The Royal Sampler
Floreat Pica, Bitch!
Our biggest priority in the offseason, in my opinion, should be a specialist midfield coach. Our midfield is dysfunctional, and yet we are poised to pour resources into Reef and Nick Daicos over the next two years, while older stalwarts see out their careers. We can’t afford to **** this up like we have arguably six (6!) first round picks dedicated to our midfield in Scharenberg, Freeman, Treloar and Beams, which yielded only Treloar as a viable best 22 player.
At present, Treloar is an excellent, run all day, burst mid but no good at centre clearances and better off not kicking the ball.
Grundy is an AA ruckman who becomes another midfielder as soon as the ball hits the ground, but allegedly has been coached not to take possession after the tap this year... despite the tap not being his strength.
Sidebottom is slow and better used on a wing or a flank, then joining back in for stoppages around the ground.
Elliott has lost his weapons as a forward and is probably more effective as a midfielder, yet lacks the size to move an opponent in the middle.
Sier has the skills but lacks the tank and to date is too frequently on the trainer’s table.
Pendlebury is a wonderful player in his twilight, but not quick, and tends to be more the second possession player or link man than the bullocking type at this stage because his ball use is so good.
Adams is the opposite, he’s the ball-first mid who is better off dishing to Pendlebury, Elliott or Treloar.
De Goey has more runs on the board as a forward, but can put in midfield cameos, usually when we are already struggling for answers.
We have a bunch of players with different strengths and deficiencies, and they’re not meshing together as a unit. We’re trying to force square pegs into round holes. Modern coaching is about putting players into positions to succeed, and we seem to be incapable of doing that in order to stick to some pre-ordained structure which isn’t working.
I don’t know if it needs a gofundme page to get off the ground, but if the way forward is through Reef and Nicky D, we are going to have to coach them properly. Nick Daicos has already spoken about the positive influence Budha Hocking has had on him, and yet he was jettisoned with COVID cutbacks. I want to see a proper midfield coach installed, not just whoever is on rotation from their last assignment.
At present, Treloar is an excellent, run all day, burst mid but no good at centre clearances and better off not kicking the ball.
Grundy is an AA ruckman who becomes another midfielder as soon as the ball hits the ground, but allegedly has been coached not to take possession after the tap this year... despite the tap not being his strength.
Sidebottom is slow and better used on a wing or a flank, then joining back in for stoppages around the ground.
Elliott has lost his weapons as a forward and is probably more effective as a midfielder, yet lacks the size to move an opponent in the middle.
Sier has the skills but lacks the tank and to date is too frequently on the trainer’s table.
Pendlebury is a wonderful player in his twilight, but not quick, and tends to be more the second possession player or link man than the bullocking type at this stage because his ball use is so good.
Adams is the opposite, he’s the ball-first mid who is better off dishing to Pendlebury, Elliott or Treloar.
De Goey has more runs on the board as a forward, but can put in midfield cameos, usually when we are already struggling for answers.
We have a bunch of players with different strengths and deficiencies, and they’re not meshing together as a unit. We’re trying to force square pegs into round holes. Modern coaching is about putting players into positions to succeed, and we seem to be incapable of doing that in order to stick to some pre-ordained structure which isn’t working.
I don’t know if it needs a gofundme page to get off the ground, but if the way forward is through Reef and Nicky D, we are going to have to coach them properly. Nick Daicos has already spoken about the positive influence Budha Hocking has had on him, and yet he was jettisoned with COVID cutbacks. I want to see a proper midfield coach installed, not just whoever is on rotation from their last assignment.
