Latest news with #Riewoldt
7NEWS
6 days ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
First-year coach Dean Cox in the gun as ‘fractured' Sydney Swans continue to fall
The Sydney Swans continue to be savaged after their embarrassing performance at the SCG against Adelaide on Saturday. Not only have the players been questioned and punished with a 6am beach session, but first-year coach Dean Cox is also in the line of fire. The Swans were belted by Brisbane in the grand final last year, sparking a coaching handover from John Longmire to Cox. And at the start of this year, Cox revealed that he and his players had conducted a seven-and-a-half hour review of the lopsided battle, with the first five minutes of the game alone taking one hour to unpack. History suggests teams that are belted in a grand final don't recover the following year, but AFL great Nick Riewoldt said on Channel 7's The Agenda Setters that there was more to it than that, and the Swans were 'broken'. Last year's grand final and that marathon review 'I'm a part of one of those teams (that was thumped in a grand final) so I can speak from experience,' said Riewoldt, a former St Kilda captain. He said Sydney were not too dissimilar to St Kilda in 2009-2010, with Saints copping a hiding in the replayed grand final of 2010. '(They've had) two beltings in three years in grand finals, and I just think this has gone so far past personnel now and who's not playing,' he said. 'We'll get into that with Tom Papley and Errol Gulden and a lot of these guys (missing), but for me the spirit of this group is broken,' he said. 'And I think there comes a point when you've invested so much, and then you get to the biggest day where all your dreams are meant to come true, and you have your heart broken not once, but twice. 'You get to a point where the emotional risk to put yourself back out there again, almost like a relationship, to potentially have your heart broken again, it becomes too great.' Riewoldt also questioned Cox's marathon review of the grand final. 'To me, I think it's coming in and trying to stamp your authority on the group, and sort of starting with a bang, and I think it's had the adverse effect on this group that would already have been broken from the performance itself,' he said. Dale Thomas, a Collingwood premiership hero, said: 'The emotional scars, you are saying, are worse than the performance itself.' Riewoldt: 'Absolutely. I think this goes way beyond talent. I think this is about investment from your players and putting themselves out there.' Riewoldt said the review was pretty much a pointless exercise, and would have rubbed salt in the wounds. He said St Kilda were really struggling at the start of the 2011 season and it took them a long time to turn it around (they finished sixth with 12 wins and nine losses). Don't fix what's not broken Sydney won the minor premiership last year, and Cox inherited a pretty decent team lightly sprinkled with superstars. But the new coach decided to experiment with positions which has produced a mixed bag of results. Fringe forward Sam Wicks was moved to defence, and so far that has received a pass mark. But Tom McCartin (the team's best tall defender) was tried up forward and that experiment was a clear fail. Braedyn Campbell has also been locked in as a forward and the jury is still out on that move as he continues to rack up game time. Corey Warner and Caiden Cleary have also had charmed runs in the team, where they were subs or VFL players last year under Longmire Riewoldt also thinks Cox has 'over corrected' in the game style. '(Last year) they were an expressive team,' Riewoldt said. 'They got the footy, they used it, they took the game on ... You go back to the 2005 grand final that they were celebrating (on Saturday), they were dour. They were hard to play against. 'It looks like Cox has tried to flip them back into that style of game. Maybe that's because of necessity, no Gulden, no Papley, but I still think how you play is how you play. 'So to me, the group is fractured. The group is broken. And this isn't a click your finger and it's going to turn around, for me this is a lot of work ahead.' Why Gulden's absence hurts so much Errol Gulden is only 22 years old and already a two-time All-Australian and has has won a Sydney best-and-fairest. But he brings an intangible to the teams, as well, with his discipline, attention to detail during games, and and support for his teammates. This year the Swans have gifted goals to the opposition through undisciplined acts and 50m penalties, while also losing several players to suspension, including midfielder Justin McInerney (twice). Dale Thomas said Sydney also desperately missed Gulden's 'skill and class'. 'He's become the most important player in their side,' Thomas said on Channel 7's The Agenda Setters. Gulden was No.1 for disposals last season, No.1 for uncontested possessions, No.1 for score involvement, No.1 for score assists, and No.1 inside 50s. He had 40 more inside-50s than the Sydney's next player last year. 