The big question: Power v Endurance?

[Libba39]

Ok, so we can all get on here and talk about tactics and players and coaches, but I believe the real root of our problems as a team, particularly in finals can be put down to this question.

Is the training and player-building philosophy wrong or outdated at the bulldogs?

Tonight on several occasions we were severely exposed in terms of pace and strength. If you look at the Collingwood and Geelong squads they are mostly built for strength and short-distance burst running rather than endurance. Tonight they were able to win a lot of one-on-one contests, force ball-ups, and shut down our forwards.

Therefore I put it to the forum that we really need to move with the times in this area if we are to win more finals and eventually win a flag. I'm not saying that our fitness coaches are sub-standard in any way, but what I am saying is that as a club we need a fresh and radical approach otherwise the teams of tomorrow (Melbourne, Richmond, Freo) will be leap-frogging us sooner than we think.

 

[bradism]

Crossy being outrun and then outmuscled by Leigh Brown was the perfect evidence of this tonight.

I don't doubt the endeavour of the team, it's just seemed lately that they're built wrong. Too slow and opponents break through our tackles too easily.

Davoren is a marathon runner, and I'd have money on a player like Cross outrunning almost any of Collingwood's list in a marathon, but with so many rotations it seems like the endurance isn't such an asset as much as explosive power and recovery is.

 

[Spectre]

Crossy being outrun and then outmuscled by Leigh Brown was the perfect evidence of this tonight.

I don't doubt the endeavour of the team, it's just seemed lately that they're built wrong. Too slow and opponents break through our tackles too easily.

Davoren is a marathon runner, and I'd have money on a player like Cross outrunning almost any of Collingwood's list in a marathon, but with so many rotations it seems like the endurance isn't such an asset as much as explosive power and recovery is.

Exactly. How did we expect he'd train them? People have biases, seems Davoren's has come out to bite us in the butt.

 

[Tomsey]

Crossy being outrun and then outmuscled by Leigh Brown was the perfect evidence of this tonight.

I don't doubt the endeavour of the team, it's just seemed lately that they're built wrong. Too slow and opponents break through our tackles too easily.

Davoren is a marathon runner, and I'd have money on a player like Cross outrunning almost any of Collingwood's list in a marathon, but with so many rotations it seems like the endurance isn't such an asset as much as explosive power and recovery is.

Agreed.

Potential changes to the interchange rules may change this, but pure speculation.

 

[Barkly St End]

Crossy being outrun and then outmuscled by Leigh Brown was the perfect evidence of this tonight.

It was pretty sad seeing that (his endeavour for most of the match was as it usually is).

Also sad seeing Boydy struggling at times (fumbling, giving it up cheaply, etc)

In all honesty - we lacked both power and endurance.