Rumour Future of the club (Bevo, board, assistant coaches, football department)

[Al dente]

The first time i had gotten of the fence and decided I want Bev gone rather than stay was after the Essondope game

Nothing has changed my mind if anything I’m even more resolute that Bev should go.

Emotional connections with players, we care about each other, we look after our players, I will defend our players etc etc that narrative is a smoke screen for incompetence and confusion that reigns at the Kennel

im sure players appreciate their fatherly bonds with Bevo, and those relationships are vital, but there needs to be a strong disciplinary edge to that, Bevo is coaching to not lose the players

for 2 and a half years we havent brought intensity for any more than 2 weeks at a time, this tells me the players know theyll get a pat on the back regardless, which only leaves the fringe players who have a need to bring it every week.

 

[Al dente]

can anyone in the know confirm if Bevo has a performance target, most likely finals, that he needs to meet to coach next year? it was mentioned once or twice late last year when the sacking talk was going on

 

[Dog 36]

im sure players appreciate their fatherly bonds with Bevo, and those relationships are vital, but there needs to be a strong disciplinary edge to that, Bevo is coaching to not lose the players

for 2 and a half years we havent brought intensity for any more than 2 weeks at a time, this tells me the players know theyll get a pat on the back regardless, which only leaves the fringe players who have a need to bring it every week.

Indeed those relationships are important and I agree BUT never at the expense of what I would call non negotiable’s such as intensity etc players and coaches need to grow up. Players deficiencies need to be fixed, game plan, players role, etc etc

 

[Planet Dogs]

Something is seriously wrong with the leadership at the club.
As supporters, we have no idea which team will turn up on the day. Will it be the exciting finals contender? Will it be the insipid bottom-six plodder?

This extreme level of inconsistency is toxic

Enough! New leadership is required. Beveridge and Grant must be replaced.

 

[TiAn_]

The word we’ve heard come from the club a thousand times recently, including from Bev, is “consistency”. I think if Bev can stabilise the team’s performances at good level for the remainder of the year, without that wild fluctuation of recent years gone by, the Ws and Ls will be less determinative of the decision on next year.

Yesterday was definitely a poor reflection of our progress on this front.

If we no-show a couple more games like that on the run home then I’m not sure how anyone at the club could say we’re achieving consistency of performance, or even application, with a straight face. And given that has clearly been the goal for this year, I’m not sure where that leaves things.

 

[Mutt]

I liked that Bevo came out strongly in support of Cody during the week, but that isn't enough to give him a pass mark this season. As a team, we are severely underperforming, and Luke has to accept most of the responsibility for that. This is now the third consecutive year that we have not met reasonable expectations.

 

[Dogs54]

Coach can be blamed for selection and choice of sub.

really, who is responsible for strategy, structure, matchups and game day coaching?

 

[hutchy31]

I'm sure some posters will see this thread go off after a bad loss, but after a good win there's a swing the other way to how good Bevo is. That's fair enough, there's a degree of fickleness to any fandom, myself definitely included.

One of the underlying problems as I see it (admittedly as a guy at a keyboard/phone rather than involved in the game) is that the variance between our best and worst remains significant. I know commentators spout about how "even the competition is" and that anyone can beat anyone on their day, but a team shouldn't be beating a finals contender (Freo) by over 10 goals and then two weeks later losing to a 5-8 ranked team (Port) by eight goals. That's ludicrous.

If it wasn't part of a consistent pattern where over the last 2-3 years the team can't ever seem to meet expectations, where they can get up and beat a contender (or run them close) and then fall on their face against a bottom four team, then maybe a coach with the credits Bevo has in the bank gets a pass. But this inconsistency, coupled with erratic team selection so we rarely have a settled team (allowing for injuries and sometimes the necessity to move things around), makes for a challenging watching experience as we have no idea what bulldogs we're going to see this week.

We can also criticise our list, that it's not a top four list or whatever, but it's not a terrible list either. The top end should be elite, including the best player in the comp, but the bottom six has been poor for a while and at least part of the problem is that Bevo and/or the broader MC consistently pick a couple of players who are not AFL standard and have proven themselves not to be.

It also seems like selection integrity is an issue, as some players can play poorly and not provide enough effort but because they're high draft picks or have been recruited/selected for a particular purpose they get away with it and there is no threat of being dropped. Others get in for a game or two and get dropped even though there were numerous other players who deserve that more. I find it difficult to believe that a group with the footy experience that our coaches and MC have could look at how English and JUH have been performing across chunks of this season and wouldn't consider dropping them. Aside from those selection decisions being warranted, it would also show the fringe players that there are no protected species at the club. Maybe that's an archaic way of looking at it, and modern coaching is about backing those supposedly top players in, but if it is then I don't see how it's getting the desired results.

Finally, I do think the players have to look at themselves. There are a handful of first-third year players at the club, and they shouldn't be expected to set standards so they get a pass. But outside of maybe 3-5 senior players (Bont, Libba, Treloar, Jones, maybe Richards) who do we trust to put in consistent performances and hold their teammates to a same standard? I don't think you lay this at the captain's door, but the broader leadership group is failing when they are allowing this performance variance to happen. I don't think they are being put in a position to succeed by the coach and the footy department, but they should still be better than this.

 

[_Cerberus_]

The first time i had gotten of the fence and decided I want Bev gone rather than stay was after the Essondope game

Nothing has changed my mind if anything I’m even more resolute that Bev should go.

