Coach Welcome to West Coast: Andrew McQualter

[Grahame]

Just remember that he needs to assess the list this year as much as he needs to bed in a gameplan. Now the team is showing they can actually play his way for a quarter or two, he can start to see who fits in where.

Look at some of the changes he's already done: Dewar to HB (instead of wing/forward), Brockman to Mid/forward (instead of small forward), Harley from HB to Mid/forward, B Williams finally playing key forward and actually doing well.

I expect a decent list cull at the end of the year and a bunch of role players traded in. I'm always overly optimistic, but I think we'll jump up to Mid table next year based on the improvements to date. Him playing senior/established players despite poor form may also be a way of shining the spotlight on them to all him to pull them at the end of the year (once it's abundantly clear they don't fit in).

Also you’d imagine the bye will be a perfect opportunity for Mini to take a breather and reflect on what he’s learnt in his first stint as a senior coach.

Also it wouldn’t surprise me to see more experiments in these last games.

 

[Astro7]

But they're not providing any leadership and their form is putrid.

Simmo was also hammered from pillar to post for playing the credits crew, which really meant playing out of form experienced players just like McQualter is doing.

Of course they are!!? Just because they're B-grade seniors with wavering form, doesn't mean they're not being leaders out there. They're continually instructing other players. Even Ginbey is showing leadership down back. Duggan, Graham, Baker, Cole, Cripps etc all can be seen instructing players on the field.

Simmo/credits crew thing is different to Mini's situation in that he arguably had more depth to call on (but that was severely tested during those couple of horrendous injury years). Mini has no other seniors to call on, and in his own words, seniors are required for leadership and helping embed the new game plan.

What do you suggest, pull the seniors out of the game and replace them all with under developed youth - that'll be a disaster waiting to happen! Yes, the youth need to be played at some time, preferably sooner than later, but they have to be ready, AFL standard. We'll see some seniors culled end of year, a further transition, and players traded in to fit a need and age group etc (with better skills?)

 

[Ambrose Burnside]

Not talking about Ginbey (wat), Graham, Baker, I'm talking your Kellys, Duggans (you say he's instructing players, but doesn't chase? Piss poor leadership) etc

 

[WCE777]

Simmo had years (3 in fact) to address underperforming senior players and rarely did.

There are some things still stuck in place from simmo era.

If Duggan wasn’t captain I don’t think he’d be in our B23 right now, but mini needs to at least be respectful to leadership group he inherited.

He’s dropped Cole to WAFl to create opportunity. It’s not minis fault that none of the blokes stood up and claimed that spot. Cole was clear BOG when in the WAFL and mini couldn’t over look him.

If Bo keeps his current form, I think it will be hard for Cole to get back in the team.

Rome wasn’t built in a day and we need to give Mini more than 23 games before we judge the decisions he makes/has made. But he is on the right track for mine.

couldn't agree more

 

[BSD]

Also you’d imagine the bye will be a perfect opportunity for Mini to take a breather and reflect on what he’s learnt in his first stint as a senior coach.

Also it wouldn’t surprise me to see more experiments in these last games.

Mini was a senior coach at Richmond he took over from Hardwick mid season 2023

 

[Keys]

Mini was a senior coach at Richmond he took over from Hardwick mid season 2023

He was the caretaker coach at Richmond and there is a difference between borrowing the car for a test drive and actually owning it. Senior coach is different than caretaker

 

[greatwhiteshark]

I said a while back this first year is really about Mini finding out what he has, on field and off field.
Unfortunately for Mini Simmo never made any of the hard decisions so the rebuild actually only started this year from Mini’s point of view.
I am expecting quite significant list and coaching changes at end of the year. And next year will be when the real climb starts.

 

[Astro7]

Not talking about Ginbey (wat), Graham, Baker, I'm talking your Kellys, Duggans (you say he's instructing players, but doesn't chase? Piss poor leadership) etc

If you're a senior B-grade player with average skills, you can't always lead by example, but there are other ways to be a leader during a live game.
I mentioned Ginbey because you can see leadership transitioning to younger players, which is a good thing (phasing out the seniors eventually).
Like it or not, Duggan is co-captain, so I doubt he'll be pulled out for Wafl, especially with Allen out. It's all we have in the toolbox. Kelly could go to Wafl, sure.

