Analysis Crocker as interim coach

[Saintly31]

Don't know about anyone else, but I am loving how the tactics have changed since Crocker has been in charge.

Things I've noticed;
- harsher selection
- players not locked to one position on the ground, flexibility and game sense
- seem better organized in the middle (albeit not perfect)
- employment of a devoted tag
- better 4 quarter effort and response

We are arguably unlucky to have not won 3 straight.

I am not saying sack Scott but I have really enjoyed seeing some new ideas being implemented so it clearly is not just Scott coaching from sidelines, rather Crocker doing it his way (at least to a degree) and hence why I asked the question in OP. It appears to have been answered.

I hope we continue this path regardless who is in charge.

 

[King Corey]

Don't know about anyone else, but I am loving how the tactics have changed since Crocker has been in charge.

Things I've noticed;
- harsher selection
- players not locked to one position on the ground, flexibility and game sense
- seem better organized in the middle (albeit not perfect)
- employment of a devoted tag
- better 4 quarter effort and response

We are arguably unlucky to have not won 3 straight.

I am not saying sack Scott but I have really enjoyed seeing some new ideas being implemented so it clearly is not just Scott coaching from sidelines, rather Crocker doing it his way (at least to a degree) and hence why I asked the question in OP. It appears to have been answered.

I hope we continue this path regardless who is in charge.

I'd add that it appears players also lift in games after poor early efforts. Cases in point Bastinac vs eagles, Cunnington vs GWS.

Suggests stern words are given when needed.

 

[Gasometer]

2 weeks....








































...changes back to same old s**t.

 

[King Corey]

2 weeks....








































...changes back to same old s**t.

Yeh bit flat about that.

 

[Daniltchenko You Beauty]

I said this in the other thread but many people are seriously overrating the impact Crocker is having. Brad still has had ultimate control over selection, match ups and strategy. They held match committee at his house FFS.

Sure a different voice pre match and at the breaks might make a slight difference but I don't think our results would have been any different with Brad in charge.

 

[Gasometer]

Yeh bit flat about that.

Could be the circuit breaker Brad needed....freshening up on the Futon...listening to Dermie's B.S...seeing Wait's break fades up close and in slo mo...seeing Benny Ninja Tagger ermerge...watching 'Married at first Sight'...

 

[tazaa]

Crocker has given the boys a spray at half time against West Coast and Sydney and again at 3 quarter time yesterday.
This is extremely concerning. It says to me the boys need to be fired up between games and cant do it themselves. They are way too robotic as we all know and prone to lapses in concentration that the top 3 have hammered us on.
This habit needs to stop before finals, someway/anyway.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Crocker has given the boys a spray at half time against West Coast and Sydney and again at 3 quarter time yesterday.
This is extremely concerning. It says to me the boys need to be fired up between games and cant do it themselves. They are way too robotic as we all know and prone to lapses in concentration that the top 3 have hammered us on.
This habit needs to stop before finals, someway/anyway.

They have been trained that way.

Emotion is a dirty word.

 

[Mr Reliable]

They have been trained that way.

Emotion is a dirty word.

We don't get angry and rant and rave when things go bad. We conduct a rigorous review and learn from our mistakes.

In fact, they're not even "mistakes". Shame on me! They're opportunities for improvement.

 

[tazaa]

They have been trained that way.

Emotion is a dirty word.

Its wrong. Its not right. Its not aussie rules.

 

[benbanjo]

With Crock coaching that means there are 4 senior coaches in the AFL that played with us during our golden years, not to mention all the assistants and media people..... I didnt like our disposal and spread against Sydney but otherwise i see a harder working team....

Its strange, Brad Scott came from a hardened Lions outfit, yet he is trying to run the team like a private school......I want to see passion out here... we have a team of bulls Cunners, JZ, Lmac, Waite, ST, Tarrant..... gotta boss the other teams around sometimes....

 

[Zondor]

I said this in the other thread but many people are seriously overrating the impact Crocker is having. Brad still has had ultimate control over selection, match ups and strategy. They held match committee at his house FFS.

Sure a different voice pre match and at the breaks might make a slight difference but I don't think our results would have been any different with Brad in charge.

Turn it up! :stern look

 

[Mav]

We don't get angry and rant and rave when things go bad. We conduct a rigorous review and learn from our mistakes.

In fact, they're not even "mistakes". Shame on me! They're opportunities for improvement.

I think you'll find the official term is "easy fix".

 

[astrovic]

Don't know about anyone else, but I am loving how the tactics have changed since Crocker has been in charge.

Things I've noticed;
- harsher selection
- players not locked to one position on the ground, flexibility and game sense
- seem better organized in the middle (albeit not perfect)
- employment of a devoted tag
- better 4 quarter effort and response

We are arguably unlucky to have not won 3 straight.

I am not saying sack Scott but I have really enjoyed seeing some new ideas being implemented so it clearly is not just Scott coaching from sidelines, rather Crocker doing it his way (at least to a degree) and hence why I asked the question in OP. It appears to have been answered.

I hope we continue this path regardless who is in charge.

