What a hack!!

[Chris]

Despite every person I know telling me preseason that knights is a bad choice of coach, my point of view was give this guy a chance. Now, 7 rounds in I can honestly say they were understating what a pathetic coach Knights is. I am convinced we will never make finals with this lying hack of a coach in control.

Knights prediction and promise that we would be finals contenders with our current list, which were the catalyst to him getting the gig as coach, were blatant lies. Hardwick was on the money with his opinion that it is time for the club to get active in trading senior players with the view to rebuilding our list. Knights is now a season behind after yesterday announcing that JJ and Pev would not get a look in for the senior team and we would be active in trading next year. In the mean time 2 seasoned professional footballers, who in my view are good enough to get a game with most teams in a properly structured and balanced midfield, will play out the season in the magoos. What a joke!!

Even the hawks maintained some senior players in Crawford and Vanderberg whilst blooding their upcoming youngsters, even made one captain. And if these guys truly cannot fit into our team (which I believe there is room for one but not both in the same game) then they should have been traded. Whilst not having much value, surely any pick in the draft would be better than 2 guys with no future in our team filling 2 spots on our list.

And whilst im in the mood for Knights bashing lets look at the genious that he has provided our team this year.
1. An attacking style reminiscent of Carlton in pagans last year that promotes one way traffic, players running forward with no accountability whatsoever. History shows solid defence wins premierships and defence starts in the middle. Despite his claims that this will develop our team better than playing defensive, my opinion is that it is actually a massive negative impact on their development and even when trade talks start, clubs will look at our guys and see their lack of defensive pressure as a massive negative when assessing their trade value.
2. His matchups and moves have cost us games. Playing Winder, an outright midfielder who is terrible overhead against a red hot in form Medhurst who is probably the best overhead mark of his sise in the league. This and the failed experiment of Fletcher at FF in the same game. There is a reason Fletch spent his career in the backline and its not his lack of ability at forward. It is that we NEED him down back. Fletcher has beat all types throughout his career, talls and smalls and with mal there playing on the gorillas, surely we could use Fletch on guys like Medhurst when they are running hot. IMO this matchup cost us that game.
3. Johns is a forward!! We all know it, he is one dimentional and has the turning circle of a Mac Truck. If he is to get a game at all (which I don’t believe he deserves it at the moment) it must be up forward. He must also play there in the magoos.

There is more but most including the above have already been discussed in these forums. Put it all together and I think carrying Knights is far more of a challenge than carrying Pev and JJ to a fitting end to their stellar careers in the red and black. I agree we can’t fit them both in the team on any given week, but surely they can be rotated in and out of the team and provide our midfield with some much needed defensive pressure and experience that we are desperately in need of. But no, that hack of a coach after 7 weeks in decides its time to raise the white flag and start the development phase excuse. Pathetic loser never has and never will win anything!!

[BenDoolan]

Hello Chris!

Just a few things though.

He has gotten rid of the likes of Kepler Bradley, Mark Bolton, pathetic Richard Cole & Mark Johnson. He also convinced Scott Camporeale and Chris Heffernan to retire. And we all knew we were going to lose living legend, James Hird. That's 7 blokes off our list that we were able to replace with draft picks and no trades. All the right moves in my book (Although I was a bit cut with MJ being discarded). You can't sweep out 15 worthy underperformers all in one go. That needs to occur over a 2 - 3 year period. There will be another group who will be swept out at the end of this year - Lee, Johns, JJ, Pev to name a few. The rebuilding is taking place.

He has introduced a new game plan that looked good initially when he had most of the playing list at his disposal. We can all see how good it looks when it works well. He does struggle to adjust the plan according to the ability of the team - and he is making mistakes just as the players are. That's part of gaining experience in his role, and part of the players learning a new game plan. Any coach would struggle when they have up to 14 players unavailable due to injury or illness. But his match ups have been bizarre and unsuccessful (our previous coach was also guilty of this on occasions).

I would expect that he considers cleaning out the fitness staff and getting the best available professionals in place. They are letting the players down and the club as a whole.

Knights has 3 years. He deserves that opportunity to make an impression. 7 weeks isn't a long time to determine his coaching ability considering half the club is disabled.

