AFL Rd 12 2024 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Port Adelaide

[Thryleon]

I'm pretty sure that it was Brad Scott, while on his sabbatical with the AFL, who explained that AFL coaches can do little to change the course of a game.  He made it clear that games are won and lost in the week leading up to the game when tactics and match ups are decided.  The introduction of the 6-6-6 rule and restrictions on runners have made it even harder for coaches to influence the outcome of games by positional or tactical changes made during the game. Of course, if the coach doesn't have the cattle, or the cattle are out of sorts, nothing the coach can do will affect the outcome.

Winning games of footy starts in the off season when the coaches review what did and didn't work in the previous season and adjust the game plan, structures and personnel accordingly  The fine tuning for each particular opponent is critical, get the match ups and tactics wrong and there's no coming back. 

Before and during the game, the coaches focus on getting the right balance between arousal and anxiety, reinforcing good play and correcting errors.  Half time gives the line coaches and the players the opportunity to clarify structures and roles and, from time to time, adjust match ups.  Rousing speeches, sprays, changing the game plan, and moving the magnets aren't part of the process.

Vossy's coaching hasn't been picked apart but we did get hammered by a much better team and we've lost some close ones that could have gone either way.  Vossy's knowledge of Port Adelaide from four seasons ago would have played little part in our preparation for the game.  Our opposition analysts would have provided much better information about Port's current game style and that would have formed the basis for our tactics and match ups.

Then there's the selection moves that work out and give us an advantage that may fly under the opposition radar; Williams to defensive half forward, Cincotta to run with midfielder and Cowan to half back.

Im inclined to mark the Sydney week as a week where illness may have effected the whole squad.

We haven't played collectively that bad in a long time for such a long period in one match.

Coaching might play a part in that, but is anyone truly surprised to see Sydney with John Longmire in charge from Paul Roos before him with a continuity of message, method, and the capability of handpicking players to play the way he likes during that tenure, much more well drilled than the schitzophrenic approach to player and management that has existed at Carlton?

There is a strong positive correlation between coaches in charge at clubs and their clubs performance over time.  The ones that have changed coaches more, have suffered from poor coaches, and poor structures, and its arguable that they may not have performed as badly with less chopping and changing.