Bomber playing mind games

[STC]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a.../story-e6frf9jf-1225917794863?from=public_rss

Bomber said:

"They (Collingwood) are just chipping away at trying to get a great team going and I have no doubts that they are a little bit jealous of us, envious of what we have achieved and that they are after us," he said last night.

"Now we have got to have as much hatred for them as they have for us ... I am sure they probably hate us."

I guess he's trying to start the mind games but frankly I don't like it. In my experience the only coaches that ever really feel the need to talk themselves up and the opposition down are the ones that have something to prove and don't fancy their chances of winning on merit. We are surely not in this position, and it baffles me as to why Bomber would feel the need to say something like this.

We know we have achieved more than they have in the last 3 years and so do they. It might be fine for us to say it around the water cooler to our scum supporting mates, but the coach should be more professional for my money. If you are going to play mind games I'd much rather they be targeted specifically at weakness (keep reminding them of their record in preliminary finals against us, September in general etc). But above all, I just don't think we've ever been a side to play mind games. When others try to unsettle us, we come out harder and angrier. Why give Collingwood the same chance to be motivated?

 

[InnocentBystandr]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

Got to say I wasn't too pleased to hear this. It does sound defeatist. (a la Mark Williams '07 and MM last year).

Over on the Collingwood board they're going ballistic! They're convinced now they've got this game won and ought to be resting players for the GF against StK!

While I understand what Bomber is trying to say - it didn't come across well.

 

[winty]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

Agree with both of you. We seem to play our best when it's the opposition throwing verbal barbs our way, rather than us throwing the barbs.

Just hope it doesn't come back to bite us in the butt.

 

[Turbocat]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

Perhaps he is playing his last card or perhaps he is just shuffling the deck.

Geelong are a very different team than the one he was coaching 4 years ago. He seems to feel free to stray into the land of public comment more and more.

Maybe its just the apple doesn't feel far from the tree , it all seems very Sheedy to me.

 

[hamG]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

Oh stop being so sensitive.

 

[Hybrid7]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

Yeah I didnt really like it when I heard it either.

But on second consideration, knowing how much Malthouse flaps his gob before big games like this, maybe Bomber is baiting him so he keeps crapping on in the media all week.

Having said that, I havent heard the full context of the statement - you dont know what they were asked and the papers and radio contort their answers to make them sound how they want.

 

[The Governor]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

I tend to disagree with most people.

Bomber has realised the playing group has won 2 out of the previous 3 Grand Finals, and with most great sides, the playing group becomes complacent. There is a tendency for most players to think that winning a flag will happen by flicking on a switch to turn on the after burners.

AFL finals football does not work that way. When great sides like the Brisbane Lions, Hawthorn, Carlton (1981-82 and 1995), Essendon 1984-85 and the Richmond sides of 1973-74 had reached their peak, most of the players became complacent. Most of the players were satisfied with their achievements and they did not want to achieve greatness.

Comeon!! If you had 2 premiership medallions against your name and you had a chance to play in a 3rd Grand Final in a row, would you be hungry for more success?

Bomber Thompson has been there before. He was a member of the champion Essendon side of 1984-85 and was captain of the Essendon 1993 premiership side. He has seen the pitfalls of how a great team can lose its edge through complacency and injuries.

The Essendon side of 1984-85 had a chance to win 3 flags in a row. They suffered injuries and Sheeds made a couple of bad recruiting moves. He recruited Raines and Richardson and off loaded Carey and Bradbury. In hindsight, he should have really placed the pressure on Michael Aish to play for the Bombers in 1986!!

So, I am not suprised about Bomber's commments after the game. He just wants to put the pressure on the playing group to achieve greatness. The Geelong Football Club have a chance to put their names into the history books as one of the best premiership dynasties since the Hawthorn era of 1983 to 1991 where they won 5 flags in an 8 year period.

David Parkin made a wonderful comment in 1988. He made the comment that satisfaction is a great depressant to motivation. He witnessed Carlton's fall from grace after the 1982 Grand Final that saw him being sacked by John Elliott after the 1985 final series.

