Some thoughts I have after watching it- sorry but this post ended up way longer than I expected!
- It was really interesting to get this insight into AFL Clubs. It didn't need to be 7 x 1 hour episodes though, and I can't imagine many who aren't huge footy fans really enjoying it.
- They needed to talk more about strategies (as echoed by some other posters), or even what was going on on the field. They never actually explain why Coniglio is down on form- they just constantly tell you he is. NicNat gets the B&F at the end, but they never really talk about whether he had a good or bad season. Something like that probably isn't important for someone like Sloane, who we know has been consistent, but is for NicNat, given his injury history. Hearing more about his return to form and dominating the game at his age would have been quite interesting. The show is really about the off field stuff, but we need the context of what happens on field to help colour that
- It's odd that they didn't really acknowledge anyone who wasn't talking to one of the subjects. They introduce Dusty with a nameplate on screen for the first time in the final episode. If you were a non footy fan and saw Cotchin getting up to get the cup, you'd have NFI who he even is. The cats weren't even mentioned until the final episode. I know they can't have 18 subjects, but the bubble is kept too small around our subjects without learning more about what's going on outside.
- Peggy is so level headed, and a great person to manage a footy club board, which would have so many big identities and Type A people.
- AFL clubs have too many meetings where they talk big and set goals. Hardwick and Richmond send the same message in every meeting.
- Coach thoughts:
- Leon Cameron is not talking to his players in the right way. He is all old school fire and brimstone, and needs to focus on the connection with his players more. When you're telling Coniglio for the 97th time that he's down on form, you're not helping him. It was so clear Coniglio just needed some support and encouragement, and if he had a coach like Dew or Hardwick things may have gone much differently.
- Adam Simpson seems a bit better. We didn't see enough of him to make any clear judgments, but he seemed to be a disciplinarian, though connected to his players a bit better and seemed to have a better ability to get fired up but then move on to something else.
- Stuart Dew is on the right track. His connection with his players is fantastic, and it looks like be's building a great culture at the club. At this stage he's certainly on the softer side, but that's probably what the list needs, and you'd imagine he'll become tougher as the team does.
- Damien Hardwick- wow. I know we'll be a biased bunch, but he is so clearly the best of the lot. The way he disciplines Bolton is fantastic- bring him in front of the group to address his behaviour, crack a joke about it and then weave it into the message he's trying to send. His messages are always so simple and clear, only revolving around the key takeaways that he wants the players to remember. He knows the game plan, the players know the game plan and it works.
- A broader footy point- I think one misconception is that clubs are taking away this message about our connectedness, messaging and story telling, but it only works if the message that you're sending involves a winning game plan. If you've got a rubbish team or broken game plan, it's just going to be a connected rubbish team or clearly understood poor game plan.
