I’ve always been of the opinion that practice matches aren’t worth the risk of injury in a game that isn’t worth four points. I put this to Richo yesterday and he was adamant they’re of huge importance. He said, “Imagine this…Round One we play GWS, right? Our boys run out having played no practice matches. Their players run out with two practice matches under their belt. They’ll beat us by 10 goals, guaranteed.” 

It made sense at the time but later I was thinking about it and I wondered (and still wonder) why intraclub matches can’t be played instead of practice matches. Wouldn’t the same results be achieved? 

2 minutes ago, Ghostwriter said:

I’ve always been of the opinion that practice matches aren’t worth the risk of injury in a game that isn’t worth four points. I put this to Richo yesterday and he was adamant they’re of huge importance. He said, “Imagine this…Round One we play GWS, right? Our boys run out having played no practice matches. Their players run out with two practice matches under their belt. They’ll beat us by 10 goals, guaranteed.” 

It made sense at the time but later I was thinking about it and I wondered (and still wonder) why intraclub matches can’t be played instead of practice matches. Wouldn’t the same results be achieved? 

I think because you won't know how the gameplan will work, given everyone on the side knows it. You need to see how it would work against an opposition who doesn't know your every move.

Practice matches (i.e., distinct from match simulation / red team on blue team) enables sports specific knowledge and wisdom to be built, outside of a 'simulated environment'. By practicing against an external source (e.g., North Melbourne) an additional layer of complexity and unpredictability is added which is extremely hard to replicate. As a result, MFC listed players are tasked with combating and overcoming genuine elements of anticipation, awareness and collaboration which for the most part, aren't present in internal simulations. 

There's also strong data to indicate that when athletes are competing against a known quantity, such as a teammate, individual pieces of information are able to be retained more easily, as there is an awareness of the relationship between players and tactics which enables a level of 'prediction'. Of course, as an elite athlete you will study the opposition in order to be able to predict what's coming and react accordingly, but doing this in an authentic and genuine manner which has a meaningful return can be very difficult to replicate in a training scenario - not to mention the diminishing returns. 

16 minutes ago, Ghostwriter said:

I’ve always been of the opinion that practice matches aren’t worth the risk of injury in a game that isn’t worth four points. I put this to Richo yesterday and he was adamant they’re of huge importance. He said, “Imagine this…Round One we play GWS, right? Our boys run out having played no practice matches. Their players run out with two practice matches under their belt. They’ll beat us by 10 goals, guaranteed.” 

It made sense at the time but later I was thinking about it and I wondered (and still wonder) why intraclub matches can’t be played instead of practice matches. Wouldn’t the same results be achieved? 

With the same risk of injury so just play the practice match 

Intra-club games do some of the job but there is a step up to practice games against another side and needing to prepare for their tactics. A little bit more of the unknown and a bit less of a closed environment.

I look at it the same way as you would look at finals experience for a young developing team. It's almost impossible to replicate that environment in a regular game let alone in training, you might get the odd game that is played at 'finals like' level but obviously the more you can be exposed to it the better. 

It's a little bit of chaos vs control in having to give a bit to get a bit in pre season, I do think Richo is on the money.

Now if the league scrapped practice matches for every team and said you all had to rely on intra-clubs, that's a different story.

 

As someone that's had a crack at semi professional level and still playing locally (do take into consideration I'm only providing my thoughts based off having no elite level experience but from a players perspective)

The difference between intra club matches and actually practice games is pretty significant.

Intra club games in a way can be tailored and structured to how the coaches want it because this is where the implementation of game plan and structure is implemented from a full match practice perspective.

Coaches have the power to stop start these intra clubs and provide extra on field coaching whether it's around stoppage or general set up across all lines.

You can also tailor around how many quarters you want to play. I have been part of many intra clubs where I have played 2x20min quarters, 3×15min quarters or even 4×10min quarters. I do find that intra clubs are just a show for more dominant players to show how good they are against less prominent or shall we say, battlers who are more suited to the 12pm slot. 

