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Coach Craig McRae

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76woodenspooners said:
Interesting exchange with Gerard Whately on AFL360 …

Whately: “The team that is favourite for the Grand Final was 17th two years ago. And that’s where you pick up your journey from in 17th. This is a challenging competition, and 7 and 9 from last year are playing in the grand final, and 17th from two years ago. Does it give you that trajectory that if you make a whole lot of good decisions and you coach the team really well, you won’t be shackled by people who think you’re going to spend a long time down the bottom?”

McRae: “Yeah, it gives me great comfort being at Hawthorn this year. Things weren’t going well, then half way through the year they beat Bulldogs, Brisbane then drawing with Melbourne. That’s pretty good form with a young developing team. So I think you can turn things around quickly. The gap between the bottom and the top isn’t as great as it may once have been, but we’ve got to create those habits, form those winning habits and behaviors which I continue to mention, it’ll take some time, there’ll be some patience required, it’s exciting the journey we’re going to take”

The interesting thing for me about that exchange is that McRae forms an answer which is positive, gives the fans hope, but he said it in a way that there is nothing there that is a headline, or a quotable sound bite, or something that can be pinned on him at some future stage.

He’s clearly quite PR savvy. Obviously he’s in the honeymoon period where the media are throwing him softballs, and that’ll continue until Round 1 next year …

… but I’d imagine the hardest thing about the Collingwood job is taming the media, and calibrating member expectations - and from early days it looks like he’s got a good handle on that.
Click to expand...

Listening to Fly speak you can really hear the influence of Ben Crowe.

I really hope that we look to bring Crowe in as a mindset coach/mentor to further develop this young list.
 
I’m becoming more excited with the direction Collingwood are heading in now. McRae’s comments about letting people be themselves and creating a safe environment (as much as I loathe that term) is very pleasing. I got a sense that the previous coaching panel wanted drones and not individuals. Although the premise of a cultural change was rational the execution was all wrong. I fee we will see a more daring and bold side develop.
 
Abdul_The_Bull said:
I’m becoming more excited with the direction Collingwood are heading in now. McRae’s comments about letting people be themselves and creating a safe environment (as much as I loathe that term) is very pleasing. I got a sense that the previous coaching panel wanted drones and not individuals. Although the premise of a cultural change was rational the execution was all wrong. I fee we will see a more daring and bold side develop.
Click to expand...
Just need the Board to grow up and behave now
 

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What i'm most curious about is what is going to happen with Training / skills / gamestyle in offseason.

There is no way we line up the same or train the same.
The more i think about it, the more i think its absolutely crazy to have 'long term assistants' like we've had with Harvey / Sando.

How do you know you're actually on the right track if you have no info from other clubs?
no "new views" on the list from an external viewpoint?
No "reality checks" to players that they are not good enough, or viewed like XYZ from an opposition perspective.

Its been effectively 20 years since we've had a complete change.
Bucks just took over Malthouse and nothing really changed in team & gamestyle over that first period (why would it?).

But this time its completely different.
It will be open book for the players with most positions open for round one. This is the most exciting part !!

Things like.....
1. How poorly skilled were we?
- what will we focus on that is different to last year?
- Fly already hinted that we are poor in basics....

2. new roles and positions.
- Perfect time to try new stuff. Maynard or IQ to middle. C Brown only as an inside mid. No pendles / Sidey in the middle at all.
- Change it up. Use the first 5 games next year to find things out.
Its not like anyone is expected a 5-0 start....so lets find out who can and can't play where!

3. how out of touch were we?
With no views from the outside, i'm curious to see how training standards change and what we work on.
How players are viewed and what we do moving forward.

4. Team ethos and gamestyle.
- Last few years players refused to sacrifice for the team (dummy leads, blocks, shepards)....we just all loved running past for the HB. Loved bombing it long to contest....
- I want to see how this changes and whether players are rewarded for off the ball efforts. I feel that was severely lacking in the team and clearly wasn't treated as highly as other teams treat it.
- What changes in this space will go a long way to changing our fortunes.....


These are things i want the outside, "non collingwood people" to bring.....can't wait to see what happens!!
 
TheVillageIdiot7 said:
What i'm most curious about is what is going to happen with Training / skills / gamestyle in offseason.

There is no way we line up the same or train the same.
The more i think about it, the more i think its absolutely crazy to have 'long term assistants' like we've had with Harvey / Sando.

How do you know you're actually on the right track if you have no info from other clubs?
no "new views" on the list from an external viewpoint?
No "reality checks" to players that they are not good enough, or viewed like XYZ from an opposition perspective.

Its been effectively 20 years since we've had a complete change.
Bucks just took over Malthouse and nothing really changed in team & gamestyle over that first period (why would it?).

But this time its completely different.
It will be open book for the players with most positions open for round one. This is the most exciting part !!

Things like.....
1. How poorly skilled were we?
- what will we focus on that is different to last year?
- Fly already hinted that we are poor in basics....

2. new roles and positions.
- Perfect time to try new stuff. Maynard or IQ to middle. C Brown only as an inside mid. No pendles / Sidey in the middle at all.
- Change it up. Use the first 5 games next year to find things out.
Its not like anyone is expected a 5-0 start....so lets find out who can and can't play where!

3. how out of touch were we?
With no views from the outside, i'm curious to see how training standards change and what we work on.
How players are viewed and what we do moving forward.

4. Team ethos and gamestyle.
- Last few years players refused to sacrifice for the team (dummy leads, blocks, shepards)....we just all loved running past for the HB. Loved bombing it long to contest....
- I want to see how this changes and whether players are rewarded for off the ball efforts. I feel that was severely lacking in the team and clearly wasn't treated as highly as other teams treat it.
- What changes in this space will go a long way to changing our fortunes.....


