bornadog
20-01-2014, 11:05 AM
Link (http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/excats-cameron-mooney-and-matthew-scarlett-give-dogs-more-20140118-311qj.html)
Geelong premiership stars Cameron Mooney and Matthew Scarlett have extended their coaching commitments with the Western Bulldogs, as the Dogs seek to build on last year's strong finish.
Mooney, helping with the forwards, and Scarlett, working with the defenders, had spent one day a week with the Bulldogs last season. But having discovered they each enjoyed their new roles, they found attending just the one day did not allow them to help as much as they would have liked in terms of tactics and one-on-one work while assisting the specialist line coaches and senior coach Brendan McCartney.
''We just wanted to dip our toe into it and see if we enjoyed it. We both really did and we both found probably that one day just wasn't enough time with the boys,'' Mooney said.
''You get there on a Wednesday or Thursday or whenever their main session was and you would find you would go over the weekend before with their video review but they had already done it. They were going back over last week when they should have been looking forward.
''We thought if we could get in early in the week and do the game review with them and then come in later in the week, it's just more hands on. 'Macca' was pretty keen to get us there and it's all working out pretty well.''
Mooney, a two-time premiership player, said he enjoyed juggling his roles with the Bulldogs and commentary on Fox Sports and SEN but was still unsure in which direction he wanted to head.
Mooney would appear to have plenty of talent to work with at the Whitten Oval, for the Bulldogs won four of their final six matches last season and were the fourth-highest scoring team during that period.
The Dogs' attack improved by almost three goals a match from 2012, with improved ball movement and handball efficiency - they were ranked No. 1 in this area - contributing to the rise.
Snaring Stewart Crameri from Essendon will help provide a greater presence inside attacking 50 metres, while Mooney is keen for Jarrad Grant and Liam Jones to make a consistent impression.
Jones was the Dogs' No. 1 target inside 50 last season but managed only the 22 goals in 19 matches.
''He has a lot of talent, a lot of attributes. He just needs to keep working hard on the track,'' Mooney said. ''It's no secret his fitness was always his problem. He just doesn't have a huge engine, but he has worked his backside off through the pre-season and that is something the club is constantly pushing with him so he can play the way the game is played now.''
It took until round 16 for Grant to rejoin the side, but Mooney believes he ''came of age because he probably saw the writing on the wall''.
Grant booted 13 goals and was ranked equal No. 1 at the club during the final eight matches. Mooney said Lachie Hunter, Nathan Hrovat and Luke Dahlhaus also had major roles to play this season.
''There is good competition down there at the moment - Ayce Cordy is another one,'' Mooney said.
''These guys have been there for a while now. Tommy Williams is training really well - fingers crossed we can get him on the field for the majority of the season. Jake Stringer is now in his second year and developing.''
While expectations have risen, with some supporters hopeful the team can jockey for a finals berth, Mooney has asked for caution.
''At the end of the day they still finished 15th, you can't go past that. We are just looking for more improvement again,'' he said.
''It can take a long time to learn what the coach wants you to do … it took us eight years to have success at Geelong from when 'Bomber' [Mark Thompson] first took over.''
Geelong premiership stars Cameron Mooney and Matthew Scarlett have extended their coaching commitments with the Western Bulldogs, as the Dogs seek to build on last year's strong finish.
Mooney, helping with the forwards, and Scarlett, working with the defenders, had spent one day a week with the Bulldogs last season. But having discovered they each enjoyed their new roles, they found attending just the one day did not allow them to help as much as they would have liked in terms of tactics and one-on-one work while assisting the specialist line coaches and senior coach Brendan McCartney.
''We just wanted to dip our toe into it and see if we enjoyed it. We both really did and we both found probably that one day just wasn't enough time with the boys,'' Mooney said.
''You get there on a Wednesday or Thursday or whenever their main session was and you would find you would go over the weekend before with their video review but they had already done it. They were going back over last week when they should have been looking forward.
''We thought if we could get in early in the week and do the game review with them and then come in later in the week, it's just more hands on. 'Macca' was pretty keen to get us there and it's all working out pretty well.''
Mooney, a two-time premiership player, said he enjoyed juggling his roles with the Bulldogs and commentary on Fox Sports and SEN but was still unsure in which direction he wanted to head.
Mooney would appear to have plenty of talent to work with at the Whitten Oval, for the Bulldogs won four of their final six matches last season and were the fourth-highest scoring team during that period.
The Dogs' attack improved by almost three goals a match from 2012, with improved ball movement and handball efficiency - they were ranked No. 1 in this area - contributing to the rise.
Snaring Stewart Crameri from Essendon will help provide a greater presence inside attacking 50 metres, while Mooney is keen for Jarrad Grant and Liam Jones to make a consistent impression.
Jones was the Dogs' No. 1 target inside 50 last season but managed only the 22 goals in 19 matches.
''He has a lot of talent, a lot of attributes. He just needs to keep working hard on the track,'' Mooney said. ''It's no secret his fitness was always his problem. He just doesn't have a huge engine, but he has worked his backside off through the pre-season and that is something the club is constantly pushing with him so he can play the way the game is played now.''
It took until round 16 for Grant to rejoin the side, but Mooney believes he ''came of age because he probably saw the writing on the wall''.
Grant booted 13 goals and was ranked equal No. 1 at the club during the final eight matches. Mooney said Lachie Hunter, Nathan Hrovat and Luke Dahlhaus also had major roles to play this season.
''There is good competition down there at the moment - Ayce Cordy is another one,'' Mooney said.
''These guys have been there for a while now. Tommy Williams is training really well - fingers crossed we can get him on the field for the majority of the season. Jake Stringer is now in his second year and developing.''
While expectations have risen, with some supporters hopeful the team can jockey for a finals berth, Mooney has asked for caution.
''At the end of the day they still finished 15th, you can't go past that. We are just looking for more improvement again,'' he said.
''It can take a long time to learn what the coach wants you to do … it took us eight years to have success at Geelong from when 'Bomber' [Mark Thompson] first took over.''