Intelligence

[MsBulldog]

A lot of coaching staff move around from club to club in the off season and it happens to all clubs. What is the value of the information a new coaching staff member brings from their previous AFL club to their new club?

I was only thinking about this because someone like Chris Bond, who was with the Bulldogs for 8 years, has gone to Fremantle and taken a lot of information with him. Will his intimate understanding of our game plan and players be helpful to Freo in preparations and on game day when we play them? Same question when we come up against the Saints and Drain is advising Lyon (and we've been struggling against them anyway of late). Or do lists and game plans change so much in the off season that their history of knowledge becomes obsolete? Most teams seemed to have worked us out last year and I presume this will be dealt with by our current coaching panel.

I realise it's just part and parcel of the footy landscape but just curious what others thought about this, given we had such a high turnover of senior coaching staff this year.

[Dog Pound]

After losing the last 7 games by an average of 50pts, i dont think this is a great concern. Its not like our game plan was hard to crack.

[Griffen#16]

I think most teams would have pretty intimate details of their opposition game plans, how they wish to implement them etc anyway. To win, it comes down to the match day match ups, plan execution etc. I don't think it matters too much, not sure about CI issues relating to football, but I imagine some things would be off-limits for previous coaching staff to discuss perhaps?

Hopefully we'll re-jig a few things and come with a few surprises in 2008.

[mjp]

Sometimes it helps. Sometimes the coach who moved outsmarts himself.

None of it matters if the players wont stick their heads over the ball.

[Billy Blogger]

Good thread. I recall that some players departing has hurt us.
I'm sure when Darren Baxter moved to the Hawks he put the hard tag on Atkins which had a big impact on the outcome of the game and then set-up Axe for continual run with opponents.

As MJP said, it can work both ways but it probably does give the other teams an edge.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

A lot of coaching staff move around from club to club in the off season and it happens to all clubs. What is the value of the information a new coaching staff member brings from their previous AFL club to their new club?

I was only thinking about this because someone like Chris Bond, who was with the Bulldogs for 8 years, has gone to Fremantle and taken a lot of information with him. Will his intimate understanding of our game plan and players be helpful to Freo in preparations and on game day when we play them? Same question when we come up against the Saints and Drain is advising Lyon (and we've been struggling against them anyway of late). Or do lists and game plans change so much in the off season that their history of knowledge becomes obsolete? Most teams seemed to have worked us out last year and I presume this will be dealt with by our current coaching panel.

I realise it's just part and parcel of the footy landscape but just curious what others thought about this, given we had such a high turnover of senior coaching staff this year.

Nice discussion point. I've often wondered how much of a difference it makes when you come up against a side where someone has recent and detailed knowledge of the playing group- weaknesses, strengths, style.
I guess it could be used to our advantage though too, if you know that say Bond is going to expect to see a player to line up somewhere, or take a certain role... and then Eade gives the player a different instruction.. but initially suckers Bond into thinking the player is going to do what Bond thinks. For example centre square positioning... Player A does what Bond expects to initially... so Freo think they've got an advantage.. but at a crucial time, once we know Freo have taken the bait... the player moves to a different position... Sort of a rope-a dope trick???