Aussie Rules 2013

Sport
81

[quote=“Gman, post: 766249, member: 112”]Wellingham is a WA boy though Kev, so not sure if that would have had much bearing on the pitches etc? Maybe so.

How did Rosa and Lycett go? And I’m assuming when you say us you mean Perth demons? Was wondering how Reimers has been going since Essendon dumped him. Is there many Eagles players there other than Ash Smith?[/quote]

Is he? Hadn’t a clue to be honest. He looks and acts like a Melboune player. Either way he is class and made it look ridiculously easy. Very good in close and gets in and out well.

Perth - yes. Reimers dumped Essedon GMan. He started to hate the AFL lifestyle and missed home. Nowhere near fully fit yet and has been dropped to our reserves for a game already. A head case in ways, but a class footballer. He’ll make it back to AFL, I suspect with Freo. The lighter year could get his appetite back. Collingwood offered him a go as well and he said no. He’s a bit like the Indigenous lads really, loves playing football, hates weights, meetings, recovery, rehab etc etc.

We have Fraser McInnes and Simon Turnbridge. Don’t really know Fraser at all, but Tunners is a great fella. He had a stormer the last day after dislocating his finger and breaking a bone in his hand. Kicked 4 goals after that, hard country boy.

Fraser is being primed to be a big man forward. He’s a good kicker and works hard. Probably 1-3 years away from AFL.

both are Perth colts boys and will be forced to play next year with East Perth because of this stupid deal that was done instead of having 2nd Freo & Eagles teams. The players themselves hate the thought if it apparently. The WALF also apparently regret letting it happen and now believe they should have left those 2 teams in.

82

I got the Melboune and the different pitches thing from the Melbourne lads GMan. It’s quite a different game state to state. Lots of running in WA, much bigger men in VFL, alot more Indigenious players in SANFL which arguably makes it more skillful.

83

[quote=“caoimhaoin, post: 766267, member: 273”]Is he? Hadn’t a clue to be honest. He looks and acts like a Melboune player. Either way he is class and made it look ridiculously easy. Very good in close and gets in and out well.

Perth - yes. Reimers dumped Essedon GMan. He started to hate the AFL lifestyle and missed home. Nowhere near fully fit yet and has been dropped to our reserves for a game already. A head case in ways, but a class footballer. He’ll make it back to AFL, I suspect with Freo. The lighter year could get his appetite back. Collingwood offered him a go as well and he said no. He’s a bit like the Indigenous lads really, loves playing football, hates weights, meetings, recovery, rehab etc etc.

We have Fraser McInnes and Simon Turnbridge. Don’t really know Fraser at all, but Tunners is a great fella. He had a stormer the last day after dislocating his finger and breaking a bone in his hand. Kicked 4 goals after that, hard country boy.

Fraser is being primed to be a big man forward. He’s a good kicker and works hard. Probably 1-3 years away from AFL.

both are Perth colts boys and will be forced to play next year with East Perth because of this stupid deal that was done instead of having 2nd Freo & Eagles teams. The players themselves hate the thought if it apparently. The WALF also apparently regret letting it happen and now believe they should have left those 2 teams in.[/quote]

yeah Wellingham is an ex Perth Demon player Kev. Always had mixed thoughts on him, seems a ratty little cunt on the field, but a good talent. is needed in the Eagles mids now as they are not firing well at all.

Always liked Reimers, despite his ridiculus luminous yellow boots. Really pacy player. Must be a difference of opinion as to who dumped who, but was reported Essendon delisted him, and Carlton were willing to give him a try. I’d say the departing kick of saying about he drugs they were being pushed didnt help his reputation there. I knew a guy who was involved with Peel who always raved about Reimers. And like all WA players in games that Commetti does commentary on, he cant let them go without saying their old WAFL club (Coniglio, Bradley Hill, Franklin, Mitch Duncan etc) so would always hear about Reimers in games Essednon played with him on commentary.

Turnbridge was supposed to go to GWS alright as far as I can remember, and I think him and Brad Dick from Collingwood were picked as rookies this year. Dick is another one who hasnt really been mentioned at all yet this year. As you say though, he too could well be prone to the easy going footy life, instead of the hard slog that is usually involved.

yeah cant understand the set up they ahve there with Freo/Eagles and not having second sides. Makes a fuck of teams in WAFL who are trying to do well and then have a player plucked form them as they get to final stages in WAFL league. Most other clubs have a dedicated second side, rather than just randomly send them out to a host of clubs.

84

Turnbridge (reading between the lines here) hated Sydney. Alot of WA boys struggle away from home. He was at GWS, but was only 17.

Weird about Wellingham, nobody said a word to him, usually there would be a bit of talk about an ex player. They are FIERCE sensitive here, fall out about football real easy. Old school barracking coaches don’t help either.

