St Kilda parts ways with coach Alan Richardson: report

[cecil]

Someone posted tsomething like his on our board and I think it shows why he was never able to build a finals team.

A comparison between each teams first pick in that draft. 2016 being the only draft we selected before them.

2013 Draft.
Pick 3: Billings. Pick 4: Bont

2014 Draft.
Pick 1: McCartin. Pick 26 Toby Maclean

2015 Draft.
Pick 18: Gresham. Pick 25: Josh Dunkley

2016 Draft.
Pick 25: Ben Long. Pick 19: Tim English

2017 Draft.
Pick 7/8: Clarke/Coffield. Pick 9: Aaron Naughton

2018 Draft.
Pick 4: Max King. Pick 7: Bailey Smith

Granted it's a too early to call it definitively for some players, but that is grim reading for St Kilda.

 

[Rod Stroker]

St Kilda drafted well in 2007 picking up Steven and McEvoy (since traded). 2008 Lynch (traded) and Stanley (traded). 2009 traded for Lovett. 2010 Cripps (traded).

I had totally forgotten that Cripps was initially at the Saints. Smart decision to return home.

 

[saints_333]

On the weekend, they played the ladder away (ie. at Geelong) and were 2 points up at half time which would suggest to me that Richardson and his players had more to offer than what is being perceived.

Yet, following that effort, the Saints booted him.

I just don't get it.

Carlton under Bolton and North under Scott also had similar games this year where they took it to the top teams and then were sacked later on. One game does not equal your entire season and what road the club is really taking. In fact you could argue that St.kilda wanted him to go out with a bit of a respect rather than after a game where they got belted (same thing probably happened to Scott).

We, Sk.kilda in the end have made the right decision and anyone suggesting otherwise are just kidding themselves. I like the guy but anyone who has a record of 6 years and no finals, no matter what the situation has been, the writing is on the wall. I've seen people trying to claim that they should get rid of the staff under him rather than Richo but if that was the case then you would never sack a coach ever again. It has to stop somewhere. Thanks for your effort Richo but it's time for someone new to have a go.

 

[zeggie]

Obviously other contributing factor's have played a part but if I were St Kilda, I would be cancelling the China trips, or ask to get it out of the way early in round 1.

It was a pretty 'crappy' fixture for them that's for sure.

 

[Scotland]

I had totally forgotten that Cripps was initially at the Saints. Smart decision to return home.

I think Cripps has tried to forget it also.

 

[The Edukator]

St Kilda haven't had much success, but even their most tenured ones (100 games plus) have made finals, except one: Richardson. He was the most senior coach in the league without making a final and the team looks years off making the finals. Good call.

As for people who say: "he can only work with what he's given" the reports about how St Kilda picked McCartin show that Richardson was involved in the decision making process. He argued for McCartin being picked up because of how Boyd was picked up and that "there's always midfielders". Yeah, except not every midfielder is made the same. For every Patrick Dangerfield there's Rhys Palmer. The fact that he didn't think that through, or foresee how midfielders would become increasingly important makes me think his understanding of recruiting wasn't too fresh either.

Carlton going talls before mids seems to be working though. The list management team gave him very little to work with even if he got this one wrong

 

[Chuckie357]

St Kilda made the GF in 2009 and 2010 and then finished 7th after finals in 2011. Carlton finished 7th, 8th, 5th those seasons.

The failure of both clubs was not recognising where their lists were really at. Bit rich to blame the expansion drafts. Carlton and Melbourne should have been good in the 2010s having picked the eyes out of the draft before GC and GWS came in.

St Kilda drafted well in 2007 picking up Steven and McEvoy (since traded). 2008 Lynch (traded) and Stanley (traded). 2009 traded for Lovett. 2010 Cripps (traded). 2011 Ross, Newnes, Webster. 2012 nothing after losing Goddard and trading for Lee and Hickey. It's a disaster of a list management era and it was no surprise they stank from 2013 onward.

