The tense background to Brett Ratten's stinging 'whack' back at Nick Riewoldt - Footy Classified

Brett Ratten's stinging response for Nick Riewoldt has reinforced Damian Barrett's view about the St Kilda champion's role in the club's shock decision last year.
Subscribe here 👉bit.ly/2mS8v5S
AFL News 👉 wwos.nine.com....
See Nine’s turbo charged coverage of Australian Rules football with the signing of some big new names, the launch of exciting new programs and the return of familiar favourites.
Our beefed-up footy slate will see previews, reviews and analysis of the AFL with fan favourites like Footy Classified, Sunday Footy Show and more.
Facebook: FootyonNine/
Twitter: FootyonNine
Instagram: footyonnine
TikTok: tiktok.com/@footyonnine
#9WWOS #AFL #FootyOnNine

[@charliebradshaw1078]

Nick unimpressed by the lack of school girls around the club under Ratts.

[@simonbond2503]

You took me straight back to those days. Would have made a good name for a racehorse, just so all the boys could get on.

[@darkdrum1968]

Ratts is an incredible human being.

[@joelopic]

Agreed. I think people and players around him have let him down

[@user-dz1us8vn2r]

He maybe an incredible human but that doesn't make an incredible coach....2 clubs twice he failed. Assistant coach is as good as it gets for rats.

[@frasermartin7108]

Terrible coach though

[@eponymous7910]

​@@frasermartin7108he's not a terrible coach, that status is reserved for people like Mark Neeld and Tim Watson. You can make the argument that he's a mediocre coach but again, winning finals with Carlton and the Saints isn't the hallmark of a terrible leader

[@frasermartin7108]

@@eponymous7910 he’s list at Carlton should’ve achieved a lot more than it did in his time there. He gets off Scott free for the massive decline they had in the seasons after, when it was probably his poor standards setting that contributed to it. Going into the 2021 season st Kilda’s list was injury free and the strongest it’s been in a decade and he coached it into the ground. The worst game day coach in the past 20 years, when his sides get dismantled early he never shown ability to make changes to get back into the game and has no plan b generally. He’s gotten so much positive media because his a “nice guy”, but his record given some of the sides he’s had has been diabolically bad.

[@bradelz]

A lot of people talking about the basket case Ratten left St Kilda in, ironically they're probably still recovering from the massive basket case left by Ross Lyon to begin with. As Fremantle are.

[@justarandomnobody7451]

The I've followed us since 1990, 33 years and I've never known us to go more than a couple of years before reverting to basket case status. That seems to be our default.

[@phillipmorphett8412]

Well said i dont like ross lyon he brang his basket of bad luck too.

[@BradHall87]

Well said Bradelz… nice name too

[@brycemontero2413]

Get McClure off the air

[@danielnicholson6174]

nick is best remembered for posing with his knob about to pound a plastic cup, Ratten is remembered as being a premiership player and stand up loyal dude.

[@williamriddell5206]

Ratten inherited a terrible list himself and made them competitive, getting them to one finals appearance. Lyon is getting similar results while ensuring they are strong defensively and awful to watch, which is his specialty. The media loves Ross!

[@summersoldier1003]

what finals appearance

[@williamriddell5206]

@@summersoldier1003 In 2020 they beat the Bulldogs in an elimination final, then lost to Richmond the following week. They finished the home and away season 6th. look it up!

[@paulmatters2641]

Hope Bartel got the splinters out of his arse after the show. Ratten is a decent human being, a good coach and Riewoldt is neither.

[@01brake]

Nick Riewoldt has been paid millions and still wants free Physio - what a tight arse

[@eponymous7910]

Well known for being stingy is saint nick

[@patkelly6349]

Mclure. I’m staggered. What a clown

[@guenthersteiner3311]

This is the problem with “journalism”: inserting their own opinion to persuade the viewer that it’s a big issue. It’s on the presumption that the journalist knows more about the situation so who are we to question their opinion when we are just people going about our normal lives.

[@cbgg1585]

@@guenthersteiner3311re you a r3tard? Their literal job is to drive engagement and clicks. Which they appear to have consistently done successfully in this case because !diots like you are continuously talking about Sam McClure. 😂😂😂😆🤣

[@shaunrandle1306]

Not as bad as his Harley Reid is telling clubs he won’t go to West Coast. Which the kid’s family refuted as absolute crap within a few hours. If journalists want credibility they need to name sources or shut up.

[@wasabimanz]

Yet again Sam McClure trying to engineer a story and make it into something huge so he can claim credit for breaking it. The show would be much better without him..

[@Tom-cw9xi]

Let’s be honest he only has a job due to his dad, Same with Caroline. It’s sad when there’s journos like Cal Twomey who would do much better..

