Coach Justin Longmuir

[Docker82]

He was saying that we don't look close to extending JL the way we did in 22. (ie, "same thing" is the JL extension in 22)

Before the season started in 2022. When JL was due to be out of contract in 2022.

It’s now less than two months before the season starts in 2024 and his contract isn’t getting extended any time soon.

Most coaches that go into a season out of contract need a very good season to keep their job. Let’s be honest - it doesn’t exactly show confidence in JL that he’s still out of contract.

 

[Bicco]

Massive injury toll, particularly early, I accept. After that, I don't see anything.

I could add in that good wins against teams in the bottom eight and good football against top eight teams with some 'heartbreaking' losses could also be enough to maybe accept him staying on as coach IMO. Losing 2 or 3 of these games could be enough to miss finals, which then feeds into game style and competitiveness.
Insipid losses to teams where we look uncompetitive are completely unacceptable IMO. Our group has been together long enough that we should be competitive for four quarters.
The core of this group and Jlo have been together 5 years, as I said above, I'm backing them in to make and win finals.

 

[The Feeder Club]

Before the season started in 2022. When JL was due to be out of contract in 2022.

It’s now less than two months before the season starts in 2024 and his contract isn’t getting extended any time soon.

Most coaches that go into a season out of contract need a very good season to keep their job. Let’s be honest - it doesn’t exactly show confidence in JL that he’s still out of contract.

If Bell was still in place I would agree with this. Moving Bell sideways as they've done makes me think they recognise last year was unacceptable but they want to give him every opportunity to show it wasn't due to him. What he certainly can't say if he's let go late this year is that he wasn't given a good go at it.

 

[Purple Jesus]

I don't think so, we lost the ability to execute.

Turnover scoring is mostly putting pace on the ball and we stopped doing it.

Yep. We went into our shells. It’s a confidence/between the ears thing. And not surprisingly due to the age/experience profile. But that excuse starts to end this year too. We’re just entering the prime.

 

[estibador]

Would rather Adam Kingsley over pretty much every other coach at the moment. The vision of him in the rooms during finals last year was incredibly inspiring and GWS’s performances spoke for themselves.

Yeah it's frustrating to think he was sitting on the shelf for so long ripe for the picking. From the outside he seems to be the perfect mix of hardness and intelligence, and the way he had GWS firing once he'd embedded his gamestyle has them as my tip for the flag next year.

Was he an applicant for our interview process anyone know?

 

[sumavich]

 

[Joao]

Yep. We went into our shells. It’s a confidence/between the ears thing. And not surprisingly due to the age/experience profile. But that excuse starts to end this year too. We’re just entering the prime.

We're not entering our prime because none of our KPFs are in theirs, but we certainly have enough experience by the end of this year to not use age as an excuse (unless 5 senior players get injured and miss the whole season).

 

[freo1997]

View attachment 1894134

Who are these tossers?

 

[The Feeder Club]

Who are these tossers?

One's a brainless airhead that has had too much cheap Botox. The other one is going out with the guy that wrote the bevo to Fremantle story

 

[Docker82]

If Bell was still in place I would agree with this. Moving Bell sideways as they've done makes me think they recognise last year was unacceptable but they want to give him every opportunity to show it wasn't due to him. What he certainly can't say if he's let go late this year is that he wasn't given a good go at it.

Plenty of coaches get sacked with a year left on their contract. It could’ve been done end of last year if they didn’t want to give JL more of an opportunity.

 

[freo1997]

One's a brainless airhead that has had too much cheap Botox. The other one is going out with the guy that wrote the bevo to Fremantle story

Haha I see.

Sumich and Haggers puppet.

 

[The Feeder Club]

Plenty of coaches get sacked with a year left on their contract. It could’ve been done end of last year if they didn’t want to give JL more of an opportunity.

That's what I am saying, they're bending over backwards to give him every chance. Including by boning Bell before him. If he doesn't make it he can't say he hasn't been given every chance.
Personally speaking I have seen enough to be pretty sure he hasn't got it in him. Probably a change of president has also helped give him some breathing space as the board would want to project continuity

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

If Bell was still in place I would agree with this. Moving Bell sideways as they've done makes me think they recognise last year was unacceptable but they want to give him every opportunity to show it wasn't due to him. What he certainly can't say if he's let go late this year is that he wasn't given a good go at it.

I really rate that move from the people in charge at the club. Can’t help but feel JL and Bell were a bit too closely linked and getting rid of one meant getting rid of the other which didn’t sit that well with me. This feels like a better segregation and allows decisions on management to be made more independently of one another

Kills two birds as well if they honestly rate Brierty as high as they claim.