[jimmyc1985]

Knights is now a season behind after yesterday announcing that JJ and Pev would not get a look in for the senior team and we would be active in trading next year. In the mean time 2 seasoned professional footballers, who in my view are good enough to get a game with most teams in a properly structured and balanced midfield, will play out the season in the magoos. What a joke!

Even the hawks maintained some senior players in Crawford and Vanderberg whilst blooding their upcoming youngsters, even made one captain. And if these guys truly cannot fit into our team (which I believe there is room for one but not both in the same game) then they should have been traded. Whilst not having much value, surely any pick in the draft would be better than 2 guys with no future in our team filling 2 spots on our list.

1. An attacking style reminiscent of Carlton in pagans last year that promotes one way traffic, players running forward with no accountability whatsoever. History shows solid defence wins premierships and defence starts in the middle. Despite his claims that this will develop our team better than playing defensive, my opinion is that it is actually a massive negative impact on their development and even when trade talks start, clubs will look at our guys and see their lack of defensive pressure as a massive negative when assessing their trade value.

The one-way traffic style is annoying, and we'd all like our defensive game to be vastly better, but we're 7 weeks into his first season, and if he says we're going to work on the defensive side of things progressively more as we go along, then so be it. If our 'defensive actions' don't improve next year after another full preseason, then yes, i'll jump on him.

2. His matchups and moves have cost us games. Playing Winder, an outright midfielder who is terrible overhead against a red hot in form Medhurst who is probably the best overhead mark of his sise in the league. This and the failed experiment of Fletcher at FF in the same game. There is a reason Fletch spent his career in the backline and its not his lack of ability at forward. It is that we NEED him down back. Fletcher has beat all types throughout his career, talls and smalls and with mal there playing on the gorillas, surely we could use Fletch on guys like Medhurst when they are running hot. IMO this matchup cost us that game.

Rubbish. Collingwood beat us by 12 goals - the coaching moves clearly did not 'cost us the game', but may have magnified the size of the loss. Winderlich was also rumoured to be playing injured that day, and missed our next match, so maybe playing him in the back pocket was the best we could do whilst still having him in the team.

3. Johns is a forward!! We all know it, he is one dimentional and has the turning circle of a Mac Truck. If he is to get a game at all (which I don’t believe he deserves it at the moment) it must be up forward. He must also play there in the magoos.

Johns is crap no matter where you play him. Bookmark that quote, put it in your favourites list, do whatever you want - he's crap and is not an AFL level footballer.

There is more but most including the above have already been discussed in these forums. Put it all together and I think carrying Knights is far more of a challenge than carrying Pev and JJ to a fitting end to their stellar careers in the red and black. I agree we can’t fit them both in the team on any given week, but surely they can be rotated in and out of the team and provide our midfield with some much needed defensive pressure and experience that we are desperately in need of. But no, that hack of a coach after 7 weeks in decides its time to raise the white flag and start the development phase excuse. Pathetic loser never has and never will win anything!!

The quote regarding JJ and Pev is that "What Knightsy has told them is they're going to play some games this year, they're not going to be never heard of again, but we're going to play the kids", so no, they're not dropping off the face of the earth like you're implying. Also, i'd opine that neither JJ or Pev provide defensive pressure - JJ would now be the slowest player in the team if he played and his body is completely shot (watch a Bendigo game and you'll see what i mean), and Pev has been anything but a defensive player over the last 2-3 years (he's played as a linking midfielder who runs off his man).

[Doctor Fish]

Despite every person I know telling me preseason that knights is a bad choice of coach, my point of view was give this guy a chance. Now, 7 rounds in I can honestly say they were understating what a pathetic coach Knights is. I am convinced we will never make finals with this lying hack of a coach in control.

Knights prediction and promise that we would be finals contenders with our current list, which were the catalyst to him getting the gig as coach, were blatant lies. Hardwick was on the money with his opinion that it is time for the club to get active in trading senior players with the view to rebuilding our list. Knights is now a season behind after yesterday announcing that JJ and Pev would not get a look in for the senior team and we would be active in trading next year. In the mean time 2 seasoned professional footballers, who in my view are good enough to get a game with most teams in a properly structured and balanced midfield, will play out the season in the magoos. What a joke!!

