Training ramp up

[smoovy]

Heard nothing about this legendary heavy training sessions that Craigy has put the boys through toward the end of the minor round.

Does anyone know if we have been doing extra sessions as per the previous two years? We probably have not heard about it because we have been more concerned with actually getting to the finals.

Or could it be that it was just a load of crap anyway and Craigy was just all smoke and mirrors?

Supposedly in 98 we were doing extra sessions as well even though we were not guaranteed on making the 8 until the final round.

 

[trecke]

Not sure, but craigy came out today and said that training sessions during the finals would be open to the public (they've been closed training sessions during the passed 2 finals series) he conceded that the past two seasons closed sessions were of little value.
I concur, surely the extra support would spur the players on more...

 

[-CG-]

A couple of weeks ago Neil Craig gave them three days off and the players said that it had revived them I think that was after the Geelong game.

 

[Geoffa32]

Not sure, but craigy came out today and said that training sessions during the finals would be open to the public (they've been closed training sessions during the passed 2 finals series) he conceded that the past two seasons closed sessions were of little value.
I concur, surely the extra support would spur the players on more...

Had a closed session before Pies game. Maybe Craigy has listened to those suggest less science more footy....Did anyone see hi resting heart rate...46 unbeleivable, no wonder he has a strong fitness ethos....

 

[Blue Red and Gold]

the last couple of years we have been certain finalists. Craig come out and said he was willing to drop a game or two due to the heavy training load.

We have hardly had that luxury this year so that may be a reason as to why not, or it might be just a case of keeping things low key this year.

 

[jenny61_99]

No doubt in my mind that we have not been in a position to do loading and then taper. We've had injury after injury, blokes carrying niggles etc. that there really was no opportunity. Combine that with a distinct lack of energy come finals time, I think he's added 1 +1 and made 2 and decided against it!

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

A couple of weeks ago Neil Craig gave them three days off and the players said that it had revived them I think that was after the Geelong game.

Yeah, Craigy has done the opposite this year.

Given our run, we were never in a position to put in the extra training. Better of doing the extra pre-season any way.

 

[Philhawk]

Buddy supposedly kicked a goal from 80m out at training, on the run, sailing through on the up at only half-mast.

Wonder if these scare tactics work ...

 

[21knights]

Then his next 15 shots at goal went through for points, apart from the 3 out on the full.

 

[croady_fan24]

Buddy supposedly kicked a goal from 80m out at training, on the run, sailing through on the up at only half-mast.

Wonder if these scare tactics work ...

wOw.. and they say that fevs out side 50m is great. Look @ this kid 2o yrs old..already kicking goals from 80m.. can u imagine Buds in 3yrs time.

 

[Philhawk]

wOw.. and they say that fevs out side 50m is great. Look @ this kid 2o yrs old..already kicking goals from 80m.. can u imagine Buds in 3yrs time.

Err, I was kidding.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Buddy supposedly kicked a goal from 80m out at training, on the run, sailing through on the up at only half-mast.

Wonder if these scare tactics work ...

Good to know he is getting it out of the system before the big game!

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Heard nothing about this legendary heavy training sessions that Craigy has put the boys through toward the end of the minor round.

The training workload in general seems to have decreased this season, not just in the lead up to finals. I forget exactly when it happened but the leadership group went to Neil Craig at one stage and said that the players were being over-worked and that he needed to reduce the training workload.

I was lucky enough to hear NC speak at a breakfast promoting the Ray McLean leadership program and he spoke about how he felt when the players came to him. Did he take it as criticism? Did he take their advice on board?

Craig said that whilst he didn't personally agree that the workload was too high, he did adjust his training program. He said it was a strength of the leadership program and of the system that the club has put in place that this sort of open, honest communication can occur. Feedback is encouraged at all levels and players should not feel intimidated about approaching those above them. He said that he didn't want these sorts of complaints and criticisms going on behind his back as it would undermine what you are trying to achieve.

The leadership group was fairly topical at the time because the day before was Hudson's suspension! He also spoke about dropping Shirley which he said was a tough decision and then told why Shirley was reinstated the next match despite not playing in the SANFL. He said that during breaks in the Essendon game Shirley (the traveling emergency) was working with Michael Doughty, giving him advice, pointing out things he'd observed from the boundary, talking about his match ups etc. At that stage Doughty had Shirley's spot in the team. Craig said the fact that Shirley displayed such a selfless, team-first attitude exactly in keeping with what the club is trying to achieve is one of the reasons that Shirley was selected for the following game. Interestingly his form since then has been very good.

Hmmm, wandered off topic there. Apologies.

 

[Crow-mo]

Buddy supposedly kicked a goal from 80m out at training, on the run, sailing through on the up at only half-mast.

Wonder if these scare tactics work ...

wow. at training. with no pressure, and no one to verify if it's even true?

wow.

 

[relapse]

It speaks for itself we look cherry ripe at the moment fitness wise and form wise far better than what we did last year. Even Roo has come out and said the same. Craig overworked the training last year and it cost us in a huge way IMO.

 

[lunacy]

Buddy supposedly kicked a goal from 80m out at training, on the run, sailing through on the up at only half-mast.

I pretty sure it would not be sailing through on the up from 80m out. Supporters are prone to exaggeration. If it reassures you than thats fine.

 

[Baron Winds]

I pretty sure it would not be sailing through on the up from 80m out. Supporters are prone to exaggeration. If it reassures you than thats fine.

He did say on the other page that he was only joking

As for the training, i read somewhere (think it was AFC website) that the players have been given the choice on whether or not they feel that they, individually, need extra training. Giving alot of the resposibility to the players which rings true considering the curfew they set for themselves.

