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

[geoffjennings79]

I know we were a game away from top 4. We aren’t the only side lamenting that though.

This is a good point which is largely ignored in a lot of the post-season analysis.

 

[Planet Dogs]

EyesPratt is the only assistant coach we’ve hired in recent times that has had an obvious impact. Which makes sense as he was experienced, regarded and had past success.

If Bevo is to stay it’s clear by now he needs a lot of tactical support. That aspect of coaching isn’t his go.

That final was a disaster. Imagine before the game if you were told Bont (supposedly healthy) would spend 1/2 the game in the forward line and Sicily would be playing essentially unaccounted for. While West, who had some level of success tagging Sicily previously, was watching from the stands. Even Schache had managed to cause a Sicily meltdown before. Insane how little attention we gave him considering past encounters. And that’s just a couple of blunders from one game, let’s not forget how else he’s tried and failed to revolutionise the game, eg the Tim English experiment, the classic manning the mark outside 5 etc. In reality Bevo has been carried by very good or better midfields basically all of his time here.

Bevo needs a Pratt equivalent in all areas and he can manage the motivational stuff and player relationships. I’m not sure if he is willing to let go of his control and if we are willing to pay up (as more successful clubs do) for better assistants. I see both as pretty unlikely. This is also something people have been saying for a number of years.

I know we were a game away from top 4. We aren’t the only side lamenting that though. It’s just how the comp is now. We can only really judge from the results in front of us.

We would be better placed if we had stronger starts to the year but outside of the first six rounds of 2021, in which our side was insanely stacked (and Tim wasn’t our main ruck ) it’s something we always seem to struggle with. Lots of ****ing around early while the more consistent sides start strong. Sustained winning footy + consistency have never been a feature of Bevo’s tenure and it’s why he’s never finished top 4.

But if we are deadset on making Bevo a lifetime God-Emperor of the Bulldogs at least fork out for the best possible coaching box around him.

Spot on. I can't understand why the Bevo cultists can't see this.

 

[Planet Dogs]

The club now has the dilemma of what to do with Bevo's contract. We know he won't be sacked.

Does the club extend now, and if so for how long?

Does the club wait to see how season 2025 develops?

Do the Eagles have a crack at Bevo?

 

[cleveland]

The club now has the dilemma of what to do with Bevo's contract. We know he won't be sacked.

Does the club extend now, and if so for how long?

Does the club wait to see how season 2025 develops?

Do the Eagles have a crack at Bevo?

I think the eagles are having a crack at him. But would he take it? Doubt it

 

[BulldogMuscle]

The club now has the dilemma of what to do with Bevo's contract. We know he won't be sacked.

Does the club extend now, and if so for how long?

Does the club wait to see how season 2025 develops?

Do the Eagles have a crack at Bevo?

No extension, to do so off the back of another failed season spells disaster.

Go into next year with no contract, if we aren’t world beating by the bye, start looking for a replacement.

What I’d give to see this team finish top 4 for once…

 

[Planet Dogs]

I think the eagles are having a crack at him. But would he take it? Doubt it

I'm not so sure. It stuck in my mind his comment after being extended the first time. When asked by a journo what this meant for him he simply said "financial security".

If the Weagles offered him 5 years on top coin the Doggies would be made to try and get close to that. Self-interest is a very powerful force.

 

[VitalDread]

Bevo and the club will begin one-year contract extension talks in Early Feb

Another shake-up of staff is expected to happen with a number of other clubs coaches contract expired.

Stewart Edge being head hunted for AFL roles

 

[Sentinel]

Bevo and the club will begin one-year contract extension talks in Early Feb

Another shake-up of staff is expected to happen with a number of other clubs coaches contract expired.

Stewart Edge being head hunted for AFL roles

Can please they just be extension talks with nothing actually signed until at least mid-season?

 

[_Mike_]

Bevo and the club will begin one-year contract extension talks in Early Feb

Another shake-up of staff is expected to happen with a number of other clubs coaches contract expired.

Stewart Edge being head hunted for AFL roles

IMO shouldnt be holding any extension discussions until mid season, need to hold coaches accountable for the team's performance

 

[ArNcHiSe]

A

Bevo and the club will begin one-year contract extension talks in Early Feb

Another shake-up of staff is expected to happen with a number of other clubs coaches contract expired.

Stewart Edge being head hunted for AFL roles

Early Feb!!!!! The club reminds me of the WOOF episode of the office. He is the Ryan and the club is Michael Scott.

 

[Whoyagot]

Bevo and the club will begin one-year contract extension talks in Early Feb

Another shake-up of staff is expected to happen with a number of other clubs coaches contract expired.

Stewart Edge being head hunted for AFL roles

Edge is a must keep. GWS blowing huge leads points to a gap in their fitness management which was not present last season.

 

[JTCWBFC]

Club will just keep extending happy with mid table finishes until Bont's career is done.