'You think about what they're missing at the minute, it is somebody with (Gulden's) skill and class to deliver the ball in the forward 50,' Thomas said. Last year Nick Blakey was also an All-Australian due to his daring run out of the backline and his deadly left-foot delivery. And Riewoldt said Blakey was the obvious replacement for Gulden. '(Gulden's replacement) is in the team. It's Nick Blakey, but right now he's sitting on half-back and he's rotting,' Riewoldt said. 'So there are mechanisms you can pull within this group. 'Dean Cox got creative with Tom McCartin to start the season. Get creative with your most dangerous player, Nick Blakey. 'Get him on a wing. Get him on the ball. Just, just do something to free (the other players up).' Thomas said the absence of Gulden really exposed 'the lack of depth' in Sydney's list. 'That's what it's done. Because that Gulden, Heeney and Warner combination covered a lot of it. Now (that the trio aren't together), the best players aren't playing well and the bottom six are contributing less.' Cox's body language Meanwhile, veteran AFL journalist Caroline Wilson has continued her criticisms of Dean Cox and his body language. 'I need a bit more positive leadership than that,' Wilson said on Channel 7's The Agenda Setters after watching Cox speak in the aftermath of the team's loss to Adelaide. 'I'm sorry, there has been a lot of body language from Dean that I've been watching all year, and I think it's reminiscent of coaches in their first year. 'Doesn't mean they're not going to work it out, but I don't think he knows how to behave at the moment, and he's not behaving in a way that is going to instill confidence in his players.' Wilson was critical of Cox after the Swans' Opening Round loss (to Hawthorn), and she was concerned about his body language when he moved himself to the bench during the Swans' loss to Port Adelaide. Cox also seen holding his head in his hands in pure frustration in the second half when Port Adelaide kicked the first goal of the third term. 'I think if you're seeing that as a player ... I don't think you want to see that,' she said. Expert commentator Kane Cornes agreed. 'If you're going to be on the bench, there needs to be positivity. You've got to be engaging with your players, talking instructions, otherwise get up to the box where your players can't see it,' Cornes said. After the loss to Adelaide, Cox slammed the performance, saying it was 'unacceptable and embarrassing'. Making matters worse, the loss played out in front of Sydney's 2005 premiership team who had a famous team-first ethos and were given a lap of honour at half-time. 'I didn't expect that on such a massive night for the footy club, when you have a 20-year reunion for a team that played desperate, uncompromising, ruthless football,' Cox said after the loss. 'That was far from it.' Cox is no stranger to Sydney's Bloods ethos, with the six-time All-Australian ruck's last-gasp kick famously marked by Leo Barry in the final seconds of the low-scoring 2005 grand final. But Cox wondered if he had done enough for the clash against Adelaide. 'Yeah, maybe not,' Cox said. 'That's where you've got to reflect on everything within the program, and it starts with me. 'We are going to fight our way through this. 'And there's going to be no easy way through it. I said to them (the players), expect some tough sessions. That'll happen.'
Sydney Morning Herald
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
AFL Live: Caddy's moment of brilliance as Bombers surge in Brisbane; Riewoldt issues warning for the game
Loading Key posts 9.11pm 'We're in trouble': Riewoldt warning 8.12pm The stats to quarter-time 8.07pm QT: Injury concern for Lions on siren 7.24pm Scott praises Bomber debutant 7.16pm Fagan reveals forward planning 6.55pm Thirty-second guide to tonight's game 6.47pm The road to the finals Hide key posts Posts area Latest posts Latest posts 9.34pm The numbers to three-quarter-time 9.30pm 3QT: Late frustration for Bombers Essendon has coughed up another junk-time goal. As the clock ticked under two minutes in the third term, the Bombers turned the ball over, the Lions swept forward, and they found Eric Hipwood in the pocket. Hipwood nailed his first goal to push their lead back out to 12 points. That is the second time in the game, they have conceded late in a quarter. Brisbane's Logan Morris booted a six-pointer just on the stroke of half-time. Still, the Bombers are in this match up to their eyeballs. Since a disappointing opening term, they have outscored Brisbane eight goals to four. Jy Caldwell and Nic Martin have led the charge with 29 and 25 possessions. Martin also has two goals. For Brisbane, Hugh McCluggage has racked up 29 disposals. Dual Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale has been relatively quiet with nine kicks and nine handballs. Interestingly, the Lions have had just one multiple goalscorer in Kai Lohman with two. 9.23pm Caddy's moment of brilliance Excitement machine Nate Caddy has kicked the goal of the night and tied the scores in the process. The peroxide blond bombshell pounced on a loose ball in the square and threw it straight on his boot to send it straight back over his head and through the big sticks. Yes, that's right, scores are level. How did that happen, you ask? Few predicted this game would be a thriller, but we are definitely headed in that direction. Albeit with a quarter still to play. The Bombers were trailing by 12 points before Will Setterfield marked and goaled for Essendon, and then Caddy snapped a beauty. 