These are things i want the outside, "non collingwood people" to bring.....can't wait to see what happens!!
Click to expand...
The two bolded are somewhat contradictory.

Being poor in the basics is a lack of training/ coaching / direction rather than low skill ceiling.

It's development where we have lagged as a club, players have come to the club and remained static or even regressed.

Proper development is the difference between a flag and an also ran. The difference in the 17 - 22 players is more important than the amount of stars a club has.
 
jonbe54 said:
The two bolded are somewhat contradictory.

Being poor in the basics is a lack of training/ coaching / direction rather than low skill ceiling.

It's development where we have lagged as a club, players have come to the club and remained static or even regressed.

Proper development is the difference between a flag and an also ran. The difference in the 17 - 22 players is more important than the amount of stars a club has.
Click to expand...

By "poorly skilled"....i meant how poor were our training standards and development ( e.g. what you actually can improve through training)....not how poorly skilled the players are on talent alone.

so effectively your comments were exactly what i was implying!

Agree on your other points.
i've always been of the belief that 2 things (more often than not) are required / happen when a club wins a flag....

1. The bottom 6-8 that are more important than the top 6 (ours are horrible!)
2. someone more often than not comes from nowhere by years end and has a 'career year' that you just weren't expecting.
 
TheVillageIdiot7 said:
What i'm most curious about is what is going to happen with Training / skills / gamestyle in offseason.

There is no way we line up the same or train the same.
The more i think about it, the more i think its absolutely crazy to have 'long term assistants' like we've had with Harvey / Sando.

How do you know you're actually on the right track if you have no info from other clubs?
no "new views" on the list from an external viewpoint?
No "reality checks" to players that they are not good enough, or viewed like XYZ from an opposition perspective.

Its been effectively 20 years since we've had a complete change.
Bucks just took over Malthouse and nothing really changed in team & gamestyle over that first period (why would it?).

But this time its completely different.
It will be open book for the players with most positions open for round one. This is the most exciting part !!

Things like.....
1. How poorly skilled were we?
- what will we focus on that is different to last year?
- Fly already hinted that we are poor in basics....

2. new roles and positions.
- Perfect time to try new stuff. Maynard or IQ to middle. C Brown only as an inside mid. No pendles / Sidey in the middle at all.
- Change it up. Use the first 5 games next year to find things out.
Its not like anyone is expected a 5-0 start....so lets find out who can and can't play where!

3. how out of touch were we?
With no views from the outside, i'm curious to see how training standards change and what we work on.
How players are viewed and what we do moving forward.

4. Team ethos and gamestyle.
- Last few years players refused to sacrifice for the team (dummy leads, blocks, shepards)....we just all loved running past for the HB. Loved bombing it long to contest....
- I want to see how this changes and whether players are rewarded for off the ball efforts. I feel that was severely lacking in the team and clearly wasn't treated as highly as other teams treat it.
- What changes in this space will go a long way to changing our fortunes.....


These are things i want the outside, "non collingwood people" to bring.....can't wait to see what happens!!
Click to expand...

Excellent points. You would have hoped that trading in experienced talent would have been an opportunity get some other perspective. I guess that’s only going to be really leveraged if the coach was open to feedback and new ideas.
 
TheVillageIdiot7 said:
By "poorly skilled"....i meant how poor were our training standards and development ( e.g. what you actually can improve through training)....not how poorly skilled the players are on talent alone.

so effectively your comments were exactly what i was implying!

Agree on your other points.
i've always been of the belief that 2 things (more often than not) are required / happen when a club wins a flag....

1. The bottom 6-8 that are more important than the top 6 (ours are horrible!)
2. someone more often than not comes from nowhere by years end and has a 'career year' that you just weren't expecting.
Click to expand...
Exactly take the wee man Blair for example.
 

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TheVillageIdiot7 said:
By "poorly skilled"....i meant how poor were our training standards and development ( e.g. what you actually can improve through training)....not how poorly skilled the players are on talent alone.

so effectively your comments were exactly what i was implying!

Agree on your other points.
i've always been of the belief that 2 things (more often than not) are required / happen when a club wins a flag....

1. The bottom 6-8 that are more important than the top 6 (ours are horrible!)
2. someone more often than not comes from nowhere by years end and has a 'career year' that you just weren't expecting.
Click to expand...

re the bottom 6-8. In large team sports this is actually scientifically proven. You’re Better having a really even team of B players than a variation of A+ to C players, because it only takes one mistake in the chain to turn the ball over.
 
Interesting Little Fact that Craig played in the last game at Victoria Park
 

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Finnishpie said:
re the bottom 6-8. In large team sports this is actually scientifically proven. You’re Better having a really even team of B players than a variation of A+ to C players, because it only takes one mistake in the chain to turn the ball over.
Click to expand...

Not sure about that.. you need a special player in your side.. top 5. 2 or 3 top 10-15.. and you've got a premiership/s. Don't underestimate the value of 1 incredible reptilian shapeshifting supercharged turbo type of player in your side.
 
Last edited:
BringouttheGimp said:
Not sure about that.. you need a special player in your side.. top 5. 2 or 3 top 10-15.. and you've got a premiership/s. Don't underestimate the value of 1 incredible reptilian shapeshifting supercharged turbo type of player in your side.
Click to expand...

I’m just quoting the science. You’re obviously better with a top 5 player, all other things being equal. But plenty have played in terrible teams - think Lockett - and never won anything. An all round good team beats a team of champions and battlers.
 
Finnishpie said:
I’m just quoting the science. You’re obviously better with a top 5 player, all other things being equal. But plenty have played in terrible teams - think Lockett - and never won anything. An all round good team beats a team of champions and battlers.
Click to expand...

Where's the science?
 

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