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Russell to step away at season’s end
Andrew Russell will step away from football at the conclusion of the 2024 AFL season.
News Andrew Russell steps away at season’s end
- Thread starter ferrisb
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He may have made recommendations, but Austin has the final decision
- Nov 27, 2016
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Wasn't that when Cripps got really big and slow?
Russell: Hardest pre-season program to date
Director of High Performance reveals goals of tough pre-season programwww.carltonfc.com.au
Sounds awfully similar to what the new guy is doing. Maybe Inness approach is different and tailored for different players. Let’s hope he gets better results from the collective group this year.
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I reckon you are spot on.
Cripps never got big and slow. His poor form coincided with him dropping to much weight in effort to boost his running.
That was 2020 though he was poor in 2021 too.
That was 2020 though he was poor in 2021 too.
In 2021 Cripps had a back injury.…probably from carrying the team for so long.
There definitely was a time a few years ago where he got a lot bigger up top and it impacted on his mobility (not that he's a speedster).
How Cerra’s arrival will help Blues skipper Cripps
"He was trying to be too much."
archive.sen.com.au
I remember when Lloyd said that and thought he got it wrong at the time. Cripps lost weight in 2020 which coincided with his poor form. In 2018 and 2019 Cripps all australian. If he tried to put on to much muscle in those years it certainly wasnt hurting him.There definitely was a time a few years ago where he got a lot bigger up top and it impacted on his mobility (not that he's a speedster).
How Cerra’s arrival will help Blues skipper Cripps
"He was trying to be too much."
He could be refering to 2021 and got the order wrong but as it turned out, it was a back injury that was affecting his mobility.
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Nah, most of those perennially injured he had for most of their careers…then you have previously durable players turning into paper mache
At least- years too late, but better late than never
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Nah, most of those perennially injured he had for most of their careers…then you have previously durable players turning into paper mache
At least
- years too late, but better late than neverSent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
I remember at the time Leigh Matthews referred to Cripps as a‘journeyman’ when he went through that period when he was injured.
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Gethelred
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While I agree that Matthews probably shouldn't have said it, the dude is what, 20 years out of a coach's seat by now? His understanding of modern recovery techniques and injury isn't what he was known for in the first place, and he's paid for controversial takes like Robert Walls used to be.
And in his era, someone that looked as broken down as Cripps did in that bracket had little prospect of recovery.
In fairness, I was thinking similar to Matthews.
Cripps decline from 18-19 to 20-21 was as significant as I have seen from a player in his suppossed prime. Looked mentally and physically spent. I dont think Teague and his gameplan helped either.
Would have been almost impossible to imagine Cripps winning 2 of the next 3 brownlow medals. Quite a comeback.
Cripps decline from 18-19 to 20-21 was as significant as I have seen from a player in his suppossed prime. Looked mentally and physically spent. I dont think Teague and his gameplan helped either.
Would have been almost impossible to imagine Cripps winning 2 of the next 3 brownlow medals. Quite a comeback.
- Oct 3, 2015
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Good on you for saying it, Murph.
There were plenty on here who had written him off. I wasn’t against re-signing him. But I thought the length of contract was ridiculous for a player I imagined would largely see out his days as a banged up third forward.
Yeah I remember after his first poor season (2020), I had hope. It was clear he had lost to much weight, and it'd taken away from his strengths. Figured if he put it back on and focused on the right things he'd get back to his best.
But after his 2nd poor season (2021) I was almost resigned to that being the new him. People were saying hes injured, however, he was still playing every week so figured how bad could it be? Did have some hope when Teague was sacked as felt his coaching and gameplan were really hurting Cripps.
I'm just glad hes ended up having the type of career he should have after all that.
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Bletch
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'Poor' for him perhaps... still finished top 10 in the JN medal in both years. And 2020 was a special year anyway, with the shortened matches, and late start to the season.
For the record, here's his JN medal ranking by year:
2014 - (played just 3 matches)
2015 - 1st
2016 - 3rd
2017 - 8th
2018 - 1st
2019 - 1st
2020 - 9th
2021 - 4th
2022 - 1st
2023 - 5th
2024 - 1st
He's been a pretty special player for us. Matthews way out of touch with his remarks. Yes, 2020 wasn't up to us usual standard, but I still wouldn't call it 'poor' maybe just 'ordinary'.
Bennyboy7777
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Likening a High Performance Manager at an AFL club to a witch doctor is a very archaic view. They are integral to the success of a club.
Stating the obvious, it is vital that the HPM, coaching staff and players are on the same page about the direction of health, and strength and conditioning. Was this the case for AR?
Also, has the reduction in the soft cap impacted spending in this area. The AFL’s decision to increase the soft cap by $900K over the next 3 years has a a step in the right direction.
Another question, it appears that significant work is being done to the surface at Ikon Park; when will this be finished and where will our players train, whilst this is being completed? The surface was implicated in some of our players’ previous injuries, was it not?
Playing many games at Marvel Stadium surely ain’t good for our players’ bodies!
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HPMs - and the clubs - talk themselves up.
Most of the theory behind AFL high performance is incredibly immature in a scientific sense and methods are often try, test and fail.
It’s the area where clubs have most to learn and gain - the first step would be starting to challenge the mythology that exists about those being pedestalled in the industry.
There’s no hard evidence that the Ikon Park surface is contributing to injury rates - just unsupported speculation.
Marvel, Optus, Gabba … all faced criticism for standard of surface/correlation with injury rates in recent years. Still not sure there’s been a comprehensive study of any validity to confirm issues at these grounds.
Marvel, Optus, Gabba … all faced criticism for standard of surface/correlation with injury rates in recent years. Still not sure there’s been a comprehensive study of any validity to confirm issues at these grounds.
I’m pretty circumspect about such things, and have defended Russell in the past. But I know a couple people who would know and both suggested Russell was way off by the end. And both speak glowingly of Innes. Moving players will help, but it seems clear to me now that Russell was part of the problem.
4flagsin5yrs
Premiership Player
Amazing that AR was kept on as long as he was....
Was a total disaster (Curnow aside).... imo.
We can’t assume this from a distance. Plenty of extrapolation one way or the other.
Plenty of respect for Russell on anecdotal evidence and testaments from those he worked with. The part that did worry me is/was that he was a lifelong student. I don’t believe he stuck with tried and true methodologies during his time with us. He was trying to expand his own knowledge and experience, so I suspect some of our boys were Guinea pigs.
We have had a considerable number of players who have not been the greatest preparers, many are gone, but we still have a number of them who either need to mend their ways or be discarded as it becomes expedient either contractually or perceived needs.
I think that the size of AR’s contract impacted on the quality and/or quantity of other medical support staff. It is about the sum of the parts more than one individual.
Innes has a magnificent base on which to build himself a glowing reputation. Already has a good CV, he now has a list of experienced types in a premiership window, as well as some young guns to fast track to enhance the group even further.
Kudos to our recruiters for giving the coaches and high performance staff some wonderful “raw materials” to work with.
4flagsin5yrs
Premiership Player
Why not?
The observed data speaks for itself....
The days of blaming the players (..."players who have not been the greatest preparers") are long gone...
These days their farts are measured and analysed!
Believe La Trobe, Bundoora is our pre-season base when Ikon goes under the knife after the AFLW GF. Assuming from next week.
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