Ratts like a kid in a candy store

[saynta]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ ... d3abe5677a



"It was a bumper trade period for St Kilda, with five players moving in under a freshly-minted coach, ushering in a new era at Moorabbin. Only appointed last month, Brett Ratten is like a kid with new toys.
Sam Edmund, Herald Sun

Like a giddy kid on Boxing Day, Brett Ratten can’t help but see where the new toys fit.

St Kilda’s newly-installed coach could have as many as eight fresh faces in his Round 1 team next year after a trade period that signified the Saints’ revolution.

Flyers Zak Jones and Brad Hill on either wing, Dougal Howard and Paddy Ryder roaming between key position posts and Dan Butler adding the premiership class inside 50m.

It’s a heck of a trade haul and Ratten admits the magnet board has been out on more than a few occasions.

“I won’t lie, it has been flipped around a little bit,” Ratten said.

“The beauty is with those players coming in, the flexibility they have.

“It’s quite funny, you muck around with the magnets and you put them in one spot and you think, ‘If we’re playing this team we might put him in this spot or that spot’.

“It’s a luxury in the sense that we can manipulate it a bit too.”

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Yet when you consider gun defender Dylan Roberton’s excellent recovery from a heart scare and yet-to-debut teenagers Max King (knee) and Jack Bytel (back) should be ready, it could be a very different looking starting 22 by March.
Bradley Hill looms as the jewel in the Saints’ impressive trade period haul. Picture: Gett
Zak Jones adds a different, but no-less important trait to the Saints: toughness. Picture: Michael Klein

Hill and Jones shape as the biggest difference-makers in a side screaming out for pace.

“We needed a bit more leg speed through the middle. Whether Zak plays in or out or halfback or half-forward … it gives us more run and flow in our game,” Ratten said.

“Their ability to break lines — and because they can beat their opponent in the run — it might be 14 v 15 in front of the ball.

“They can give us an outnumber with just their run and carry, which is quite exciting.”

It was an exciting trade period for the new coach, who had been privy to some of the conversations as an assistant earlier in the year.

“A lot of the targets were identified even when ‘Richo’ (ex-coach Alan Richardson) was there, around the types of player we needed,” Ratten said.
Paddy Ryder will shore up the Saints’ ruck stocks. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Imageses
The Saints are salivating at Dougal Howard’s potential. Picture: Sarah Reed

“Gags’ (list manager James Gallagher) had identified who was out of contract and what we could do … a lot of it was already in place with he and Simon Lethlean and Gubby Allan.

“We went in with a plan and Gags had elaborated on how it might go and while there was always going to be a few things up in the air a bit, he did a fantastic job.

“It was a bit like game day. It was like ‘Gee, we might not be scoring at this point, but it’s OK, we’ve got the ball in hand’ and we kept to the process.

“You could see it was heading the right way so we didn’t need to change anything and Gags was calm and calculated in there with ‘Lethers’ and it was impressive to watch them work.”

After a whirlwind eight weeks that included securing the senior job, overseeing staff changes and a bumper trade period, Ratten will soon escape with the family to Bali for a well-earned rest.

“Not that you ever forget about footy, but just to have a break from driving to the club and separating yourself from the game a bit will be good,” he said.
Ex-Tiger Dan Butler adds premiership experience to the Saints’ list. Picture: Michael Klein"

[Scollop]

"and Dan Butler adding the premiership class inside 50m."

LOL

Can Dan kick with his left foot?

Good write up apart from that bit about 'class'

[Darth Vader]

Thanks for posting Saynta. Those of us without Herald-Sun subscriptions appreciate it.

[skeptic]

"and Dan Butler adding the premiership class inside 50m."

LOL

Can Dan kick with his left foot?

Good write up apart from that bit about 'class'

Hahaha, these articles...

Coach optimistic after trade period... riveting stuff.

Any wonder I gave up reading the Scum years ago. I think the targeted reader age is 8yo.

[Saint 58]

Thanks for posting Saynta. Those of us without Herald-Sun subscriptions appreciate it.

+1

[Harves Man]

"and Dan Butler adding the premiership class inside 50m."

LOL

Can Dan kick with his left foot?

Good write up apart from that bit about 'class'

Yeah, it's almost like the writer got to the end and suddenly realised "oh sh1t - I've forgotten to mention that ex-Richmond bloke".

[WellardSaint]

Lethlean seems to have impressed Ratts with the way he worked together with Gallagher and Gubby.

I haven't really trusted Lethlean since he came to the club, assuming he's using us as a stepping stone onto the next job.
Somebody reckons he applied for the Demons CEO job only a few months after AFL House (aka the Kremlin) had sent him to us.

But I'm happy to change my mind if there's enough good stuff happening, and if Ratts likes his work.

[Spinner]

Thanks for posting!

[goods]

Lethlean seems to have impressed Ratts with the way he worked together with Gallagher and Gubby.

I haven't really trusted Lethlean since he came to the club, assuming he's using us as a stepping stone onto the next job.
Somebody reckons he applied for the Demons CEO job only a few months after AFL House (aka the Kremlin) had sent him to us.

But I'm happy to change my mind if there's enough good stuff happening, and if Ratts likes his work.

Given his messy exit from AFL house. ( unrelated to administrative work )

You would assume that a stepping stone would need to prove his inherent worth and lay path back to a higher level of management.

Now if I were him I'd choose a club that needed the very skills he possesses (off field). Once success comes the spotlight would shine brightly on him as it already has started too.

