Dogs appoint fitness guru

[bulldogsman]

In a major coup for the Club, the Western Bulldogs today announced the appointment of Graham Lowe to the newly created position of High Performance Manager.

Lowe comes to the Western Bulldogs from Scottish Rugby where he was Director of Performance for almost three years.

The Western Bulldogs moved quickly to secure highly-credentialed Lowe, who has successfully influenced high performance sporting organisations for over 14 years, including New Zealand Rugby Union, Scottish Rugby, America’s Cup yacht racing and New Zealand’s All Blacks, where he contributed to a 88% winning record over a four year period.

In a re-structure of the High Performance department, the Club also announced the appointment of Strength Coach, Andy Barnett.

Barnett comes to the Club having lead the development and execution of speed, strength and conditioning programs across a variety of sporting organisations over a 25-year period, including the NFL’s New York Giants and New Zealand and Canadian Olympic Training Centres, where he helped produce 24 Olympic and World Champion Gold Medallists.

“In line with the growth of our football department resources, we’ve created Graham’s position to ensure we are at the forefront of best practice techniques and strategies in sports science,” General Manager of Football, James Fantasia said.

“Both Graham and Andy have proven track records in successfully applying scientific principles to international elite sporting organisations and their knowledge in this space, make them terrific acquisitions.”

“We’ve unashamedly gone after who we believe are among the best in world in their respective fields, and to have them both on board is a fantastic result for our football club,” Fantasia said.

http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/westernbulldogsnewsfeatures/newsarticle/tabid/4112/newsid/148722/default.aspx

[Cyberdoggie]

Interesting selections, i wonder if they know anything about Australian rules football.
No offence but it's a big leap from Scottich Rugby union to the requirements of an AFL side.

Good luck to them, let's hope we see some improvement.

[AndrewP6]

Interesting selections, i wonder if they know anything about Australian rules football.
No offence but it's a big leap from Scottich Rugby union to the requirements of an AFL side.

Good luck to them, let's hope we see some improvement.

Bill Davoren came from athletics.

[Twodogs]

Interesting selections, i wonder if they know anything about Australian rules football.
No offence but it's a big leap from Scottich Rugby union to the requirements of an AFL side.

Good luck to them, let's hope we see some improvement.


Yeah but RU isnt the only sport on his CV.


BTW isnt:




including New Zealand Rugby Union, Scottish Rugby, America’s Cup yacht racing and New Zealand’s All Blacks


the same thing?

[Greystache]

Bill Davoren came from athletics.

Correct.

Some of the players complained that Davoren didn't understand the impact collisions and heavy body contact had on their ability to run and train. A background in rugby would help with that understanding.

[AndrewP6]

Correct.

Some of the players complained that Davoren didn't understand the impact collisions and heavy body contact had on their ability to run and train. A background in rugby would help with that understanding.

Fair point. Didn't know that about the players.

[chef]

Interesting selections, i wonder if they know anything about Australian rules football.
No offence but it's a big leap from Scottich Rugby union to the requirements of an AFL side.

Good luck to them, let's hope we see some improvement.

Both professional sports so not really that big of a leap.

[Topdog]

BTW isnt:




the same thing?

nah probably talking about ITM Cup.

[Go_Dogs]

I for one am pretty happy with the fact we've made two appointments and both seem sound on the face of it. Will be interesting to see the impact these guys have over the pre-season and beyond.

[MrMahatma]

Good resumes. Seem like a good selection.

[Desipura]

I blame BMac for this appointment. Why get someone without a footy background? You watch all the soft tissue injuries we cop in 2013. :rolleyes:

[GVGjr]

Interesting selections, i wonder if they know anything about Australian rules football.
No offence but it's a big leap from Scottich Rugby union to the requirements of an AFL side.



I don't think it's a leap. He's been working with a National side on the international level and coming into the AFL and working with a club shouldn't be a problem for him.

I think it's a positive appointment for the club.