9.18pm Lions buy some space Brisbane have grabbed a goal back. Darcy Gardiner marked and booted truly. It is their first goal of the third term and second since quarter time. There is more heat in the game, as Brisbane start to wake from their slumber. The Lions have eight individual goal kickers. 9.15pm Bombers keep coming No one saw this coming. Certainly, not in our blogosphere. Essendon were lame ducks in the first term, outscored six goals to one. But what a turnaround. They have now kicked six of the last seven, and trail by five points. The last came off the boot of Nic Martin who has two for the night. So far in the third term they have also had majors come from Jy Caldwell and Nate Caddy. The Lions have kicked just one goal since the first term. 9.11pm 'We're in trouble': Riewoldt warning St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt believes the game is in trouble if players pull out of marking contests for fear of taking out an opponent running back with the flight of the ball. Riewoldt was referring to a significant moment in the Essendon-Brisbane game during the second term. It happened when Brisbane's Callum Ah Chee was running towards the ball but then stopped in his tracks to let Essendon's Mason Redman come back with the flight so that he could fly for the mark uncontested. Redman was unable to hold the grab. Fremantle captain Alex Pearce was suspended for three matches by the match review officer when he clashed front-on with Port Adelaide's Darcy Byrne-Jones, who was concussed running back with the flight, in a similar marking contest. Pearce had the suspension overturned on appeal. 'If Ah Chee gets him high, even if he's looking to spoil the ball, and his eyes fractionally go off the ball, he's going to be looking at three weeks and then another controversial incident,' Kane Cornes said on Seven. But Riewoldt said Ah Chee should be able to continue into the contest. 'I think Ah Chee has just as much right to make a play on the ball as Redmond does in that situation,' Riewoldt said. 'As long as your eyes are on the ball, and you're opening yourself up to mark the football, well, then you know, you can compete. You can get a fist in. You can compete for the ball just as hard as the guy coming back. 'I don't think we can take that out of our game.' Cornes said the players were in a difficult spot because of the scrutiny on bumps and head knocks. Riewoldt said he would be fascinated by the AFL's view on the scenario. 'If the AFL come out and say, 'This is what we want players to do', then I think the game's in trouble.' 9.06pm Bombers land early blow The Bombers have kicked the first two goals of the second half and continue to steamroll their way back into this match. Excitement machine Nate Caddy marked and kicked the first major, and then soon after Jy Caldwell roved a ruck contest in the forward 50 and snapped truly. The Bombers have now kicked five of the past six to close a 32-point quarter-time deficit back to 14 points. 8.45pm The stats to half-time 8.40pm HT: Bombers serve it up to Lions After a dismal opening term, Essendon have been more competitive in the second quarter. They trail by 26 points but at least won that second term. They booted the first three goals after quarter-time, two of them to Peter Wright, but coughed up a goal to Brisbane's Logan Morris in the final minute before half-time. It was a particularly bitter blow because moments earlier Essendon's Jade Gresham had marked 40m from goal and instead of going back to take the kick, he played on and his rushed shot on goal travelled low and was marked in the goal square by Brisbane's Jaspa Fletcher. Fletcher was able to move the ball quickly out of defence in a passage of play that lead to the Morris goal. Despite the mini-fightback, the game has definitely fallen in Brisbane's favour. They lead the possession count 213 to 159. Jarrod Berry (18 disposals) and Hugh McCluggage (17 disposals) have been the prime movers through the midfield. The Lions have seven individual goal kickers. For the Bombers, Nic Martin has impressed with 17 disposals and fine field kicking, while forward Nate Caddy has shown flashes of brilliance, flying for an impressive high mark in that second term as well as taking a bouncing run down the wing. The Bombers have not activated their sub, but have had injury concerns. Sam Durham hobbled off with an ankle injury and Jade Gresham needed treatment for what looked like a thigh issue. Both returned to the field in the second term with restricted movement.