 

[Proffessor]

This is what you argued.
A 35 year old Grant and a cooked Aker.

Many premiership teams, including ours in 2016 included seasoned veterans that arguably made the difference between winning and losing.

My point was that if Eade was happy to push players of that caliber aside before they thought they were done, then obviously it can't convincingly be argued that a lack of talent at his disposal was the reason Eade couldn't take us to a GF or a flag.

I could also have pointed to the fact that there are a number of current senior players that would have to consider themselves lucky to have been listed as emergencies the preliminary final teams of the Eade era.

The argument that Eade had less talent at his disposal is just flat out wrong.

 

[geoffjennings79]

My point was that if Eade was happy to push players of that caliber aside before they thought they were done

I posted an Age article (can post more sources if you like) where Akermanis clearly stated publicly at the start of 2009 that it would be his last season. Eade and the club then asked him to reconsider and he did, as Hall was effectively over the line well before 2009 ended, and they hoped to play them together.

The rift between Akermanis and other senior players (and fault will be disputed and likely never resolved), was brewing from his arrival at the club over handstands, then Leading Teams, etc, writing unedited articles creating competition-wide controversy, and many other examples.

By mid-2010, largely through his own actions, his position became untenable, as Hardie's did in 1986, and David Thorpe in 1973.

As with those other 2 historical scenarios, the club had a binary choice - remove a single player or escalate the schism by trying to paper over it. They were NEVER getting rid of the people Akermanis claimed were the issue - Eade, Johnson, Murphy, Gia the main ones.

They (rightly IMO) backed the coach in all 3 cases - a minor miracle in itself considering how sh1t-house our club admin was generally all the way back to sacking Sutton less than 3 years after a flag.

So you can believe Eade forced Akermanis out, but Jason Akermanis, as he was at Brisbane, was ultimately the victim of his own demise.

I'm by no means averse to unique individuals expressing themselves in AFL, but they are also part of a club who is their employer. So they also need to toe the company line when required. I didn't agree with the club curtailing his post-match handstands routine for example, as it seemed heavy handed on a theatric outside the actual contest. And maybe that was part of his frustration that built over time. But it was telling that many Brisbane people were not surprised at the manner of his exit from our club, nor were a large part of the broader industry.

 

[BLACAE]

Bevo and the club will begin one-year contract extension talks in Early Feb

Another shake-up of staff is expected to happen with a number of other clubs coaches contract expired.

Stewart Edge being head hunted for AFL roles

I would be trying to keep Edge. He has got a lot out of the VFL team.

On SM-G990E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[yebach]

Many premiership teams, including ours in 2016 included seasoned veterans that arguably made the difference between winning and losing.

My point was that if Eade was happy to push players of that caliber aside before they thought they were done, then obviously it can't convincingly be argued that a lack of talent at his disposal was the reason Eade couldn't take us to a GF or a flag.

I could also have pointed to the fact that there are a number of current senior players that would have to consider themselves lucky to have been listed as emergencies the preliminary final teams of the Eade era.

The argument that Eade had less talent at his disposal is just flat out wrong.

Ok mate.

I don't believe anything anyone says to you will change your devout belief in Beveridge.

Your pro Bevo arguments are starting to wear thin though.

From memory -

You argued that we shouldn't move Bevo on because we might end up with another B. McCartney.
So basically you're fearing something that is a complete unknown.

Then you argued we as a small club are disadvantaged by the AFL and that we won a flag is proof that Bevo can perform actual miracles.

Then there was biased umpiring.

Then there was the fixture.

At no point that I can remember have you actually dispelled any of the "anti Bevo" concerns like team selection, tactical nous in game, any type of plan B or C or D and proper planning for the opposition.

I've had a look at the 2008 team just briefly. Yes we had good players. But no CHF or FF. Please don't say Wade Skipper. In my opinion our current team is better.

 

[Sizzlesilk]

Can anyone please assist me in reminding me of an incident where former port players organised flights, accom and tickets to Perth for the GF prior to the 2021 Prelim where the dogs had done laps of Australia and Port were slightly cocky and believed they were already in the Granny?

 

[MrChristo]

Sorry, is this pure nonsense.

GWS had as much interest in beating us in the last round as we did in beating Freo in the last round in 2016.

Losing to us guaranteed a final at the SCG, I highly doubt it was something they wanted to avoid.

They needed to beat us, a Port loss and approximately 4% swing to get to second place, if the latter two didn’t happen they finish third and play Port in Adelaide. I’m positive I know what they would have preferred.

That's quite a take given Port was playing away to Freo after our game. Freo had to win to play finals.
They just needed a Port loss. The % swing had nothing to do with it.

Also, GWS beat Port by 4 goals at Adelaide in a final last year.
Play a well documented finals choker, or at the home ground of clearly the best team all year who had won both meetings this year by around 5 goals?!

