Coaching & Support Staff List
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While this sounds like a positive (potential) move from the perspective of the northern markets, it’s really not great for us at a time we have a brand new senior coach who already doesn’t have the support in place to help him succeed (ie no senior mentor, his own prior role not replaced). If Harley leaves I truly hope it won’t be until after this season has finished, and that Harely will make addressing our coaching panel his swansong objective.Comment
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While this sounds like a positive (potential) move from the perspective of the northern markets, it’s really not great for us at a time we have a brand new senior coach who already doesn’t have the support in place to help him succeed (ie no senior mentor, his own prior role not replaced). If Harley leaves I truly hope it won’t be until after this season has finished, and that Harely will make addressing our coaching panel his swansong objective.Those who have the greatest power to hurt us are those we love.Comment
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While this sounds like a positive (potential) move from the perspective of the northern markets, it’s really not great for us at a time we have a brand new senior coach who already doesn’t have the support in place to help him succeed (ie no senior mentor, his own prior role not replaced). If Harley leaves I truly hope it won’t be until after this season has finished, and that Harely will make addressing our coaching panel his swansong objective.Comment
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Have always thought Ireland would make a great chair of the Commission, and he’s had a couple of years of prep as a member.Comment
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I think putting JL as Harley's offsider has been strategic in that it was likely Harley would take a promotion. JL did say he was in the office next to Harley every day. JL will seamlessly move into Harley's position.Comment
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Except that Longmire has barely any experience as an administrator. Enough to be a CEO? I’d be surprised.
Harley spent several years as Head of the Football department, working alongside the highly experienced Ireland, before being elevated to the CEO role.Comment
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Don Pyke went straight to West Coast as a CEO after he finished with us as a coaching director (credited for being influential in developing our new attacking style at the time).
Whilst Horse may not have the same admin development as Harley, his extensive 23 year inside knowledge of all the football facets of the club and the NSW football landscape, makes him more valuable (imo) than an external experienced administrator.
Horses for courses!Comment
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Pyke appointed new West Coast Eagles CEO
Pyke also had a fair bit of non-football related commercial experience before he landed the Eagles role. Does Longmire?Comment
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Thanks Liz, for pointing out Pyke's commercial degree & experience as highlighted in the attached link, which I wasn’t aware of.
Nevertheless, i'm still swayed that Horse would still make a great CEO for us despite his lack of admin experience, for the reasons i'd posted above. Plus, he has always represented the club very well whenever he addresses the media, which is not always the case with those in the industry.
I recall an embarrasing exchange between Adam Simpson and Don Pyke last year during the media conference announcing Simpson's departure as coach. Pyke mentioned Simpson may coach out the year, to which a surprised Simpson quickly quipped back that it was news to him! These things can happen regardless of one's background experience and credentials.Comment
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Coaches' coffers boosted after months of soft cap angst
Further to my rant a couple of weeks ago - it's not in this thread and I can't remember where I put it - the AFL has finally come out with the changes to the soft cap for next season. I guess it's a step in the right direction, though I still don't understand why they exempt a proportion of the senior coach's salary from the cap (an anti-equalisation move) rather than just increase the total soft cap so that each club can choose to spread it as they see fit across their entire football department.
The most important job of Harley - or, if he is AFL-bound, his replacement - over the next six months is to boost our coaching team. It doesn't matter if Cox is the most gifted senior coach in the competition if he doesn't have the necessary support around him. Having not replaced Cox himself, we must have the skinniest coaching fraternity in the competition. Where is the next Don Pyke (in his strategic Swans coaching role)?
Edit: Deja found my earlier rant. It's here for anyone interested. Round 11: the other games. - RWO - RedAndWhiteOnline.com
Thanks Deja!Last edited by liz; 10 June 2025, 10:58 PM.Comment
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Apparently Tom Harley will be officially named as the AFL COO and 21C to Andrew Dillon today, according to several media sources overnight.
if so,, I'll be interested when he starts at the AFL and how long club had been preparing for his move, expecting Tom would have given club heads up from early on.
I think he'll be a great appointment, along with Swann, as the AFL desperately needed new talent to get them out of the hole their in and shape the competition for the better in the near future.
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