St Kilda Coaching 2025 and beyond

[Sully111]

After the weekend I've been thinking about Ross Lyon's coaching career. One thing I don't think Lyon coached teams have been known for is composure. There's been structures, buy-in, unbelievable effort etc etc.

2009 and 2013 Grand Finals are prime examples of his sides lacking composure when it mattered most.

Since he's come back I think we've looked woeful at times... just lost. People seem to always put it down to list issues but I don't buy that 100%.

I think Ross is a great coach, but If there's one thing Saints have been missing for a long time it's composure. Yes I know there's been examples (Nas v Dees).

We looked panicked on Sunday. I'm backing the team to bounce back but it's an area we need to get in order if we're going to challenge.

It's a bit of a watch for me.

 

[saintbill]

After the weekend I've been thinking about Ross Lyon's coaching career. One thing I don't think Lyon coached teams have been known for is composure. There's been structures, buy-in, unbelievable effort etc etc.

2009 and 2013 Grand Finals are prime examples of his sides lacking composure when it mattered most.

Since he's come back I think we've looked woeful at times... just lost. People seem to always put it down to list issues but I don't buy that 100%.

I think Ross is a great coach, but If there's one thing Saints have been missing for a long time it's composure. Yes I know there's been examples (Nas v Dees).

We looked panicked on Sunday. I'm backing the team to bounce back but it's an area we need to get in order if we're going to challenge.

It's a bit of a watch for me.

Has a good track record from over 10 years ago.

Game is considerably different now. He gets away with a lot because he is charismatic. Our game day coaching and general game plan are deplorable.

I honestly don't know how anybody could call him a good coach in THIS era.

I am not going to put all our issues on just Lyon, our whole coaching staff doesn't do it for me.

Not keen to hand the keys to Enright at all, our style of footy is awful to watch and predictable to play against.

 

[Sully111]

Has a good track record from over 10 years ago.

Game is considerably different now. He gets away with a lot because he is charismatic. Our game day coaching and general game plan are deplorable.

I honestly don't know how anybody could call him a good coach in THIS era.

I am not going to put all our issues on just Lyon, our whole coaching staff doesn't do it for me.

Not keen to hand the keys to Enright at all, our style of footy is awful to watch and predictable to play against.

That's not how I see it.

I'm specifically talking about composure.

 

[gringo2011]

After the weekend I've been thinking about Ross Lyon's coaching career. One thing I don't think Lyon coached teams have been known for is composure. There's been structures, buy-in, unbelievable effort etc etc.

2009 and 2013 Grand Finals are prime examples of his sides lacking composure when it mattered most.

Since he's come back I think we've looked woeful at times... just lost. People seem to always put it down to list issues but I don't buy that 100%.

I think Ross is a great coach, but If there's one thing Saints have been missing for a long time it's composure. Yes I know there's been examples (Nas v Dees).

We looked panicked on Sunday. I'm backing the team to bounce back but it's an area we need to get in order if we're going to challenge.

It's a bit of a watch for me.

We looked pretty good in 2009. I think it's the full field press means players are exhausted and often all running back and aren't set up ahead of the ball. If everyone is running to provide an option, there isn't anyone thinking of creating a decoy or spreading out the defence.

 

[jwikked]

After the weekend I've been thinking about Ross Lyon's coaching career. One thing I don't think Lyon coached teams have been known for is composure. There's been structures, buy-in, unbelievable effort etc etc.

2009 and 2013 Grand Finals are prime examples of his sides lacking composure when it mattered most.

Since he's come back I think we've looked woeful at times... just lost. People seem to always put it down to list issues but I don't buy that 100%.

I think Ross is a great coach, but If there's one thing Saints have been missing for a long time it's composure. Yes I know there's been examples (Nas v Dees).

We looked panicked on Sunday. I'm backing the team to bounce back but it's an area we need to get in order if we're going to challenge.

It's a bit of a watch for me.

Surely composure comes from the players, right?

 

[Sully111]

Surely composure comes from the players, right?

Directly, yes.... but I think coaches can influence all aspects of the game.

 

[Mowman]

All i know is i will take RTB over

Richo
Ratts
Brad Scott actually any Scott (********s)
Voss
Longmuir
Clarkson

ETC.

 

[gringo2011]

All i know is i will take RTB over

Richo
Ratts
Brad Scott actually any Scott (********s)
Voss
Longmuir
Clarkson

ETC.

Ross was the right guy the right time. He rebuilt the internals of the club. We had no idea what we were doing before he restructured.

It took 8 years for Brisbane to win a flag from when Fagan took over. He had to do a fair bit of honing to an already long running rebuild. Lists still make coaches. Malthouse, Clarkson, Pagan etc all found out that strategy is still hamstrung by availability and quality.

Even Sydney without access to Gulden, Warner and Heeney last year were a bottom 4 side. Chuck them back in and they look mint. Throw in Ciurnow and they look top 4. That's why I'm praying like **** for Max King's knee. It probably gives us potentially 4+ more wins having him available.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

I wish we'd had a go at getting Tom Hawkins down to Moorabbin, think he'd be an excellent forward coach and cultural leader, links with Boris. Could have shifted Biscuit Bolton to the backline.

Talking of ex Geelong players, I wonder why we didn't get Jimmy Bartell in as Footy Boss. Maybe Ross doesn't work well answering to younger guys, but it seemed a good match

Tom's coaching.
Yeah mate, just shove them in the back...and the umpires never notice...oh and make a funny face.

 

[Jade Buddha]

Not convinced Boris is the next best available. In fact I’m not convinced in Boris altogether. If he’s in charge of game plan then I’d question his capability in the role.

