Analysis Is Leppa the Right Man for the Job?

[SizeMatters]

I like Ratten as well and think he's the best available outside of the AFL senior coaches.

You have to stick with Leppisch though imo. Assuming one of the reasons he was re-signed was take away job speculation, especially because of your first 10 weeks, it would be really weak to sack him based on a few bad performances within that period.

Has had 3 years and we have gone backwards in every one... Never wanted Leppa in the first place but if the club still has him as head coach then I will reluctantly back their decision. Would rather someone else with experience and who has coached in a winning team though

 

[DanT7]

Need to focus on getting some quality assistant coaches in....
Good luck getting them to want to move to Brisbane.

 

[M Malice]

put this on the vent thread and then realized this was a more appropriate thread.

great post. after thinking a little too much about our situation following the massacre on grass on saturday night i have a couple more thoughts.

leppa was told to modify his gruff/aloof style with the players which apparently he has, which from reports was player and craig lambert driven.

leppa said during the off season that after the great round 23 win v the dogs that the playing group had come to him saying they wanted to play a more open "run and gun" style of footy which he relented to which at the time i didn't give much thought to, a collaborative approach and all that.

then yesterday i read on a news link on BF that the players had a long honesty session following the game on saturday night and the result was they told leppa that reputations mean nothing and to pick players on form and not reputations.

questions-
1. who besides tom rockliff and dayne beams has a reputation as a consistent elite/A grade player?

2. do the players have too much say?

3. leppa shouldn't need to be told to pick on form surely?

i sincerely hope that leppas authority/respect within the playing group has not been undermined through these processes, if it has there is hardly ever a way back IMO.

 

[dizzysquizz]

put this on the vent thread and then realized this was a more appropriate thread.

great post. after thinking a little too much about our situation following the massacre on grass on saturday night i have a couple more thoughts.

leppa was told to modify his gruff/aloof style with the players which apparently he has, which from reports was player and craig lambert driven.

leppa said during the off season that after the great round 23 win v the dogs that the playing group had come to him saying they wanted to play a more open "run and gun" style of footy which he relented to which at the time i didn't give much thought to, a collaborative approach and all that.

then yesterday i read on a news link on BF that the players had a long honesty session following the game on saturday night and the result was they told leppa that reputations mean nothing and to pick players on form and not reputations.

questions-
1. who besides tom rockliff and dayne beams has a reputation as a consistent elite/A grade player?

2. do the players have too much say?

3. leppa shouldn't need to be told to pick on form surely?

i sincerely hope that leppas authority/respect within the playing group has not been undermined through these processes, if it has there is hardly ever a way back IMO.

Hey, Loooong time stalker 1st time writer.

Noticed leppa in post match press conference, saying that he didn't say to much to the group, they broke up into their line groups and reported back to him.
Just curious wether other clubs do this ?
And I couldn't imagine Clarko Or Leigh Matthews doing this.

 

[winged1]

Get Clarko

 

[Dylan12]

Lengthy discussion about the Lions on SEN with Maher and Robbo and surprisingly the opening topic on Robbo's segment.

Leppitsch, Hanley, Rich, Bell and Lewy Taylor in the firing line and fairly so. Not a lot of substance aside from comments such as we're stuffed, the AFL is worried etc., no pride in the club etc.

The reserves are being called into question or rather our lack of depth and players pushing for senior selections and our weekly smashings etc.

Good to hear us being the opening segment, but pretty evident if we get spanked by Melbourne, Leppa will be right in the Vic media's firing line.

 

[M Malice]

Get Clarko

would't mind if one of their on field guns retired this year we went after a hodge/mitchell/burgoyne in an assistant role.

 

[James North]

would't mind if one of their on field guns retired this year we went after a hodge/mitchell/burgoyne in an assistant role.

We need someone who's done it before. If anyone from the coach's box is cleared out at any point, the appointment needs to be someone with proven coaching experience and great communication.

 

[James North]

Lengthy discussion about the Lions on SEN with Maher and Robbo and surprisingly the opening topic on Robbo's segment.

Leppitsch, Hanley, Rich, Bell and Lewy Taylor in the firing line and fairly so. Not a lot of substance aside from comments such as we're stuffed, the AFL is worried etc., no pride in the club etc.

The reserves are being called into question or rather our lack of depth and players pushing for senior selections and our weekly smashings etc.

Good to hear us being the opening segment, but pretty evident if we get spanked by Melbourne, Leppa will be right in the Vic media's firing line.

Odd that Bell has been pulled into it - he's not one of the players who has been not quite performing for the last 6-8 years up here.

Hope it stays in the media - something might be resolved.

 

[captainrich]

not really a fan of leppa being sacked, issue with a coach being moved on is the turnover in players and the lack of continuity.

remember when leigh matthews quit, bunch of players who he saw as the future of the club were moved on as voss didn't rate them or wanted to go in a comppletely different direction, really affected age bracket off list

similarly when voss was sacked (not counting go home 5 but other players since) in that year and the following year, bunch of players which under voss's regime the club had invested time in had been moved on

there are stories with plenty of clubs where players have struggled to adapt with injuries etc for the first 4 or 5 years and really come on since, but due to the lack of continuity with coaches etc and their views on players we have never been able to get this kind of development and talent out of our players

 

[brizrider]

Hey, Loooong time stalker 1st time writer.

Noticed leppa in post match press conference, saying that he didn't say to much to the group, they broke up into their line groups and reported back to him.
Just curious wether other clubs do this ?
And I couldn't imagine Clarko Or Leigh Matthews doing this.

