Fitness

[thorax]

I said this earlier in the season and I still think it is a major issue. We continually get away to great starts, hold it through the middle of the game then blow it from the second half of the third quarter to the end. Sure we have a lot of guys with limited pre-seasons (Johnsons, Rioli, Hird etc) but with the new end-to-end style of footy, I just don't think we are fit enough. Lovett-Murray yesterday ran himself to an absolute standstill in the first half, and while being servicable in the second wasn't nearly as good and looked like he ran out of puff. Stanton and Watson both continued battling to the end, but Solomon, Welsh, Bradley, and even Fletcher looked knackered by the end, and the skill errors became evident. I seriously think we need to look at our fitness department as the past 3 years now we have hardly won a last half or quarter, have had nearly the most soft-tissue injuries in the comp and continually lose our best players to hammies and groin injuries. Like it or not, these days a player has to be capable of running 10-20kms per game depending on their position and be capable of running for a full 2 hours. Next pre-season I think we need to alter our training habits and perhaps move training to a bigger ground to help with the changeover.

 

[Longy413]

We've won three out of four last quarters this season.

If we used the ball better, fitness would be a none issue. And a lack of fitness isn't the reason we are making skill errors. Nor is it a lack of skilled players, because time and time again skillful players (IE McVeigh yesterday) are making mistakes.

Whether it's a confidence thing, or just the lack of understanding between the group that comes with massive changes to the playing list, I don't know.

But in reality, our fitness is pretty good.

 

[essendon]

Sorry Longy, I agree with thorax on this one, i would like to know that stat of games missed by our players post 2000 yr with soft tissue iinjuries, i believe our fitness is an issue. Yes your right we have won 3 of 4 final quarters but how many games have we won ? One.
When have we ever had a full list to choose from since grand final year ? Each year someone critical to our team is missing because of a hammy, groin, calf or windy hill flu etc. Is it the players failing to prepare adequately themselves, is it the techniques implored by the fitness staff someone must be responsible for this,
How many hammys has Campo had at Carlton? Missed 8 with glandular fever at his time there being the most as per Herald Sun on the weekend, by Rd3 with us he already has a hammy.
St.Kilda reviewed there fitness staff in the preseason
Geelong is adjusting theirs now
Maybe its our time for review too

 

[Longy413]

Fitness and injuries are a different thing.
Neither has cost us a game this season.

We have added a new person to the fitness department every year for the last five years.

You cannot blame Quinn for the injuries to Laycock, Rioli, Cole and Johns.
You cannot blame Quinn for the injury to JJ. It's an injury he's had prior to Quinn coming to the club. McPhee came to the club with groin problems.

It's easy to focus on the negatives, but many people noted pre-season that our players are considerably bigger and physically stronger than last year. People seem to have forgot that.

Okay, we want someone to blame for being 1-3. Blame the players for missing shots on goal, for failing to hit targets by foot. Don't blame Quinn, the players are fit enough.

 

[DaSawx]

We need confidence in banging it home from 45-50 metres out. With Lloydy out, either do that, or go long to the goalsquare most of the time, put the pressure on their defence and hope for some crumbing goals, if it doesn't come off at least the ball is deep and a defensive rebound is harder to achieve. Only go to a lead if it's definite, because if we miss, which is becoming more and more likely these days, the opposition just scoops it up and they're off.

 

[thorax]

I think that the skill errors are caused because the players are tired and get"lazy", like on the golf course when you miss a short putt on the last because your body is knackered. A poorly skilled player won't improve there skill by being fitter, but a skilled player who is tired undoubtedly loses some touch.

 

[Longy413]

We've been making skill errors in the first quarter.

We really should have had our last two games won at quarter time. Fitness isn't an issue in the first quarter, we kick straight early in our last two games and no one thinks twice about how fit the players are.

 

[mustapha]

Is Winderlich fit? On occasions he seems to be a quick player but he was really struggling in the last quarter. He didn't spend a huge amount of time on the ground.