Season 2009, make or break?

[jono]

when the force gave the season up this year - i think thats an accurate description of what happened - there was a pretty pissed off vibe going around.
we want results. but i look at the games we have played f**king awsome in. and i think a lot of that would be down to mitch.

personally i think he is working his arse off to try and get results. i mean he did re-sign with the force. so he must like coaching here.
if you didnt like being somewhere, you wouldnt re-sign.

when you look at it overall, and see how the team has grown and become a team since they started. you can see that there has been a change in coaching direction.
mitch has re-evaaluated what he wanted the team to do. and we are playing more attacking rugby - i/e not kicking for touch all the time. and chasing the ball.

i think i have garbled this reply. but what i was trying to say was that it isnt always down to the coach. the coach can only tell the boys what he wants them to do.

i mean look at the tahs, ewen wouldnt have made drastic changes to his coaching style after the board fired him.
but the players changed the way they played. and they got to the final.
so all the blame or critisism cant always go to the coach.

[oxleymoron]

2009 will be a failure if we don't make the finals, especially in the 6 team format.

This year we won 7 games, we didn't beat anyone who finished in the top 5, lost a few games at home (Waratahs, Crusaders) that could have gone our way but had an improving travelling record (4 from 7 on the road).

Next year, there are 9 games in Australia (7 home, 2 away), the bye is in the middle of the season and another year of the playing list together under Mitchells control.

Also depends on how many games I get to in 2009

[jono]

no, it depends on how many ezzy gets to.
he hasnt been to game where his team has lost.
GIGS your boy should be the force mascot!

[oxleymoron]

no, it depends on how many ezzy gets to.
he hasnt been to game where his team has lost.
GIGS your boy should be the force mascot!

And he'll still be able to beat the shite out of Bitumen Boy

[waratahjesus]

i know its not all down to the coach, but as a team (board etc) they have to be proactive, just cos mitchell wants to resign doesnt mean he is the best option!

when ewen went this year i thought the board must have had a plan, turns out they did and it was a good one with louden taking over, but they stuffed around and he ran scared! (the tahs shot there wad way early!)

Mitchell might have been the right man to set the team up, its a job i wouldnt want but is he the right coach to take the next step! after all, he is the one that chose spencer over merhtens int he semi final, history taught a lesson that day!

[travelling_gerry]

Under the contracting laws the Force had just as much to spend on players as did all the other Franchises. Plus the ARU top ups. And we all know where lots of that went.

[James]

This will sound like a lot of excuses but thats because thats exactly what it is.

We've had three season.

The first can be considered an automatic write-off simply because it would've been practically impossible to throw together a team that would make the finals in their first year.

The second came close with a draw, two one-point losses and a two-point loss that could've gone the other way with possibly more experience. Had two or three of these 5 gone our way we probably would've made the finals.

The third ended disappointingly sure but it started disappointingly too with the Henjak incident. We had quite a lot of new caps due to injuries and departures. Had Henjak, Angus Scott, Rudi Vedelago and Brendan Cannon still been about I think we'd have done a lot better.

Like Jono says there is only so much the coach can do. Saying that, the number of uncontrollable factors is less for the 2009 season (Good leadership group, decent draw, more experienced players) and perhaps those questions WJ poses will be asked if we fail again to at least make the top 6 finals format.

[waratahjesus]

you have had some outside help, as the tahs have of getting big names, but you have used that money to sign a few fringe players, drew, sheps etc.

there not superstars but you payed em a high rate when they didnt really command it to get them to move west!

you have a team on paper, its time to deliver, the new kids on the block tag can only stay for so long!

as i said previously, you should make the finals next year, especially if its top six but if you dont players or coaches need to start taking some responsability!

[jono]

i would say that he is taking the next step WJ.
we only won one game in out first season.
and we were contending finals (mathematically) until last last season.
and the team didnt show up on crucial games this season.
i would expect things to change if the team as a whole. didnt deliver on the expectations of the fans in the comming season.
it is in many aspects a make or break, for the coaching staff, and the players as well. there are several players who didnt perform to their expectations this season.

[waratahjesus]

hard question for fans to answer, but what would you change if you were in charge? player wise? coaching wise?
if your not turning up on certain days, whats going wrong?

[jono]

3 words to summarise it all WJ
performance based contracts.

[waratahjesus]

i wish all teams had them!
in all sports!
but then they would all just move to france!

[jono]

yeah, i know.
it would be great.
contract negotiations are only held after the end of the season. you dont perform. you go somewhere else.
there can be long term contracts, but if you dont perform the way the club wants. you can be let go at the end of the season. with enough notice so you are able to find a new club for the next season.

[NTT]

holy shit wj, thems NOT fighting words for a change ... welcome back?

i haven't seen it yet but im hearing the new batman movie is awesome !!!!

[BLR]

i haven't seen it yet but im hearing the new batman movie is awesome !!!!

Indeed it is, I recommend it.

As for the question of what I would change, tight 5. We would be an EXTREMELY strong team if we had a strong tight 5, hell, we have all these Saffas apparently in Perth, get them in.