Dolphins support Skrobalak

FRANKSTON president Peter Geddes has jumped to the defence of senior coach Adam Skrobalak over questions about his dual role as senior coach of the Dolphins and ruck coach of St Kilda.

A premiership coach in the Bellarine and Geelong & District leagues, Skrobalak coached the Dolphins to a 122point loss to the St Kildaaligned Sandringham on Sunday.

The match was notable not only for the blowout but a 53possession effort from St Kilda player Jack Billings for Sandy.

The Round 10 VFL game was highlighted on Footy Classified on Monday, with journalist Damian Barrett raising Skrobalak’s roles with the competing clubs.

Barrett noted Billings had 53 touches against a team coached by a member of St Kilda’s coaching staff.

“Are you saying the Frankston coach gave him a free rein to get him into form?’’ host Craig Hutchison said.

“What I’m saying is, the Frankston coach sits in on St Kilda footy club meetings on a weekly basis and coached the team Jack Billings played against on the weekend.’’

Hutchison: “That’s a fairly heavy assertion.’’ Barrett: “It’s a fact, Hutchy.’’ Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd joined in, saying: “I’m not sure why he’s coaching Frankston if he’s with St Kilda first of all.’’

Asked by Chris Judd if the Dolphins “put enough work’’ into Billings, Lloyd said: “It was a training drill.’’

Geddes said Skrobalak had the “highest integrity’’ and the club was comfortable with him carrying out both roles.

“We don’t see that it’s significant,’’ he said. “Adam coaches Frankston Football Club and he has duties at St Kilda. We’re very clear in everything that he does.’’

Geddes said Skrobalak approached Sunday’s match “in the way he approaches every game — that is, putting in strategies he believes will put us in good stead’’.

“I don’t think he did it any differently. He approaches every game trying to put in the strategies and the tactics to equip our team to be the best on the day. He’s always out there to win.’’

Geddes said Frankston was “seriously outclassed’’.

“We’ve had half a preseason with a team of 19, 20 year-olds, most of them in their first season in the VFL,’’ he said.

“I take umbrage at the suggestions being made about Adam . . . they (Sandy) had multiple players over 30 possessions. That was the way the game went.

“We’re disappointed that it’s been raised. Adam has the highest integrity.’’

Skrobalak declined to comment yesterday.