7NEWS
20-05-2025
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Huge concerns for Carlton with superstar Patrick Cripps ‘nowhere near the level he was'
As Carlton's season continues to splutter along, there are growing concerns over the form of two of the team's biggest names. Superstar captain and dual Brownlow medallist Patrick Cripps hasn't reached the lofty heights he climbed to last year, and former No.1 draft pick Sam Walsh has been solid without setting the world on fire. On Channel 7's The Agenda Setters, the spotlight was turned on Cripps, who was best on ground a whopping 15 times last year and has, in host Craig Hutchison's words, 'fallen right down'. AFL legend Nick Riewoldt said he was 'nowhere near the level he was (last year)'. 'And I think that's symptomatic of the entire team,' Riewoldt said. 'So I put Sam Walsh in that category as well, as an A-grade midfielder who's not playing A-grade football at the moment.' Cripps had a strong game in the loss to Sydney and started hot with seven disposals and two goals in the first quarter. He finished the game with 26 touches but his influence was curbed, as Sydney's superstars Isaac Heeney and Chard Warner turned the game the Swans' way. Walsh was less influential with 19 touches and a goal. Carlton's midfield guns, who typically rack up huge numbers, are both, currently, outside the top 30 for overall disposals this season. Also, in the game against Sydney, Cripps had 311 metres gained (ranked as average) and Walsh had 186m. Compare that to Warner, who had 630m gained (from 30 touches), or even Sydney's Angus Sheldrick who played his first full game for the season on Friday. Sheldrick, from a similar number of possessions as Walsh, had 473m gained. 'It's a bit of their game style as well,' Riewoldt said. 'Like defensively, they're super strong. They're holding teams to limited scores, but they just cannot move it. They can't move the footy. 'And when you've got the big weapons in front of the ball that they've got (in Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay), I mean, you're almost wasting them to a certain extent.' Riewoldt said some of the stats were alarming, including one that was not often discussed. 'Handball metres gained,' Riewoldt said. 'It's not a stat that we speak about often, but that is the modern game. That's how the best sides are winning. They're getting it back through the corridor, and from there they are off. It's run and gun. It's overlap with hands. 'And Carlton, to me, they're playing a style of footy with the ball that was (in vogue) five years ago.' Hutchison asked Riewoldt if he thought it was to do with coaching. 'Well yeah, I think it's system and game style,' Riewoldt said. 'So whether it's coaching or whether it's the ability for the players to actually deliver the message on field (I'm not sure). '(But) the frustration that Michael Voss speaks with often about their inability to execute game plan says to me that a lot of it falls on the players.'
The Advertiser
17-05-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
'Old School Ross' still has place at Saints: Riewoldt
Nick Riewoldt likes that his old coach Ross Lyon now has a couple of "gears". And Lyon may well need to cycle through his personas when St Kilda play West Coast in an AFL danger game on Sunday in Perth. Riewoldt, the former Saints captain, is encouraged by what his team is showing this season after returning to Australia from a couple of years in the United States. While he was away, Lyon returned to Moorabbin as coach, pledging a little less of the hard-nosed coach Riewoldt knew all too well. But as Saints youngster Hugo Garcia found out a couple of weeks ago, Lyon's angry side is still there. "I like the gears. I like how Ross has gears now - so he can move," Riewoldt told AAP. "The 'Old School Ross' that came out with Garcia, and then the response, it's clearly a coach who knows his player, right? "I like seeing a bit of the Old School Ross come back, because to me it's the passion, it's the hard edge that you need to drive really high standards. "The fact that he's been able to evolve with the game, with a young group, and what he's getting out of his young players at the moment, it bodes really well for the next few years." St Kilda at their best are a solid team shown by their strangling of Fremantle a fortnight ago. But the Eagles went within a kick of beating Richmond at the MCG on Sunday and their first win for the season is coming. There is a sense of opponents playing "West Coast roulette" - no-one wants to be on the wrong end of them breaking the drought. Riewoldt recalled hosting Melbourne captain Max Gawn on his radio show, ahead of the Demons travelling to Perth. Melbourne won, but had to fight back. "Melbourne win a couple of games and he comes in, it's 'oh Max, you have West Coast next week'," Riewoldt said. "He said they lost the corresponding game last year. The reality is, you're going over there, they're AFL players - they have premiership players in their side. "The margins are so small ... with any team." Nick Riewoldt likes that his old coach Ross Lyon now has a couple of "gears". And Lyon may well need to cycle through his personas when St Kilda play West Coast in an AFL danger game on Sunday in Perth. Riewoldt, the former Saints captain, is encouraged by what his team is showing this season after returning to Australia from a couple of years in the United States. While he was away, Lyon returned to Moorabbin as coach, pledging a little less of the