Strategy Rebuild Part II

[GreyCrow]

Wouldn't write off Tex for this year just yet. He's playing sore from a back strain/disc problem or similar which is why he can't run or bend over. He should just be rested until it's better. Play a small forward line for a change, 3 talls is too many for our game plan as it just encourages long bombs.

Next year is looking like retirement though.

Let me expand

I think we hold onto players too long

We should have staged the retirements of Sloane , Walker and Smith better - but the tail wags the dog

Sloane should have been delisted last year. For many reasons but the main reason is we now face a crunch - much like Oz cricket in 84 when Chappell, Marsh and Lillee all decided to retire at once - now going to play in Pakistan might have had a huge bearing on their decisions but it left a hole that took Australia 7 years to fix

Walker - had a great year and rightly or wrongly deserved an extension. But the message should have been its week by week and 2024 will most likely be your last year. I think the discussion now should be ' yes its time Tex we wont contract you next year' - its then on him to decide how he approaches it

Smith - again his contract means this year is where we are . I think form should be more paramount than experience and seniority. And currently his form is ordinary - dont post his Freo stats - he is rubbish. Back to the SANFL then no more contracts.

We need to start introducing the next gen and let them be the game changers.

Ironically I stil think we have a slim slim chance of turning this rebuild around - but it wont be with Nicks or shouldnt be. Sack him now and bring in someone good who has freedom to make changes.

If we stay this path we will die a slow slow death and I dont think kirky will be watching our next flag from his wine cellar

 

[Stripple]

The issue is 2023 was built on Tex. He is going to be massive shoes to fill and I don’t believe anyone on our list will reach his standard in 2025, but with a decent coach in 2025 and 1-2 quality recruits we could have a spike.

While I fully agree Tex will leave huge shoes to fill - if we fix our midfield and improve our forward 50 entries our lesser light forwards will be given alot more opportunities. It won't fully cover the loss but its hard to shine in a forward line with nothing but long bombs or kicks pinpointing the oppositions best intercept marker....

 

[Moonwatcher]

Last year we had losses to Gold Coast (Away), Geelong (Away), Melbourne (Away). We beat Fremantle and Gold Coast at home. So I would say we're only 1 match behind where we would have been last year with the 2024 fixture.

 

[Drummond]

* a lot of this board is deluded. The rebuild is unfixable now. You don't burn that many picks over a seven year period and recover from it. Wake up. The rebuild and cleanout needs to start with everyone involved with running this ridiculous club. Forget the players they are only a symptom of all of this mind *ery.

So true. It’s pretty cringe seeing people think we’re actually in okay shape. Who are our elite players or elite talents? The cupboard is bare.

Problem is, I think people are happy for some short term spike. I don’t give a stuff about some spike, I want success.

 

[WetCrow1991]

So true. It’s pretty cringe seeing people think we’re actually in okay shape. Who are our elite players or elite talents? The cupboard is bare.

Problem is, I think people are happy for some short term spike. I don’t give a stuff about some spike, I want success.

Ask some people and they'll say all the senior players are legends of the competition. Most football watchers see Laird getting 30 touches and think he is the same as a Petracca. Not the people on here (for the most part).

 

[Moonwatcher]

The problem with this type of commentary is there is no mention of change of game plan and coaching. It’s too easy to say so many are out of form but why? A whole heap of players don’t lose form without their being an underlying reason.

We play on confidence. That has to be rebuilt every year when you're a group of honest triers. Tex obviously is a year older so I suspect his form is not a slump but the end.