[@cbgg1585]

Lmao, cope. He’s a journalist. He has a decent paying job unlike you. People like you need to grow a pair and harden up. Imagine getting so triggered by one individual week in, week out. 🤡😂😆

[@mvwmark8955]

@@Tom-cw9xi yes but Caro is gorgeous. Would love to elaborate further but have specsavers app in 20mins

[@frankmachin5438]

@@Tom-cw9xiWell said Cal

[@aussieintexas61]

poor ol ratts, wanted a back seat job at the roos and ended up in a very hot seat , he still bears the scars from the carlton job, and now the saints still want to sink it to him. this says more about the saints than it does about ratten.....

[@SirSSau]

When you hear Nick talk - it seems he’s reaching for what ever straw he can clutch before he’s times up. Ratts is that old school Aussie, just straight to the point,no Patience for lies and delusions.

[@aa3ahmed]

Good on Ratten. He makes his living as a coach. You can't leave accusations like that unaddressed.

[@michaelmansini2307]

McClure is the biggest flog on TV

[@cweatherfella547]

And kane cornes

[@tdog4405]

So let me get this straight Nick, Ratts was underachieving with the talent he had but now Ross is coaching the talent isnt there. You should stay in the USA buddy!

[@DrainCleaningAUSTRALIA]

By the sounds of what Nick got up to at Fox, you wonder why he keeps flapping his gums

[@TheHackman44]

Unless you know something personally then that's clearly speculation.......

[@nathand4500]

@@TheHackman44 it's well known.

[@theenvelopelicker1559]

@@nathand4500 Nothing is known, its just something someone said on Facebook and it just gets repeated a lot so others think its gospel. Sometimes smoke is just steam

[@mregas78]

Gawd, Nick Riewoldt, let sleeping dogs lie!

[@eponymous7910]

What about dogs that sleep around 😏

[@kermithebudgie]

Remember when Heath Shaw smothered Nick's kick on the goal line in the grand final? 😂😂😂

[@videohistorysnippets8963]

Nick has had a big say as a player and ex player about St.Kilda but nothing has ever changed, this club has failed internally since 1966 so until they can bring in people who know what’s required to win silverware as a club they won’t get anywhere anytime soon. It starts at the top!!

[@fozalinko]

Brett Ratten has more credibility than Ross Lyons and Nick Default Go Blues!!

[@clips5404]

Ratten has been involved in 4 AFL premierships. Nick Riewoldt ZERO.

[@rohitsubramaniam7402]

And Ratten has way more weight than Riewoldt and is less fit

[@clips5404]

@@rohitsubramaniam7402 Lol.

[@fab4601]

Poor nick , dragged to the states by the missus for being a naughty boy

[@user-zf4in8it8x]

Same issues raised by Ratts that fell on deaf ears at the time he was in charge. Now they want to point fingers.??!! Sack the whole board.!!

[@TONY_FEZ]

Nick, headsets have come a long way mate, you don't need to look like you are flying a jet these days.

[@jasonrose6288]

That made me laugh!

[@lappin6482]

Love Ratts...perfect said 😂"free physio"

[@adb1950]

Nick needs to worry about his own affairs

[@tb7667]

😂

[@brak54321]

Riewoldt getting this from Kath?

[@georgecav]

Much as I have no interest in Sam’s commentary anytime, there is a real story here and Riewoldt has lost dignity and respect here. Ratts excellent reply doesn’t cover the fact something continues to not be working at the Saints but Ross has done no more to fix that than Ratts managed. Ross has had a pre season and most of a year to improve skills with a new highly touted coaching panel but after the same kind of excellent start to the year that The team made under Ratts they again faded away.

[@aussie7137]

Respect to Ratts mate

[@hunta.gatherer]

Feel sorry for some these coaches and former coaches put your self on line and get whacked

[@aidanthomas2510]

The thing that never gets mentioned, is that the CULTURE at the club has been poor for not just years, decades. Grant Thomas tried to address it, and fell on his sword when he said and did things that the then administration didn't like. Scott Watters tried to address it, same thing. It was said by both that they lord their champions, Riewoldt included, far too much at the expense of everyone else on the list and the overall progression of the club. For Nick to say that is a bit rich honestly, given that even when he was there and the club almost pinched the grand final, the culture clearly wasn't great as within a few years they were back to ground zero again. Yes the GF losses/draw were crippling to the mindset of the players and Ross left but it was far more than that, the club was in crippling debt right when the list required a rebuild and the administration couldn't decide how to go about changing that. And they clearly still can't, the Ratten episode proved that. St Kilda, Carlton, Gold Coast and Richmond up until a few years ago have all been perfect examples of something that it's time more clubs came around to realising, sometimes it is far more than just the coach.

