This thought occurred to me this week after a couple of really flat performances.  

A few years ago it was common for top teams to go off the boil for a few weeks in the lead up to the finals.  This was often put down to the players being put through a heavy load of training so that they would be primed for action in September.  I seem to recall both Adelaide teams that won flags went through a flat spot close to the end of the season.  

Noting that Goodwin was very much involved in the success I wonder if it might be a reason for the apparent lack of energy displayed, particularly in the last 2.5 weeks.

In addition, Goodwin keeps repeating that it only matters where you finish after R23, maybe the coaches expected a drop off.  Although its noted that if they did they have cut it very fine ?.

Anyway, it was just a thought. Have any regular trackwatchers noted any heavier than usual loads?  

Your a glass-half-full kind of guy?

We have no right to have such thinking

we still lose the unloseable game...

We put a lot of effort and planning into the mid year games when we had four 6 day breaks and a load of injuries. Perhaps our plan of infusing the team with enthusiastic young players later in theyear has been already done and we are running out of energy.

We do play a high energy game that requires a massive amount of running and spreading. While we have been doing OK in CPs we have been abysmal in the run/spread dept lately.

 

This is where you want to come into form, not drop off.

The North game will come back to cost us - dearly.

Let's hope so 

Of course the first rule of finals ? Make bloody damn sure you're in them before getting too cute !! 

I hope you're right, but this kind of strategy is usually reserved for teams that have won 4 out of the last 7 flags and make September every year without fail.

Don't think we're quite at that level yet.

If we can sneak into the 8 and walk away with the Cup from where we're at then I'll consider it a better come back than Jesus Christ.

 

1 hour ago, hells bells said:

This thought occurred to me this week after a couple of really flat performances.  

A few years ago it was common for top teams to go off the boil for a few weeks in the lead up to the finals.  This was often put down to the players being put through a heavy load of training so that they would be primed for action in September.  I seem to recall both Adelaide teams that won flags went through a flat spot close to the end of the season.  

Noting that Goodwin was very much involved in the success I wonder if it might be a reason for the apparent lack of energy displayed, particularly in the last 2.5 weeks.

In addition, Goodwin keeps repeating that it only matters where you finish after R23, maybe the coaches expected a drop off.  Although its noted that if they did they have cut it very fine ?.

Anyway, it was just a thought. Have any regular trackwatchers noted any heavier than usual loads?  

Ive been thinking this for a few weeks too. It has probably been messed around by our injuries and suspensions.  And ever probably cut it a bit fine.  But yeah it wouldn't surprise me. 

Not sure? We will soon find out Sunday.

It's viable...and I do think we'll bounce back and perform better this next three weeks...but you're right that we've cut it fine.

Bulldogs closed the year off poorly last year.  We have had our first full 8 day break in a while and it would be weird if we come out flat on Sunday.

Lewis was talking us up big in the media today, saying "if and when we play finals" teams will be worried about playing us. 

He is one bloke that is primed for this situation and along with Jones I expect a massive game from him on Sunday.

"tapering"/"knackered"  pretty much the same thing I guess.

15 minutes ago, McQueen said:

If we can sneak into the 8 and walk away with the Cup from where we're at then I'll consider it a better come back than Jesus Christ.

 

It would certainly give me a resurrection.

1 hour ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Your a glass-half-full kind of guy?

Just my kind of guy!

We're not in a position to do this so I very much doubt it... Sides in years gone by such as Geelong during their dominate years did this but they had the luxury of a top 4 even a top 2 spot sewn up and could afford to do this... A young side battling for a spot in the 8 is unlikely & foolish if the conditioning staff have done so

I dunno if we are doing it or not BUT the game is all about winning finals so it wouldnt surprise me if we are doing it now as a kinda trial to make sure we get it cherry ripe for an actual flag tilt down the road.

1 hour ago, hells bells said:

This thought occurred to me this week after a couple of really flat performances.  

