Tweet
Thx to a very good point raised by dimelb in the 2008 Wiki thread, I thought it is about time we recognised the job Playfair is doing with the seconds.
IMO he has been super impressive as seconds coach this year.
Why?
The way I see it, everybody appears to get a job to do and he commands enough respect of the players that they don't deviate from that job. Considering some of the romps we have, none more than last week, it is no mean feat to keep these guys focussed on playing a role and not just chase kicks and try to lairise. And that role handed out is purely and simply a role which will help their development as players and prepare them for the seniors, not necessarily a role to win the match on the day by maximum points.
For example, TDL had 8 goals to halftime on Sat. You'd think when you're on record pace you'd be tempted to try and kick another 8, but they appeared to ever so slightly change his role in the second half, he moved up the ground a bit more and Spangher became more of a target. Nipper also moved from a pure midfield role to more a roaming half forward (similar to McVeighs role later in the night) and also became a target. So not only did TDL sacrifice a chance to kick a monster bag by developing his game in a slightly different role, his teammates also executed the plan by not just trying to spot him up, but sticking to the structures put in place by the coaching group.
I believe Jetta was another example of playing to a plan. Most of us lost count of the times he could have taken off for a gallop with a paddock in front of him but instead elected to steady and hit a chest about 40m out. I guess they know he can run and carry (although I think we all agree we'd like to see more of it), but wanted him to work on that aspect of his game in preperation for his return to the seniors, hitting targets inside 50 from his normal wing territory.
Max Otten had a ripper of a game playing forward against GWS, but on Sat. he had to just sit back, almost catching a cold, whilst Spangher tore them a new one up forward. Not once can I remember him straying from that plan and wander forward looking for kicks. With the Tiggers kept to 1 goal for 3/4's, it's fair to say when the ball did come down, him and McKaigue were alert and ready for action.
Bottom line... playing in the Canberra comp is not ideal and the NEAFL is just a slight improvement, but the advantages of playing together as a group and playing under our own coaching structures far outweigh splintering into an affiliate VFL arrangement.
Playfair, with Crouchy deserving plenty of acknowledgement as the assistant who teaches and encourages from the bench, is doing a fine job of molding the side to be almost unbeatable, but an even better job at preparing these guys for their senior careers.
IMO he has been super impressive as seconds coach this year.
Why?
The way I see it, everybody appears to get a job to do and he commands enough respect of the players that they don't deviate from that job. Considering some of the romps we have, none more than last week, it is no mean feat to keep these guys focussed on playing a role and not just chase kicks and try to lairise. And that role handed out is purely and simply a role which will help their development as players and prepare them for the seniors, not necessarily a role to win the match on the day by maximum points.
For example, TDL had 8 goals to halftime on Sat. You'd think when you're on record pace you'd be tempted to try and kick another 8, but they appeared to ever so slightly change his role in the second half, he moved up the ground a bit more and Spangher became more of a target. Nipper also moved from a pure midfield role to more a roaming half forward (similar to McVeighs role later in the night) and also became a target. So not only did TDL sacrifice a chance to kick a monster bag by developing his game in a slightly different role, his teammates also executed the plan by not just trying to spot him up, but sticking to the structures put in place by the coaching group.
I believe Jetta was another example of playing to a plan. Most of us lost count of the times he could have taken off for a gallop with a paddock in front of him but instead elected to steady and hit a chest about 40m out. I guess they know he can run and carry (although I think we all agree we'd like to see more of it), but wanted him to work on that aspect of his game in preperation for his return to the seniors, hitting targets inside 50 from his normal wing territory.
Max Otten had a ripper of a game playing forward against GWS, but on Sat. he had to just sit back, almost catching a cold, whilst Spangher tore them a new one up forward. Not once can I remember him straying from that plan and wander forward looking for kicks. With the Tiggers kept to 1 goal for 3/4's, it's fair to say when the ball did come down, him and McKaigue were alert and ready for action.
Bottom line... playing in the Canberra comp is not ideal and the NEAFL is just a slight improvement, but the advantages of playing together as a group and playing under our own coaching structures far outweigh splintering into an affiliate VFL arrangement.
Playfair, with Crouchy deserving plenty of acknowledgement as the assistant who teaches and encourages from the bench, is doing a fine job of molding the side to be almost unbeatable, but an even better job at preparing these guys for their senior careers.
and trying to stay in the tiny slivers of sunlight.
Comment