I consider Lyon has done a good job with Freo. To get within 15 points of the best Hawks premiership team on a day when we played terribly shows that he got Freo right there knocking on the door. Maybe another coach would have got us a flag, maybe we wouldn't have been close. Who knows? But you don't get a team that far - as well as a string of top 4 finishes - unless you have some coaching acumen.
But I couldn't muster any excitement heading to the game yesterday. The last time I felt so low for a season opener was Harvey's first year of coaching. Harvey had taken over from CC during the 2007 season. Our best was clearly behind us, and I expected Harvey and the front office to clear the decks. Instead, we basically rolled it back again in 2008. We even brought in an ageing Mark Johnson for reasons that still escape me. I guess Harvey wanted to see what a full team could do under his watch.
It wasn't until the following season that we cleared the decks a bit more, and we totally nailed the 2008 draft, which set the scene for the success in the following years. Of course, there were two years of rubbish football until things clicked in 2010.
Yesterday felt like 2008. It's like Roly wanted to see what a full team could do, and didn't bother really making any changes. Maybe I'm wrong, but I can't see the status quo being anywhere near good enough. McCarthy was a good get, I think B Hill will be a contributor, but the Hamling and Kersten trades always seemed a bit like tinkering when we needed a root and branch change. I mean, why the hell would you play Suban?
The problem for Lyon is that where a new coach would normally come with some goodwill from the fans, he instead comes with baggage. Where a new coach might give the players a new lease on life or a new opportunity, he comes with the same perceptions. Where a new coach might have been waiting years to install a game plan to all his own, Lyon has preconceived ideas of what is successful.
In short, a rebuilding incumbent coach is up against it. I reckon a premiership coach could pull it off because he comes with goodwill, but a Grand Final coach? I'm not so sure.
But maybe this is 2008. Maybe we nail the next draft, and h=go on to better things.
It just doesn't feel like it.