Football dept. needs a Geelong 2006-type review from top to bottom. Not surprised by the final margin today but what has been dished up this year is unacceptable and inexcusable from what is meant to be a professional football team. Add to that kicking 3 goals to half-time, 4 to 3/4 time and 7 all up will turn people, sponsors and tv execs off us in a hurry. We've regressed back to the worst days on-field over the past three decades.
Fitness staff are first off the rank for mine. We just don't look fit and look underdone despite claims by the the fitness coach last year that we were ramping up his program to 100% this preseason from 80% last preseason. Add to that questions need to be asked of whoever makes medical/injury assessments. Ivan might have been partly to blame but even so leaving a known injury to the start of this season to be operated on is the height of stupidity.
VFL coach, assistant and development coaches are next. New voices and new ideas are needed especially forward of centre. New coaches (I'm not talking about Dimma) who demand the players' respect and are listened to. The right strong culture of what is and isn't tolerated should exist across both VFL and AFL levels.
Recruiting philosophy regarding experienced rookies has clearly not worked. The Club can't complain about injuries when they recruited "ready-made" rookies for the case when injuries strike. I'm not talking about today against a top side but it didn't work against the Bulldogs either which are the games these experienced rookies were meant to cover for until we get a better players back. So as WP said that's the responsibility of Blair Hartley.
Finally, the playing list badly needs a fresh injection of new/young elite end talent starting with Lennon and, if we can somehow get him off the rookie list, Miles. At least one positive being near the bottom is an early first pick (unless we start winning meaningless games towards the end of the year again
). Hopefully we can find a quality free agent as well to bring into the team next year. I'd expect Newy, Kingy, Foley, Big O to retire. If Titch as a free agent wants to leave then let him and hopefully this time we'll get a compo pick unlike we did for Matty White
. The likes of Batch, Dea, Helbig, O'Hanlon, Az.Edwards traded/delisted along with rookies Darrou, Banfield, Williams. I can think of more but that's a start.