Cripps wasn’t traded, he sooked to go home after being handed one of the most famous numbers at the footy club

 

[Damon_3388]

Someone posted tsomething like his on our board and I think it shows why he was never able to build a finals team.

A comparison between each teams first pick in that draft. 2016 being the only draft we selected before them.

2013 Draft.
Pick 3: Billings. Pick 4: Bont

2014 Draft.
Pick 1: McCartin. Pick 26 Toby Maclean

2015 Draft.
Pick 18: Gresham. Pick 25: Josh Dunkley

2016 Draft.
Pick 25: Ben Long. Pick 19: Tim English

2017 Draft.
Pick 7/8: Clarke/Coffield. Pick 9: Aaron Naughton

2018 Draft.
Pick 4: Max King. Pick 7: Bailey Smith

Granted it's a too early to call it definitively for some players, but that is grim reading for St Kilda.

Similar to Bolton at Carlton, I think Richardson was ultimately done in by poor drafting and development in the years prior to him arriving. Just not enough (what would now be) senior quality coming from the 2009-2013 draft periods.

 

[Scotland]

Cripps wasn’t traded, he sooked to go home after being handed one of the most famous numbers at the footy club

Well he was traded, but as you were. Probably saw that you preferred to get games into mature agers like Saad and Milera and followed Tom Lynch's lead.

 

[Atomboy]

Well he was traded, but as you were. Probably saw that you preferred to get games into mature agers like Saad and Milera and followed Tom Lynch's lead.

Both requested a trade out of the club due to the head coach.

Both were actually very good drafting results but we couldn’t retain them.

 

[Rod Stroker]

I think Cripps has tried to forget it also.

Under rated player. Quiet achiever but consistent. Just gets the job done.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

Partially the recruiters fault, far too many unimaginative picks. While they did well with the likes of Gresham and Marshall being genuine A grade talent, they’ve barely taken another AFL standard player in the last five years. Take Rozee and Naughton and he’d still have a job.

 

[Manila_Hawk]

Ratts was at Hawthorn from 2012 to 2018. Went really well. Part of 3 premierships.

In 2018, he left Hawthorn to also have an assistant role at the struggling Saints.

Now the coach has left.

 

[Ron The Bear]

Similar to Bolton at Carlton, I think Richardson was ultimately done in by poor drafting and development in the years prior to him arriving. Just not enough (what would now be) senior quality coming from the 2009-2013 draft periods.

That, and rising too quickly in 2016 with Riewoldt and Montagna (3rd & 4th in b&f) near the end. It built expectations unreasonably.

Others in the top 10:

Steven - 6th & 1st in the b&f, looks headed elsewhere
Geary - made skipper, 31yo
Newnes - struggling for form these days
Ross - good player
Weller & Hickey - other clubs
Membrey - good second or third forward
Armitage - see Newnes, 31yo

Not a sustainable platform.

 

[SunshineBoy]

St Kilda ask Al Clarkson a question 17 other clubs have asked over the past 5 years!!!

Very presumptios of you

 

[Rod Stroker]

Cripps wasn’t traded, he sooked to go home after being handed one of the most famous numbers at the footy club

Looks like he made the right decision in hindsight. He's since played in 2 GF's, won a flag, and is a chance for one more this year.

Meanwhile Saints have hardly played finals since he left.

 

[Xtreme]

Cusp of something special? He has had 6 years! They won 12 & finished 9th in 2016 , despite injuries it’s Been poor since. Had to go!

2020 was his year!

 

[demondavey]

The question is, how well can he coach?

Look at how well Shaw has coached with the same list since taking over. How kids like Simpkin, LDU, Thomas, etc, have progressed. How our numbers have improved in several key areas.
Keeping in mind that Scott wanted to gut the list and rebuild. The board disagreed.

Time will tell if what Shaw is building is sustainable, or if he even gets the chance to see it through, but the jury is out on how good a coach Scott is. Some would say the jury is already back in!

