Bomber playing mind games

[ZosoCat]

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

think bomber didn't mean to sound like he was trying to start the mind games... i think what he says is true. he sounds excited for the match.

 

[Cohzee]

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.

Bomber has shown far more intelligence than yourself.

 

[Duskfire]

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.

You make alot more sense when your preaching about how amazing and awesome and unbeatable and perfect and magnificient St Kilda are.

 

[geelong_boy]

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.

I agree with RegHickeyStand and the Governor, both of whom said what I'm thinking far more eloquently. I would've just said that Bomber's comments were for his players rather than disrespecting or trying to fire up Collingwood.

 

[geelong_boy]

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.

I think you're selling Thompson far too short. I think he's very smart but plays dumb for the media. He doesn't give much away and basically let's them answer their own questions.

 

[The Governor]

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

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.

I think the Cats should tank for 2011 and rebuild the list to make a play fro 2012.

With the draft being diluted with young talent, it is about time for the cats coaching staff to blood in Mitchell Brown, Taylor Hunt, Adam Varcoe and Motlop in 2011.

The Brisbane Lions made a huge mistake in not trading premiership players at the end of the 2004 season because they held the strong belief that they could win the flag in 2005.

With the prospect of Gary Junior announcing his intentions after we lose to COllingwood on Friday night, I think we will be better off in losing Ablett Junior; rebuilding the list for 2011 with the aim of making the 8 and make a play for 2012.

A winning dynasty does not last forever and winning 2 premierships in 3 years is not a bad return in an AFL competition where clubs do not have a playing list of 50 and the club's ability to employ excellent teachers and communicators as assistant coaches to fast track the development of players is crucial for premiership success.

If you look at our coaching staff since 2007, the Geelong FOotball Club have employed coaches who have excellent communication skills who approach the coaching role from a teaching point of view.

So, we have done well in comparision to Sydney, Hawthorn and the West Coast Eagles where they won one flag each from 2005 to 2006.

THE GOVERNOR

 

[RegHickeyStand]

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.

There is no evidence of this. Under Bomber this team has slowly evolved into a team that the AFL should use as a blueprint for where this code should be heading. It is attacking attractive football with a high skill level that gets the fans excited.

He has developed players from nothing. Where are all the gun selections that St Kilda has been blessed with over the past decade? Bomber made more with less.

He had help along the way, but there is no mastermind behind Bomber making the moves. Its him.

Leigh Matthews was handed his great team via the AFL draft concessions. St Kilda's list was bolstered because it spent years in the cellar. Malcolm Blight's days at Adelaide were also helped in that way. But not us. We did it the long hard slow way. And our coach has been the main instigator.

A most undersetimated coach, it seems.

 

[HulkHawkins]

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

Good on ya Bomber, tell it how it is

Premierships, Brownlow medalists, multiple AA's, of course they're jealous of us, i'd be jealous too if the shoe was on the other foot.

Maxwell's been mouthing off all year at us so what's the difference FFS??

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

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

Great post. I agree with most of what your saying, BUT I think after our loss against St Kilda we have found the hunger again. The loss was heart-breaking in the way it ended. It was what the group needed. If Geelong have that hunger, they wont be stopped. So yes... until friday night.....

 

[The Governor]

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

Great post. I agree with most of what your saying, BUT I think after our loss against St Kilda we have found the hunger again. The loss was heart-breaking in the way it ended. It was what the group needed. If Geelong have that hunger, they wont be stopped. So yes... until friday night.....

Thanks footy fan.

The jury is out until Friday night!!

I don't think we have the inner hunger and desire to achieve greatness!! Perfectionists like Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Kobe Bryant hate losing and they always have the inner hunger to achieve greatness until they retire!!

The loss against the Saints was heart breaking, but the Saints and Pies have the hunger. Nick Maxwell loves to open his mouth in the media and Bomber has not done anything different.

Kevin Sheedy and Ron Barassi adopted the same ploy Bomber adopted on Friday night. The tactic paid off and other occasions, the tactic did not come off for one reason: the inner desire was not there anymore.

THE GOVERNOR

 

[2TONE]

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

wading through endless crap that you get reading this shit you stumble upon some who knows footy top post this is why this year you guys have stumbled against the saints twice and to pies later on the year. The pies have shown that the ultimate prize is for them have, the saints the same. If the pies get 5/6 goals in front early on, mad monday wont come soon enough for the cats. pies by56 sorry if i have offended its not personal its just footy.

 

[Suspense]

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

i don't hate y'all.

 

[Vdubs]

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

You make alot more sense when your preaching about how amazing and awesome and unbeatable and perfect and magnificient St Kilda are.

Things may get ugly on Cats BF board next weekend. Full credit to Bomber trying anything he can to get our team up. I have to agree fully with THE GOVERNOR. For us to be sitting on BF next week discussing how we can beat The Saints would be as surreal as when we momentarily beat Saints last Friday.

There is absolutely nil wrong with being the 3rd best team this year. Our recent performances against 1 and 2 are not easily reversed just because the stakes are higher. There is very little separating this top 3, Dogs are making up numbers at present due to their injuries. Saints are not that amazing etc. as you try to quote me, but they deserve to be in the GF again. What about us? Are we as desperate as Pies and Saints? That's what it comes down to. I believe we could not have extracted anything more from our players in 09 GF., but those performances have not occurred once this year for 4 consecutive quarters. Why, because they are human, and getting into and winning the GF this year requires superhuman efforts. We know it, so does Bomber.

