Watters vs Hinkley

[Waltzing St Kilda]

I'm a Watters fan and will continue to be so unless things get much darker ...

Nevertheless the level of accountability that Hinkley (who just missed out on our top job) has introduced to the Power is a stark contrast to what the Saints served up against Essendon. It was unacceptable. Lurking, loose tackles, going to ground, shirking the issue ... considering the importance of the game I didn't expect to see that.

Over to you, Scott ...

[8856brother]

He will start getting some pressure now from the media and others. Fair enough too. Performance tonight was unacceptable.

[SainterK]

How many good picks have Port had in recent years?

Unfair comparison IMO.

Essendon are that good, that's more what people need to get their heads around. Can't believe someone could of stuffed up what is building there.

[BigMart]

To early to tell

But SW has had two shocking games in the box this year.... GC/ESS

[BigMart]

To early to tell

But SW has had two shocking games in the box this year.... GC/ESS

[Con Gorozidis]

Port have been building youngsters for a few years now... So no comparison. Everyone knew Saints were on the decline.

Most people also thought Hinkley would make a good coach and I think he was very very close to getting the Saints job?

Ill back Scott for the next few years. if anything he is too nice. We arent playing competitive enough footy. I can take losing if we are playing kids but sheesh I dont want to be easy beats. Too many easy kicks for the Bombers today.

[8856brother]

How many good picks have Port had in recent years?

Unfair comparison IMO.

Essendon are that good, that's more what people need to get their heads around. Can't believe someone could of stuffed up what is building there.

We beat them by 12 goals last time we played them. Was that an aberration? Are they really that good?

[BigMart]

They were a basket case 6mths ago

He's done a great job

Scott had a reasonable first year..... This year the team has gone backwards quickly

[Waltzing St Kilda]

Point is, Watters has said repeatedly that there are parts of the game that are "non-negotiable"-- no matter where you're at. Tonight we witnessed a team that found commitment to the contest very negotiable. So who's to blame?

[gringo]

Port have a heap of good kids coming through and plenty with enough experience now. You can only play what you have.

[Junction Oval]

We lacked a lot of desperation at times - chasing arse is not good tactics.

[stinger]

We lacked a lot of desperation at times - chasing arse is not good tactics.

we actualy lost this game at the selection table.

[Teflon]

Ive said it before whether its scott or not but anything Dean Laidley touches turns to shyte.

overrated on his tactical genius..

watters needs less WA mates roiund him and more genuine talent

[bobmurray]

I think this academy bullshite is sooooooooooooooo over rated...watters says we now have 7 development coaches...yep 7........... and we are still skill less....

the academy is baloney....what will fix the team is evolution...crap out and talented players in...the end result will have farrrrrk all to do with the academy...it's a furphy

At the moment it's results are more hilarious than the Police Academy movies.....

I'm all for companies creating employment though.... Life is too expensive to not have a job so these 7 dudes need to keep working...even if productivity is extremely low....

[Richter]

How many good picks have Port had in recent years?

Unfair comparison IMO.

Essendon are that good, that's more what people need to get their heads around. Can't believe someone could of stuffed up what is building there.

We beat them by 12 goals last time we played them. Was that an aberration? Are they really that good?

We beat the Swans by 4 goals less than a year ago. Yet stick a couple of players back into them who were injured on that night and they apbecame a different team. Same with the Bombers.

[suss]

I think this academy bullshite is sooooooooooooooo over rated...watters says we now have 7 development coaches...yep 7........... and we are still skill less....

the academy is baloney....what will fix the team is evolution...crap out and talented players in...the end result will have farrrrrk all to do with the academy...it's a furphy

At the moment it's results are more hilarious than the Police Academy movies.....

I'm all for companies creating employment though.... Life is too expensive to not have a job so these 7 dudes need to keep working...even if productivity is extremely low....

The academy is a long term play that will definitely pay dividends in years to come. Tonight's performance is more attributable to sustained success (finals for 10 years straight without a come down), short term moves to win a premiership (e.g. drafting Lovett), Goddard leaving, crap drafting, stupid team selection and voila - a perfect recipe for a shitful performance and what should be a very long year.

[Con Gorozidis]

I think this academy bullshite is sooooooooooooooo over rated...watters says we now have 7 development coaches...yep 7........... and we are still skill less....

the academy is baloney....what will fix the team is evolution...crap out and talented players in...the end result will have farrrrrk all to do with the academy...it's a furphy

At the moment it's results are more hilarious than the Police Academy movies.....

I'm all for companies creating employment though.... Life is too expensive to not have a job so these 7 dudes need to keep working...even if productivity is extremely low....

Bob Murray- I want to go on record as saying Im with you 100% on this.

I have been thinking about this a lot lately. Forget the Saints - across the Board Australian sports has become obsessed with the idea of 'Academies', 'Centres of Excellence" , "Elite squads" and state based "Institutes of sports". This has been a serious over arching trend in the last 15 years.

And where are we? Well our cricket team is a joke, our swimming team is a joke, our rugby (union) team is a joke, our soccer team is now a joke.

Overall we have gone seriously backwards in the last decade - this model is totally BUSTED. The academy model is broken. It doesnt work.

IMHO it 'rewards' kids who happen to be good in one age group 16-17. These kids get a seriously inflated and warped view of their actual abilities.