hard-nosed coach Riewoldt knew all too well. But as Saints youngster Hugo Garcia found out a couple of weeks ago, Lyon's angry side is still there. "I like the gears. I like how Ross has gears now - so he can move," Riewoldt told AAP. "The 'Old School Ross' that came out with Garcia, and then the response, it's clearly a coach who knows his player, right? "I like seeing a bit of the Old School Ross come back, because to me it's the passion, it's the hard edge that you need to drive really high standards. "The fact that he's been able to evolve with the game, with a young group, and what he's getting out of his young players at the moment, it bodes really well for the next few years." St Kilda at their best are a solid team shown by their strangling of Fremantle a fortnight ago. But the Eagles went within a kick of beating Richmond at the MCG on Sunday and their first win for the season is coming. There is a sense of opponents playing "West Coast roulette" - no-one wants to be on the wrong end of them breaking the drought. Riewoldt recalled hosting Melbourne captain Max Gawn on his radio show, ahead of the Demons travelling to Perth. Melbourne won, but had to fight back. "Melbourne win a couple of games and he comes in, it's 'oh Max, you have West Coast next week'," Riewoldt said. "He said they lost the corresponding game last year. The reality is, you're going over there, they're AFL players - they have premiership players in their side. "The margins are so small ... with any team." Nick Riewoldt likes that his old coach Ross Lyon now has a couple of "gears". And Lyon may well need to cycle through his personas when St Kilda play West Coast in an AFL danger game on Sunday in Perth. Riewoldt, the former Saints captain, is encouraged by what his team is showing this season after returning to Australia from a couple of years in the United States. While he was away, Lyon returned to Moorabbin as coach, pledging a little less of the hard-nosed coach Riewoldt knew all too well. But as Saints youngster Hugo Garcia found out a couple of weeks ago, Lyon's angry side is still there. "I like the gears. I like how Ross has gears now - so he can move," Riewoldt told AAP. "The 'Old School Ross' that came out with Garcia, and then the response, it's clearly a coach who knows his player, right? "I like seeing a bit of the Old School Ross come back, because to me it's the passion, it's the hard edge that you need to drive really high standards. "The fact that he's been able to evolve with the game, with a young group, and what he's getting out of his young players at the moment, it bodes really well for the next few years." St Kilda at their best are a solid team shown by their strangling of Fremantle a fortnight ago. But the Eagles went within a kick of beating Richmond at the MCG on Sunday and their first win for the season is coming. There is a sense of opponents playing "West Coast roulette" - no-one wants to be on the wrong end of them breaking the drought. Riewoldt recalled hosting Melbourne captain Max Gawn on his radio show, ahead of the Demons travelling to Perth. Melbourne won, but had to fight back. "Melbourne win a couple of games and he comes in, it's 'oh Max, you have West Coast next week'," Riewoldt said. "He said they lost the corresponding game last year. The reality is, you're going over there, they're AFL players - they have premiership players in their side. "The margins are so small ... with any team."
West Australian
17-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
'Old School Ross' still has place at Saints: Riewoldt
Nick Riewoldt likes that his old coach Ross Lyon now has a couple of "gears". And Lyon may well need to cycle through his personas when St Kilda play West Coast in an AFL danger game on Sunday in Perth. Riewoldt, the former Saints captain, is encouraged by what his team is showing this season after returning to Australia from a couple of years in the United States. While he was away, Lyon returned to Moorabbin as coach, pledging a little less of the hard-nosed coach Riewoldt knew all too well. But as Saints youngster Hugo Garcia found out a couple of weeks ago, Lyon's angry side is still there. "I like the gears. I like how Ross has gears now - so he can move," Riewoldt told AAP. "The 'Old School Ross' that came out with Garcia, and then the response, it's clearly a coach who knows his player, right? "I like seeing a bit of the Old School Ross come back, because to me it's the passion, it's the hard edge that you need to drive really high standards. "The fact that he's been able to evolve with the game, with a young group, and what he's getting out of his young players at the moment, it bodes really well for the next few years." St Kilda at their best are a solid team shown by their strangling of Fremantle a fortnight ago. But the Eagles went within a kick of beating Richmond at the MCG on Sunday and their first win for the season is coming. There is a sense of opponents playing "West Coast roulette" - no-one wants to be on the wrong end of them breaking the drought. Riewoldt recalled hosting Melbourne captain Max Gawn on his radio show, ahead of the Demons travelling to Perth. Melbourne won, but had to fight back. "Melbourne win a couple of games and he comes in, it's 'oh Max, you have West Coast next week'," Riewoldt said. "He said they lost the corresponding game last year. The reality is, you're going over there, they're AFL players - they have premiership players in their side. "The margins are so small ... with any team."