85

[quote=“caoimhaoin, post: 766295, member: 273”]Turnbridge (reading between the lines here) hated Sydney. Alot of WA boys struggle away from home. He was at GWS, but was only 17.

Weird about Wellingham, nobody said a word to him, usually there would be a bit of talk about an ex player. They are FIERCE sensitive here, fall out about football real easy. Old school barracking coaches don’t help either.[/quote]

think that leads back to a point you made somewhere about Aussies being insular or something (and I know TASE has same opinion). In that they only like home and where they are from and have little or no interest in other cultures or living anywhere else. Similar to Judd going back to Vic, and the amount of indiginous players who get drated and end up quitting and going abck home, there are also plenty of other players like Reimers and Turnbridge who dont like the move and come back.

86

Ya, WA is the worst. The rest of them have no trouble moving throughout the Eastern states, but nobody wants to move to WA and nobody from WA lasts anywhere else.

The biggest trouble with WAians is they don’t travel, nobody goes anywhere. My birds family are very very uptight about us moving to Ireland/UK. Its a massive deal, and people make up all these stories about places. Her mother said to the woman that she heard that we were all at soup kitchens and it was this awful 3rd world country type senario. Last week then her sister started on about “she heard” there are alot of stabbings in London!?! Its incredible, i don’t think anyone really understands how insular they are. They have their good side too though in fairness, and i suppose you don’t have to go too far back that we weren’t too unlike them.

87

Taylor Walker out for the season with an ACL. Crows in serious trouble now having lost Kurt Tippett to the Swans.

14 ACL’s so far this season in the AFL, whats going on here Kev?

88

[quote=“Fitzy, post: 766462, member: 236”]Taylor Walker out for the season with an ACL. Crows in serious trouble now having lost Kurt Tippett to the Swans.

14 ACL’s so far this season in the AFL, whats going on here Kev?[/quote]

Well some if them are bad luck. Walkers was very like Colm O Neills, big men are always in danger with that. Could be possible he’s not strong enough for the weight he is carrying. But I obviously don’t know how strong he is.

The Freo one was a pure freak accident.

Overall though it is way too much, already more now than all of last season. There are still alot of very poor S&C programs in the AFL. BUt that is never the only reason. Generally it’s a massively heavy contact high endurance game. Not all men are built to sustain the wear and tear they go thru. They are really on the edge in terms of “how far can you go” with the fitness training etc.

Thankfully where I’m at they have started to listen to the S&C and Physio staff here where I work. This week, in prep for the biggest game of season we are only having one real football session and one very light weights session. Next week bar Regeneration on Monday night they have the full week off. We have had to do it. This week, after 8 games played, we have bar one long term returning ACL have a full squad to play from. They are pretty surprised by it. Claremont, who we are playing, having 15 on the injury list. We have had only one soft tissue injury and thy was for Chance Bateman our oldest player at 32 getting a slight strain on hamstring. We pre hab all the time, we recover all the time an then in Monday we Regenerate (light body weight strength and Mobility work). That basically sets them up for a hard session Tuesday. What that means is they are 100% on Tuesday, not sure many clubs can say that. We still will run into trouble, the pre season was severe, closing to AFL level and too much long running, we will hit some sort of wall at some stage in next month, so I’ve been pushing hard that we rest as much as possible. I know many afl clubs ignore some of that protocol and they would have possibly 2 sessions more than us in a regular week.

In top of that some of the weight training still been done is silly. I saw some of the crap Essedon are doing still and it’s mad, trying mimic things in a game, but not thinking scientifically about it. Using the term functional training, but misunderstanding why it means.

Overall though its the pace of the game and individuals not being ready for it. It’s been alot if big men too, have you noticed that?

89

[quote=“caoimhaoin, post: 766491, member: 273”]Well some if them are bad luck. Walkers was very like Colm O Neills, big men are always in danger with that. Could be possible he’s not strong enough for the weight he is carrying. But I obviously don’t know how strong he is.

The Freo one was a pure freak accident.

Overall though it is way too much, already more now than all of last season. There are still alot of very poor S&C programs in the AFL. BUt that is never the only reason. Generally it’s a massively heavy contact high endurance game. Not all men are built to sustain the wear and tear they go thru. They are really on the edge in terms of “how far can you go” with the fitness training etc.

