Napier_Street
Team Captain
I am not a St Kilda supporter and frankly dont care about them one way or another. But I am totally bemused by the hysteria over Grant Thomas.
It seems his lack of playing credentials will always make him fodder for the armchair media critics.
But what exactly has he done wrong since taking over the job at St Kilda.
From an impartial point of view - it would appear that the guy is doing a fantastic job in redefining the culture of what was a basket case football club. He has off loaded the old saints through trades or retirements and is casting his young side into a solid, singular unit.
They are not prancing around getting ahead of themselves over the Wizard Cup and I bet Thomas has made damned sure no Saints player is satisified with that result with a whole home and away season to come.
The saints are looking very impressive and the heat is not coming from their legion of high level draft picks but rather from the old timers - Gherig, Guerra, Hamill, Harvey, Thompson etc. ONly good coaching can achieve that.
And what about the draft picks - I am an Essendon supporter and still waiting for our numerous early draft picks to show something other than puppy fat. At St Kilda, they are confident young footballers who are all getting game time.
Thomas always comes accross as an astute and sensible thinker - he shows humility and and never allows the criticism to ruffle his feathers.
I rate him as a particularly impressive coach - and to be honestm the fact that he hasnt played AFL means jack.
Buckenara, Knights, Merret, Judge, Watson - well they were all Champion players with extensive AFL careers - lot of good it did for their coaching careers.
Get off Thomas' back I say.
It seems his lack of playing credentials will always make him fodder for the armchair media critics.
But what exactly has he done wrong since taking over the job at St Kilda.
From an impartial point of view - it would appear that the guy is doing a fantastic job in redefining the culture of what was a basket case football club. He has off loaded the old saints through trades or retirements and is casting his young side into a solid, singular unit.
They are not prancing around getting ahead of themselves over the Wizard Cup and I bet Thomas has made damned sure no Saints player is satisified with that result with a whole home and away season to come.
The saints are looking very impressive and the heat is not coming from their legion of high level draft picks but rather from the old timers - Gherig, Guerra, Hamill, Harvey, Thompson etc. ONly good coaching can achieve that.
And what about the draft picks - I am an Essendon supporter and still waiting for our numerous early draft picks to show something other than puppy fat. At St Kilda, they are confident young footballers who are all getting game time.
Thomas always comes accross as an astute and sensible thinker - he shows humility and and never allows the criticism to ruffle his feathers.
I rate him as a particularly impressive coach - and to be honestm the fact that he hasnt played AFL means jack.
Buckenara, Knights, Merret, Judge, Watson - well they were all Champion players with extensive AFL careers - lot of good it did for their coaching careers.
Get off Thomas' back I say.