Even the hawks maintained some senior players in Crawford and Vanderberg whilst blooding their upcoming youngsters, even made one captain. And if these guys truly cannot fit into our team (which I believe there is room for one but not both in the same game) then they should have been traded. Whilst not having much value, surely any pick in the draft would be better than 2 guys with no future in our team filling 2 spots on our list.

And whilst im in the mood for Knights bashing lets look at the genious that he has provided our team this year.
1. An attacking style reminiscent of Carlton in pagans last year that promotes one way traffic, players running forward with no accountability whatsoever. History shows solid defence wins premierships and defence starts in the middle. Despite his claims that this will develop our team better than playing defensive, my opinion is that it is actually a massive negative impact on their development and even when trade talks start, clubs will look at our guys and see their lack of defensive pressure as a massive negative when assessing their trade value.
2. His matchups and moves have cost us games. Playing Winder, an outright midfielder who is terrible overhead against a red hot in form Medhurst who is probably the best overhead mark of his sise in the league. This and the failed experiment of Fletcher at FF in the same game. There is a reason Fletch spent his career in the backline and its not his lack of ability at forward. It is that we NEED him down back. Fletcher has beat all types throughout his career, talls and smalls and with mal there playing on the gorillas, surely we could use Fletch on guys like Medhurst when they are running hot. IMO this matchup cost us that game.
3. Johns is a forward!! We all know it, he is one dimentional and has the turning circle of a Mac Truck. If he is to get a game at all (which I don’t believe he deserves it at the moment) it must be up forward. He must also play there in the magoos.

There is more but most including the above have already been discussed in these forums. Put it all together and I think carrying Knights is far more of a challenge than carrying Pev and JJ to a fitting end to their stellar careers in the red and black. I agree we can’t fit them both in the team on any given week, but surely they can be rotated in and out of the team and provide our midfield with some much needed defensive pressure and experience that we are desperately in need of. But no, that hack of a coach after 7 weeks in decides its time to raise the white flag and start the development phase excuse. Pathetic loser never has and never will win anything!!

It's not an excuse. Just fact. Far out.

[Windy_Hill]

We were 2 wins from 3 in the home and away and had reached the semi finals of the NAB cup with something resembling our best 22. Most commentators were getting wood over the 'game plan'

Judging Knights now would be like judging Heather Mills McArtney as a 100m sprinter - ie a pointless exercise

Cut the man some slack

As for Damian Hardwick, which club picked him up?????

[Chris]

I agree with most except this Ben

You can't sweep out 15 worthy underperformers all in one go.

In not considering them despite our injuries he basically has. Surely 2 more bottom end draft picks that may/may not ever play AFL > 2 seasoned veterens who will not be considered for seniors. Maybe they will be swept out at years end, but we could have looked at 2 new kids this season and Pev (possibly not) and JJ (most likley) could finish their careers at a team that will give them a game.

The one-way traffic style is annoying, and we'd all like our defensive game to be vastly better, but we're 7 weeks into his first season, and if he says we're going to work on the defensive side of things progressively more as we go along, then so be it. If our 'defensive actions' don't improve next year after another full preseason, then yes, i'll jump on him.

OK fair enough! I have never heard knights say anything about bringing in the defensive side more as we go along, but if thats a fact, ill wait and see.

Rubbish. Collingwood beat us by 12 goals - the coaching moves clearly did not 'cost us the game', but may have magnified the size of the loss.

Ever heard of momentum? His moves gave Collingwood the momentum and they rolled on. Players like Medhurst and Davis are confidence players that the team feeds off when they spark. Shut them down, you take away their momentum and this can make a 12 goal difference, but we will never know.

Winderlich was also rumoured to be playing injured that day, and missed our next match, so maybe playing him in the back pocket was the best we could do whilst still having him in the team.

This my friend is rubbish!! If winder was playing injured put him in the forward pocket where he will do nothing not in the back pocket against the most dangerous forward whilst he kicks 6 goals.