In conclusion, Bomber knows that Collingwood and St Kilda are hungry for premiership success. They have the hunger and the body language to prove their hunger for premiership success. The hunger is in their eyes. At the minute, I think most of the Geelong playing group are not hungry for 2010 premiership success. They appear to be satisfied with their achievements by allowing a Collingwood or St Kilda to dictate the terms of play. Apart from Gary Ablett Junior, Matthew Scarlett, Jimmy Bartel, Joel Corey, Brad Ottens, Paul Chapman and Joel Selwood, the other players seem to be complacent.

Lets look at the Chicago Bulls dynasty in the NBA and Phil Jackson's success at the LA Lakers. Under Phil Jackson, the Bulls with Michael Jordan, Dennis ROdman and Scottie Pippen were hungry for premiership success. They had the hunger in their eyes to create history for themselves. THey were perfectionists and they were never satisfied.

At the minute, most of the Geelong players who played against Freo and the Saints are not hungry for 2010 premiership success. Even though they will tell everyone that they crave for a premiership medallion around their neck, deep in their hearts, they are satisfied with 2 out of 3 premierships in 3 years.

This type of attitude is a dangerous sign for any professional sporting organisation.

THE GOVERNOR

 

[daff2]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

I don't think he meant it to knock the pies. I think he said it more in the context that they will be extra hungry for success and even though we've won 2 flags we need to be as hungry.

It was more about us than them.

 

[Commando]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

Govenor, surely there is a hunger to go back to back?

 

[The Governor]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

Govenor, surely there is a hunger to go back to back?

The jury will be out until Friday night at 10:15pm.

Most of the playing group will say they want to go back to back, but the inner mind and belief that contains the inner hunger and desire to go back to back will determine if we can beat Collingwood and our Grand Final opponent.

At the minute, I only believe 20 per cent of the playing group are hungry for premiership success. The other 80 per cent will tell everyone they want it, but they don't have the killer instinct to crave the feeling of holding the premiership cup aloft on Grand Final day.

We had the hunger in the eyes to win the flag in 2007 whilst the Hawks had the hunger and desire to beat us in 2008. We had the hunger to beat the Saints in the 2009 Grand Final.

The Saints and the Pies have our 2007 and 2009 hunger for premiership success. Why don't you have a look at how they played last week? Have a look at their body language; their approach to execute offensive and defensive team strategies and their approach to the ball.

The jury is out until Friday night!!

Expressing your desire for premiership success and the level of inner desire for premiership success are two different factors.

THE GOVERNOR

 

[Cohzee]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

I don't think he meant it to knock the pies. I think he said it more in the context that they will be extra hungry for success and even though we've won 2 flags we need to be as hungry.

It was more about us than them.

Agreed.

 

[AidanNelson2009]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

To be honest, i think Bomber is a bit "worried" about the Pies, they have been the best all year and the Cats will have to play thier very best to win, which we hope they do. We need to turn up and play 4 quarters of good footy and apply pressure to the Pies. It's going to be a hard game but i'm confident our boys will get the job done (Y)

 

[Vdubs]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

Let's be honest, Bomber is not blessed with the intelligence of some of the best coaches. He's good at being able to get the best out of his list, and has developed an excellent list. That aspect of his coaching is superb and outweighs the crap that spews out from his mouth all too often.

He said nothing when Williams was OTT in 07. He doesn't need to get into this sort of rubbish unless he's worried, which he is. Why say 2 weeks ago we are in the best shape we've ever been coming into the 1st final? Clearly, we are not. Some are still trying to get back fitness and form, and Max is still missing and irreplaceable.

He knows Pies and Saints have worked out how to stifle us and unless he develops some strategy to keep the Pies HB's accountable, we will again struggle to beat them. Gone are the days when he can sit and relax in the knowledge that "catch us if you can, our best is better than the rest" is our motto. We have been worked out, so I agree, these mind games are out of character.

Maybe we should play Mackie as a HF and his marking and kicking could be something that really worries Harry, or Maxwell etc. We maybe have to do something a litte different to beat that half back zone they set up so well. Like some have said, we should be the hunters. Forget the verbal mind games.

 

[Commando]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

The jury will be out until Friday night at 10:15pm.

Most of the playing group will say they want to go back to back, but the inner mind and belief that contains the inner hunger and desire to go back to back will determine if we can beat Collingwood and our Grand Final opponent.

