SA Footy

The Sturt Football Club have announced that Brenton Phillips will stand down immediately, and will hand over the reins to caretaker coach Brodie Atkinson, for the remainder of the 2006 season.

While the results of the past 3 weeks have hastened the decision, it is still disappointing for Sticks after his admirable achievements over his reign as coach. I rarely comment on issues such as this - not being privy to what goes on behind closed doors at the club - but I sincerely hope that some of the players now make a concerted effort to pay their own tribute to the work done by Brenton over his time at the club by giving their fullest and undivided efforts to Brodie Atkinson. It will say a great deal about the character of some players as to how they respond on-field this week.

For what it is worth - congratulations on a fine career at Sturt. To deliver their first flag since 1976 was a massive achievement to be justly proud of. Let's hope that this is not a situation where Sticks is not always made to feel enormously welcome at the club. The very best wishes to him and his family as life after football beckons.

Thanks Sticks and the best of luck for the future.


Cant help wondering if he was pushed regarding the recent results judging by some very harsh criticism on doubleblue.org some supporters are glad to see the back of him

In all honesty he should have stepped down when he announced it or said nothing until the season was complete. It is very similar to the Darel Hart fiasco at North in 2003. Told to resign immediately, he chose to announce he would stand down at the season's end and was sacked full stop the next day - 6 games out.

We see it so often will Sturt turn it around this week a get the 2 pts after the coach walks......

From a Glenelg point of view Go you Blues....

Bayman was right.

heater31 wrote:judging by some very harsh criticism on doubleblue.org some supporters are glad to see the back of him

Definitely true Heater, but just for the record there was/is also a lot of support for him on the same site.
Very sad to see the man go under these circumstances, but I will be remembering him as the man that broke the 26 year drought at Unley and brought the Seymour home. I echo the call by CK at the start of this thread, and hope he can always feel at home at Oxford Terrace.
Thanks Sticks, and all the best!

cheers brenton and good luck....

welcome brodie...blood some more jrs with an eye to 07....there is only one way and that is up brod's :D

I would have liked him to stay till the end of the season, but it looks like that won't happen at all.

Well said CK_31. I will always admire Brenton Phillips for his efforts at Sturt. He was able to get a very good squad of players to go the extra step and become a premiership team - in a grand final against opposition full of multiple premiership-winning players. He coached Sturt into the finals every season bar one. He has introduced players like Monfries & Pearce into footy and now they are established AFL players. He had to coach a team in 2003 that was scarred by the 2002 Bali bombing. Knowing him personally, I found him to be a huge SANFL fan and always interested in any publicity for the SANFL comp (remember his vision for a comp involving SANFL,VFL & WAFL teams) and always co-operative with the local media. Congratulations Brenton - you are a Sturt premiership coach and that honor cannot be taken away from you.

therisingblues wrote:

heater31 wrote:judging by some very harsh criticism on doubleblue.org some supporters are glad to see the back of him

Definitely true Heater, but just for the record there was/is also a lot of support for him on the same site.
Very sad to see the man go under these circumstances, but I will be remembering him as the man that broke the 26 year drought at Unley and brought the Seymour home. I echo the call by CK at the start of this thread, and hope he can always feel at home at Oxford Terrace.
Thanks Sticks, and all the best!

cant see why those people are against him afterall he did break the drought and this year's performances were due to limited resources beyond his control.

drebin wrote:In all honesty he should have stepped down when he announced it or said nothing until the season was complete. It is very similar to the Darel Hart fiasco at North in 2003. Told to resign immediately, he chose to announce he would stand down at the season's end and was sacked full stop the next day - 6 games out.

Ah, so that explains why Dazzling Darel was at Unley on Saturday!

Great comments from CK_31 & rd. Best of luck and thanks Sticks.

I would have thought the comments on db.org were a lot more balanced than some posters here are giving credit for. I don't think any sturt fan isn't completely appreciative of Sticks' contributions over the years - the only debate has been between those who think he deserved full credit for 2002 and those who think he rode Phil Carman's coattails. Certainly an interesting debate - though history will always record B. Phillips as our 2002 Premiership coach.

looks like Dazza is a closet Sturt man i saw him @ Richmond the day O'Keefe picked up 50 touches in that annoying rain

Zipzap there was only a few who seemed to be the harshest but im not a regular reader on that site so i dont get the full picture

MightyEagles wrote:I would have liked him to stay till the end of the season, but it looks like that won't happen at all.

Insightful, beautifully thought out, cutting edge stuff there Mighty.

You're not Warren Partland by chance?

heater31 wrote:looks like Dazza is a closet Sturt man i saw him @ Richmond the day O'Keefe picked up 50 touches in that annoying rain

Or it could mean.... oh god no.... I can't bring myself to say it......AAAAARRRRRRGGGGHHHHH!

zipzap wrote:

heater31 wrote:looks like Dazza is a closet Sturt man i saw him @ Richmond the day O'Keefe picked up 50 touches in that annoying rain

Or it could mean.... oh god no.... I can't bring myself to say it......AAAAARRRRRRGGGGHHHHH!

i certainly hope not he left @ 3/4 time with a notebook and deckchair under each arm