9 and 6, then the abyss. Why?

[Dry Rot]

Why did the wheels fall off in the last 7 weeks?

[Bulldog Revolution]

Why did the wheels fall off in the last 7 weeks?

I'll take a stab and come up with a very cliche response

But boy we just aren't fit enough

[Go_Dogs]

Fitness, confidence, willingness/mental application.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Why did the wheels fall off in the last 7 weeks?
That's the 64 thousand dollar question right there DR.
Interesting to note Smorgo has come out after the game and said the spotlight is on the football department.
I think the loss of Griffen, Cross and then Murphy and Hahn at times following this really crueled our run at a key time in the season... and others did not fill their roles well enough.
I think from them once we got on a negative roll alot of "old ghosts" revisited some of our playing group and they reverted to old ways that we haven't seen since the Rohde-kill days.

[Bulldog Revolution]

That's the 64 thousand dollar question right there DR.
Interesting to note Smorgo has come out after the game and said the spotlight is on the football department.
I think the loss of Griffen, Cross and then Murphy and Hahn at times following this really crueled our run at a key time in the season... and others did not fill their roles well enough.
I think from them once we got on a negative roll alot of "old ghosts" revisited some of our playing group and they reverted to old ways that we haven't seen since the Rohde-kill days.

There is no easy answer to this seasons disasters, Smorgo had to come out on the front foot - 2007s efforts cannot be tolerated

I know what are saying Yankee but I am not prepared to go down the injury route this year, last year was destroyed by injury, and it was a factor this year, but we've had enough players to be far better than we have.

There were definitely some old ghosts and I think a sports physcholgist has to be a big part of preparing for 08

[G-Mo77]

Confidence, they just don't seem to believe in their own abilities and over the past 7 weeks most players look like they don't know what to do when they get the ball.

I've never been a fan of Rocket playing down this team. I'd like our players to believe their coach thinks they can win any games instead he comes out saying along the lines of we are not a top 4 side early on to we are not a finals side. I think a lot of the confidence comes from the coaches box and when your own coach doesn't believe in your own abilities then how can you win?

[Mantis]

I've never been a fan of Rocket playing down this team. I'd like our players to believe their coach thinks they can win any games instead he comes out saying along the lines of we are not a top 4 side early on to we are not a finals side. I think a lot of the confidence comes from the coaches box and when your own coach doesn't believe in your own abilities then how can you win?

Why should he? They aren't a bunch of 10 year olds who consistently need talking up. He is realistic, maybe too realistic, but he is right. We are along way behind the big guns in the comp. in mental application. It's what he does now that is the true test.

[bulldogtragic]

Why should he? They aren't a bunch of 10 year olds who consistently need talking up. He is realistic, maybe too realistic, but he is right. We are along way behind the big guns in the comp. in mental application. It's what he does now that is the true test.
Some very big list management choices now, very big.

[G-Mo77]

Why should he?

Because he is the coach and should be trying to get the best out of all his players not tearing them down every chance he gets!

[Mantis]

Because he is the coach and should be trying to get the best out of all his players not tearing them down every chance he gets!


Get your head out of the sand.

He is trying to get the best out of them, but the work he has put into this group over the previous 2 years has been wasted. The resolve this group has is almost non-existent and thats extremely disappointing.

[Sedat]

Confidence, they just don't seem to believe in their own abilities and over the past 7 weeks most players look like they don't know what to do when they get the ball.

I've never been a fan of Rocket playing down this team. I'd like our players to believe their coach thinks they can win any games instead he comes out saying along the lines of we are not a top 4 side early on to we are not a finals side. I think a lot of the confidence comes from the coaches box and when your own coach doesn't believe in your own abilities then how can you win?
As a collective group, we don't have a lot of swagger. We are more the silent types who go into our collective shells when things start to go wrong. Genuinely confident types in our playing group seem to be a rare breed (watching from the stands it seems), and it shows when the acid is put on the group during matches.

At the draft table this year, I would love for us to bring in some quality young players who are on good terms with themselves, and who have total belief in their abilities. We have far too many shrinking violets in our squad, passive types who seem to accept their fate all too easily.

I'd like our team to be more intent, more aggressive, more vocal and far more purposeful next season, and I'd like this intensity of effort at every contest in every match, not just a burst here or there. I still believe we have the basic tools to become a very good football side (if a few holes that need to be rectified), but a collective change in attitude on the field will certainly go a long way to starting the process back to team success.