His work would be diluted at a successful club, therfor in contrast St Kilda will provide the perfect fairy tail redemption. Only once he's helped bring us a flag.

[saynta]

Thanks for posting Saynta. Those of us without Herald-Sun subscriptions appreciate it.

Thanks mate. I appreciate your words. I post articles for the benefit of guys like you, true fans, and not the disgruntled ones who rubbish that particular paper.

[Secret Kiel]

Lethlean seems to have impressed Ratts with the way he worked together with Gallagher and Gubby.

I haven't really trusted Lethlean since he came to the club, assuming he's using us as a stepping stone onto the next job.
Somebody reckons he applied for the Demons CEO job only a few months after AFL House (aka the Kremlin) had sent him to us.

But I'm happy to change my mind if there's enough good stuff happening, and if Ratts likes his work.

Given his messy exit from AFL house. ( unrelated to administrative work )

You would assume that a stepping stone would need to prove his inherent worth and lay path back to a higher level of management.

Now if I were him I'd choose a club that needed the very skills he possesses (off field). Once success comes the spotlight would shine brightly on him as it already has started too.

His work would be diluted at a successful club, therfor in contrast St Kilda will provide the perfect fairy tail redemption. Only once he's helped bring us a flag.

I think he is the best person to have walked into the club for a very long time, the way he's handled most aspects of management has been very un St Kilda like and it shows. He is transforming the way we do business, in actual fact the business is being transformed, and has been transformed and it's almost as though it has gone unnoticed, and that's a good thing. The way he's been able to subtly change the management structure within the footy department and then seamlessly bring in new people within that structure has been effortless. The St Kilda way would have started with a bloodlettting controversy and a week of frontpage headlines followed by a year of disruption, distraction and resource sapping damage control. To illustrate my point, I'd even suggest Richo would be welcome back tomorrow to come and walk freely around the Moorabbin club facilities.

The club has been freshened up with a succession plan that hasn't skipped a beat.

[saynta]

Lethlean seems to have impressed Ratts with the way he worked together with Gallagher and Gubby.

I haven't really trusted Lethlean since he came to the club, assuming he's using us as a stepping stone onto the next job.
Somebody reckons he applied for the Demons CEO job only a few months after AFL House (aka the Kremlin) had sent him to us.

But I'm happy to change my mind if there's enough good stuff happening, and if Ratts likes his work.

Given his messy exit from AFL house. ( unrelated to administrative work )

You would assume that a stepping stone would need to prove his inherent worth and lay path back to a higher level of management.

Now if I were him I'd choose a club that needed the very skills he possesses (off field). Once success comes the spotlight would shine brightly on him as it already has started too.

His work would be diluted at a successful club, therfor in contrast St Kilda will provide the perfect fairy tail redemption. Only once he's helped bring us a flag.

I think he is the best person to have walked into the club for a very long time, the way he's handled most aspects of management has been very un St Kilda like and it shows. He is transforming they way we do business, in actual fact the business is being transformed, and has been transformed and it's almost as though it has gone unnoticed, and that's a good thing. The way he's been able to subtly change the management structure within the footy department and then seamlessly bring in new people within that structure has been effortless. The St Kilda way would have started with a bloodlettting controversy and a week of frontpage headlines followed by a year of disruption, distraction and resource sapping damage control. To illustrate my point, I'd even suggest Richo would be welcome back tomorrow to come and walk freely around the Moorabbin club facilities.

The club has been freshened up with a succession plan that hasn't skipped a beat.

Excellent post.

[barneyboyz]

Thanks for posting Saynta. Those of us without Herald-Sun subscriptions appreciate it.

Thanks mate. I appreciate your words. I post articles for the benefit of guys like you, true fans, and not the disgruntled ones who rubbish that particular paper.

[goods]

Lethlean seems to have impressed Ratts with the way he worked together with Gallagher and Gubby.

I haven't really trusted Lethlean since he came to the club, assuming he's using us as a stepping stone onto the next job.
Somebody reckons he applied for the Demons CEO job only a few months after AFL House (aka the Kremlin) had sent him to us.

But I'm happy to change my mind if there's enough good stuff happening, and if Ratts likes his work.

Given his messy exit from AFL house. ( unrelated to administrative work )

You would assume that a stepping stone would need to prove his inherent worth and lay path back to a higher level of management.

Now if I were him I'd choose a club that needed the very skills he possesses (off field). Once success comes the spotlight would shine brightly on him as it already has started too.

His work would be diluted at a successful club, therfor in contrast St Kilda will provide the perfect fairy tail redemption. Only once he's helped bring us a flag.

I think he is the best person to have walked into the club for a very long time, the way he's handled most aspects of management has been very un St Kilda like and it shows. He is transforming the way we do business, in actual fact the business is being transformed, and has been transformed and it's almost as though it has gone unnoticed, and that's a good thing. The way he's been able to subtly change the management structure within the footy department and then seamlessly bring in new people within that structure has been effortless. The St Kilda way would have started with a bloodlettting controversy and a week of frontpage headlines followed by a year of disruption, distraction and resource sapping damage control. To illustrate my point, I'd even suggest Richo would be welcome back tomorrow to come and walk freely around the Moorabbin club facilities.

The club has been freshened up with a succession plan that hasn't skipped a beat.

Correct. Administration is the nucleus of success, all things breed from that and he is a high level administrator.