I don't know but Matthews said in his book that he often waited a long time and sometimes until the next day to address the group after a loss so that some of the heat/emotion went out of it for him. It doesn't seem that remarkable to me that the groups might discuss and report back.

 

[TheHairyGamer]

I don't know about Leppa, when we sacked Vossy we had to name someone fans would get behind as his replacement. A fellow 3X premiership player. He has now had a few years to make the list his own. I would love to see what he could do with it if we had a fit line up, or at least his preferred 22 all fit

 

[Eons]

I don't know about Leppa, when we sacked Vossy we had to name someone fans would get behind as his replacement. A fellow 3X premiership player. He has now had a few years to make the list his own. I would love to see what he could do with it if we had a fit line up, or at least his preferred 22 all fit

I would love to see how we play if everyone gave a shit.

 

[lionshine]

Leppa just looked so bamboozled up in the coaches box. If you go to the smart reply on afl.com.au and click on Richy's goal in the 4th quarter they show Leppa in the coaches box just afterwards and he looks completely dumbfounded. He looked like he was somewhere else mentally.

 

[dlanod]

I would love to see how we play if everyone gave a shit.

Round 23 last year, I guess. Round 1 this year as well to some extent.

 

[Dylan12]

Would have loved Brendan Bolton.

Not that he was ever in contention, but I think someone as affable as Bolton with his character and personality would have been ideal for this current group.

 

[Eons]

Leppa just looked so bamboozled up in the coaches box. If you go to the smart reply on afl.com.au and click on Richy's goal in the 4th quarter they show Leppa in the coaches box just afterwards and he looks completely dumbfounded. He looked like he was somewhere else mentally.

Was sad to see. For a bloke that was so competitive on field it would be heartbreaking for him to see how heartless and non competitive the team was. That's the life of an AFL coach though, if you can't get the best out of the group you will be moved on and someone else will be given a go.

 

[snooplions]

We need to employ a successful senior coach that has hard evidence behind him that he can turn the club around. No more of this learning on the job crap that we've had to endure with Voss and Leppitsch.. Seems like Ratten is the candidate that keeps coming up, but heard Swann was part of the board at Carlton that gave him the flick, so maybe not.. Hope Clarkson wakes up one morning and has an epiphany that he's the one that needs to bring the Lions back up the ladder.

 

[Cockliff38]

Would have loved Brendan Bolton.

Not that he was ever in contention, but I think someone as affable as Bolton with his character and personality would have been ideal for this current group.

Yeah I'm torn on this one. As impressive as he has been with Carlton I'm not sure it would've been as successful with us. The reports that follow Bolton is that he's positive pam, always putting a glass half full spin on every message and just generally using positive reinforcement. I think our group needs a kick up the bum. Their attitude to footy is disgraceful atm. I think we need hard truths told rather than sugar-coating everything

 

[Happy_Neale]

Round 23 last year, I guess. Round 1 this year as well to some extent.

People read way too much into round 23 last year. Doggies were going at half pace. Although I guess it is true we cracked in that game too.

 

[CarterS]

I think our group needs a kick up the bum. Their attitude to footy is disgraceful atm. I think we need hard truths told rather than sugar-coating everything

Is there something rotten in our culture? The same issues are popping up that were supposedly a problem under Voss - arrogance of the playing group after the smallest of successes. If 2 coaches have encountered the same issue then you wouldn't have thought it's a coaching issue.

I've seen a few people say here in the past that the players don't like Leppa, so he has to go. I'm the opposite though, I'm backing Leppa (and Lethal and Swann) in and if players don't buy in then I'd support turning over half the list if need be. Have to say after the weekend my confidence has wavered slightly.

If there's 2 guys who would know what a winning culture looks like it would be Leppitsch and Matthews, not to mention Black. Rance apparently said it was Leppa the coach who made him what he is today - he came to Brisbane with huge wraps. I don't think he is the problem. I'd like to see a better panel of assistants though.

 

[Bucking Beads]

What we witnessed on Saturday night was once again more about attitude and intent as opposed to coaching IMO.

 

[Cockliff38]

Rance apparently said it was Leppa the coach who made him what he is today - he came to Brisbane with huge wraps. I don't think he is the problem. I'd like to see a better panel of assistants though.

Yeah but one of the many roles of a head coach is to get the players mentally prepared for a game. I might be being generous but I think Leppa has shown a semblance of a game-plan that can work when executed properly. So for me, that's not the problem. It's getting the players to buy in, which they're clearly not doing atm. Like most sports, footy is often played between the ears. We've got the analytical side to a reasonable level but it's the emotion/attitude that's left wanting.

 

[Skoob]

would't mind if one of their on field guns retired this year we went after a hodge/mitchell/burgoyne in an assistant role.

Gary O'Donnell, premiership player, former Captain of Essendon.
Simon Black, not going to bother listing his achievements.
Woewodin, grand final player and Browlow Medalist.
Leppitsch, triple premiership player.

Not going to suggest which of those can or can't coach, but playing career, a coach doesn't make.

 

[Milk Steak]

I'm getting a bit frustrated that some keep blaming our injury list for our mainly god awful displays. It's just an excuse that shit sides use in my opinion. Almost every team has injuries, yet if we're down 1 of our B grade midfielders we harp on about not having the same group together. Being down a few players may may stop you from getting over sides,but it doesn't cause a team to continually capitulate regularly.