I welcome 5 years of spoons

[melon....]

I hope we win it this year by default for paying overs and breaking the rules - the old element in the club needs to be ****ed off - those old crusty carnts are the reason we are in this mess now...its been brewing for 10 years.

Lets face it...its the pill Nick needs to finally wake up. Its what the club needs to completely revolutionise itself and start building from within its junior ranks and not buy every big name on the market. People thought Nick would never let it happen again after winning the spoon in 09. People are gullible and stupid. We haven't done anything different to avoid it. The decisions of a few in the past decade have ruined our next 5 years.

I hope we win the spoon for the next 5 years. Only then will we have a chance at changing our approach. But then only if the front office is cleared out as well. And take those long time hangers on with you.

You can a lead a horse to water, but you cant make it drink.....but you can ****ing shoot it when you get sick of it.

[Guest]

I'm failing to understand some people on this site (not necessarily you melon).

Last year when we went well, according to everyone here it's all credit to Brian smith - he's the golden child.

This year when we are going shit, it's not his fault but it's managements fault. It's got nothing to do with him because he's only the coach.

There must be a lot of overweight people on this site because it you can't have your cake and eat it every single time.

[melon....]

I'm failing to understand some people on this site (not necessarily you melon).

Last year when we went well, according to everyone here it's all credit to Brian smith - he's the golden child.

This year when we are going shit, it's not his fault but it's managements fault. It's got nothing to do with him because he's only the coach.

There must be a lot of overweight people on this site because it you can't have your cake and eat it every single time.

Fred,

you know part of the on field performances is the coach. When Myles turns to offload and doesnt, because there are no runners... thats bad coaching in my book. The runners should be there, the pass should be thrown. Our predictability is coaching. Smith has to shoulder some of the blame.

But to lose our best forward, and more, because we are probably over spending and over the cap is not the coach's problem. I believe the current line up can still turn it around. But the salary cap pressures our leaders have manufactured, means we will have to field teams of nuffies for the next 5 years when we lose a couple of more big money names. They havent re-signed Anasta....because of money pressures. They have released Myles because of money pressures. Not because of any rumours you may have heard.

And Ironically because of what they were paying these 2.

Minichiello should not be entertained and be released immediately. Same with FPN. Big money long termers with no heart and no drive. Big Call? prove me wrong.

When Nick starts playing favorites, the coach hasnt got a say. And Nicks been pretending to be one of the boys with a couple of these blokes and resting on past successes. i saw a reaction from Nick towards a prank at a function one year. if it was me that player would have been fined, especially as it was making a mockery of a situation that found that player and the club in the papers for the wrong reasons. This was years ago but involved a veteran who treated the situation like a joke on Nick. and yo know what...Nick complied. That night I lost a little respect for Nick and the club lost my financial backing because I knew I was backing a losing horse.

The coach is the least of our long term problems here. Old crusty hangers on that have been there pissing in Nicks ear for decades and has been players are the real problem. Nick needs something else in his life.

[Guest]

I'm failing to understand some people on this site (not necessarily you melon).

Last year when we went well, according to everyone here it's all credit to Brian smith - he's the golden child.

This year when we are going shit, it's not his fault but it's managements fault. It's got nothing to do with him because he's only the coach.

There must be a lot of overweight people on this site because it you can't have your cake and eat it every single time.

As Melon said it's a combination of both.

No one can honestly say that Smith didn't bring some discipline and structure last year. Also what people overlook is that we were happy off the field. There were no court cases no star player suspended, this year has been a disaster.

I'll admit I've always been a Smith a fan but this year he must take some of the blame.

Someone else posted this but round 1 we played with some good structure and we had players in motion, I honestly don't know where that has gone.

There have been games this year where we look like the players haven't played together before, we look like a rabble.

Smith has never played with too much structure he will give players the freedom to play a game as they see it. That style worked well last year everyone was supporting each other we had confidence and we just rolled through teams easily.

The problem is when you are desperate for a win and you a lacking a bit of confidence sometimes you need to fall back on a simple structure to win.

That is where Smith must take some blame.

Also the players. In todays game especially at fullback you just can't carry a passenger and that's what we have, he is just killing us. We also have a few others who just haven't come up this year. We need to clean some deadwood that was here before Smith came.

Also I don't care what anyone says but some guys just aren't putting in.

On recruitment Smith can't take all the blame. How are we under salary cap pressure? How do we release our best forward?

It's a tough business but Mini and Anasta have to get the tap on the shoulder before more damage is done.