Johns is crap no matter where you play him. Bookmark that quote, put it in your favourites list, do whatever you want - he's crap and is not an AFL level footballer

Pretty sure I made it clear this is my oppinion on Johns. Doesnt change the fact that IF he is going to get picked he MUST play full forward.

The quote regarding JJ and Pev is that "What Knightsy has told them is they're going to play some games this year, they're not going to be never heard of again, but we're going to play the kids", so no, they're not dropping off the face of the earth like you're implying. Also, i'd opine that neither JJ or Pev provide defensive pressure - JJ would now be the slowest player in the team if he played and his body is completely shot (watch a Bendigo game and you'll see what i mean), and Pev has been anything but a defensive player over the last 2-3 years (he's played as a linking midfielder who runs off his man).

Well we had 13 players injured in our last up and JJ had 35 possies in the 2's the week before and was not considered. If thats not a 'your career is over' then I dont know what is. These guys may not be quick, but they do provide far more defensive pressure than anyone on our list with the exception of Davey. And both can actually hold their tackles without being brushed off like a rag doll.

I am of the oppinion there is not only room, but it would benefit our team to have one of them in the side, patucularly with McVeigh out. Both are fearless, both got the apsalute most out of their abilty and both, regardless of skill show the dedication and will required to be an AFL footballer. If Dyson and Monfries even worked half as hard as these two they would be guns, they have more talent and athleticism than JJ and Pev in one leg.

[jimmyc1985]

Rubbish. Collingwood beat us by 12 goals - the coaching moves clearly did not 'cost us the game', but may have magnified the size of the loss.

Ever heard of momentum? His moves gave Collingwood the momentum and they rolled on. Players like Medhurst and Davis are confidence players that the team feeds off when they spark. Shut them down, you take away their momentum and this can make a 12 goal difference, but we will never know.

Err, yes, of course i've heard of 'momentum'. But let's consider the facts:
- 12 goals is 12 goals is 12 goals. Blaming 'momentum' for a 12 goal loss is facile;
- Winderlich started the game in the back pocket, and Fletcher started the game forward. At quarter time, we were down by a measly point. Geez, they must've got an awful lot of momentum due entirely to these dud coaching moves to pull 12 goals on us in 3 quarters .

The quote regarding JJ and Pev is that "What Knightsy has told them is they're going to play some games this year, they're not going to be never heard of again, but we're going to play the kids", so no, they're not dropping off the face of the earth like you're implying. Also, i'd opine that neither JJ or Pev provide defensive pressure - JJ would now be the slowest player in the team if he played and his body is completely shot (watch a Bendigo game and you'll see what i mean), and Pev has been anything but a defensive player over the last 2-3 years (he's played as a linking midfielder who runs off his man).

Well we had 13 players injured in our last up and JJ had 35 possies in the 2's the week before and was not considered. If thats not a 'your career is over' then I dont know what is. These guys may not be quick, but they do provide far more defensive pressure than anyone on our list with the exception of Davey. And both can actually hold their tackles without being brushed off like a rag doll.

I am of the oppinion there is not only room, but it would benefit our team to have one of them in the side, patucularly with McVeigh out. Both are fearless, both got the apsalute most out of their abilty and both, regardless of skill show the dedication and will required to be an AFL footballer. If Dyson and Monfries even worked half as hard as these two they would be guns, they have more talent and athleticism than JJ and Pev in one leg.

Stop making things up. JJ and Pev do not provide "more defensive pressure than anyone on our list with the exception of Davey". Slattery, McVeigh, Michael, Watson, Fletcher, Lonergan, Jetta and Rama all provide more defensive pressure than JJ or Pev. Yes, both can hold their tackles because they're experienced players, unlike most of the guys in our team. JJ's 35 possies were pants - he sprayed them everywhere. His Bendigo form hasn't really merited selection. Pev would be a better inclusion than JJ because he's both quicker and his disposals less poor than JJ, but he got a broken jaw a few weeks ago and will still be recuperating for a few weeks yet. Monfries isn't very athletic at all, but Dyson obviously is.

