What unpopular AFL opinions do you have? (Part 1 - cont in Part 2)

[Partridge]

My argument is he had a lack of resources - he failed at recruiting but it was never his job to recruit JON or Tambling or Deledio. Why should he be blamed for trades and recruits? Hardwick didn't trade for Maric, Chaplin, Houli, Morris, etc - Blair Hartley did.

If Terry Wallace had a team of 4-5 full time recruiters and 4-5 part-timers and a Blair Hartley full time expert to make trades for him, then he could focus on just coaching, which he's very good at. And even if he might have the ability to make trades or draft 18yos, no one man can do everything at once or they'll perform worse at everything. That's what happened to Terry Wallace.

Because he's in charge of the team. He's the boss. It's called accountability and responsibility. He has seemingly avoided any semblance of either both when he was in the job and especially since.

 

[The Punter]

It's interesting to note that many clubs now have the coach not as the head of the football department. Wallace may well have been "the boss", but I think the point being made is if he had just been left to coach, and the other areas had been well resourced, the results may well have been different. Remember Richmond fihished 9th in 2005 and 2008 under Wallace.

The fact that he now refers to himself as "the list manager" is another kettle of fish entirely.

 

[SuburbanMe]

It's a mark running with the flight of the ball. It is a chest mark every time. See Jonathan Brown's marks running with the flight of the ball. They. Are. Also. Chest. Marks.

Now I know how anyone who's ever had a conversation with Andy Maher must feel. Painful.

You don't get to cite Hitler and then come across as the adult in the room.

My last engagement with you. A waste of everyone's time. There's no reasoning with an idiot.

Glad we agree. now run away baby.

 

[Ian Dunross]

Glad we agree. now run away baby.

Yeah. Well argued.

 

[Top_4_Tiger]

Because he's in charge of the team. He's the boss. It's called accountability and responsibility. He has seemingly avoided any semblance of either both when he was in the job and especially since.

That perspective is old-fashioned.

If you want to succeed in the modern AFL environment it's absolutely essential that you have a well-resourced club with full time staff in a range of areas. You absolutely cannot hire 1 coach with no recruiters and expect to be a top 4 team. No matter what.

 

[KillaKanga]

To be fair, it wasn't just Carey missing sitters that day.

I liked this comment then cried. Then realised I got in the way of the powerhouse discussion about Saint Nick. Sorry guys back at it.

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[Hawkas1988]

You need a well-financed football department and full time staff in all areas to be successful in the ultra-professional modern AFL environment. No one man can run the show. Everybody knows about and agrees with that, but few apply it to Terry Wallace.

"He is in charge of the football team which includes recruitment" - quite the opposite, the recruiting team is in charge of recruitment and he didn't even have 1 full time recruiter when he started. Not one recruiter!

He had to paint the walls himself. He had to clean possum shit out of the office.

My argument is he had a lack of resources - he failed at recruiting but it was never his job to recruit JON or Tambling or Deledio. Why should he be blamed for trades and recruits? Hardwick didn't trade for Maric, Chaplin, Houli, Morris, etc - Blair Hartley did.

If Terry Wallace had a team of 4-5 full time recruiters and 4-5 part-timers and a Blair Hartley full time expert to make trades for him, then he could focus on just coaching, which he's very good at. And even if he might have the ability to make trades or draft 18yos, no one man can do everything at once or they'll perform worse at everything. That's what happened to Terry Wallace.

Terry Wallace is a perfect example of the difference a strong and well-financed club can make over the fortunes of the team, hence the strong correlation between football department spending and success these days. If you don't spend big and have multiple full time positions in every area - you won't succeed.

Is that you Terry??

Can't help but pump your own tyres up still

How do you know if he had the resources he would succeed? What ifs are the worst kind of arguments

I've met egos in my life but not many more that can match Terry's

I'll say it once again, if Terry was in charge of my football club I would be worried. You should thank your lucky stars you have Hardwick in charge now.

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[Hawkas1988]

Because he's in charge of the team. He's the boss. It's called accountability and responsibility. He has seemingly avoided any semblance of either both when he was in the job and especially since.

How was his form in the 09 press conference trying to claim credit for the doggies rise up the ladder. Has he ever taken credit for the monumental stuff ups as coach of the Tigers?? Nope, it's truly embarassing he calls himself the List Manager

 

[daniel_4tw]

I think Neeld was a good coach. He had his career ruined by Melbourne.

 

[Hawkas1988]

I think Neeld was a good coach. He had his career ruined by Melbourne.

I believe his man management skills left a lot to be desired

 

[FuManchu]

The umps generally do a good job given that the game is open to so much interpretation.

 

[Top_4_Tiger]

Is that you Terry??

Can't help but pump your own tyres up still

How do you know if he had the resources he would succeed? What ifs are the worst kind of arguments

I've met egos in my life but not many more that can match Terry's

I'll say it once again, if Terry was in charge of my football club I would be worried. You should thank your lucky stars you have Hardwick in charge now.

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I know it's an unpopular opinion, but all you've said against my argument is he has a massive ego. He's made several innovative changes to the game, such as introducing the flood (arguably the biggest tactical change in history that sparked a wave of response tactics), he was the first to have teams come out and warm up on the ground 30 minutes before the bounce, he introduced the whole handing out footballs to kids after a win, in the 90's before resources out some clubs ahead he got the bulldogs to consecutive prelims and left them with a good core of kids, he was the only one to beat the greatest single season team in afl history (bombers 2000) using tactics and good coaching, he's done more than your average coach.

And just my opinion, but anytime he gives a detailed analysis of any team, he is usually spot on IMO.

