Has TW sold himself to us

[Fighting Fury]

Yeah I third it.  I never wanted DF.  As for his replacement at the time I said I'd be happy with Eade of TW.  I'm even happier with TW than I thought I'd be.  Recruiting has improved, he plays the kids, atkes risks, experiments, admits mistakes, provides honest well thought appraisals, is funny.  I can't really fualt him.  I have faulted him a few time on individual strategies or match-ups in individual games, but thats here or there, nobody is perfect and maybe I was wrong in my armchair assessments anyway.

Big picture-wise, he is tops.

I totally agree. Even in our prelim year I disliked DF. When he said that we needed just to "top up" to challenge Brissie and ess and then went and drafted hudson (AND gave him #17, AND then didn't play him, AND kept biddiscombe, AND knifed Knighter) I nearly had a heart attack. It was crystal clear from the moment he ran on the field in his first season and told north at 3/4 time that they were too old, too slow, that DF was not up to the job.

I have NEVER had the feeling that Plough is not up to the job.
I love what he says when we win. But more importantly, I love what he says when we lose. He is all business.
The next test will be at the end of the year. Who stays and who goes.

 

[Otis]

it's hard to call for TW's head when this season we actually beat teams like Adelaide, Collingwood and Port (in adelaide) in very convincing fashion. Plus wins over Brisbane at the Gabba and Geelong at Shell Stadium were also unexpected. In the past (including last season) our victories have mainly been predictable and against teams below/around us on the ladder.

if anything, the 100+ point losses are disheartening considering it isn't a good indication of where we're at.

 

[Dean3]

My only reservation (so far) with Wallace is that he seems to approach each game with the question: "How do we beat this team?" On the face of it, that isn't a bad question, but I hope the day comes soon where he sits down and says: "How are they going to try to beat us?" IMO, he has sent the side out there on numerous occasions this season with the clear message: "You are not good enough to beat this side playing positive attacking football." I realise that is quite deliberate on his part, and we've won games that perhaps we shouldn't have, but I'm hoping that our future development involves playing our way and letting other teams worry about us.

Wallace appears to me to be very astute, astute enough to know that he can't change his game plan every week to suit the opposition. So, in all, so far so good.

 

[Brettstigers]

it's hard to call for TW's head when this season we actually beat teams like Adelaide, Collingwood and Port (in adelaide) in very convincing fashion. Plus wins over Brisbane at the Gabba and Geelong at Shell Stadium were also unexpected. In the past (including last season) our victories have mainly been predictable and against teams below/around us on the ladder.

if anything, the 100+ point losses are disheartening considering it isn't a good indication of where we're at.

Actually I disagree, the 100 point losses simply indicate a lack of depth and what happens when the senior players get beaten - the kids surely follow.  This recipe of injuries combined with a class opposition playing well against a young side anyway is the recipe for a 100+ point loss.  I suspect it takes real experience and steel for players to individually lift when the team as a whole is getting smacked often for structural reasons (ie. no way to change the current game balance - the lack of depth thing).

There are a lot of kids in the side this year playing week in - week out on class seasoned opposition.  Look at a listing of Polo and Raines' opponents if you want examples.  We are also expecting Foley, Meyer, Tambling and Deledio to also have an impact every week despite their opponents - and we are expecting this because they have to - - there are just so many first and second year players in the side.

Our hope - which has been mentioned repeatedly, is because a fair bit of the time these new players have been able to make an impact and given us a good win/loss record.

 

[mb64]

Thanks

One of your better posts.

 

[jb03]

My only reservation (so far) with Wallace is that he seems to approach each game with the question: "How do we beat this team?" On the face of it, that isn't a bad question, but I hope the day comes soon where he sits down and says: "How are they going to try to beat us?" IMO, he has sent the side out there on numerous occasions this season with the clear message: "You are not good enough to beat this side playing positive attacking football." I realise that is quite deliberate on his part, and we've won games that perhaps we shouldn't have, but I'm hoping that our future development involves playing our way and letting other teams worry about us.

Wallace appears to me to be very astute, astute enough to know that he can't change his game plan every week to suit the opposition. So, in all, so far so good.

Good post Dean. We few players the oppostion target, but we target many on the opposition.

Thanks

One of your better posts.

