Lions on the Kokoda Trail

[The Dice Man]

The Brisbane Lions returned today from their 5 day trek on the 96 kilometre Kokoda Trail.

Im suprised there isnt a thread about this here yet, so I thought I do you guys the honour.

Was just reported on CH9 News (Bris) that many players lost weight, including Beau McDonald losing 8 kilos. Aker spoke of it as bloody tough, while Simon Black said it was the hardest thing he'd ever done.

Michael Voss heaped praise and admitted even further respect for coach Leigh Matthews after the coach himself endured the journey along with the players.

He said words to the effect that Leigh didnt have to do it, but he did and it just further enhances our respect for the guy.

The Hawks did this last year to the amusement of AFL fans, but people rarely laugh at Lion innitiatives, and the way Voss spoke just made me think it is an extreme bonding session.

All players returned healthy.

[Sherrinator]

i reckon its done the team, especially the young fellas alot of good.

[irel]

i reckon its done the team, especially the young fellas alot of good.
How so?

[oohdannyboy]

How so?
Mateship
Bonding
Learning about each other
guidance

Huge benifit for the team, and a chance for the younger players to fastrack their knowledge about the older players.

[The Flying Belgian]

Doens't the Canungra Army Camp or other similar exercises do the same thing?

FWIW, I've got no problem with them doing the Kokoda Trail, but let's not kid ourselves that it might give us an edge over other clubs.

[Don Logan]

[QUOTE=The Dice Man]The Brisbane Lions returned today from their 5 day trek on the 96 kilometre Kokoda Trail.

Was just reported on CH9 News (Bris) that many players lost weight, including Beau McDonald losing 8 kilos. Aker spoke of it as bloody tough, while Simon Black said it was the hardest thing he'd ever done.
QUOTE]

I saw that and the reporter started off by saying these lions will sleep tonight. :D :D .. Very clever.

And I had that song in my head all night.

[beatnik]

Doens't the Canungra Army Camp or other similar exercises do the same thing?

FWIW, I've got no problem with them doing the Kokoda Trail, but let's not kid ourselves that it might give us an edge over other clubs.

sorry mate, i normally read your posts with interest but i think you are way off here

this is one of those "1 percenters" that coaches always go on about...

all things being equal in a pretty even field like the AFL means that it is the small things which give you an edge - a 1% advantage can be the difference between a win and a loss in a tight season or match

for e.g.

- it may give some of the young fellas that little bit of confidence in their place in the team which in turn could make them contiribute a litte more a little earlier this season

- maybe some senior players who have seen a thousand pre-seasons might be inspired by the exercise and come back refreshed for another tilt - i'd put vossy, the Scotts and leppa in this category

- the added respect that the players have for Leigh might come in handy when he asks them to overcome physical exhaustion or play beyond their limits later in the season - if a grandpa can climb the Kokoda Trail, then you bloody well listen if he tells you "my grandma can do better than that" (cos she probably can ;) )

anyway enough crapping on, I just wanted to say that i believe that the team with the most 1 percenters will get home in a tight race...

peace

[tapestry]

I agree with you Beatnik.

Actually I'm surprised at your comments TFB. Seriously do you think the Club would have put the players physically at risk (which they were) or forked out the dosh for an excercise like this if they thought they weren't going to get an edge or benefit from it?

There hasn't been a need for pre-season camps/bonding trips etc over the last 5 years as the playing group was relatively the same. Now that has really changed.

One of the most obvious things on the field this season was the loss of the complete faith/trust/knowledge that the person next to them was doing their job and would be where they were needed to be at any given time. An excercise like this can only help combat that for next season. They get to know each other, support each other, have no airs and graces or pecking order or egos when on the track. It's all hard work, grot, grime, hunger, pain, and having to help each other so they all get through it.

I'm glad they all came through unscathed. And how good is Matthews hey? Even though he left a day earlier to give himself a good chance of finishing the trek with them, what he's done is pretty much above and beyond when it comes to his status, reputation and especially his age. Inspirational stuff!

[tapestry]

Hey and if you go here:

http://www.executiveexcellence.com.au/kokoda

This is the mob that ran it for them according to one of those articles. Now they normally do it on a 10 day trek and our mob have done it in only FIVE!!

