This Guy (Rossy) can coach

[stinger]

Lyon has done extremely well to get the Dockers playing the quality stuff they delivered away from home today.

I thought it would take him a couple of seasons to get them into the finals : unlike most posters on here, who thought it would never happen because Freo are a crap team and Lyon is a crap coach.

He got there in one season. Well done to him.

i know they are just if's and buts...but if we hadn't lost to the filth and port....both of which i putt down to umpire bias.....we would be in the finals..not freo.....pple might then be singing a different tune.....

[bigcarl]

I'll say it through gritted teeth, he's a good coach.

His plan is very simple, but is hard to counter.

Put a clamp on your opponent's best couple of play-makers. As well as that, drop a couple drop numbers behind the ball, closing up the opposition forward line and giving space to your own forwards. Counterpunch your way to victory.

There's no real mystery to it, but it is difficult to counter. Simple, but effective.

However, inabilkty to match opposition scoreboard pressure, despite the Dockers' cricket score yesterday, has been and remains Lyon's achilles heel. In big games he will revert to type.

[fingers]

North are a bunch of front runners. Their game plan won't stand up in pressure games, let alone pressure finals. Ross is an ok coach. Ross is also an average bloke at best.

And you know this how?

[8856brother]

North are a bunch of front runners. Their game plan won't stand up in pressure games, let alone pressure finals. Ross is an ok coach. Ross is also an average bloke at best.

And you know this how?

Interesting you choose me to ask out of the 4 or 5 posts that suggest the same. The way he left the club 12 months ago might give you an indication.

[bigcarl]

i know they are just if's and buts...but if we hadn't lost to the filth and port....both of which i putt down to umpire bias.....we would be in the finals..not freo.....pple might then be singing a different tune.....

The Freo game at Etihad had some interesting decisions, too, I thought.

[fingers]

North are a bunch of front runners. Their game plan won't stand up in pressure games, let alone pressure finals. Ross is an ok coach. Ross is also an average bloke at best.

And you know this how?

Interesting you choose me to ask out of the 4 or 5 posts that suggest the same. The way he left the club 12 months ago might give you an indication.

I only asked you because it was the first post I read that suggested the same. Ever met him? Had dinner with him? Met his family ? Had a beer with him? I'm just curious how people come to these opinions.

[SaintPav]

I don't know RL personally but one thing I do know is that he is either deluded or a liar when he said that he had nothing to be ashamed of or words to that effect when he was appointed at Freo. The way Mark Harvey was treated was atrocious and weather he likes it or not he played a big part in it.

Yes, he is a very good coach but I give him a zero on ethics and loyalty.

[thejiggingsaint]

I'm so happy that he went when he did. I remember saying to my daughter immediately after the siren against the Swans, "Lyons gone!" (I just had a feeling, intuition call it whatever you like) and she replied: "Good! maybe we'll see some goals being kicked now!" I was upset at his "desertion" but (like the Lockett trade) we've snared a super coach in Watters! WIN-WIN?

[perfectionist]

Fremantle kicked 20 goals against North (and won) - we kicked 15 (and lost).

[dragit]

Were having a real bad 2012 due to injury too.

Very sad excuse, we've had one of the lowest injury lists all year. Our top 6 players have missed half a dozen games in total - all to Fisher…

[Teflon]

Fremantle kicked 20 goals against North (and won) - we kicked 15 (and lost).

Yes it's funny isn't it

Typical, moronic StKilda ism .."ha ha Ross we kicked more goals than you" (and lost) while his team in yr 1 plays finals, smashing the so called resurgent Roos in Melbourne kicking Freo's biggest single quarter score away ever....

Had Lyin had the list and been in charge from 2004 when we had depth, talented kids and some tough, older heads we'd have a flag IMO

Alas, that's hindsight ism and useless as we had Grant fighting with Rod taking bout belief clouds ..

[saint75]

The Freo list was quite good prior to Ross's arrival. He is just making the most of what he has. No one has ever doubted Ross's coaching ability. It is his long term development of youngsters that is his biggest flaw. He coaches and trades for the here and now. His development of youth is were he needs improvement.

Also, as a side note, North being the basket case that they are, were due to start choking. Was kinda hoping it was going to start 1-2 weeks ago, but no such luck. North will be bundled out of the finals after their first game. Was always going to happen.

[joffaboy]

I don't know RL personally but one thing I do know is that he is either deluded or a liar when he said that he had nothing to be ashamed of or words to that effect when he was appointed at Freo. The way Mark Harvey was treated was atrocious and weather he likes it or not he played a big part in it.

Yes, he is a very good coach but I give him a zero on ethics and loyalty.

Maybe you wouldn't feel that way if you heard his side of the story.

From what I have heard, it wasn't one way traffic on the deception front.

Anyway, bout time he was acknowledged as the coach he is - a good one.

I hated the revisionist BS about him "losing" flags for us Incredibly insular and deluded.

In say that I am happy he is gone. Got a good feeling already Watters is the man to take us forward.

Lyon has yet to prove he can do anything more than take a list that has been built for him.

