Re: 2018 Rd 7: Post Game Platitudes: Carlton vs Adelaide
Reply #123 –
Yep, fans bake the kicker on the Betts intercepts at the weekend, but the receiver stood flat footed waiting for the pill to arrive!
If I recall correctly, two of those caught flat footed were experienced defenders in Simmo and Rowe!
Both played on the ground for larger percentages than even the highest Adelaide player (Jenkins) and are much older than him.
Effectively, tired minds, means poorer decisions, means reactive thinking, means flat footed because you are spent.
It's amazing what we will achieve by simply resolving our ability to rotate our key performers more frequently will achieve, and one of them will be to eliminate these basic errors.
Contrary to popular belief, the ability to execute difficult skills is not harder when tired. You think harder about them, and are more careful when executing them so they pay off more frequently. It's the basics that are likely to deteriorate when tired minds occur. This is why Judd had variable Disposal efficiency. He was tagged harder, and was often running flat stick when trying to execute the skills and the results varied more.
Speed of mind to sum up a situation and make a decision is immeasurably more beneficial than to cover the ground quickly.
requoting myself to ensure people know what is important. I saw a clip from 1998 this morning. Match highlights of Carlton vs Adelaide at Optus Oval. Lance, and Kouta feature prominently. Obviously, having the athletic ability of Kouta gives you an immense advantage over opponents, but Whitnall was no less effective given his relative size and shape and thats because he had the sort of footy brain that Jack shows at times. We still see it in patches, such as when he baulks, and delivers to Harry to advantage in forward 50. Thats the ability to sum up the situation and know your limitations. Not speed and athleticism. From what I have heard he is no stranger to playing in the clinches, just not against seasoned competitors.