How do we keep our momentum?

[SriLankanCat]

I know people are worried that we have peaked early but lets think about it. Most teams that have made the GF the last decade have done well throughout the year, they may have had their slumps but when it came to the crunch they stood up. Remember other teams that stumble into the finals are often burnt out by the effort they have to put in to just get there and end up stumbling out anyway. Id rather Geelong get in there comfortably than burn so much energy by getting there with a last gasp effort.

I been thinking about ways to keep the team fresh and enthusiastic to avoid a slump.

1. Rest key players between round 16-19. e.g. Give Bartel a week off, then G Ablett the week after, then Scarlett, then Mooney etc. Maybe rest 2 key players a week. Of course the down side is u may lost continuity however you still have the last 3 rounds to get that back. Another catch is u dont wanan do anyones brownlow chances harm so u have to consider that.

2. Dont rest players but play them in different positions. E,g, put Mooney down back, Scarlett up forward etc. Just to give them some variety and flexibility.

3. Give the boys a week off training sometime during that period.

Of course all of this is conditional on us being comfortably in the 8. Also we dont wanna do our top 4 or top 2 chance s any damage so its not a simple solution.

 

[MmkMrMackie]

They're professionals. I expect them to go hard week in, week out. If they're good enough, they should be able to go for the whole year. It's not the physical side of things I'm worried about, it's the mental. If all goes to plan, they can look forward to a break in the second week of the finals series.

 

[Duskfire]

Many many teams have gone throughout the year playing good consistent football; Adelaide from last year is a very over-used excuse that is more the exception then the rule. Adelaide not only ran into some fatigue but horrendous amount of injuries - in short they were very unlucky. You only have to look at the years that Port Adelaide finished top to know that - while they may have choked during alot of those finals games, that was more mental then anything physical.

If Geelong keep on playing well, they will be fine. We will lose a game here and there, and we have the depth to make up for a couple of injuries. The only thing we should really about regarding Geelong is the mental issue, and only they can prepare thmselves for that.

 

[Bryceson]

Resting players won't do anythign but harm. I think we have the strength of mind to keep going.

We will loose one eventually, that isn't the problem. The test will be how we come back ther next week from that, and if we turn it into a form slump or not.

 

[a.f.k.a.y.o.p.]

I know people are worried that we have peaked early but lets think about it. Most teams that have made the GF the last decade have done well throughout the year, they may have had their slumps but when it came to the crunch they stood up. Remember other teams that stumble into the finals are often burnt out by the effort they have to put in to just get there and end up stumbling out anyway. Id rather Geelong get in there comfortably than burn so much energy by getting there with a last gasp effort.

I been thinking about ways to keep the team fresh and enthusiastic to avoid a slump.

1. Rest key players between round 16-19. e.g. Give Bartel a week off, then G Ablett the week after, then Scarlett, then Mooney etc. Maybe rest 2 key players a week. Of course the down side is u may lost continuity however you still have the last 3 rounds to get that back. Another catch is u dont wanan do anyones brownlow chances harm so u have to consider that.

2. Dont rest players but play them in different positions. E,g, put Mooney down back, Scarlett up forward etc. Just to give them some variety and flexibility.

3. Give the boys a week off training sometime during that period.

Of course all of this is conditional on us being comfortably in the 8. Also we dont wanna do our top 4 or top 2 chance s any damage so its not a simple solution.

Never ever rest players.
Your fit, you play - thats their job. If they fatigue after 22 weeks the fitness and conditioning staff are to be questioned.
Every win is vital - so the best team is required on the paddock every week.
Nuff Said.

 

[Hood007]

Never ever rest players.
Your fit, you play - thats their job. If they fatigue after 22 weeks the fitness and conditioning staff are to be questioned.
Every win is vital - so the best team is required on the paddock every week.
Nuff Said.

Couldn't have said it better.

 

[sarah.13]

Everybody will need to be match hardened come finals time,this is not the time to muck around with the side.The more they play together the better the team work,understanding of each other will be.

 

[Hood007]

Everybody will need to be match hardened come finals time,this is not the time to muck around with the side.The more they play together the better the team work,understanding of each other will be.

Apparently she could YOP...

 

[cats2rise]

We could give them a Gold Sticker after every win.

 

[Stripey PJs]

We could give them a Gold Sticker after every win.

Sabrina Ferilli promised her team a public striptease if they won the Serie A, which they did. Perhaps Mr Somers could vow never to return to hosting gigs?

SriLankanCat, what YOP said. Theoretically the rotational idea's attractive, but players are influenced by emotion and you're subliminally sending a message that is just wrong. You can't pick a team at 90% strength and expect your weaker players to give 100%. Maybe it's of benefit in the mentally exhaustive game of cricket, but not in a contact sport requiring players to commit their bodies to every contest.
Only fresh meat or veterans should ever be rested.

I do like your third point. Grant Thomas was heavily slammed for taking the Saints to the movies and losing the following week, after 10 successive wins. Personally I thought his rationale was sound, but he erred in his methodology: I've never walked out of a cinema feeling reinvigorated.
Bomber should break out the soccer ball and play a friendly. Has the same effect of freshening the mind and spirit, without players sitting on their arses.

Or we can just keep posting "this is the match we usually lose" threads.

 

[Team Chemistry]

i think the biggest factor on keeping our momentum is all between the ears

as we all know in seasons gone by we tend to get ahead of ourselves, and as much as the club assures that is not going on this year, i will not FULLY believe it until i see an entire season of it
having said that im STOKED with the way the boys r goin atm, lovin their style and think exciting times r ahead

but i also think we started to look very tired at the end of the swans game, granted we had numerous injuries that was really taking its toll, but i still think we might be heading toward a burn out - so i wouldnt mind seeing some rotations occur, especially as i think if we get injuries late in the season we'll have to call on the likes of prismall and hunt to fill in the spots, and it would be good to see them have a bit of afl match practise in them before it comes - so in that case i wouldnt mind seeing a steady rotation between now and the end of the season

but whatever happens let's just hope they keep doin what they're doin, coz u cant fault them on the way they're going atm

adios