Emotional connections with players, we care about each other, we look after our players, I will defend our players etc etc that narrative is a smoke screen for incompetence and confusion that reigns at the Kennel

They are grown men. They need to harden up, grow up and play like professional sports men wanting success, instead of coasting along to a pay slip. Granted the coach to a degree needs to rev up. But even if we had Eade, it would make no difference on our players to decide which week they want to rock up and actually run and chase all game. 100% on the players, sick of them getting free passes all the time. I don't need someone else to tell me to work hard in any of my sport games, I want to win, I naturally gut run, and I don't get paid a cent.

 

[Optimistic Dog]

What are Bevo's least favourite numbers?

Well, that is easy 6 and 3. For coach who never sees the value of tap ruckman and never changed with the rule changes


6 Because the 6.6.6 rule increased the value of tap ruckman.
3 Because the change in the 3rd up increased the value of a tap ruckmen.

 

[Chalky White]

really, who is responsible for strategy, structure, matchups and game day coaching?

I agree with you mate. I was replying to someone who suggested it was all on the players and not on the coach.
It's the coach AND players that were terrible.

 

[VitalDread]

can anyone in the know confirm if Bevo has a performance target, most likely finals, that he needs to meet to coach next year? it was mentioned once or twice late last year when the sacking talk was going on

Club has always backed Bevo to be at the club next year
I've been saying since earlier this year it's always been in Bevo court

 

[VitalDread]

Our entire 22 list is offensive minded team
the moment we have to defend, we shat the bed and go searching for too long

Legit, if the ball goes 2 inch higher in the air
Our backline is exposed

 

[LondonBulldog]

We are not standing up in big games and its starts in the middle. Certain teams run riot on our one pace midfield.

It wasn't our bottom 6 which costs us the game on sat. It actually never is. Who of our midfield said Rozee, Butters and Wines are well on top, it's time for us to put the clamps on. No one did, when the pressure rises, we constantly fold over the last few years. Our pressure acts were down, we never have the GPS running kilometers of the opposition and we don't work hard enough or cover the ground enough. Port defenders running off the line from the centre bounce receiving handballs? Where are forwards, they should be with them not hoping for an easy one out the back.

Did our ruckman step up. No he folded like his does against strong ruckmen and that first use of the ball goes to the opposition. Taps and taps to advantage is more valuable to a team than English getting uncontested marks and kicks around the ground. Apart from Gawn, most premiership ruckman are just workhorses.

3 tall forwards does not work in modern footy. Port backs had a field day running off JUH and Darcy (poor McNeil trying to chase down 3 blokes, whilst JUH and Darcy still walking at the previous contest). Thats not pressure modern football. I said before the game I wouldn't play Libba in the middle for this game.

Yet Bevo is so stubborn and has so much faith in the players he barely deviates from the game plan.

Port was fire up, I wasn't surprised by the loss after the few outs, yet a little more ticker would have been nice.

 

[Optimistic Dog]

We were not good enough this season and now our second most important Jones is out for 4 weeks we are done. It is time to revisit who will be our new coach next season. Hoping we go for first time coach not a recycled one.

 

[ScragCity]

Not sure if this is true but I was told by someone with connections to the higher-ups in the AFL that on average, our players consume 25% less water during a match than players for other teams.

 

[hutchy31]

Not sure if this is true but I was told by someone with connections to the higher-ups in the AFL that on average, our players consume 25% less water during a match than players for other teams.

This might have a grain of truth to it, and the club have a plan because I’ve heard we might offer Netflix a future second rounder for Adam Sandler.

 

[SweatOnMySkin]

We're a side who is blessed with having the best player in the comp. We're also a side that is almost completely reliant on that person playing out of their skin to win games for us.

We're lucky to have him but we dont win a lot when he has a quiet game, or even just a regular game by other players standards.

I think Bont has been a double-edged sword for us the last few years. His quality papers over the cracks of what is a fairly average list and gameplan. He wins us games, some of our spirited losses are when he drags us back into games. When was the last time someone else on the list really took control of a game and turned it on it's head?

It doesnt happen that often, but when he is off, or tagged out of a game it's like being 2 players down.

So what's the solution? Trade Bont obviously.

No of course not, but seeing the same patterns year after year is growing increasingly concerning and I'm sure this isnt lost on the man himself either. Ultimately I think he's been a shield for what has been awful coaching for a long time. I think something has to give this year, it's time for that change.

 

[bobs head soup]

Don't think you can blame the coach for this. The players are to blame for today just a step behind all day and looked soft

If a player doesn't turn up and perform to an acceptable level, that is on the individual.

If a team doesn't turn up and collectively perform to an acceptable level, that is on the coaches.

 

[CarnTheScray]

Without Bont we’re bottom 6, possibly bottom 4. At least based on our performances.

Bit it looks like we will be finishing bottom 6 at this rate anyway.

 

[VogonProsthetnic]

If a player doesn't turn up and perform to an acceptable level, that is on the individual.

If a team doesn't turn up and collectively perform to an acceptable level, that is on the coaches.

We have also been unbelievably lucky picking up Treloar and Jones ( both AA quality players) as well as drafting two virtual no 1 picks ( Darcy and JUH) when we were a mid table team.

In spite of all that we are still ordinary.

 

[dergert]

If West Coast have the balls to part ways with a long term coach.. we should too.

 

[F6Typhoon]

If West Coast have the balls to part ways with a long term coach.. we should too.

They have a much much bigger war chest than us though..

 

[bigdog54]

We are literally in no man's land and have been for three years now. It's time for change and that starts with the coach.

 

[Optimistic Dog]

Wonder if Bevo likes the west. Maybe too many sharks when he is surfing.