Gary17
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Very interesting article by Nathan Buckley in the Age this weekend about how Malthouse coaches to a finals-winning gameplan, even at the expense of some games during the year. Some relevant bits:
Mick Malthouse coaches to win finals.
His game plan has been tinkered with and evolved over the years but he has never wavered from his primary goal of producing a team that is able to stand up in the fiercest battles.
Mick demands his players be hardened and ready for September action, and he is prepared to take some short term pain during the home and- away rounds to achieve that aim.
His man-on-man game plan relies on intense physical pressure when the ball is either in dispute or in the opposition’s hands
For mine, this is why we see, on occasion, such dramatic swings in Collingwood performances during the season proper.
Forget blockbuster fatigue — the ability to find the extreme fanatical pressure that sets the game plan up can be difficult to produce week-in, weekout. Anything less than manic pressure in and around the ball doesn’t cut it.
Finals, however, suit the Malthouse game plan. The finals atmosphere and intensity prods and probes at both teams and the individuals within them, looking for points of weakness. The pressure goes through the roof and even the simplest things become difficult, which in turn assists a team that relies on high-pressure football.
When the Magpies do what they do, very few teams can cope with the pressure that generates. It is Collingwood’s “unique trait”, as it has been with every Malthouse-coached team.
And in his article, Martin Flanagan makes the point that Hawthorn now plays a similar style, and also has the stars to turn a game, which may just be enough to get over Geelong - remembering of course that Collingwood's high-pressure game style is the only one which has beaten Geelong this year, and how close it got them in the prelim last year.
Which makes for an interesting couple of weeks football. But more importantly, what does this mean for the Crows? Isn't this what was missing from their Elimination final performance? Should they go man on man more often? Do they have the players to do it?
I've said before, it seems to me with the Crows that their game style means they are good at creating opportunities, they are just not good enough at taking those opportunities when they arise. In other words, their zone-based gameplan consistently gets them into the finals, but perhaps they need more of a man-on-man style once they get there.
Thoughts?
Mick Malthouse coaches to win finals.
His game plan has been tinkered with and evolved over the years but he has never wavered from his primary goal of producing a team that is able to stand up in the fiercest battles.
Mick demands his players be hardened and ready for September action, and he is prepared to take some short term pain during the home and- away rounds to achieve that aim.
His man-on-man game plan relies on intense physical pressure when the ball is either in dispute or in the opposition’s hands
For mine, this is why we see, on occasion, such dramatic swings in Collingwood performances during the season proper.
Forget blockbuster fatigue — the ability to find the extreme fanatical pressure that sets the game plan up can be difficult to produce week-in, weekout. Anything less than manic pressure in and around the ball doesn’t cut it.
Finals, however, suit the Malthouse game plan. The finals atmosphere and intensity prods and probes at both teams and the individuals within them, looking for points of weakness. The pressure goes through the roof and even the simplest things become difficult, which in turn assists a team that relies on high-pressure football.
When the Magpies do what they do, very few teams can cope with the pressure that generates. It is Collingwood’s “unique trait”, as it has been with every Malthouse-coached team.
And in his article, Martin Flanagan makes the point that Hawthorn now plays a similar style, and also has the stars to turn a game, which may just be enough to get over Geelong - remembering of course that Collingwood's high-pressure game style is the only one which has beaten Geelong this year, and how close it got them in the prelim last year.
Which makes for an interesting couple of weeks football. But more importantly, what does this mean for the Crows? Isn't this what was missing from their Elimination final performance? Should they go man on man more often? Do they have the players to do it?
I've said before, it seems to me with the Crows that their game style means they are good at creating opportunities, they are just not good enough at taking those opportunities when they arise. In other words, their zone-based gameplan consistently gets them into the finals, but perhaps they need more of a man-on-man style once they get there.
Thoughts?
If you don't have success in the H&A, you can't make the finals. So it actually means a great deal! We've ticked the box re H&A, now we have to go the next level and tick the finals box too. Don't forget MM has been at this coaching caper at this level for a long time, and whilst he's seen as a guru, he still hasn't achieved with Collingwood, what everyone expected he would. He's got them there and there abouts, but still no silverware. Craigy has only been at it for 5 years and he's got us there and there abouts too.
