Comments on: How Do You Turn a Clubs Culture Around?

By: Geoff

Geoff — Fri, 01 May 2009 03:40:38 +0000

Interesting your comments on Newman at Richmond, I actually think the captaincy has been the one key area that Mark Coughlan’s injury problems have actually hurt Richmond more than any other. If he’d been playing the last three years he’d be in a prime position to be a really solid leader at the club, and developing leadership in Deledio, Cotchin, Moore, Morton, Riewoldt, etc.

By: Jermayn

Jermayn — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 06:37:12 +0000

Yes true but gone are the days when a captain only captains on the field. One of the main problems/ issues with Glassy last year for the Eagles was that he did not appear in the media, it was left for Cox/ Selwood etc.

By: deano

deano — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 06:26:24 +0000

forget what happened later on, in the mid to late 90′s he was as good a leader as there was.

By: deano

deano — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 05:01:11 +0000

from what i hear Carey was the glue in that team, he was just as passionate about having the boys together off the field as he was on it. Sometimes that sort of harmony transfers on to the field as well.

By: Jermayn

Jermayn — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 04:34:09 +0000

@AussieRulesBlog – While captains are not as important as before, they are imo still very very important to a club, especially a club that is needing to make a statement or on the rise. While Geelong could probably get away with a half baked captain, a club like Melbourne, Carlton (last year) etc need a strong captain to introduce steel-ness, strength and an example. Judd provided this last year for Carlton.

By: aussierulesblog

aussierulesblog — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 01:28:11 +0000

@Deano: With the benfit of hindsight, you'd think the one name that doesn't belong in your post is Carey. Magnificent footballer and arguably a good leader, but hardly setting a good example. @Jermayn: I think captaincy is a cermonial leadership position today. It's leadership groups, as Deano has identified, that drive standards and expectations. In the general sense, the best leaders in the world will not succeed if the troops aren't along for the ride. I maintain that it's the bottom 20% of the list, and the coach's ability to extract above-par performances from them on a regular basis, that creates successful (on-field) teams. An emerging winning habit often prompts the development of a winning culture! aussierulesblogs last blog post..How many angels can dance on the head of a pin, Jeff?

By: Jermayn

Jermayn — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:40:21 +0000

Also you look at the clubs you mentioned (Melbourne, Freo & Richmond) and you ask who are the natural leaders and you will be hard asked.

- Pavlich is selfish and only plays for his wage.
- Melbourne were seriously thinking about Green who did not even want to play for their club this year.
- Richmond, while I like Newman, he would be a better solid Vice Captain.

I would also have said the same about Glass last year at the West Coast.

By: deano

deano — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:34:26 +0000

To me it all comes down to the strength of your leadership group. As you pointed out the Cats and Swans broke Premiership droughts on the back of the players taking ownership of the club, setting standards and enforcing punishments on players that crossed the line regardless of talent levels. When you look back through Premiership outfits it seems to be the same pattern. The Eagles of the 90′s had Worsfold, McKenna, Jakovich, Kemp. North had Carey, Archer, Stevens, Martyn. Brisbane had Voss, Brown, Scott. Essendon had Thompson, O’Donnell, Watson. The Hawks Matthews, Tuck, Brereton etc, etc…

Teams that are around the top 4 now are the same. It seems that when champion players like Harvey and West leave the onus falls on the younger guys to pick up the slack and most times they respond. Guys like Boyd, Cross and Higgins have taken control of the Dogs since West left and Dal Santo, Montagna and Ball are all better players in the absence of Harvey.

It is no surprise to me that teams that lack quality leaders; Freo, Melbourne and Richmond are all down the bottom end of the ladder.