david31 wrote:
Walsh wrote:
SurreyBlue wrote:
I've been shot down by many for raising 'culture' since our 'tanking' years. 20 years and we still can't get it back. What else can I say.
Doesnt help but need elite talent or in other words 6-8 A graders that can lead to build a culture.
Not had it in the past but getting there.
Weitering, Docherty, Cripps, Walsh, McKay, Charlie - it's their club to take forward
Hopefully can add Kemp to that list in future.
List has not been in better shape in over a decade. Just need better talent in the middle that can defend and create goals.
SPS improving his game in VFL is hopefully one of them.
Walshy I appreciate you are optimistic about us going forward but I can’t agree with the premise that culture is built on elite talent.
Culture is about setting non-negotiable standards that everyone in the joint must adhere to. Culture is about what we want to stand for as a club. It is about players and coaches doing everything legally possible to win games of football and ultimately premierships. It is about every player that runs out in the jumper knowing they need to tackle, chase, harass, go back with the flight, stick up for their mates etc and generally do everything in their power to win games of football.
That doesn’t take talent at all. We can get blokes from ressies local footy that could adhere to those standards and set a culture that demands adherence to those standards.
Of course we wouldn’t win games with a bunch of local ressies footballers but that doesn’t mean we couldn’t set standards that must be adhered to and create a culture that is singleminded on winning.
When Pitto was in a Lycett headlock on the ground for 1-2 mins, does it take talent for our players to get in and fly the flag for him? Three walked straight past him and just pretended it didn’t happen.
When Nic Newman nearly broke his neck against West Coast, does it take talent for our players to get over to him and check he is ok? Not one did. Zero players. That is damning.
The culture has been shot since the early 2000s.
The players cannot or do not want to drive non-negotiable standards as you can see from the pitiful display on the weekend. -37 tackles and -30 odd disposals is completely unacceptable. When the players will not drive the standards, the coach must step in. Our coach has had 2 years to set standards and has not done so.
Great post david.
I think Walshy is saying that the players (and lists them) can drive culture too with those things you speak of: non negotiables. I agree. Players who give a stuff, and go in hard (usually), and put the passengers on notice (ruthlessness).
I'd add another ex TAC captain to that list in Stocker, and players like Kemp and Philp have a bit of that white line fever, agro in them to play to the levels of competitiveness required, and stay the course of the minimum standard expected.
Other players need to be led to the way the team wants to play by the likes of those players mentioned, on field.
I'm afraid actions speak louder than words, and the actions we need to see are on field, like Walshy puts forward. Off field this year and last year, its been just words, but as you say david, if the standards are set and non negotiable from the off field team, then oof field and on field will be aligned and consistent to uphold the standards which imo have been compromised under Teague, and the current off field regime, because they are not ruthless enough.
Thank goodness we have called for a Review now rather than the end of the season. We may see signs of improvement this year rather than the shit we have been seeing in every game thus far in 2021 (ie the lapses)