 

[WheresGroomgone]

I was lucky enough to hear NC speak at a breakfast promoting the Ray McLean leadership program and he spoke about how he felt when the players came to him. Did he take it as criticism? Did he take their advice on board?

Carl having done some work with Leading Teams [including a day with James Begley] I am interested as to how you found it? It seems to be spreading like wildfire, and has been mentioned as a major reason to Geelongs emergence this year. Did you get into it or do you think it's a crock? cheers just interested.

 

[johnnypanther]

Buddy supposedly kicked a goal from 80m out at training, on the run, sailing through on the up at only half-mast.

Wonder if these scare tactics work ...

and Nick Gill kicked 10/10 straight thru the middle of the goals so we're ahead

 

[Southerntakeover]

The leadership group was fairly topical at the time because the day before was Hudson's suspension! He also spoke about dropping Shirley which he said was a tough decision and then told why Shirley was reinstated the next match despite not playing in the SANFL. He said that during breaks in the Essendon game Shirley (the traveling emergency) was working with Michael Doughty, giving him advice, pointing out things he'd observed from the boundary, talking about his match ups etc. At that stage Doughty had Shirley's spot in the team. Craig said the fact that Shirley displayed such a selfless, team-first attitude exactly in keeping with what the club is trying to achieve is one of the reasons that Shirley was selected for the following game. Interestingly his form since then has been very good.

Good stuff there from Shirley

 

[Kahuna_202]

The training workload in general seems to have decreased this season, not just in the lead up to finals. I forget exactly when it happened but the leadership group went to Neil Craig at one stage and said that the players were being over-worked and that he needed to reduce the training workload.

I have also heard about this.
Apparently at the end of the 06 season when it came time to do evaluations of players, coaches, etc. The players all stated that their training load was too much and beyond expectatations for AFL football compared to other clubs. Even so that they were looking forward to game-days as it was considered much lighter work. That training schedule has since been modified, but since this years dip in performance, the players have since brought this topic up again and are keen to have the old training regeime reinstated. Unsure as to when that takes affect though.

 

[earlsta]

I really like our form though, training or not I was at the Collingwood game and from what I saw we ran very very hard when we didn't have the ball, and even harder when we had the ball.

Everyone was trying to set up something & play on, unlike Collingwood who seemed to stop and look for options after marking the ball for around 10 seconds.

Last year we look dead on our feet, this year is much much better, everyones fit too.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Carl having done some work with Leading Teams [including a day with James Begley] I am interested as to how you found it? It seems to be spreading like wildfire, and has been mentioned as a major reason to Geelongs emergence this year. Did you get into it or do you think it's a crock? cheers just interested.

I'm sold on it 100%. I've actually read McLean's book as well and found it very interesting. There have been plenty of debates on here about Craig's perceived lack of flexibility/initiative on match days versus his consistency/faith in his players and I am firmly in the NC camp.

Neil Craig made the point that his current ethos was formulated whilst coaching at Norwood. He continually felt powerless in the coaches box and was frustrated at the lack of control a coach could have over proceedings. He felt that the only way for a team to adequately react to situations during a game was to take some of the decision making out of the hands of the coach. In essence this means empowering the players and encouraging them to make decisions for themselves.

I also like the simple, logical approach the program uses to set goals for teams ie asking yourselves how your club is viewed by others, why it is perceived in this way and what behaviours do you need to change to alter this perception.

He spoke about the 'open and honest' system of feedback and used the criticism of the training workload as an example. He said that it could be very confronting at times, highlighting the fact that 'name' players at various times had been left out of the leadership group, but that the team/club would only grow because of it.

It is certainly at odds with the age-old system of the coach/boss taking complete charge of proceedings but I think the system is excellent and hope my workplace chooses to go down this path.

 

[WheresGroomgone]

I'm sold on it 100%. I've actually read McLean's book as well and found it very interesting. There have been plenty of debates on here about Craig's perceived lack of flexibility/initiative on match days versus his consistency/faith in his players and I am firmly in the NC camp.

Neil Craig made the point that his current ethos was formulated whilst coaching at Norwood. He continually felt powerless in the coaches box and was frustrated at the lack of control a coach could have over proceedings. He felt that the only way for a team to adequately react to situations during a game was to take some of the decision making out of the hands of the coach. In essence this means empowering the players and encouraging them to make decisions for themselves.

I also like the simple, logical approach the program uses to set goals for teams ie asking yourselves how your club is viewed by others, why it is perceived in this way and what behaviours do you need to change to alter this perception.

He spoke about the 'open and honest' system of feedback and used the criticism of the training workload as an example. He said that it could be very confronting at times, highlighting the fact that 'name' players at various times had been left out of the leadership group, but that the team/club would only grow because of it.

It is certainly at odds with the age-old system of the coach/boss taking complete charge of proceedings but I think the system is excellent and hope my workplace chooses to go down this path.

Yep after being the person receiving feedback from 12 or so work colleagues I agree that it is definately on the edge of confronting. It fits really well within certain workplaces [football teams inparticular] I'm sold on the idea but don't know if it fits our workplace. The training excetra is excellent and the idea of everyone being accountable is also a standout idea, however ,if people aren't willing to do the feedback aspect [which is what is happening at our workplace] it seems to fall down. It sounds like it might work at your site though so I hope it goes well. cheers. As a side note it is interesting as to the story about Geelong as they had been meant to do it for seasons 2005 and 2006 but were concerned about the reaction from two players inregard to feedback, this year they bit the bullet and went ahead regardless and their onfield results have soared, this mightn't be the sole reason but it must play a part.