Opinion So What Is Player Development?

[Kreuuuzeurns]

question. Last pre-season (2013) Levi cannoned into a BL player and seriously hurt them. What effect did that have on Levi?
The season before that incident he was getting games and we were excited about his prospects.
After that incident it appears his intensity etc dropped away.

Am I just imagining this?

I don't think it was necessarily that moment but he does seem like a BFG more so than an intimidating big bloke. The games best KPF do have a bit of grit in them (Buddy, Cloke, Walker etc.) that can't be taught.

 

[thylacine60]

Bump

 

[zeeCFC]

I believe it's an old wooden ship...

 

[thylacine60]

neither thread nor posters seem to have developed at all...

 

[Deep Blue]

I don't think we have been so great at this in the past. But in saying that, what is it we haven't been so great at? Does it start with selection of our youngsters? I'm thinking yes. What else?

• nutrition & health/fitness
• home-life & lifestyle
• psych/emotional issues
• the fine line between pushing forward & pulling back
• tolerating failure/validating successes
• understanding one template doesn't fit all
• mentoring
• motivation

What do you think we do well, do less well? Go your hardest.

Not sure we're all that good with the psych/emotional issues - younger people are potentially fragile given they've usually just left home and can feel a bit displaced and on their own, particularly when they see or indirectly hear about articles in the news media that aren't all that flattering towards them - Watson wouldn't be feeling all that good at the moment. Regular psycholgical support from a trained professional is important.

We have a mentoring program - don't know if it's all that structured though: has to have a structured component (at the very least regular informal meetings) with a mentor who is carefully matched.

Important to understand that one template doesn't fit all - the cookie-cutter approach will burn many along the way.

Strong believer in the capacity of meditation to help focus the mind - again that's where the psychological support would come in.

Look at what happened at Geelong with GA Jnr - he wasn't all that good a player until his team-mates turned him around; would love to see Gibbs have that sort of epiphany!

Body, mind and soul - it's a package deal!

 

[Blue Flame]

Not sure we're all that good with the psych/emotional issues - younger people are potentially fragile given they've usually just left home and can feel a bit displaced and on their own, particularly when they see or indirectly hear about articles in the news media that aren't all that flattering towards them - Watson wouldn't be feeling all that good at the moment. Regular psycholgical support from a trained professional is important.

Agree.
However, for the best development of the players, I think the psychologists should take an active hand in preparing the boys for what's ahead, not a passive safeguard and support role.

 

[BuxbaumBixby]

Reckon this analysis is overcomplicating things.

Leadership and as a by-product - culture.

It's the commonality of any successful team in any sport.

We have had a leadership void for years. It takes more than one or two guys.

 

[Kreuuuzeurns]

Body, mind and soul - it's a package deal!

This just screams Kouta! We really need him back at the club. Maybe a half-assistant half-mentor type role, he'd fix a lot of these problems. He's been through the highs (a flag) and the lows (injury, retirement and therefore depression) and knows how the AFL works.

He's probably moved on from footy now, he does run a fit club and is most likely happy with his life. What a great he was though.

 

[BM123]

Casboult's hurt a few blokes.

Tappa !!

 

[BlueJet]

I don't think it was necessarily that moment but he does seem like a BFG more so than an intimidating big bloke. The games best KPF do have a bit of grit in them (Buddy, Cloke, Walker etc.) that can't be taught.

Cloke/Walker/Brown all naturally have a bit of mongrel/aggression in them which leaves the opposition wary and make their teammates walk taller.. Buddy trying to be the intimidator at the weekend was just embarrassing to watch.

 

[BM123]

question. Last pre-season (2013) Levi cannoned into a BL player and seriously hurt them. What effect did that have on Levi?
The season before that incident he was getting games and we were excited about his prospects.
After that incident it appears his intensity etc dropped away.

Am I just imagining this?

Casboult seriously hurt a Bulldogs player once and he also drove his knee into Buntine from GWS.

 

[chelseacarlton]

I haven't seen murph rally the troops internally /externally except for the last 2 games last year! and win those games off his own foot!!
Is that enough for the doubters?

 

[BM123]

You need more then one leader to help out though. No point bagging Murph when Hodge played plenty of ordinary games last year. Hodge had his bacon saved by Mitchell and others quite a few times.

For example he had 15 touches against Geelong in the preliminary while Mitchell pulled the Hawk over the line in the last quarter with Shaun B.