He's been able to accurately discuss the lesser known kids too and is fair when saying why a certain player isn't up to it.

I didn't expect people to agree with me, but thought it was worth a mention. I've seen a couple of others with the same view, but most people think he's one of the worst coaches ever and I think his reputation has dropped below what he deserves to be.

 

[Public Enemy No1]

2013 GF was a very poor standard game. The Hawks were actually ripe for the taking. Hawthorn were actually lucky they were playing a very ordinary opponent.

Player for player Freo were no doubt the worst GF side ever.

 

[Air_Chester]

2013 GF was a very poor standard game. The Hawks were actually ripe for the taking. Hawthorn were actually lucky they were playing a very ordinary opponent.

Player for player Freo were no doubt the worst GF side ever.

Agree with the first paragraph. Hawthorn held their nerve while playing an average game, Freo lost their nerve while also playing an average game.

Second part though, your bias is showing.

 

[Public Enemy No1]

Agree with the first paragraph. Hawthorn held their nerve while playing an average game, Freo lost their nerve while also playing an average game.

Second part though, your bias is showing.

Meh..I can distinguish between a defensive game plan and player abilities.
Average list at best with mediocre talent, well drilled in an ugly defensive style.

 

[BM123]

2013 GF was a very poor standard game. The Hawks were actually ripe for the taking. Hawthorn were actually lucky they were playing a very ordinary opponent.

Player for player Freo were no doubt the worst GF side ever.

I think Freo just got bad stage fright while Hawks were battle hardened from last year. I can't think of any other side that wouldn't have been beaten by the Hawks though since Sydney and Geelong were very ordinary.

 

[BM123]

I thought that the standard of football last year was fairly ordinary. Very weak top four this year with Sydney ( injuries) and Geelong ( happens eventually with older stars and young kids eventually) been rather fragile during the year. Rule changes with dropping and throwing the ball also made football frustrating as hell to watch at times as the tackler was more often then not punished due to players ducking while successful tackles rarely ended in appropriate HTB decisions. It either ended up in weird calls where the ball was pinned to a player ( never should be HTB) or a favorite player like Hodge, Wingard etc was completely immune to HTB, Throwing calls. Carlton's finals chance ( for ninth at least ) were almost ended due to Port getting goals from multiple throws which you can't defend against.

 

[HawkHeaven]

2013 GF was a very poor standard game. The Hawks were actually ripe for the taking. Hawthorn were actually lucky they were playing a very ordinary opponent.

Player for player Freo were no doubt the worst GF side ever.

Who did you want the Hawks to play.

We already beat the other top 4 teams.

 

[SuburbanMe]

I think Neeld was a good coach. He had his career ruined by Melbourne.

This made me laugh.

 

[SuburbanMe]

Yeah. Well argued.

I thought the post before this one was your last engagement with me?

It's a mark running with the flight of the ball. It is a chest mark every time. See Jonathan Brown's marks running with the flight of the ball. They. Are. Also. Chest. Marks.

Now I know how anyone who's ever had a conversation with Andy Maher must feel. Painful.

You don't get to cite Hitler and then come across as the adult in the room.

My last engagement with you. A waste of everyone's time. There's no reasoning with an idiot.

 

[Hodge is God]

2013 GF was a very poor standard game. The Hawks were actually ripe for the taking. Hawthorn were actually lucky they were playing a very ordinary opponent.

Player for player Freo were no doubt the worst GF side ever.

Considering we had destroyed Sydney a couple of weeks before and beat the 'Kennet Curse' the week before, I don't consider us lucky that we won the premiership.

We were the best team all year and into the finals. We deserved it.

 

[Bender571]

Who did you want the Hawks to play.

We already beat the other top 4 teams.

Considering we had destroyed Sydney a couple of weeks before and beat the 'Kennet Curse' the week before, I don't consider us lucky that we won the premiership.

We were the best team all year and into the finals. We deserved it.

Don't worry guys, he's only downplaying the Hawks so he can stick the boots into Freo allowing himself to feed his obsession. Nearly every second post of his is Freo related, it's a little sad actually.

 

[Public Enemy No1]

Who did you want the Hawks to play.

We already beat the other top 4 teams.

I didn't say the Hawks were undeserved premiers.
But they didn't play a good GF and could of lost like 2012

 

[El Dubya]

I think Patrick Dangerfield will be better than Selwood, Pendlebury or Swan. He'll be regarded as the best midfielder of his generation and will captain Adelaide to a flag.

Steve Johnson is still the most underrated player in the AFL.

 

[Demonated]

I think Patrick Dangerfield will be better than Selwood, Pendlebury or Swan. He'll be regarded as the best midfielder of his generation and will captain Adelaide to a flag.

Steve Johnson is still the most underrated player in the AFL.

Agree strongly with both of these given you are not including ablett in dangerfields era? Which I find a little confusing. Steve Johnson has Sam Mitchell like vision which he gets some credit for but not nearly enough. Even though he doesn't have the greatest kick like a Goddard etc, his kick to varcoe at the end of the prelim off his left was one of the most clever passes I have seen, shame about varcoes finish. To the eagles poster who called freo the worst grand final side of all time, I would like to divert their attention to the Port adelaide team that was fielded in 2007, the margin probably does reflect just how far off the mark they were.

As for my unpopular opinion, I find it hard to classify a player as elite if they can't deal all that well with elite defensive pressure, this includes either attention from a good tagged or one of the competitions premier backs. For that reason I believe that players such as deledio and rioli are close but not quite the yet (examples- having significant problems with Crowley and Smith respectively).