I think we all have been niave at just how big a task the rebuilding will be. The five year timeline was obviously too short and our expectations elevated too high on the base of media hype and years of frustration.
This is a 7 year plan, plain and simple. Our young players need to reach that midage bracket not before we are challenging for a flag but become we make finals. This may be hard to accept but the evidence is there. Our senior players and 'list cloggers' (read Petts, JON, King and even Cogs) now need to be moved aside for youth if we have any chance of future success.
Should TW have been given a 7 year contract - hell no, but I believe he knew the extent of the task ahead and hoped he could claim a finals berth in his finals year to gain an extention and continue the process.
If we do bottom out again this year and take 6 + new recruits then I would start by delisting Petts, JON and King, and then move onto asking Brown, Bowden and Johnson to retire. On the back of his last two game Simmonds may be finished too which would almost garrentee us a wooden spoon given the state of our ruck development (though Gus showed promise on Sunday around the stoppages).
Even if TW does do the impossible now and make the eight I have now lost faith in his game plan given the current state of the game. Our list can not effectively play the zone and stop the opposition from moving through it. The other teams are prepared for this strategy and we do not have the skills to execute it. We do not shepherd, block and tackle. This is part of TW fast paced, run and carry game plan.
We do not play for each other. We are still playing to keep our placing in the team rather than win as a collective group and like minded passionate players. Is this the coaches fault...yes partially by changing the team so regularly but also our senior leaders fault too for not demanding success from each other.
Our leaders are all individual, selfish players. Richo bleeds for the club but struggles to do the defensive 1% with tackling, sheherding and smoothering. When was the last time you saw Richo dummy lead or block another forwards opponent so they can lead to space? When the ball is kicked to the forwardline Richo will go for the mark regardless of if his team mates are in a better position. If we are losing Richo tries to win the game off his own actions and own boot. We need our spiritual leaders to do all the hard yards, sacrafice his own game and bring his young team mates into the game.
Bowden is another bad example. He has a strong presence on the field but his game philosophy is poles apart from where we need to be. He wants to slow everything down, take the safe option and gather possessions to keep the Dream Team coaches happy. Again - does he do the 1%? Does he tackle, shepherd, block and work off the ball - No. He is always in space looking to recieve. When he needed to defend on the weekend and was one out against his opponent Melbourne had no hesitation in kicking it to his opponent who beat him every time.
We need leaders who do the hard yards, are physical, passionate, aggressive and team orienated. I hope whatever coach comes to our club next year they retire the older players and demand team focused leaders who will accept no weakness on the field from their team.
We need a team of players not a group of individuals and if TW can't give that to us through his game plan and caoching style then we need change soon.
Stripes
