Originally Posted by
Merdo5555
Can anyone think of any other team in recent years that has simply not turned up for a big game, i.e., Grand Final or Semi Final. As a one off-aberration I think we all wrote off the GF but now it appears that anytime the team is raging hot favourites they dont bother turning up unless the opposition roles over. That's coaching and player problem, reality is we aren't getting rid of half the list so we should look at the coach.
Sure other teams have gotten flogged in big games but are two most embarrassing recent finals performances we were favourites so it wasn't a talent issue alone.
The performances seem to be slipping further and further away.
Can another coach get the best out of our final-phobic players like Rohan, Parker etc. I don't know but I think it's worth a try. Just making finals doesn't cut it. I'd happily take the dogs ladder position and trade it for last year's premiership.
if Longmire stays, and let's face it he will, then we need at the minimum a complete coaching box clean out like Richmond. let's get in a match day tactical specialist and new voices for the players to hear, and let's start making clear that if you can't handle the Finals heat we will look for possibly less talented player who we know will bring us a 6 or 7 rated game rather than a player that can get a 9 but then a 0 in a final.
Why did Sir Alex Ferguson buck the trend and be successful for so long, there are many reasons but one of the biggest is he took an increasingly hands off approach and rotated his staff so players didn't get bored or start cruising. We need to do the same. I think a couple of external appointments will do wonders, too often the strength of a unity in voices becomes a weakness when no-one counters the dominant opinion.
Losing is fine provided you can see the effort and application. Did we see that last Friday?
I know the boys were tired, the moon was pink, the ground was slippery, etc. In the end do we become a club of excuses or a club that does?
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