Team building criticisms

[hellfire]

I'm pretty sure I'm not dreaming it, but prior to the 2007 season, I remember hearing how Geelong sat down as a team and were asked to point out one positive and one negative about each player (and staff member as well from memory). Players spoke of how hearing their teammates criticize an aspect of their game really hit home, and forced them to improve in that area in order to avoid letting the team down.

I think something like this could really help our side, because reading in that other thread about how Cam Wood (sorry to single you out, Cam ) needs to be snapped into line in regards to his work ethic, perhaps it's their teammates that can really make a difference.

What criticisms would you give certain players if you were a part of the team? And what compliment to the same player?

An example I most remember was: Gary Ablett Jr. doesn't work hard enough on the training track. He rectified this, and became the best player in the league.

For us, something like: Scotty Pendlebury needs to attack the ball harder at ground level. He is a real leader and fantastic player, but to take the next step to being an elite player, he needs to attack the ball like it's his.

Alan Didak really needs to chase harder defensively, and apply the sort of pressure we see from guys like Leon Davis. He's a brilliant player offensively, one of the most creative going around, but if he can just put his head down and really chase hard, he'll be more valuable to the team that he already is.

Dale Thomas needs to learn that he can't do it all himself. The lesson seems to be getting through a bit lately, but there is a way to go. His flair, creativty and attack on the ball cannot be questioned, and consistency is something that will come with experience (and a bigger body), but for now, he needs to consider taking the first option when under pressure, rather than trying to weave around too many opponents, because a run down from the opposition can have an enormous swing in momentum.

Etc.

 

[Optimax]

Cloke needs to learn he cant keep wasting the midfields and his own work, with lax kicking for goal

Anthony most learn that he needs to make space for other forwards and draw defenders away, as well as make an option himself. Too often he gets in the way of other forwards

Dawes, needs to learn he is no longer the number 1 target and isnt the biggest out there anymore. Play in front more and keep working into more dangerous spots

 

[Dave The Man]

I'm pretty sure I'm not dreaming it, but prior to the 2007 season, I remember hearing how Geelong sat down as a team and were asked to point out one positive and one negative about each player (and staff member as well from memory). Players spoke of how hearing their teammates criticize an aspect of their game really hit home, and forced them to improve in that area in order to avoid letting the team down.

I think something like this could really help our side, because reading in that other thread about how Cam Wood (sorry to single you out, Cam ) needs to be snapped into line in regards to his work ethic, perhaps it's their teammates that can really make a difference.

What criticisms would you give certain players if you were a part of the team? And what compliment to the same player?

Good Idea because coming from a Player might mean more then just a Coach telling you your faults

 

[Snag Breac]

What an excellent, clever thread! Should make great reading.

 

[Boris the Contradiction]

Not criticising you mate because I think it is a worthwhile thing for the club to do not the fans. I think most people who regularly visit BigFooty will know that a good number of posts about certain players criticising them are in the most part wrong/misguided and coming from simply not liking the player. Every player in the competition has weaknesses in his game, some just less than other ala Ablett/Judd. I reiterate that this is worthwhile to do and perhaps should be suggested to the club by someone in the sanctum but there would be no use in Sharrod jumping on here, having people bashing his tagging ability because he's tagged once and was smashed by a legend. We all know thats whats gonna happen.

I think its important to remember (and a lot of people on here forget) that we are still a side that is building. We have completely turned over our list in 3 seasons and thats not job done yet. People saying we have been neglectful of the midfield in our recruiting forget that we have Pendles, Clarke, Thomas and others and we've just drafted Beams and Sidebottom. We used to recruit bad but we don't anymore and it is ridiculous to say that we have been neglectful of certain aspects in our rebuild when we haven't completely rebuilt yet. I know this last paragraph is a bit off topic but I think its ridiculous for people to be criticising our recruiting because we're not as good as Geelong and Hawthorn yet when their list average age is probably 2-4 years more than ours. We're getting there people and the NAB CUP grand final is significant but not that significant, we're not a 76 point lesser side than Geelong as they werent an 86 point lesser side than we were last season. It was a bad game and we should be optimistic about an extremely talented list that is getting there and stop finiding ways to knock them.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

For us, something like: Scotty Pendlebury needs to attack the ball harder at ground level. He is a real leader and fantastic player, but to take the next step to being an elite player, he needs to attack the ball like it's his.

Pendlebury needs to improve his set shot kicking. He scored 4.0 in 2006, 20.8 in 2007, then 11.10 in 2008. For such a sublime kick of the ball, he needs to convert more often in front of goal.

 

[shawthing09]

The excercise is done by an external group called leading teams and is only part of it. It's all about taking the responsibility of preformance and putting it into the hands of the player group. It is also what resulted in the Geelong leadership group banning Steve Johnson for such a long time and Aker being banned from the handstand at the dogs.

For Collingwood as Opti said Anthony has to be more mindful of the space of other fowards.

Pendles has to attack the ground level ball with 100% conviction 100% of the time.

Cox has to work harder, attack the ground level ball harder and get fitter.

Thomas has to be more aware of passing options when running (has a tendency to take off and get carried away). Needs to get even fitter (there is no massive problem with his fitness but he needs to be able to run out games in the midfield)

Wood needs to harden the F up chopper style and provide some physical pressence, has to realise that after the ball is bounced in the center square he still has a job at the stoppages and around the grounds.

 

[hellfire]

Not criticising you mate because I think it is a worthwhile thing for the club to do not the fans. I think most people who regularly visit BigFooty will know that a good number of posts about certain players criticising them are in the most part wrong/misguided and coming from simply not liking the player. Every player in the competition has weaknesses in his game, some just less than other ala Ablett/Judd. I reiterate that this is worthwhile to do and perhaps should be suggested to the club by someone in the sanctum but there would be no use in Sharrod jumping on here, having people bashing his tagging ability because he's tagged once and was smashed by a legend. We all know thats whats gonna happen.