Thankfully where I’m at they have started to listen to the S&C and Physio staff here where I work. This week, in prep for the biggest game of season we are only having one real football session and one very light weights session. Next week bar Regeneration on Monday night they have the full week off. We have had to do it. This week, after 8 games played, we have bar one long term returning ACL have a full squad to play from. They are pretty surprised by it. Claremont, who we are playing, having 15 on the injury list. We have had only one soft tissue injury and thy was for Chance Bateman our oldest player at 32 getting a slight strain on hamstring. We pre hab all the time, we recover all the time an then in Monday we Regenerate (light body weight strength and Mobility work). That basically sets them up for a hard session Tuesday. What that means is they are 100% on Tuesday, not sure many clubs can say that. We still will run into trouble, the pre season was severe, closing to AFL level and too much long running, we will hit some sort of wall at some stage in next month, so I’ve been pushing hard that we rest as much as possible. I know many afl clubs ignore some of that protocol and they would have possibly 2 sessions more than us in a regular week.

In top of that some of the weight training still been done is silly. I saw some of the crap Essedon are doing still and it’s mad, trying mimic things in a game, but not thinking scientifically about it. Using the term functional training, but misunderstanding why it means.

Overall though its the pace of the game and individuals not being ready for it. It’s been alot if big men too, have you noticed that?[/quote]

[FONT=Arial]Kev,[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Are we really to believe that an Irish lad that has never been involved in professional sports or sports at a high level knows more about S&C than Australian S&C AFL coaches involved in professional sports. No offense but there isnt a chance in hell that you could be more insightful than them.There was a stage when these coaches were being headhunted by European football clubs. The Australian sports institute and Australian universities are some of the best in the world. The top universities in Ireland cant compete with our Unis & Ireland has an abysmal record in sports and sports science[/FONT]

90

Of course it may also be that many of them were take peptides and other drugs and they don’t now, but still have the same work load.

91

Good points there Kev alright. It seems to me that there has probably been an emphasis on upper body strength and extreme fitness in the last few years which has led to some AFL players being, well, top heavy (apologies for the non technical nature of my analysis). I kind of think this has led to an imbalance and the coaches and staff, having started this kind of conditioning, are now trying to catch up with the monster they have created and don’t actually know how manage players with this level of strength and fitness.The sport is massive in terms of money now and the competition to succeed is huge. I know of young club / rep players who are considered potential AFL players and the road to becoming a professional player in incredibly difficult. Inevitably some players, but more likely, many clubs, are taking short cuts. There’s no question now that doping / supplement programs in many forms are rife in the AFL.

Everyone is trying to find that edge, that 1% extra. The margins in professional sport as we know, are incredibly small. The fact that you have well known coaches, in some cases only recently retired from playing, engaging in these kind of short cuts speaks of the pressure they face to get results.

The quite remarkable nature of Essendons’ season last year and the amount of ACL injuries after what, 5 rounds this season demonstrate there is something clearly wrong.

Essendon might be flying at the moment, and they have GWS this weekend. But is there going to be another amazing collapse to their season? I reckon so. The Swans have looked rusty since the season started against not great competition (apart from Geelong), I reckon they’ll be far higher than the Bombers come September.

92

[quote=“FingalRaven, post: 766492, member: 80”][FONT=Arial]Kev,[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Are we really to believe that an Irish lad that has never been involved in professional sports or sports at a high level knows more about S&C than Australian S&C AFL coaches involved in professional sports. No offense but there isnt a chance in hell that you could be more insightful than them.There was a stage when these coaches were being headhunted by European football clubs. The Australian sports institute and Australian universities are some of the best in the world. The top universities in Ireland cant compete with our Unis & Ireland has an abysmal record in sports and sports science[/FONT][/quote]
TASE, mate seriously. Australian sport is in the middle of a massive crisis at the moment. Apart from football, name a sport, any sport and I’ll tell you what controversy dogs it at the moment.

93

netball

94

Not a sport

95

Kev, did you watch this?

http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2013/04/22/3740178.htm

96

[quote=“Fitzy, post: 766496, member: 236”]Good points there Kev alright. It seems to me that there has probably been an emphasis on upper body strength and extreme fitness in the last few years which has led to some AFL players being, well, top heavy (apologies for the non technical nature of my analysis). I kind of think this has led to an imbalance and the coaches and staff, having started this kind of conditioning, are now trying to catch up with the monster they have created and don’t actually know how manage players with this level of strength and fitness.The sport is massive in terms of money now and the competition to succeed is huge. I know of young club / rep players who are considered potential AFL players and the road to becoming a professional player in incredibly difficult. Inevitably some players, but more likely, many clubs, are taking short cuts. There’s no question now that doping / supplement programs in many forms are rife in the AFL.

Everyone is trying to find that edge, that 1% extra. The margins in professional sport as we know, are incredibly small. The fact that you have well known coaches, in some cases only recently retired from playing, engaging in these kind of short cuts speaks of the pressure they face to get results.

The quite remarkable nature of Essendons’ season last year and the amount of ACL injuries after what, 5 rounds this season demonstrate there is something clearly wrong.

