19 Men On The Ground

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: 19 Men On The Ground

Do you really think he would have said this?

You have to be careful when saying things like this - the players might actually believe you. And St Kilda are just good enough to kick the first goal of ANY given quarter regardless...so then what do the players think? They are more likely to drop their heads after a goal if you have just finished telling them how important it is that they simply cannot allow it to happen.

We went from 3 goals down to 4 goals down...big deal. Lake then allowed Riewoldt an uncontested shot on goal (he missed luckily), Harbrow let Milne get goal-side (again) and conceded a goal...the last quarter was a series of poor footy decisions yet somehow an administrative one is the biggest problem we had? Give me a break.

Back to my original post, I dont understand why our assistants continue talking to individuals AFTER Eade has called the group together. Cameron in particular seems to have a license to do this. The board is held up behind Eade, yet the assistants are taking players off to the side and discussing things with them whilst the senior coach is addressing the group? And not looking at the board is the players fault?

Simplify. The higher the pressure, the simpler things have to be. Players have a lot to worry about - coaches always assume they 'know' the little things (like where they might be playing) because the coaches discussed it in the box before the break...and, well, the coaches know and isn't it obvious?

This mistake has been blown out of proportion because a player destined for the bench stayed on the field - I wonder how many times we end up with an extra man forward or back? Pretty often given the number of times I see players sprinting around the squared as the umpires are getting into position. You say I am being 'soft' on them? I say it isn't that easy to play the game and the less things are assumed the better off the playing group will be...4 match day coaches and no-one asks if the players all know what they are doing in the last quarter? No-one makes sure that they have checked the match-up board?

Sorry - no way am I putting this on the player.

How many games of footy did you play, Mike? Ever start on the ground when you were supposed to be on the bench? Me neither.

100% this is Welsh's fault. He made a blue you wouldn't see in U18's and has to cop it.

I agree with your first paragraph, perhaps Eade wouldn't have highlighted it, but had we snagged the first goal we would have been in the game right up to our eyeballs.

I'm not saying we would have kicked it, and even if we did we were still no sure thing to win; but after Welsh's cock-up it was game over.

[Twodogs]

Re: 19 Men On The Ground

Back to my original post, I dont understand why our assistants continue talking to individuals AFTER Eade has called the group together. Cameron in particular seems to have a license to do this. The board is held up behind Eade, yet the assistants are taking players off to the side and discussing things with them whilst the senior coach is addressing the group? And not looking at the board is the players fault?

I'm pretty sure that next quarter's onfield line up and positioning are held up at the start of the quarter break(or whatever the time in between the actual quaters is called), precisely so that the players can quickly check it, know where they are supposed to be and then can focus on the coaching group's message.

Sorry - no way am I putting this on the player.

Someone has to carry the can for this Mike and this time it's the player that's at fault.

[AndrewP6]

Re: 19 Men On The Ground

Funny moment (for me, anyway!)...in the third quarter, as I looked through the binoculars at the Dogs bench, I began having heart palpitations... "I can only see three players!"... I searched frantically up and down, and began preparing to launch myself in desperation on to the field, to provide a distraction, so we could straighten things out - which would have been somewhat dangerous, given my seating position on Level 3!

Certain death (and a fifty meter penalty) was averted, when to my delight I saw Huddo walking the boundary...one must never jump to conclusions! (nor jump from Level 3 at KenRyan Stadium)