I think its important to remember (and a lot of people on here forget) that we are still a side that is building. We have completely turned over our list in 3 seasons and thats not job done yet. People saying we have been neglectful of the midfield in our recruiting forget that we have Pendles, Clarke, Thomas and others and we've just drafted Beams and Sidebottom. We used to recruit bad but we don't anymore and it is ridiculous to say that we have been neglectful of certain aspects in our rebuild when we haven't completely rebuilt yet. I know this last paragraph is a bit off topic but I think its ridiculous for people to be criticising our recruiting because we're not as good as Geelong and Hawthorn yet when their list average age is probably 2-4 years more than ours. We're getting there people and the NAB CUP grand final is significant but not that significant, we're not a 76 point lesser side than Geelong as they werent an 86 point lesser side than we were last season. It was a bad game and we should be optimistic about an extremely talented list that is getting there and stop finiding ways to knock them.

I said "if you were a part of the playing group", not "you as a fan". It's not going to be passed on to the players themselves like it would if the team were to do it, I'm merely curious as to how other supporters think our players can improve. It's better than simply making another "best 22" thread or making a thread about how good player X is (which results in group masturbation over the player) or how bad player Y is (which becomes a flame war and would be far worse for a player if he read it, because it's blatant abuse rather than constructive criticism).

And yes, your last paragraph is completely irrelevant. I'm not saying a word about our recruiting, I'm merely saying how I think our players can improve, and putting forth the suggestion that such an exercise is far more effective and beneficial when coming from the players themselves to each other, as opposed to a coach telling a player how to improve.

But by all means, ignore the thread and we'll just wait for our first loss of the year and start threads saying "X has got to go!", I'm sure that will do X's confidence the world of good compared to the supporter base saying, "this is what X does really well, this is what he brings to the team, however he can step up a level or two by improving this...".

Thanks for your contribution.

As for the other comments, I totally agree with Anthony and Dawes.

 

[Boris the Contradiction]

Look mate I'm not knocking you and I did say in my second paragraph that I was deviating from the subject. I never said you were knocking our recruiting, you weren't, thats why it was in the second paragraph which, "off the subject". Guess I was replying to your post and got carried away complaining about all the other useless threads ive read lately which are always so negative.

On my first paragraph, my point wasnt about you it was about the negativity that people automatically throw out in their responses. You asked for one criticism of each player AND ONE COMPLIMENT. Where are the compliments? I wasnt bagging your post i think its relevant if people will reply to it properly but no1 ever does.

 

[hellfire]

Look mate I'm not knocking you and I did say in my second paragraph that I was deviating from the subject. I never said you were knocking our recruiting, you weren't, thats why it was in the second paragraph which, "off the subject". Guess I was replying to your post and got carried away complaining about all the other useless threads ive read lately which are always so negative.

On my first paragraph, my point wasnt about you it was about the negativity that people automatically throw out in their responses. You asked for one criticism of each player AND ONE COMPLIMENT. Where are the compliments? I wasnt bagging your post i think its relevant if people will reply to it properly but no1 ever does.

Okay, no worries. You do have a point re: the compliment.

 

[the_fresh]

Firstly Pendlebury needs to learn how to beat the tag.

Thomas needs to fix the gap between his best & worst.

Bryan while I love the way he tries just needs to get smarter around the field.

 

[Snag Breac]

I have one for Marty Clarke. Now this lad is a force of nature, and he's going to be elite, not just superior. I think there's only one thing slowing his otherwise meteoric progress, and that's a wee niggle of totally understandable self-doubt.

You can see it sometimes when he's playing. He gets the ball and he's running with it and you know he's planning something something big - if not a goal himself, then a daring pass to someone on the lead. But then he hesitates, looks down or sideways and has second thoughts and just makes a short pass, because he's thinking, "I haven't been playing this game for too long. I'm not as good at this as I am at Gaelic; better leave it to the experts."

I'd tell my team mate Marty to banish those thoughts, and I'd make him watch the replay of the 1st qtr of the NAB Cup GF when he ran past Ablett, did something to him, came away with the ball and left baldy Gary stamping his foot and yelling "F**K!" ROFL!

If anyone has that footage on Youtube, I'd live to see it again.

 

[hellfire]

Agreed Snag, there isn't much you can fault Marty with, but that is one. I also see that problem with Pendlebury. He really needs to back himself more. He needs a good talking to from the likes of Leon and Thomas. He has the skills, he needs some confidence to go with it. I think this could be a factor in regards to his attack on the ball, too.

As for Obree, I have one for him. The game has started to pass him by like it did Licuria and Holland, and for the sake of the team, we need him to adapt. He's our sole clearance machine, and we love him for it, but I think he really needs to look to handball when moving forward. I'd much rather he gave it off to a Pendlebury, Didak, Clarke or Davis.

 

[Pie eyed]

Agreed Snag, there isn't much you can fault Marty with, but that is one. I also see that problem with Pendlebury. He really needs to back himself more. He needs a good talking to from the likes of Leon and Thomas. He has the skills, he needs some confidence to go with it. I think this could be a factor in regards to his attack on the ball, too.

As for Obree, I have one for him. The game has started to pass him by like it did Licuria and Holland, and for the sake of the team, we need him to adapt. He's our sole clearance machine, and we love him for it, but I think he really needs to look to handball when moving forward. I'd much rather he gave it off to a Pendlebury, Didak, Clarke or Davis.

I would think both will be better in the confidence department this season.
It takes a little while for such young players to realise they are no longer the apprentice but the Master, once they do....well lookout

Natural players like Pendles and Marty revel in the license to back themselves.