The turning point ...

[HeadandShin]

Going left field here...... I don't thing think there is any one thing that turned us around. I think many pieces of the puzzle were being introduced/tweaked etc...and they were all very important to the change that has come over the club as a whole in the past 3 months.

Not sure if it's been mentioned yet but who was at the first game of the streak?? Young Nate.
So many other things big and small being worked on at that time, sometimes you just need a catalyst. And oddly enough seeing that there are more important things out there is often enough. The way the team bonded around Nate just seemed to expose a layer of honesty and openness, at a time where the club was being asked to provide honest feedback to each other.
Maybe this is total BS....but.......it adds to the romance of the 13-0 story......

I know we and all other clubs do this kind of thing all the time - sometimes the smallest things can have a huge impact. It all comes down to timing.

 

[TigerImposter]

I have no doubt it was a select few forum members on here that turned our season around. Without those countless threads calling for Dimma to be sacked, we would not have made the finals.

Well done to all those posters. You're contributions were invaluable to our success this year.

Dimma changed his game plan so much he even modified Dimma's Dissection. I'm glad they listened to us and we're proud of him
You're welcome to have your last dig and I don't mind bc if we win I'm happy to have egg on my face as long as we win though

 

[TigerImposter]

Great post billywhizz !!

Post of the Week. Riveting stuff

 

[TigerImposter]

Going left field here...... I don't thing think there is any one thing that turned us around. I think many pieces of the puzzle were being introduced/tweaked etc...and they were all very important to the change that has come over the club as a whole in the past 3 months.

Not sure if it's been mentioned yet but who was at the first game of the streak?? Young Nate.
So many other things big and small being worked on at that time, sometimes you just need a catalyst. And oddly enough seeing that there are more important things out there is often enough. The way the team bonded around Nate just seemed to expose a layer of honesty and openness, at a time where the club was being asked to provide honest feedback to each other.
Maybe this is total BS....but.......it adds to the romance of the 13-0 story......

I know we and all other clubs do this kind of thing all the time - sometimes the smallest things can have a huge impact. It all comes down to timing.

It was one of the triggers but you still need the cattle , coach and admin to Gel. When Benny got back he realigned the stars and planets and order was restored in the Solar system

 

[This Is Anfield]

Not sure that the will be a specific turning point that turned around this season so spectacularly.
It could be that we were never as bad a side as 3-10 indicated.
The return to the side of Deledio, Rance and Maric, and their subsequent return to full fitness and form, and the inclusion of Miles, this in turn released the pressure on Martin, Cotchin, Ellis, Reiwoldt and Chaplain resulting in a massive upturn to their form and confidence.
The games against Freo and Sydney, although resulting in close losses, could have been the catalyst, renewed confidence that we were a good side, renewed confidence in their teammates, enables the spread to be effective and puts the opposition on the back foot.
Internally the club may have said that the four previous seasons of continuous improvement were not flukes, we believe in the playing group and the coaching group and we won't kowtow to outside pressures, media or our own supporter groups, the entire club never blinked.
When Jake brought young Nate into the rooms, perspective was gained, can't be underestimated, bless him.
The confidence players like Griffiths, Batchelor and Gordon have gained over the course of the season has helped, leadership of the club has stayed strong.
The fact that we had St Kilda and Brisbane after the Freo/Sydney games, luck of the draw enabled us to build on our new found confidence with a couple of wins, momentum started.
Basically we were a good side struggling with injuries, form and lacking confidence that didn't panic, kept a fantastic spirit going within the group and is now a good side with few injuries, in great form and playing confident football.
Nothing miraculous, lots of little things resulting in one giant turn around.

 

[DrMike]

Procrastinating and ended up looking at the AFL Player Ratings again. I know they're bullshit but they tell a lot about our year. Keep in mind these are built off the last 40 games of a player.

Our only players to have year-on-year improvement (counted as finishing higher than where they started) from the start of 2011 are:

• Shane Edwards
• Alex Rance
• Brandon Ellis
• Nick Vlastuin (2012)
• Reece Conca

2014 improver's (of those not listed above with significant increases at some point during the year):

• Nathan Foley
• Ty Vickery
• Ricky Petterd
• Anthony Miles (<40 games)
• Dylan Grimes
  
• Ben Griffiths (<40 games)
• Dave Astbury (<40 games)

2014 sliders (big drops, ignoring those where injuries impact):

• Trent Cotchin
• Bachar Houli
• Chris Newman
• Jake Batchelor

The rest fluctuated and/or stayed reasonably similar to where they started so weren't really worth mentioning.

What's interesting about all this is where our improvement from this year has come from. Brett Deledio, Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin and Jack Riewoldt have all, according to the player ratings, provided less output than previous years. If we can get these guys back up to their game impact of 2012, together with the improvement the rest of the list, we could be a very hard team to play against next year. Obviously some of the drop for these players needs to be accounted for by the rise of the rest of the list.

The other thing I'll add is that one of Titch, Rance, Ellis and Petterd will win our most improved player.

 

[Spluff]

The other thing I'll add is that one of Titch, Rance, Ellis and Petterd will win our most improved player.

Hasn't Sheds won it twice already?

 

[DrMike]

Hasn't Sheds won it twice already?

Deservedly

I think if Martin gets the JD, Ellis will get most improved, Miles best first year player. If Ellis wins JD, Titch gets most improved

 

[TigerImposter]

Hasn't Sheds won it twice already?

yeah but hes still improving which is terrific and a credit to him

 

[RunningBounce]

Hasn't Sheds won it twice already?

He has won it twice, but I reckon 2014 has been Edwards best season. He might not be the MOST improved, but I'm expecting him to finish higher in the JD than he has before. I think he might also add to his 3 career Brownlow votes.