But Lods, there was not even a glimpse (to me) that we can fight when the 4 points are up for grabs. Read my post carefully, we are making the same mistakes over and over and over. Not being able to compete for 4 qtrs is a real worry. For example, Setterfield had a bread and butter shot from from around 30m out directly in front at the Royal Parade end. He sprayed it badly. This is an end where they train this week in week out and have shot after shot. You tell me there is no intensity or pressure in these games and yet he simply misses. Just plain UNACCEPTABLE. Excuses keep getting made year after year, I am effin sick of it. I say again, Its not the loss per se', its the way we lost, same as every other loss for the last 5 years. If we were trying something totally different and we lost, I would get it. But it was a full dress rehearsel for round 1, David Teagues words pre,match on FOX not mine. Well if thats the dress rehearsal, we're forked.
It might very well be that what we're seeing is an indication of how our season will pan out. I sincerely hope not. But the way I look at it is this....It's a long season. Players know that in the next few weeks they're going to have to switch up to another level. Experienced players like Kreuzer, Simpson and Murphy have been around long enough to know that they need to pace themselves at this time of year so they can see the season through. Even Cripps seemed to dial it down a gear as the game went on. It doesn't require a massive drop in effort but this is nowhere near the level of attack on player and ball we'll see in round 1. These matches are really just a run, a bit like a racehorse racing at different distances before settling into the main focus of a campaign. While it's nice to say they should be a '100% all the time' in these games or 'you play as you train' it's now a bit cliché. Training loads and intensity are much more sophisticated than they were back in the days. We have no idea of the training loads in the days leading up to these games but I suspect there will now be a bit of a freshening up as we head towards the Richmond game. Skill errors by players are likely to hurt their chances of selection, so those who don't execute will be lucky to play unless they bring other attributes. We'll find out in a few days if what we've seen is what we'll get.
Some of us are a little (greatly) concerned after the practice games. Others are a "wait until the proper stuff starts" type of supporter. I've always been in the latter camp. There's nothing wrong with either train of thought...it's just different.
I remember when we used to win, or go very well, in the pre-seasons only to fall in a heap once the season proper started. It's chalk and cheese. Have a look at the results in some of the other practice games and tell me that's a true indication of the relative strengths of some sides.
We won't know which way it goes until the first shots are fired in 'anger'....and for me that's the main difference between practice games and regular season games. There's no anger., no intensity and very little pressure in these games. It will increase dramatically when 4 points are on the line. Some clubs will thrive under those conditions, others will falter. That's when we'll be able to see where we really stand.
Just a positive one...Coles at Wynnum Plaza today. Walked into empty shelves and just as I was about to go to the next aisle out came a trolley of TP. No mad rush. Folks just stood back while the store people unloaded. After they'd finished people helped themselves and just about everyone only took a single packet despite a store limit of 4. Maybe it's calming down a bit.
The irony is that the 'dills that went troppo' for the toilet paper actually made it so that sane people who would just purchase on a needs basis were left struggling to find some if they hadn't made a recent purchase. They were able to say 'Who is silly now?"...well it's still you, you silly rabid folks! Makes you wonder how things would go in a real apocalyptic situation....seeing this is just the "pre-season"
There's also now the stigma many will feel now when they actually get around to making a legitimate purchase. The judgemental glances we'll receive at the checkouts for our 8 rolls of double length Quilton.
But isn't a practice game the ideal time to use and test tactics? I sure would have thought so
It's a time for a whole lot of different things. You try some new roles, tactics and matchups without giving too much away. The side against Richmond (Rnd 1)will be different to the side that played Freo I suspect the last practice game before Round 1 will be closest to our starting line up but even then we'll probably try a few different things in terms of game time and tactics.
I’m not too concerned about the players or their skills. Our list is better than it was last season, injuries heal and skills execution can be up and down. What concerned me most about the Freo game was the apparent lack of positive action from the coaching box. Of course, that could be down to fitness and conditioning restrictions limiting Teague’s capacity to address Freo’s tactics and favourable matchups.
I reckon the club will be desperate for a better showing next game so that the membership momentum continues. If so, we may see more proactive coaching and fewer players having their game time limited.
I guess the unknown here is how Teague is using these games. It may be that he persists with a match-up or tactic in practice game for a bit longer than he would in a regular season game simply because he wants to see if it turns around or how the individual player responds. The practice games have no real consequences for doing so.
It's a bizarre old world when -after a promising back-end to last season - a good hitout where we more than matched Collingwood -a game far from home with some of our major movers and our key position forwards all on the sideline ... we're now hopeless and looking to finish in a worse position than last year.
Too much stock is being put on one game. These games provide an opportunity for fringe players to play themselves into the side. It also provides an opportunity for some to play themselves out...and that's probably what happened for a few on the weekend
I think it's probably the case that these games aren't really there for the supporter. They're there for experimentation, fine tuning structures and perhaps to give the fringe contingent a bit of a hit-out alongside senior players They're just designed to shake the cobwebs out. Therefore results are pretty meaningless.
They're affected by a lot of factors -Intensity of training in the week leading up to the match -players being given different assignments to normal -players missing that affect structures and support (Players who would normally attract a second or third string opponent are suddenly faced with a more difficult opponent if key players are missing.) -players being managed in respect of time on the ground -experimentation with tactics and set-ups ...and a whole lot of other variables.
Skills seem to have been an issue yesterday.... Senior players have a history of just cruising and getting through unscathed. Fringe players, keen to impress may be over anxious, and make errors.
We'll field a much better team in terms of personnel and tactics come Round 1 If some of the issues are still evident then we will have real problems to worry about.
I know Lods is/was a huge fan....as you could see from the above.
I think a lot of the admiration stems from my own competition and coaching experience. I've always rated the 'battler' above the others for who things come pretty naturally and easy. I think that attitude and determination flows across into other areas of life in a lot of instances.
If we have a look back at our history we can see a few wasted talents, some of who were still greater performers...but could have been even better.
It's a funny thing Some players have a great natural talent yet are a little slack in training and preparation. It all comes a bit easy for them. They'll be good players. Fan favourites in many cases and remembered long after they finish.
Rarely you have the great natural talent combined with a strong attitude and commitment to keep improving, and these are the players that end up with the champion tag.
Then you have the workhorse player. The fringe player, who doesn't possess the great natural skills but gets the absolute maximum out of themselves. Derided by many for their lack of ability they're actually the 'heart and soul' players. While many fans are critical, if you ask folks internally they're favourites of coaches and fellow players. You'll see them put the block on for a team-mate when all around them more gifted players jog past such a contest. They're greatly under-appreciated and in many cases only a fading memory years after they finish playing. Wiggins probably fits this last description.
I have some great memories of great players over the years but Simon Wiggins is right up there as a favourite of mine.
If those 4 are among our fringe players we're not looking too bad... on paper. Let's hope Williamson gets a good run of games this year. I have a feeling our starting lineup in Rd 1 may be significantly different from our Final round starters.