[Chris]

Err, yes, of course i've heard of 'momentum'. But let's consider the facts:
- 12 goals is 12 goals is 12 goals. Blaming 'momentum' for a 12 goal loss is facile;
- Winderlich started the game in the back pocket, and Fletcher started the game forward. At quarter time, we were down by a measly point. Geez, they must've got an awful lot of momentum due entirely to these dud coaching moves to pull 12 goals on us in 3 quarters

Had they kicked straight they'd have been 5 goals up at half time, the writing was on the wall at the end of the first quarter, our midfield was being smashed and our backline leaking like a seive. If you didnt know we were in for a hiding to nothing at quarter time with the matchups out there you were high.

Stop making things up. .

The irony where is your statistics backing up your oppinion? or are you just making it up? =D>
I am talking about midfielders here trying to compare apples with apples so to speak, so stating Michael, Fletcher and Slattery provide more defensive pressure is kinda off topic by definition they are defenders.

Other than that defensively I'd put McVeigh on par with Pev and JJ (clearly a far better overall player), but Rama and even funnier Watson!! Give me a break. As for Jetta and Lonergon they provide little defensive pressure and are brushed off easily but they have some preseasons ahead of them to change that IF the coach teaches them to do so.

[MH_Bomber]

I'm afraid I have to concur with some of the points Chris has made as I have raised them elsewhere on this forum. I dont think I was quite so venomous though.

I am quite willing to keep giving Matty Knights a go BUT I dont like some of the things I have been seeing out there. Of course we will inevitably lose when top players like Lucas, McVeigh, Fletcher and Davey are out but even given all the injuries its more the ease at which the opposition has scored that really concerns me. I think the game plan worked early in the season but its been well and truly analysed and I am afraid that we could be in for a season of slaughter matches unless there is some element of defensive pressure is employed the players. We dont need the youngsters confidence shattered or we will end up a basket case club like Richmond has been.

[jimmyc1985]

Err, yes, of course i've heard of 'momentum'. But let's consider the facts:
- 12 goals is 12 goals is 12 goals. Blaming 'momentum' for a 12 goal loss is facile;
- Winderlich started the game in the back pocket, and Fletcher started the game forward. At quarter time, we were down by a measly point. Geez, they must've got an awful lot of momentum due entirely to these dud coaching moves to pull 12 goals on us in 3 quarters

Had they kicked straight they'd have been 5 goals up at half time, the writing was on the wall at the end of the first quarter, our midfield was being smashed and our backline leaking like a seive. If you didnt know we were in for a hiding to nothing at quarter time with the matchups out there you were high.

I was at the game, and had an uneasy feeling even at 1/4 time that things were not looking good, despite the fact we were only a point behind on the scoreboard. What i take umbrage at is your initial suggestion that the positioning of Johns, Fletcher and Winderlich somehow 'cost us the game'. I simply disagree. We were soundly beaten across the ground in almost every position. Fletcher went off midway through the 3rd quarter injured, you and i seem to be in agreement that Johns is useless no matter where he's positioned so he can't have made much of a difference to the end result, and Winderlich was probably played out of position. If you want to maintain that those 3 positional moves cost us the game - a game which we lost by 12 goals - fine, but i obviously disagree.

Stop making things up.

The irony where is your statistics backing up your oppinion? or are you just making it up? =D>
I am talking about midfielders here trying to compare apples with apples so to speak, so stating Michael, Fletcher and Slattery provide more defensive pressure is kinda off topic by definition they are defenders.

Other than that defensively I'd put McVeigh on par with Pev and JJ (clearly a far better overall player), but Rama and even funnier Watson!! Give me a break. As for Jetta and Lonergon they provide little defensive pressure and are brushed off easily but they have some preseasons ahead of them to change that IF the coach teaches them to do so.

Of course it's my opinion, just as everything you've stated is yours. Last i checked, there's no such thing as a "defensive pressure" statistic - defensive pressure is probably a combination of a number of statistics like shepherds, tackles, spoils, blocks etc, which i can't be bothered looking up.

You weren't originally limiting your discussion of defensive pressure to midfielders, either- you said "more defensive pressure than anyone on our list with the exception of Davey". You were obviously talking about the whole list, so i was entitled to mention players like Michael, Fletcher etc. Don't pretend i'm the one who's gone off topic.

