Controversial decisons

[skeptic]

If anyone has a free moment... I'm trying to think of controversial decisions the club has made over the last 16 years. A few that come to mind:
- Lovett
- Cousins
- Leaving Moorabbin, coming back
- Rotating captains
- Many things Ross Lyon, Thomas, Blight

If anyone can think of any more, i'll reveal why in a few days

[Devilhead]

Leaving out Maxy in 09
Col Captains
Playing Ball injured
Sacking Blight

[supersaints]

Starting Tassie games ...then leaving them to Hawthorn

[supersaints]

I guess we couod in ode the New Zealand games

[Stephen Theodore]

Stewart for Barrot

[bigcarl]

GT sacking was the biggest and arguably cost us a premiership ... or several. Not that I could be bothered arguing that old chestnut again.

Controversial it certainly was though. Brought down the Buttress administration and ushered in Footy First.

On field it meant a conservative, defensive game and more adventurous and attacking sides such as Geelong, Hawthorn and even Collingwood reaped the rewards.

We stopped developing youth, went for role-players and experienced spuds.

[BigMart]

GT going on as coach after interim

Cousins non selection

Lovett even contemplating that

Letting go of Ball, Clarke, Maguire for Lovett, Smith and Will Johnson

Tasmania!!!

Seaford!!!!

[Life Long Saint]

Not sure why the Cousins non-selection is controversial.
Thought it was a smart thing to do.

Letting Ball go and trading Lovett in was awful. We lost a genuine leader and gained a basket case.

[Impatient Sainter]

Saints administration and management through 70's until current team.
Selling VFL park.
Giving up Tasmanian contract - GT's influence.
Allowing GT to manage players contracts.
Employing Archie Fraser then Nettelfold.
Leaving Moorabbin - worst decision ever.
Being forced into Etihad diabolical $$$ contract.
Choice of coaches?
Saints lack of quality conditioning, development and recruitment staff during critical years.
Having RL undergo Luke Ball trade negotiations - ridiculous.
Not having a stand alone VFL team hurts.
Clubs inability to maintain and grow membership numbers in line with other Vic clubs.

[St Chris]

As controversial as GT's sacking was, surely GT's appointment was just as controversial????

Was the Yellow peril in the last 16 years?? (just checked, yes it was.....)

[BigMart]

Cousins - smart thing to do?

Don't want to get into a debate about it... But we lost the next 2 GFs by 9 and 0 points. We had a free shot at a 29yo 4 times B&F Brownlow medallist, premiership player, and ex captain for almost zero

He may have delisted after 3 weeks... Or played instead of Rob Eddy in the GF?

Instead the following year we chose an underperforming, lazy, drunk arse moron with a bad attitude. Fora million bucks and Pick 16.

I'd say we took the wrong risk.

[thejiggingsaint]

Starting a thread like this one?

[BigMart]

The stand alone VFL club thing is a complete non issue. The relationship between the two clubs is important though.

We'd have been absolutely non competitive in the VFL if we stood alone, and a non competitive environment is never good for development.

We've been somewhat competitive due to the non listed players who perform week in week out
Harrison and Cockie over the years have been sensational in the VFL winning 7 B&Fs between them as bull midfielders

[Life Long Saint]

Cousins - smart thing to do?

Don't want to get into a debate about it... But we lost the next 2 GFs by 9 and 0 points. We had a free shot at a 29yo 4 times B&F Brownlow medallist, premiership player, and ex captain for almost zero

He may have delisted after 3 weeks... Or played instead of Rob Eddy in the GF?

Instead the following year we chose an underperforming, lazy, drunk arse moron with a bad attitude. Fora million bucks and Pick 16.

I'd say we took the wrong risk.

We won 20/22 in 2009.
Don't think Cousins would have added much there. Would he have taken the kicks that Milne and Schneider missed? Don't think so. Injury probably would have prevented him having much of an impact anyway.
We were in trouble in 2010 GF but the team willed itself back into the game in the 3rd quarter - without Cousins...Would he have made the ball bounce into the arms of Milne instead of away from it?
He played two underwhelming season for the Tigers and was only playing 50% game time by the end of 2010...Not sure he would have added any real value in those GF's. Not even sure he had the fitness level required for Lyon's game plan anyway. Every likelihood that he was still partying too hard off field. Who knows what sort of influence he may have had on some of the young players.

