Trevor Grant comes as close as a journalist can to calling Terry Wallace a slimy, back-stabbing liar:
Game's up as wily fox backs into a corner
From the moment he was told he was too slow to play in the centre at Hawthorn in the 1980s, he got crafty and took charge of his destiny.
Richmond and Melbourne seem to be engaged in a one-on-one coach killing battle. In 1997, Melbourne beat Richmond, who then sacked Walls to unleash the Giesh. In 2007, Richmond beat Melbourne, who then all-but sacked Daniher, who then sacked himself. Now, in 2009, Melbourne beat Richmond, who have sacked Wallace... I mean, embarked on a contingency Plan B.
All the sweeter in light of last week's media which was full of talk about Wallace being OK for now... but if they lose to Melbourne.
THE ONCE AND FUTURE SACKING #
Leapster puts Wallace to the sword, and fillets a few other fish:
LIKE EXCALIBUR IN THE STONE, DIGIT REMAINS FIRMLY LODGED
So, from what has been said in the media, Richmond is fully committed to Terry Wallace staying on as coach, but according to RFC president Gary March, has a ‘contingency plan’ in place for Season 2009 in case he goes.
Interesting article. That Wallace to Sydney deal sounded a grubby one. Wallace acolytes like Grant, West and Darcy were publicly very pissed off with him. Even a fair time after that particular season ended. Smorgon could not hide his contempt. Then Wallace poaches Nathan Brown from them later. Not a sound investment anyway, although Brown was unlucky with injury.
And Wallace supposedly gets a sizable bung for not persisting with a watertight Swans contract?
His public bagging of Frawley and the list he left him with has come back to bite him too. 5 years is reasonable time to re-generate an ailing list.
Media beckons for Wallace. Slimy match made in heaven. When he had that year off, he was on Foxtel regularly and pretty good actually. And I'd take 3 Premierships as a player to the grave I guess.
Who can coach Richmond?? 16 teams, half make the finals each and every year. Somehow, given their dysfunctional setup, they prove to be uncoachable. Long may it continue.
Alan Joyce ended up in Broome running a corner store? Premiership coach in '88 and '91. Grant should do an article on that major sea change.
Posted by: RT | 21 April 2009 at 14:47
A lot of experts keep trumpeting Wallace's fine coaching record.
I demur.
After knifing Joyce, he took over the Bullies in 1996 when they had an injury list as long as Melbourne's in 2007. Then, with a good inherited list and some clever tactics, he took the Dogs to successive preliminary finals including 1997's Master Choke against Adelaide and 1998's flogging by Adelaide (when they should have been playing Melbourne and North should have been playing Adelaide), but couldn't crack a flag.
It's been all down hill since; probably because of a combination of his fondness for quick, but slight, players and the fact the other coaches sussed his game-plan, which largely amounts to freeing up the loose man.
All in all, Wallace the coach from 1999 to 2009 is a sorry story.
Posted by: Tony | 21 April 2009 at 16:55
But wait! There's more!
Posted by: Tony | 21 April 2009 at 17:12
Alan Joyce ended up in Broome running a corner store? Premiership coach in '88 and '91.
This is all going from memory - and it gets complicated with Allan Jeans getting crook and then coming back and I can't remember exactly when he slotted in and out - but if you count the pre season competition, Alan Joyce won five Premierships in a row.
Again, for effect: Five. Premierships. In. A. Row.
Included in that run was 2 Norm Smiths, a Coleman, and a Michael Tuck Medal to add to the trophy cabinet.
A nice bit of trivia, and if any of youse win a quiz night because of it you owe me a bottle of cheap piss from the hamper.
[Then after 2 more seasons-proper, with finals appearances in both years - including another Coleman Medal - he got the ass. Not a "people person" IIRC. Jeez. Tough caper, eh?]
Posted by: Big Ramifications | 22 April 2009 at 01:16
Imposing record for Joyce for certain. Wallace would be green with envy.
And yes often forgotten is Joyce immediately got Footscray into the finals in '94, who got beaten with a kick after the siren by Brownless, then ran into Melbourne where Garry Lyon ran riot. Finals again in '95. Then a bad year in '96. Puts Wallace's "incredible turnaround" in '97 into perspective.
In looking it up I noticed that Joyce applied for the Dockers coaching job after Neesham got the flick. He sent a video of his interest to TV stations. Strange way to do it.
Off to Broome then Qantas CEO.....
Posted by: RT | 22 April 2009 at 09:15
Joyce is currently a volunteer guide at the MCG, very good and very modest too.
Posted by: chrisl | 24 April 2009 at 18:12