[AndrewP6]

I blame BMac for this appointment. Why get someone without a footy background? You watch all the soft tissue injuries we cop in 2013. :rolleyes:

The last bloke didn't have a footy background.

[G-Mo77]

The last bloke didn't have a footy background.

I think there was a little sarcasm in Desi's post.

[jeemak]

The IP gathered through work contributed by previous fitness managers within our club would belong to the club. So with a little bit of quantitative and qualitative analysis over their first few weeks these guys will be up to speed very quickly.

With their backgrounds it seems they have experience with elite fitness and conditioning management, so I'm happy to back their ability to apply the fundamentals to any specific need or directive outlined by the football department.

[bornadog]

The IP gathered through work contributed by previous fitness managers within our club would belong to the club. So with a little bit of quantitative and qualitative analysis over their first few weeks these guys will be up to speed very quickly.

With their backgrounds it seems they have experience with elite fitness and conditioning management, so I'm happy to back their ability to apply the fundamentals to any specific need or directive outlined by the football department.

Its also great we have bolstered this area with two guys, which will help the footy department no end.

[jeemak]

Its also great we have bolstered this area with two guys, which will help the footy department no end.

I agree mate.

Might be a bit of an indication of how well regarded Davoren might have been with the club realising it probably has been getting along with a highly productive resource covering a job too great for one person.

I'm no Davoren fan, or a nay sayer either, though if the club thought two resources were required it probably says a bit about our prior resourcing or how well Davoren performed.

[bornadog]

I agree mate.

Might be a bit of an indication of how well regarded Davoren might have been with the club realising it probably has been getting along with a highly productive resource covering a job too great for one person.

I'm no Davoren fan, or a nay sayer either, though if the club thought two resources were required it probably says a bit about our prior resourcing or how well Davoren performed.

I spent about 30 minutes with Davoren when I was visiting the Training centre a couple of years ago with my daughter and her friend. He was very impressive and gave the girls a talk on fitness and the sort of things they need to do to get to the highest level. He told them he had been travelling for some 12 years or more with the Olympic and commonwealth teams and was glad to to join the dogs and not have to travel so much.

He is highly regarded and wanted a longer contract which the Saints offered.

I think we have two guys that have an impressive record and will be an asset to the club.

[jeemak]

Must have been a good insight for you, your daughter and her friend.

It would be hard continually travelling with a professional or international team. Family units mostly thrive on consistency and routine, so eventually a lot of elite fitness professionals with families will need to settle.

It's easy to look at resumes of elite coaches and stop to think why they might take up a role with a struggling Victorian AFL club, but at the end of the day stability in a very good city is a major draw card we have to attract such types.

I wish them well, hopefully they get us fit and ready for a tough year ahead.

[Bulldog Joe]

Correct.

Some of the players complained that Davoren didn't understand the impact collisions and heavy body contact had on their ability to run and train. A background in rugby would help with that understanding.

My concern with the new appointments is whether they will understand the endurance side of things.

The appointments look very good from a strength perspective which indicates BMac has had a heavy influence in the choice.

[MrMahatma]

These guys are sports scientists, not rugby coaches. Transitioning shouldnt be too hard for them.

[GVGjr]

These guys are sports scientists, not rugby coaches. Transitioning shouldnt be too hard for them.

Exactly. The tests will decide how hard they can push the players.

[boydogs]

I think it's a positive appointment for the club.

Why aren't you posting concerns over whether we can afford to put on an extra person like you did over paying for our own VFL side?

[Bulldog Revolution]

Good that we've got two people in quickly after Davorens departure

They'll learn on the job like anyone would - seem to have good pedigrees

[westdog54]

Why aren't you posting concerns over whether we can afford to put on an extra person like you did over paying for our own VFL side?

Probably because:


An extra fitness & Conditioning person will cost nowhere near as much as a stand-alone VFL side
Getting the right people into the Footy department should be a higher priority than going alone in the VFL
This seems on face value to be a good, well reasoned decision.