[bomberdonnie]

Chris Keep arguing with Jimmy this is fun

Not many coaches look like they are on the cusp of winning a flag after 7 matches. Generally because they take over teams that have been playing poorly. Our team is no exception!!

Knights needs and deserves a chance to see where he is going with his game plan... 7 matches is about 22 matches too soon to be calling for his head.

Did anyone mention that Knights has had to manage a million injuries in the first 7 weeks of his job?

[The Man from Bomberland]

Chris Keep arguing with Jimmy this is fun

Not many coaches look like they are on the cusp of winning a flag after 7 matches. Generally because they take over teams that have been playing poorly. Our team is no exception!!

Knights needs and deserves a chance to see where he is going with his game plan... 7 matches is about 22 matches too soon to be calling for his head.

Did anyone mention that Knights has had to manage a million injuries in the first 7 weeks of his job?

Feels like a billion...

[ealesy]

Funny how there was no one in the media or these forums slagging off the gameplan when we were 2-1, before half the team was wiped out with injury.

Now apparently after another 4 games, Knights is a complete and utter hack who has no idea what he is doing.

Yeah, okay!

We were always going to struggle to be competitive against the top teams once Lucas went down. He is that important to our forward structure, that coupled with the fact that neither Gumbleton or Neagle were fit to play in the seniors, Lloyd was the only physical presence down there and not only would he get the best defender on him, he had to be a couple of others as well.

Look at the difference a half fit Neagle, with a big body and very physical brand of footy had on Matty in our last game.

There difinitely a lot of work that is needed on the game plan and injury management fronts at the club, and still a great deal of dead wood to be chopped from the list, but to write Knights off after a poor month with a injury list most coaches would be unlucky to face in their careers, let alone there first 7 games.

[danstar84]

Amazes me some of the supporters who are judging Knights after SEVEN, yes SEVEN rounds of football with an injury list Santa would struggle to get through in a night. No team, especially one who are rebuilding the list as we are can cover the number of injuries that we have suffered. It has been a horror run. I don't know if you have ever played football before, but it makes it so much easier playing with the same guys around you week in and week out. You get used to styles, know where players will run, pro's and cons and the like. We have needed to chop and change players all over the place because of this. Sure, I don't agree with some of the moves that Knights has made, but I won't give up after such a short period of time.

I've been disappointed with some of our defensive efforts, it is there for all to see. However, I trust that Knights will stick to his word and start introducing a more modern form of play into the team, including a better defensive game. I don't believe that premierships are based on a solid defence. This a silly old cliche IMO. You need solid contributions from players all over the ground. This plan will be drilled into each player bit by bit. We have a very young list at the moment, and a number of fantastic players heading towards the end of their careers. We need to make sure that the guys coming in to fill these positions in the future know exactly what they are doing. I'd rather take time than try to cram it in all at once. Would you really feel that much better if we went all defensive and lost by 5 goals instead of 10? Doubt it.

Some people have had it too good, and expect things to change overnight. Well, my friend, get used to these inconsistent performances. It is going to take us a a number of years to get games into the next generation of players. We need to recruit well in the next draft, and gets games into the likes of Hislop, Houli, Jetta, Dempsey, Gumby etc, etc. I do believe that we have some excellent talent coming through the club, many of whom have been on the sidelines for a large chunk of time which is frustrating.

Just to finish off, if you had been supporting Hawthorn 2 or 3 years ago, would you be posting this same rubbish? Yes you would.

Have a look at them now. They have a few super players Franklin, Mitchell, Crawf, but the rest are just solid contributors on a week to week basis.

[rockhole]

I was so intrigued by this post I read it twice before I was totally convinced that it was the greatest load of bollocks since E4E racked his quill. Take a look at the following team that we fielded for the North game

"Dempsey" Michael "Fletcher"
L. Murray Ryder Nash
"Rama" Watson Houli
"Davey" "Lucas" "Lonegon"
"Jetta" Lloyd Laycock

Hille "McVeigh" Dyson

Stanton
Johnson
Slatts
McPhee

Didn't hear any complaints when we towelled North. And guess what?? The entire half forward line is missing plus two thirds of the full back line. A couple of other useful senior players such as Spike and Rama succombed together with a several others. Eight all together.