 

[Docker82]

That's what I am saying, they're bending over backwards to give him every chance. Including by boning Bell before him. If he doesn't make it he can't say he hasn't been given every chance.
Personally speaking I have seen enough to be pretty sure he hasn't got it in him. Probably a change of president has also helped give him some breathing space as the board would want to project continuity

I don’t quite agree with this. Bending over backwards to give him every chance would be extending his contract now, like we did in 2022.

I think we both agree that’d be a bizarre decision with the potential to look like one of the worst in club history if it doesn’t work out. There’s not much wrong with an extra 5-6 months to work out whether extending JL is the right decision.

It’s just about how long he’s been in the job imo. After two years it probably seemed three years wasn’t quite enough. After four years it can’t quite be seen that way. I’m sure they’ll be plenty of other excuses from the JL supporters on here but imo that’s the reality.

 

[Joao]

When does the football start? That's when we'll know.

 

[King Huskii]

When does the football start? That's when we'll know.

I think some bafoons want JLO axed now. In the middle of pre season because it will make them feel good.

Let's see how he goes this season before us arm chair critics know what is best.

 

[Purple Jesus]

We're not entering our prime because none of our KPFs are in theirs, but we certainly have enough experience by the end of this year to not use age as an excuse (unless 5 senior players get injured and miss the whole season).

Prime was probably the wrong word but ‘window of sustained success’ is what I meant. We’re only just, just entering it now.

 

[FreoRicci]

We're not entering our prime because none of our KPFs are in theirs, but we certainly have enough experience by the end of this year to not use age as an excuse (unless 5 senior players get injured and miss the whole season).

Without a small forward too.
Fans should temper expectations.
About par is 10-13th. This squad isn’t good enough for finals, especially with the midfield mix.

Bevo isn’t a mastermind. Can’t even get Bulldogs in the finals with Bonts, English at their prime and Naughton, JUH, Darcy in the list.

Jl has grown this list, matured and drafted along the way. It’s his to win tbh.

 

[Midnite65]

Without a small forward too.
Fans should temper expectations.
About par is 10-13th. This squad isn’t good enough for finals, especially with the midfield mix.

Bevo isn’t a mastermind. Can’t even get Bulldogs in the finals with Bonts, English at their prime and Naughton, JUH, Darcy in the list.

Jl has grown this list, matured and drafted along the way. It’s his to win tbh.

If 13th is par you have set the bar low.

 

[theGav56]

Without a small forward too.
Fans should temper expectations.

Has Walters grown?

 

[RonnieRaven]

How about we wait until a game is played.
The West 1
Some freo supporters 0

 

[pK75]

With our opening 5 games featuring grand finalist Brisbane, Preliminary finalists Carlton and Semi finalist Port, plus should have been finalist Crows, we are going to have to come out of the blocks fast to quell this line of reporting, need to beat North and Crows plus at least one of Lions, Blues or Port to be 3-2 otherwise the drums will just get louder.

 

[Joao]

Without a small forward too.
Fans should temper expectations.
About par is 10-13th. This squad isn’t good enough for finals, especially with the midfield mix.

Bevo isn’t a mastermind. Can’t even get Bulldogs in the finals with Bonts, English at their prime and Naughton, JUH, Darcy in the list.

Jl has grown this list, matured and drafted along the way. It’s his to win tbh.

It was good enough with Lobb, Mundy, Acres and Logue* to finish 5th. So we're 1 quality mid (Young/Johnson/Ras) and 1 winger away from having a similar team.

I don't think we're some layup top 4 team, but 13th would be disappointing, tstl.

6-10 is par as I think there will be minimal between those teams again.

 

[Docker82]

It was good enough with Lobb, Mundy, Acres and Logue* to finish 5th. So we're 1 quality mid (Young/Johnson/Ras) and 1 winger away from having a similar team.

I don't think we're some layup top 4 team, but 13th would be disappointing, tstl.

6-10 is par as I think there will be minimal between those teams again.

Agree with this.

Of those players we only haven't replaced Mundy and Acres. We showed even last year that when we play a decent style of footy we're a decent team.

13th would be a disgraceful result imo and should see more changes than just the coach.

 

[Rob]

I don't think so, we lost the ability to execute.


Turnover scoring is mostly putting pace on the ball and we stopped doing it.

I reckon that's mostly because of opposition tactics though. They worked out that we messed around with the ball a lot and put extra pressure on us in the clinches. That would have sapped our confidence to move the ball quickly.

Although certainly last year the slow ball movement became a genuine feature of our game. Almost like it was by design.