Training Pre season. Next up a VFL practice game v Williamstown at Arden St 10.30am Sat 17th Mar.

[giantroo]

 

[giantroo]

 

[giantroo]

 

[Mav]

If the low injury rate is a testament to the medical staff, does the mean we can say the medical staff has been a basket case up until now?

 

[giantroo]

 

[goalieboy82]

Your PVR is ready for takeoff.

 

[King Corey]

If the low injury rate is a testament to the medical staff, does the mean we can say the medical staff has been a basket case up until now?

 

[Snake_Baker]

LOL.

 

[Snake_Baker]

Good. I am glad we are not implementing that rubbish.

 

[MaddAdam]

I maintain we have taken the role of the laughing homosexual when it comes to TG this off season, and are now ready to unleash the savage beast on an unsuspecting competition.

A footy equivalent of when The Emperor revealed the new Death Star's weapons systems were in fact operational and the rebel fleet was sailing into a deadly trap!

 

[MaddAdam]

Good. I am glad we are not implementing that rubbish.

Yeah, fair farks to the Tigs in that they won a flag, but what won it for them was not some ground breaking small forward line.

Wot wun it was having a brilliant run with injuries, having their top two midfield talents in Cotchins and Martins (both top 3 draft picks) have simultaneous career-best seasons and hitting peak form at exactly the right time ie in September.

 

[giantroo]

 

[shintemaster]

Yeah, fair farks to the Tigs in that they won a flag, but what won it for them was not some ground breaking small forward line.

Wot wun it was having a brilliant run with injuries, having their top two midfield talents in Cotchins and Martins (both top 3 draft picks) have simultaneous career-best seasons and hitting peak form at exactly the right time ie in September.

Having a ludicrous "handicap" style fixturing system based on the previous year also helps. There's no doubt in my mind that two outside chance flags in two years is not a coincidence. Not saying they didn't play the cards they were dealt fairly BTW - just that I don't think the cards are dealt fairly.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Having a ludicrous "handicap" style fixturing system based on the previous year also helps. There's no doubt in my mind that two outside chance flags in two years is not a coincidence. Not saying they didn't play the cards they were dealt fairly BTW - just that I don't think the cards are dealt fairly.

This will continue to happen.

Anyone with a 'bottom six' draw is a good show at making the finals.

And then anything can happen.

 

[King Corey]

Yeah, fair farks to the Tigs in that they won a flag, but what won it for them was not some ground breaking small forward line.

Wot wun it was having a brilliant run with injuries, having their top two midfield talents in Cotchins and Martins (both top 3 draft picks) have simultaneous career-best seasons and hitting peak form at exactly the right time ie in September.

Oh and:

"Nothing to see here"

 

[Snake_Baker]

Yeah, fair farks to the Tigs in that they won a flag, but what won it for them was not some ground breaking small forward line.

Wot wun it was having a brilliant run with injuries, having their top two midfield talents in Cotchins and Martins (both top 3 draft picks) have simultaneous career-best seasons and hitting peak form at exactly the right time ie in September.

Cotchin shouldn't have even played in the grand final. Martin has a blinder. Arrive in the finals with only a couple of fringe players injured. Opposition sides in finals have injury issues. All home game finals.

Serendipitous is an understatement.

 

[B4Bear]

Wish we would implement ****load more skills training

Why?

Their skills are fine. In fact I would hazard a guess that there are very few, if any, AFL players who do not have amazing skills with a football.

What we need is pressure management training. The very best players are the ones who no matter how much pressure they are under execute the required skill as though it was just another training drill. In other words it is all about the individual training his mind to ignore external pressure, either real or perceived and execute accordingly.

A quick analogy:

When I am shooting on the range, I rarely if ever miss with a rifle from 25m out to about 300m. I can reliably hit the target 99/100. However, when I am placed under a time constraint of only 2 seconds per shot, I am not as accurate. Now the actions I need to perform when there is no time limit is exactly the same as when there is a time limit; yet I will miss many more shots because of the pressure I feel.

It is only after extended practice in dealing with the pressure, that I end up ignoring the pressure, and my natural shooting re-emerges.

We have two players that are perfect examples of how people react under pressure:

Ben Cunnington has some of the best hands I have seen since the days of Barry Cable. He just appears to have so much time to evaluate and execute a handball, regardless of how many people are around him.