And yet the coach is solely to blame. And judgement is passed after only 7 rounds of a re building excercise. FFS, do me a favour.

I am surprised that so many B.T'ers have posted rational responses to this drivel. It smacks of somebody trying to get attention by being "outrageous" Well I'm not buying. If you want instant gratification, perhaps the wrestling or BB is more your style.

I wonder how many Geelong supporters had to eat their words after the knives were out for Bomber.

[andrewb]

Sorry Chris, but that's way over the top. Welcome to Bombertalk, by the way.

Don't mind you getting stuck into the fitness staff but no coach in the world would have done a better job than Knights with the injuries we have had.

[robbie67]

Despite every person I know telling me preseason that knights is a bad choice of coach, my point of view was give this guy a chance. Now, 7 rounds in I can honestly say they were understating what a pathetic coach Knights is. I am convinced we will never make finals with this lying hack of a coach in control.

Knights prediction and promise that we would be finals contenders with our current list, which were the catalyst to him getting the gig as coach, were blatant lies. Hardwick was on the money with his opinion that it is time for the club to get active in trading senior players with the view to rebuilding our list. Knights is now a season behind after yesterday announcing that JJ and Pev would not get a look in for the senior team and we would be active in trading next year. In the mean time 2 seasoned professional footballers, who in my view are good enough to get a game with most teams in a properly structured and balanced midfield, will play out the season in the magoos. What a joke!!

Even the hawks maintained some senior players in Crawford and Vanderberg whilst blooding their upcoming youngsters, even made one captain. And if these guys truly cannot fit into our team (which I believe there is room for one but not both in the same game) then they should have been traded. Whilst not having much value, surely any pick in the draft would be better than 2 guys with no future in our team filling 2 spots on our list.

And whilst im in the mood for Knights bashing lets look at the genious that he has provided our team this year.
1. An attacking style reminiscent of Carlton in pagans last year that promotes one way traffic, players running forward with no accountability whatsoever. History shows solid defence wins premierships and defence starts in the middle. Despite his claims that this will develop our team better than playing defensive, my opinion is that it is actually a massive negative impact on their development and even when trade talks start, clubs will look at our guys and see their lack of defensive pressure as a massive negative when assessing their trade value.
2. His matchups and moves have cost us games. Playing Winder, an outright midfielder who is terrible overhead against a red hot in form Medhurst who is probably the best overhead mark of his sise in the league. This and the failed experiment of Fletcher at FF in the same game. There is a reason Fletch spent his career in the backline and its not his lack of ability at forward. It is that we NEED him down back. Fletcher has beat all types throughout his career, talls and smalls and with mal there playing on the gorillas, surely we could use Fletch on guys like Medhurst when they are running hot. IMO this matchup cost us that game.
3. Johns is a forward!! We all know it, he is one dimentional and has the turning circle of a Mac Truck. If he is to get a game at all (which I don’t believe he deserves it at the moment) it must be up forward. He must also play there in the magoos.

There is more but most including the above have already been discussed in these forums. Put it all together and I think carrying Knights is far more of a challenge than carrying Pev and JJ to a fitting end to their stellar careers in the red and black. I agree we can’t fit them both in the team on any given week, but surely they can be rotated in and out of the team and provide our midfield with some much needed defensive pressure and experience that we are desperately in need of. But no, that hack of a coach after 7 weeks in decides its time to raise the white flag and start the development phase excuse. Pathetic loser never has and never will win anything!!

Firstly, thanks for the effort of explaining why you feel the way you do. What a shame it's all a bit silly really. Like others have said, 7 games with the injury list we have had, and already he is no good? He looked terrible in the NAB Cup , and against North didnt he?

Yes he made some mistakes against Collingwood, but a new coach is going to make some mistakes. I could list hundreds of the ones Sheedy made throughout his career, but 4 flags tend to gloss those things over. Do you want to become the nee Richmond or StKilda? Mindelessly changing coaches every other year, and have no stability, or do you want to do what Hawthorn, and Geelong have done, and let rookie coaches make mistakes while they are biulding a contender?

