Toast Graham Wright

[76woodenspooners]

We got 3 seasons out of Wright.

How many years of service did he give Hawthorn?

Kind of pissed off with him to be honest …

Why would you be pissed off with him?

He’s only been with the club 3 years and has already served under 3 Presidents and 2 CEO’s. That’s not a very stable platform for him to operate under? And none of that is his fault.

 

[sr36]

Rumour on another site was that at the end of last season GW told the Board that the club needed to move on several veterans but this was vetoed by the Board. He again raised the issue and was shut down hence tendering his resignation.

Not sure how true this is.

But I don’t like what our President has said today in the media. If GW doesn’t come back then we need to find a replacement for him ASAP.


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Sounds unlikely to me. The oldies had zero trade value. Retiring them would have added nothing other than a list spot. We were relectant in the draft, only added 2 and then took 3 as SSP. Did he want to take more draftees - we could have. Wanting to take more SSP - seems really unlikely.

 

[swoop42]

Why would you be pissed off with him?

He’s only been with the club 3 years and has already served under 3 Presidents and 2 CEO’s. That’s not a very stable platform for him to operate under? And none of that is his fault.

We won a Premiership so the platform can't have been that unstable. Regardless, I'm sure he was well remunerated for his troubles and at times dual roles. He deserved to be.

Given how long Wright has been involved in football at both player and administrator level only lasting 3 years at our club seems like a bit of a farewell tour to me. I hoped for more for the club where the journey all began. I would have assumed if we convinced him he didn't need to resign, we would allow him to travel overseas, then the people taking up his duties this season were simply place holders and the GM job was his when he returned.

If he has reneged on that offer then yes I'm pissed off with him. If on the other hand the club never intended or guaranteed him he could return as GM of football then my annoyance moves on to them.

Wright has proven himself in the role. We are taking a gamble on those currently new to and fulfilling his role.

I hope we don't come up snake eyes.

 

[Roverjg]

Rumour on another site was that at the end of last season GW told the Board that the club needed to move on several veterans but this was vetoed by the Board. He again raised the issue and was shut down hence tendering his resignation.

Not sure how true this is.

But I don’t like what our President has said today in the media. If GW doesn’t come back then we need to find a replacement for him ASAP.


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I have no idea if the story is true. I have concerns regarding Browne's interview. Several player managers reported at the start of the year that contract negotiations with the Pies would take place towards the end of the season. I don't know if this was due to GW being away or the club was waiting to see how our veterans and thereabouts performed. This is a double edged sword b/c this leaves Richards who is currently without a contract vulnerable to poaching. My other concern is he stated how well Leppa us going in recruitment and list management and how well Bolts is doing whatever Bolts is doing. But what about Leppas supposed role of innovation and strategy incl. new game plans etc. To counteract opponents game styles. Our defence has more holes than swiss cheese. Our midfield is one paced and lacks defensive capabilities and is disconnected from both defence and the forward line. The interview reminded me of Ed. A lot of bluster and not a lot of substance about what we are doing

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[Roverjg]

We got 3 seasons out of Wright.

How many years of service did he give Hawthorn?

Kind of pissed off with him to be honest and by extension the club if we've basically known all along it was highly unlikely he would return to his GM of football position.

If our next GM of football is going to be appointed without a proper search being conducted and simply come from those already within the 4 walls, then a smell of nepotism is in the air.

As it stands now both Leppitsch and Bolton were hired due to their assistant coaching records and identified strengths contained within those roles. The jury is still out about their ability to take on and succeed in a more off field role.

In order to cover for the abscence of Wright and subsquently the new roles of the two named above, we elevated others to line coaches.

One of those in Roughead was a development coach last season, Skipworth and Selwood combined to coach the midfield together, while Bolton had the defence and Leppitsch the forward line.

In a season where we were looking to capitalise on last seasons Premiership success we effectively removed our two most decorated assistants, gave the two assistants who had combined previously the responsibility of seperate roles and elevated the development coach to oversee our defence.

I'm not going to blame all our troubles on them obviously but when you see it all written down is it any surprise we've looked a mess at times this season?

That's a hell of a lot of change in the one off season and all to a coaching panel that just combined for Premiership success.

I feel we might well have just kicked an own goal.

Roughead and Skipworth were in those roles before news of GW's sabbatical, as both Bolton and Leppa had been given new roles to keep them at the club after clubs had approached them. They wanted to step away from line coaching

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[Pragmatic Shill]

I actually have to ask people here what you actually expected the club to do when Wright came and said he wanted out? He himself said he was burnt out, you can't expect someone to just work through the burnout if you value yourself as an employer at all. It's been reported Browne "refused" Wright's resignation but that's just fanciful talk, there's nothing stopping Wright from just walking.