[Rawhead]

I'm with you guys.

Why are some Lions fans getting negative (or is it just trying to be 'realistic')?


Most of us know the challenges that the Lions face, but we're not alone. All clubs face challenges. What makes a club special is the ability to overcome the challenges, and IMO the Lions and their management, while not perfect, do enough to impress me to make me believe that we have the right people in position.



A trip of this nature is right in line with what was hoped to be accomplised, and made perfect sense. Taking a player far out of their comfort zone (and the Kokoda trail is about as far from what they know as you could get) brings their true leadership and personality traits out. For a young squad that is forming the nucleus of our future; what the coaching staff learn about thier charges, and what the players learn about themselves and each other, is invaluable.

[The Flying Belgian]

Sorry if my comments were seen as negative ones. I admire anyone who got the courage to go through the trek - my wife's uncle did it earlier this year and he's 65. Now that's ticker!!

And I like the idea of appreciating what the diggers went through.

But, it didn't give Hawthorn much in the way of results on the field. That was the basis of my comments, but I was in a rush this morning to type it out correctly. Is this a better bonding trip than the Pies or the Saints? Will it have a better result. Buggered if I know, but some Lions fans seem to think it's a winning formula. Fact is, there are no facts.

dannyboy said previously:

Mateship
Bonding
Learning about each other
guidance

Huge benifit for the team, and a chance for the younger players to fastrack their knowledge about the older players.

There are a thousand different things the club could do to acheive these things. This is one and I believe I said I had no problem with it. I'm just not rushing to the conclusion that it'll mean a better result than any other exercise.

[Bobby Beecroft]

But, it didn't give Hawthorn much in the way of results on the field.



What a shocking comparison, heaven help us if the maturity of list is so depleted that we need a Richie Vandenberg as our leader.
Comparing the Hawks of 05 to us of 06 is beyond comprehension.

Does anyone here realise the Swans leadership group of 2004 also did it, or does it suit to solely use the Hawks in order to shoot down the Lions experience?

More negativity on the Lions Boards, who would have thought?:rolleyes:
Now is that glass half full or half empty?

[Vidman]

the glass is too big

[Bobby Beecroft]

Does that make it a Carafe then?

[The Flying Belgian]

What a shocking comparison, heaven help us if the maturity of list is so depleted that we need a Richie Vandenberg as our leader.
Comparing the Hawks of 05 to us of 06 is beyond comprehension.

Does anyone here realise the Swans leadership group of 2004 also did it, or does it suit to solely use the Hawks in order to shoot down the Lions experience?

More negativity on the Lions Boards, who would have thought?:rolleyes:
Now is that glass half full or half empty?

Jeez, maybe I shouldn't voice an opinion.

You're right, the Hawthorn comparison isn't very fair. And my initial post was poorly worded. Where i said:but let's not kid ourselves that it might give us an edge over other clubs. I should have written: but let's not kid ourselves that it will definitely give us an edge over other clubs.

Apart from that, show me where I've gone anywhere close to tearing the exercise to shreds. I was reacting to the opinion that's it's already given us a edge over other teams. It may have, but at the same time may not have. It's like some people saying we've got the best facilities or the best medical staff, etc. How do they know that? It's just spin that comes from the clubs (that's right, not just ours) that gets perpetuated by their fans. Boasting for the sake of boasting. Call it barracking, even. I just don't go in for it. Yes, we've got great facilities and good medical staff. The best? Who knows. Unless you've been to every club and seen for yourself, you wouldn't know. What you percieve as negativity I call realism. To me the glass is at 50% capacity. I'll get excited when I can see the boys running around at training, the new draftees and rookies, and the "old" blokes moving like youngun's again.

For the record, let me say once again I've got no problem with what the club has done. It's a great exercise and I'm sure has had a benefit. I'd love to do it one day.

But if anyone can prove to me that it gives a greater benefit than going to Arizona, China or South Africa, trekking in Tibet, Peru or New Zealand, sailing a yacht up the coast, retracing the steps of some of our great explorers or whatever "thinking outside the square" you can cook up, I'll happily start gushing about the edge this has given us.

