AFL Rd 3: Pre Game Prognostications: Carlton vs Geelong in Geelong

[Baggers]

I'm not making a call right now. I think you are - read back over your posts, plenty of 'calls' in there. But facts are facts, and in the realm of educated opinion, there isn't one thing that I see in the current regime that is much better than any of the previous ones. Too early to tell. Not one. Does anyone really think that Teague, long term,  will be better than anyone else ? Too early to tell, but I hope he's more successful than a few of his predecessors! That Lloyd will be better than McKay ? Hope so... too early to tell. That Liddle will be better than Trigg ? Probably is already, delivering on the bottom line big time and chooses to live in Victoria... good indicators! LoGiudice better than Kernahan ? By a mile. And don't get me started on the board. Okay, I won't get you started on the Board.

I think you will find the cattle available plays a far greater role than any coach in achieving success. Disagree. It's not an either/or situation. You need both to be really successful and establish the right culture. Though I believe the leadership provided by superior coaching is the best first step. For a while you could be fooled into thinking we had a factory assembly line, where we could produce (or purchase) stars seemingly at will. Which is not in any way to suggest that those teams weren't skilled, didn't train hard etc. But good players make a massive difference. Naturally, but if not well led it'll be a waste. You won't find teams from the 60's to the 80's that were more star studded than ours. And in 1980, we were star-studded but poorly coached and crashed out of the finals, big time. Also around the same time Tom Hafey was taking an ordinary list into grand finals, year in, year out. In fact, he took over a wooden spoon group and the following year got them into the GF. Whether we like it or not, leadership is a key, on and off the field.