If Wright walked, there goes a really capable operator that was a major factor in our flag. Giving him the opportunity to take a break provides a chance (no matter how slim) for him to return and continue to be the really capable operator at the club. "Accepting" his resignation straight up or otherwise forcing him to work through the season somehow means that he either goes, or phones it in for a year due to burnout and then goes anyway.

 

[The Phantom]

Replace the word "certainty" with "hope".

I've said from the very start that it looked like the statement about him returning to the club was "smoke and mirrors" to appease the members.

Nah.
We didn’t have to do anything to appease members in the afterglow of a flag.

 

[The Phantom]

I actually have to ask people here what you actually expected the club to do when Wright came and said he wanted out? He himself said he was burnt out, you can't expect someone to just work through the burnout if you value yourself as an employer at all. It's been reported Browne "refused" Wright's resignation but that's just fanciful talk, there's nothing stopping Wright from just walking.

If Wright walked, there goes a really capable operator that was a major factor in our flag. Giving him the opportunity to take a break provides a chance (no matter how slim) for him to return and continue to be the really capable operator at the club. "Accepting" his resignation straight up or otherwise forcing him to work through the season somehow means that he either goes, or phones it in for a year due to burnout and then goes anyway.

Wow.
Didn’t expect this.
I agree with every word.

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

I'm glad people have started to finally acknowledge that having moved/changed all the coaching assistants around this year has been a contributing factor to our performances this year.

Combined with our never ending injury list, tweaking our game plan, new messaging, different coaching styles, new personnel each & every week..and now it seems the group look mentally & physically exhausted.. it's probably not surprising we're where we are.

The most disappointing aspect for me has been our noticeable lack of effort & pressure since the bye. Particularly on Saturday against the Hawks.

All this off field chatter is definitely not helping. It's the first thing the media blamed after we lost the first 3 games. And again now it's their focus.

Hopefully we put in more effort on Sunday. And freaking win.

 

[Apples]

I'm glad people have started to finally acknowledge that having moved/changed all the coaching assistants around this year has been a contributing factor to our performances this year.

Combined with our never ending injury list, tweaking our game plan, new messaging, different coaching styles, new personnel each & every week..and now it seems the group look mentally & physically exhausted.. it's probably not surprising we're where we are.

The most disappointing aspect for me has been our noticeable lack of effort & pressure since the bye. Particularly on Saturday against the Hawks.

All this off field chatter is definitely not helping. It's the first thing the media blamed after we lost the first 3 games. And again now it's their focus.

Hopefully we put in more effort on Sunday. And freaking win.

I can't argue with any of that EP.
The Wright talk here though, seems to be all over the shop.
My memory could be wrong of course, but these are the facts as I remember them:
•Wright approached Kelly and Browne and handed in his resignation. He said his wife had always wanted to spend a summer in Europe and he could never agree to go with her, due to his footy commitments. He thought that now, after winning a premiership, he could no longer put it off.
•Club reluctant to lose him, so came up with a "superannuation plan'. I think it may have been Craig Kelly who spoke about this and said that other workers get Super, so why not football administrators?
•Brendan Bolton and Justin Leppitsch were given promotions, although there was some talk that Leppa wanted Bolton's role. Leppa was head-hunted at the end of 2023 (by the Dogs?), so I wouldn't be at all surprised if he decides to leave. Of course, if he were offered Wrighty's role, he'd likely jump at it.

All talk of Wright not returning has been from members of the media who have no real facts; a bit like Tom Morris's report that Elliott may never play again. If Wright, Browne and Kelly know anything already, they are keeping shtum.

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

I can't argue with any of that EP.
The Wright talk here though, seems to be all over the shop.
My memory could be wrong of course, but these are the facts as I remember them:
•Wright approached Kelly and Browne and handed in his resignation. He said his wife had always wanted to spend a summer in Europe and he could never agree to go with her, due to his footy commitments. He thought that now, after winning a premiership, he could no longer put it off.
•Club reluctant to lose him, so came up with a "superannuation plan'. I think it may have been Craig Kelly who spoke about this and said that other workers get Super, so why not football administrators?
•Brendan Bolton and Justin Leppitsch were given promotions, although there was some talk that Leppa wanted Bolton's role. Leppa was head-hunted at the end of 2023 (by the Dogs?), so I wouldn't be at all surprised if he decides to leave. Of course, if he were offered Wrighty's role, he'd likely jump at it.

All talk of Wright not returning has been from members of the media who have no real facts; a bit like Tom Morris's report that Elliott may never play again. If Wright, Browne and Kelly know anything already, they are keeping shtum.

