The Shark thing

[Geelong_Sicko]

Just read this Herald-Sun article on the Hawthorn board and it's got me thinking. How much harder have we got to be this year? Were we lairising on the one day when it's all-or nothing last year? Did the Hawks TREAT IT like a Grand Final while we just approached it as we would a H & A game? Bomber's stated that he hasn't met staff nor team to discuss last year's GF at all.

Is this the right approach?

Even though we were beaten by this mob and I hate the bastards, I've now got a grudging respect for Alistair Clarkson. Anyone who can gee a team up like this is doing very well. Stirring stuff.

Hope our boys can show that this Shark has plenty of aggro left in the tank. It may only be a game but I hope we can turn the water f*cking RED this September...

Clarkson's chilling Grand Final instructions to Hawks
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,25207919-19767,00.html
by Jon Ralph | March 19, 2009

HAWTHORN coach Alastair Clarkson told his underdog team to "kill the shark" in a chilling pre-match Grand Final speech with echoes of Leigh Matthews' famous Terminator (actually it was a line from Predator) line.

The instruction was Clarkson's brutal pre-match metaphor last year, seven years after Matthews used the extraordinary Arnold Schwarzenegger line, "If it bleeds, we can kill it", as a finals theme to topple all-conquering Essendon.

Clarkson's stirring pre-match, three-quarter time and post-match speeches will feature in Rob Dickson's documentary The Essence of the Game on Channel 7 tomorrow night.

The Herald Sun can reveal the contents of those speeches, as well as a mid-year crisis meeting in which Clarkson accused his players of being soft and "choosy" in their attack on contests.

The frank speeches from Clarkson, notoriously media-shy, paint the picture of an assured senior coach totally in control of his players.

Clarkson concedes after the match that his side was lucky not to be "blown out of the water" during Geelong's inaccurate second quarter.
But as he charts Hawthorn's turnaround in recent years, he concedes:

"We needed to head in a new direction. We have, and we creamed them today."

He also urges his players in his post-match debrief to be humble as winners, and clinch back-to-back premierships for hard-luck omissions Simon Taylor and Tom Murphy.

But the highlight is his emotional and intense pre-match speech.

Clarkson uses the shark metaphor to encapsulate Geelong's foreboding presence and explain his plan of stifling the Cats' constant movement.

"I tell you what's so good about playing this side on a day like today," he tells his players.

"(Geelong) hate quick, elusive forwards and we have got good ones. They hate a team that is accountable and tough and hard at the ball, and that's what we are.

"Sharks have to move forward. Sharks die if they get caught in nets because there is not water and oxygen under their gills. So as soon as they stop, they die.

"(Geelong) will try to come through us like a shark. Good luck to them. Good luck to them on a big stage like the Grand Final with lots of pressure, the best defensive pressure side in the competition they are coming up against.

"We have to kill the shark as early as we possibly can, because if it just sits there, it's just going to die."

Then comes Clarkson the streetfighter. "To reach your goal, trample on anyone who tries to stop you," he demands.

Clarkson's three-quarter time speech is brief but intense: "This is why we do things like f---ing Kokoda and how hard we have worked as a group. If you want to do something that binds you together and be mates for the rest of your life, f---ing win here today.

"We really need you, Emu (Lance Franklin). We really need you, Choco (Mark Williams). This could be a very special week in your lives."
Some consider the key to the Grand Final triumph was the verbal shirtfront

Clarkson gave his men in a team heart-to-heart the Hawks held during the split-round break.

Despite his side's 12-2 win-loss ratio at that point, Clarkson saw worrying signs.

"You did not go hard enough. Unless you reassess some of these goals here, about how tough and hard we have to be right across the board, we are going to be bridesmaids come September, I can guarantee you that," he said.

"Do you reckon the Sydney Swans compromise this? Do you reckon Collingwood do under Malthouse, compromise this area of the game? No.

"What is our No. 1 team rule? Go when it's your turn. Win the hard ball when it's your turn to go, and we are too choosy at the moment."

 

[SJ]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

Saw an eight minute preview of this tonight, including the shark bit. Clarkson did well.

 

[Ninty]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

I feel sick reading that.

 

[SJ]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

Yeah it made me feel the same way. Without saying too much, the opening titles involve some scenes which made me feel unwell. Scenes I had not watched in any form since they occurred live in front of me.

In any case, it should be good viewing.

 

[Glassjaw]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

As much as I hate Clarkson, if he were our coach no one would get near us.

 

[Copernicus]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

If anyone wants to buy up all these DVDs off the shelf and create a massive pyre out of them I'd be glad to rock up and see them off

he's a wily bastard, this Clarkson bloke.

 

[bulletproof]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

"Sharks have to move forward. Sharks die if they get caught in nets because there is not water and oxygen under their gills. So as soon as they stop, they die. "We have to kill the shark as early as we possibly can, because if it just sits there, it's just going to die."

It all breaks down a bit here. You need to kill it because if you don't kill it, it will just sit there and die anyway.

Kill the shark! Rahaahahahahahahaha. What a load of toss. Chilling!

 

[ZosoCat]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

let's hope the Geelong Sharks bounce back this year

 

[winty]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

We may well be the Sharks, but last year's grand final was just like a whole load of burly being tossed overboard.

We may very well go on a feeding frenzy in seven days time.