And, for the record, he was born 30/06/1978, so we would have been 30 when drafted and 32 by the time 2010 GF was played.
http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/ ... usins.html

[skeptic]

Cousins - smart thing to do?

Don't want to get into a debate about it... But we lost the next 2 GFs by 9 and 0 points. We had a free shot at a 29yo 4 times B&F Brownlow medallist, premiership player, and ex captain for almost zero

He may have delisted after 3 weeks... Or played instead of Rob Eddy in the GF?

Instead the following year we chose an underperforming, lazy, drunk arse moron with a bad attitude. Fora million bucks and Pick 16.

I'd say we took the wrong risk.

We won 20/22 in 2009.
Don't think Cousins would have added much there. Would he have taken the kicks that Milne and Schneider missed? Don't think so. Injury probably would have prevented him having much of an impact anyway.
We were in trouble in 2010 GF but the team willed itself back into the game in the 3rd quarter - without Cousins...Would he have made the ball bounce into the arms of Milne instead of away from it?
He played two underwhelming season for the Tigers and was only playing 50% game time by the end of 2010...Not sure he would have added any real value in those GF's. Not even sure he had the fitness level required for Lyon's game plan anyway. Every likelihood that he was still partying too hard off field. Who knows what sort of influence he may have had on some of the young players.

And, for the record, he was born 30/06/1978, so we would have been 30 when drafted and 32 by the time 2010 GF was played.
http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/ ... usins.html

I think the debate alone proves that it was a controversial decision... And therefore makes the list.

Thanks guys, keep them coming

[BigMart]

Probably better to state what actually happened compared to what probably would have happened?

And I would have taken a mediocre season (20ppg of quality) from an experienced champion as compared to one of our well documented weak bottom 6.

If we talk probables ... Chances are Ben (the second best gut runner in the history of the game) might have lit it up in the last quarter on the big stage.

If we talk actual
He finished top 5 in Richmonds B&F and added to their team from a leadership POV. Was not an issue off field.

[Life Long Saint]

Probably better to state what actually happened compared to what probably would have happened?

And I would have taken a mediocre season (20ppg of quality) from an experienced champion as compared to one of our well documented weak bottom 6.

If we talk probables ... Chances are Ben (the second best gut runner in the history of the game) might have lit it up in the last quarter on the big stage.

If we talk actual
He finished top 5 in Richmonds B&F and added to their team from a leadership POV. Was not an issue off field.

Says more about Richmond than St Kilda.

[saintsRrising]

Voting in Footy First and Wasteaway - They sounded good, but delivered little

[Impatient Sainter]

The stand alone VFL club thing is a complete non issue. The relationship between the two clubs is important though.

We'd have been absolutely non competitive in the VFL if we stood alone, and a non competitive environment is never good for development.

We've been somewhat competitive due to the non listed players who perform week in week out
Harrison and Cockie over the years have been sensational in the VFL winning 7 B&Fs between them as bull midfielders

We wouldnt be discussing this if the club had the finances to run their own VFL side - Sandi would have struggled to remain viable in the VFL and we would have taken on all there top up players. It only suits both clubs because the Saints are the AFL porpers!

[Playon]

As controversial as GT's sacking was, surely GT's appointment was just as controversial????

Giving Corn Flakes a list that Ray Charles could of coached

[The Fireman]

Not visiting Geoff Cunningham when he was in hospital for a couple of weeks

[Scollop]

Toss Lyon left Ball on the bench in the last quarter of a grand final to prove a point. Luke was influential in the first 3 quarters and ...he wasn't injured. If risking a loss in a grand final and being stubborn enough to leave one of your best players on the bench all quarter isn't one of the most contreversial I don't know what is.

The stubborness and controversy didn't end there. The coach was backed up by the kool-aid loving board and managed to not only lose Ball as a player but refused to trade with Collingwood thereby losing any chance of receiving any compensation or any worthwhile draft picks.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/l ... 5840032507

[saintsRrising]

Resting the players from training and instead sending them to see "The Day After Tomorrow".

[BigMart]

Scallop

That was hideous by Lyon!

Not only did it hurt our chances 09/10.. It cost a player who could be helping us now!!

[whiskers3614]

Scallop

That was hideous by Lyon!

Not only did it hurt our chances 09/10.. It cost a player who could be helping us now!!

And yet the Lyon-worship persists!