Geelong coach Chris Scott shed light on the controversial AFL rule that is “terrible” for coaches but “amazing” for fans.
GWS’ senior coach talked up his right-hand man, who he believes would be “terrific” for the West Coast Eagles — and they will sound him out.
Plus, the issues at the core of Sydney’s sudden freefall in AFL 360 Talking Points!
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‘GOT TO BE SOMETHING WRONG’: ROBBO ON SWANS’ SUDDEN STRIFE
In an utterly jaw-dropping result, Sydney fell by 112 points to Port Adelaide in a holistic drubbing at Adelaide Oval last Saturday — it’s the Swans’ fifth loss in six games, and their lead at the top of the table has shrunk to two premiership points.
“The numbers will say they’re failing here, failing there, but what we can’t ascertain — unless you’re really inside the club — is the mental scarring that Dermott (Brereton) spoke about,” Chief Herald Sun football journalist Mark Robinson told AFL 360 on Monday night.
“Where are they mentally? There’s got to be something wrong to lose by that (margin) — there’s got to be something wrong at the club … Maybe it’s insurmountable. Maybe it isn’t.
“They’ve only got two ways to go. Let it scar them, or let it drive them … Everyone picks and chooses their destiny in football, so they’ve got an opportunity to turn it around.
“God knows what today was like in the Swans’ review … I would presume everything was on the table. Everything. And not just the coach speaking, but specifically the players speaking …
“The blame was in the middle of the ground — the blame was where they weren’t mentally ready to play, and you rarely say that about the Swans.”
Last Saturday night, 12 Swans recorded fewer than 12 possessions as coach John Longmire — who called his side’s performance “unacceptable” — made his tactical substitute in the second quarter, taking Corey Warner off.
Kingy unleashes on ‘alarming’ Swans | 03:52
‘TERRIBLE FOR COACHES’: SCOTT’S CALL ON CONTROVERSIAL RULES
After Essendon’s match-winning centre clearance against Fremantle last Sunday, Scott gave his thoughts on the divisive 6-6-6 rule — introduced by former AFL football operations boss and now-Geelong CEO Steve Hocking.
“The 6-6-6 is a terrible rule for coaches and it’s an amazing rule for spectators,” the dual premiership coach said on Monday night, before adding his opinion on the ‘stand’ rule.
“I think the stand rule is a really good one to open the game up, and you have the quandary … that if you push the needle on offence, you’re going to open yourself up the other way.
“I think we’re seeing in today’s game that if you play a really defensive game, the opposition will have their moments at some point in time. So, if you don’t ride the momentum while you have it, you leave yourself vulnerable to a really good team.
“Almost universally, the people I know in footy think the game’s better for the changes that have been made. (It’s) harder to coach, but I think that was part of the plan.”
Kingsley agreed, saying: “Yeah, I do. I think it’s a really good synopsis of the game at the moment … It felt like if you were four, five goals in front halfway through the last quarter, the game was done. Now … a goal a minute … it feels like that’s possible in every game we play.”
‘He’s shielding them from the pressure’ | 03:03
‘HE’D BE TERRIFIC’: KINGSLEY LAUDS EAGLES COACHING CANDIDATE
GWS senior coach Adam Kingsley was pressed for his assessment of his right-hand man, assistant Brett Montgomery, who will be sounded out by the West Coast Eagles for their head-coaching vacancy.
“He sees the game really well (on) gameday, during the week he prepares really well, (and he) coaches his players strongly,” Kingsley told Fox Footy.
“They certainly love ‘Monty’ as a coach — he presents really well, knows his stuff, communicates all the stuff that the best coaches do — he’s really strong in those phases.
“I think he’d be a terrific choice for West Coast, personally. I am biased, of course, but he has been in the industry for a long period of time, he’s very experienced (having plied his trade) under multiple coaches, and he’ll be really strong with how he thinks (the Eagles) should play and how they should look.”
Kingsley said he and Montgomery had only had preliminary discussions about the potential of him seriously putting his hand up for the role.
“We haven’t gone too deep — I’m not sure where West Coast is at with its process (or) whether they’ve spoken to Monty yet or not,” he said.
“When that happens, we’ll start to cross those bridges and try to work out a plan with him … but hopefully he gets an opportunity.”
Source Agencies
