Winning isn't everything

[Lods]

...it's the only thing!

“Winning isn’t everything… It’s the only thing” UCLA coach Red Sanders…with an assist by Vince Lombardi

For some time there has been a criticism of posters focusing too much on the win/loss side of things as opposed to the growth and development of the playing group. Maybe that criticism was justified, as impatience with the pace of the rebuild is a natural response for some of us after years of poor to average performance. as Bolton said after taking up the job...

“We don’t want to be defined by wins and losses; we want to be defined by our effort and application”

While the above was probably true in the early years of the rebuild eventually the focus had to shift to winning games. If we haven’t reached that point already surely the time is now. Every indication from our draft strategy last year to comments by Bolton that he largely has the list he wants indicate that winning games in 2019 would be an expectation.

Winning is important…
Winning makes supporters happy, losing makes supporters sad
Young supporters are drawn to winning sides.
Winning helps sponsorship
Winning helps membership.
Winning helps crowd numbers
Winning gives you a better ladder position.
You don’t play finals unless you win more games than most of the other sides (unless one of them are drug cheats)
You don’t win premierships these days if you don’t win games at the end of the year.
Winning shuts the critics up.
If you’re a coach, winning keeps your job safe.

As Chris Judd stated earlier in the year "We're in a results-based business. We need to win games and and we're all really clear on that."

The development can run in tandem but surely the focus now must be all-out on achieving a few wins.

[Baggers]

...it's the only thing!

“Winning isn’t everything… It’s the only thing” UCLA coach Red Sanders…with an assist by Vince Lombardi

For some time there has been a criticism of posters focusing too much on the win/loss side of things as opposed to the growth and development of the playing group. Maybe that criticism was justified, as impatience with the pace of the rebuild is a natural response for some of us after years of poor to average performance. as Bolton said after taking up the job...

“We don’t want to be defined by wins and losses; we want to be defined by our effort and application”

While the above was probably true in the early years of the rebuild eventually the focus had to shift to winning games. If we haven’t reached that point already surely the time is now. Every indication from our draft strategy last year to comments by Bolton that he largely has the list he wants indicate that winning games in 2019 would be an expectation.

Winning is important…
Winning makes supporters happy, losing makes supporters sad
Young supporters are drawn to winning sides.
Winning helps sponsorship
Winning helps membership.
Winning helps crowd numbers
Winning gives you a better ladder position.
You don’t play finals unless you win more games than most of the other sides (unless one of them are drug cheats)
You don’t win premierships these days if you don’t win games at the end of the year.
Winning shuts the critics up.
If you’re a coach, winning keeps your job safe.

As Chris Judd stated earlier in the year "We're in a results-based business. We need to win games and and we're all really clear on that."

The development can run in tandem but surely the focus now must be all-out on achieving a few wins.

Spot on.

You are now, officially, odds on to win 'Post Of The Year'.

[LP]

The development can run in tandem but surely the focus now must be all-out on achieving a few wins.

Sorry, but when BB had the team playing ugly and in with a chance to win many low scoring games if not for a little more experience, the AFL, AFL broadcasters, AFL media and many members bagged the hell out of him! Our club folded under the pressure, I gather the coach folded under internal pressures, changed the plan and got hammered again for doing what the critics had demanded!

Now the same critics(guys like Darcy, Ling, BT, Barrett) tell us how great it is to watch the Dawks or Dogs play even worse football as they dig ugly wins out of an otherwise crap season! And now that we are apparently playing better football they still bag us! When someone like Carey seems to be the voice of reason, that we are playing good to watch football, they bag him!

When Clarkson does it he's an innovative genius super-coach, when BB does it he's got no plan, no direction and no future! :o

[Baggers]

Sorry, but when BB had the team playing ugly and in with a chance to win many low scoring games if not for a little more experience, the AFL, AFL broadcasters, AFL media and many members bagged the hell out of him! Our club folded under the pressure, I gather the coach folded under internal pressures, changed the plan and got hammered again for doing what the critics had demanded!

Now the same critics(guys like Darcy, Ling, BT, Barrett) tell us how great it is to watch the Dawks or Dogs play even worse football as they dig ugly wins out of an otherwise crap season! And now that we are apparently playing better football they still bag us! When someone like Carey seems to be the voice of reason, that we are playing good to watch football, they bag him!

When Clarkson does it he's an innovative genius super-coach, when BB does it he's got no plan, no direction and no future! :o

But Clarkson wins.

[laj]

4 yeas in we need to be winning now. No ifs or but. 4 from 40 is so far from good enough it's ridiculous.

[ElwoodBlues1]

Bulldogs stole a flag playing ugly horrible footy, Richmond got a flag by playing pressure/rebound footy and living off other teams mistakes.
Essendon play pretty footy where they create their own goals but its doesnt standup all the time, you need to be able to get down in the gutter and play dirty scrappy footy too and grind as well. Clarkson always has had his Hawthorn teams being able to play in the different modes....

[LP]

But Clarkson wins.

When we played ugly BB had how many wins in his first season of widely criticised ugly football?

7 wins with another 4 single digit losses, and BB did that with half the list the Dawks had, yet was bagged mercilessly!

Clarkson always has had his Hawthorn teams being able to play in the different modes....

Not always, not when they were new at it, he nearly lost his job!

[Thryleon]

Hmm.

I think we are getting better at playing ugly.

I think we are improving at playing pretty too.


Of the 8 games this season, 7 have been in it to win with a relatively inexperienced team and carrying blokes that are underdone or not ready to step up to afl level and impact for 4 quarters yet.

I think next year and the year after we are going to see some rather dramatic upward improvement from our team.

Anyone questioning Bolton's coaching need only look at how he has managed to get Levi casboult and Liam Jones contributing meaningfully against the best sides in the competition.

[JonHenry]

Bulldogs stole a flag playing ugly horrible footy, Richmond got a flag by playing pressure/rebound footy and living off other teams mistakes.
Essendon play pretty footy where they create their own goals but its doesnt standup all the time, you need to be able to get down in the gutter and play dirty scrappy footy too and grind as well. Clarkson always has had his Hawthorn teams being able to play in the different modes....

And with a heap of free kicks.
Phenomenal amount really

https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_t...e=TT&sby=8

[ElwoodBlues1]

When we played ugly BB had how many wins in his first season of widely criticised ugly football?

7 wins with another 4 single digit losses, and BB did that with half the list the Dawks had, yet was bagged mercilessly!

Not always, not when they were new at it, he nearly lost his job!

Didnt take Clarkson 4 years though.....2005-2008.......5 wins, 9 wins, 14 wins, 20 wins(flag).......where are we in comparison, look at the linear progression, had to rebuild
in 2 years and as a novice coach...