[@theenvelopelicker1559]

You're drawing some long bows aren't you? GT got sacked because he was calling out the Presidents crap (which we now know was true), not because he was trying to 'change culture' as he successfully DID change the culture. Watters was simply a terrible coach. "Almost pinched the Grand Final" playing in multiple Prelims and GF's over 6-7 years is not an accident and any impartial fan knows St Kilda were the best team of at least one of those GF years and were very unlucky. (Score reviews and Extra Time would now create a different result) Ross went all in on winning a Premiership and finishing at the top of the ladder means not getting top draft picks and that combined with the compromised drafts for GWS and GC meant they did drop into a hole afterwards, just as we're seeing NM and WCE do currently. Could they have done it better, sure. What they did do wrong was the move to Seaford which was an absolute shambles, damaged club spirit and made recruitment even harder. The move back to Moorabbin was vital but put the Club into millions of dollars in debt but now with record membership (during Ratts' tenure it should be said) an improved stadium deal at Marvel has been halved over the last two years even during Covid. The Club has been very respectful in not bagging Ratts despite the review and obviously sacking him but Nick does not speak for the Club, he speaks for Nick. Ratts is a great person and clearly well- liked but the club shouldn't have extended him mid-season but these things happen. I hope he will want to and will be welcome to return to Moorabbin one day as the club gave him a chance again and he gave STKFC his best with what he had available.

[@aidanthomas2510]

@@theenvelopelicker1559 you're clearly a Saints fan so, while I do understand you defending your club, we're going to disagree on a lot. I would say GT changed moreso the playing list, and if he did change the culture it was at that level. Culture to me though extends throughout the whole club, and he clearly didn't change that because he and the administration, as you said, were butting heads. So I do stand by my comment that the culture has been poor, on and off, for decades. Thomo and others have said all of that stuff I mentioned and more. Some, like Nick probably, call them 'disgruntled' but I tend to agree with them. We do agree on Butterss though, he was not a great president and we now know, at least partially, why. Sacking Blight in the way he did, and GT purely out of spite really as you said, were appalling decisions. We do also agree on the move to Seaford. That was a terrible decision, to move your club from where all it's history happened, games were played and careers made, to some new facility just off Eastlink. I don't know who thought that one up but I'm glad they went back to Moorabbin, and it should be said a lot of credit has to be given to the late great Danny 'Spud' Frawley for that move. Look, you're a supporter so you're going to see things a bit differently. But the way I see Watters, is he came into the club right as it was in quite a bit of debt and some drastic list changes needed to be made. Some of those were executed, and well needless to say they weren't popular decisions, but that was Watters and Chris Pelkins mantra. The reason why it didn't work, is because he tried to change the culture. Challenged the players to re-focus post the grand final losses (he was part of the Collingwood coaching panel ironically), schoolgirl scandal and dwarfgate. And, tried to challenge the culture of lording champions at the expense of other players on the list as I said. But, what was his undoing was the fact that he wanted to clearly articulate the clubs direction to members. The board disagreed, thought they'd loose members as a result, and after he did a interview on SEN doing just that, sacked him. The last thing I will say I agree with you on is the results. To do all of what they did despite the adversity was extraordinary. And I will say that had that 2010 draw been extra time, there's a good chance you would have won it. Doesn't change the fact that St Kilda just isn't up there with the great clubs as far as culture. Great clubs don't do those things I mentioned, and great clubs are aligned from the board down. St Kilda clearly hasn't been, or if it has it's only been for short stints. That's why I say the culture has been poor for decades, because all that stuff has been going on for decades. As for Nick, I don't know about that. He at very least was one of the people strongly advocating Ross's return, so it's no surprise he's saying that. Speaking of, I hope it works but it feels a bit back to the future to me. Go and get the coach who left us because we're still hung up on the success we had under him (even though a lot of it was built by Thomo) a decade ago. I hope it works, but they'd also want to hope it does because if it doesn't, then what? You've gone and got the boss himself, but he didn't replicate the success. Where to from there?

[@SaintKimbo]

@@aidanthomas2510 Well said, I think you've nailed it, and I'm a lifelong (64 year old) Saints fan. Being a fan for so long, after all the misery, I've had to develop a more objective view to save myself from the emotional trauma that this Team regularly puts you through. Totally agree the culture at the Club has been poor, probably for more than a few decades. Riewoldt was a great Athlete, but poor kicker and not so great at ground level, best when he had freedom from tags, when Hamil and Gehrig were around. I can think of two crucial finals games, where he had a 'quiet' night. As a Captain he was pretty uninspirational. Overall, somewhat overrated, so I don't put much stock in what he says. As for Lyons, a good Coach, but not what the Club needs, as in his previous tenure, he appears to want short term results, and just milks what's there until it fizzles out then leaves, this Club needs a Stayer and a dedicated long term builder.