Now we all know kids develop at different rates.. by focussing on kids who just happen to be good during that 18 month period we are probably cutting out 60% of the real underlying talent pool.

Sure some kids in this age group end up making it at senior level but PLENTY dont. and Plenty who are average at that age come good at a later age.

It also tells these kids they are 'elite' sports people when in reality they have done absolutely nothing.

It is a flawed model. The old school club model was more successful. Sure have state teams for kids good at that age - but dont make out like they are going to be elite seniors just because they are good at 16-17.

I think Australia made the mistake of trying to copy big EPL teams - the reality is they get stuff all players from their academies and end up scouring the globe for their real top liners anyway. Most players turn up at the bigger EPL clubs from smaller clubs or countries in their early and mid 20s.

HUGE FOLLY that is destroying sports across this country. Saints shouldn't be sucked into wasting resources on it.

[noddy04]

Ive said it before whether its scott or not but anything Dean Laidley touches turns to shyte.

overrated on his tactical genius..

watters needs less WA mates roiund him and more genuine talent

+1 What exactly does Laidley bring to the Saints? Far Call imho. They showed our coaches box tonight and it didnt leave me very heartened at all. I like Scott Watters but i actually yelled at him tonight to DO something other than just sit with his chin in his jaw. I dont care if it is buckleyesqe and he breaks some phones but just sitting there p isses me right off

[Munga]

I think this academy bullshite is sooooooooooooooo over rated...watters says we now have 7 development coaches...yep 7........... and we are still skill less....

the academy is baloney....what will fix the team is evolution...crap out and talented players in...the end result will have farrrrrk all to do with the academy...it's a furphy

At the moment it's results are more hilarious than the Police Academy movies.....

I'm all for companies creating employment though.... Life is too expensive to not have a job so these 7 dudes need to keep working...even if productivity is extremely low....

I'm not sure what use the academy is, but you have to give it time, like Watters. There's a whole bunch of kids at the club, and more to come. This stuff doesn't happen overnight.

[Greg T]

Essendon haven't improved 12 goals on us since last time.Weve going 12 goals backward since then.
Maybe Hinckley would of been the better choice.
Not impressed by SW at all.Lyon was / is a considerably better coach...
No doubt the board will xtend his contract ...bulls*** ,,,,,

[bobmurray]

I think this academy bullshite is sooooooooooooooo over rated...watters says we now have 7 development coaches...yep 7........... and we are still skill less....

the academy is baloney....what will fix the team is evolution...crap out and talented players in...the end result will have farrrrrk all to do with the academy...it's a furphy

At the moment it's results are more hilarious than the Police Academy movies.....

I'm all for companies creating employment though.... Life is too expensive to not have a job so these 7 dudes need to keep working...even if productivity is extremely low....

The academy is a long term play that will definitely pay dividends in years to come. Tonight's performance is more attributable to sustained success (finals for 10 years straight without a come down), short term moves to win a premiership (e.g. drafting Lovett), Goddard leaving, crap drafting, stupid team selection and voila - a perfect recipe for a shitful performance and what should be a very long year.

I don't agree...and the main reason is when we do come good it will be with a different set of players than we have now...we will have recruited a more skillful mix...there is NO way the academy can get credit for the recruitment of more skillful players..

the academy can't take credit for players getting at least 3 pre seasons under their belts or for players getting to 50 games and becoming players with reasonable AFL experience...

that's how it happened before this academy bulldust started and that's how it will always happen

[Con Gorozidis]

Think about it. The academy thing was created for epl clubs who can sign anyone.

What the hell is the point when we have a draft ?

Pointless waste of money and time.

Knowing our luck we will get one good kid and he will end up at Collingwood

[bobmurray]

I think this academy bullshite is sooooooooooooooo over rated...watters says we now have 7 development coaches...yep 7........... and we are still skill less....

the academy is baloney....what will fix the team is evolution...crap out and talented players in...the end result will have farrrrrk all to do with the academy...it's a furphy

At the moment it's results are more hilarious than the Police Academy movies.....

I'm all for companies creating employment though.... Life is too expensive to not have a job so these 7 dudes need to keep working...even if productivity is extremely low....

I'm not sure what use the academy is, but you have to give it time, like Watters. There's a whole bunch of kids at the club, and more to come. This stuff doesn't happen overnight.

There have been kids at clubs since day dot...that's not the point, if 'academies" really worked they would recruit 40 players and develop those 40 into a super team but it doesn't work like that.

they have to dump the crap and try another batch, and on and on it goes.....My question is.. What role is the academy playing in that...very minor I would say...it works when they recruit the right mix

[mad saint guy]

Watters is great with the media and sells the club well. But we haven't seen any evidence that he can coach yet. It's too early to write him off, but he hasn't got a balanced game style working and he continues to make horrible, obvious selection errors. The WA preference concerns me as well. There is simply no way TDL should be on our list when we already had more small forwards than any other club.

[samuraisaint]

How many good picks have Port had in recent years?

Unfair comparison IMO.

Essendon are that good, that's more what people need to get their heads around. Can't believe someone could of stuffed up what is building there.

We beat them by 12 goals last time we played them. Was that an aberration? Are they really that good?

We beat the Swans by 4 goals less than a year ago. Yet stick a couple of players back into them who were injured on that night and they apbecame a different team. Same with the Bombers.

put Siposs and Schneider, as well as Gwilt and Dempster, back in our side and we are a better side too