Sorry, but that's one of the most illogical posts I've seen since one a few days ago was (thankfully) deleted by its author.

 

[MrChristo]

At no point that I can remember have you actually dispelled any of the "anti Bevo" concerns like team selection, tactical nous in game, any type of plan B or C or D and proper planning for the opposition.

But neither do the "He lost it at selection!" crowd.

Rather than ranting, tell us, clearly and logically, who you would (and wouldn't have) selected, and why.

You constantly choose to believe (?) that a coaching group can plan to win big games at Geelong and at Sydney and v. GWS (we were also underdogs v. Carlton) suddenly switches off and becomes clueless.

What would you have done differently?

 

[yebach]

But neither do the "He lost it at selection!" crowd.

Rather than ranting, tell us, clearly and logically, who you would (and wouldn't have) selected, and why.

You constantly choose to believe (?) that a coaching group can plan to win big games at Geelong and at Sydney and v. GWS (we were also underdogs v. Carlton) suddenly switches off and becomes clueless.

What would you have done differently?

We have mentioned who we would have selected. Repeatedly. I've mentioned a couple recently.
If you can actually be bothered go back and read to this thread from the start.
Not much has changed except there are probably more people now that don't think Bevo is the Messiah.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

Can anyone please assist me in reminding me of an incident where former port players organised flights, accom and tickets to Perth for the GF prior to the 2021 Prelim where the dogs had done laps of Australia and Port were slightly cocky and believed they were already in the Granny?

I’m sure it happened

 

[yebach]

But neither do the "He lost it at selection!" crowd.

Rather than ranting, tell us, clearly and logically, who you would (and wouldn't have) selected, and why.

You constantly choose to believe (?) that a coaching group can plan to win big games at Geelong and at Sydney and v. GWS (we were also underdogs v. Carlton) suddenly switches off and becomes clueless.

What would you have done differently?

We beat Geelong's VFL team.
Sydney were sputtering, but still a good win.
(I don't rate Longmire either.)
GWS as posted before, probably were saving themselves for a finals tilt.
Carlton also sputtering when we played them, but also still a good win.
Bevo, Longmire, Goodwin and Simpson all premiership coaches. All have had great lists at times. I rate none of them.

 

[Sizzlesilk]

I’m sure it happened

Thanks. Thought so but just can’t find anything anywhere.
Thanks for confirming

 

[Snarls Barkley]

That's quite a take given Port was playing away to Freo after our game. Freo had to win to play finals.
They just needed a Port loss. The % swing had nothing to do with it.

Also, GWS beat Port by 4 goals at Adelaide in a final last year.
Play a well documented finals choker, or at the home ground of clearly the best team all year who had won both meetings this year by around 5 goals?!

Sorry, but that's one of the most illogical posts I've seen since one a few days ago was (thankfully) deleted by its author.

Yeah I don't think GWS tanked our game. Could've rested a clearly banged up Coniglio and Briggs if that was the case.

I'm not sure why they would be scared of Port Adelaide after dominating them in the SF last year and try and get yourself on Sydney's side of the draw who had beaten them twice this year.

Bedford and Daniels the only two that missed and Bedford wasn't able to get up for the EF so that was clearly a proper injury.

I'm sure psychologically they might not have been 100% because they knew they had the double chance sewn up but I don't think this was a Dogs vs Freo scenario

 

[Proffessor]

Ok mate.

I don't believe anything anyone says to you will change your devout belief in Beveridge.

Your pro Bevo arguments are starting to wear thin though.

From memory -

You argued that we shouldn't move Bevo on because we might end up with another B. McCartney.
So basically you're fearing something that is a complete unknown.

Then you argued we as a small club are disadvantaged by the AFL and that we won a flag is proof that Bevo can perform actual miracles.

Then there was biased umpiring.

Then there was the fixture.

At no point that I can remember have you actually dispelled any of the "anti Bevo" concerns like team selection, tactical nous in game, any type of plan B or C or D and proper planning for the opposition.

I've had a look at the 2008 team just briefly. Yes we had good players. But no CHF or FF. Please don't say Wade Skipper. In my opinion our current team is better.

When you name a player that wasn't in the preliminary final team, as evidence, it appears that even you don't have a lot of faith in your own argument.

As you are probably now aware, as I expect you looked it up, our 2008 preliminary final team was full of top-class talent and had only 2 players that ended up with less than 150 career games.

If we picked a best team out of the 2008 and 2024 team players, there would certainly be more 2024 players missing out.

My argument is not that Bevo is perfect, nor that he doesn't make mistakes. He makes plenty that infuriate me.

My argument is simply that the AFL is not a level playing field and that coaching the Bulldogs to the promised land is a harder job than many people seem to appreciate.

A lot of very good coaches, with very talented players, and teams, have tried and failed.

So, when we have someone who has shown he can actually get us there and continues to keep us competitive and giving us chances of getting there again, then we should be in absolutely no hurry to see them depart.