[Bobby Beecroft]

Just getting sick of the negativity that seems to flow on this board at times.

Be it the 'poor' drafting (they haven't even played yet), be it that some here seem to believe we must exclusively select Queenslanders in the draft (there is a reason they compete in Div 2 & didn't even win it!!!), or the Kokoda trip................ it seems endless at times.

Back to the subject, the benefit from such an experience is intangible.
I do agree that there is nothing to say what we have done will be any better than the similar exercises the other 15 clubs will do.

Fine to have an opinion................... as long as it agrees with mine :thumbsu:

[The Flying Belgian]

Fine to have an opinion................... as long as it agrees with mine

:D :D

I know what you mean about the negativity BB. There's bound to be a bit more apprehension about things after out tumble this year, and the uncertainty of the coming years.

The great thing about being a supporter is that there's no one way to do it. Some are shamlessly optimistic while some are looking for fault the whole time. And you can find all sorts on this board.

If there's something negative that needs to be said I'll say it, but I've usually got a legitimate concern (well I think so anyway :D ). From what i know, what's said on this board doesn't go unnoticed by the club. But when it boils down to it the people running the club have had far more experience than we do. But that doesn't mean to say we shouldn't raise any concerns we've got.

[blackys_chick20]

getting back onto the subject...
i had a phone call from simon on monday, telling me bout the week.... and he said he enjoyed.... hard....but its the best thing he has ever done... and he would do it again....he also said that no-one fought and everyone helped eachother out along the way....(it was a very short conversation as i was at work... but i got a little bit outta him...)
personally i think it woulda been a great bonding experience for them, and woulda opened their eyes to what else it out there....
i think this has definitly hit us more physically and mentally than what it did for the hawks....and it will make a difference.
Kokoda trail isnt easy and it woulda taken their all to do that hike.... so big thumbs up boys!

[irel]

i think this has definitly hit us more physically and mentally than what it did for the hawks....and it will make a difference.

How so?

[Rawhead]

:D

I know what you mean about the negativity BB. There's bound to be a bit more apprehension about things after out tumble this year, and the uncertainty of the coming years.

The great thing about being a supporter is that there's no one way to do it. Some are shamlessly optimistic while some are looking for fault the whole time. And you can find all sorts on this board.

If there's something negative that needs to be said I'll say it, but I've usually got a legitimate concern (well I think so anyway :D ). From what i know, what's said on this board doesn't go unnoticed by the club. But when it boils down to it the people running the club have had far more experience than we do. But that doesn't mean to say we shouldn't raise any concerns we've got.

I only took what you said as negative because I couldnt see anyone anywhere saying that this would give us an edge, it was only being said that it was a positive thing for the team to do. I apologise for misunderstanding.



timthetoolman, now theres a negative nelly :D



And lets face it, we're here talking about this stuff cause theres no real footy news at the moment so we're subsisting on scraps here!

[mararra]

Aka gives quite a detailed (his mind you) account of the Kokoda walk on his website ... it seemed to offer all of the club personnel an opportunity to work with mates outside of the footy context.

Aka reckons his grandad was on the Track during the war, which put an interesting spin on his own personal involvement. (http://www.jasonakermanis.com.au/index.htm)

Bloody hard work though, even for fit buggers like the Lions.
The whole experience sounds like its fun when you finish ...

[Tezmyster]

Does anyone here realise the Swans leadership group of 2004 also did it, or does it suit to solely use the Hawks in order to shoot down the Lions experience?Hawthorn probably lost any advantage in team bonding that they would have gained with things like the whole Shane Crawford will he be captain/won't he be captain issue. It's hard for a team to stay focused when silly little things like that going on around you, if they are given the opportunity to focus more on the game and not receive near constant negative publicity I'm sure they'll do better.

More negativity on the Lions Boards, who would have thought?:rolleyes:
Now is that glass half full or half empty?Neither, the glass is twice as large as it needs to be :D

[HAWKS HEROES]

were they coping us you reckon but it is good they did it cause i reckon it helped the hawks it should help you guys too