 

[gringo2011]

Not convinced Boris is the next best available. In fact I’m not convinced in Boris altogether. If he’s in charge of game plan then I’d question his capability in the role.

Yeah, so far he's not absolutely nailing his role. The idea that there will be a hand over looks premature. We need to see some results before we mortgage the future on him.

 

[jwikked]

Not convinced Boris is the next best available. In fact I’m not convinced in Boris altogether. If he’s in charge of game plan then I’d question his capability in the role.

I don’t like the idea of a succession plan, regardless of who it is - but definitely not for Enright.

I’ve got no idea why Brendan Bolton was brought in, might have been the worst senior coach of the last 25 years

 

[Saintbloke]

We were never going to go forward by trying the re-invent the past and make it the new future. The Lyon rising from the ashes plan has floundered- it's not 2009 anymore. I see no improvement in the last four seasons, and definitely don't see a team that's going places in 2026. All that's happened is that Ratten got us into a final, and was let go, then Lyon got us into a final and we have treaded water since then. Not a huge difference in either, so not sure why Lyon is still there.

I was hoping to see bigger improvement from some young players, but it's a matter of Garcia slightly improving, Hall carrying on and Windy about the same as last season, Nas has done reasonably well and probably stopped us from losing games by more so far. TDK doesn't look as positive without the likes of Cripps and Walsh at his feet. It's like we have reserved a position in the middle rungs of the ladder for the foreseeable future.

I don't know the answer to what comes next, but I don't see much point in keeping the current coaching group after this season if no real improvements are made.

 

[pebblesofsand]

Not convinced Boris is the next best available. In fact I’m not convinced in Boris altogether. If he’s in charge of game plan then I’d question his capability in the role.

Being in charge of game plan doesn't mean its his game plan.

 

[g_TRAIN]

Not convinced Boris is the next best available. In fact I’m not convinced in Boris altogether. If he’s in charge of game plan then I’d question his capability in the role.

I broadly agree, but even if Boris is technically the “gameplan” guy, I’d be stunned if Ross didn’t have a heavy imprint on it. So I’m not writing him off purely on how our game style looks on game day.

 

[g_TRAIN]

Being in charge of game plan doesn't mean its his game plan.

Correct.

 

[jwikked]

Being in charge of game plan doesn't mean its his game plan.

The game plan is fine, it’s our execution that’s an issue

 

[Jade Buddha]

I broadly agree, but even if Boris is technically the “gameplan” guy, I’d be stunned if Ross didn’t have a heavy imprint on it. So I’m not writing him off purely on how our game style looks on game day.

It’s an interesting question when you look at our coaching. Yes Ross should have a say but why give a coach the title and let

Being in charge of game plan doesn't mean it’s his game plan.

what does it mean then?

 

[g_TRAIN]

It’s an interesting question when you look at our coaching. Yes Ross should have a say but why give a coach the title and let

what does it mean then?

He’s probably operating within a structure that still has to align with Ross’s broader philosophy. More likely, Boris’s role is to connect the whole thing, forwards, mids, backs, and how it all functions together.

If he went to Ross and said he wanted to go full attack and scrap the defensive numbers-behind-the-ball principles Lyon teams have always relied on, there’s no chance Ross would sign off on that.

 

[gringo2011]

The game plan is fine, it’s our execution that’s an issue

You need to work with the tools you have. No point in having a Rolls Royce game plan for a bunch of hiluxes. If they can't execute your game plan you won't have a job for long.

 

[SaintsofSteel]

I was a avid Lyon fan, but some of the things he has done since his return to the club have shown that his ruthless player management methods often do more harm than good.

He will oversee one of the worst win/loss starts the club have had in years. After selling everyone false hope during the preseason.

There is no doubt he has lifted the professionalism at the club, but other than that what has he achieved. He is well past his use by date and the club would be best suited by him stepping aside and giving Enright the reins.

 

[Diehard Saint]

I was a avid Lyon fan, but some of the things he has done since his return to the club have shown that his ruthless player management methods often do more harm than good.

He will oversee one of the worst win/loss starts the club have had in years. After selling everyone false hope during the preseason.

There is no doubt he has lifted the professionalism at the club, but other than that what has he achieved. He is well past his use by date and the club would be best suited by him stepping aside and giving Enright the reins.

What has Enright achieved that you just assume he’d be an improvement and capable of doing better with this list?

 

[Murraj1966]

What has Enright achieved that you just assume he’d be an improvement and capable of doing better with this list?

Exactly

It'll be Josh Carr 2.0 at this point.

 

[Sully111]

I was a avid Lyon fan, but some of the things he has done since his return to the club have shown that his ruthless player management methods often do more harm than good.

He will oversee one of the worst win/loss starts the club have had in years. After selling everyone false hope during the preseason.

There is no doubt he has lifted the professionalism at the club, but other than that what has he achieved. He is well past his use by date and the club would be best suited by him stepping aside and giving Enright the reins.

You've gone a bit early to be making definitive statements.

Let's see how the season plays out.

 

[pebblesofsand]

I was a avid Lyon fan, but some of the things he has done since his return to the club have shown that his ruthless player management methods often do more harm than good.

He will oversee one of the worst win/loss starts the club have had in years. After selling everyone false hope during the preseason.

There is no doubt he has lifted the professionalism at the club, but other than that what has he achieved. He is well past his use by date and the club would be best suited by him stepping aside and giving Enright the reins.

RE Ross Lyon - the question is straight forward - have we improved since his return?

Unfortunately the evidence suggests we haven't.