Jack Ziebull when he receives the ball from a centre clearance hacks it forward almost every single time, regardless of the situation (or pressure he is actually under). Yet when he is under zero pressure, like a set shot for goal, he is a beautiful kick. In fact I would class him as one of the most reliable set-shots in the team.

Players' skills do not degrade when they get drafted, they just have not learnt how to maintain the skills that they have when the pressure is on. How do we fix that? No bloody idea; but I can assure you, getting them handballing and kicking to each other under pressure that is less than what they get on game-day will not solve the problem.

 

[Horizons_00]

Why?

Their skills are fine. In fact I would hazard a guess that there are very few, if any, AFL players who do not have amazing skills with a football.

What we need is pressure management training. The very best players are the ones who no matter how much pressure they are under execute the required skill as though it was just another training drill. In other words it is all about the individual training his mind to ignore external pressure, either real or perceived and execute accordingly.

A quick analogy:

When I am shooting on the range, I rarely if ever miss with a rifle from 25m out to about 300m. I can reliably hit the target 99/100. However, when I am placed under a time constraint of only 2 seconds per shot, I am not as accurate. Now the actions I need to perform when there is no time limit is exactly the same as when there is a time limit; yet I will miss many more shots because of the pressure I feel.

It is only after extended practice in dealing with the pressure, that I end up ignoring the pressure, and my natural shooting re-emerges.

We have two players that are perfect examples of how people react under pressure:

Ben Cunnington has some of the best hands I have seen since the days of Barry Cable. He just appears to have so much time to evaluate and execute a handball, regardless of how many people are around him.

Jack Ziebull when he receives the ball from a centre clearance hacks it forward almost every single time, regardless of the situation (or pressure he is actually under). Yet when he is under zero pressure, like a set shot for goal, he is a beautiful kick. In fact I would class him as one of the most reliable set-shots in the team.

Players' skills do not degrade when they get drafted, they just have not learnt how to maintain the skills that they have when the pressure is on. How do we fix that? No bloody idea; but I can assure you, getting them handballing and kicking to each other under pressure that is less than what they get on game-day will not solve the problem.

Good points. I do feel like we recruit the less silky skilled players though

 

[giantroo]

NORTH Melbourne remains undecided on its best ruck set-up ahead of round one as Todd Goldstein and Braydon Preuss prepare to press their selection claims against Richmond on Wednesday night.

North played Goldstein and Preuss in the same team at times last season, but primarily opted to go with Goldstein as its sole ruckman.

The Kangaroos again opted to ruck Goldstein on his own in their opening JLT Community Series game against Melbourne, but have recalled Preuss to play alongside the 2015 All Australian in their final pre-season game against Richmond at Ikon Park.

North coach Brad Scott told reporters the Roos' ruck set-up remained up in the air ahead of their season opener against Gold Coast on March 24.

"(In) round one whichever way we decide to go may not be the way we go round two, so we're just going to have to be flexible and open to all options and challenge 'Goldy' and 'Preussy' to push each other and get better," Scott said on Tuesday.

"It's a bit like the forward set-up. If you've got two really, really, good key forwards you tend to play them both, but if one's ahead of the other maybe your structure takes precedence.

"I can't give a definitive answer on that at the moment, but we'll certainly have a good look at both of them potentially together on the weekend, and a fair chunk where they're in isolation too."

North omitted Majak Daw from its round two JLT team after the 26-year-old played his first game as a key defender against Melbourne in Hobart two weeks ago.

Scott said Daw, who rotated between attack and the ruck in his first eight seasons at Arden St, remained "in the mix" to play in round one as a backman, but still had "a lot of work" to do on his one-on-one defending.

"We were really encouraged by some of the things he did in the first JLT game, and in fact some of the things that he's learning he's picked up really quickly in terms of modern defence," the Roos coach said.

"What he needs to learn is just some of the fundamentals of one-on-one defending and in a way they're the easiest things to coach.

"We're still really optimistic that he can play a role in our back half, but this week is not the week to do it."

Scott said North planned to largely play just 22 of its 26-man squad against the Tigers, in the aim of getting full game time into its best players ahead of round one.

The Kangaroos will have a lengthy 17-day break between Wednesday night's game and their season opener against the Suns.

Scott said North would seek AFL permission to schedule a VFL practice match against Williamstown during that time.

