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One of the most thought-provoking posts of the past week was from Werewolf . Well, to be honest it was more the article that he provided a link for, but I'm grateful to him for posting it here.
For those who missed it, it's worth a read, because it's pretty topical:
Our topsy-turvy form so far this year may be attributable to a whole lot of things, such as youth, the hubs, the disrupted fixture, the sub-tropical conditions, injuries, selection mysteries and so on. Those factors are important and probably worth a separate thread of its own - well away from the short-lived rapture or cranky disappointment that inevitably fills the weekly post-mortems.
However the issue of leadership underpins it all. Leaders set standards, pull players into line, bind the team together, build confidence in each other, get them to play to their potential, recognise each individual's quirks and hot buttons (and know when to press them). They emphasise the positives and the possibilities when players are down and they bring them back to earth when they're drinking their own bathwater. Through all this they help maintain a consistent level of performance and effort. And if they're really good at it they can even help them play better than they knew they could. A bit like 2016 really.
I think we're missing the leadership we need right now. The club's management and administration is fine - it's the footy leadership I'm talking about. The stuff we watch each week. What I saw tonight was not just a side on its heels against one that was up and about, but also a side that seemed to lack cohesion and confidence in each other.
The contrast between the two sides was striking. I couldn't help making some inferences about the leadership of the respective sides. I might be wrong about that, but I think it's worth an ongoing discussion. One we can perhaps come back to every few weeks as the season progresses.
There are obviously two people to look at here - Luke Beveridge and Marcus Bontempelli.
In 2015 and 2016 there's no doubt it was all about Bevo. Perhaps unfairly it was only a little about Wood.
Bevo was new, he was refreshing (that wasn't hard after BMac), he operated on another plane, he talked in parables and strange metaphors, he encouraged expression and enjoyment, he got players to believe in themselves and each other. He was lucky enough to have at his disposal a good blend of head-down, mostly no-nonsense older players (MBoyd, Morris, Murphy, Picken, Wood, Roughead) and some very talented newer players with the irrepressible self-belief of youth (Macrae, Stringer, Bontempelli, Hunter, JJ, Dunkley, Liberatore, Daniel, Dahlhaus, McLean, etc). They all set out on a history-making journey in 2016 and looked like they were about to embark on an era of football dominance. Lots of words have been written about how that hasn't materialised, without any really conclusive answer emerging. And here we are four years later with still no steady trajectory either up or down. Neither from season to season nor from week to week. We are world-beaters one week, chumps the next.
I'm still trying to crystallise a complete picture but here's what what I want to throw out for discussion right now. It might change as I think about it more, or as I read your own responses.
Are they the right match?
So what does it mean? What should we do about it?
For those who missed it, it's worth a read, because it's pretty topical:
Not Worth A Thread - Random Bulldog Discussion
He's doing a sterling job. Carn Dannnnnn!!!
www.bigfooty.com
Our topsy-turvy form so far this year may be attributable to a whole lot of things, such as youth, the hubs, the disrupted fixture, the sub-tropical conditions, injuries, selection mysteries and so on. Those factors are important and probably worth a separate thread of its own - well away from the short-lived rapture or cranky disappointment that inevitably fills the weekly post-mortems.
However the issue of leadership underpins it all. Leaders set standards, pull players into line, bind the team together, build confidence in each other, get them to play to their potential, recognise each individual's quirks and hot buttons (and know when to press them). They emphasise the positives and the possibilities when players are down and they bring them back to earth when they're drinking their own bathwater. Through all this they help maintain a consistent level of performance and effort. And if they're really good at it they can even help them play better than they knew they could. A bit like 2016 really.
I think we're missing the leadership we need right now. The club's management and administration is fine - it's the footy leadership I'm talking about. The stuff we watch each week. What I saw tonight was not just a side on its heels against one that was up and about, but also a side that seemed to lack cohesion and confidence in each other.
The contrast between the two sides was striking. I couldn't help making some inferences about the leadership of the respective sides. I might be wrong about that, but I think it's worth an ongoing discussion. One we can perhaps come back to every few weeks as the season progresses.
There are obviously two people to look at here - Luke Beveridge and Marcus Bontempelli.
In 2015 and 2016 there's no doubt it was all about Bevo. Perhaps unfairly it was only a little about Wood.
