Skills

[strobe00]

Watching the Carlton game reminded me that ours are abso-f*ckin-lutely dire at the moment.

I remember them actually being pretty good last year. So what's changed?

Injuries are the most obvious thing. Confidence is undoubtedly another, as that's been out the window for a while now. I'm sure that both have lowered our average skill level considerably.

But are they the only reasons?

Has our emphasis changed in training? Our quick handball skills and kicking are pretty bloody terrible now. I remember them being pretty good last year.

Some of it may be down to knowing what team mates are going to do. Some is the added pressure that sides focus on putting on each other.

But are there any other explanations?

Have we sacrificed some of our skills training to do more running, tactics or talk sessions or something? If we've lost a decent skills coach or something? If we're not doing enough drills and doing too much match practice stuff?

I keep hearing that Harvs wants skilled players. If we don't already have them on the list then surely we can improve the skills of the guys that are. Do we need a specialist skills coach (or at least a part time consultant or something) and more of an emphasis on it during the week? Or do we already have these things?

Am grasping at straws here. Any help or insight would be much appreciated.

 

[BananaOnTheRun]

A lot of it is confidence, decision making under pressure. We seem to have lost the 'first thought, best thought' attribute necessary for fluid movement. It could be a simple matter of our decision making being compromised by inconsistent footy.

 

[Thistle]

The part of our game that stood out to me was our serious lack of pressure. This is what brought our game to a new level and allowed us to compete against the top sides. We made it very difficult for the opposition getting out of their back 50 and we even had a sense of "perceived" pressure in games.

However against carlton any real pressure was non-existent. We missed countless tackles and they got out of their back 50 with ease. This sort of strategy requires all players to put in a serious effort but when players are lazy (as was the case) it falls apart too easily.

 

[Seppo]

We need Keplargh back out there, the man oozes a unique set of skills and he was kicking us goals that were winning games for us.
He fools the opposition by lulling them into a false sense of security by his 'instinctive' awkwardness. A nightmare to match up on for opposition.

 

[muzzington]

Will said skills pay the bills?

 

[Reginald Perrin]

What was extremely evident is that Freo are slow. Slow to react, slow to execute disposals. Are they afraid to make a mistake maybe? The crowd was very reactive, so perhaps they will put in a better performance away. We can only hope.

On a specific note, when did Hilly forget the basics of tackling, which is to focus on a player's hips, not the ball. A basic Auskick mistake he made more than once, which was extremely disappointing.

 

[Nickos66]

Confidence, it's all between the ears. there's not much missing from our best 22 but the guys just aren't up to last years standard of commitment. They have the skills & endeavour but they've forgotten how to use it. I'm sure if the coach was sacked they'd come out the following week and steamroll whoever was in our way..

 

[yakka man]

Fitness and confidence are the main issues. Watched a bit of the game recently on TV because you miss things watching at the game. But man was it hard to watch. It was utterly pitiful; like watching a WAFL reserves team getting smashed.

 

[Lord Rod]

We've lost all confidence.The frontal attack we had last year was fantastic, this year we have become hesitant which the opposition can read like a book.. Horrid coaching..Harves can turn it around but we must return to the 2010 model quick smart..

 

[paccraig]

Will said skills pay the bills?

yes ...underrated. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99v9-4uk9ZQ

 

[PapaJ]

At the moment in the AFL, you've got the bottom couple that are basically another league (PA, Suns), and the top end (Pies, Cats) which are almost untouchable and then everybody else in the middle. Now the difference between the 'middle group' is such that you take a few good hits with injuries, a few players down on form and then you're looking ordinary very quickly - which hits confidence, which hits courage to back yourself etc. etc. which means systems break down which makes your skills look ordinary.

Case in point look at some of the Eagles who last year(s) looked like floggs, but when the machine is all working, they are suddenly look all class. Look at the Saints early in the year when it wasn't all going quite right, some very good players just looked like they didn't belong in the AFL at all.

In short, it's between the ears on an individual basis and on a collective basis too - and I don't think it's that far from coming back for us, but it's not that easy in a tight and very tough competition that is the AFL.