 

[kanyewest]

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

wading through endless crap that you get reading this shit you stumble upon some who knows footy top post this is why this year you guys have stumbled against the saints twice and to pies later on the year. The pies have shown that the ultimate prize is for them have, the saints the same. If the pies get 5/6 goals in front early on, mad monday wont come soon enough for the cats. pies by56 sorry if i have offended its not personal its just footy.

Yeah, because when the Saints went 5/6 goals up in the Qualifying Final our boys just threw the towel in completely. Geelong have the hunger, make no mistake.

 

[InnocentBystandr]

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

That's what it comes down to. I believe we could not have extracted anything more from our players in 09 GF., but those performances have not occurred once this year for 4 consecutive quarters. Why, because they are human, and getting into and winning the GF this year requires superhuman efforts. We know it, so does Bomber.

Didn't Geelong break the record for consecutive quarters won this year?
(20 odd I recall)

Of course it doesn't have any bearing on the result this Friday. Both teams will line up with 22 players, just as they have in '07 and '09, just with a lot more expectation on Collingwood this time. If we are to win the flag, we would have to play (and defeat) Collingwood sooner or later.

 

[YOTC]

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

didn't geelong break the record for consecutive quarters won this year?
(20 odd i recall)

pwned

 

[Vdubs]

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

Didn't Geelong break the record for consecutive quarters won this year?
(20 odd I recall)

Of course it doesn't have any bearing on the result this Friday. Both teams will line up with 22 players, just as they have in '07 and '09, just with a lot more expectation on Collingwood this time. If we are to win the flag, we would have to play (and defeat) Collingwood sooner or later.

That's the beauty of this forum .There's always better factual evidence around. There was a time, after we beat Pies, that we were outright premiership favourites. Seems like a while ago. I completely forgot about those consecutive quarters. But my only point is, it does seem ages ago. Can we get there again.?

 

[Lazyboy]

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

Love what Lingys done with the hair.

oh btw we don't hate you and are not jealous of you either, maybe envious of your very recent sucess but this is collingwood not freo

 

[Hybrid7]

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

wading through endless crap that you get reading this shit you stumble upon some who knows footy top post this is why this year you guys have stumbled against the saints twice and to pies later on the year. The pies have shown that the ultimate prize is for them have, the saints the same. If the pies get 5/6 goals in front early on, mad monday wont come soon enough for the cats. pies by56 sorry if i have offended its not personal its just footy.

Not so sure about that. The way the cats play I think they have just been going through the motions until finals time.
Sure, they played a slow first half against the saints, but if you watched the game vs westcoast the week before they just didnt want to be there.

I think a lot of the mindset from that game flowed into last week and they were caught with their pants down.

You can say pies by 56, but I dont think its going to be that cut and dry and I would be very suprised if its a blowout regardless of who wins.

I have no doubt that the Cats have a hunger to win - they know how to do it and its a culture in the club.

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

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

Things may get ugly on Cats BF board next weekend. Full credit to Bomber trying anything he can to get our team up. I have to agree fully with THE GOVERNOR. For us to be sitting on BF next week discussing how we can beat The Saints would be as surreal as when we momentarily beat Saints last Friday.

There is absolutely nil wrong with being the 3rd best team this year. Our recent performances against 1 and 2 are not easily reversed just because the stakes are higher. There is very little separating this top 3, Dogs are making up numbers at present due to their injuries. Saints are not that amazing etc. as you try to quote me, but they deserve to be in the GF again. What about us? Are we as desperate as Pies and Saints? That's what it comes down to. I believe we could not have extracted anything more from our players in 09 GF., but those performances have not occurred once this year for 4 consecutive quarters. Why, because they are human, and getting into and winning the GF this year requires superhuman efforts. We know it, so does Bomber.

Cats Vs Dogs 101 points was a good 4 quarter effort

 

[burto]

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

Love what Lingys done with the hair.

oh btw we don't hate you and are not jealous of you either, maybe envious of your very recent sucess but this is collingwood not freo

Freo have gone 15 years without a premiership. Collingwood have gone 20.

 

[Partridge]

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

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.

Totally agree. I don't understand why he had to say anything. One thing I felt that has turned the club around completely is that generally in the media they (ie coach, club, players) say NOTHING about the opposition. No matter who it is, no matter what time of year. Why give them ammunition?

But apparently that's another trait of the past that seems to be coming back.

 

[winty]

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

Freo have gone 15 years without a premiership. Collingwood have gone 20.

Both teams have won a spoon in that time though.

 

[The Casey Cat]

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.

Agree. Probably did not really need to say it but is not a big deal. Just trying to keep us fired up.

 

[Rellik666]

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

Bl*&dy hell what is this? Lets commiserate the loss we had to have? Let’s just write off our great team shall we…..Yeah this is a different year, yes there are other teams up there with us….but you lot sound like a pack of sooks who are preparing themselves for a loss to make themselves feel better!

Stand Up I say and support your team….we didn’t get here by giving up….this team has worked damn hard to get where it is and you don’t get to the prelims without some kind of desire. Stop justifying a loss we haven’t even had yet. Maybe we have done a bit of free riding this year or maybe it has been harder this year than the last three….or maybe after being up for so long it has taken its toll….but we are still here and we are still fighting…The dogs won a game that everyone didn’t think they would….where were all their fans on Saturday…sooking at home missing out on one of the best come backs of the year…..

Enjoy the ride and stop getting off when things get difficult….WE ARE GEELONG!