A Message From Brendan McCartney - 22 May

[bornadog]

22nd May, 2012 (http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/member%20message%20from%20brendan%20mccartney/tabid/18836/default.aspx)


Dear Member,
It was a difficult game to play in on Saturday night against the Gold Coast Suns in Darwin – the television didn’t quite do it justice as to how slippery the conditions were and how wet the ball was.

It was difficult to do things in the game that you normally take for granted – marks get taken and balls get picked up and I saw a lot of highly talented players make fundamental errors.

To come away with the four points and to turn the game the way we wanted over the course of the night was pleasing.

We were pleased with our older players who were able to redirect young teammates into how we want to play.

We got stronger over the ball in the second half – a bit more predictable with the ball and certainly defended better which were areas of the game which weren’t up to scratch in the first half.

What the first eight rounds have shown us is that our best brand of team football measures up very well against the best teams and when applied against teams that are maybe younger and less advanced it is often good enough to get you a win.

The theme this week is to handle the game in the right way, recover well and ensure that we play the way we want to play for as long as possibly takes.

We look forward to another game of footy at Etihad Stadium on Friday night against quality opposition in Geelong.


Sincerely,


Brendan McCartney

[LostDoggy]

Yes the conditions were humid and damp but the facts are the facts , overall we only had five more clangers than when we beat North , 45 GCS 40 North , if anything the conditions highlighted how quickly the team has focused on and improved on their ground skills , take the Z-Mans goal he worked the ball towards goal gathered it and struck it nicely he didn,t try to grab the ball towards him or fall on it he kept his feet and maintained momentum

.

[jeemak]

Yes the conditions were humid and damp but the facts are the facts , overall we only had five more clangers than when we beat North , 45 GCS 40 North , if anything the conditions highlighted how quickly the team has focused on and improved on their ground skills , take the Z-Mans goal he worked the ball towards goal gathered it and struck it nicely he didn,t try to grab the ball towards him or fall on it he kept his feet and maintained momentum

.

It wasn't really a night for out and out clangers though was it? For the most part we couldn't get the ball in the clear enough to commit them.

Though I take your point, and I thought we applied ourselves very well in the second half and our experience allowed us to draw away like we'd have expected to.

[Remi Moses]

Definetely stronger over the footy in the second half.

[Doc26]

We were pleased with our older players who were able to redirect young teammates into how we want to play.

Sincerely,

Brendan McCartney

McCartney appears to quite deliberately and consistently talk up his senior players and coaches at any opportunity.

Is a key contrast between Neeld at Melbourne although it is fair to say McCartney has a fair bit more to play with in his senior stocks than what Neeld does.

[bornadog]

McCartney appears to quite deliberately and consistently talk up his senior players and coaches at any opportunity.

Is a key contrast between Neeld at Melbourne although it is fair to say McCartney has a fair bit more to play with in his senior stocks than what Neeld does.

He has also been using the older players to mentor the younger ones. He has previously spoken about Gia and Higgins in the forward line, and yesterday Brian spoke about his role with mentoring Austin and Markovic. No doubt Boyd, Cross will be working with Libba, Wallis, Dahl and Smith. I really like this as its a succession plan and also part of the teaching and learning's for our younger players.

[LostDoggy]

I like the messages from Brendan, as long as they add something new or give us a different perspective. The issuing of messages risks falling into cliches and just being a gee up from a coach trying to sell his team to the supporter base. In this instance, it is interesting to know what the coach thought of the mistakes being made and how difficult he thought the conditions really were.

[Murphy'sLore]

I really like the weekly messages. I think the effort to communicate with the supporters and get us to buy into the long-term plan, as well as the players, has been one key difference between us and the situation at Melbourne, where the supporters seem to be in the dark about Neeld's aims and the direction he's trying to take the players. It feels as if Brendan is trying to get us all to pull together, and see the light at the end of the tunnel, and I think it's working.

The Melbourne fans (to judge from SEN talkback) seem to be just as confused and frustrated as the players.

Obviously things have been going better for the Dogs on-field than for the Demons, which helps as well!

[Pedro Sanchez]

I think Macca is a cracker... Loving him and love watching us play even though we're not world beaters - yet.

The way we rip into the contest and have a genuine crack is so enjoyable to watch. even if we get beaten - St Kilda game aside - we have some real grunt and competitive spirit.

With a little more polish with our ball use and a some more development into our key forwards, I think we'll be hard outfit to match over the coming seasons.

[Cyberdoggie]

He has also been using the older players to mentor the younger ones. He has previously spoken about Gia and Higgins in the forward line, and yesterday Brian spoke about his role with mentoring Austin and Markovic. No doubt Boyd, Cross will be working with Libba, Wallis, Dahl and Smith. I really like this as its a succession plan and also part of the teaching and learning's for our younger players.

Well said,

So much a polar opposite to what is happening at Melbourne, with obvious results.

At the start of the year the two clubs were not in very different situations, and through good management we are clearly on the way up and the wheels have totally fallen off at Melbourne.

[Maddog37]

It is just miles too early to even consider judging who is better out of Neeld and Bmac.

