Paddycripps wrote:
I think a lot of this, certainly the playing group stuff, comes back to belief.
Do the players believe in the team and list in any given year, is actually any good?
This group might think this a bit at the start of the year, and then a couple months in .... it all gets too hard and belief goes out the window.
It's probably why Teague keeps preaching he believes in the list. He is saying this for the players.
Once the belief is gone, so does any real commitment and belief they can make finals etc.
They get a kick up the arse when they put in a shocker, but that effort doesn't last long.
I remember Judd saying when he came to the club something about how not many of the players took things seriously and were committed. Well the list was rubbish so it's probably no surprise.
I can imagine Cripps has a similar problem now, in that he knows not all the players are truly on board and truly BELIEVE.
Cripps seems a genuinely energised fella, I believe he cares, but I think for whatever reason (be it injuries, the coach?) his resolve has maybe been tested this year.
IN my view the list is pretty good. We lack a good young small forward, and probably need another good tall defender, and a probably some ruck depth, but outside of that the midfield still isn't good enough and that is the core problem. Over the last month or so Kennedy has been good in a serviceable way but will he ever be great? I am not sure he will.
Dow has also been good through this period but was woeful last week and I dare say this weekend's game is massive for him - if he doesn't respond I think eyebrows will be raised about his mental fortitude.
Granted he has been injured for a period once again but Setterfield hasn't come on as many of us expected he would. To my eye he seems to lack intent and aggression, which is a trait I am sad to say seems to be consistent in a lot of SOS' recruitment choices.
LOB is not a tough footballer. Plowman is not a tough footballer. SPS is not a tough footballer. Fisher is not a tough footballer. (was he a SOS pick?). Williamson is not a tough footballer. Gibbons is not a tough footballer.
The list goes on and I don't think recent big money recruits are that tough either - Saad, McGovern, Martin.
I am not saying they all need to be hard nosed but you get my drift.
At the end of the day we need at least 3 topline mids and right now we have Walsh and an under-performing and probably injured Cripps.
The club have backed the captain so I can only assume he is still carrying an injury and when he gets over this injury we will see a far better Cripps.
It's why I think Cerra is an essential piece in the puzzle. He is young but he has class written all over him. He would make a nice one two tandem with Walsh.
And then you still need a good B-Team. Will the likes of Dow, Setterfield, Kennedy, Carroll, even Kemp be that team in the near future? There's not many guarantees there.
But I digress.
The challenge, aside from getting a coach who has some semblance of interest in defence is for the players to believe and then buy-in.
And I think an improved midfield will be central to this.
Cripps needs help.
We get him Walsh.
But he/we need more in there.
Kennedy and Dow were more than decent for a few weeks then last weekend happened.
A stronger TDK.
A fit Cripps.
And Cerra.
And suddenly the midfield looks a bit better.
Call me crazy but would we look at Mitchell from Hawthorn?
I know his ball use is iffy but he can damn well find it.
If we have to cough up 6 + SPS for Cerra and a 2nd back, then what will it take to get Mitchell?
TDK
Cripps
Walsh
Mitchell
Cerra
That's a starting midfield.
Good post Paddy
No, they aren't tough.
Martin is, but imo injury prone.
Gov does push his weight around, and has a bit of mongrel, but injury prone.