Roos officially announced as Melbourne Demons

[mcs]

I hope not.

Anyway, I guess I had wanted him to stay the coach of the Academy for selfish reasons, because I just want Australian Football to grow in Sydney and the region can produce players equal or better than Victoria. I would like to see a competitive state of origin game between NSW and Victoria within my lifetime. Wishful thinking, I guess. The standard seems to be improving in the NEAFL though, which is good to see.

Would definitely agree NEAFL standard is improving. Should improve more with next year's changes as well I'd hope.

[msb]

Watching the presser on now....Tell you what, it looks so odd seeing Roosey in a different team's polo.

Yeah never thought I'd see that, I thought once he was done coaching the swans that was it.....I'd be very surprised if he could lift them out of the bottom 4 in the 2 years, massive challenge roosy, good luck.

[Primmy]

Forget the players I'm more worried he'll lure Kinnear Beatson. The biggest issue at Melbourne is list management.

If its not Beatson, it will probably be Stuey. He knows his players too.

You cannot begrudge advancement to other personnel. Its not like we asked them to sign their names in blood. Oh, wait, hang on, did we???

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Yer I'm with you Legs. I look at it as returning the favour of Barrassi coming to our rescue all those years ago.
I'm sure he will always be a Swan at heart much like Barrassi has always been a Demon at heart.

Very good point Jewels.

Its a job that had to be done, and by someone with integrity, grit, intelligence, and not all that much ego. Not many of them around. Love the idea of a succession plan too. We have the benefit of it, may as well train someone up to take over in 2 years time. Who do y ou think? Tudor? Crouch (nnoooooo, not Crouchy!!!!), my beloved Stuey?????

[Ludwig]

After the Demons pay Roos, there won't be much left in the coffers for anyone else.

[liz]

People move on from clubs all the time. It's just the way of the world. Chances are that anyone who follows Roos to Melbourne will likely be ready for a change anyway. The only one that would sting me is Beatson because I do think our drafting has improved in recent years. I would have thought he was more of an Ireland appointment than a Roos one, what with the Brisbane connection. And he only joined towards the end of the Roos reign, by which time Longmire was already the annointed successor.

If anyone does leave, it just opens up spots for new blood to join the Bloods, which can't be a bad thing. I do kinda hope that the Swans have a spot for MickeyO when he decides to join clubland as a coach. I guess the Dees might now pose a threat in that department as I think he and Roos are very close.

[dimelb]

Good luck Roos, and thanks for everything.
In your position I'd be giving Voss a ring.

[swanwolf]

Why have you forsaken us, Muad'Dib? Seduced by Demons they say. You broke the drought of our premiership and for that we are forever grateful. But expect no favour on the field of battle. You stand against us now.

Death to all Melbournes not South.

[dimelb]

Behind the scene

A stray sentence in this article seems to explain a lot:

Having initially told the Demons he had little interest in the role, Roos changed his mind when it became apparent his contract as Swans academy coach would not be renewed, and when Jackson told him the job would also involve ushering through his successor as coach.

Read more: Dees get their man and start hunt for a long-term coach

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I should add, the story appeared in the print edition as: Roos just a start for battling Dees.

[Meg]

A stray sentence in this article seems to explain a lot:

Having initially told the Demons he had little interest in the role, Roos changed his mind when it became apparent his contract as Swans academy coach would not be renewed, .............

Read more: Dees get their man and start hunt for a long-term coach

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This is the aspect of Roos going to the Dees which disappoints me. In yesterday's Offsiders one panelist suggested it showed a lack of loyalty by the Swans to a past premiership coach. Was there tension between Roos and the Swans? Did he cost too much? Or is there a problem with the Academy? I love the principle of bringing young boys through the Academy and thought Roos was a great fit for the job, but I know very little about how it is working out in practice.

[liz]

This is the aspect of Roos going to the Dees which disappoints me. In yesterday's Offsiders one panelist suggested it showed a lack of loyalty by the Swans to a past premiership coach. Was there tension between Roos and the Swans? Did he cost too much? Or is there a problem with the Academy? I love the principle of bringing young boys through the Academy and thought Roos was a great fit for the job, but I know very little about how it is working out in practice.

I would imagine Roos was a relatively expensive figurehead for the academy. Taking on the youth development of the code in NSW (something that is done in other states by dedicated bodies) must be a fairly daunting task and it might be that the Swans are just realising how much of a drain it could be, financially. I am sure the AFL is tipping some money in, but they may have decided they can get more bang for their buck with a lower profile coaching head.

[ugg]

I heard Roos interviewed on Triple M radio on Friday, he mentioned something about the coaching role at the Academy changing but he didn't go into details.

[i'm-uninformed2]

Just said on OTC due to budget constraints he was asked to take 55% pay cut. Didn't sound bitter and said he understood situation, but it would push a bloke to look elsewhere

[giant]

Just said on OTC due to budget constraints he was asked to take 55% pay cut. Didn't sound bitter and said he understood situation, but it would push a bloke to look elsewhere

Would have been on serious coin, and perhaps something of a luxury (albeit a glorious one) for teaching 12-16 yo kids. As mentioned, he was quite pragmatic and rational about it.

[Meg]

Thanks for that info. I'm pleased that there appears to be no rancour involved in the separation between Roos and the Swans. Yes he was a glorious luxury but one from which I for one took so much pride. He seemed such a wonderful fit to work with promising young kids. A pity we didn't have a wealthy benefactor prepared to provide the financial backing to keep him on.

[cherub]

We're not Collingwood r Carlton!