Footy Manager’s Report – Round 4

PASSION TEAMWORK FUN RESPECT

Stuart Dew, pictured below, clearly goes to the same dietitian as me. I might be his older brother. Between us, we have played 206 AFL games, kicked 265 goals and we have a premiership medal. The Gold Coast Suns’ Senior Coach must have jumped on our club website last week looking for some inspiration as the Suns are struggling. Lo and behold, he comes out swinging about the standard of skill and the link back to children spending too much time on Playstation – 24 hours after I called it.

Click here for his full interview

Stuart clearly has the same concerns as I, however his biggest concern came with the state in which draftees came into the league.

“Ideally, you’d like less internet and PlayStation and more kicking through the teen years, to be honest,” Dew said.

“When you think back to your teenage life it was outside kicking footballs. It just doesn’t happen as much these days.”

“You almost get them and they are what they are. It is really hard to change.”

“The number of hours you need to put in to get better at skills is significant, and coupled with game loads (and subsequent rest during the week), it’s a hard balance.”

“That’s why when you see players at 18, their skill level is hard to change.”

Dew wasn’t stopping there, saying that hard work was the only way around the goalkicking plague that has enveloped the first six rounds. One of the first things he implemented at Gold Coast was specific practice in front of goal.

“Goalkicking is and always will be between the ears and it’s just who can handle that pressure and who can’t,” he said. “You’ve got to want to kick the goal. If you’re lining up thinking ‘I hope’, you’re half way to a miss in my opinion.”

“You’ve got to do the work and feel comfortable … so that when you get in a game scenario you can visually put yourself back in that position on the ground.”

“A lot of people might think less is more, but you get confidence out of actions not talking about being confident.”

Last week I gave a little insight to the coaches presentation and kicking skill detail, several people asked about further coaching detail. Here are 2 further slides from that presentation; one looking at ideal mindset for player and coach and one setting fundamentals of kicking and kicking for goals. These are ideal for parents, mum or dad to understand to kick with son/daughter.

The target between the posts is the goal umpire, JUST Kick it over his/her head.

Last Sunday, setting up the 2 grounds for modified footy at 7.30am was a blast as 80-100, 8-9 year old children turned up all at once to play at the MCG of the south. The coaches did a great job and all games were on time. We have asked the league to schedule plenty more home games at Boss James this year due to the portables at Castlefield. Thanks for everyone being patient, the new rooms are taking shape, it will be a great place for our members to enjoy the best little boutique ground in southern Melbourne.

The highlights last Sunday under another sunny day were thick and fast. Firstly a shout out to Beau Harrison from the U17 lads team. Play was halted after Beau was involved in a nasty knock. He is up and about now but seeing an ambulance on the Boss Sunday arvo was not ideal. For the record the lads were ahead when the game was abandoned, big thanks to Murrumbeena FC who understood the player welfare was the utmost importance.

All girls teams reported having a great day. The U18 ladies although mostly bottom took it up to the opposition. The Under 12 D2 premiership team is 4-0 and now finds themselves in D1, what a dramatic turnaround from when the played in D1 in the very first game of the 2017 season and were smashed.

Under 12 Girls Green, Audrey Hanson, Olivia’s mum wrote these fine Rovers words.

“After one final plea from Rob at three-quarter time to try and score this game it finally happened… receiving a great handball from Audrey (which she noted was our first ever ‘goal-assist’) Ruby raced to the goal square with the opposition on her tail and booted it through the big ones!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You could have been excused for thinking Rovers had just won the grand final based on the cheering from the sidelines, but it certainly was a moment to remember! Well done Ruby!”

And for Under 12 Girls Blue, Grant, Nadia’s dad wrote: So ended a game in which every player lent a huge contribution, no matter what position they found themselves in, making the selection of award winners, Olive Tuppen, Evie Hall, Matilda Brown and Abbey Hickey, all the harder but no less deserved.

Whilst on the Under 12s, both boys teams had big wins and the D4 team has been moved up to D3, great stuff guys. The speed will lift but you guys are up for the challenge.

Our U8s had a wonderful day with plenty singing a song or two, one coach with a distinctive bald scone has been likened to the great Kevin Sheedy…his breakfast ritual is complex.

Under 9 had a great day, Michael mentioned how his squad had exceeded the coach’s expectations in just 4 rounds this year.

Under 10s had a wonderful day. Marcus reported that his lads won a tight physical game and Michael wrote a great report also and made special mention of Tom Hollingworth, first game and played well.

Under 11 had a win and a loss, D1 to Brighton Beach who have graded and D4 beat Waverley at the fortress by 5 goals.

Under 12 Under lights beat the Brighton Beach lads. David wrote “The lights blazed, conditions were fantastic, the atmosphere was great and the boys worked for a significant local derby result. The change rooms at Brighton Beach have fantastic acoustics for a Rovers theme song at full volume as the team proved!”

Under 12 D2 had an enforced bye due to East Malvern pulling the pin.

Under 13 D1 had a huge game but came up short, the lads didn’t turn up in the second quarter. Coach Ash called on a few to lift, they responded but all too late, going down to the mighty Zebbies. D5 drew with Chelt, both teams now find themselves in D4. Great game lads.

Under 14 boys, Nige wrote, lads were outclassed by bigger stronger boys but never gave up. 80-22, Olli H, Jamie, Ned and Zach B named best.

Under 15 Zebs with a little Rovers flair played at Boss James and smacked the Sharks, all lads loving life.

Tay J and Gabs were at the Fortress cheering on the U13 D5 now D4 and I noticed them in their Zebs outfits, I said “you look better in the Green and Gold Girls” they reminded me they look good in anything so long as they win. That upset me so I unleashed nuts on them and he drove them around the bend for 30+ mins.

Under 16 boys had a day to forget!! Enough said.

This Saturday, come along for some skills with Leedsy at Castlefield. Chris is heading up 45-50 minutes of skill focused craft.

10.30am – 11.30am – Under 10-12s (including girls)
11.30am – 12.30pm – Under 8-9s

Have a great week on the training track and let’s rip into again on Sunday.

Always, Passion, Always Skill, Always Respect

Cheers Caggs