AFL Rd 20 2024 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Port Adelaide

[Baggers]

It's interesting, this idea of the psychology of the sporting mind. It's something of a dilemma, because you can't tell the players that our best team is not on the park, we have a few players out, therefore just try your best etc. But on the other hand, that's precisely what we, the coaches and the players are know perfectly well. There are very good reasons why clubs chase the top draft picks, why Cripps gets paid way more than Lewis Young. You can't tell the players injuries to A grade team mates are an excuse, but we all know those players are first choice for a reason. You can't keep winning with too many stars out. I didn't see our players lack effort last night. But they looked disorganized and tired, and you end up with an untenable situation where the B and C graders are not quite up to the mark, and the A graders try to overcompensate. At least that's how I see it. 

Totally understand, Pauly. That's why game day mindset (and training) is so critical - to condition our mind to step over those life realities and focus relentlessly on excellence, and all it asks, for two hours. And as you rightly point out, some do it better than others - enter the Vossy's, Crippa's, Jezza's... sheesh, any star you can think of... they have the natural talent combined with a mindset of ruthless persistence toward excellence. But there are many players not blessed with sublime natural talent who developed a mindset of sustained excellence... to get the very best out of themselves and do succeed at the highest level, although only a B or C grader, talent wise. That's what we need, especially, from our 'bottom 6-8' on game day.

A reasonable example would be Young. He has a degree of natural talent but appears not to have the mental discipline. And boy doesn't it show when the heat comes. Kade Simpson might be an example of the opposite, capable skills but boy what mental discipline and application. I'm sure most of us could come up with a huge list of blokes who weren't blessed with talent to burn or  a huge, strong body yet they were so mentally tough that they shrugged aside any limitations.