Engorged Onion

I am genuinely interested in 2 folk who work in the field and state have been doing for some time - why they have vastly different insights. (That being Bing and Coach).

Thanks Daz, context matters deeply. - There should be a 'care' emoticon like FB on here... rather than the face palm one. So presumably Melksham et al who were there, were well aware of this context, actually being quite supportive given the context...and then a bit of gravy was flicked and it all got emotional.

I'm but a sample of one. I did turn up to the Freo game, via a 1.5 hour bus ride...it was nice, but not doable fortnightly, kids sports on the following morning...etc Kayo makes it easy as pie. 8.5% beers in the Fridge - at AFL mid strength prices. Tasty and knocked out cold circa 1030 pm, without the drive home. Anyway, AFL and clubs are well aware of the drop off. And that revenue needs to be attained aside from gate receipts. As well as 'memberships' to allow you greater value for money, beyond having to turn up.

The most crucial take away... for anyone playing at home.

Going on what you posted in the other thread about our form slump in 2021 @binman - do you or anyone else have an idea behind the mechanics/philosophy of bringing the 'potential' ramped up training block, in what appears to be around a month earlier than last year. Is that due to playing our last game (GF) a month and a bit after most other clubs, thus, limited rehab/recovery? what does that late match(es) mean for the preseason block of training and how it informs our training for the rest of the year? our younger players (u23's? (arbitrary age)) still acclimating their bodies to the demands of training and game loads /increase in fatigue comparably to exposed training loads over 5+ seasons. any other thoughts are welcomed.

Interestingly, I have pondered the 'not showing hand' against Sydney and Freo, after getting out to a 30 point lead in both matches... defenders off/injured... I'm not saying neither team didn't execute their plans well... it just felt like a complete reversal post half time, beyond what the opposition did. But that'd just be me being arrogant... still trying to make sense of why we didn't match the +2 at stoppages that occurred for the second half against Freo, that felt odd...

I'm in the camp that we load throughout the season at different times, and that it directly influences performance. I am not saying it is the ONLY thing influencing. Anyway, it appears it's a polarising topic. Here is something I just googled, which confirms my view (and what I have been told from someone who would know0 that the wider AFL system (particularly those in finals contention, ramp up their training). I happily accept that I search for info that confirms my beliefs, and refute anything that disproves it on this particular topic. Maybe semantics are important - loading (up training), volume vs intensity, development blocks, etc etc... Whatever we call it, and however we interpret what we call it, nonetheless, there are still fluctuations in the intensity and volume of training during the season. This is on a Brisbane Lions thread in 2020. This last 3-4 weeks have been pure magic for our teams development because it is an almost perfectly designed training block. All training improvements come from progressive overload. Start with x load, increase by 10% for a number of sessions then pull back and rest to allow the muscles/aerobic/ to develop. This diagram shows the process. Overload can be by intensity or volume (eg gym = increase weight or reps) and applies across weeks, months, seasons... During a season it looks different - it's maintenance and recovery, but finals teams include additional development block prior to September. Playing finals with their increased intensity also acts as a overload training block. Up until the giants game we were cruising in normal season recovery/maintenance mode, then the dramatic increase the volume acts as progressive overload. Other teams have also had the increase in volume but longer breaks, byes and swapping more players means the overload is not as effective for some teams. It is one of the reason we need a strong seconds competition and why our seconds players are struggling once they get a game - they have been left behind. This week rest is supercritical, then we will see a big uplift in our performance. As long as injuries don't escalate this season is only going to get better for us.

Psychologically, I wonder how it's interpreted by the players and the FD that over the last two weeks that we essentially can get out to a 6 goal lead by the end of the first half against two premiership contenders, and then... give it up. Is there solace in that fact that we can get out to that margin by the first half? Is it a threat now, that there is evidence that we give up a lead of that margin? Does it mean that teams have worked us out? Hmmmm....

We could name the thread "Loadin, is my head explodin?' or '#loadingmyths".

