Club Communication

[boydogs]

How happy is everyone with the communication from the WB to its supporters? We seem to be left in the dark a lot, particularly with regards to selections and injuries. It seems like these days you learn more about what's going on around the club from Aker than you do from the club itself, and the negative way he spins it hurts our image.

5 questions to highlight my point;

1. Why isn't Barry Hall back yet?
2. What are we doing with Cooney?
3. Is Higgins injured?
4. Why did we bring Lake back then drop him again, and now bring him back again without showing form at Willy?
5. What's with the late changes for the Hawks game?

[azabob]

Club communication is ok. But I dont think we the supporters need to know what is happening on the injury front or why Lake was dropped. Hall is playing tomorrow and the changes for the hawks game have somewhat been explained.

[AndrewP6]

Don't really have an issue with these sorts of things staying in-house. I know, members are stakeholders etc etc, but I really don't see why we as outsiders, need to know every move that's being made (or not being made), and the why's and wherefores. Pretty sure other clubs would be similar.

As to the questions, Hall's playing tomorrow isn't he? He had surgery, and has needed time (he's 34 remember) to get his body right. Cooney's injured, the club has made mention of this already.

[LostDoggy]

What has Aker told us that we don't already know?

[boydogs]

Hall is playing tomorrow

Sorry I read somewhere he was dropped from the extended bench, my mistake


Don't really have an issue with these sorts of things staying in-house. I know, members are stakeholders etc etc, but I really don't see why we as outsiders, need to know every move that's being made (or not being made), and the why's and wherefores. Pretty sure other clubs would be similar.

It makes it difficult to feel as though you are part of the club and involved in the goings on if you're left guessing as to what's happening.


Cooney's injured, the club has made mention of this already.

What are we doing with the injury? Does he need surgery? How long will he be out for? Will he be back to his best when he comes back?


What has Aker told us that we don't already know?

Cooney's knee, Lake's unprofessionalism, Tommy's confidence. A lot of his remarks weren't quite true, but it took him mouthing off before the club came out and gave us the full story. It would be nice to see us be a bit more proactive in telling fans what's happening, then Aker wouldn't have the opportunity to paint the picture for us instead.

[comrade]

Why would we (actively) publicly comment on such things and give our opponents any insights that may help them better prepare for us? This is a cut throat competition - disclosing any unnecessary information would just be stupid.

It seems some people are trying to find any excuse to pot the Club at the moment.

[AndrewP6]

What are we doing with the injury? Does he need surgery? How long will he be out for? Will he be back to his best when he comes back?
They've said it will just need to be managed, doesn't seem to be degenerative and at the moment doesn't require surgery. As for the last question, how is anyone supposed to be able to determine that? Crystal ball required.





Cooney's knee, Lake's unprofessionalism, Tommy's confidence

The first has been reported on, the second unsubstantiated (at the moment) and the third is plainly obvious. Or so I thought.

I get what you're saying, but I just don't think it's necessary..

[jazzadogs]

I have no problem with the way the club communicates in regards to player injuries and attitudes. I agree that this kind of information should be kept in-house.

However their communication in other areas, such as the Bulldog magazine and our weekly emails, could do with a bit more imagination and information.

[bornadog]

However their communication in other areas, such as the Bulldog magazine and our weekly emails, could do with a bit more imagination and information.

At a guess, the people employed to do this are probably not up to standard.

[GVGjr]

The club has a long way to go with the basics of communication.

Just some areas that they could assist the average supporter with:

- Injury lists to be updated every week including long term injury list promotions.
- Training sessions.
- What color jumper we will wear each week.
- Upcoming functions, including the various supporter group activities
- Informative Williamstown reports (how great would that be for the country, interstate and overseas supporters)

There is heaps more they could improve on.

[comrade]

The club has a long way to go with the basics of communication.

Just some areas that they could assist the average supporter with:

- Injury lists to be updated every week including long term injury list promotions.
- Training sessions.
- What color jumper we will wear each week.
- Upcoming functions, including the various supporter group activities
- Informative Williamstown reports (how great would that be for the country, interstate and overseas supporters)

There is heaps more they could improve on.

I agree that improving the communication of the above topics would be beneficial for supporters. The type of information that gogriff requested we make public is completely unnecessary.

[bornadog]

The club has a long way to go with the basics of communication.

Just some areas that they could assist the average supporter with:

- Injury lists to be updated every week including long term injury list promotions.
- Training sessions.
- What color jumper we will wear each week.
- Upcoming functions, including the various supporter group activities
- Informative Williamstown reports (how great would that be for the country, interstate and overseas supporters)

There is heaps more they could improve on.

Hopefully the new person will be better:

http://www.woof.net.au/forum/showthread.php?t=9320

[AndrewP6]

The club has a long way to go with the basics of communication.

Just some areas that they could assist the average supporter with:

- Injury lists to be updated every week including long term injury list promotions.
- Training sessions.
- What color jumper we will wear each week.
.

The first two are on the website, aren't they?
Why the third one? Do people care?

[GVGjr]

I agree that improving the communication of the above topics would be beneficial for supporters. The type of information that gogriff requested we make public is completely unnecessary.

There is certainly a need to be selective with the information and I agree that GoGriff's request list was unrealistic.
The communication flow from the club however, has been a bugbear of mine and I hope that things eventually improve.

