The rookie senior coach heads into the 2024 AFL season immediately under pressure to turn the Tigers around after the club slumped to 13th on the AFL ladder last year.
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With Damien Hardwick, Trent Cotchin and Jack Riewoldt all moving on, Yze has been tasked with beginning a new era at the club following its premierships in 2017, 2019 and 2020.
Yze was given the job after the recruitment process reportedly became a two-horse race between him and interim coach Andrew McQualter, following Hardwick’s move to the Gold Coast Suns.
The former Melbourne senior assistant coach has now revealed he has not held back in his decision to push the club forward.
One of the first moves he made was to take down some references to the club’s recent glory years, including one picture of the club’s drought-breaking 2017 premiership.
“I had the luxury of walking in and recognising different photos that are up that might have been (on the wall) for too long and things like that,” he told 7News on Monday night.
“It’s just like we need some clear air here.”
He said he received the support of the playing group’s senior figures before his decision to erase some of the memorabilia around the club’s Punt Round headquarters.
“Why is that in this room? That was six years ago,” he said of the 2017 photo.
“I felt like I was disrespecting people by saying, ‘Does this need to be in here? Can we can we move it? Can we get some blank walls?’ But like I said, the leaders bought into that.
“We had a discussion around it and it was time that that needed to be shifted and almost (covered up) like a fresh coat of paint.”
