SA Footy

Andy Collins has fired up in Warren Partland's article in the Advertiser today, re-printed on the SANFL website at http://www.sanfl.com.au/news/sanfl_news/241/

BLOODS 'NOT UP TO STANDARD'
WEST Adelaide coach Andrew Collins has had enough. After just six games he is already talking of an end-of-season player clean out.

Collins, a Hawthorn premiership player and successful VFL coach, thinks like a winner. He had every right to be angry after witnessing what the Bloods coughed up against Sturt at Unley on Saturday.
The Bloods were simply awful. On that effort there is little doubt they are the worst team in the competition.

"I need to spend a lot of time looking throughout Australia for quality recruits," Collins said. "I have no doubt the players representing the West Adelaide Football Club are not up to the standard the competition is at.
"Many of these players have been representing the WAFC for a long time and it is very sad but there is going to be a significant clean out.

"We just can't have performances, not only like we did against Sturt but in yesteryear and the year after."
The number of times a Bloods pass by foot missed a target - and often when under little pressure - was a disgrace.
When a statistician at the game jokes that "rushed" could almost be included among the list of best players, you know it ain't good.

Good on you Andy - no cliches, no beating around the bush, and only 6 weeks into your first season. If those comments aren't enough to spur Westies players on, then they will be elsewhere in 2009. No disrespect intended to Westies players here, but I find it refreshing for a coach to say exactly what he is thinking for a change.

Full credit also for not confining his recruitment mission to just one league or region - but saying he will look all over the countryside!

It's not bad news for the club, as it does sound like that here is a coach who means business. But there were so many recruits this year, it was almost like a clean out right then.

He cleaned out some but there are many that still need to go for us to move forwards. Maybe Marc Dragicevic will be the first of many older players moved on.

spell_check wrote:It's not bad news for the club, as it does sound like that here is a coach who means business. But there were so many recruits this year, it was almost like a clean out right then.

He needed to see these players in match conditions, and clearly they aren't measuring up. Prior to that he would have been going largely on reputations.

I still think West will win out with Collins, he has a great coaching record in the VFL and knows what he's doing.

If only Norwood had taken him instead of Dale Lewis when Collins wanted to coach us.

Adelaide Hawk wrote:

spell_check wrote:It's not bad news for the club, as it does sound like that here is a coach who means business. But there were so many recruits this year, it was almost like a clean out right then.

He needed to see these players in match conditions, and clearly they aren't measuring up. Prior to that he would have been going largely on reputations.

I still think West will win out with Collins, he has a great coaching record in the VFL and knows what he's doing.

If only Norwood had taken him instead of Dale Lewis when Collins wanted to coach us.

I reckon he is a good option for West, yes. I think he needs another Cupido to play Cupido up forward.

His playing and coaching record will surely have plenty of pull in the recruiting market. However, the toughest part will be selling their 2008 performance and he will be hoping to get 6-8 wins I'd think to show a platform is there to be built on.

Ditto to others - I think he still a great choice and Westies will keep moving forwards - short term pain will bring longer term gain.

Adelaide Hawk wrote:

spell_check wrote:It's not bad news for the club, as it does sound like that here is a coach who means business. But there were so many recruits this year, it was almost like a clean out right then.

He needed to see these players in match conditions, and clearly they aren't measuring up. Prior to that he would have been going largely on reputations.

I still think West will win out with Collins, he has a great coaching record in the VFL and knows what he's doing.

If only Norwood had taken him instead of Dale Lewis when Collins wanted to coach us.

Think that you are spot on, and someone with such a professional reputation is going to wait and make HIS OWN decisions, which it looks like he is ready and Im sure willing to do, to achieve success.

The members of the club seem to be supporting him so good luck to him, its all to easy to blame the coach when things are not going well at the club!

Good to see some positive, honest talk. But is it right to do it publicly or better left for the CEO's office?

As a current player how would you react to that? Are you going to feel you have his confidence and then go out and put it on the line for him?

Dunno .... anyone currently playing have a view on this?

I can only asssume Collins hopes it revs them up but geez it's a fair serve to make in public Maybe it's what the club needs ....

I respect your views on his coaching Tassie but my discussion was related to his honest approach. 6 weeks in to his first season, (and without a win), I doubt he is trying to get a contract extension.

Hondo - I think it is refreshing to hear a coach come out with that approach rather than keep everything behind closed doors all the time. We all read what everyone's views were on Mark Harvey's interviews last week for Foxtel and C9. I think the players will want to respond and the fact is they still have 15 or so rounds in which to do so - not 3 weeks.

I'd be interested to know how many Riverland recruits they have in their ranks. Most clubs have significant input from players from their country zone, but i can't really think of too many ex Riverland lads at the Bloods. Whether thats because they're failing to recruit them, or there just isn't enough quality youngsters from their zone. Then again, i'm not an expert on WA's list, so there may be a few more from the Riverland than i'm aware of.

My first thought was that his comment could cause a divide in the club.

It almost sounds like all this years recruits (many who came with Collins) are doing fine, just the old mob are poo..

Squawk wrote:I respect your views on his coaching Tassie but my discussion was related to his honest approach. 6 weeks in to his first season, (and without a win), I doubt he is trying to get a contract extension.

Pfft, my views just got exposed by a far more informed poster than I.....

Anyone know how to to get egg off ones face....

Speaking of getting EGG off ones face - Where are all the posters who confidently predicted the Red and Black rabble would play finals and/or be the big improvers.

G wrote:Speaking of getting EGG off ones face - Where are all the posters who confidently predicted the Red and Black rabble would play finals and/or be the big improvers.

There weren't too many.

To be honest i was one G. So i hope that makes you feel better,I gather you have a perfect record predicting where your club finishes with your crystal balls "NOT".I notice you have not disclosed who you go for, maybe you are a member of the team know as front runners.

G wrote:Speaking of getting EGG off ones face - Where are all the posters who confidently predicted the Red and Black rabble would play finals and/or be the big improvers.

Yes I did say that they would be the big improvers of the season and were a strong chance of playing in the finals.

Despite the results so far I feel that the club is still likely to get better as the season goes on, when they do get a win I feel that the second one will be a lot easier to come by!

bundy wrote:To be honest i was one G. So i hope that makes you feel better,I gather you have a perfect record predicting where your club finishes with your crystal balls "NOT".I notice you have not disclosed who you go for, maybe you are a member of the team know as front runners.

i believe G to be a rooster fan, and i would be ashamed of them if i was a supporter!!!!!!

1980 Tassie Medalist wrote:
Pfft, my views just got exposed by a far more informed poster than I.....

Anyone know how to to get egg off ones face....

I believe the Glenelg Football Club sets up special stations whenever they make the Grand Final.
If you can wait that long.