TOPIC:

Northey or Splading...both applied one got the job

Who's better credentialed... ???

I think this is a good choice for the Perth Footy club. He is a Demons man with AFL experience both in playing and coaching. He will get the respect of the players which you suspect might have been lacking with the last guy. He is not a miracle worker though and he needs to be given the full support of the club for three years with everybody pulling in the same direction. He also needs some good assistant coaches who will help with the development of the young players, the future lifeblood of the club.
I am hoping that for the good of the WAFL, this appointment works and we see a resurgence for the Dees over the next few years. The passion for the club is still very evident when you see the posts of people who contribute to this site.

Mr AFL wrote: Well we finally have a coach and it is Earl Spalding. Maybe I’m just a little bit over the whole saga that is the Perth Football Club but when I heard that this was official it still left me feeling a bit empty.

It has been already well documented on here about how much of a balls up the interview process has been. We talked a big game and failed to deliver, yet again. We now sit here, Monday October 13th having just announced a new coach, the coaching structure for next year not yet in place, no football manager and have lost players such as Paul Bevan, Matt Moody and Jared Risol who have all been key contributors over the last 2-3 years or more. Some of these things might be being addressed as we speak but we have not heard anything so can only go off what we know.

One thing I will say is at least Earl ‘Duke’ Spalding has a half decent football resume. That’s one thing that the old coach didn’t really have.

• 95 WAFL games (63 for Perth, 32 for East Fremantle)
• 211 AFL games (109 for Melbourne, 102 for Carlton)
• 1995 Carlton Premiership Player
• 1998 East Fremantle Premiership Player
• Reserves Coach / Assistant Coach with East Fremantle (2000)
• League Coach with East Fremantle Football Club (2001 - 2002)
• Assistant Coach with Fremantle Football Club (2003 - 2009)
• Assistant Coach with Swan Districts Football Club (2004 - 2005)
• Wesley Curtin Amateur Football Club Coach (2010 - 2014)
• B Grade Premiership Coach with Wesley Curtin Amateur Football Club (2012)
• A Grade Premiership Coach with Wesley Curtin Amateur Football Club (2013)
• Runners Up A Grade Coach Wesley Curtin Amateur Football Club (2014)

The Duke will definitely have his work cut out for him being the head coach of the Perth Football Club. I hope that he is allowed to recruit the players he wants to recruit and make the tough calls that are needed on some players that are at the club. This may see a couple of players leave but hopefully others rise to the challenge and as a group they can grow and start to put the pride back into the red and black jumper.

I wish Duke all the success in the world and will be watching eagerly to see what he does over the off season and during the first 4-5 games next year.

All the best Duke, you are going to need it.

That's a very impressive CV for a WAFL coach. I hope he has a measure of success.

Didnt sound inspiring, lack of knowledge on other WAFL players will not help. Wish him well but the jury is out on the list as we know and also The Duke as a coach

Wesley Curtin becoming a breeding ground for WAFL.

Last four A Grade Coaches:

Earl Spalding - new coach if Perth
Marty Atkins - Perth CEO
Greg Harding - Swans Coach since 2011
Trent Cooper - Premiership coach of Swans Colts.

When you say didn't sound aspiring are you referring to the interview on 6pr tonight astro?

Mr AFL wrote: When you say didn't sound aspiring are you referring to the interview on 6pr tonight astrong?

Don't know what astro (an Eagles reserves supporter) was expecting. A 3qtr time rev up.? He was honest about his weaknesses, spoke about points kicked against in the last 5 years and the need to work on the defensive aspect. Said he has learned a lot in his time at Fremantle working alongside Peter German and Barry Mitchell. Looking at his rresume it looks like he has done nothing but coaching since retiring as a player.

A lot more impressive resume than the last bloke. Add to that he played under one of
the All time greats and played alongside the likes of Sticks Kernahan, Deisel Williams, Stephen Sylvagni, Brett Ratten..... Can't see any reason why he won't have the respect of the players who should appreciate having a coach with his experience and he's put in the hard yards as a coach and it came across to me he "WANTED THIS JOB". A lot of cherry picker coaches out there who are only iinterested in the plumb jobs!

Welcome aboard Earl Spalding, let's get stuck into pre season.

Yes let us find a fitness regime that won't be the worst in the league.
I reckon some of the big blokes at the Club may be better if they were fitter.
Dylan Biggs for instance.
He and the big Sandy couldn't beat me over 100 metres.
And I couldn't run 100 metres.

Strength and fitness in general has been sadly lacking in recent years. We MUST lift our game in this area quite significantly right across the playing squad.
Who is in charge of the strength and fitness programme?

For anyone interested in hearing Earl Spalding speak, here is an interview from this year after a Wesley Curtin game.