Bevo was new, he was refreshing (that wasn't hard after BMac), he operated on another plane, he talked in parables and strange metaphors, he encouraged expression and enjoyment, he got players to believe in themselves and each other. He was lucky enough to have at his disposal a good blend of head-down, mostly no-nonsense older players (MBoyd, Morris, Murphy, Picken, Wood, Roughead) and some very talented newer players with the irrepressible self-belief of youth (Macrae, Stringer, Bontempelli, Hunter, JJ, Dunkley, Liberatore, Daniel, Dahlhaus, McLean, etc). They all set out on a history-making journey in 2016 and looked like they were about to embark on an era of football dominance. Lots of words have been written about how that hasn't materialised, without any really conclusive answer emerging. And here we are four years later with still no steady trajectory either up or down. Neither from season to season nor from week to week. We are world-beaters one week, chumps the next.
I'm still trying to crystallise a complete picture but here's what what I want to throw out for discussion right now. It might change as I think about it more, or as I read your own responses.
Are they the right match?
- Bevo and Bont don't form a good leadership complement. They're too much alike. Or perhaps it's that Bont is too intent on following the Bevo model right now rather than his own.
- Complementary leadership styles are useful. One type doesn't necessarily fit all. Sometimes you need encouragement and an arm around you. Sometimes you need some straight talking. Sometimes you tune out from one voice but you're still hearing the other one.
- Bont has had leadership thrust on him at a very young age. I don't think he's quite ready. He still has a lot to learn about himself and about leadership.
- I do think he'll get there. He has all the right qualities. But it might take another year or two.
- Another year of Wood as captain might have been a better idea than we had imagined.
- Too early or not, it's been done - so we have to press on. No going back now.
- The problem is compounded by the lack of any solid lieutenants. When Hunter is your best option for V-C you know the offerings are thin. So Bont is carrying most of the burden himself.
- He is having his worst year in terms of playing performance since his debut year as an 18yo. Not terrible but nothing like the last few years. Hip problem, taggers and other factors might be affecting him but I'm pretty sure the leadership burden is also a factor in his loss of form.
- The Bevo magic is wearing thin. He can't sustain the narrative to keep them playing at the elevated level of 2016 - and perhaps it's unfair to expect it.
- Without that magic Bevo is just a good to middling AFL coach. Not the worst but certainly not the best strategically (long term) or tactically (week to week).
- We can talk about youth etc but surely some of the inconsistency and erratic level of effort comes back to the coach.
- Bevo is polarising. Most players get behind him (and vice versa) but he inexplicably loses some players. Why is that? For all his EQ, is he unable to manage and get the best out of the full diversity of players, and in particular some divergent types? Think of Stringer, Dahlhaus, Roughead, maybe others. For example, how would a young Dusty Martin go trying to develop under Bevo? Would he blossom as he has at Richmond? (I don't know the answer, but it's a nagging thought)
- By contrast Richmond has a leadership team that includes Hardwick, Cotchin and Martin who seem to me to have more complementary but settled styles. When I think back to Werewolf's posted link and see the modern Richmond emerging after 2016 following a chaotic few decades of misadventures, I wonder ... was leadership the magic ingredient that made it all happen?
So what does it mean? What should we do about it?
- There's no doubt we have to press on with whatever 2020 brings. Nothing much can change for the rest of 2020, apart from some more learning.
- We mustn't change captains. Somehow we need some mentorship for the Bont, but it can't come from Bevo. Can't think of any club figures off the top of my head - not Murphy, Grant, Darcy, Johnno or any of those. Perhaps someone from another sport?
- Bont also needs a strong, complementary deputy or two. I'm thinking Libba mainly, but Wallis as well. Share it around, Marcus.
- We're stuck with Bevo aren't we? I hope I'm wrong but I can't see us getting back to the pinnacle under him, even with the impressive list we have (and one that'll only get better with JUH next year). Finals maybe but top 4 might be a stretch, when in fact we really should be camped in the top 4 year on year by now.
- Failing that, we need a change of coaches working under him. That might just be enough ... and might even help Bevo rise to new levels. King is OK and perhaps could remain, but I think we could do with some hard-nosed types who can bring in fresh ideas to the coaching box (if he'll tolerate them) and some new narratives and approaches for the players.
- I have little confidence any of this will happen. Hope I'm wrong.
But he says it's possible to create a successful team environment by adopting the qualities of the greatest sports leaders of all time: doggedness, selflessness, emotional control, principled dissent, functional leadership and practical communication.
"Leadership is actually very simple. It's a behaviour pattern, but really anyone can change their behaviour, and that's what blew me away about these captains," he adds.
"They lived at different times, different sports, completely different backgrounds, even personalities, but they all learned through trial and error that this is how you do it."
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