 

[catempire]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

This sort of rev-up would have occurred before 95% of Geelong's games in 2008 in the changerooms of Geelong's opponents.

The difference here is that it happened on camera.

 

[darren forssman]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

and if we had kicked straight in the 2nd and early 3rd quarters we might well be laughing at this clarkson speech.

 

[cat in sydney]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

And he acknowledges one important thing... they almost got blown out of the water. We were so dominant in that quarter, but you could tell as soon as Mooney missed on the half time siren, things were not going to go our way.

 

[And_ROOS]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

And he acknowledges one important thing... they almost got blown out of the water. We were so dominant in that quarter, but you could tell as soon as Mooney missed on the half time siren, things were not going to go our way.

He knows they were as lucky as Adelaide in 98, look what the Kangas did the following year.

Its funny, noone really acknowledges it as a Hawthorn "win", most of the media chalk it up to a Geelong "loss".

That must hurt.

Anyway, amends in 09. Time to smash the f**k out of everyone and take back OUR cup.

 

[FoxC]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

As much as I hate Clarkson, if he were our coach no one would get near us.

Precisely my thought Glassy.

I hope Bomber has shed his 'nice guy' persona and smartened up in the box for this year.

 

[Tex_21]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

That speech reminds me of one a junior coach gave us before our first final one year. We finished 5th, and had all knockout finals ahead of us, against sides placed above us on the ladder. The coach mentioned about one gazelle or something, and 4 lions. We kicked 5 goals in five minutes at the start (on a wet day), and held them to one goal for the day. THen we got beat narrowly the next week by a side we hadn't got within 10 goals of all year.

 

[Dawn2Dark]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

*barf*

 

[CF]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

Clarkson did a good job on GF day noone can dispute that. But I think reading that just reopens not so old wounds for us Cats fans. I don't think I would have made a thread about it personally. If this was the Hawks board then fine, but not here.

 

[winty]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

He knows they were as lucky as Adelaide in 98, look what the Kangas did the following year.

Its funny, noone really acknowledges it as a Hawthorn "win", most of the media chalk it up to a Geelong "loss".

That must hurt.

Anyway, amends in 09. Time to smash the f**k out of everyone and take back OUR cup.

It's not only the Kangas in '98.

Geelong got dudded out of the 1962 grand final with a very suspect free kick paid against Doug Wade in the prelim final which we lost by 5 points. The next year we won the flag.

Carlton won the flag in 1970, missed the finals by half a game in 1971, then kicked the highest score in grand final history to win the 1972 flag.

Essendon lost the 1983 grand final by a then record 83 points. They then went back-to-back in 1984-85.

West Coast in 1991 finished top by 3 games, yet lost the grand final. They won the flag the following year.

Carlton in 1994 finished 2nd IIRC, yet got bundled out in straight sets. In 1995, they went 20-2 and won the flag.

Essendon in 1999 lost the preliminary final by a point. In 2000, they won the flag after a 21-1 season, as well as winning the pre-season flag.

Port Adelaide finished 3 games clear on top in 2003, but failed to make the grand final. The year after they won the flag.

Hopefully this time next year, we can add Geelong to the above list of teams who have redeemed themselves.

 

[Vegas.]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

I will definitely not be watching.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

He knows they were as lucky as Adelaide in 98, look what the Kangas did the following year.

Its funny, noone really acknowledges it as a Hawthorn "win", most of the media chalk it up to a Geelong "loss".

That must hurt.

Anyway, amends in 09. Time to smash the f**k out of everyone and take back OUR cup.

Yep, we lost Croad early and Young just after hafltime, and had quiet games from Franklin, Roughead and Mitchell...while only having 2 fit players on the bench after the main break.
If anyone in the media saw that in the crystal ball before the bounce they'd probably have us losing by 10+ goals.

You're right though, we got the cup, and Geelong get the 'bad luck' tag.
Now we're the underdogs and everyone is looking to Geelong to make amends.

 

[witsend]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

Yep, we lost Croad early and Young just after hafltime, and had quiet games from Franklin, Roughead and Mitchell...while only having 2 fit players on the bench after the main break.
If anyone in the media saw that in the crystal ball before the bounce they'd probably have us losing by 10+ goals.

You're right though, we got the cup, and Geelong get the 'bad luck' tag.
Now we're the underdogs and everyone is looking to Geelong to make amends.

just the way Clarko wants it, I suspect.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

just the way Clarko wants it, I suspect.

You're right. Endless ammo for Clarko.
Imagine the burn inside the players who want to show that 2008 was no mistake, while they wake up everyday to stories about how good Geelong are.

 

[The rabbi]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

Clarko's mother Jeanette is the secret to his success. She tells him all the moves. She lives in Geelong and probably spies on the Cats training.

 

[meto]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

You're right. Endless ammo for Clarko.
Imagine the burn inside the players who want to show that 2008 was no mistake, while they wake up everyday to stories about how good Geelong are.

No pal! we've been listening the your crap about how superior your team is all summer, now's your chance to confirm all that bragging.
You must be the favorites or does that worry you're lot, didn't you win the flag the game, what are you frightened of! Maybe a fit Geelong.
Now times' come to back it up.

 

[BotsMaster]

Re: Alistair Clarkson on Geelong las Sept - "We have to kill the Shark"

Why the hell did I read the OP. It was like sticking a knife into the slowly healing wound inflicted upon me September last year.