I like this bit of delusion.
"Why would you want to hide a fundamental weakness? Isn't the whole point of Port Adelaide to create a system of development that churns our premiership quality players every year?
Pre-seasons 1-4 - increase aerobic capacity and endurance, building up the tank required to power increased muscle mass without compromising running ability needed to break lines
Pre-seasons 5 and 6 - increase strength capacity and power required to break tackles
Rinse, repeat.
People reckon we were miles off this year. Well, if we had taken our chances against Richmond, we'd be in their position right now. We are in pursuit of football mastery, and once we get there, it's going to take opposition sides years to establish the same systems we have.
It's why I couldn't care less about who wins the flag this year. We are thinking about the next ten, twenty, fifty flags and how we are going to be able to compete for them. But to do that, we need to establish a great development system first.
Adelaide plays a system designed around the weaknesses of their players. We play a system designed to correct those weaknesses. It's like in football (soccer) - if one team focuses on skill and playing out from the back while the other just focuses on long balls and scoring, the long ball team is going to win almost all the time at the start. But as the first team develops and actually learns the system, suddenly the long ball team won't be able to get near them because they never learned how to play any other way."
Anyway, everyday when I drive past the brewery on STURT Rd, Thebarton, I'll be thinking "now THAT is what I call football mastery".
If anyone thinks that any AFL training system designed now will last 10 - 20 - 50 years ... that is a special type of delusion alright. Football mastery? Where are they getting this stuff?
I'm assuming that the "I couldn't care less about who wins the flag this year" feeling has come on in say the last 3 or so weeks?
