Michaels
Brownlow Medallist
- Feb 4, 2006
- 16,388
- 49,981
- AFL Club
- Richmond
Hey guys,
Just want to hear from any other coaches out there who made Grand Finals this year, how did you all go? any feel good stories?
I coach Under 16's and we won the flag last Sunday, first Under 16 flag in our clubs history!!
But it didnt come easily. The team i have was meant to be Under 15's, but a few kids were poached away to other clubs early on in pre season (luckily we still managed to keep a really good core group together). Things were looking bleak, and our Under 16's had excess players.
We tried to merge with other struggling clubs around us but everyone was keen to stand on their own, so with 3 weeks left until our first grading game we merged my 15's with the Under 16's who didnt make the div 1 side to form a Under 16's div 2 side.
We worked hard to bond them, and teach them what they needed to know, but with such little time between getting together and the season starting we knew we were going to be a work in progress side.
We ended up finishing second, we played the top team 3 times during the year. lost 2 and won 1. We then played them in the first semi final and we went down by 12 points (one of our guys had to be taken away in an ambulance due to a bad knock to the head and we lost 6 minutes with a 5-6 goal breeze). But even after the loss in the semi we were confident we could beat them if we had to face them in the Grand Final.
We won the Prelim and faced the top side again in the Grand Final. We played a fantastic team game and ended up winning by 12 points. Our last quarter against the wind was amazing. At the 10 minute mark we lost our best player (who still got BOG award) with a late knock to the head, once again ambulance had to be called, but the boys re grouped and got the job done!
Any other good stories out there?
Just want to hear from any other coaches out there who made Grand Finals this year, how did you all go? any feel good stories?
I coach Under 16's and we won the flag last Sunday, first Under 16 flag in our clubs history!!
But it didnt come easily. The team i have was meant to be Under 15's, but a few kids were poached away to other clubs early on in pre season (luckily we still managed to keep a really good core group together). Things were looking bleak, and our Under 16's had excess players.
We tried to merge with other struggling clubs around us but everyone was keen to stand on their own, so with 3 weeks left until our first grading game we merged my 15's with the Under 16's who didnt make the div 1 side to form a Under 16's div 2 side.
We worked hard to bond them, and teach them what they needed to know, but with such little time between getting together and the season starting we knew we were going to be a work in progress side.
We ended up finishing second, we played the top team 3 times during the year. lost 2 and won 1. We then played them in the first semi final and we went down by 12 points (one of our guys had to be taken away in an ambulance due to a bad knock to the head and we lost 6 minutes with a 5-6 goal breeze). But even after the loss in the semi we were confident we could beat them if we had to face them in the Grand Final.
We won the Prelim and faced the top side again in the Grand Final. We played a fantastic team game and ended up winning by 12 points. Our last quarter against the wind was amazing. At the 10 minute mark we lost our best player (who still got BOG award) with a late knock to the head, once again ambulance had to be called, but the boys re grouped and got the job done!
Any other good stories out there?