It is not saying what you think it is saying Bing. All teams train... so all teams load (its the volume and intensity that matters)... training in of itself infers a physical output (or load). Further, in the article you supplied, if there is NO loading, there there are two really weird bits of wording, which I have highlighted in bold, which seems to yet again, infer loading during the season. I'm not sure what you make of it, I know what I make of it. As part of the Abstract: These data provide useful information about targeted periods of loading and unloading across different stages of a season. As part of the conclusion Whilst the current study did not examine the within-week loading between games, it can be speculated that the reduction in overall training load from pre-season to in-season would also result in a reduction in training load within week, i.e. between games. This periodization strategy is supported by recent work where high training load between both AFL and Rugby League games (separated by 1-week) impairs sprint capacity and explosive actions typical of intermittent activity 12 and increases injury risk 13

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/jun/06/why-has-there-been-a-downturn-in-afl-crowds-this-season-its-not-just-covid-to-blame

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I've posted this image a year or so ago. Here it is again, a rough little guide re: volume and intensity of training within the AFL throughout the season. Interesting that the peak in volume happens to be around the 10-12 space..could it just be coincidence? Of course it could be outdated and no longer relevant. Or, this is just but one persons philosophy and doesn't roughly correspond. Also, why aren't other teams affected in the same way,? (different philosophies and plans of course, as well as each individual going through their microcycle) From my eyes at the Freo match, seeing M.Gawn on his haunches within the first 5min, and not withstanding potential/probable illnesses, May and Petty injured when a glut of goals was scored... (which was not dissimilar vs Sydney when Petty was off). Looking at some players quite fatigued early on in the piece... it reminded me of last year. I'd posit, that it'd be useful to see volume and intensity in training, as one way to make sense of one of the factors that is impinging on our performances...

It wasn't really a crack... and I appreciate the need to get heard. Yeah, sometimes I wander down the conspiracy or 'wider agenda' path in my head, and then do a quick u-turn... I'm just not going to allow myself to believe it to be true What is true though, is that ultimately, AFL is an entertainment package distributed to the masses, whereby sharing of success keeps the populous interested, and this can sit nestled neatly next to what @Demonstonesaid.

So good that you posted twice?

Interesting that we have dropped off in pressure, or ability to exert pressure this year. Is that complacency? I’d doubt it. But I did see a post where that was formally addressed by coach. so I’m a little confused. anyway, what I’m not confused about is by reading through this post match thread, as per last weeks…you’re only a premiership contender if you win that weeks match.

always grateful of your insight.

Just beat me to it. Is there something offensive about vaginas mate? Or cervical cancer? **Thanks for updating your post @buck_nekkid 🥰

Thanks very much, that's fantastic, and clear.

can you please expand on this?

errrmmmmm don't 18 teams come at one another each week. You're no more hunted if your first vs eighteenth in my opinion.

It's good fun that the media drive this alternate reality. Anyway, in AFL land, where things are scrutinised within an inch of its life, they'd all be well aware of all those factors... and have a good sense of reality.

Disagree strongly. The opposite of love (care) isn't anger, it's apathy. The bloke cares immensely. People might view it, and the consider that he was disrespectful to Dyson. Again, optics from the outside looking in, it doesnt look great, because that's not how we would operate in a normal work environment...but this aint a normal work environment. I recall a decade or so ago, Collingwood backline players also confronting one another...it was deemed great leadership when they were winning. A year or so later, the same behaviour was seemed to be indicative of distrust, and lack of unity. I for one (not knowing Darcy or Dysons relationship) would hope that it is robust to be able to talk through things, whilst being [censored] off and then it get repaired. He has a right to discuss things, he as a right to be [censored] off. Incidentally, did you know most incidents be it in hospitals or airlines, occur due to staff, not willing to speak up and question authority (Surgeon or Pilot)in the moment about a procedural issue .... Anyway Luci, I understand what you are saying, it all depends on how it is repaired (as well as, what was actually spoken about). Did Darcy choose to not to hit Dyson up at all for the rest of the match? 🤷‍♂️

I wonder what may have contributed to us not putting up a fight so to speak, when we've fought pretty consistently for 18 months... I watched Gawn on his haunches in the first 5 minutes of the match.... I know in elite sport you can't use excuses publicly, and there are reasons why things occur. If a 'bug' was the case (Flu? It's [censored] everywhere in Vicco) and Goodwin mentioned it in the presser, he'd just be sounding a bit like the Geelong bloke... "Freo were outstanding, and we lost May, and Petty was crocked, and our backline was depleted, and we couldn't run because we had 1/3 of the playing side take the ground with the flu"... that'd be interesting to the narrative.

I ask these questions with curiosity... What's with the notion that brothers always want to play together? Maybe Andrew is super happy forging his own identity and path. Do the Saints and Sun board constantly talk about the King brothers? What about the Ah Chee's? Or the Reids? There was a little vibe going on here for Nathan Jones' brother for a while. I feel its just us supporters being quite romantic. Mind you Andrew would add plenty of value. Jackson for Brayshaw anyone? 😇