If I went back quite a few years back, we had 2 or 3 excellent communication managers in succession and as quickly they were provided with feedback on opportunities to improve they jumped on them. I'm not sure if it was the tightening of the reigns by Rose or a level of complacency by some of the team over recent years but I've given up on trying to point them in the right direction as they don't even bother to respond.

I rarely log onto the clubs website as it just isn't informative.

[GVGjr]

The first two are on the website, aren't they?


Are they updated regularly or are they accurate?

[AndrewP6]

Are they updated regularly or are they accurate?

Accurate, well, who can tell ;) Whenever I look, it seems OK. At the moment, they have Tom Hill as a foot injury, 8-10 weeks, and Dylan Addison (shin), test. I guess they could have Coons and Roughy.

[bornadog]

Are they updated regularly or are they accurate?

For example, Nothing said about Rougheads injury at all? How long is he out, etc etc.

[GVGjr]

Hopefully the new person will be better:

http://www.woof.net.au/forum/showthread.php?t=9320

Hopefully they will but it seems to be skewed more towards the technical aspect though.
Telstra have great technicians but their websites haven't always been user friendly or informative. The person they need to recruit will have to balance the technical side with a practical focus on the supporters.

[GVGjr]

Accurate, well, who can tell ;) Whenever I look, it seems OK. At the moment, they have Tom Hill as a foot injury, 8-10 weeks, and Dylan Addison (shin), test. I guess they could have Coons and Roughy.

I checked on Wednesday or Thursday and there was nothing on Hill, Addison or Roughead.
There was some speculation that we would promote a rookie given the injury to Hill but there is no mention of it one way or the other.

[boydogs]

Why would we (actively) publicly comment on such things and give our opponents any insights that may help them better prepare for us? This is a cut throat competition - disclosing any unnecessary information would just be stupid.

It seems some people are trying to find any excuse to pot the Club at the moment.


- Injury lists to be updated every week including long term injury list promotions.


I agree that improving the communication of the above topics would be beneficial for supporters. The type of information that gogriff requested we make public is completely unnecessary.

Current & accurate injury lists are the biggest thing I'm after, the examples I provided all fall into this category.

[comrade]

Current & accurate injury lists are the biggest thing I'm after, the examples I provided all fall into this category.

Fair enough, but if you're hoping a standard list will answer the following questions, I reckon you'll continue to be disappointed;

1. Why isn't Barry Hall back yet?
2. What are we doing with Cooney?
3. Is Higgins injured?
4. Why did we bring Lake back then drop him again, and now bring him back again without showing form at Willy?
5. What's with the late changes for the Hawks game?

[Topdog]

No but it is a start comrade. The communications from the club are basically non existent. It has gotten better in the last few years with the club at least sending out emails on a weekly basis.

What gogriff is after is a little too much info in certain parts (Is Higgo injured - if we disclose that info teams will target his injured area) but on the whole we need to improve in this area big time.

His example about Lake and the number of surgeries he had was a great one.

Also lets not confuse info we get from sources inside the club with club communication. Without woof I would have no idea about Cooneys injury, Lakes multiple surgeries, what was the go with Lakes dropping, why we had late changes and I'm sure the list would go on and on.

[boydogs]

Fair enough, but if you're hoping a standard list will answer the following questions, I reckon you'll continue to be disappointed;

1. Why isn't Barry Hall back yet?
2. What are we doing with Cooney?
3. Is Higgins injured?
4. Why did we bring Lake back then drop him again, and now bring him back again without showing form at Willy?
5. What's with the late changes for the Hawks game?

1, 3 and 4 are in now, but I would have liked to see them on the injury list in previous weeks to give some idea of what's wrong and when they'll be back. If a big name is dropped, I can't tell whether it was due to injury or form because I can't trust the injury list. The names we are talking about here are some of our best players and key to our finals hopes, yet supporters have been left out of the loop as to what's happening with them.

Cooney, Roughead, Hargrave and Moles still aren't on there. When do we expect they will return to the side?

http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/

Injury List

Dylan Addison (shin) Test
Tom Hill (foot) 8-10 weeks

http://www.injuryupdate.com.au/afl.php

Western Bulldogs

Updated on: 26/05/2011
Player Injury Onset Estimated Return
Dylan Addison shin injury R9 training Rnd 11
Late withdrawal
Adam Cooney knee injury Rnd 8 Rnd 10
Test
Adam Cooney knee injury Rnd 8 Rnd 11
Test
Tom Hill foot injury Rnd 9 Rnd 20
Jordan Roughead shoulder injury Rnd 8 Rnd 10
Test
Zeph Skinner diagnosis unknown Rnd 8 Rnd 10
Test

[Ghost Dog]

The New 2012 bulldogs magazine was posted to my parent's address so I only now got around to reading it. What a great publication. I have a design background, and think this is the best of the series so far. From a look and feel to content.
Maybe a few cartoons could be good! ( first dog on the moon? ) Fantastic.

[ledge]

Communication this year is a huge improvement on previous years, looks like the club has really pushed it.

[AndrewP6]

It does seem better or at least the effort is better. However, I don't get the point of the "Insider" email. They make out like it's something special, when it basically has links to stories on the club website, and nothing new or "inside". I appreciate the effort, but if I want to see something thats on the website, I can just go there.:confused: They also promote "Behind the scenes" features -to me, thats things like photos in the clubrooms, or backstage at an event. What's "behind the scenes" about match photographs?