eric pascoe wrote:
As you know, I don't post often, as everyone says " ah, it's EP from Big Footy". No I'm just a humble supporter who has been going most weeks since 67.
Can anyone tell me one thing which Russell has done which has improved any player at our club?
He looks like a bloke who'd beat anyone in a marathon but explode if he got hit in a contest.
I didn't like the smug Betts thing last year.
Injury seems to follow injury.
Clarkson is being shown up for what we have always known he is when he has no cattle.
Thoughts?
Nah, I see your name around...I just say its "eric everywhere...
I have been making the point about Clarkson since 2010, when I found out how much input the leaders Hodge Mitchell and Lewis have on the mechanics of the Hawks footy team on and off field. Reminded me of Parkin saying the 95 team could coach itself.
Haven't wanted Clarkson because he's nothing without those leaders who made decisions and gave direction on the field. Now look at him without the leaders let alone a few stand out stars.
Remember when Pratt sent Shane OSullivan, and someone else to Sth Africa around 2010 to get the best fitness coach available, who happened to be the fitness coach of the Australian Cricket team, (name escapes, me , he was a mates cousin too). Anyway, it was a 24 hour trip to get the signature. After declining the Carlton offer, they went back with a sharpened pencil with an offer he could not refuse, and signed the dotted line. Shane and Co flew back to Pratt with the signature of th Best Available. We continued to see injuries, skinny players, and fitness levels did not reciprocate with results we expected. On a side note, Effendrug* came out looking like monsters (and we know why) and smashed us in round 4 2012.
Can a fitness guru transform players bodies to give them strngth, bulk and speed, or does something give with too much of either?
With regards to the smug thing last year. On 360 this week, Bettes did say he is loving life, and enjoying being at the club regardless of his role, and he let the media get into his head last year, making him unhappy and affected his form. So there must be something in that.
Hawks players/people (Mitchell, Brereton) thought the best recruit the same year we got Russell, was Russell.
My thoughts?
I'm disappointed with all the injuries. But I ask, how many of those injuries can be attributed to a lack of strength, which could be, and should be addressed by Russell?
More questions than answers.
Gov's hamstring. SOS selected him. Russell stregthened him. We all think that we saw for the first time Gov really extend himself to sprint hard, and ping. Is Govs physical consitution the problem?
What we do know, when Effedopes* under Worsfold in his first year were doing soft tissue injuries every week and a pattern was there and questions needed to be asked. They got rid of their fitness coach come seasons end.
I agree that the players look too skinny for AFL football, and they should be bigger stronger (Geelong like), well like most other teams. With tha, they are knocked off the ball too easily imo, compared to other teams. Has Russell focussed too much on running and not strength and muscle? That's the big question for me.
Finally, I don't know any player who has been tranformed by Russell strength and conditioning regime. Stocker is still Stocker etc etc
Good questions EP.
Has been discussed several times on TC. Plenty of questions of Russell with our injury list last year and again this year.
As for Charlies injury...he's an idiot, and we only know what we've been told. Russell is innocent there.