At the minute, I only believe 20 per cent of the playing group are hungry for premiership success. The other 80 per cent will tell everyone they want it, but they don't have the killer instinct to crave the feeling of holding the premiership cup aloft on Grand Final day.

We had the hunger in the eyes to win the flag in 2007 whilst the Hawks had the hunger and desire to beat us in 2008. We had the hunger to beat the Saints in the 2009 Grand Final.

The Saints and the Pies have our 2007 and 2009 hunger for premiership success. Why don't you have a look at how they played last week? Have a look at their body language; their approach to execute offensive and defensive team strategies and their approach to the ball.

The jury is out until Friday night!!

Expressing your desire for premiership success and the level of inner desire for premiership success are two different factors.

THE GOVERNOR

i will agree that it is harder to stay at the top than it is to get there.

what do you do once you've conquered everest?

but we are in this premiership race right up to our necks!

i still believe our best is better than the other contenders best, most in the footy world would agree and you can have all the desire and will in the world but if youre not good enough you are not good enough...simple as that.

intangiables are irrelevant imo.

 

[YOTC]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

Jesus christ let him have some fun. Pies have been spewing shit all year, he just wanted to remind them who has won the flags.

 

[RegHickeyStand]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

Bomber is trying to get his team to play 4 quarters. Everything should be put in that context. Saying Otten's selection was a toss of the coin, telling players their careers are on the line, saying we should hate the Pies like they surely must hate us, is all about getting his player to focus.

 

[Vdubs]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

Bomber is trying to get his team to play 4 quarters. Everything should be put in that context. Saying Otten's selection was a toss of the coin, telling players their careers are on the line, saying we should hate the Pies like they surely must hate us, is all about getting his player to focus.

Good points. He has an unfortunate but honest way of saying things.

 

[darren forssman]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

Govenor, surely there is a hunger to go back to back?

not even for a free whopper?

 

[BigBadCam]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

Love this quote...

"We've got to have as much hatred for them as what they have for us and I'm sure they probably hate us."

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/magpies-hate-and-envy-us-cats-coach-20100911-155i1.html

 

[re cat]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

You have short memories. Remember Mick and his newspaper articles in the Austalian in the week of the 07 & 09 Prelims regarding Bomber and our team.

 

[catempire]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

In my experience the only coaches that ever really feel the need to talk themselves up and the opposition down are the ones that have something to prove and don't fancy their chances of winning on merit.

Exactly what came to mind when I heard those comments. We are constantly pointing this out when opposition players and coaches say similar things.

It is very un-Bomber and un-Geelong like and I don't like it one bit.

 

[burto]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

Bomber is becoming a Master Coach. He is like Luke Skywalker when he finally builds his own light sabre. The arrogance and the swagger engulfs him, and it is beautiful. This reminds me of Leigh Matthews' "they are like kids afraid of the haunted house" statement about playing the Cats in the 2004 cats vs lions prelim.

Poetry.

We will cream the magpies, make no mistake.

 

[AM]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

I don't think he meant it to knock the pies. I think he said it more in the context that they will be extra hungry for success and even though we've won 2 flags we need to be as hungry.

It was more about us than them.

Yep! Designed to stir-up our troops is my take on it too.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

I'd much rather hear some interesting banter from Bomber than Malthouse classics like come to play? what, come to play marbles?.

 

[isen river]

Re: Bomber playing mind games? I don't like this

Governor you're on fire. Your post made so much sense that I thought we had almost won the premiership. Things do get stale mentally, anyone that has played and achieved something in sport will know this. The thing is sometimes your not aware of it and you feel you are well motivated but with hindsight it's apparent your not. You need to have the real sharp edge something that the disappointment of past and recent failures will give you. Bomber making those comments were mostly for our players ears, his mixing it up to give the players the feeling that things this time are not like previous campaigns and therefore this is a new situation that we must test ourselves against. If things are too similar to last time the players develop a sense of comfort sub-consciously that things will go according to plan, this weakens the edge that the players need to get over the really good teams. The loss in 08 ensured we had the drive for 09 and i'm not sure we would have won last year without it. 07 we had all the motivation we needed and 2010?