A few years ago it was common for top teams to go off the boil for a few weeks in the lead up to the finals.  This was often put down to the players being put through a heavy load of training so that they would be primed for action in September.  I seem to recall both Adelaide teams that won flags went through a flat spot close to the end of the season.  

Noting that Goodwin was very much involved in the success I wonder if it might be a reason for the apparent lack of energy displayed, particularly in the last 2.5 weeks.

In addition, Goodwin keeps repeating that it only matters where you finish after R23, maybe the coaches expected a drop off.  Although its noted that if they did they have cut it very fine ?.

Anyway, it was just a thought. Have any regular trackwatchers noted any heavier than usual loads?  

I don't think its that crazy a thought, I wondered about it too but pretty much rejected the idea. I hadn't considered goody;s history at the Crows. Though i would say that was a long time ago and spots science will have moved on significantly in terms of what works. 

 

If you asked this question Monday I would have howled you down as a poor excuse for our last two weeks.

It's now Wednesday and I'm nearly accepting of where we are and what we still have to achieve. It's hump day.....maybe

By Friday I'll be very happy with the team and thinking really if we can beat the Saints,,,,and we can definitely do that..... then we could come roaring into the finals full of confidence and spunk!

But at the moment my words still feel hollow .....but maybe by Friday

2 hours ago, DSP said:

This is where you want to come into form, not drop off.

The North game will come back to cost us - dearly.

Which one? 

1 hour ago, praha said:

Lewis was talking us up big in the media today, saying "if and when we play finals" teams will be worried about playing us. 

He is one bloke that is primed for this situation and along with Jones I expect a massive game from him on Sunday.

Apparently the Crows were quoted as saying we had been the hardest team they had played after our earlier win this season.  So could the Crows let Ess win this weak to make it really hard for us to make finals?  Its happened before!

I agree, Lewis is primed.  He will try and drag the team over the line if he has to - the rest just need to do their bit; all 21 of them. 

For those who hadn't noticed one of the coaches gave him 2 votes last week...I reckon it was Goodwin.  Lewis is coming good when it counts and now doing what he was recruited to do

2 hours ago, DSP said:

This is where you want to come into form, not drop off.

The North gameS will come back to cost haunt us - dearly.

 

1 hour ago, McQueen said:

If we can sneak into the 8 and walk away with the Cup from where we're at then I'll consider it a better come back than Jesus Christ.

 

I am not a biblical scholar by any means, but perhaps the biblical reference you were seeking was actually Lazarus??

23 minutes ago, monoccular said:

 

I am not a biblical scholar by any means, but perhaps the biblical reference you were seeking was actually Lazarus??

Maybe so, but for JC to come back in 3 days after his injury report - fair effort

1 hour ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Apparently the Crows were quoted as saying we had been the hardest team they had played after our earlier win this season.  So could the Crows let Ess win this weak to make it really hard for us to make finals?  Its happened before!

I agree, Lewis is primed.  He will try and drag the team over the line if he has to - the rest just need to do their bit; all 21 of them. 

For those who hadn't noticed one of the coaches gave him 2 votes last week...I reckon it was Goodwin.  Lewis is coming good when it counts and now doing what he was recruited to do

This time of the year is exactly where Lewis will need to show his experience and project that on the younger lads. He was great on the weekend and I'm looking forward a massive last few games from him. We just need Jones and Vince to show similar leadership, along with Viney, and push the rest of them to lift. We have to win the last 3 and if we don't, they need to be kicking themselves.

1 hour ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

Apparently the Crows were quoted as saying we had been the hardest team they had played after our earlier win this season.  So could the Crows let Ess win this weak to make it really hard for us to make finals?  Its happened before!

Can't see the crows being that concerned about us that they would drop a game against the bombers just to prevent us, as a misfiring team, from making the eight. Swans, Giants, Dogs, Richmond would be more of a concern at this point of the season.