Sprays and Respect

[Western Cat]

When players make mistakes, as ours have done far too often this season, it's natural to feel annoyed/angry/dissatisfied, but I question the value of "the spray".
Does it fix the clanger? No, what's done is done.
Does it make the recipient feel good and positive toward the sprayer? No.
Does it harm relationships within the team? I suspect it does.

Sure there's a time and place for giving constructive feedback, making suggestions etc but the reality is people are motivated by positive support and encouragement far more than they are by being told off/yelled at or abused.

Respect needs to be earnt but it also needs to be offered. Kids need to grow in confidence and ability and to be given a chance by older players.
I watched my nephew struggle through a few years at an AFL team and believe he wasn't given a fair go by his team mates. They'd kick around him or over him, ignore him when a handball was on and just seem to freeze him out. Not surprisingly he didn't make it, playing less than 20 games in 5 years and being delisted.

 

[jess_555]

I think it's easier said than done to stop giving 'sprays' to your team mates. I mean if your on a team with Steve Johnson I don't think you could not give him a bit of a spray. lol I don't really think it is to much of a problem. I just think they are jolly frustrated like us fans!!! And yeah I know it probably doesn't help the team but it would be hard to keep it bottled up. I'm pretty sure Thompson told the player to be more vocal on the field earlier in the season.

 

[GeeCat]

If you can't handle a spray or being told off, then maybe you aren't psychologically equipped for the game (or even life, some might say).

There are instances where it is unwarranted, true, and where a more positive quip is perhaps on the cards, but to seek nothing but praise and all other forms of positive re-inforcement alone is to chase a shadow in life. I assume this thread has been born on the back of Scarlett's ridiculous abuse toward Blake on the weekend, and whilst I don't condone what Matty did (far from it, actually), this whole issue is about as weak as the one who can't handle a decent scolding.

 

[Larakin15]

I dont think the issue is weak at all, it highlights the main issues that are holding this club back from being a powerhouse, that being the culture amongst the players. Do u think that after getting a pathetic and unnecessary spray like that from Scarlett, Blake would be willing to put everything on the line for him next time?? Same with SJ after Abletts spray.

The players are out of control and have no discipline whatsoever - what was Mooney doing with his head to that guy after being reported 3 times this year already??? Not reportable no, but stupid and undisciplined to put himself in that situation.

Discipline covers many areas - the discipline to encourage teammates when they make errors instead of spraying them, the discipline to run just as hard when chasing our men as we do when we have the ball, the discipline to train as hard as they can and do a bit extra (to all u Gazza lovers, he trains just as hard as his dad did, enough said..)...

Rant over, feel much better, not a bad first post... )

 

[Reg Hickey]

I dont think the issue is weak at all, it highlights the main issues that are holding this club back from being a powerhouse, that being the culture amongst the players. Do u think that after getting a pathetic and unnecessary spray like that from Scarlett, Blake would be willing to put everything on the line for him next time?? Same with SJ after Abletts spray.

The players are out of control and have no discipline whatsoever - what was Mooney doing with his head to that guy after being reported 3 times this year already??? Not reportable no, but stupid and undisciplined to put himself in that situation.

Discipline covers many areas - the discipline to encourage teammates when they make errors instead of spraying them, the discipline to run just as hard when chasing our men as we do when we have the ball, the discipline to train as hard as they can and do a bit extra (to all u Gazza lovers, he trains just as hard as his dad did, enough said..)...

Rant over, feel much better, not a bad first post... )

Good first post - well done!

Ling was on SEN this morning and they asked him about the onfield abuse. He said that it wasn't a problem (as they all have), although he then said that sometimes the messages to be delivered weren't delivered in the best way - a quiet word or a bit of encouragement might sometimes be better than a spray.

I agree with what you say about discipline - some of those blokes need to seriously pull their heads in. Big egos inflated by small town worship and a blindly faithful coach.

 

[Larakin15]

They keep saying it isnt a problem, but it clearly is, as our supporters are seeing and hearing it with their own eyes/ears. Although i havent played AFL, i play local footy, and i can tell u that there is nothing better than hearing the other team spraying each other and arguing, it is then that u know that u have got their measure.

 

[GeeCat]

I dont think the issue is weak at all, it highlights the main issues that are holding this club back from being a powerhouse, that being the culture amongst the players. Do u think that after getting a pathetic and unnecessary spray like that from Scarlett, Blake would be willing to put everything on the line for him next time?? Same with SJ after Abletts spray.

Never condoned the spray Scarlett sent Blake's way, but the comment was more in regard to spray's in general, something Western Cat contends is out of place as a whole.

There is a time and place for each of these, I acknowledge that, but don't expect to receive a pat on the back or a nudge of encouragement everytime. Again, sometimes a decent scolding is not out of place, given the proper time and proper context.

 

[Larakin15]

Never condoned the spray Scarlett sent Blake's way, but the comment was more in regard to spray's in general, something Western Cat contends is out of place as a whole.

There is a time and place for each of these, I acknowledge that, but don't expect to receive a pat on the back or a nudge of encouragement everytime. Again, sometimes a decent scolding is not out of place, given the proper time and proper context.

Fair enough. My overall point is that to have a premiership team you need 22 blokes that are willing to do absolutely anything for each other on the field. At the moment its clear we dont have that at Geelong and it needs to change somehow. Dont want to bring up Hunt again, but compare his effort at that stage of the game to Leo Barry's effort in the dying stagesof the Granny last year - willing to do anything for his mates to win the game.