I like to keep them at a level so you can understand them. I know multi-syllable words confuse you.

 

[Tigerfan]

Thanks

One of your better posts.

I like to keep them at a level so you can understand them.  I know multi-syllable words confuse you.

:hihi

 

[Mr Brightside]

IMHO I think TW an co have had a couple of shockers in the box this year, but Hey everbody has bad days an on the whole couldnt be happier.I personaly at times have wonderd why say Staf has got a game or why Axe hasnt had more game time,but as TW said last night about Rainsey" patience" lThere is no doubt TW knows exactly what he is doing an he wont wreck the big picture just to keep a few in the outer happy for a couple of weeks.As part of my coaching I was working with a phycologist yesterday an we were talking about confidence an how important it is in sport,I thought of Kids playin to early an I will use Polo as an example ,played last year in a lower level an getting 30 touches became habit so that every time he crossed the white line he expected to have an impact,as for Meyer played a lot at the top level on an off the bench an having 5 to 15 touches became habit.12 months on Polo has probally became a lot more advanced,now of course its different with each individual but im sure TW will chose the right path for each.Massively important now to be a life coach an understand how the young mans mind is working now for an AFL coach

 

[AngryAnt]

Wallace has a dilemma - we have not many mid-range aged players who are any good - we do have a some very senior players who in better circumstances might not be getting a game at all.

That can work the other way too antman. If they had decent support some of our senior players could be really valuable. I'd love to see Tivva in a fast attacking team where he can play the role he's suited to. Some of our backmen could be the icing on the cake if the ball didn't keep coming back to them each time they clear it.

Oh yeah definitely Rosy.

Every organisation needs to have an age profile which is flat - some young, some middle, and some old. If you don't, you will have times of recruiting stress and subsequent poor performance.

The oldies definitely have a role to play but they can't do it all.

 

[the claw]

to me wallace is a fantastic game day coach and motivator.and if we had a half decent list id be over the moon to have him.
i have always had concerns about wallaces ability to build a list from scratch and i still do. having said this im still happy to have him.

his refusal to delist long term duds and there are many and play them in front of kids leaves me bemused. brereton made a comment the other day about us and i agree with him for once when he said. we have made a mistake in not finishing lower last yr or words to this effect. you cannot achieve long term success on the back of one decent draft it seems to me tw hasnt grasped this.
the other area im disappointed in is our recruiting.theres been untold debate about this topic on this site so i wont go into specifics. but it does seem to me tw has the cart before the horse when it comes to this crucial area of the club. imo our list structure is diabolical. also to only use 3 picks last yr while signing underachievers to new contracts is puzzling.
im not going to get on here and bag him i will point out when i think he has got things wrong though. he has 3 more yrs to go on his contract i hope by the time the end of 2009 comes around my concerns have been well and truly laid to rest.
finally imo wallaces real test will come next yr when we are stareing down the barrell of a bottom 4 finish. and in all honesty thats where our list is at or there abouts.to me next yr is also all about development.

 

[tigers80]

to me wallace is a fantastic game day coach and motivator.and if we had a half decent list id be over the moon to have him.
i have always had concerns about wallaces ability to build a list from scratch and i still do. having said this im still happy to have him.

his refusal to delist long term duds and there are many and play them in front of kids leaves me bemused. brereton made a comment the other day about us and i agree with him for once when he said. we have made a mistake in not finishing lower last yr or words to this effect. you cannot achieve long term success on the back of one decent draft it seems to me tw hasnt grasped this.
the other area im disappointed in is our recruiting.theres been untold debate about this topic on this site so i wont go into specifics. but it does seem to me tw has the cart before the horse when it comes to this crucial area of the club. imo our list structure is diabolical. also to only use 3 picks last yr while signing underachievers to new contracts is puzzling.
im not going to get on here and bag him i will point out when i think he has got things wrong though. he has 3 more yrs to go on his contract i hope by the time the end of 2009 comes around my concerns have been well and truly laid to rest.
finally imo wallaces real test will come next yr when we are stareing down the barrell of a bottom 4 finish. and in all honesty thats where our list is at or there abouts.to me next yr is also all about development.

so claw you think we should have tanked last year to finish lower, because thats how i read what dermutt was stating...so the hawks tanked again last year.

what games should we have thrown last year?