[SainterK]

Freo will likely play WCE over there week 1 won't they?

I'd say they'd be pretty confident given last time the sides met.

Fortunately for Freo, the GP wasn't so revolutionary and they have taken little time to adapt...because zones and presses have become a big part of footy it wouldn't be so 'foreign' a concept as it was to the Saints boys all those years ago.

Only 3 things IMO can prevent Ross from ultimate success at Freo.

1. Sandi/McPharlin/Pav are already 30 and over

2. You hope he has picked the right core, because we know not many others are going to get a look in

3. His stubbornness, it's his strength and weakness IMO

[Teflon]

I'd have thought now they are 7th that Freo would be coming to Melb to play Cats week 1...... not ideal for them IMO as I'm sure they'd have preferred a shot at home against wee girls

[SainterK]

I think the reports are he can control who he meets by how he approaches this week?

[fingers]

I don't know RL personally but one thing I do know is that he is either deluded or a liar when he said that he had nothing to be ashamed of or words to that effect when he was appointed at Freo. The way Mark Harvey was treated was atrocious and weather he likes it or not he played a big part in it.

Yes, he is a very good coach but I give him a zero on ethics and loyalty.

Maybe you wouldn't feel that way if you heard his side of the story.

From what I have heard, it wasn't one way traffic on the deception front.

Anyway, bout time he was acknowledged as the coach he is - a good one.

I hated the revisionist BS about him "losing" flags for us Incredibly insular and deluded.

In say that I am happy he is gone. Got a good feeling already Watters is the man to take us forward.

Lyon has yet to prove he can do anything more than take a list that has been built for him.

Good post Joffa - I don't think he can build a list. Not the personality type to develop kids.

I don't like the way he left the club - but to think that we know ALL that happened in the lead up to him leaving is a little naive.

And to make calls on a man's personality when you've never met him is a little silly. If you don't like that one incident that talk about the incident - not the individual.

[Witeout23]

He inherited a good list when he came to the Saints, I could've coached them to the 2009-10 Grand finals.
He has now inherited a good list at Freo, they would've been thereabouts if Mark harvey had not been shafted.

Oh and he coached us really well against the Swans last year, didn't he?

[dragit]

I think the reports are he can control who he meets by how he approaches this week?

You cannot control how bad Melbourne are, that is not a variable.

[joffaboy]

He inherited a good list when he came to the Saints, I could've coached them to the 2009-10 Grand finals.

[Teflon]

I think the reports are he can control who he meets by how he approaches this week?

Surely can't orchestrate a loss to Melb... that would be investigated...

[sunsaint]

He inherited a good list when he came to the Saints, I could've coached them to the 2009-10 Grand finals.

no its ABSOLUTELY true
you bang on about "revisionists" but your differing opinion on lyon is just that, a different historical point of view.
He was good coach in 2009, and we should have won the GF but didnt, and lots of things could have should have been done, end of sad story.
In the 2010 GF the game was lost at the selection table. But that year the game moved on, His coaching style didnt, and teams went flying past us. By 2011 the list couldnt cope with the new game & he was done at the saints.
He was gifted a good team and a club that dragged itself out of the sewers when he came to the saints.
And its the same with the dockers that was built by Harvey. (although I think Freo are a better overall team list - less reliant on so called "stars" and accross the board they are faster and more skilled)

[Moods]

He inherited a good list when he came to the Saints, I could've coached them to the 2009-10 Grand finals.
He has now inherited a good list at Freo, they would've been thereabouts if Mark harvey had not been shafted.

Oh and he coached us really well against the Swans last year, didn't he?

Of course you could have

The reality is that Lyon's game plan at the time was revolutionary. AFL coaches hadn't seen anything remotely like it ever before. It took everyone by surprise.Industry insiders were saying at the time they hadn't seen such a drastic change to the way game was played in such a short space of time ever. So you could have coached the team to 20 wins out of 22?

As for 2010 - the best player in the comp at the time rips his hammy and is out for 15 weeks. Yet we still make the GF and nearly snatch it from the most dominant team in a season (particualrly the second half of the year) that I can remember. The fact that this team won the flag copying what we did in 09, only with an improved version says wonders about the game plan he developed. Yep, I'm sure you could have done that as well?

Lyon is gone. He was fantastic for us whilst he was here. Those who are still bitter have incredibly short memories and are incredibly hard to please. Worst case he shafted us on his exit. Have the saints EVER shafted anyone whilst exiting them out? Bottom line is that whilst he was our coach he was fantastic. He recognised that his time was up, and we move on with what I believe is the best young coach in the comp. I still can't understand the bitterness.

[markp]

He inherited a good list when he came to the Saints, I could've coached them to the 2009-10 Grand finals.

GT?

[SainterK]

I think the reports are he can control who he meets by how he approaches this week?

Surely can't orchestrate a loss to Melb... that would be investigated...

Not sure.

Could 'rest' players with 'soreness' prior to the finals.

Over there though, it would be pretty obvious that the game was thrown.

AFL still deny it exists (shrugs)