I said a while back this first year is really about Mini finding out what he has, on field and off field.
Unfortunately for Mini Simmo never made any of the hard decisions so the rebuild actually only started this year from Mini’s point of view.
I am expecting quite significant list and coaching changes at end of the year. And next year will be when the real climb starts.

Yep, it was a reset within a rebuild.

 

[BSD]

He was the caretaker coach at Richmond and there is a difference between borrowing the car for a test drive and actually owning it. Senior coach is different than caretaker

That's splitting hairs. His work during the week and on match day would have been the same as for a senior coach or a caretaker coach as ewe put it.

 

[Keys]

That's splitting hairs. His work during the week and on match day would have been the same as for a senior coach or a caretaker coach as ewe put it.

As a senior coach he’s trying to set up a long term game plan whilst exploring the squad to find out who fits where

Establishing relationships throughout the club almost exclusively with people he didn’t know personally- something he’d already done as an assistant at Richmond prior to taking over the caretaker role

He’ll be involved in long term list management and also looking to what changes, if any, are required to restructure the coaching department

Match day would largely be the same admittedly as well as some of the week to week game day prep but that would be it

Much more to consider as the full time coach

 

[Dom sheed pocket]

That's splitting hairs. His work during the week and on match day would have been the same as for a senior coach or a caretaker coach as ewe put it.

No it isn't. In the same way that we don't think Schofield had the same authority and levers in his role as interim coach than what Simmo had.

You don't just get in the big chair and all of a sudden the personnel, game plan etc is in your image.

 

[ziad]

Richmond struggling by with a core of experienced players (of some quality)

How would Melbourne look with the outs equivalent to Gov, Waterman, Yoe, Sheed and lacking a ruck dominance. And now Allen not that he has done much at all (almost a passenger in many games) and we are covering the movement of Barrass and JD.
We are going fine.

 

[BSD]

Not talking about Ginbey (wat), Graham, Baker, I'm talking your Kellys, Duggans (you say he's instructing players, but doesn't chase? Piss poor leadership) etc

Absolutely Piss Poor leadership. Why wait till the end of the season to sack him as captain.

 

[Ruben Grubarb]

Absolutely Piss Poor leadership. Why wait till the end of the season to sack him as captain.

There's no advantages to pulling levers for short term results. If you do that too often, your coaching will wear thin with the players. Let him play. Let him be captain. Pick up the #1 draft pick. Sit him down at the end of the year and explain he lead the team to 1 win and that his opportunities will be limited.

 

[Donkers]

Just on the captain vote it's my understanding that players can choose not to be voted for. Whether it's captain on his own or as a Dual captaincy setup I think Baker will be captain next year if he finishes the rest of the year off the way he has gone until now.

 

[Elite Pete]

Cal reporting Swans are looking at bring Shuey across as an assistant coach and he’s considering it.

Will be interesting to see who Mini tries to bring in as assistant coaches.

 

[Cuzz09]

Hmmm.. feel like most on here won't mind if Shuey departs

 

[matthew_s]

Hmmm.. feel like most on here won't mind if Shuey departs

He can borrow my trailer.

 

[woosha24]

Cal reporting Swans are looking at bring Shuey across as an assistant coach and he’s considering it.

Will be interesting to see who Mini tries to bring in as assistant coaches.

Great player, but based on form literally anyone else would be a better stoppage coach.

 

[Seadog]

couldn't agree more

Sure you could.

 

[Wooshaaaa]

Cal reporting Swans are looking at bring Shuey across as an assistant coach and he’s considering it.

Will be interesting to see who Mini tries to bring in as assistant coaches.

Pick the carcass of the blues and chase ash Hanson or luke power.