[boydogs]

An extra fitness & Conditioning person will cost nowhere near as much as a stand-alone VFL side

I wouldn't know, but I have heard that a VFL side will cost $350k, which is equal to the salary of the 'Weapon', Essendon's conditioning bloke. The VFL side can attract sponsorships, membership, merchandise & attendances, the salary of conditioning staff comes straight out of our pocket.


Getting the right people into the Footy department should be a higher priority than going alone in the VFL

The VFL split has already been decided, it's not a one or the other decision.


This seems on face value to be a good, well reasoned decision.

Sounds like they will be good people to have on board, but with their sort of experience they wouldn't come cheap.

[Topdog]

I wouldn't know, but I have heard that a VFL side will cost $350k, which is equal to the salary of the 'Weapon', Essendon's conditioning bloke. The VFL side can attract sponsorships, membership, merchandise & attendances, the salary of conditioning staff comes straight out of our pocket.


$350k is for the team to be in the competition. Then we have to pay more for extra players, extra coaches, extra everything. Will end up costing a lot more than $350k and I can't imagine how we would attract extra sponsorship.

With the amount of stand alone teams in the VFL why dont they just re-brand and become the AFL reserves.

[boydogs]

$350k is for the team to be in the competition. Then we have to pay more for extra players, extra coaches, extra everything. Will end up costing a lot more than $350k and I can't imagine how we would attract extra sponsorship.

Sponsorship of the VFL side.


With the amount of stand alone teams in the VFL why dont they just re-brand and become the AFL reserves.

Because it's Victorian only. The WAFL, SANFL etc. are used by AFL sides in other states.

[GVGjr]

Why aren't you posting concerns over whether we can afford to put on an extra person like you did over paying for our own VFL side?

To me it's a furphy to suggest that players weren't being developed with the Williamstown alignment.

We need to spend the money we have effectively and I see the two sports science appointments as a positive.

[Remi Moses]

A coach at Williamstown is looking on ways to win the game.
A coach in a stand alone side can position players for their playing development.
Players playing in a development league isn't as beneficial as playing in VFL seniors.
The financial aspect concerns me, but it's a positive direction .

[Topdog]

Sponsorship of the VFL side.



Because it's Victorian only. The WAFL, SANFL etc. are used by AFL sides in other states.

wont happen

yes i know was just being funny

[LostDoggy]

I don't understand why some of you are unhappy they don't have an AFL background. Not everyone needs to come from the AFL to be able to do something good. I'd rather get someone with good credentials, then someone who has been involved with AFL in the past with no real evidence to prove they can do anything to make us better.

Looks like we are trying to get the best people possible to help us improve

[Bulldog4life]

I don't understand why some of you are unhappy they don't have an AFL background. Not everyone needs to come from the AFL to be able to do something good. I'd rather get someone with good credentials, then someone who has been involved with AFL in the past with no real evidence to prove they can do anything to make us better.

Looks like we are trying to get the best people possible to help us improve

I agree I'm very happy on the appointments.

[w3design]

It would be interesting to know if our partners in the Sports Science Dept. of Vic. U. played any role in the selection of these guys. It is after all their field of expertise.

[boydogs]

It would be interesting to know if our partners in the Sports Science Dept. of Vic. U. played any role in the selection of these guys. It is after all their field of expertise.

Interesting question. I wouldn't be surprised, it really is a valuable partnership we have with Victoria University to access their expertise.

[jeemak]

I have no idea how far the relationship runs. Though, I'd be disappointed if they weren't at least consulted as part of the recruitment process.

They're a resource that should be used, though it would be interesting to find out whether it is a relationship that fosters IP sharing or one that is purely commercial. From my experience (albeit limited, but not completely) university science departments aren't necessarily the easiest to share information with unless there's very sound commercial or status gains involved.

[boydogs]

From my experience (albeit limited, but not completely) university science departments aren't necessarily the easiest to share information with unless there's very sound commercial or status gains involved.

I know they were going there once a week during pre-season to do a training session with sports scientists at one stage.