Autopsy Why does our effort fluctuate so much?

[mattys123]

This is the biggest problem I have with our club at the moment, the fluctuating of effort which seems to come in patches. I can put up with skill mistakes, even bad selection (those 3 ruckman) but when professional footballers who are paid massive amounts of money to play this game stop giving their upmost, something's going on.


Round 1 - Swans - no effort for four quarters, yes there were extenuating circumstances but it was deplorable on all levels.
Round 3 - Saints - that 20 minute period after half time was as poor an effort as I've seen in a long time, handed the game to the Saints in an otherwise even contest.
Round 4 - Dees - After the loss to the Saints you'd think we would come out fired up, but no, we stunk it up for most of the first half. 6 goals to 1 in the first term, against Melbourne, come on now.
Round 6 - Eagles - Once again a woeful start, and a woeful finish, in between was good but no four quarter effort.

Rounds 8-10 - What happened here? Against the Lions, Cats and Dogs we gave everything for four quarters, in what seems to be the standout 3 week period of this season. Why did it suddenly click? It wasn't just personnel, we still had a long injury list.

Rounds 11-12 - The last 2 weeks have been the most disappointing for me, on the back of that good 3 week effort we've been terrible for large patches and effort has been one of the main reasons.

So back to the topic, why does our effort fluctuate so much?

I really don't know, my guess is it's a lack of leadership on field and off (leadership group plus coaches) who are unable to motivate the players enough to turn it around once things start going wrong. Many seem to blame our game plan but that game plan looked sensational for 3 weeks there.

Thoughts?

 

[jathanas]

We haven't been able to play with any consistency after the Western Bulldogs game. The loss of Fasolo and Moore was almost like the stick that broke the camel's back. Our current best 22 is not competitive enough ATM due to our inexperience.

The injury curse has resulted in too much fluctuation in on-field personnel. This has exposed a lack of on and off field leadership and our selection decisions have puzzled me. I'm more than slightly confused about the reluctance to play Nathan Brown when we are crying out for leaders in defense.

It's almost like a domino effect; the perfect shit-storm. I find it hard to analyse our situation because everything appears to have gone pear-shaped.

EDIT: Our poor start to the season had me feeling that the team was not united

 

[DAWESOME!!]

Players don't believe in the system they are trying to play. So they have to consciously motivate themselves. Which leaves them vulnerable to dropping that level of effort.

Guys on SEN were just saying with Bolton at the Blues, he's asking them to play a new way, they're trying it and getting good results, so they want to keep playing like that, they get more good results and it becomes self reinforcing.

Most of the time the guys try to play the way Bucks asks them to, it blows up in their face, so they don't believe in it, stop committing to it, things go worse, and it becomes a vicious cycle.

The initial issues are probably usually skill and form related, but then the players (even unconsciously) drop their heads because they keep on having bad experiences with this style.

 

[THATSGOLD]

I think we play a style which is requires too much running and hard work. We don't hold the ball enough and make it easy for ourselves. When we aren't in a running mood it fails miserably and you can't expect them to be like that every week.

 

[jmac70]

I could tell you but I would have to kill you after...

 

[Jonno94]

When you're asked to play a certain way and underpreform for years it becomes a grind and the players lose faith in the system.

 

[Scodog10]

I look forward to umpteen posts on injuries and youth in this one!

For me though they're just not mentally tough enough. Too often once things get difficult we throw in the towel which has nothing to do with age or fitness.

I'm not going to pontificate on how to remedy a mentally weak playing group, but what I will say is that premiership teams are rarely built on such fragility. My hope is simply that someone involved at the club has the answer (or anyone incoming)...

 

[danielnajdek]

It's all Bucks fault...

 

[MagpieBat]

I could tell you but I would have to kill you after...

Eject him out the airlock into the jaws of The Nightmare Child at the Gates of Elysium...

 

[Leviathan Pie]

Because the gameplan is far too blitzkrieg, its not sustainable - the reward for effort return is terrible

 

[No SPIN]

Youth and inexperience have historically been the major cause of inconsistency for all teams.

 

[Mame]

Players don't believe in the system they are trying to play. So they have to consciously motivate themselves. Which leaves them vulnerable to dropping that level of effort.

Guys on SEN were just saying with Bolton at the Blues, he's asking them to play a new way, they're trying it and getting good results, so they want to keep playing like that, they get more good results and it becomes self reinforcing.

Most of the time the guys try to play the way Bucks asks them to, it blows up in their face, so they don't believe in it, stop committing to it, things go worse, and it becomes a vicious cycle.

