this effects the development of our younger players. No doubt there is a focus on effort and discipline.
I think now the clean out and replacement period is pretty much done and our recruiting team is finalised and probably the best we have ever had by so much it isn't funny, this is when the real magic happens. But these young guys will still take a few years and patience will be required.
I still believe that if we do a long time frame rebuild without any panic or corner cutting that when we do start to rise it will be a serious and fairly significant rise. Would not be surprised to see us go from 12th or 13th one year to top 4 the next for example.