Some players tend to not go the full 100% intensity because you're mindful of completely hurting blokes to the point they end up with concussion or worse, hospital. 

Going into a practice game is completely different ball game compared to intra clubs. Clearly it's a full dress rehearsal where it's your stock standard four quarter matches with official umpires and you're literally playing against the opposition's best team being put on paper.

Practise games are a tune up for round 1. Not only does it make a significant difference in getting the match fitness in the legs but also getting your game plan in tune for the season.

Trust me, you may be the fittest bloke on the list who has completed the whole pre season without missing a session, an intra club match in between, and it still doesn't stop you from blowing up completely in the first 5 minutes of a practice match because you're going full bore at the contest. Match fitness is a world on its own.

The intensity is high but the skills are generally sloppy because nothing prepares you for game like intensity as what a practice game does. 

You need to take into consideration that generally as a player, you haven't played a full game of footy for over 6 months, so your body is simply getting used to the conditioning of it all.

If I had a personal recommendation for how many practice games I think a team should play before round one, it would be two with a week off before round 1.

Edited February 6Feb 6 by dazzledavey36

You can train until the cows come home but you cannot train or condition yourself for effective “match fitness”  not even at intraclub level. It’s that simple.

Being aerobically and anaerobically fit to an elite level is one thing, but being able to run, take hits and commit to second, third and fourth efforts at high intensity against a supremely fit opponent is another. 

The real thing is the real thing is the real thing As said elsewhere practising cannot capture the intensity or ever completely get rid of the 'it's only practice' vibe. I don't care how good someone looks in training sessions or stage rehearsals if their skills drop or disappear the moment the real thing starts.

I get what you are saying (my NFL team hardly play their starters at all, some not even one snap) but even after 3-4 months of training you cant walk the day after your first praccy match, so not only would you lose the first game but recovery for the second and third are behind too. 

Agree with the two praccy games with a week off. Those hits your body takes from opponents is next level.

Edited February 6Feb 6 by Gorgoroth

I remember going to a practice match against Norf at the Colonials.

Norf had introduced the switch.  No matter which way we entered our fwd line, on turnover it immediately came out the other side. And we were absolutely flummoxed.  By half time even I knew which way the ball was going to go.  So you can learn something new.  And you also identify which players cant remember the new game plan.

Also of note in that game was a spectator who abused the umps from the 5 minute mark.  Like really?

I wish ALL clubs played intraclub practise matches in the preseason 

Round 1 should be the first meeting of opposition 

I think the Season would have a far better build up..

1 hour ago, layzie said:

Now if the league scrapped practice matches for every team and said you all had to rely on intra-clubs, that's a different story.

 

 

10 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

I wish ALL clubs played intraclub practise matches in the preseason 

 

I understand the importance now, thanks to the clear explanations, but I agree with SWYL in that no club playing practice matches would be ideal. 

Intra-clubs are like a flight simulator experience. The graphics are great, the staff call you 'captain' and you might even get to wear the hat.

Actual games are like trying to land the real plane in some severe fog and in-season games are trying to stop the plane from crashing into a cliff or the ocean. 

Brendan Lade (Dogs assistant) confirmed last night that his club is eager to player other clubs in the build up to round 1.

Intra clubs only get you so far.

I'm sure most if not all other clubs agree.

Edited February 6Feb 6 by Bring-Back-Powell

practice as you intend to play has long been the goodwin mantra, as it was roos before him

6 hours ago, Ghostwriter said:

 

I understand the importance now, thanks to the clear explanations, but I agree with SWYL in that no club playing practice matches would be ideal. 

Could that be policed? Maybe it really would be impossible but could 2 Victorian teams drive an hour away and play at a country ground in makeshift jumpers with staff doing their best to umpire? Every player and staff member would probably fully agree to this, especially if few or no other teams apart from them got this headstart. I doubt any team would agree with no practice matches. Sure, intraclub games probably lead to less injuries. But just the same as you don't rest your best players for long parts of  real matches - i.e. add some risk - the risks of practice matches are worth the fine-tuning benefits.