 

[twce13]

Great player, but based on form literally anyone else would be a better stoppage coach.

i just think it's a lot more nuanced than looking at our performance and declaring if shuey can or cannot coach. I dont agree with the sentiment that he isn't doing a good job.

Our midfield, in particular with CBA this year has been so much younger than every other team and it's not even close. The seniors who have been in there dont have good enough stoppage craft (graham, TK etc).
Then add the fact our ruck division is probably the worst in the league, and I'd say the outcome is maybe even better than it should be.

Shuey himself is a young coach and whilst I agree with the sentiment from Keys that for his own development leaving WCE is probably a good thing, I hope we keep him. An ascending talent in clubland and a very good person to have to build rapport between the playing group and the senior clubman.

 

[bzparkes]

I do enjoy seeing how much people shit on Shuey, despite us having no senior midfielders(at least, in form - Kelly's cooked) other than Jack Graham

17

Jack Graham

Age

27

Ht

181cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.7

4star

K

8.0

3star

HB

6.8

4star

M

2.1

2star

T

6.3

5star

CL

1.8

4star

D

11.8

3star

K

5.3

2star

HB

6.5

4star

M

2.8

3star

T

4.2

5star

CL

1.2

4star

D

14.0

4star

K

6.0

3star

HB

8.0

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

7.0

5star

CL

3.2

5star

in the entire team, as well as having the worst ruck division ever seen but apparently that's all his fault, despite the fact that we've tightened up much better around stoppages in recent weeks despite the inexperience and awful rucks.

Then there's the fact that he's an assistant coach and his job is to set up according to the gameplan which is headed by the head coach.

 

[Keys]

I do enjoy seeing how much people shit on Shuey, despite us having no senior midfielders(at least, in form - Kelly's cooked) other than Jack Graham in the entire team, as well as having the worst ruck division ever seen but apparently that's all his fault, despite the fact that we've tightened up much better around stoppages in recent weeks despite the inexperience and awful rucks.

Then there's the fact that he's an assistant coach and his job is to set up according to the gameplan which is headed by the head coach.

Always really hard to judge the impact of assistant coaches from outside the club. So much of what they do is done away from the public gaze and building relationships with players is a massive part of what they do. Essentially, we have no idea

We could do with a further refresh of our coaching staff and, in the case of someone like Shuey who may get poached by another club, that refresh might be forced rather than by design

There’s also Jarrad Schofield who may decide to move on a year after being overlooked for the senior position

Marco Bello has only been at the club this year as forwards coach and it’d be unlikely he gets moved on after a solitary year

Leaves Luke Webster, our current backline coach and longest serving member of the coaching panel, as the most vulnerable looking from the outside. Particularly with Hurn in the wings as the backline development coach who would appear an almost ready made replacement

Now McQualter has the job he will also have had time to sound out previous assistants he’s worked with to gauge any interest in coming across to join him

Would love to poach someone from Collingwood, Geelong or Brisbane to bring across some much needed IP and experience- someone like Scott Selwood would be sensational

 

[ziad]

Always really hard to judge the impact of assistant coaches from outside the club. So much of what they do is done away from the public gaze and building relationships with players is a massive part of what they do. Essentially, we have no idea

We could do with a further refresh of our coaching staff and, in the case of someone like Shuey who may get poached by another club, that refresh might be forced rather than by design

There’s also Jarrad Schofield who may decide to move on a year after being overlooked for the senior position

Marco Bello has only been at the club this year as forwards coach and it’d be unlikely he gets moved on after a solitary year

Leaves Luke Webster, our current backline coach and longest serving member of the coaching panel, as the most vulnerable looking from the outside. Particularly with Hurn in the wings as the backline development coach who would appear an almost ready made replacement

Now McQualter has the job he will also have had time to sound out previous assistants he’s worked with to gauge any interest in coming across to join him

Would love to poach someone from Collingwood, Geelong or Brisbane to bring across some much needed IP and experience- someone like Scott Selwood would be sensational

Our mids lost so Shuey is a witch - burn him. I am sure Mini has a better feel for it than I do.