[Guest]

If getting the next 5 spoons would help change things, and teach the idiots running the joint a lesson, id be all for it. However, I doubt anything will change, nor will any lessons be learnt. We seem to be a club hell bent on short term success and can not see the big picture. I sometimes wish I didnt love this team so much because it is painful to watch.

If Anasta is re-signed I think the 5 spoons will definately become reality.

[Guest]

I asked on another thread but do you guys know if we release Mini will we have to wear his salary for next year under the cap?

[Guest]

Not if he agrees to be released. Mini is currently takes up very little cap space anyway - he recieves our $200k long-service cap exemption.

[Guest]

Mini is only contracted to the end of this year anyways isn't he?

5 years with the spoon is a LONG time....

[Guest]

Does the team this year look like they are coached?

Can someone point me to some examples this year of the team looking like they have been coached?

Do we see set plays? Do we see great attacking movements with players in motion? Do we see a good defensive pattern? Do we see discipline and not repeated penalties? Do we see a different gameplan even when its belting down with rain?

I dont see much evidence of coaching this year.

[Guest]

Anyway melon, arent you getting what you want this year? A spoon. Plus we didnt sign any big name or expensive players during the last off season - watts and riddell are hardly big name or expensive players. Plus the club has been signing up a lot of the younger talent including local junior Tom Symonds. Letting go of one of most expensive players yesterday as well.

Isn't that basically what you are after? Yet when its happening now you still upset?

[melon....]

Anyway melon, arent you getting what you want this year? A spoon. Plus we didnt sign any big name or expensive players during the last off season - watts and riddell are hardly big name or expensive players. Plus the club has been signing up a lot of the younger talent including local junior Tom Symonds. Letting go of one of most expensive players yesterday as well.

Isn't that basically what you are after? Yet when its happening now you still upset?

We are still paying for the mistakes like signing Mason. We will pay for not retaining Myles. Holding onto Anasta and Mini. Becoming mates instead of just being their boss. Copping their shit. The club doesnt make too many bad calls. But **** me, they make some big ones.

You need to understand one thing. Im not happy with the results. I wont be rejoicing by winning spoons. I dont like some of the money men that attach themselves to us. And I realise Smith isnt ideal as coach.

But where we differ is, unlike you, I WILL shoulder some of the blame at Nick. The buck stops with him. and I will disagree with the yes men. Because I doubt they hurt as much as us. Either that or they are gluttons for punishment.

I dont begrudge anyone for continuing to pour money into the club. Just dont expect me too. Not until I see change I like.

[Guest]

I dont begrudge anyone for continuing to pour money into the club. Just dont expect me too. Not until I see change I like.

For what it's worth, I haven't paid a cent to Easts leagues since the Finch came to roost.

[Pass the Ball]

Gotta love the chookpen..

5 weeks without a win = 5 years of wooden spoons....

[Guest]

Does the team this year look like they are coached?

Can someone point me to some examples this year of the team looking like they have been coached?

Do we see set plays? Do we see great attacking movements with players in motion? Do we see a good defensive pattern? Do we see discipline and not repeated penalties? Do we see a different gameplan even when its belting down with rain?

I dont see much evidence of coaching this year.

In the early rounds yes, we had clear plans which we worked to and we scored points.

I agree though we have looked a rabble at times.

I think alot of it is lack of confidence and form. That is where having a set structure can help, when you are under pressure you can just fall back on a structure and set plays.

But Smith isn't the type of coach who has ever been big on structure or set plays. He has always been big on working with the individual skills of the players, educating them about the game, opposition and tactics then leaving it up to them to make the right decisions.

The problem can be that players can overplay their hand like Mini and Anasta.

I personally like his style. His teams have always played a good brand of footy that I enjoy watching.

I can understand how people can be critical of his coaching but I don't think it has changed from last year.

We just need a win because we have talent in this side.

[Vasco]

In the early rounds yes, we had clear plans which we worked to and we scored points.

I agree though we have looked a rabble at times.

I think alot of it is lack of confidence and form. That is where having a set structure can help, when you are under pressure you can just fall back on a structure and set plays.

But Smith isn't the type of coach who has ever been big on structure or set plays. He has always been big on working with the individual skills of the players, educating them about the game, opposition and tactics then leaving it up to them to make the right decisions.

The problem can be that players can overplay their hand like Mini and Anasta.

I personally like his style. His teams have always played a good brand of footy that I enjoy watching.

I can understand how people can be critical of his coaching but I don't think it has changed from last year.

We just need a win because we have talent in this side.

Farkin oath!