[G-Mo77]

Get your head out of the sand.

There is no need to start making comments like that. It's uncalled for!

You want to disagree with me, fine but don't talk down to me like I'm some child.

[Mantis]

There is no need to start making comments like that. It's uncalled for!

You want to disagree with me, fine but don't talk down to me like I'm some child.

Exactly the response I wanted and expected, and don't take offence by that. The point I wanted to make with that statement is that as soon as someone is talked down to the immediate response is to take offence and to come out swinging.

I am sure that the playing group was spoken in this way they would react in a different way as there mental toughness is not strong enough. If someone talks down to me my immediate reaction is to stand up for myself and to prove the person wrong, as you have. I believe when Eade challenges this playing group, he does not get the response he is after and that has to change.

[G-Mo77]

Exactly the response I wanted and expected, and don't take offence by that. The point I wanted to make with that statement is that as soon as someone is talked down to the immediate response is to take offence and to come out swinging.

I am sure that the playing group was spoken in this way they would react in a different way as there mental toughness is not strong enough. If someone talks down to me my immediate reaction is to stand up for myself and to prove the person wrong, as you have. I believe when Eade challenges this playing group, he does not get the response he is after and that has to change.

Next time use probes to do your tests, they maybe more enjoyable :eek:

All players are different, some will respond in a positive way while others negative. Rocket has to find a way to approach certain players differently than others as a coach he has got to get the best out of all players even if it means talking up a few players that are down on form and confidence.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

Because he is the coach and should be trying to get the best out of all his players not tearing them down every chance he gets!

I would agree with you if Eade had been purely negative in his comments. Bot the substance of his words and the tone of his delivery, was merely to state the obvious. That if we want to be a top 4 side we need to improve alot. Our own performance in the final against West Coast showed that... it's no use sugar coating our position. The players, especially a largely inexperienced group needed to know that they must lift their game to another level if they wanted to be seen as a top side... and that 1 final win doesn't make you a top team. I also think he was trying to counteract the media hype surrounding our chance in 2007, and perhaps was concerned that the young group might get carried away with the media comments.

I think our performances this year rather than being the result of Eade downplaying our list are instead a vindication of his earlier comments.
As professional athletes they should've seen that Eade's comments as to where we are as a group were a challenge to them, to show him they are prepared to put in the application and go to that next level.
I don't believe you are correct in intimating Eade tore down the team every chance he got.
I do believe that as bad habits crept in in the latter 3rd of the season he let it be known that this was never going to be acceptable. And I think that as supporters of a long under achieving club we should be thankful we have a coach at the helm who is not going to stand for subpar performance.

[Go_Dogs]

Good post.

[LostDoggy]

... I think our performances this year rather than being the result of Eade downplaying our list are instead a vindication of his earlier comments.
As professional athletes they should've seen that Eade's comments as to where we are as a group were a challenge to them, to show him they are prepared to put in the application and go to that next level...

Good post YHF. After we lost the semi last year I remember Eade commenting along the lines of "they thought they had reached the top of the mountain when they defeated Collingwood (in the Elimination Final). They aren't even half way up the mountain yet". I believe Eade and his crew can see what is going on and what needs to be done, but the players - for whatever reason- can't. Therein lies the challenge.

[LostDoggy]

I thought that our leadership was really poor this year, our team was constantly being changed and I guess it was hard to settle with a certain structure. Last year we had I think 13 players who played in all 24 matches, this year we have had what, 5 or 6? Also, I think it's easier to account for forwards that are lost as we saw a lot of our midfielders and players in other positions able to help out Johnno and all add to the goal tally fairly evenly, however this year with the loss of our midfielders, our forwards and backs weren't really able to account for them, as it's obviously a position you have to grow into and isn't as simple as drifting down and kicking a goal every so often (also hard, not trying to underestimate that). Also, I think our expectations were a little bit high, not for a top 8 finish, but for a top 4 finish and possibly a serious threat come September, Rodney came out and said early on that we shouldn't expect too much and that there was still a long way to go before seriously threatening for a flag...but 13th is a bit far off from what it should have been. Also, I don't know the reason, but our ability to come back from defecits was amazing last year, and this year it seemed that as soon as we lost the lead, that was it, which could also come down to a leadership thing, belief, fitness, whatever...there would be more than just one thing to blame, but as long as we don't go making any knee jerk reactions we should be OK.