"I suspect there will be a number of guys who have had limited game time in the two JLT games who play in that VFL practice game," he said.

"But we'll just review the loads after this game and review everyone's individual preparation.

"It's great to have the flexibility to play another game if we need it."

Scott hoped forgotten defender Sam Wright would return in that practice match.

Wright has not played a senior game since round 11, 2016, because of recurring ankle and foot injuries.

But the North coach said the classy 27-year-old was "not too far away" from a return.

 

[Mav]

Why?

Their skills are fine. In fact I would hazard a guess that there are very few, if any, AFL players who do not have amazing skills with a football.

What we need is pressure management training. The very best players are the ones who no matter how much pressure they are under execute the required skill as though it was just another training drill. In other words it is all about the individual training his mind to ignore external pressure, either real or perceived and execute accordingly.

A quick analogy:

When I am shooting on the range, I rarely if ever miss with a rifle from 25m out to about 300m. I can reliably hit the target 99/100. However, when I am placed under a time constraint of only 2 seconds per shot, I am not as accurate. Now the actions I need to perform when there is no time limit is exactly the same as when there is a time limit; yet I will miss many more shots because of the pressure I feel.

It is only after extended practice in dealing with the pressure, that I end up ignoring the pressure, and my natural shooting re-emerges.

We have two players that are perfect examples of how people react under pressure:

Ben Cunnington has some of the best hands I have seen since the days of Barry Cable. He just appears to have so much time to evaluate and execute a handball, regardless of how many people are around him.

Jack Ziebull when he receives the ball from a centre clearance hacks it forward almost every single time, regardless of the situation (or pressure he is actually under). Yet when he is under zero pressure, like a set shot for goal, he is a beautiful kick. In fact I would class him as one of the most reliable set-shots in the team.

Players' skills do not degrade when they get drafted, they just have not learnt how to maintain the skills that they have when the pressure is on. How do we fix that? No bloody idea; but I can assure you, getting them handballing and kicking to each other under pressure that is less than what they get on game-day will not solve the problem.

Surely Cunners can provide the coaching staff with a few cattle prods?

 

[Val Keating]

Good points. I do feel like we recruit the less silky skilled players though

Because of our draft position I don’t think we’ve had the opportunity till the last couple of years.

 

[B4Bear]

Because of our draft position I don’t think we’ve had the opportunity till the last couple of years.

It appears to me, that silky skills is really the ability to perform your skills under pressure. Sure there are players like GAJ and Wells who rarely stuff it up, but that goes for most players who have no pressure placed on them.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Remain undecided on their best ruck set up?

You've had a ******* eternity to figure it out.

 

[Val Keating]

It appears to me, that silky skills is really the ability to perform your skills under pressure. Sure there are players like GAJ and Wells who rarely stuff it up, but that goes for most players who have no pressure placed on them.

I’m not sure I follow. Are you saying Wells & Gaz play without pressure on them? They’re probably to 2 highest tagged players of the last 10 years.

Or are you saying that other players get found out in the afl? Completely agree if the second is where you’re coming from. This is why there’s a bit of a push to allow a bit more afl style tactics in the TAC cup & Champs.

 

[B4Bear]

I’m not sure I follow. Are you saying Wells & Gaz play without pressure on them? They’re probably to 2 highest tagged players of the last 10 years.

Or are you saying that other players get found out in the afl? Completely agree if the second is where you’re coming from. This is why there’s a bit of a push to allow a bit more afl style tactics in the TAC cup & Champs.

I am saying both things. That they are tagged and yet still perform tells me that they perform under pressure well. Another way of looking at it is as a time and space problem. If you can control the hind-brain (that thing that tells you it is fight or flight time) long enough to dispose of the ball to advantage then you are ahead of the game.

And yes players that can not handle the pressure of AFL get found out quickly. The jump required to go from the lower rungs to AFL is huge.

Let's look at the GF last year. If you looked at the respective teams, Adelaide for all intents and purposes should have won that game. Apart from Martin, Cotchin and Rance, Adelaide looked the stronger team across the park (on paper). To counter that Hardwick's game plan involved placing the opposition under levels of pressure that they were unable to cope with. Pretty soon their skills went to s**t and they were run ragged. Once the fatigue set in from chasing their tails it was game over.

It was a masterstroke. Richmond applied sustained pressure from the first bounce and Adelaide cracked.