I must say though, that I'm not surprised we are getting some posts like yours. Now while I'm not lumping you into this category, I think it is the price we pay for our club being at the forefront or marketing ourselves so well throughout the 80's and 90's and attracting such a large and new supporter base. I think 70% of our supporters have never suffered any sustained period of pain at all. Well guess what? Their is no more quick solutions in this game. We cant raid the WAFL, or the SANFL to top up with what we need. We have to build through the draft, and smart trading. Until then, stock up on panadol, or go watch the Storm.

[grassy1]

Don't you DARE RAID THE WAFL,Robbie.Unless it's to RAID THE GUTS out of SUBIACO.

The RATE we're going,we'll get RICH and NATANUI.Anyone form Victoria Metro or Country better than those 2?

C'mon Kights,you FREEWHEELING Richmond Midfielder.GIVE US SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT THIS WEEK!

[Chris]

personally im not a big observer of our seconds team, but I was warned by a number of friends who follow VFL almost as closely as AFL that Knights consistantly positions players incorrectly, is slow to react when flood gates open and overall is a poor game day coach. As I said my response to them at the time is I will wait and find out.

Well 7 rounds in everything I was warned about has come to fruition and im on their bandwagon now. Don't get me wrong, the game plan of run and carry is a welcome improvement on the stop start rubbish gameplan sheedy had running in his final seasons, but some lvl of accountability must be expected, particularly when you know the skill lvl of the side we have (even if this is largely attributed to the injuries we have) will create frequent turnovers.

Sure we have injuries, and I dont expect that we should have won more games than we have considering the circumstances of our list, but it's the way we lose, the matchups, the inability to develope players in the position that they need to play if they are to be long term players. Winder is not a back pocket, Johns is not a defender, Rama's midfield days are over (although his creativity and disposal make him a descent back pocket) and we cant afford for Fletch to do more than pinch hit in the forward line or our defence crumbles.

It's not an excuse. Just fact. Far out.

We know it's a fact, but didn't lie to the board preseason about how our current list can be developed and then 7 rds in raise the white flag only then and basically end the careers of two players who are still good enough to play in the right circumstances, which in my oppinion, 13 injuries and your most experienced midfielder out injured is that right circumstance to pick JJ or Pev and with Pev injured JJ should have got a game.

I hope to be proven wrong as geelong supporters were about Bomba, but I was warned about this before the season started from people who watched him coach for Bendigo, so in that respect its not 7 rds im basing my arguement but a season and 7 rds, a load of preseason bull shit and the inability to trade older players you have no intention of playing in the seniors so that 1. they get an opportunity to continue their careers and 2. we get to look at a few more youngsters rather than carry dead wood on our list.

Anyway mark my words, he never won anything as a player and will never win anything as a coach.

signing off this issue til end of season.

[tom9779]

I was so intrigued by this post I read it twice before I was totally convinced that it was the greatest load of bollocks since E4E racked his quill. Take a look at the following team that we fielded for the North game

"Dempsey" Michael "Fletcher"
L. Murray Ryder Nash
"Rama" Watson Houli
"Davey" "Lucas" "Lonegon"
"Jetta" Lloyd Laycock

Hille "McVeigh" Dyson

Stanton
Johnson
Slatts
McPhee

Didn't hear any complaints when we towelled North. And guess what?? The entire half forward line is missing plus two thirds of the full back line. A couple of other useful senior players such as Spike and Rama succombed together with a several others. Eight all together.

And yet the coach is solely to blame. And judgement is passed after only 7 rounds of a re building excercise. FFS, do me a favour.

I am surprised that so many B.T'ers have posted rational responses to this drivel. It smacks of somebody trying to get attention by being "outrageous" Well I'm not buying. If you want instant gratification, perhaps the wrestling or BB is more your style.

I wonder how many Geelong supporters had to eat their words after the knives were out for Bomber.

Spot on, put a knife through the list of most AFL teams to the extent ours has had this season due to injury and I guarantee you they would also be looking down the barrel of 5 straight losses.

Insult to injury(and this is lack of discipline) is the double whammy suspension of both Mcphee and NLM.

Seriously if the coach does a good job in keeping morale high during these tough times, we will be a much better team when we have a much shorter injury list.