[bornadog]

It is just miles too early to even consider judging who is better out of Neeld and Bmac.

The one thing I am enjoying with Macca is the calmness in the Coaching box, no throwing phones, or swearing etc. Also during the game he is often on the bench talking to players while the game is going on. No doubt he has delegated some decisions down to the assistants while he talks to a player.

With Neeld, he looks very frustrated and about to hit the roof, but then again his players aren't doing what they have been told to do.

[comrade]

The one thing I am enjoying with Macca is the calmness in the Coaching box, no throwing phones, or swearing etc. Also during the game he is often on the bench talking to players while the game is going on. No doubt he has delegated some decisions down to the assistants while he talks to a player.

With Neeld, he looks very frustrated and about to hit the roof, but then again his players aren't doing what they have been told to do.

To be fair, BMac hasn't been given too many opportunities to throw phones, do his 'nana etc. We've given reasonably balanced performances so far (St Kilda game notwithstanding).

Neeld, on the other hand, is watching a train wreck every week.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

To be fair, BMac hasn't been given too many opportunities to throw phones, do his 'nana etc. We've given reasonably balanced performances so far (St Kilda game notwithstanding).

Neeld, on the other hand, is watching a train wreck every week.

There is a feeling at Melbourne, that Neeld went too hard too early. BMcC on the other hand went about winning the respect of his players from day one with perhaps the best examples being Lake and Minson whose careers were on the line at the end of last year.
I also think that the inner character strengths of players like Boyd, Griffen, Cross and Murphy was invaluable in providing the senior team leadership required.
The general concensus is that Neeld will in time be a successful coach providing his players become totally committed to the task at hand.

[bulldogsman]

The one thing I am enjoying with Macca is the calmness in the Coaching box, no throwing phones, or swearing etc. Also during the game he is often on the bench talking to players while the game is going on. No doubt he has delegated some decisions down to the assistants while he talks to a player.

With Neeld, he looks very frustrated and about to hit the roof, but then again his players aren't doing what they have been told to do.

You can't really compare, McCartney and Neeld are in different situations.

While I think Neeld had too bigger expectations this year which makes it all the more frustrating. Having no wins, having players wave, smile and laugh after a huge loss, getting very little output from your older players, being labelled a racist, facing plenty of media scrutiny and as you said players not doing what they been told to do. He's had a very rough year, I'd be pretty frustrated too.

Very happy with McCartney though, I thought we would struggle a lot more then what we have. Loving these letters too. It's not a very long message, but it does give us some insight into what he's trying to do.

[Doc26]

The one thing I am enjoying with Macca is the calmness in the Coaching box, no throwing phones, or swearing etc. Also during the game he is often on the bench talking to players while the game is going on. No doubt he has delegated some decisions down to the assistants while he talks to a player.

With Neeld, he looks very frustrated and about to hit the roof, but then again his players aren't doing what they have been told to do.

I agree with you BD.

McCartney's ethos appears to be about 'building' trust and credibility through nurturing relationships rather than wielding a stick demanding everyone buy into it. He hones in on the strengths that individuals bring, not their weaknesses or baggage they may carry.

To listen to our playing group, including our senior players, to listen to his previous coaching colleagues and past players and having being fortunate enough to have had some dialogue with him a consistent theme comes across and that is of his ability to engage and get buy in to a common plan from a bottom up approach centered on teaching and mentoring.

He appears very centered and in control of where he wishes to lead the group and the Club for that matter. Wins on the board are a bonus rather than imperative, secondary to developing and implementing a sound culture, solid structure and a contested game plan that holds up when the chips are down.

Right now I believe we have something pretty special in Brendan and feel fortunate that he's found his way to our Club.

[Ghost Dog]

You can't really compare, McCartney and Neeld are in different situations.

While I think Neeld had too bigger expectations this year which makes it all the more frustrating. Having no wins, having players wave, smile and laugh after a huge loss, getting very little output from your older players, being labelled a racist, facing plenty of media scrutiny and as you said players not doing what they been told to do. He's had a very rough year, I'd be pretty frustrated too.

Very happy with McCartney though, I thought we would struggle a lot more then what we have. Loving these letters too. It's not a very long message, but it does give us some insight into what he's trying to do.

Not to mention coming from a very successful club, to one that is going to struggle for sometime. A lot of added pressure.

[stefoid]

Mac hasnt tried to drop an entire game blueprint from above in one pre-season. This pre-season was all about cracking in, working for your teammates and defensive pressure.

Players arent being measured by goals kicked or premiership points won, they are being measured by cracking in, working for their teammates and defensive pressure.

When mac has a press conference or a letter to the fans, he comments on how well or poorly we were cracking in, working for teammates or applying defensive pressure

No confusion, no angst - this is the target for this year and this is how your being measured, and players, fans and media all understand that.

Next year we will set different targets to build on this years targets, but they wont be based on win/loss rations or making the finals or posessions won, they will be based on whatever is the next highest priority that the team needs to be doing that it currently isnt doing.

I think players like Grant, Sherman and Higgins will benefit from this approach hugely.