FWIW, I think the odds are 50/50 with Bird, but. If I had to bet, … it’d be on him staying, … just.
If we’re keeping Bird, then I reckon you can lock in that we’re going after McVeigh or someone like him.
I hope people are remembering we have access to play all rookies at will next year when it comes to McVeigh or similar on the list for the “Pops” role.
I wouldn’t care if he played just every 3rd game, and the last 3-4 of the year, so he was cherry ripe for a final’s tilt.
Should we get there and look good for them, . I’d near bet my house almost everyone here, would be saying they were glad he was out there steadying the backline.
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What if the only way to get him as a coach is to hire him as a player first?
Seriously?
Tell me, what do you think we should do in that situation?
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The one absolute non-negotiable for us is that we must improve our ability to restrict the opposition from scoring if we are going to get anywhere near the pointy end of the ladder.
Could an ageing best 22 player form one of the defensive powerhouses of the last 10 years help us do that?
I reckon he could.
I have no idea what his coaching potential is like so I can’t say.
Thing is, he becomes a much more effective coach if he plays with the backline for the year and develops a rapport and earns their respect by showing them how it’s done, and doing the tough stuff he’ll then demand of them as a (backline) coach.
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What happens if Carlton and Collingwood are offering the same deal - e.g. 1 playing + a coaching job. Why would he choose to coach straight away if he wants to play on?
SO just get kelly?
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The only way this acquisition would be in any way “okay” would be if we managed to get Josh Kelly and Dustin Martin/Tom Rockliff.
That’s it.
If this happens and we literally sit on our hands all of trade week / FA (like I expect us to) then Dodoro should be out of a job. Plain and simple.
Kelly and rockliff is the absolute dream.
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Then say ‘Oh well, we’ll get another of the many, many other ex players to be an assistant coach.’
I mean seriously, the day you start bending over just to get a guy as an assistant…
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We wouldn’t pick up a guy to play 8 games and the chances of this selection panel letting a talented 34yo youngster rot in the 2s are slim at best.
But then who is going to play the “33-year-old half back flanker with good leadership skills” position that Kelly is vacating?
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Yet the right group of assistants are the difference between Richmond finishing top four and being a laughing stock.
Dustin Martin is an assistant coach?
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At the moment we have 3 guys on the list who we can say with some certainty could hold down a senior small/running defender role in 3 years time. 1 of them will ideally transition to the midfield.
Bags and DEA are not long term propositions.
In my mind we need to find at least another two, probably 3 more. One to pension of bags and release McGrath to the middle, another to be part of the rotation off the bench and another in the magoos who can come in and play a role.
We have to start working on resolving this list issue now and I think bringing in McVeigh will just delay this process. We have to findout about Redman and Morgan or we have to test whoever we bring in.
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Agree with all this, but I think we’ve already found out enough about Morgan. He’s barely VFL standard.
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