[@marcusholmes7942]

Rossy is an upgrade, Nick couldn't bring us over the line when it counted and Rats hasn't done much as a coach. Why is this a thing?

[@paulmatters2641]

You know Lyon personally champ? Rossy. LOL

[@marcusholmes7942]

@@paulmatters2641 he’s a cousin tool

[@paulmatters2641]

@@marcusholmes7942 Really? So its Cus Rossy? LOL My sympathies champ. Rossy is a grub.

[@marcusholmes7942]

@@paulmatters2641 and you don’t matter

[@paulmatters2641]

@@marcusholmes7942 Say hi to Cussy Rossy for me champ LOL

[@cjames21]

Nick who now lives in Texas…rather than helping the club

[@effkay3691]

Sam is staggered. Goodness everyone freeze. Riewoldt is a Ross fanboy and Brett inherited a crap list

[@pete1701]

Every job looks easy when you don't have to do it. In most clubs have to many factions in them not all on the same page.

[@The535clarkey]

How many premierships do you have Riewoldt? Tell us again about the grand finals you played in ….. that you lost !

[@markuswilmes3694]

Is that the same Ross Lyon that got freo to a winnable greave final ?and only poor goal kicking cost them winning it be grateful you had him now we have him back again thank god

[@kermithebudgie]

It's amazing how Ross Lyon gets teams to play completely unwatchable football.

[@markuswilmes3694]

@@kermithebudgie that’s Nathan Buckley mate

[@kermithebudgie]

@markuswilmes3694 I'm no Buckley fan, but people stopped going to Dockers games when Ross was coaching that crap lockdown football 🤮 One of the reasons he got booted IMO.

[@markuswilmes3694]

@@kermithebudgie really I love him mate tough player great coach

[@kermithebudgie]

@@markuswilmes3694 Both Lyon and Bucks were great players. They just fell short as coaches.

[@stevencox8614]

Sam McClure is the worst journo and media performer ever. Can't even ask a question without throwing to Lloydy to ask it for him, then completely butchers his accusations to Damo who makes him look like the fool he is.

[@summersoldier1003]

Where are the lies they are both right.

[@mjk206]

What a coward Riewoldt is

[@idontdovarioustasks]

Boom ... roasted! Well done, Ratts!

[@beng7004]

I would have waited a few more rounds before commenting.

[@modano182]

Shouldn't Riewoldt be off somewhere cheating on his wife?

[@mvwmark8955]

Sam McClure? 🤦‍♂️ There MUST be someone else who can sit in for Eddie or whoever.

[@zingleraster9124]

Riewoldt (like his cousin) is a flog. I remember years ago Riewoldt going on about that the teams playing on Anzac should be rotated, ie. St Kilda instead of Essendon or Collingwood. The St Kilda fan base could never fill the MCG for a home & away game. Lobbying grenades from Texas. What a tool…..

[@marcbentley1257]

Ratts Saints lose games it's because of standards. Lyons Saints lose games it's because of talent. Seems like a bit of a double standard. It's to early to say whether the coach swap was right move but it's clear Nick can't be objective when it comes to Ross.

[@nedkelly5688]

What team did Sam play for?

[@nathand4500]

Why is Nick in Texas and not on TV here in Australia? stories abound....

[@summersoldier1003]

errm his wife is texan numnuts

[@swordiexd]

He lives in America coz his missus a yank

[@moonboy5851]

“Highly revered” 🙄

[@rowanwells3841]

Ratts watch your mouth. Nick is A God amongst men

[@dpatterson7256]

Cry baby more like it

[@agmor1]

SOYBOY Roo. CHAD Ratten.

[@dpatterson7256]

Yeah because they doing better with Ross 🙄🙄🙄

[@worker-wf2em]

Nick basically said Saints have underachieved the last few years and their lack of talent is now showing. I mean he’s not wrong. Ratts with nothing so resorts to some ad hominem attack. That’s the whole story, big whoop

[@agmor1]

Except the Saints (and Riewoldt, likely) were saying that the talent was there, it was just underperforming under Ratten's watch. You can't have it both ways.

[@Geromi87]

Oh well.. Ratten can clap back if he wants.. Everyone's got an opinion then can't hack it when people respond

[@drakebullet4509]

So sick of watching these clowns attempt to make a sensation out of NOTHING. Nothing Riewoldt said is unreasonable from an outsider observer's perspective and Ratten's response was exactly as defensive as you'd expect from a struggling club.

[@CJArnold-hq3ey]

German Experiment Riewoldt go back to the Propaganda Ministry .

[@maximus2994]

how is this a story ahhahahahahahha