Yeah I sort

The question is, how well can he coach?

Look at how well Shaw has coached with the same list since taking over. How kids like Simpkin, LDU, Thomas, etc, have progressed. How our numbers have improved in several key areas.
Keeping in mind that Scott wanted to gut the list and rebuild. The board disagreed.

Time will tell if what Shaw is building is sustainable, or if he even gets the chance to see it through, but the jury is out on how good a coach Scott is. Some would say the jury is already back in!

But he did get his team to a highly competitive position in 14 and 15, I mean he hasn’t done well this year (obviously) but I don’t think he is a total bust.

 

[Ron The Bear]

Ratten was coincidentally appointed caretaker at Carlton with six games to go in the season and promptly lost them all. The best thing St.Kilda can do this year is to try to drop a couple of ladder positions while investing in development. And vote against a Suns PP.

Ratten's tactically astute with a winning record despite fielding young teams. St.Kilda needs to get the rest of its footy department in order to support him.

 

[demondavey]

The writing was on the wall for both Richardson and Bolton after that Round 10 match. It was unwatchable. Carlton have bounced since Bolton's sacking so it isn't that the team is hopeless and the Saints are playing exactly the way Carlton did pre sacking. I suppose the message gets lost and it just isn't working anymore. Port, Melbourne and Fremantle are not as bad but similar situations. Although I think Ross Lyon is an interesting one...

Fremantle were looking ok but the last month have gone to the dogs.

 

[demondavey]

All the new coach really needs to do is to get it into some of our players thick heads that the game starts at the first siren, not whenever they feel like putting the effort in, no more jogging (if that) up and down the field or standing around doing nothing. I don't think many on the team can honestly say that they give it anywhere near their all for anywhere near the amount of time that is acceptable.

Oh and above all else that an interstate/international trip to play a match is not a ******* holiday.

This may sound premature, but I think St Kilda is closer to finals than people think. I genuinely don’t think their list is that bad, sure they can look horrible at times but they have some really good players and with the right coach, message and trade period I think they can respond and get into the 8 next year.

 

[demondavey]

The point was that Richardson's approach to drafting is flawed. Such a flawed approach may have not stung him too much then (although Petracca at least gets on the park), but is bound to hurt him eventually. St Kilda's drafting hasn't been too great lately.

But that’s not all on Richardson. If the cattle has been no good you’ve got to look to the recruitment team.

 

[Cotchins Hair Piece]

All the best to Alan, seems like a good bloke.

 

[Cotchins Hair Piece]

What's the record for most coaches 'stepping down' in a season?

2011 with five coaches I believe.

 

[demondavey]

Those compromised drafts stopped in 2011. The drafts I'm talking about were '13 and '14.

Even then, (and yes, it's hindsight recruiting) but take out McCartin and Billings and add Petracca and Bont (the players taken the picks after) and you're a better team by far.

2014 is fair enough; it was a pretty rubbish draft. But that 2013 draft was an absolute cracker.

It's not just the picks though; there we're probably a few senior players that got brought in too soon (5 and 24 for Carlisle and 14 in 2015).

I just reckon there were too many early misses with the picks brought in during the rebuild, and then the Saints reached for Free agents too soon (the base of kids wasnt good enough yet). The Saints probably didnt actively target enough 'cheap' want-away GWS/ GCS kids either (aside from Steele who I rate).

I don’t believe it’s the picks. I’ve seen Melbourne been given high draft picks for years only to squander them and have kids traded, retire or be delisted. All of a sudden we get higher picks under a better system (pre 2019, the Roos era) and they look a lot better.

Our player development under Bailey and Neeld was non existent. I think the same issue exists with the Saints. And it’s also amazing how a new message from Teague and Shaw has revamped Carlton and North. I genuinely believe it’s the player development and guidance combined with a coaching system. Those top picks just can’t be a bust, there’s a reason they are ranked that high in U/18.