7 hours ago, Sir Why You Little said:

I wish ALL clubs played intraclub practise matches in the preseason 

Round 1 should be the first meeting of opposition 

I think the Season would have a far better build up..

I wouldn't have agreed a few years back but I shifted my thinking on this.

All clubs go in level with no practice matches.

...and as you say, a far better build up.

As Clausewitz said, practice matches are an invaluable tool for individual players, collaborating portions of the team, and the overall planning of the team to get a grasp of how opponents will react to their methods and to learn to anticipate those reactions.

Specifically, ol' grandpa Carl said, 'Warfare is not the action of one wilful agent against an inert mass, but of two dynamic bodies in collision with each other'.

Well, close enough to that. It is too hot today to go digging through my notes.

Practice matches for us have an added importance this year with GWS already playing in 'Opening Round'.

They would already have had an intense game to build match fitness and practice their gameplan against genuine opposition.  I think we ran over the top of the Bulldogs in R1 2024 due to already having an Opening Round match under our belts.

 

 

35 minutes ago, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

Practice matches for us have an added importance this year with GWS already playing in 'Opening Round'.

They would already have had an intense game to build match fitness and practice their gameplan against genuine opposition.  I think we ran over the top of the Bulldogs in R1 2024 due to already having an Opening Round match under our belts.

 

 

Another obvious reason the fixturing of round zero/one is ridiculous 

I’ve mentioned it elsewhere on here but following our praccy vs North at Arden St. on Saturday Feb 22nd there’ll be a second match: a Casey praccy vs North VFL beginning at 2pm.

Entry is free. 

Pre-season matches (particularly when there were three) added to the rhythm of the season.

The first match saw the fringe and young players building up to the inclusion of the elite players in the second and third matches.

Now we have Round Zero, rolling byes and a VFL fixture that is dysfunctional.

Modern fixturing seems not so much over exposure but more like an ever present blanket smoke filling the vacuum.

And next year we have an NFL game probably in the first week of finals.

Bread and circuses for all.

20 hours ago, Sir Why You Little said:

I wish ALL clubs played intraclub practise matches in the preseason 

Round 1 should be the first meeting of opposition 

I think the Season would have a far better build up..

I actually think the practice matches provide the build up and without them, crowd numbers and engagement would be lower in the first few rounds.  For every one footy tragic who has eagerly been devouring training reports all off-season, there are 5 or 10 far less engaged supporters who need the mainstream reporting of the prctice games to create their expecations and get the anticipation up for Round 1.

And like most, I agree that Round Zero is a train wreck that needs to be scrapped straight away.

34 minutes ago, Vipercrunch said:

I actually think the practice matches provide the build up and without them, crowd numbers and engagement would be lower in the first few rounds.  For every one footy tragic who has eagerly been devouring training reports all off-season, there are 5 or 10 far less engaged supporters who need the mainstream reporting of the prctice games to create their expecations and get the anticipation up for Round 1.

And like most, I agree that Round Zero is a train wreck that needs to be scrapped straight away.

Less is more sometimes and i just wish we did not play any opponents until Round 1

 

Just my thoughts with no elite playing experience.

Training is where individual skills, fitness and muscle memory are identified, enhanced, altered.

Intra club is where those features are coordinated or combined into structures, patterns etc and team cohesiveness is built.

Inter club allows those structures to be practised and tested against opponents who have restricted knowledge of those aspects. This contest throws up other deficiencies  in individuals and structures which may occur in a less controlled environment. It also allows experimentation to put different individual skills into different structures to unearth alternatives , particularly relevant against an unknown opponent.

The real thing begins when this is no longer a practise and structures and skills are applied consistently. Sometimes the different structures can be used in the real time due to necessity.

Intense opposition with different skills and patterns is why you need plans A, B, C etc.

Its why you use the whole squad to build alternatives through those phases.

My individual weakness at level 1 was enough to limit my progress but I have watched and use those phases to moderate successes. I envy and venerate those coaches who are at elite level and assume they know more than me, Im always looking for what that is. Its great.