You're right, something is different. My take is a bunch of things have come together at the same time:

- Crocker is doing a fantastic job. No two ways around it, he's been fantastic.
- Better selections and match day coaching. The Jacobs as tagger thing has been a massive success. I really really want to know whose idea that was and whether it was floated earlier but vetoed, and whether it is now getting a run cos a different set of ears is in the coaches box.
- I think Scott having to pull out has shocked the playing group out of some complacency. My take is Brad is a huge figure at the club and his work ethic is second to none (I've watched him age over the last couple of years). Seeing him go down has made the boys aware of their own mortality a bit and made them actually play for the present (rather than on "potential") for a change.
- the boys have started to find some form. Remember the first half of the Collingwood game? Best footy we'd played to that point. More aggressive and harder than we'd been all season. It all went wrong from there, but we took that attitude to Hobart the following week and came away with a win. Brought it against Sydney and almost rolled them, and built on it at Startrak Oval (worst. stadium. name. ever) It's been a slog but I think it's coming.
- blokes coming back from injury and finding form in the twos (and NDS in the ones). Guys like HarperGarner and Mullett playing in the twos and starting to show something puts pressure back on the senior players to perform. Daw has been killing it. Black is contemplating re-entering beast mode. Basti gets dropped and responds magnificently. Our depth is starting to reappear and there becomes no room for complacency in the ones as a result. It makes dropping regulars a lot easier and creates the opportunity to reward effort and punish complacency. Our lack of depth through injury in certain positions cost us dearly early on.

I'd disagree with you on the 4 quarter effort though - consistency remains our achilles heel. 2nd quarter against Sydney, 3rd against GWS. 2nd and 3rd against West Coast. We could have won all three matches, but equally I thought we were didn't really deserve to be in with a chance against Sydney and were lucky against West Coast (they outplayed us for 3 quarters and should have had a match winning lead by 3 quarter time with the wind behind them in the last. Still, a massive effort by our boys there and I won't take that away from them). My feeling is that a true 4 quarter effort isn't far away, and I expect we'll see it appear a bit more often with our "softer" run over the remainder of the season. Whether it will flow into September (and I have little doubt we'll at least be there) is anyone's guess.

Right now I'm putting down our form turnaround to a mix of factors. In the ruthless game that is AFL, our team starting to play good footy while Scott is on the couch is his worst nightmare, made worse cos he can't complain about it. The tempting observation is that form turnaround while coach is out = bad coach, but I think it's more complicated than that. It also seems we got a boost from him being sidelined and we may well get another boost when he comes back. Who knows with this mob?

I want our boys to lift the cup soon, and with Brad alongside them, seeing as how he's been a huge part of where we are now. I'm hoping both he and they have something extra to give to get them there - I believe they have it in them. But no one is indispensable, including Scott, and if we have to make changes to achieve the ultimate glory, then so be it. I'm all in favour of that too.

 

[Grogg]

Lovin the sprays.

You * up, it gets put straight on you. You serve up a half arsed effort, out comes the hose.

Seeing the players respond immediately is very encouraging and shows the value in a bit of tough love every now and then.

 

[shinboner spiggs]

We don't get angry and rant and rave when things go bad. We conduct a rigorous review and learn from our mistakes.

In fact, they're not even "mistakes". Shame on me! They're opportunities for improvement.

It's unchecked KPI's for me.

 

[kelman]

Let's be honest. Scott would be copping a lot of criticism on here for the last two games if he had been coaching.

 

[Gasometer]

When does Crocker become CROCKERS ?

 

[Gasometer]

Lovin the sprays.

You **** up, it gets put straight on you. You serve up a half arsed effort, out comes the hose.

Seeing the players respond immediately is very encouraging and shows the value in a bit of tough love every now and then.

...but the Degree says dont be mad ar players.

Sigh.

 

[Heaps of fun]

Reckon Crocker is doing a good job. But I find it pretty funny he's getting as much credit for being "competitive" against Sydney at Etihad as Brad did for flogging them at home last year.

 

[King Corey]

Reckon Crocker is doing a good job. But I find it pretty funny he's getting as much credit for being "competitive" against Sydney at Etihad as Brad did for flogging them at home last year.

It's because he's been rated against our other 2015 results.

2014 H&A - we beat Freo, Hawthorn, Sydney
2015 H&A - flogged by Freo, Hawthorn under Scott; competitive and could've won v Sydney under Crocker

That's why.

 

[Tas]

Before people get on their knees and blow Crock, I doubt Jacobs would have been used as a tagger without Scott being in the decision making process.

Perhaps moving Crocker out of the midfield coach and into general coaching overlord duties has been more of an impact than Scott coaching from the couch.

 

[Saintly31]

Before people get on their knees and blow Crock, I doubt Jacobs would have been used as a tagger without Scott being in the decision making process.

Perhaps moving Crocker out of the midfield coach and into general coaching overlord duties has been more of an impact than Scott coaching from the couch.

So what you are saying is that Crocker being removed from coaching midfield has been more important than him taking the head role?

Please Tas.

Surely give some credit where it's due.

 

[King Corey]

No changes with Crocker eh?

1. We don't need to run a tag.
2. What's the point in dropping out of form players?
3. Modern players don't respond to (intelligently directed) sprays.

1. Busted
2. Busted
3. Busted

 

[DJ Dupree]

No changes with Crocker eh?

1. We don't need to run a tag.
2. What's the point in dropping out of form players?
3. Modern players don't respond to (intelligently directed) sprays.

1. Busted
2. Busted
3. Busted

Spot on.