Player Coach Blog

Rotate your thinking and win

aflfootball coachingjuniors juniorfootball Jul 08, 2022

Over the last 4 to 5 weeks, the strong AFL teams have emerged in the 2022 season, and each of those teams has lost games of footy during that period. Winning and losing games is an inevitable part of competitive sport.

At a recent AFL coaching session, an enthusiastic and genuine volunteer coach posed a question around game time for players considered to be 'less skilled'. A simple inquiry but it raises alarm bells. It communicates a hierarchy exists within the team. A ranking of talent and opportunities where playing time is distributed accordingly.

Far too many junior players aged 9 - 19 are benched for large chunks of time and sometimes entire quarters. Is it an inability for these players to influence games in any way or an overwhelming inclination to win that is leading this to happen? What should be happening is that all players, irrespective of their standing in the team, rotate on and off the ground.

Increase...

Footy Is An Outnumber And Groundball Game

Uncategorized Sep 11, 2021

When to run?

Where to position?

Where to go to be in play?

How to be in the game?

Every decision a player makes in these areas should be based on where the

ball is and the numbers around it. Every time the ball is on the ground there

is an opportunity to win it.

If a player is inside 1 kick away and the ball is in dispute and the outcome is

uncertain, they should go over to the contest area. WHY? To create an

outnumber. Footy is an outnumber and ground ball game. The team with more numbers, they're likely to win the ball.

If a player is inside 1 kick away and ball is going to be won by teammates then hold out and run to create attacking options.

If the opposition win the ball locate opponents and shut down options for them.

Sounds simple in words but in reality incredibly challenging. An odd shaped

ball that can bounce anywhere, high speed movement and change of direction, brutal contact and fatigue. Decisions that look easy from the...

Coaching & Teaching

Uncategorized Sep 11, 2021

Who is in front of me?

When teaching or coaching ask yourself that question.

Success on the senior level of sport starts with improving the experience for the children in the sport.

It starts with coach education, but before we start teaching the coaches, get clear on what the game is about in the first place.

It Is the player.

How do we get young people to love the game?

Create simple methods of play with them. Play games in training where they can participate. Let them be free to play to play and observe them and help if it’s necessary.

It starts with coach education, but before we start teaching the coaches, get clear on what the game is about in the first place. It's the player. To improve results at senior level start improving the game for younger players.

To do that coaches must understand the needs, values and priorities of the players in front of them.

Then adapt the environment to fit them. You...

Local and Country Clubs.

Uncategorized Sep 11, 2021

In the early 1970’s my parents moved our family to Geelong from Nyah, a little country town in the Mallee. It was a wrench moving from friends and an area I loved to the big smoke.

One of the things I missed most was The Nyah Football Club. The ground was known as the ‘Rec” and sat between the mighty Murray River and the township. It was close to home and if I heard any activity there I was there in a flash.

My lifelong love with footy started at the Nyah Football Club. My dad and uncles played and as kids we could run with the players at training and fossick for balls behind the goals after they sailed through.

It was a small town so we saw our heroes almost every day. Floppy Guy, Bushy Henson, Normy Campbell, Pat Phelan, Chesty Coburn and Nifty Harrop were giants to us youngsters. They knew us, looked out for us and made sure we used our manners and behaved ourselves.

Game day in the bush back then was the highlight of the week....

Playing Our Great Game

Uncategorized Sep 08, 2021

There is a method.

The game of AFL demands much from its players. Skills, athleticism, courage, clear thinking and determination. We all have different views on the key ingredients in the game. It may be kicking, tactics, tackling , speed or hardness. Generally our opinions and thoughts when we watch footy being played will be determined by our core values on what the game is about.

Our eyes and minds will be drawn to what we most value in the game. For me the critical piece to understand the game is that footy is a ground ball outnumber game.

There are a large number of players on the field, the ball can bounce anywhere and there is a high level of contact. As such the ball is consistently on the ground and in dispute.

Acknowledging this, ask yourself what can increase a team's chances of winning the ball.

A lifetime in the game has shown me that outnumbering the opposition in the contest area and high quality ground ball skills and disposal mechanisms...

Harness Yourself To The Team

Uncategorized Sep 08, 2021

A highly talented forward leads hard to the ball. It is kicked over his head.

He turns at high speed and runs to apply pressure on the opposition who are

about to clear the area.

He creates indecision and confusion.

The opposition are forced backwards. His teammates have time to cover opponents and they force a turnover and a goal results.

What seemed an opportunity lost is now an opportunity gained. A love of high

marks and kicking goals replaced by Jack Riewoldt harnessing himself to the

team and a goal for a teammate in the biggest game of the year.

One of the games great players has his opponent one out in the goal square.

A situation he relishes and excels in. His team is 20 points down and being

outplayed just before half time in the 2019 preliminary final. A teammate

works into the space in front of him.

A single motion to the kicker and his teammate has the ball in front of goal. He gave up the opportunity to dominate his...

In Season Performance is Built In The Off Season.

Uncategorized Sep 08, 2021

Off seasons allow AFL clubs time to reflect, explore, educate and refresh. It also is the time to invest into the most important part of building a team, the training environment.

Training is far and away the most important component of any AFL program. Much goes into having players ready to train at an elite level. Nutrition, sleep, education, hydration,

mindfulness, craft. Hence the high number of people employed around the players to ensure the very best environment for them.

Training is where winning habits and behaviours are built and reinforced.it is where people learn how to play. The methods that drive the team can be learned , refined and become instinctive. Sounds too easy when put that way but it's a simple as that. ‘Play as you train' is an old fashioned adage but is very true.

How our team performs and wins and losses intrigue us and create a full array of emotions but invariably they are a reflection of training. I have always believed that...

Rotate your thinking and win

Footy Is An Outnumber And Groundball Game

Coaching & Teaching

Local and Country Clubs.

Playing Our Great Game

Harness Yourself To The Team

In Season Performance is Built In The Off Season.

Two Step