Not like the media to make up the bits they have no knowledge of

 

[JLC]

Jean Luc, you don’t know if work load increased.
Bolton certainly isn’t taking training as he used to.
I don’t even know if there was a mental health side to this, but he clearly wanted some lifestyle time with his wife.

Regardless, these guys are in a high performance environment and should be able to deal with change given support.
I don’t think there is any risk in this.

Crikey, we’re playing shit at the moment. It happens. Why do people have to dramatise it in extremis?

I don’t like it either, but I’m not about to start cheering for Sydney.

Just presenting the other side of the situation.

 

[jmac70]

Just presenting the other side of the situation.

You made it up though?

 

[JLC]

You made it up though?

So you don't think it is at all possible? Wow. Ok.

 

[jmac70]

So you don't think it is at all possible? Wow. Ok.

I didn’t say that.
I said you made it up.
Which you did.

 

[JLC]

I didn’t say that.
I said you made it up.
Which you did.

Thank you that's all I wanted to know. I could very well be proven right.

 

[jmac70]

Thank you that's all I wanted to know. I could very well be proven right.

Unlikely

 

[Harry O]

We got 3 seasons out of Wright.

How many years of service did he give Hawthorn?

Kind of pissed off with him to be honest and by extension the club if we've basically known all along it was highly unlikely he would return to his GM of football position.

If our next GM of football is going to be appointed without a proper search being conducted and simply come from those already within the 4 walls, then a smell of nepotism is in the air.

As it stands now both Leppitsch and Bolton were hired due to their assistant coaching records and identified strengths contained within those roles. The jury is still out about their ability to take on and succeed in a more off field role.

In order to cover for the abscence of Wright and subsquently the new roles of the two named above, we elevated others to line coaches.

One of those in Roughead was a development coach last season, Skipworth and Selwood combined to coach the midfield together, while Bolton had the defence and Leppitsch the forward line.

In a season where we were looking to capitalise on last seasons Premiership success we effectively removed our two most decorated assistants, gave the two assistants who had combined previously the responsibility of seperate roles and elevated the development coach to oversee our defence.

I'm not going to blame all our troubles on them obviously but when you see it all written down is it any surprise we've looked a mess at times this season?

That's a hell of a lot of change in the one off season and all to a coaching panel that just combined for Premiership success.

I feel we might well have just kicked an own goal.

Totally agree and extremely concerned by Browne’s comments that he likes the new structure. Eddie #2 by the looks

 

[JLC]

Unlikely

If you go back and read what I actually posted - it was never stated as fact.

I think it is reasonable to assume that some of the staff workload increased as his role was shared? We didn't hire someone in his absence?

The point was the positive is that yes we have looked after GW and his health but did we put at risk other staff members? Why wouldn't you hire someone in his absence? A bit like when someone goes on maternity leave? That would have been the logical move? Surely?

 

[Harry O]

Roughead and Skipworth were in those roles before news of GW's sabbatical, as both Bolton and Leppa had been given new roles to keep them at the club after clubs had approached them. They wanted to step away from line coaching

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And Roughead has been an unqualified disaster. Skipworth has never impressed me

 

[Apples]

I think you should retire early tonight. You're posting rubbish.......and so am I apparently!

 

[jmac70]

If you go back and read what I actually posted - it was never stated as fact.

I think it is reasonable to assume that some of the staff workload increased as his role was shared? We didn't hire someone in his absence?

The point was the positive is that yes we have looked after GW and his health but did we put at risk other staff members? Why wouldn't you hire someone in his absence? A bit like when someone goes on maternity leave? That would have been the logical move? Surely?

It’s not reasonable to assume something you have no factual knowledge of.

 

[JLC]

It’s not reasonable to assume something you have no factual knowledge of.

Ok I will simplify.

Person A has a defined role.
Person B has a defined role.

Person C has a defined role and they go on leave and their role is shared amongst existing staff i.e Person A and Person B.

You can draw your own conclusions as to who did what in place of Person C.

 

[jmac70]

Ok I will simplify.

Person A has a defined role.
Person B has a defined role.

Person C has a defined role and they go on leave and their role is shared amongst existing staff i.e Person A and Person B.

You can draw your own conclusions as to who did what in place of Person C.

I don’t need you to draw pictures for me.
Your entire argument is based on what you imagine.
The fact you don’t recognise this says a fair bit about your ego.

 

[Fat Jesus]

My take. Gw resigned. Thinking he had to do this. No way Collingwood would have agreed in his head.
Gw needed a break and thought no way in the world Collingwood would accept this during the season.
So he resigned.

Instead Collingwood was accepting of his feelings.

I'm smashed. Thank you for listening.

I think GW will be back in some capacity