S t Kilda coach Ross Lyon conducted an interview at half-time of the match against West Coast with the enthusiasm of a man booking in for six hours of root canal surgery. He was trending on Twitter. ‘Sack Lyon.
Ross ruins footy. Saints are unwatchable.’ was the general theme.
They had just given up two late goals and the lead. Harley Reid, with 17 touches and seven clearances, was torching them. Lyon recently compared himself to a neutered dog.
When he said it, he had the mournful look of a Saint Bernard that’s just had the cruellest cut. On and off the field, he can’t exert the same influence he used to. Coaching has changed so much and the frustration of men like Lyon and Clarkson is obvious.
Dustin Martin holds up his end of the bargain as the AFL’s silent superstar | Jonathan Horn Read more They can’t rule like a dictator anymore – they’d lose the current generation of players within a week if they tried. And they don’t have the same levers to manipulate play during a game. The 6-6-6 rule and the restricted use of runners have quelled that.
Players like Scott Pendlebury who double as on-field coaches are worth their weight in gold. Coaches need what Mark Thompson used to call “mini versions of me” and there’s not many of those at St Kilda. But as Lyon says, it’s easier to destruct than to create, and there’s still a place for an old-fashioned clampdown.
He has a history with taggers. Clinton Jones did a job for him every week at St Kilda, and R.
