Coach Coaching 2022

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Probably easy and fair to think that it’s been a quiet off-season for us thus far. Minimal trade targets and simply focusing on getting the most out of this draft. I like it, some stability for our group, which on potential, I do rate.

But the potential of our group is in danger of middling out. Or at least, I thought it was. The point of this post, is that I think the club has made the great decision to revitalise our coaching staff.
  • Damian Carroll in as our head of development.
  • Nick Walsh as our head of fitness.
  • Corey Enright as our defensive coach.
Why wouldn’t you be bullish? Enright and Carroll are highly regarded from recently successful clubs such as Geelong, Collingwood and Hawthorn. Nick Walsh looks like a smart pick up as well, with his background in mental well-being at the AFL, and fitness at GWS.

This has been the next step in revitalising the club. Nothing really against those who left, but clearly we needed some new coaching blood. And great to see that new blood be sent to the areas fitness, development and defence. We have spent the last couple of years bringing in some great and some not so great ready made players. Now we have a pretty solid group. But we need to guide them and grow with them. That’s why I’m optimistic about our off-season strategy.

The draft allows us to hopefully take a promising first rounder and two well regarded NGA’s at least (maybe some DFA and rookies also). We can now foster these kids with a really solid competitive group above them. We are home growing them alongside Bytel, Byrnes, Connolly, Sharman, Heath, Clark, Coffield, King, etc.

The new coaching staff allows us to improve the strategic ability and development of these players, and enforce a competitive culture that we are striving for. Side by side, we are truly rebuilding. And not in the sense of, we are rebuilding for a finals push, but in the sense of, we are rebuilding what Saints footy, and Saints culture is. It’s already so great in many other areas (AFLW, Mental Health, Associate teams etc). It’s yet to be seen whether this comes to fruition, but it’s hard to say that we aren’t setting ourselves up the best we can. And I’m sure everyone has diverse opinions on how the club has been operating recently, but I for one, am assured. For St. Kilda, 2022 is a year for stability, or at least, it ought to be.

TLDR:

I’m bullish about the direction of our club, particularly regarding potential drafting and our new coaching appointments.
 
Minga said:
Probably easy and fair to think that it’s been a quiet off-season for us thus far. Minimal trade targets and simply focusing on getting the most out of this draft. I like it, some stability for our group, which on potential, I do rate.

But the potential of our group is in danger of middling out. Or at least, I thought it was. The point of this post, is that I think the club has made the great decision to revitalise our coaching staff.
  • Damian Carroll in as our head of development.
  • Nick Walsh as our head of fitness.
  • Corey Enright as our defensive coach.
Why wouldn’t you be bullish? Enright and Carroll are highly regarded from recently successful clubs such as Geelong, Collingwood and Hawthorn. Nick Walsh looks like a smart pick up as well, with his background in mental well-being at the AFL, and fitness at GWS.

This has been the next step in revitalising the club. Nothing really against those who left, but clearly we needed some new coaching blood. And great to see that new blood be sent to the areas fitness, development and defence. We have spent the last couple of years bringing in some great and some not so great ready made players. Now we have a pretty solid group. But we need to guide them and grow with them. That’s why I’m optimistic about our off-season strategy.

The draft allows us to hopefully take a promising first rounder and two well regarded NGA’s at least (maybe some DFA and rookies also). We can now foster these kids with a really solid competitive group above them. We are home growing them alongside Bytel, Byrnes, Connolly, Sharman, Heath, Clark, Coffield, King, etc.

The new coaching staff allows us to improve the strategic ability and development of these players, and enforce a competitive culture that we are striving for. Side by side, we are truly rebuilding. And not in the sense of, we are rebuilding for a finals push, but in the sense of, we are rebuilding what Saints footy, and Saints culture is. It’s already so great in many other areas (AFLW, Mental Health, Associate teams etc). It’s yet to be seen whether this comes to fruition, but it’s hard to say that we aren’t setting ourselves up the best we can. And I’m sure everyone has diverse opinions on how the club has been operating recently, but I for one, am assured. For St. Kilda, 2022 is a year for stability, or at least, it ought to be.

TLDR:

I’m bullish about the direction of our club, particularly regarding potential drafting and our new coaching appointments.
Click to expand...
I agree, but what does Nick Walsh's focus on mental well being entail? Is it just about being well balanced and not letting stress and depression beat you down, or is about giving the mental foundation to be consistently competitive? I would suggest we've got a lot of well balanced happy mature players already but need a bit more of the killer instinct.
 

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austinnn said:
I agree, but what does Nick Walsh's focus on mental well being entail? Is it just about being well balanced and not letting stress and depression beat you down, or is about giving the mental foundation to be consistently competitive? I would suggest we've got a lot of well balanced happy mature players already but need a bit more of the killer instinct.
Click to expand...

It’s obviously not the main reason we’ve brought him in, but it seems like an added bonus. Aligns with the clubs values:

“Walsh continued his development to rise internally at the Giants to be a defensive coach and was with the club until 2018 having been in the coaching, welfare and strength and conditioning positions.

More recently Walsh has been involved with the AFL Coaches' Association leading the 'Tackle Your Feelings' program, working with coaches at all levels on understanding and recognising mental health issues.

He will steer the Saints' pre-season program after the club missed the finals in 2021 following their semi-final finish last year.”
 
austinnn said:
I agree, but what does Nick Walsh's focus on mental well being entail? Is it just about being well balanced and not letting stress and depression beat you down, or is about giving the mental foundation to be consistently competitive? I would suggest we've got a lot of well balanced happy mature players already but need a bit more of the killer instinct.
Click to expand...

I doubt his "focus " will be on mental health.
But he is qualified.
We hear about various players in the AFL who are afflicted with different conditions.
Its good to have someone at the club qualified to deal with these sorts of issues.

I think you are clutching at straws if you think its about the winning instinct.
 
SaintsSeptember said:
I doubt his "focus " will be on mental health.
But he is qualified.
We hear about various players in the AFL who are afflicted with different conditions.
Its good to have someone at the club qualified to deal with these sorts of issues.

I think you are clutching at straws if you think its about the winning instinct.
Click to expand...
This was a bit of the blurb:

"More recently Walsh has been involved with the AFL Coaches' Association leading the 'Tackle Your Feelings' program, working with coaches at all levels on understanding and recognising mental health issues"

It is part of his brief. I would say that strength and conditioning would be part of a "winning instinct" in a physical sense.
 
Totally forgot about Enright too. Think he'll give us great IP from Geelong
 

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Coach Coaching 2022

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