The initial issues are probably usually skill and form related, but then the players (even unconsciously) drop their heads because they keep on having bad experiences with this style.

What you've said can also be explained by them not having faith in the capabilities of the personnel they have on the field. As a player I know I'd sooner lose faith if a few key personnel weren't out there to compete before I'd blame the game plan. The game plan seemed to produce some fantastic efforts over that 3 week period. It was fantastic to watch for a little while there.

 

[Mame]

Youth and inexperience have historically been the major cause of inconsistency for all teams.

That old chestnut... Don't you know that Gold Coast could've pushed for finals in their debut season just my being mentally tough. That GWS could've been top 4 in theirs if only they'd had a real coach instead of a figure head. That Essendon could be competitive, despite so many best 22 banned, if only they'd implement a better game plan

 

[Vicky Park]

I look forward to umpteen posts on injuries and youth in this one!

I was just about to post that! Guess I won't now...

 

[Buckley is my hero]

Apart from the injuries thing, I think it's a morale problem. Players are being played out of their natural position and not sure of their role in the team. Others are not sure they belong in the team because either they get dropped after a couple games, or they don't get dropped at all, but they know they are not playing that well and don't know at what point they will be dropped or retained in the side. Other players because they are inexperienced, are watching over their shoulder for advice from senior players about where to run to and when to fall back. There's overall lack of leadership on the field exacerbated by the absence of two players from the leadership group playing in the VFL, while another in Adams has been injured. I suspect also that the coaching group have been too soft on the younger players who are forgiven for mistakes that would result in crucifixion if a senior player committed the same error. Sometimes effort is there and sometimes it isn't, whereas in my view, lack of effort by any individual is a non negotiable.

 

[FireKrakouer]

Surprised my thread on psychology didn't get more love. The problem is mostly going on between the ears IMO. There's this hive-mind thing going on where everyone seems to play well when we have some momentum, then everyone is terrible when we don't have it (with exceptions like Treloar this year and Varcoe last year, who would play well regardless of the rest of the team sucking - mentally tough players).

We "dropped our bundle" after the Dogs game, despite that thread on here. Just like last year, I think the "brave losses" take their toll.

 

[millsy29gopies]

In terms of in-game effort, a bloke rang up Finey after the game on Sunday and suggested that umpiring played a part in it and I tend to agree to some extent. A few times this year we've been down at a break and then kicked the first the next term.

On the weekend we did it in the final term I think, and we pushed forward again and the umpire didn't reward holding the ball. Melbourne then ran the ball down the field and got a cheap free in front of goal. The players dropped their heads and then played like shit.

Obviously this isn't a comprehensive excuse but I'm sure it definitely plays a part in why our effort fluctuates within games.

 

[Mateyman]

I think it might be because our gamestyle is so high-energy based rather than skill based that even if we are a little bit off, everything turns to shit. Whereas when other clubs are a little bit off, they have other things (like skills) to fall back on.

 

[Pie eyed]

Answer.

Young, inexperienced, some aging and injury riddled.
The perfect storm.

 

[Saintly Viewed]

Not enough elite leads to non elite consistency.
It's that simple.

We've played how many this season, 38! Players and we expect consistency?
Just doesn't work that way.

Forget excuses, this is the big league, but reasons play a role.
But until we build a better list this season will be repeated and inconsistency will be the norm.
Which is ironic as inconsistency becomes the consistency.

 

[GreekLunatic]

I don't think we got a team in great morale

 

[Markfs]

It's all Bucks fault...

At least we get to the right answer....now we can discuss the details

 

[CFC2010]

Not enough elite leads to non elite consistency.
It's that simple.

We've played how many this season, 38! Players and we expect consistency?
Just doesn't work that way.

Forget excuses, this is the big league, but reasons play a role.
But until we build a better list this season will be repeated and inconsistency will be the norm.
Which is ironic as inconsistency becomes the consistency.

Freo says hi Saintly!

Have a look at their injury list and look what they did to Port.

That's three in a row for them now.........I wonder who they have next week?

 

[GreekLunatic]

Us and gc are the only teams that can't cover injuries

 

[Saintly Viewed]

Freo says hi Saintly!

Have a look at their injury list and look what they did to Port.

That's three in a row for them now.........I wonder who they have next week?

With our luck being what it is, they are back in some sort of form ready for us.
They've been dissapointing this year. But as our luck seems to go,they will be ready for us