I am ecstatic at Sydney’s capitulation under the guidance of Rob Inness. There are considerable similarities between Sydney’s campaign and our own.
Both clubs hit the preseason hard and were up and about early only to slump to some chasm like troughs. Players were cooked. Varying levels and we sustained more significant injuries to key players. Both clubs regrouped to varying levels. Sydney got back on the rails largely due to a big return from Heeney after an enforced layoff, but ultimately had precious little left after a couple more taxing games.
Inness will be no stranger to the hazards of trying to stay up for seven months. It cannot be done unless a club engages is a heavy player rotation policy to ensure the health and fitness of the group come finals time. Clearly Brisbane and to a lesser degree Hawthorn (rotations and list research) and the Bulldogs (slow start and list research) timed their runs significantly better.
Freo is another example of a club running out of juice at the business end. Adelaide under a taskmaster fitness guru were flat for most of the season after promising so much in ‘23.
Hopefully Inness draws the parallels with Sydney’s campaign and convinces Vossy not to undertake another manic pre season. Our players should have a significantly heightened base off the last two campaigns. Surely we can take the time to drill and hone our skills and connectivity considerably more rather than brutal bring your mouth guard match sims dominating the pre season. A small group of players might benefit from a higher intensity of training, but the group as a whole should be working on connection more than contest. We have the contested beasts, let’s have them healthy enough to strut their stuff.
Yes we need to recruit well, but we have enough players with considerable upside to add to some stars who largely just need to stay healthy to make massive contributions. A deeper list of match ready role players should enable an increased rotational policy, if only someone can convince Vossy there are more layers that are not pure contest.
I have nothing against Houston, but I would rather concentrate on the draft to develop young, more dynamic talent, and to improve the top heavy salary spread of our list. We will struggle to fit all of the medium sized backs in as it is, I will be very annoyed if our trades consist of a sunset role for Haynes, when another option in his area in McGovern is nit too far from the same stage and a designated kicker well in to the back half of his career. We need to develop and consolidate Cowan, Boyd, Cincotta, Wilson and a repurposed Ollie, possibly Matt Carrol too, with Saad and Newman approaching their use by dates
Both clubs hit the preseason hard and were up and about early only to slump to some chasm like troughs. Players were cooked. Varying levels and we sustained more significant injuries to key players. Both clubs regrouped to varying levels. Sydney got back on the rails largely due to a big return from Heeney after an enforced layoff, but ultimately had precious little left after a couple more taxing games.
Inness will be no stranger to the hazards of trying to stay up for seven months. It cannot be done unless a club engages is a heavy player rotation policy to ensure the health and fitness of the group come finals time. Clearly Brisbane and to a lesser degree Hawthorn (rotations and list research) and the Bulldogs (slow start and list research) timed their runs significantly better.
Freo is another example of a club running out of juice at the business end. Adelaide under a taskmaster fitness guru were flat for most of the season after promising so much in ‘23.
Hopefully Inness draws the parallels with Sydney’s campaign and convinces Vossy not to undertake another manic pre season. Our players should have a significantly heightened base off the last two campaigns. Surely we can take the time to drill and hone our skills and connectivity considerably more rather than brutal bring your mouth guard match sims dominating the pre season. A small group of players might benefit from a higher intensity of training, but the group as a whole should be working on connection more than contest. We have the contested beasts, let’s have them healthy enough to strut their stuff.
Yes we need to recruit well, but we have enough players with considerable upside to add to some stars who largely just need to stay healthy to make massive contributions. A deeper list of match ready role players should enable an increased rotational policy, if only someone can convince Vossy there are more layers that are not pure contest.
I have nothing against Houston, but I would rather concentrate on the draft to develop young, more dynamic talent, and to improve the top heavy salary spread of our list. We will struggle to fit all of the medium sized backs in as it is, I will be very annoyed if our trades consist of a sunset role for Haynes, when another option in his area in McGovern is nit too far from the same stage and a designated kicker well in to the back half of his career. We need to develop and consolidate Cowan, Boyd, Cincotta, Wilson and a repurposed Ollie, possibly Matt Carrol too, with Saad and Newman approaching their use by dates
