Is Neil Right?

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

We could make a big, long list of criticisms and questions after Saturday's game:

Our zone was broken down too easily
Decision making was poor
Our set up from kick ins (at both ends) needs work
Bringing players straight back into the team was a mistake
Our forward structure isn't working
Our midfield relies on too few to do too much
Our ruck department is struggling
Our kicking skills aren't up to scratch
Injuries have exposed our depth
Etc

Neil however basically wrote all of these off and didn't consider them relevant, because we didn't play with the required intensity and competitiveness.

According to Neil this 'fierce competitiveness' underpins our entire game plan and, because of its absence, means we basically we can't critically analyse any of the above. In Neil's words, 'you end up jumping at shadows' and making hasty, incorrect judgments.

Is Neil right? Did we just 'not come to play' or are there deeper concerns?

 

[King Elvis]

He's right.

 

[WALL-e]

All starts with mindset. No gameplan can be executed if you don't rock up, and we didn't rock up.

 

[Allbetsroff]

The Crows did not come to play, it was their worst, most pea heart effort in a decade.

 

[Campbell's Chunky]

You could tell our mindset and intensity was poor yesterday - and I thought it was at times against Hawthorn too (and a lot of last year). Craigy couldn't get us to flick the switch like he did against Hawthorn 2 weeks ago.

 

[Twist_of_Lemon]

I think he's right.

Bit like a game of Jenga. If the most important piece is missing every other piece will tumble.

 

[Damp Squarie]

Hes right.
What was his mindset I wonder?

We got seduced by our round one win, had 2 weeks to read the press and took Freo for granted.

 

[ruscy002]

Nope, even if we were more competitive, if Symes and Stevens are still out there, then we've still got a massive problem regardless of the scoreboard

In all seriousness I find this to be a bizarre and almost arrogant comment. I may be taking this out of context as I didn't hear his comments first hand, but to assume that the game plan is so perfect that we'll win every time the players come to play is just...well...bizarre and almost arrogant.

 

[smoovy]

Intensity around the ball and the willingness to impart yourself on the contest. None of that was there. Neil needs to get some smelling salts to pick up the alertness. Get them on the gear.

 

[crowman86]

If you do not have the 'fierce competitiveness' required at AFL level then it doesn't matter how good your game plan is you simply won't stand a chance of winning. I think the fact that we still got close whilst playing so terrible is a positive that can be taken out of the game.

 

[Mackay train12]

Our forward line structure is non existent and our delivery to forward line+ general footskills are woeful. Cant pin it all on NC but there are some worrying signs for him and this year could be his last

 

[ruscy002]

That's not to say that competitiveness wasn't a huge issue because we were insipid, but there's more to it than that. Freo are a better team and they had a plan, and I'm fairly certain they had another gear if they needed it.

 

[anthc]

missed Sloanes grunt in the middle, he seems to set the tone sometimes.
Also Davis going of early killed our structure. Stevens running around like a headless chook with no opponent didn't seem to help either.

 

[Geoffa32]

I believe he is. Correct the mindset and the rest will follow.

We looked flat and disinterested for most of the game.

 

[anthc]

Craig is probably right but at the end of the day if he cant motivate the players on gameday then it's time to move on imo.

 

[Big_D231]

missed Sloanes grunt in the middle, he seems to set the tone sometimes.
Also Davis going of early killed our structure. Stevens running around like a headless chook with no opponent didn't seem to help either.

scary thing is he was supposed to have one

 

[ruscy002]

And additionally, we could've played like a team posessed, but a guy like Hill still would've hurt us if someone in the coaches box doesn't make the call as to whether or not to give him a bloody opponent.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

In all seriousness I find this to be a bizarre and almost arrogant comment. I may be taking this out of context as I didn't hear his comments first hand, but to assume that the game plan is so perfect that we'll win every time the players come to play is just...well...bizarre and almost arrogant.

I don't think he meant that everything else was perfect. More that it is just unfair to judge the other stuff without that crucial first ingredient.

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

I tend to agree with Craigy on this way, it's hard to assess your structure and game plan when the intensity has gone missing

 

[ruscy002]

I don't think he meant that everything else was perfect. More that it is just unfair to judge the other stuff without that crucial first ingredient.

Hmmm...in which case I probably agree but the same can be said for any team that doesn't "come to play". I'm more interested in why we didn't come to play, and what his reaction will be. Will he get them up this week? Will he make an example of the worst offenders, like Hendo and Maric?

 

[Crow-mo]

Craig is right, none of that stuff matters if you don't show up.

HOWEVER

I think not showing up is more damning, and far, far worse that any of those things.

they're not relevant, because what we got was something worse. something that has characterised his teams from time to time in recent years, and its on him.

fix it.

 

[Crow-mo]

And additionally, we could've played like a team posessed, but a guy like Hill still would've hurt us if someone in the coaches box doesn't make the call as to whether or not to give him a bloody opponent.

Hill will be the singularly #1 player in the league before too long.

not sure why we didn't respect him

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

I'm more interested in why we didn't come to play, and what his reaction will be. Will he get them up this week?

Aha.

I actually had an ulterior motive for starting this thread and ruscy002, you have stumbled across it.

Saying that you can't judge all that other stuff without the basic intensity ingredient sounds reasonable but... why didn't we have the required intensity?

To their credit, the journos at the press conference actually did ask this question and got an answer. Neil replied that we are not a hardened professional team yet, therefore are prone to inconsistency.

Yet??!! ... seven years? If he hasn't been able to stamp his expectations and standards on the group by now then is it ever going to happen? Whatever professionalism we exhibited from 2005-07 was inherited. What we are seeing now is Neil's imprint.

How can we still be a work in progress after all this time (I'm talking intensity, not performance)? We always hear what a GREAT culture we have down at the club, but how can this be true if it is a culture that picks and chooses when it turns up?

 

[crowman86]

Youngest Crows side ever afaik so he might have been referring to the age/experience of the players when he said we are not a hardened professional unit yet.

 

[Vader]

Our zone was broken down too easily
Decision making was poor
Our set up from kick ins (at both ends) needs work
Bringing players straight back into the team was a mistake
Our forward structure isn't working
Our midfield relies on too few to do too much
Our ruck department is struggling
Our kicking skills aren't up to scratch
Injuries have exposed our depth
Etc

These are all symptoms.

Neil however basically wrote all of these off and didn't consider them relevant, because we didn't play with the required intensity and competitiveness.

This is the disease.

According to Neil this 'fierce competitiveness' underpins our entire game plan and, because of its absence, means we basically we can't critically analyse any of the above. In Neil's words, 'you end up jumping at shadows' and making hasty, incorrect judgments.

Is Neil right? Did we just 'not come to play' or are there deeper concerns?

Yes, he was right.

As you correctly point out, the real question then becomes: what are you going to do to fix the problems with our lack of intensity?