Essendon might be flying at the moment, and they have GWS this weekend. But is there going to be another amazing collapse to their season? I reckon so. The Swans have looked rusty since the season started against not great competition (apart from Geelong), I reckon they’ll be far higher than the Bombers come September.[/quote]

I agree, they are could well be. Looking at the rotating door of games:fatigue ratio I think a good barometer for a team is the 6-8 game mark. If after this they are staying consistent them its fair to say they probably are on the right track.

Thing is, an this is wide spread in sport. Winning and talent can cover alot if poor training methods. Teams with the bet programs might get to play offs and that’s their lot. A super club like Collingwood could be surviving on a big squad and a revolving door of players but a shit Medical/ Conditioning program. You just don’t know in alot if cases. I have seen glimpses if what certain AFL clubs are doing, but if course I Do not see the whole picture so I’m suggesting/guessing alot. But here is a little run down. An it shows you different things work. If the top teAms at the moment.

Essedon -
Poor S&C,
dreadful medical decisions made in past few years,
Good likeable coach who players play for
Talented squad

Collingwood -

Very good S&C, Head guy is world renowned and there for years
An insider and well liked coach
Dreadful injury results
3 or 4 of the best players in the game
Massive support

Hawthorn -

Good S&C
Poor Coach (IMO)
Really talented players
Excellent off season recruitment
Poor mental toughness exposed at times

Geelong -
Anal Coach, probably a very good one, but can be overly negative sometimes (and very angry)
Really consistent. Same staff for years, great record of keeping guys fit
Some top players with big game mentality
Some top, not so athletic players, with great head/skills

Sydney -
No idea on medical/S&C staff
Temperamental coach
2-3 really class players, but nothing like other clubs
Super team mentality, high work rate

The common theme is talent. All the clubs have things going for them, but talent can trump any sort if planning. Different things also work for different groups.

Sydney are arguably the least talented of the “top team”. But they are the most together “team”. Goes along way.

97

No dickhead policy, thats whats made the Swans. They play for each other. When a player as untalented but with that sort of commitment to the cause as Jude Bolton has, is a senior player in your club, then you must be doing something right. I’m reserving judgement on Tippett until we see him play a few games for the Swans, still not convinced he is the right player for them.

I’d love to see Buddy or Jonathan Brown (though he’s getting on now) at the Swans.

98

[quote=“Fitzy, post: 766504, member: 236”]Kev, did you watch this?

http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2013/04/22/3740178.htm[/quote]

Nothing too surprising there. Essedon should be ashamed of themselves how they treated their head of S&C. They should publically apologies to him after all this.

The proof of all these guys being chancer’s is in that interview with the Essedon fitness guy (Danks guy). He was saying that they were going to get bigger, stronger, faster and fitter etc. that’s fine, but you can’t be all things. AFL is an power endurance based sport. Bar the odd freak if nature, you simply can’t be elite at all physical qualities and this is what they were aiming for. Neither can you train all these qualities at once and expect to become elite at any of them. For instance you cannot become your absolute fastest, your absolute strongest, your absolute most powerful, your absolute highest Aerobic capacity all at once. It is physically and scientifically impossible. This would be S&C 101. The Russians figured this out way back. So these guys were living in cuckoo land and trying to fool gullible football people who just want to win and also ignoring basic Sports Science and human physiology.

The bikie thing is expected as well. The cops here say that really there is only one criminal gang in Australia anymore, the Bikies. They control absolutely everything. You have you little Italian, Serbian, Lebonese gangs and all that around the place, but every one of them are paying the Bikies. Except apparently, it won’t last forever, some well known Dublin criminals in Brisbane who are causing a real holy show and seemingly have some sort of Cop support. As in the cops think its funny these irish lads are causing the Bikies such bother on their own turf and are somewhat having a hands off approach to our fellow countrymen so far. How much of that is hyperbole I don’t know, but funny none the less.

99

[quote=“Fitzy, post: 766509, member: 236”]No dickhead policy, thats whats made the Swans. They play for each other. When a player as untalented but with that sort of commitment to the cause as Jude Bolton has, is a senior player in your club, then you must be doing something right. I’m reserving judgement on Tippett until we see him play a few games for the Swans, still not convinced he is the right player for them.

I’d love to see Buddy or Jonathan Brown (though he’s getting on now) at the Swans.[/quote]

Making a no dickhead policy work in Australia, in professional men’s sport has to be one of the greatest achievements in the history of man. Whoever came up with it should get a Nobel prize of some sort. Astonishing result.

100

Kev,

just wondering what were your thoughts on the Eagles set up (like your thoughts on the above clubs) and in particular Glenn Stewart or what you know about their set up?

Pm if its too long or too personal!